lyse: Many obviously have emigration in mind

[celeste]

Hi

I'm also new and shocked by the number of people who have just recently joined this forum. It shows just how many people are again thinking about and planning to leave these shores. Seeing all these new members (including myself) really opens one's eyes to that fact that many, many people continue to leave SA for Aus even 13 years down the line politically.

My husband and I (both 34) are just starting our visa application after humming and haaaing for many years. The stand of education here and AA being a big motivating factor to get out of our comfort zone for the sake of our kids' futures. We are Christians and the decision is difficult looking at the great need this county has for the gospel and as a journo I sometimes wonder whether i'm not meant to stay here and make a difference in some small way. Of course, that's very idealistic and a matter we committ to prayer. In the meantime though we would like to have our visa's in hand so that we have the option of leaving when have to make the choice. of course I know chances are once the visa arrives it will all be settled!

I have a sister in Australia on the GC, her husband and their daughter while my husband has an aunt an uncle and several first cousins in Melborne and Berri SA. Not sure whether we will end up in Adelaide or GC at this stage.

This is a great forum and the first I have ever joined!

Look forward to chatting with some of you guys and girls.

[Mara]

Hi lyse

Welcome, I hope you will find many of the answers you need here!

[bananagirl]

I agree in so many ways with what you said Lyse. Iwas shocked as well at how many people wnat to go to AUS. We are the same age as you are and are Christians as well. At this stage our biggest problem is to sell our house. Few stumbleblocks as well. But I believe that God is bigger than any problem so if He wants us to go, he will not let anything stand in our way. Its just important to make sure that it is in God's will to take this step. What is your opinion on this? We are not as fortunate to have family there, but my husband's younger brother is dating a AUS girl in London. Hope they have plans to settle in AUS.....hee hee

We would love to stay near Brisbane, love the weather. We will be visiting / LSD during May.

Good luck with your application

B-girl

[Swerwer]

Welcome here. We also started off with only getting the VISA as an option for later, but this country has a way of making up your mind for you. So now we are looking forward to our brighter future in Oz.

[Dax]

My husband and I (both 34) are just starting our visa application after humming and haaaing for many years.

Your age is critical. One's thirties is IMHO ones best years, so don't postpone any longer. You are both young enough yet experienced enough to be resilient in all ways.

As a fellow Christian my take on you rpost above is this; you really are thinking of moving in your heart of hearts - it could be God speaking to you. Believe me, there are great needs for the Gospel in Oz as well, and I don't mean to slag the place.

I also wrote you an answer in another thread.

Cheers and all of the best,

dax

Contact me through a PM if you need more specific info

[celeste]

Hi B-girl

I sometimes thnk life has become to complicated. ie. in the old days you were born lived and died in your home town but now we have too many choices of where can live and work.

I know what you mean about seeking the Lord's will. To be completely honest with you I am not 100% sure it is His will for us to leave sa at the moment. However, what Dax mentioned in his post really stikes a chord on something I have been thinking for a while and discussing with my mom (who says if we leave her and my dad will follow). Maybe it is the Lord who is leading me in the first place. I tell you Luke (husband) and I had absolutely no desire whatsover to move to aus and I was actually rather peeved that my sister left SA for the UK and then went even further away to Australia. So, in my heart of hearts I do have this slightly nagging feeling that we should b going the Oz route. It's definitely not the most comfy route for us at the moment we are happy, bought our first home, have promising jobs with fantastic employers - life is just absolutely rosy at the moment. But then I think ahead and wonder...which way will sa go in the end?? Is there a great likelihood it will take the Zim route?

Sorry, i didn't mean to bring all of that up. I had asked God to change Luke's heart about Aus if it was his will that we should go and within a month (without me nagging ...saying the odd word tho i must admit about the education standards and aa) his attitude softened completely. it was like he was this rock saying 'i'm not going to aus' and now he is quite happy for us to cough up the money for the consultants and visa etc.

Another big thing that got me moving with the visa was that many Godly people in the Body of Christ had advised me that if they were our age they would go (my moms words as well). In fact I can only think of one or two who said...see first if it's God's will. Of course we must do that but what I am saying is the Bible in Proverbs says that "wisdom is found in the counsel of many". The very day we came back from our interview with the consultants there was in e-mail from an Indian Christian site saying ....don't ignore the wisdom of the Godly which I must say really encouraged me that I was doing the right thing. It is also rather strange how now...suddenly at age 34 I get this stirring in my heart to apply to go to Aus. A bolt out of the blue. We are on EU and British passports so have always had the attitude that we will wait till/if things get really hectic and then just get on a plane to the UK. We are very, very blessed in that regard. But now I find myself applying for Aus, something I had never dreamed I'd ever do.

The Lord has also promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us and that he will be with us until the end of the world so some Christians hold the view that we are free to choose, within reason, where we would like to live. I do think though that God has His own plan for us all and we need to ask Him and then follow in faith.

I'd say you should make your plans for Aus if that is what you want to do and in the process wait on God cos the age thing is important for the Visa.

But you are right God can move any mountain that is in your way provided you are following His leading.

Oh dear...I do go on!!

Better get back to my evening work tasks here so i can enjoy a well planned tomorrow!

Cheers

Lyse

Many thanks Mara

Hi Dax

i hear what you are saying, mentioned it in the post to B-Girl in more detail. It could well be God's leading because all of a sudden through some negative reports about our university here I just woke up to the realisation one day in January that where are our kid's going to study in 18 years time? What will the standards be like and do we want to grow old in SA? Will our kids up and leave us as has happened to many here?

Perhaps now is the time to put the plans in place as mentioned above but to Aus rather than the UK. I am just deciding whether to go for the 138 or the 496 and head to Melbourne. Any suggestions on which is the most likely to be approved or is it pretty much the same? We have good agents who have suggested either so I guess it's up to us. I'm itching to get the papers signed and the process rolling.

Cheerio

Lyse

[Bob]

This is a "toughie", trying to find out how much is really a Divine hand guiding you and how much is your own anxiety for the future years in a land which you don't have a say in its destiny.

You've got 50 years, on average, for a person of your age, and in the course of those years a lot can unfold. If we only had the wisdom of hindsight, we'd all be whistling a different tune, no doubt.

One guide to the future is to look back at past performance.

I'm afraid, looking at the African continent for the past 50 years, I don't have much respect for its leaders.

Ghana and Malaysia both got their independence from Britain in 1957 . . . . 50 years ago now . . . and both places had about the same G.D.P., resources and climate.

Malaysia chose to put its energy into education and building up its natural resources and is now a leading Asian nation with a pretty stable economy, having a manufacturing sector that's viable and the infrastructure to support it into the future.

Ghana, like most African nations, just chose to laze away in the sun, not placing much value in education or developing a work ethic of note among its own people. It has little to no manufacturing to speak of, and the same can be said of its roads, rail networks, ports, airways, schools, towns, etc.

This is a typical African nation that used to blame colonialism for all its problems for the first 30 years of its nationhood before that argument eventually bagan to wear a little thin to even its most sympathetic listeners.

If you think that South Africa is going to be a great place in the years of your lifetime, then you are obviously one who only sees her cup as being half full . . . . not half empty.

The questions I'd ask myself is where will my kids be in 20 / 30 / 40 years time when you are in middle age and old age?

The opportunities for them are limited in South Africa and they may well seek better opportunities for themselves and their kids in the future in 20 or 30 years time when it has become too late for yourselves to leave, unless the government wakes up to itself and realises its policies are only causing the most professional and educated sector of the population to leave . . . . . but then again, pigs might fly!

Will your grand-children grow up not knowing their grand-parents much because they chose to stay in South Africa and are a continent apart from them?

Australia has need of God fearing people that fit into the Australian culture and understand where Australians are coming from.

You will still find the same God when you stand on the beach and look in wonder at the beauty of the sunrises and sunsets in Australia.

Basically, doesn't God just want us to have a personal relationship with Him and just walk daily in a quiet way with him? . . . . and where we choose to live doesn't really affect our time with Him day to day.

If you want to find out what God can use you for, you'll find yourself pretty busy doing God's will with the needs of the average Australian, not materially so much but showing them a way of life that is different from just drinking, betting, watching footie and racing after the bloke or woman in the next street.

Anyhow . . . . you have to feel comfortable about leaving South Africa firstly and then assured that Australia is the place best for you and your kids in the years to come.

Take your time and think about all the angles and viewpoints that are likely to affect you as a family and come up with the answers for them one by one in your own time.

Hundreds . . . thousands . . . . have been where you are at right now!

Any questions, don't be afraid to ask . . . . even the silly ones.

Just don't settle into a "comfort zone" like some are tempted to do and put it all off.

I think you'll only kick yourself later in life if you do that!

Edited March 2, 2007 by Bob

[celeste]

Hi Bob

You have really hit the nail on the head. I don't want to look back and kick myself for staying here!

The outlook is not rosy here at all, in fact it's getting worse and worse. Just today government said "affirmative action is here to stay" so we might as well take the kids to a country where they won't be discriminated against for the rest if their lives based on the colour of their skin. I suppose we become exiles because we leave with a great deal of emotional reluctance.

thanks for your thoughts

Lyse

Hi B-girl

I sometimes thnk life has become to complicated. ie. in the old days you were born lived and died in your home town but now we have too many choices of where can live and work.

I know what you mean about seeking the Lord's will. To be completely honest with you I am not 100% sure it is His will for us to leave sa at the moment. However, what Dax mentioned in his post really stikes a chord on something I have been thinking for a while and discussing with my mom (who says if we leave her and my dad will follow). Maybe it is the Lord who is leading me in the first place. I tell you Luke (husband) and I had absolutely no desire whatsover to move to aus and I was actually rather peeved that my sister left SA for the UK and then went even further away to Australia. So, in my heart of hearts I do have this slightly nagging feeling that we should b going the Oz route. It's definitely not the most comfy route for us at the moment we are happy, bought our first home, have promising jobs with fantastic employers - life is just absolutely rosy at the moment. But then I think ahead and wonder...which way will sa go in the end?? Is there a great likelihood it will take the Zim route?

Sorry, i didn't mean to bring all of that up. I had asked God to change Luke's heart about Aus if it was his will that we should go and within a month (without me nagging ...saying the odd word tho i must admit about the education standards and aa) his attitude softened completely. it was like he was this rock saying 'i'm not going to aus' and now he is quite happy for us to cough up the money for the consultants and visa etc.

Another big thing that got me moving with the visa was that many Godly people in the Body of Christ had advised me that if they were our age they would go (my moms words as well). In fact I can only think of one or two who said...see first if it's God's will. Of course we must do that but what I am saying is the Bible in Proverbs says that "wisdom is found in the counsel of many". The very day we came back from our interview with the consultants there was in e-mail from an Indian Christian site saying ....don't ignore the wisdom of the Godly which I must say really encouraged me that I was doing the right thing. It is also rather strange how now...suddenly at age 34 I get this stirring in my heart to apply to go to Aus. A bolt out of the blue. We are on EU and British passports so have always had the attitude that we will wait till/if things get really hectic and then just get on a plane to the UK. We are very, very blessed in that regard. But now I find myself applying for Aus, something I had never dreamed I'd ever do.

The Lord has also promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us and that he will be with us until the end of the world so some Christians hold the view that we are free to choose, within reason, where we would like to live. I do think though that God has His own plan for us all and we need to ask Him and then follow in faith.

I'd say you should make your plans for Aus if that is what you want to do and in the process wait on God cos the age thing is important for the Visa.

But you are right God can move any mountain that is in your way provided you are following His leading.

Oh dear...I do go on!!

Better get back to my evening work tasks here so i can enjoy a well planned tomorrow!

Cheers

Lyse

Many thanks Mara

Hi Dax

i hear what you are saying, mentioned it in the post to B-Girl in more detail. It could well be God's leading because all of a sudden through some negative reports about our university here I just woke up to the realisation one day in January that where are our kid's going to study in 18 years time? What will the standards be like and do we want to grow old in SA? Will our kids up and leave us as has happened to many here?

Perhaps now is the time to put the plans in place as mentioned above but to Aus rather than the UK. I am just deciding whether to go for the 138 or the 496 and head to Melbourne. Any suggestions on which is the most likely to be approved or is it pretty much the same? We have good agents who have suggested either so I guess it's up to us. I'm itching to get the papers signed and the process rolling.

Cheerio

Lyse

[Dax]

Perhaps now is the time to put the plans in place as mentioned above but to Aus rather than the UK. I am just deciding whether to go for the 138 or the 496 and head to Melbourne. Any suggestions on which is the most likely to be approved or is it pretty much the same? We have good agents who have suggested either so I guess it's up to us. I'm itching to get the papers signed and the process rolling.

Cheerio

Lyse

I don't know much about those visa types, we came here on the Independent Visa (126 if i remember corectly)

I also wanted to answer more of your questions i.t.o. the religious angle, but Bod did it much better that I could - "Good on him" as we say here in Oz.

The upside of the Independednt Class visa is that although you may be required to settle in a regional area at first, it lead directly to permanent residency, and you may apply for citizenship within 4 - 5 years.

When we arrived here 10 years ago, we did so almost on "cold-calling". We THOUGHT we had the teaching-employment side figured out, only to arrive here and learn with a shock that it (especially that stage) was a bit complicated to break into the teaching system, especially i.r.o. permanency.

Eventually we settled in after some nerve-racking experiences. For a while we were comparitively much poorer materially that we were in RSA. In the end i obtained permanency after some hard work and a challenging learning curve.

I am very honest when i say that we settled in eventually through answered prayers firstly, and secondly through the support of friends, colleauges and our church community.

We arrived without any job offers and in the end we had to sort our job situations out ourselves.

I would suggest that ASAP after arrival, connect up with a church. The support that you get from ordinary, sincere Aussie Christians is incredible!

Whatever visa you decide on eventually, don't delay anymore.

Cheers,

Dax

PS Sorry if I sound like a teacher, but I am one.

[Positive]

Hi lyse and everyone else here too

Very pleased to be here on this forum. I am very "green" when it comes to Forums so some TLC would be much appreciated!

I too am at those crossroads where it is so hard to know what the best thing to do is. I am in SA, my dear sister and her family have been in Oz for just over 2 years and loving it. My husband and I both have British pasports but he is really not keen to immigrate to UK. We have 2 beautiful little girls that are our priorities so for me it it really what is going to be better for them - though a happy mom and dad must be in the mix too!

I know I am going to enjoy embarking on this journey with you all.

PS. I've notived that my left had side under my name looks different and I have a warning??

What have I missed out??

Edited March 2, 2007 by Positive

[Dax]

Hi lyse and everyone else here too

Very pleased to be here on this forum. I am very "green" when it comes to Forums so some TLC would be much appreciated!

I too am at those crossroads where it is so hard to know what the best thing to do is. I am in SA, my dear sister and her family have been in Oz for just over 2 years and loving it. My husband and I both have British pasports but he is really not keen to immigrate to UK. We have 2 beautiful little girls that are our priorities so for me it it really what is going to be better for them - though a happy mom and dad must be in the mix too!

I know I am going to enjoy embarking on this journey with you all.

PS. I've notived that my left had side under my name looks different and I have a warning??

What have I missed out??

I don't think you havt worry about the "warning" thing, I speak under correction, but i beleive what it really means is that if someone had warnings before from the hosts, e.g. silly or inappropriate posts, it would be indicated there as a percentage of warnings given.

Of you see a 0% then it means you have been good and positive etc. Only YOU can see it when you are logged in. However, don't worry, saaustralia is for most a safe, above-board and positive type of site, no bullies, trols and ambushers here!

Relax, you're amonng friends, and if you need help or info, don't hesitate to ask, just about everyone posting here that have already landed here are virtual fountains of experience and knowledge!

Cheers,

dax

[Positive]

Sjoe! Thanks Dax!

Guess I will eventually get the knack of things!

[celeste]

I don't know much about those visa types, we came here on the Independent Visa (126 if i remember corectly)

I also wanted to answer more of your questions i.t.o. the religious angle, but Bod did it much better that I could - "Good on him" as we say here in Oz.

The upside of the Independednt Class visa is that although you may be required to settle in a regional area at first, it lead directly to permanent residency, and you may apply for citizenship within 4 - 5 years.

When we arrived here 10 years ago, we did so almost on "cold-calling". We THOUGHT we had the teaching-employment side figured out, only to arrive here and learn with a shock that it (especially that stage) was a bit complicated to break into the teaching system, especially i.r.o. permanency.

Eventually we settled in after some nerve-racking experiences. For a while we were comparitively much poorer materially that we were in RSA. In the end i obtained permanency after some hard work and a challenging learning curve.

I am very honest when i say that we settled in eventually through answered prayers firstly, and secondly through the support of friends, colleauges and our church community.

Hi Dax

Thanks for your comments. This whole process is very frightening actually. We would also be arriving cold...and looking for work once we get there. A word of advice for Positive (i'm too lazy to make a separate post and need to go offline now) is that people with British passports qualify for a one year stay (without a visa ) to live and work in Aus. The immig consultant told us this in our interview as my husband has a british passport. I guess we will try and look for work on-line while the visa is being processed but that's not always easy. Thanks for the tip about church, that would have been our first priority. We have lovely Christian family in South Aus but I think we're going to scrap the regional visa and go for the 138 as it's the last shot I have at this cos of my age. If that fails then we could still apply for the regional 496 visa as there is no points system.

We will be praying and discussing this tonight.

How old were you when you arrived in Aus Dax...and how long did it take for you to find a job...anything just an income i mean not neccessarily in your profession? And also, how much does one need to live on per month...taking school fees into account as well as rent, food etc? Also whereabouts in Aus are you? And How expensive are the Christian schools over there? I'm told by an aunt that there are state, christian and then elite private schools. But they are like 60 years old so a bit out of touch maybe on the fees.

Sorry about all the questions...but they all just suddenly came flooding to mind!

Cheers

We arrived without any job offers and in the end we had to sort our job situations out ourselves.

I would suggest that ASAP after arrival, connect up with a church. The support that you get from ordinary, sincere Aussie Christians is incredible!

Whatever visa you decide on eventually, don't delay anymore.

Cheers,

Dax

PS Sorry if I sound like a teacher, but I am one.