GoodByeSA Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 Hi everyone,My family and I have received a 190 visa and have to move to South Australia by the 5 December.We have sold our house, business and cars and were planning on moving the whole family over in middle September.However we are now doubting our decision to do it in one big bang.We have no family or friends in South Autsralia, so we have no support when we arrive and this may prove to be difficult with a 1year old and a 4 year old.When we arrive we would like to start emmediatly with job and house hunting and this may become difficult with no support for the kids.We have many friends and family in Australia but the all reside in Melbourne.As we received a state sponsored visa we must reside in South Australia for a minimum of 2 years before we can relocate to any other state.So we are now doubting our plan and were thinking that perhaps I should travel alone to Adelaide and spend a month loooking for work and trying to get things setup prior to my family arriving in September.So I guess what I am asking is can anyone offer some advise or maybe someone has done it the way we originaly planned and it wasnt to bad ...???Any advise is welcomeVaughn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurferMan Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 Hey V,Firstly. welcome to the forum mate. Second, welcome to aus when you land!. And best of all, well done on a great and wise decision. We came here with the same number of kids, roughly the same age. I did have work though, but we had almost zero supprt. It is totally doable dude. Yes it is a shock to the system, but you will make it, trust me.As for the split arrival/all at once...me I would NEVER leave my wife and kids at the mercy of SA and it's brutal society. bring them all over, one you will know they are safe and two you will need their support and love. Remember a family is a pack, and packs travel together. Also, if they have not flown before, let them enjoy the wonders. I took the kids to Lanseria to see the "Gina na normous ewaplanes!" and that amped them for the real deal. Also, landing and taking in the sights together is a magical experience that I will never forget. It was FUN!So just do it mate. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HadEnoughofJuju Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 I have to agree with SuferMan, leaving the wife and kids behind is going to make it more difficult for you than it needs to be. We came to QLD with no support structure at all. Not in QLD or Australia as a whole with no job or house and a couple of suitcases. Sure it was scary but we needed each other. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeferg1 Posted May 19, 2015 Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 I agree with both of the above. It was a discussion we also had before leaving, but at the end of the day, I feel it's better to face the unknown together. It's such an emotional journey and not one I would like myself, or my husband to face alone. Each to their own, but we decided to do it together, and knowing what it was like those first couple of months, I'm very glad we did. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mara Posted May 19, 2015 Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 I am with the advice given above, come as a family... honestly... I would suggest you come even earlier, then you should be sorted with jobs and all the rest, before the country shuts down for December and January. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoot Posted May 19, 2015 Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 Come as a group. Family decisions need to be made as a family. You cant help your wife in South Africa from Oz and vice versa. If she is going to stay at home with the kids initially it will be easier for her to choose an area to live that she feels happy with. You need to be there for each other. Although you dont have support am sure forumites in South Oz can help with info re babysitters etc just until you get on your feet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miran Posted May 19, 2015 Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 Try and pm Bob. He is an extremely helpful and amazing guy from mt Barker, close to Adelaide. I'm sure he'll be really helpful with getting you in touch with other Saffas ect in Adelaide. Good luck, but do consider coming over as a family. It's awesome to experience everything new together! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soon2BOz Posted May 19, 2015 Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 Hi GoodbyeSAWe are flying out to Adelaide on 9 December. Will be keen to meet up once we have all settled, always nice to meet new people, share ideas and stories. My email address is enidbehrens@gmail.com.As far as I know all the applicants have to do the activation trip, it can't just be the main applicant...I could be wrong here though, but it's worth checking it out. Our agent advised us of this, so all three of us are flying out on a one way ticket.All the best with e final stages this side! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodByeSA Posted May 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 Thank you to all for your great advise.It looks like everyone is for us moving all together in a big bang approach.I must admit that I do feel a lot more comfortable about my decision after hearing your guys experiences. Thanks again.Assie Assie Assie.......... oih oih Supper excitedThe Berriman family 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodByeSA Posted May 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 Hi GoodbyeSAWe are flying out to Adelaide on 9 December. Will be keen to meet up once we have all settled, always nice to meet new people, share ideas and stories. My email address is enidbehrens@gmail.com.As far as I know all the applicants have to do the activation trip, it can't just be the main applicant...I could be wrong here though, but it's worth checking it out. Our agent advised us of this, so all three of us are flying out on a one way ticket.All the best with e final stages this side!Hi Soon2BOzMost definitelyI will save your email address and make contact with you in January sometime.Her is my email address vaughnb@mtom.co.zaYes you are right about the activation trip everyone in my family must visit before the 5th December.Therefore we will all travel to Adelaide no later than September. We will not just be visiting, we will remain in Australia.I was just considering going by myself in July for a month first and try and setup things before my family got there (E.g look at houses, buy a car, look at schools) then fly back in August help the family pack up and then fly back Australia again with the familyBut it sound like everyone suggests I just do the big bang approach JBest RegardsVaughnHey V,Firstly. welcome to the forum mate. Second, welcome to aus when you land!. And best of all, well done on a great and wise decision. We came here with the same number of kids, roughly the same age. I did have work though, but we had almost zero supprt. It is totally doable dude. Yes it is a shock to the system, but you will make it, trust me.As for the split arrival/all at once...me I would NEVER leave my wife and kids at the mercy of SA and it's brutal society. bring them all over, one you will know they are safe and two you will need their support and love. Remember a family is a pack, and packs travel together. Also, if they have not flown before, let them enjoy the wonders. I took the kids to Lanseria to see the "Gina na normous ewaplanes!" and that amped them for the real deal. Also, landing and taking in the sights together is a magical experience that I will never forget. It was FUN!So just do it mate.Hey SurferMan,Thanks for the advise.I was just considering going by myself in July for a month first and try and setup things before my family got there (E.g look at houses, buy a car, look at schools) then fly back in August help the family pack up and then fly back Australia again with the familyBut it sound like everyone suggests I just do the big bang approach (one Trip)cheersVaughn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monsta Posted May 19, 2015 Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 Wow! Its amazing to see that we all agree on something! Thus clearly isn't a post about a financial matter To add my 2c. If you !I've out here 1st then you will be deciding on the suburb, house, etc... Anyone who is married will tell you to include your wife in the big decisions as much as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riekie Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 Start your new life together as a family - the good, the bad and the ugly. One day you'll look back and reminisce together. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurferMan Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 Riekie has absolutely nailed it! Through thick and thin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurferMan Posted June 18, 2015 Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 "A herd that has no trials has no tethers when the lashes come." Surferman 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFreshStart Posted June 18, 2015 Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 This is an old post, but Surferman bumped it and I just read it and we did the opposite of all of you, Ha Ha!I DID leave my wife and kids in SA and come ahead of them, not by much, just 2-weeks, but wouldn't have done it any other way.We shipped our belongings before we left so they were waiting for us, I hit the ground running, got the rental, unpacked the contents, made up the kids play area and bedrooms with all their favorite toys. I took care off all the admin, got my drivers, bought a new car, car seats, handled the insurances, medicare and medical aid, met the school principal and did all the paperwork to enroll my son and I bought and assembled furniture by myself so when I picked them up from the airport they came home and walked into, well, a home.It was hard enough for them to adjust and so it just made it so much easier, hard for me of course, doing it alone, I was finished, emotionally and physically, but can't imagine going through all that stress with them.CheersMatt 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wannagonow Posted June 18, 2015 Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 Wow Matt must have been tough, but good on you mate for looking after and putting your family first like that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blung Posted June 18, 2015 Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 Nah, I'd rather experience these sorts of moments with my other half. It's one of those fork-in-the-road moments of your life that u will reminisce about over and over. It'd be a shame to give that up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwerty Posted June 18, 2015 Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 We did it the other way around...I came 6 weeks ahead of my hubby and daughter. The plan was for me to find work on this side and then for them to join me (worst case 6 months). I was lucky enough to get a job in Sydney while still in SA (4 weeks before I was due to fly out), so that meant hubby had to do all the packing on that side while my daughter spent time with her grandparents.It was hard and I missed them terribly, but because I started work straight-away it was easier to deal with I think. Secured a rental for us and got my daughter enrolled in pre-school, etc. during this time.Would I do it again? Probably not. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFreshStart Posted June 19, 2015 Report Share Posted June 19, 2015 Nah, I'd rather experience these sorts of moments with my other half. It's one of those fork-in-the-road moments of your life that u will reminisce about over and over. It'd be a shame to give that up.Out of interest, do you have young children? If I didn't I would have done it with my wife, but when you arrive with a 2 and 4 year old, in December with a month and a half till schools/daycares open and you are trying to get started it's a lot easier to split the load. As shared, each to their own, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat at this stage of life.CheersMatt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blung Posted June 19, 2015 Report Share Posted June 19, 2015 Out of interest, do you have young children? If I didn't I would have done it with my wife, but when you arrive with a 2 and 4 year old, in December with a month and a half till schools/daycares open and you are trying to get started it's a lot easier to split the load. As shared, each to their own, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat at this stage of life.CheersMattHi Matt, yeah I have two boys, 5 & 9 years old.I see your point of view but would do it differently. Each to his own I suppose! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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