Continental Drift - Our Journey

[Kurkprop]

Exciting!

I know nothing (sound like Manuel from Faulty Towers, no?) about Apples. But they sure look purdy.

[Eva]

Toitjie I only read through these posts now, it made me think about when we were first in Australia and doing our 'first' everything, Before you know it that is what you will be counting, not all the 'lasts'.

All the best....

[Toitjie]

Toitjie I only read through these posts now, it made me think about when we were first in Australia and doing our 'first' everything, Before you know it that is what you will be counting, not all the 'lasts'.

All the best....

Thanx Eva...I never really thought about it like that...there is balance...all the lasts but then all the firsts....something to look forward too!

[McCabes]

Just reading this now - what a journey! Been great reading about it all, please keep sharing.

Thinking of you as you hit the last mile.

[Rhino1]

Toitjie, you have been a grand contributor to this forum. You have shared so much and we relate with so many of your emotions, fears and more importantly - hopes. Thanks for sharing this journey. Its like reading a novel and one cannot help but hope that the main character ends up in a happy place. Your story is real though which makes my hope for you to have a blessed and fulfilled life in Oz so much more significant.

[Toitjie]

Toitjie, you have been a grand contributor to this forum. You have shared so much and we relate with so many of your emotions, fears and more importantly - hopes. Thanks for sharing this journey. Its like reading a novel and one cannot help but hope that the main character ends up in a happy place. Your story is real though which makes my hope for you to have a blessed and fulfilled life in Oz so much more significant.

Thank you Rhino..such kind words. I really love this forum..for the ups and downs and the fact that every story has a real person with real emotions behind it. I have gained so much knowledge here..I remember in the beginning...starting a thread for almost every panicky question I had and without fail helping answers. It feels good to get answers when you worry and it feels even better to be able to give an answer that truly helped.

As to the blessed and fulfilled life - right back at you!

[Toitjie]

5 September

Well its almost midnight...and Im on my usual night-owl watch...cant sleep...

I decided on a container agent company after getting a couple of quotes. My shortlist was Execumove and Kings but after the guy from Kings insisted that the quote gets more expensive as the rand strengthens against the AUD I decided I dont like him. Then I went onto Hellopeter and by far the least complaints are with Execumove so Im quite happy

Its just hellish expensive...geez....with insurance and everything included for a 20ft container we are going to fork our R 80 000. My timeline calculations suggested that they pack somewhere in October so that we get the stuff early January but the rep told us no, 7 weeks, unless there is a serious delay that is out of the ordinary

And we dont want the container to come over the holidays...so all plans have changed. Now they will be packing the Monday before we fly in November...packing Monday, loading Tuesday, empty house Wednesday and Thursday...flying Friday.

I think it works out better because now we wont have an empty house for so long...and will more or less get the container by mid to end January, by which time we should be in a rental (hopefully!)

Finalising the container was a relief. I have thought so much about this or the cube, now that the decision has been taken its one thing less to worry about.

[Lyn]

Hey Robogirl, noticed you were active when I was here earlier and thought you must be having one of those nights.

Container booked, flights booked, Lucy in quarantine - you are practically ready to go. Try to enjoy the short time you have left, especially with the family. How is your husband feeling ? And the kiddies ?

Your container time line is very similar to ours, we packed our 20ft (of which we have virtually nothing after nearly 5 years) a couple days before we left, lived in an empty house for a couple of nights and then boarded the plane. That was November and we received our container end Jan / Feb.

In hindsight this plan worked pretty well for us, and I'm sure will also work out well for you.

[Toitjie]

hey there Lyn.... Robocop no more...I am not wearing that thing anymore..I decided to chuck it. I hope you will not tell me in 20 years I have back problems because I didnt wear the thing long enough

but seriously, Im going back to work on Monday - can you believe it has been 6 weeks! - and I cannot sit or drive (sitting) with that thing. As long as I dont pick up heavy stuff or bent over too far, it should be ok

Kids are excited as always, they cannot wait to go. Hubby is another matter. The nearer the time gets the more he worries about his parents staying behind and his other kids. Its really hard, I dont know what to say to him. He wants to do this, its just so damn difficult and his family is not letting up on the guilt trips. Gosh, his brother is a monster. He is telling everyone who is willing to listen that he knows for a fact we will not be able to find work. So the old people are convinced we are going to become bums!

[McCabes]

Wow Toitjie, and I thought we had harsh backlash

I think the nastiest ones are the ones who, deep down (REALLY deep down in some cases) are jealous because they know you're doing the right thing and wish they could do the same.

Your poor hubby. I don't think this is ever easy on anyone, but that's a really heavy load

Thinking of you - hope your back isn't too sore - take it easy please - so close to leaving now!

Edited September 6, 2013 by McCabes

[Lyn]

I don't blame you for ditching it. I probably would have done the same. Like you say, just take it easy. Let someone else do the lifting and carrying.

How long do you have left at work ?

I was thinking of your husband and wondered how he was travelling as your departure date creeps closer. He joined the forum and then went quiet.

I'm so sorry to hear the family is making it harder for him, not fair, and the brother sounds like a know all. Try not take his ramblings to heart, you may just be one of the lucky ones who get employed quickly. I see newbies on the forum arriving and finding work - so its not as if there is no work. Things are definitely quieter, but Canberra hasn't shut down.

Take care of that back. And keep that positive attitude.

[Toitjie]

Lyn - only the last few weeks of September. And I wont be doing any recruitment anymore..my function now is to get our new e-recruitment system customised and implemented...that will be my parting gift. After that...I guess I will be without a job until more or less January/February...I can get used to this, I have gotten quite lazy the last 6 weeks

As to hubby - yes he joined the forum on my insistence. I cannot understand how anyone can cope without the help and support of likeminded friends, but he is not much of a talker and less of a writer so to him it wasnt as addictive as it is for me. I accept that, I just hope he copes when we land. I know I would be lost without this forum

[Lyn]

Shew, big hugs - my emoticons don't work on my iPad ( don't tell OBD he'll have a derogatory remark)

I understand what you mean about the forum, I am still learning things after nearly five years in Aus. Its a life save to me after all this time. Tomorrow I have another first - our first election, we felt like outcasts the last time there was a vote.

Your hubby, I remember him as a little reserved, and often I would read one of your posts and wonder how he was doing in the background. He obviously loves his parents very much. I would say you are the stronger one in the relationship and may just have to be his pillar of strength. I remember you mentioning you have an old friend up north, but please also remember that we are also willing to help you guys out in any way.

[Toitjie]

You're a good friend Lyn! Thank you for that.

[Mikeleigh]

Toitjie I PMd you some details on a property agent I have been in contact with..........may help

[Toitjie]

Thanx Mike, I will take all the help I can get...if it doesnt work, we will be moving in with you guys

[Mikeleigh]

You're more than welcome, OBD lives in the dunny so thats booked...........

[Toitjie]

9 September

I was sitting quietly reading on the forum when I heard a blood curdling scream...Im not lying...my daughter ran naked (which she will NEVER do) out of her bedroom, screaming and crying that there is a huge spider. She almost stepped on the thing, hence the hysteria. I laugh...thinking its a small one, but will still not go near it and ask hubby to sort it out.

Hubby goes in, unarmed, and screams at me to come and look. Now Im truly worried because I know by now that we will be 4 sleeping in our bed and not 2

So in I go and I see the biggest spider I have ever seen. I yell and run away, kids screaming behind me. Hubby thinks its very funny...although he is wary of the thing. I toss him a bottle of doom and he sprays, but it doesnt work, the spider runs towards him! Finally he also gives a higher than normal squeek and sprays some more. But this time the spider is on top of a sock and tightly hangs onto the sock. He got the spider on the sock and chases us! Can you believe it? I am going to kill him at some stage..he knows we are completely nuts from fear and he chases me and the kids with the spider clinging to the sock

Finally he puts both in a bag and I gather all my wits and take a shaky picture. But its really really gross! According to Google this is a rain spider, or huntsman...I dont care if its name is fairydust...I do not want it in my house! My question is...where was this thing hiding all this time? All our windows are closed...and are there any more of them?

Suddenly, I have real panic about the critters we are going to encounter. I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that should such a thing crawl over me, I will be gone...bonkers...mad. I will not survive.

[Rhino1]

Poor spider, they are actually quite harmless. They do enjoy the safety of one's house and feed on small house bugs... Sorry it had to traumatise you lot though

[Toitjie]

sorry Rhino..I know there are people who wont like to get rid of a spider, I understand that...and in a very dark and remote part of my heart I feel sorry for it but for the most part I just gril! I honestly cannot stand the sight of one and even now just seeing the pic I have goosebumps

I googled them and according to google they have a little venom, not much, but still..they say it will take a human one day to recover. They did an experiment with guinea pigs and after being bitten the guinea pig died, not of the poison but of shock! well, thats me..I will die of a heart attack if that creepy crawly crawled over me

[Rhino1]

Oh well, brace yourself for the Ozzy critters then ;-) In all honesty I will probably leap a horse if one unexpectedly jumps on me. Don't mind them, as long as I can see them, hehe.

[Toitjie]

19 September

I think my next thread (after landing) is going to be named something along the lines of Midnight Diaries....these late nights are getting longer, sleep less...

Tomorrow is my farewell at work, I chose a bad day with schools closing and long weekend so not a big turnout but I am happy with those who will be there. I will miss these friends a lot. But at the same time, I am dreading the whole thing. I have not moved around in jobs so change is not nice, only resigned once before, 18 years ago...no farewell at that stage so this will be a first for me

I dont always want to go on about the same things, but Im really so astounded at the levels of stress this whole process generates, and how we cope with it. I still feel like Im missing out somehow, I keep on wishing we were there and find myself thinking and planning ahead but forgetting about the days in between. I dont want to wish my life away but lately that is all I have been doing. From the one phase to the next, I wished it over.

What I have seen the past couple of weeks, which was amazing, is how nice people are to me when I asked for references etc. Colleagues, friends and even my landlord gave me the most beautiful references. Im hoping this will pave the way to a rental and a job

My in-laws are frantically worried (thank you dearest brother in law) that we will not get jobs and become bums and no-one will know that we are starving...so I told a white lie (they are very old and dont understand the concept of going over without a job and whinging it) I told them I got a good job and so we are sorted. Now they are completely at ease, no worries anymore, and they actually accepts the move better. I hope I did the right thing but I could not take the continuous worries anymore that they directed at us (I do understand though, they are parents, and parents worry so I dont blame them, I just think people dont realise this is hard for us too, not just for them)

I have to smile at friends, family and colleagues - if I had $ 10 for the following questions I would pay the container cash!

1. So do you have a job yet?

2. What are your plans on getting a job?

3. Does your husband have a job?

I also picked up something, it seems SA is still very much sexist...the visa app was done on my name with my qualifications but most people assumed that hubby got a job already, and I will follow barefoot and pregnant.. lol maybe not that dramatic but it happened enough to be noticed by me

[Mikeleigh]

19 September

I think my next thread (after landing) is going to be named something along the lines of Midnight Diaries....these late nights are getting longer, sleep less...

Tomorrow is my farewell at work, I chose a bad day with schools closing and long weekend so not a big turnout but I am happy with those who will be there. I will miss these friends a lot. But at the same time, I am dreading the whole thing. I have not moved around in jobs so change is not nice, only resigned once before, 18 years ago...no farewell at that stage so this will be a first for me

I dont always want to go on about the same things, but Im really so astounded at the levels of stress this whole process generates, and how we cope with it. I still feel like Im missing out somehow, I keep on wishing we were there and find myself thinking and planning ahead but forgetting about the days in between. I dont want to wish my life away but lately that is all I have been doing. From the one

phase to the next, I wished it over.

What I have seen the past couple of weeks, which was amazing, is how nice people are to me when I asked for references etc. Colleagues, friends and even my landlord gave me the most beautiful references. Im hoping this will pave the way to a rental and a job

My in-laws are frantically worried (thank you dearest brother in law) that we will not get jobs and become bums and no-one will know that we are starving...so I told a white lie (they are very old and dont understand the concept of going over without a job and whinging it) I told them I got a good job and so we are sorted. Now they are completely at ease, no worries anymore, and they actually accepts the move better. I hope I did the right thing but I could not take the continuous worries anymore that they directed at us (I do understand though, they are parents, and parents worry so I dont blame them, I just think people dont realise this is hard for us too, not just for them)

I have to smile at friends, family and colleagues - if I had $ 10 for the following questions I would pay the container cash!

1. So do you have a job yet?

2. What are your plans on getting a job?

3. Does your husband have a job?

I also picked up something, it seems SA is still very much sexist...the visa app was done on my name with my qualifications but most people assumed that hubby got a job already, and I will follow barefoot and pregnant.. lol maybe not that dramatic but it happened enough to be noticed by me

Haha I can relate to exactly everything above, people asking have you found a job......finding work etc, parents being concerened......just not the being preggy part though..........time is soon.......

[21yearsoutofrsa]

I also picked up something, it seems SA is still very much sexist...the visa app was done on my name with my qualifications but most people assumed that hubby got a job already, and I will follow barefoot and pregnant.. lol maybe not that dramatic but it happened enough to be noticed by me

This actually amazes me.

I've noticed that there is a bias for the female of the relationship to b the member of the forum. I've lost count of how many times I've thought and sometimes said "what about your skills" when members anguish over husbands ILETS scores and the like.

It also amazes me how many job applicants are done by partners.

I guess we were fortunate in that we could have migrated to Australia on either of our skills. A healthy, crime free, Australian qualified, childless family with both partners on the skills shortage list (as it was called then), you would have thought the visa's would have been issued in a week.

[Toitjie]

30 September

Today was my last day at work....it was a surreal feeling and I realised again how much I hate change. Its really funny because I am the technology champion and always look for ways of improvement in our systems, but I dont like major change like a move or new job.

I am definitely moving out of my comfort zone and I dont like feeling so adrift....

but...at the same time it feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. There is no return, no second thoughts...we are moving forward faster than before. I am counting the days now...the excitement is starting to overtake all the worry....maybe until midnight tonight anyway