What Turned A Sceptic, The Decision To Go And The Journey That Follows.

[Nev]

You might also be able to do something in SA with the consumer protection act, there is a SA department that protects the consumer, it might not go anywhere but well worth a push in that direction if if there is no cost

I cant stand it when companies offer a service and then take you for a ride after taking your money

[HadEnoughofJuju]

The Final Stretch

So much for all the worrying and stressing about things that needed to get done. We have told everyone that needs to know about the big move, the PCC's were completed and uploaded on 15 November 2012 (Thanks to Toitjie for hand delivering and collecting them for me, you are a star), we went for the medicals today (23 November 2012) and the Doctor says that we are all as healthy as horses and that there should be no reason why there should be any problems with the medicals on Australia's side.

Although we have only been at this since February 2012 it seems like a lifetime of stress and worry and feeling like we would never see the warm sunny beaches of Queensland, but now things seem a lot more real and tangible, to be honest it feels like things are moving at the speed of light and now I have no control over the runaway train.

This ride takes you from one extreme to the other and if anyone ever tells you that you are a coward for leaving this country, I guarantee you that they are hiding behind their cowardice and fear of not being willing to take on such a mammoth life changing task. Emigration is not for the faint hearted and if you have any doubt or are not sure this is for you, I suggest that you work through those doubts and fears before you decide to start this process. It WILL bring you to your knees emotionally and it will even have a profound impact on your life and make you see things in a very different light and if it doesn't change you, you may just find yourself being one of those that pack up and move back because you are still looking at what was instead of looking forward and what could be.

I can't wait to live in a place where the people, no matter what their origin, don't have any political baggage, Sure, I will miss South Africa (after all this is my birth place and has been my home for 38 years) when we do go as well as all the things that we have built up over the years but I have come to realise that there is absolutely no point in having a whole lot of stuff, if you are too afraid to leave it alone, or you are locked up in your home (aka prison) because you are afraid of what may happen to you just walking down the street.

If you are still thinking about emigrating, make piece with the fact that you will be leaving your lives, family and belongings behind to start all over again in a new country and once you can do that the decision becomes much easier to make. It's not easy and I have my days where I wonder if this is the right thing to do or if leaving family behind isn't perhaps selfish but then I realise that to not go and give my family and especially my child the opportunities that she will never have here is far more selfish than that. We (and our parents and grand parents) have had our opportunities and we did the best we could, now we need to give our kids the best we can and for us that means moving our lives to a safer, happier and more stable place.

Everything is filled in, uploaded and complete and all we can do now is wait for a case officer to be assigned and give them any additional evidence they may ask for (should they not find what they are looking for amongst the 2 arch lever files full of evidence sent to them already) and wait for them to make their decision. Good luck to all those waiting for invitations, CO's to be allocated and final visa verdicts. What will be will be and there is nothing you or I can do to change that.

Edited November 24, 2012 by HadEnoughofJuju

[Toitjie]

HEOJ, all said above is so true. The different emotions can become very draining. I have been at this for a long time, and gone through almost all the emotions, even anger. But this week I experienced it a little different. We went on a cruiseship this week and drove to Lanseria on Tuesday morning at 4am in the morning.

This is the first time I really really got VERY p*ssed off at this country for the fear we constantly live in, because we had to leave hubby's firearm at home, and we drove past that squattercamp next to the highway and I was very scared. I was scared to be hijacked while driving through Pretoria's empty streets, driving on a dark and empty highway, past a squattercamp where there have been many incidents of stone throwing and stones over the highway, and hijackings. I felt so extremely powerless and angry.

and to top it off, while on the boat, I received a message from ADT that our alarm went off and that they could not receive any signal from our house for 3 days. So either the power was out for 3 days or someone cut the alarm wires. Stress and more stress because we cannot ask anyone to go and have a look, we dont trust ADT's personnel enough to leave a remote with them. So during what was supposed to be a relaxing holiday, we stressed about what was happening at home.

the only light in the tunnel was that hubby slept very well during the night for the 3 nights we were there because he did not have to worry about a possible break-in and someone trying to kill him in his sleep...dont know whether to laugh or cry at the irony of this..

[AlBrough]

This ride takes you from one extreme to the other and if anyone ever tells you that you are a coward for leaving this country, I guarantee you that they are hiding behind their cowardice and fear of not being willing to take on such a mammoth life changing task. Emigration is not for the faint hearted and if you have any doubt or are not sure this is for you, I suggest that you work through those doubts and fears before you decide to start this process. It WILL bring you to your knees emotionally and it will even have a profound impact on your life and make you see things in a very different light and if it doesn't change you, you may just find yourself being one of those that pack up and move back because you are still looking at what was instead of looking forward and what could be.

This is what I have found to be the most taxing part of this experience so far. You hit it on the nail!

[HadEnoughofJuju]

The start of a new life

19 December 2012 will be a day that I never forget, every day before that starting on 24 November I religiously checked my email and the online visa application system to see if there was a change in status, it actually got so bad that I started staying up until 22:30 to check email because that is the start of the business day in Adelaide at the moment to see if there was any news from the CO. Every morning and eventually night I would have a hollow, depressed and disappointed feeling when I found nothing.

On 18 December I went to bed rather early and was lying in bed chatting to a fellow forumite and we were both kinda hoping that Wednesday would be a better day, I never bothered to check either the online visa application nor my email, said good bye to my friend, switched off my phone and went to sleep.

I only woke up around 8am on Wednesday, turned on my phone but never bothered to go through any of the emails or other messages I had gotten through the night, I then noticed a BBM from my friend that had come through at around 7:30 and decided I'd better read it. She asked if I had received anything from DIAC and told me she had received an automated email from her CO. I went through the 37 emails that I had and low and behold there was an email from my CO. I tried to read it on my phone but could not really make out anything except for the words "a decision has been made regarding your visa application". I immediately bolted out of bed, grabbed the laptop and ran past my wife into the kitchen (in my undies). It must have been a funny site to have seen me there punching away at the keyboard trying to log into Gmail to see what I could see in nothing but my jocks.

I had to read the email 3 times before I actually realised what it was saying, the visa had been granted and we were in. I was really expecting to feel more excitement that I did but the strange thing was I was feeling more relieved than anything else. The more I think about this and what our future holds the more excited I become. I feel like a 10 year old with a new expensive remote control helicopter that my dad won't let me fly because I need to take lessons first. We have spent the last 24 hours since getting the news experiencing so many different emotions that I can't really tell you how I am feeling at the moment, I just know that we have made it this far by grace alone.

Thank you to the people who decided to start this forum for taking the chance, thank you to all the hosts and admin's that maintain and regulate this site and last but not least thank you to each and every person that contributes advice, shows support and understanding and is willing to put themselves out there to help people they have never met.

We have met some really awesome people here on the forum and made some really good friends as well.

I realised today that getting the visa is not the end for us, it's the beginning of a really awesome opportunity for our little family.

The last person I would like to thank is my wife OnYellowBrickRd for being willing to take the first step by deciding that we need to get out while we still can, but most of all for putting up with the stress and being the wise one.

This journey is far from over and I am sure that there will still be a lot of uphill walking to be done but we have come this far and are not turning back now, we will make this work no matter what. For those of you still waiting, stick it out the visa will come before you know it and when you least expect it. For those who got their visa's in the last couple of days, good luck with the rest of the planning and move we are all going to need it.

Edited December 20, 2012 by HadEnoughofJuju

[Jacques Voogt]

AWESOMENESS!!!

Now about that bubbly I promised. I think it will have to wait until we are back in RSA.

Laterz....

[HadEnoughofJuju]

AWESOMENESS!!!

Now about that bubbly I promised. I think it will have to wait until we are back in RSA.

Laterz....

I'll be waiting for you to get back. Enjoying the trip I hope.

[team44]

Hi...been off the forum for a while..stressed trying to sell our property and just had to do a search to see if your visa came through. Felt so happy to read your post now. Just knew with all your determination that you would get your visa. SO AWESOME!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!

[HadEnoughofJuju]

Hi Team44

Thanks for the wishes and yes it is AWESOME. I am still getting used to this idea of actual packing up everything and moving to a new country.

[LesNatalie]

I sit in the same boat, I desperately want to go to Australia but my partner is very hesitant in leaving SA. Says all the time that why should he be have to leave his birth country.....I agree but SA is getting no better and I have a 10 year old daughter which is a major concern for me as she is the one that will be affected most by us deciding to stay on in SA. I pray every day that he will change his mind.....we have however decided to start the application process and have the option to go if we need to. We have put a plan in place that should we decide to go we would only leave in about 2 years (just want to get a OZ savings fund going) so we don't have too much financial pressure that side.

Anyone got some stories of their own to share that have the same problem I do, please keep them coming........

[HadEnoughofJuju]

@LesNatalie

I don't know if you would be able to afford an LSD but many people have said that once you experience things how they should be you then start to realize what you have been putting up with for the last 20 years in this so called "free" country. At some stage your partner will come around, I just hope it not too late and that you guys don't miss your chance to leave. Good luck with the application process and shout if there is anything you want to know, there are many helpful individuals here in forum land are only too glad to help.

Edited January 15, 2013 by HadEnoughofJuju

[LesNatalie]

@HadEnoughofJuju

Thank you so much, I have been following your posts and feel some what positive after reading your experiences. We decided to take a trip in April to go see what Oz is about but now with us applying we have decided to rather leave it until the visa's are granted as we will have to activate them within a year if we don't decide to move shortyly after (being very positive I know....,hehehe) We have an agent that will assist us with the process and he has advised to rather put the money away that we would have spent on a LSD and go once the visa's are granted...

At the moment, emotions are very up and down (even for myself) asking myself are we making the right decision. I know deep down inside it is something we have to do. It's a no brainer as to which way this country is going but we have to face the facts.....

[HadEnoughofJuju]

This is not a decision you will regret making and remember if things don't work out (which is the exception and not the rule) you could always come back but I am of the opinion that rather have a visa and not need it than desperately need it and not have it. You will not regret the move and if you've spent enough time on this forum you will see how all the people who were initially sceptical about this wouldn't come back if you paid them to.

Australia is by no means a utopian society with no problems, it has it's issues and crime but they are far less and actually dealt with unlike in South Africa and initially it will be hard work but it will all be worth it when you see you daughter thrive and flourish and achieve things that she would never be able to do with the current political climate in South Africa. Having children changes the way you navigate through life and I think it was what changed got my wife to pull her eternally optimistic head out of the sand.

Tell your hubby that both of us are also angry at the fact that we have to leave our birth place and heritage behind because we feel that we have been forced to do so, but I would rather do that than disadvantage my poor child who does not know or even care about the past transgressions in this country, she does not see skin colour so why should she suffer?

[Jacques Voogt]

For most people, there is some trigger that prompted the move and a lot of people will ask you: "What made you decide?" or "What happened that you want to go."

Seriously!!! I do not want something to happen before I say: "Ok let's go." It will be too late.

Some time ago my parent's neighbors were robbed. The man, a fireman, was at work and his wife home alone. She was rolled up in a blanket and a rope tied around the blanket and stuffed into a closet. They took everything of value and left. She eventually managed to break the lock on the closet and shuffled into the street until someone stopped and helped. From what I have heard, since then with all the trauma and self blame, they have moved out, separated and gone their own ways. So was she lucky?

No.

Just before the 16th Dec, one of my friends colleagues murdered another. On camera, him and his buddy arrived over the weekend at the workshop and explicitly attacked and beaten the workshop caretaker of almost 60 years of age to get keys. They took some tools and equipment and left. Monday morning the secretary found him. This happened less than 200m from a police station.

In our area we have recently had a couple of armed robberies. In one of them the husband is a kick boxing champion. That skill did not help him any bit as he was tied up while his wife was "beaten up" Put yourself in his shoes, how would you feel if you had to watch while your loved ones get beaten up or even worse and you had no way of doing anything to help them.

I have many stories like these of friends and family being victims of violent crime.

Crime is one of many factors. The other factors are even worse.

[LesNatalie]

@ Jacques.........how was your LSD.

Well we have started the application so we are on the right track right in the beginning...hehehe. Meeting with the agent on Wednesday to touch base with Les' skills assessment and the rest to follow.....long road but at least we have started the process. Will keep in touch!

[HadEnoughofJuju]

The Final Countdown

We have approximately 70 days left before we climb on that plane and leave South Africa for I hope (and forgive me if this offends) is the last time. We have both decided we would rather fly people over to Australia to visit us than come back.

Today is one of those days where all the emotions and feelings I am experiencing are intense (like watching a 3D movie in HD). I cried when I say that one of the forumites (qwerty) finally got their visa grant today after more than 4 years of waiting. I cried when I read one of my own posts.

I was tough and was able to handle just about any situation, my childhood experiences taught me survival and adaptation skills and no problem nor circumstance was too difficult or impossible to handle but now I find myself at a complete loss. Almost everything is out of mt control and I feel helpless.

My only option at this stage is to believe that everything will work out and that there is a plan for our lives. Due to past circumstances I am not really a spiritual person but this little journey has started opening my eyes to the fact that we are not able to do any of this alone, even if we don't realise it there is someone up there looking down on us directing our every move.

These last couple of months have been difficult emotionally and have drained me to the point that I am sick, not sleeping well and constantly tired. I just have to now believe and have faith that things will work out in the end. Keep the faith and don't doubt your decision to go even if the light at the end of the tunnel seems like its an on coming train.

Edited January 30, 2013 by HadEnoughofJuju

[team44]

Hi HEOJ..we have been following your story and through all the difficulties you faced we just knew that with your sheer determination you would get to Australia some day. We too had a difficult ride and constantly had the odds stacked against us, but somehow we made it, just like you. That led us to believe that we are being guided and no doubt doing the right thing. We were supposed to leave last year, yet faced another hurdle and somehow its all coming together.

Soon we shall all look back and marvel at how great life actually is!! Hang in there, stay positive. You and your family have bright days ahead.

Edited January 30, 2013 by team44

[HadEnoughofJuju]

Hi HEOJ..we have been following your story and through all the difficulties you faced we just knew that with your sheer determination you would get to Australia some day. We too had a difficult ride and constantly had the odds stacked against us, but somehow we made it, just like you. That led us to believe that we are being guided and no doubt doing the right thing. We were supposed to leave last year, yet faced another hurdle and somehow its all coming together.

Soon we shall all look back and marvel at how great life actually is!! Hang in there, stay positive. You and your family have bright days ahead.

Thanks for the kind words and encouragement. I am looking forward to the day I can sit on my deck and sip a cold one while watching the waves roll in. I have also discovered that things don't always go according to our plans, we just have to be patient.

[sammyjo]

HEofJ,

I'm feeling so emotional after reading your post... I read from start to finish. What a journey!

My parents were born in Africa and worked hard to get into Australia too... And I can't thank them enough! I was 4 when we moved to aus. Your baby girl will thank you one day! You have made the best decision for her!

I hope everything is smooth sailing now.

S

[HadEnoughofJuju]

Hi sammyjo

Thank you for the kind words. It's encouraging to know that she may one day thank us too for doing this, I think about this a lot and just hope that she does realise in the long run why we did it. Thanks for taking the time to read the posts.

[HadEnoughofJuju]

Learning Curve

Over the last three months I have learnt some valuable lessons.

1. What will be will be.
   No matter how much planning you put into this process (please don't get me wrong, I am not saying don't plan anything, that would just be unwise) your plans will change, so you need to learn to be flexible and be willing to change your plans at a moments notice. Things happen that are out of our control and there is just no use getting all upset about it, you are only going to loose your mind.
   
2. Don't stress just be concerned.
   Don't stress about stuff, do what needs doing, cross the T's and dot the I's and forget about the stuff that you have no control over, you can't change it anyway. Stress kills and it will make you an unhappy, unpleasant person to be with. This process is long and bumpy, enjoy the time you have got left in South Africa and spend as much time with your kid's as possible. You are going to need to be a strong family unit when you land in Australia because if you think the process was hard, try actually moving. Your whole world changes and you are literally starting from scratch.
   
3. Look before you pay (leap).
   If you are on this site reading this post then you are considering emigration, there are many sharks out there and they all want to make a quick buck, this is the single biggest (in my opinion) decision you will make in your life so make it carefully. Do your homework and check, check and double check before you pay anyone anything. Emigration to anywhere in the first world is expensive and you are probably going to loose a large chunk of your life savings to this process and the less you spend getting there, the more you will have to start your new life with.
   
4. Plan backwards.
   I have heard several times that people plan to do things in a certain order and end up doing it completely the opposite way around. Decide why you want to emigrate to Australia, find the single most important reason in your mind and plan according to that. In our case this was to make a better life for our child. We had initially planed on finding a place for us to work and we have been looking up and down the east coast and had no luck settling on a place until we changed our thinking. We have now first decided to find a school for our daughter then find a rental close by and then start looking for work near that. Completely the opposite to what we had planned but yet we are somehow completely calm and at peace with the decision.

We have planned to leave in 34 days (1 April) but this is dependant on SAA and if there is space for us to fly. We are flying on standby (staff) tickets so we have to take the flight we get and land in Sydney and then get a connecting flight from there which we can only book once we are in Sydney because we have no idea when we are actually going to arrive there. All in all this has been an interesting journey and we are finally in the last month of living in South Africa. At this point it feels like we are on an extended holiday and will be leaving soon for home, the only difference is we are not sad to be going but excited at the prospect of starting our new lives.

[Elmarie61]

Exciting times HEOJ!

I have been in Aus now for 6 weeks, and I love it here.

Has every day been easy? No. Have I had a couple of unnessesary arguments with hubby because the emotions are high? Yes.

Is it all worth it? A million times yes!

We moved into our rental 2 days ago. It is 150 meters from the beach! On our first night we had dinner at a restaurant overlooking the beautiful mandurah foreshore, and when we got home at 7 we still had time to walk down to the beach for a swim. !

I have felt such welcome and kindness from ex saffas and aussies alike. So many people have come out of the woodwork to lend a helping hand.

Delivery people, bus drivers, till ladies, and many more have been so friendly. I am clueless on the way many things work, and that can be frustrating, but no one has gotten annoyed, they just come up, help out and have a chat.

I find these friendly chats with absolute strangers so refreshing. My guard has come down.

What a wonderful feeling!

My husband is still looking for a job and that is tough on him, but I believe everything will work out in the end.

Good luck withyour journey.

If you or your wife have any questions just send a pm!

[HadEnoughofJuju]

Hey Elmarie61

Glad to here that things are working out and that it has been worth it for you guys. I am still in a bit of disbelief at the moment and that we only have 31 days left. Tell you hubby to just keep at it something will come up. We are also having some unnecessary fights at the moment but it's a lot better than it was a couple of months ago. Can't wait to land and start the new life.