Hello

[The Venter's]

Hi there,

Well, a little introduction from the Venter Family. I'm Ally -a born and bred sydney girl, married to my groot boer Hertzog and we have 2year old daughter Annika. Hertzog and I are both in our early thirties.

We met in the UK, moved to Sydney, got married, had a baby and then decided to move to South Africa!!! So here we are now living in Somerset West and making plans for another move back to Sydney. (You would think we had money to burn).

It's a long and boring story about why we moved back to South Africa... but a few lessons that we learnt along the way. You really need to be ready to say goodbye to South Africa before you leave. It is such an emotional thing to say farewell not only to friends and family, but to this big beautiful country with all of the noises and colours and smells, even things like seeing 12 guys sitting on top of each other in the back of a bakkie... all smiling there heads off because even they know that it is hilarious! Hertzog used to say that Sydney was so "bland" and other migrant friends of ours would agree. I never understood what he was saying- until I moved here. Anyway, I'm rambling a bit..

We would really love to get to know other young people/family's moving to Sydney- before the big move back (scheduled for 12months time). In Australia Hertzog really missed his rugby, beer and braii vleis with another Saffa or two that he could praat to. And although I have my family and friends back home- I know how difficult it can be turning up to a new country, having no mates.

Well, no doubt we shall be in contact.

Cheers, Ally

PS- He is isn't really a boer he's a (Africaans) pharmacist!

[australian]

Hi Ally

I am also an Australian girl, family from Sydney, although I have grown up in South Africa!! Moving back to Sydney hopefully in the next few months. Would be nice to get together once we are there. Although I have most of my family there (except my Mum and Dad) my husband is leaving all his behind!!

Whereabout in Sydney will you be moving to??

We have two children (3 & 7) and are also in our early thirties (well I am, hubby is a bit older!!)

Robyn

[saffer2]

Also on our way to Sydney!! We are also in our early 30yrs and have two boys 3 & 6. We are moving to Curl Curl and the boys going to St Lukes Grammar School in Dee Why. It would be great to catch up and meet you guys when you both arrive in Sydney. We arrive 30 June...only 6 weeks away and getting very excited!! Would be good to meet up........

Cheers, Reid

[australian]

Also on our way to Sydney!! We are also in our early 30yrs and have two boys 3 & 6. We are moving to Curl Curl and the boys going to St Lukes Grammar School in Dee Why. It would be great to catch up and meet you guys when you both arrive in Sydney. We arrive 30 June...only 6 weeks away and getting very excited!! Would be good to meet up........

Cheers, Reid

Hi Reid

I am glad to see more SA's also on their way to Sydney!! most people seem to be heading for Brisbane.

We are probably looking at the Castle Hills area, but it would be great to catch up once we arrive> Our kids are very close in age..

Good luck with your move, and please let us know how you are once you arrive in Sydney. We are still waiting for our visa's, but we should hear by the end of the month.

Robyn

[The Venter's]

Hi Reid

I am glad to see more SA's also on their way to Sydney!! most people seem to be heading for Brisbane.

We are probably looking at the Castle Hills area, but it would be great to catch up once we arrive> Our kids are very close in age..

Good luck with your move, and please let us know how you are once you arrive in Sydney. We are still waiting for our visa's, but we should hear by the end of the month.

Robyn

hi Guys,

We're looking at moving down to the Sutherland Shire area- maybe Jannali or Oyster Bay.... not too far for bbq is it?

Reid you will love Curl Curl- It is really beautiful there!

Goodluck from us too with the move. I hope you all settle in a smoothly and quickly as possible.

Ally

[saffer2]

Ally & Robyn.

It would be great to catch up when we eventually all arrive in Sydney!!

Cheers, Reid

[australian]

Hi Reid & Ally

Just out of interest, what made you decide on the suburb you are looking to move to??

We are still unsure, and our main priority is schools!!

[sa2auz]

Hey guys and girls glad to see some of you are heading our way. My boys are 8 and 4 and we would love to meet some new friends, we are also in our 30 somethings not like it matters much though.

Anyway please please pm me when you arrive, I have met so many nice Saffers over the last year and it would be great to together they all have kids the same sort of age.

We have also set up a sort of support network and all the ladies get together with the kids that aren't at school yet and have tea and a chat and swop gos and just have a good kuier. The hubbies all get on really well too and the friends I have made here are amazing and better than a lot of friends we had in SA simple because most of us have no family so our friends are everything.

Good Luck all, Sydney is the best

[G & M]

Hi

We live in St Ives in our early 30's and have a 2.5 year old and a 4 month old. Great area to live can buy all my SA goodies in the local shopping centre (biltong, Marmite, Mrs Balls, Zoo biscuits etc). People are really freindly and with 2 SA teams in the Super 14 semi's and no Aust teams it gives you something to talk to the Ausies about other than cricket There's a lot of SA's in these Northern Suburbs feels like living in an English part of SA.

Gerhard

Edited May 10, 2007 by G & M

[The Venter's]

Hi Reid & Ally

Just out of interest, what made you decide on the suburb you are looking to move to??

We are still unsure, and our main priority is schools!!

Hi Robyn,

Although we have no definate plan as yet, I'm going for the Sutherland Shire because of the house prices and lifestyle.

@It is quite close to beaches.

@Nice leafy suburbs, decent size blocks of land.

@There is good a good train service into the city.

@Lots of young family's around.

@My husband and I are both in the health industry and there are quite a few large teaching hospitals within 20minutes of the area aswell as a few good private hospitals around.

It helps that my family and friends are also sitauted on the south side of the city- although not this far south.

My only concern is that this area has a reputation of being pretty insular and a little nationalistic for for my comfort zone..... but you can't have everything.

Don't know if you have looked at www.realestate.com.au or domain.com.au for a good idea of house prices.

let me know what you think.

Ally

PS happy Mother's day!

[australian]

Hi Ally

I guess it helps growing up in Sydney. I am still abit lost as to where to settle. My Dad grew up in the South of Sydney, and told us to rather look in the Hills and North Shore. I guess everyone has different opinions on different areas, so its really hard to know if you are making a right choice or not!!

I love the North Shore, spent alot of time there last year, but house prices are really expensive. I have heard really good things about the Hills, but not having been there myself, its hard to know if its right for us.

I have family in Chatswood, Newcastle and Central Coast!! but we do not want to settle in those areas, for different reasons!

My husband is going to look in the Hills area (Cherrybrook, Pennant Hills, Castle Hills) when he arrives...and we will just see from there. I think I must spend about an hour a day on the rental sites (Domain and Realestate) looking for the right area for us.....My Mom has told me to just be patient and we will find the right house in the right area once we arrive!!

Keep well

Robyn