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We have arrived: The Whelan Cronicles


rikamarie

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Hugs Rikamarie!!!

Glad things are looking up, but holding thumbs for the primary school and better hours!

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Hi. I have some good news. I have been nominated to be the centre's educational leader. My duties would include making sure the centre follows the policies and that the curriculum is being implemented correctly, to support staff and identify possible pittfalls and come up with solutions. So excited about it.

I have also decided on enrolling mid-year for my masters degree.

No news on the jobfront for my husband yet but it's ok. Something will turn up soon.

It's the long weekend here! So more hours to habe an adventure!!

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congrats, that is huge! and so soon. From here everything can only go upwards, for hubby too. Enjoy the long weekend :)

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Rikamarie,

thanks so much for sharing your journey, it is very personal, yet encouraging to read. All the best for your husband too.

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Hi everyone

Wow I have been quiet haven't I? Not intentional, promise.

It's going well.. busy! My husband still has not had a bite in the job market. Really can't believe that it is so difficult. Really praying he'll get something soon.

I am going on at the daycare. Getting frustrated by the minute with the working hours. Losing time with the family and being irritated about small things is not my idea of a healthy job. But again.. I am very lucky to have work and thankful for that!

We have been going to the beach every Saturday morning, making it a weekly thing to look forward to, especially for our daughter.

We went to the Perth Zoo on the long weekend and it was amazing! We really enjoyed the outing. Took the train into Perth, then took the ferry across the river and walked from there to the zoo, which is not far at all. Saw some amazing animals.

Had a work social on Friday night, and I must admit, I was culture shocked after that night. People are very different in a social setting than what they are at work.. Which we all are.. but the different cultures were just more in your face.

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Had a work social on Friday night, and I must admit, I was culture shocked after that night. People are very different in a social setting than what they are at work.. Which we all are.. but the different cultures were just more in your face.

Was wondering why?

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Was wondering why?

HI!

The girls were very loud and talking about :censored: things the whole evening. Things that I have never heard of in my life before. I was shocked. One of them even got our her "fun bag". Don't even ask me what is in there, because I don't want to tell you.. :P

Everyone has something to say about everything and this poor lady who is actually very conservative, got teased the whole night for who and what she is and believe in, and I felt that was wrong, but didn't say anything of course.

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HI!

The girls were very loud and talking about :censored: things the whole evening. Things that I have never heard of in my life before. I was shocked. One of them even got our her "fun bag". Don't even ask me what is in there, because I don't want to tell you.. :P

Everyone has something to say about everything and this poor lady who is actually very conservative, got teased the whole night for who and what she is and believe in, and I felt that was wrong, but didn't say anything of course.

Oh dear! I'm sorry that sounds rough.

I also keep making excuses not to go to my old work gathos because they screech so loud, it's so embarrassing. Last time people were giving us dirty looks in this restaurant & eventually the waiter came over to ask us to shut up. Then everyone went to the bathroom to compare their boobs, eish!

Ps. I wish I knew what was in the fun bag. I can guess.

Edited by Bronwyn&Co
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I was aware your other half was interested in joining the police. Is it possible he may be able to consider doing security guard, night watchman, crowd control etc jobs. I notice from a search on seek there quite a few jobs advertised in Perth, Crown has a couple. This may be a way for him to move from this into the police at a later stage.

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HI!

The girls were very loud and talking about :censored: things the whole evening. Things that I have never heard of in my life before. I was shocked. One of them even got our her "fun bag". Don't even ask me what is in there, because I don't want to tell you.. :P

Everyone has something to say about everything and this poor lady who is actually very conservative, got teased the whole night for who and what she is and believe in, and I felt that was wrong, but didn't say anything of course.

Oh golly! lol...yeah, I think South Africans are a bit more conservative in that way. Pity they teased her...that is not great. But I do know that Aussies say that they don't take life too seriously. A relative of mine in Brisbane actually told me at one point before I arrived in Aus that if I did not find a way to calm down and not take life so seriously I would have a very tough time in Australia. Perhaps it is that...I dunno...

Think you get both types of crowds...we def have a crowd like that living on the 1st floor of our apartment, younger people. But the mom's in my area are very proper and I heard nothing dodgy from them.

Glad you are doing well otherwise. I think of you often on the other side of Aus and wonder how you are doing

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi everyone. So this journal has been due for an update for some time.

So what have we been up to?

I have been working 8:00-16:00 the past few weeks instead of 07:30-17:00. The hour less in the afternoon has really been great but because of staffing arrangements I might have to do different shifts again.

Best news of all: my husband got a job and is starting his training on Monday. He'll be working 6:30-14:30 everyday. Which is great because then we won't have trouble picking our daughter up at daycare.

This week we also heard back from Centrelink after sending in our application for some benefits on the 31st of January. We are now receiving regular payments to help with our daughter's daycare.

It is really going much better at my job. Still not my ideal job but it is okay. If given the opportunity to move to a pre-school, I'll be happy.

The weather has changed considerately. From being hot and sweaty all the time, to freezing in the morning and mild in the afternoon. We are slowly getting use to the Perth weather. Seeing as this is our first Autumn here, we are colder than everyone else.. hehe.. My collegues are not as cold as me and said it is not going to get any colder in the Winter, but I think we are gonna freeze! A wet winter is something we are not used to.

Until next time..

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I'm glad to note that your husband got himself sorted with a job! Congratulations!

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I'm happy to hear your good news Rikamarie! Congratulations to your husband on the job. :)

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  • 4 months later...

Hi everyone

Thought I would update on our life here. It has been months since I've been on the forum.

I am still working at the daycare centre. I am however looking for a job at a school. I am extremely lucky to have got the job at the daycare centre, and to gain the experience. I am however frustrated with the no structure and the little professionalism from my colleagues. I have learnt so much about Australia, different cultures and people, at the daycare centre, but looking forward to working in a school environment again.

My husband is still working for the Australian Post as a postal delivery guy. He is also looking at his prospects for next year. He has applied for Transit officer and is going for his physical next Saturday. He has to wait until next year March to apply for the police again.

Our daughter (3 years old), has not handled the move so well. She has regressed totally with her toilet training, which is expected, but we hoped by now (7 months after arriving) that she would have settled. We were very lucky to get her into a private school for next year as the waiting lists are very long. We are very happy about it. She starts Kindy next year.

We are also very excited for my parents in law to come and visit in Oct/Nov. Their visas were approved this week and we have booked the flight tickets. So exciting to have our first visitors here!

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Rikamarie you guys are doing just fine! Congratulations on all you've achieved.

I bet in a year or two you'll be able to look back on these posts and realised how far you've come.

Actually a South African guy delivered a parcel to me a few weeks ago & I wanted to chat but he was obviously in a big hurry. But I know you're not in Bris so it probably wasn't your husband ?

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Thanks Bronwyn! That's funny.. all posty's are in a hurry because they only get 4 hours to deliver all their post. Something to get use to. My husband struggled in the beginning but can now easily make that target.

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  • 1 year later...

Time to update my journal.. a year and 2 months later!

So whats happened in our lives in the last year? We had a baby girl and I'm currently on maternity leave (She's 14 weeks old now and her name is Inez). Our eldest has started Kindy and going to Pre-Primary next year. She is currently in a private school but will be going to the public school next year as the school fees are ridiculous next year (was $6000 this year and going up to $9000 next year).

I am also still working at the daycare centre that I started at when we arrived. I simply have not been able to secure a job at a school and I have found that getting a job is very competitive. I have applied for so many jobs in the last 2 years, it is crazy, I had 1 interview at a school at didn't get the job and have not been invited for an interview in ages.

I have enrolled for a certificate IV in training and assessment because this will open some more doors for me. At least then my degree will actually count for something... I hope.

My husband is now a transit officer working at the train stations. He is keeping an eye out for a forensic job as this is what he did in South Africa and has the most experience in.

We bought a house! What a blessing to be able to afford having our own place and not be paying someone else's mortgage.

We've had some visitors from South Africa and it was amazing to see the family again!

We are planning on going back to RSA for a visit next December, it will be expensive, but we are saving up to be able to afford it.

I would really encourage everyone to write their own journal as this is a very big part of the settling period in Oz. I read through my journal the other day and can't believe how much we have achieved in such a short time and how blessed we are.

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