Hello

[Guest]

Old message deleted. 

Edited August 31, 2018 by Guest

[JackoFam]

Thanks for this post. So nice for us still on the journey to hear positive landing stories

[Eyebrow]

Glad things are going so well and falling into place!

I loved k mart and also bought lots of stuff there the first few months. If you are happy with basics they are fine. Too bad they dont sell white goods.

[rozellem]

You know there are appliance shops called Seconds World, who sells slightly damaged or out of the box appliances for cheap. I have been disillusioned with Electrolux after my washing machine bommed out and their technician told me "you know we make these to last 7 years?". At the same time my Electrolux vacuum cleaner died at 6,5 yrs. Then I got seduced by Miele and its German engineering and that they make them to last 20 years. Catch is that you pay for that. So I was told about their "unboxed" outlets were lots of people go to get their Miele appliances for half price. Sometimes the fridge would have a little dent on the side or something you can hardly see. So I googled Miele Unboxed and found an outlet in most Aus cities. Guess where my new washing machine and vacuum is from?

[RedPanda]

Woah!!! Miele at half price!!! I'm up for that!

Emma, thank you for taking the time to write this, it's excellent encouragement!

[RYLC]

Well done

I wanted to make a few comments on your post:

Straight away my husband Gordon started to apply for work, and just 1 week in he got an interview with a CBD firm in Perth (He is a lawyer) the interview went fine but they did have an issue in the fact that he was already working for another company and had not officially resigned from his job, so therefore they did not give him the job

Please know that this is extremely strange because most people have a job they need to resign from before starting elsewhere - whether in Australia or between countries.

He also was very proactive in going into the CBD and handing out his CV,

This is how to get traction. Rather than sitting at home on Seek he took massive action and got fantastic results. Well done.

I also want to point out for others reading that your husband has prepared very carefully before arriving by writing the necessary exams to convert his qualifications. So none of this quick success was luck. After all luck is when preparation meets opportunity. Your husband did the preparation but more importantly he went out and dug up opportunity himself.

Awesome start for you and your family - very happy for you

Edited November 3, 2015 by RYLC

[Guest]

Thankyou for all 

Edited August 31, 2018 by Guest

[RYLC]

Thanks for the explanation Emma. This issue comes up in various industries but still sounds strange because he could have been given the job with a suitable start date to cover this and would have sorted that out.

Anyway it's a mute point now but just struck me as the oddest reason for turning down a candidate.

As an aside (and possible tip for others): your tactic of "coming over the find work" must have made all the goodbyes a bit easier because it makes it sound like just a look and see. Did it work well for you or were the goodbyes quite "final"?

[EmNew]

Thanks for sharing, and so glad you have had such a great overall experience.

Things are not as expensive as people make out and there are definitely some good deals. The Good Guys also if you are buying a few items with them will give you a discount, so its good to shop around.

I am so glad that I am not the only one who thinks this! When we were selling items back in September, and getting ideas of values for insurance for replacement values of what we were shipping, I got a fair idea of what new items costs in RSA, as well as in Aus with google as my best friend.

I have become a "David Jones" / "Myer" kitchen department fan - I have found fabulous items marked down on various flash sales at a fraction of the price I would have got the same utensil / cookware etc in South Africa. "House" is also becoming a favourite for good value for money specials for better quality items that you don't want to replace every year.

I think the key is to become a selective and smart shopper - have a list and keep an eye out for what's on it whilst out and about - there are specials / sales all the time here, and if you are patient, you can furnish with good to reasonable quality items at great prices. We still need to get our big ticket electrical items, and have heard that "Good Guys" are a great option. Will also investigate Rozellem's useful post about unboxed items.

All the best, and hope that you get fully settled in your new home and life soon.

[RedPanda]

We're hoping to cash in on the June sales when we land. We noticed on the activation trip that everything goes on sale just before their financial year end.

[GOOD2GO]

As many of the forumites know myself and hubby and little one had the opportunity to come to Australia and try to find work. This is just an update on our journey so far and how we are finding our feet down under:)

We arrived in Perth on the 27th September and luckily we had very good friends who had offered us their home. Straight away my husband Gordon started to apply for work, and just 1 week in he got an interview with a CBD firm in Perth (He is a lawyer) .....

Hi Emma

Your story is really a feel good one and brings some hope to my heart. We are waiting for our 189 invite (hope to get good news on 6 Nov 2015)

My Wife is also a lawyer and we were under the impression that she would have to do a bridging course before she would be able to work in Australia.

Did your husband do that or did he get a job on his SA qualification?

What Qualification does he have, If you don't mind me asking?

Edit---

Right after posting I saw @RYLC said that your Husband did the necessary exams.

Is there one exam or does it depend on the region?

Edited November 4, 2015 by GOOD2GO

[Guest]

Hello .

Edited August 31, 2018 by Guest

[Guest]

So moved 

Edited August 31, 2018 by Guest

[Mara]

Hi Emma, wow, so sorry to hear hubby is not happy where he is working and that after all that investigation, his commute still takes so long.

Pity you are not closer, there are so many young mothers that I could have introduced you to here...

Will hold thumbs for you that work gets better for him, I am sure it is just a period of adjusting to new laws, rules and regulations. Tell him to hang in there, this too shall pass!

[Guest]

Thankyou Mara. 

Edited August 31, 2018 by Guest

[RYLC]

ANY new job has its learning curve. You are here now. At least make a commitment to stay the necessary time to get citizenship.

It can be very lonely and hard but with the mod cons of Skype etc just keep your eye on the prize. RSA will still be there but citizenship will not if you pull the plug early.

Hubby can use the commute time to study / read / learn a language / pick something. And you can always move if the commute gets too much.

[AFreshStart]

So moved into our new place in point cook. Lovely house and quiet area near shops and nice park nearby. We are finding it a bit difficult at the moment though as my husband has to travel into cbd...takes him an hour 15 mins each way. Gets him around 7:30-8 in SA he got him around 4:30 also he does say he feels luke a fish out of water at work there's lots of new things to learn and he is not used to not knowing and this makes hum uncomfortable. He has mentioned to me about the possibility of going back to SA. !!! This scares me as we have come so far..and get I also want him to be happy in his job and at the moment he isn't. He still has his job left open for him.in SA and at the moment when he is commuting it is very appealing to him. I am also feeling bit isolated although we have friends they are not in this area so its a long day on my own so I am feeling a bit lonely. I keep telling myself Tha its all very normal and Rime wasn't built in a day. I love the fact that I can walk to the shops and take my son to the park...but I also want my husband to be happy. We have 3 weeks before we were due to go back to SA. We already all have return tickets...the question is are we going to use them.

Congratulations on the move and job offer. I'm sorry to read of your husbands fears and discomfort, it's very real and he is not alone, and why I often stress that it's often better to live in a smaller place close to work/network and paying more, for less, but it cuts down the commute and allows you to be there for each other, and you REALLY need each other during these early days, even a year in my wife and I have the odd wobble, it's normal.

I really hope he makes peace with it, and is easy on himself as he transitions into life here and his new job.

Cheers

Matt

[RedPanda]

Well done, on your new place

I've read a lot about 'the dangers of having a back door open', and I think your post has made me just that bit more determined to bolt it. I don't mean if it becomes obvious that things are not going to work even in the long run, but for the short term before the 1000 days are done, maybe it's better not to have that temptation?

Would it help to regard the current situation as a transition period, and make a deal with yourselves: Stay at it for 6 months (or whatever time you decide on), and then after that time, look at the situation again. Consider moving closer to work if the work is good, or looking for other work closer to home, if the work is not so good. I do think it is very important that you both talk to each other about this and make a team plan, so that you are both on the same page and can support each other in the little things day-to-day.
I don't think anyone should make decisions about how good things are going with a massive move like this, within the first three months.

Regarding the isolation, is it possible to join a group that does something that you like? (Crafts, or hobbies, or physical activities like hiking or sailing, or a group of parents with children the same age as your son) The sooner you start to make friends the better you'll settle. And here it's probably a hinderance that you have those tickets, because you'll keep thinking: what if we go back, then there's no point to put in all the effort now. (Do you think the same thing might be affecting your husband and his perception of his new work environment?)

Lots of encouragement! and try to hang in there.

[rozellem]

Emma, you have made such strides in such a short time (really extraordinary), dont look behind you and get fixated on that mirage. Its quite dangerous to open the door to the exit plan, it might just derail you. You said your husband was at his old job for a good while, so of course he knew everything about it and feels like he doesn't know a thing now. Its a very normal learning curve, and I am sure nobody here expect him to be perfect from the get go. Hang in there.

Ps. We went to stay with friends in Point Cook on our LSD and I had such a strong reaction against the place. Couldn't get out of there fast enough....

[Guest]

Hi guys. Thankyou for everybody's

Edited August 31, 2018 by Guest

[RedPanda]

Good to hear you're on the same page

[Lovestory]

We're hoping to cash in on the June sales when we land. We noticed on the activation trip that everything goes on sale just before their financial year end.

We moved in May and capitalised on all the 'End of financial year sales" - from appliances to a car which we negotiated for on the last weekend of the sales. Only to discover the very next weekend 'Beginning of financial year sales'! Aussies love sales so keep your eyes peeled throughout the year and you will always find markdowns. Looking forward to seeing what the January sales are like.

[Guest]

What a difference a week can make!!!

 

Edited August 31, 2018 by Guest

[RYLC]

For warm jackets out of season, try a Salvos shop. Yes it is second hand but still in perfect condition. Nothing that a stint in the washing machine won't fix. You might be able to tell that I LOVE second hand shops. Savers is also a good shop because the clothes are sorted by size which makes looking much easier.

[RedPanda]

I have never had a really decent warm jacket that I didn't inherit from someone 3x my size, so this June when we were in Melbourne hubby said I should go splurge on a good one that will last me a long time, that I'm really happy with. So I went to The North Face and got a combo that has a warm fitted synthetic fill jacket that breathes if worn on its own, with a totally waterproof outer jacket that can be worn with/over the inner or on its own. For me, the jacket was worth the price. I can totally see it becoming one of my favourite items. Because of the breathability of the inner it is perfect for walking around in the CBD. It keeps me nice and warm outside, but I don't become 'steamy' from vigorous walking. I was also told by locals that the waterproofing is rather important since the weather is so unpredictable.

Anyway, that's my 2c.

Oh, and Emma, we found that the public transport in Melbourne is really good, reliable, easy to use. It takes some getting used to, coming from RSA that 'taking the train' is a normal thing to do, and that it's safe. The city also has some really nice parks (if you're into parks) you can look them up and make a list and try them out one by one.

Thanks for sharing your experiences with us.