ChrisH Posted April 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2017 I am so happy for you! For some strange reason my table loses its color when I paste it from excel today... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisH Posted April 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2017 Here we go: Lodged Granted Work days Waynec26 2016/08/08 2016/12/15 94 MonTage 2016/08/09 2016/09/06 21 Dorasi 2016/08/09 2017/01/30 125 JoVincent 2016/08/12 2016/10/17 47 Kevin 2016/08/19 2017/04/07 166 Sharlene 2016/08/25 2017/02/02 116 Deezo 2016/08/27 2016/11/10 54 ChrisH 2016/08/29 2016/11/11 55 August list officially closed off! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichKen Posted April 7, 2017 Report Share Posted April 7, 2017 @Kevin that is fantastic news!! I am so very happy for you!!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G2OZ Posted April 7, 2017 Report Share Posted April 7, 2017 Well Done @Kevin. Wish mine would come through already.....The anxiety is terrible, every time i check my mail and there is no Grant, the day is destroyed..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted April 7, 2017 Report Share Posted April 7, 2017 Hang in there, @G2OZ. It helps to try to keep busy with the activities on daily living so that you don't solely fixate on waiting. I know how difficult it is, but be patient and it will happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoVincent Posted April 7, 2017 Report Share Posted April 7, 2017 Congratulations @Kevin!!! What wonderful news. Enjoy the strategizing now for your new life in Aus! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waynec26 Posted April 12, 2017 Report Share Posted April 12, 2017 On Friday, April 07, 2017 at 4:45 PM, Kevin said: I am so grateful to be able to tell you all that WE RECEIVED OUR 189 VISA GRANTS this morning! Kevin!!!!! 1000s thumbs up! Awesome mate. Cmon over! Its great this side! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted April 14, 2017 Report Share Posted April 14, 2017 Thanks, @Waynec26! Plans are being forged -- there's so much to get done, but it's wonderful to finally be able to make progress on our life goals. Our entry date is mid August, but we want to make the move before then if possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RYLC Posted April 17, 2017 Report Share Posted April 17, 2017 On 2/1/2017 at 3:04 PM, Deezo said: So we have been here a week as of yesterday How about an update @Deezo? It's been a couple of months now. How are you going? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deezo Posted April 18, 2017 Report Share Posted April 18, 2017 Wow!! Where has time gone?? On the 24th of April we will officially have been in Sydney for 3 months and so much has happened!! Good, bad and the ugly is all I can say So now where do I begin... First month we got here we were still in holiday mode but we managed to get our Medicare, Drivers, Bank Accounts and all those details sorted within the first week. We were fortunate we didn't have any hassles with converting our licences and we also didn't wait long at all to get our Medicare sorted out at Centrelink. We also managed to get our Tax Numbers issues relatively soon. I even went as far as registering a Business Tax Number as a Sole Prop because my friend was going to give me some extra contract work here and there which has been an absolute Godsend! We spent Australia Day out and about seeing all the beautiful sights of Sydney and the harbour etc. Even though there were hoards of people and crowds everywhere it was still great to get out and explore a little. The wonderful tastes, smells, sights and sounds of Sydney really blew us away! I mean the food in Australia is amazing! There is so much variety due to the diversity and the food is really really good. The smells are amazing. Coffee and salty air mixed with the smells of the wonderful cuisines and then the sights speak for themselves when you are surrounded by historic architecture, beautiful clean streets and oceans that are world class. The sounds of so many foreigners makes you feel as if you are on holiday but you are in fact at home We were very fortunate to have friend host us at their home all this time and they were a great help in showing us around and helping us decide on what areas to look at settling into etc. I even received my 1st fine for stopping in a "no stopping" zone which is smaller than an A4 piece of paper with an arrow indicating where this area starts Second month started to get more serious as the job hunting began... Application after application without any luck After much running around and calling and frustrations we found out that I wouldn't be able to work in my field here due to government regulations being more "advanced" and more stringent. So after all the dead-ends and hopeless applications I ended up securing a job in recruitment within the banking & finance industry. Nothing I have ever done before but nothing I couldn't learn either so I jumped in head first. While this was going on we managed to get finance for a new car and got ourselves a great deal on a Mitsubishi ASX We managed to get an excellent rate through the dealership and we also secured a great offer with $8,000 off the original price. I must add that I had not even earned my first paycheck yet and we had zero credit score in Australia but our dealership managed to get us sorted through Macquarie Leasing (Macquarie Bank) We also got an excellent rate on our 3rd party insurance with Allianz and an even better deal on our vehicle insurance with Suncorp, All in all our car and insurance comes to $600 per month. We also started looking at property and had so many issues here!! Take the good with the bad Meanwhile my wife (the PR Visa main applicant) still hasn't had much luck on the work front and we had to jump through more hurdles and red tape... After looking at around 20 units (flats) and applying for around 12 of these we only got approved for 2 over a period of 2 - 3 weekends of inspections. Let me add that inspections happen at their given times and if you don't make it then your problem!! So we were bullied into paying a $500 holding deposit (because we were scared we wouldn't get another offer) and then we got messed around by the agent who conveniently didn't show for a 2nd viewing (after we paid the deposit) After calling her without an answer (having to get off work early to get there in time) to then get a text back afterwards saying sorry she has to reschedule!!!! Nevertheless we got a call a day later saying that we were accepted to the unit we absolutely loved (PS. After offering an additional $20 per week more!! This is one way to state you are serious here) and tried getting our holding deposit back from the other agent without any joy (#schoolfees) So we were moving in the right direction now as I had a job, we had a car and a home. We just didn't have any furniture because we had sold everything back in SA. The third month has probably been the best month so far because we managed to buy most of our furniture in cash and make our house feel like a home and my wife managed to get some casual work at a Private Christian School in the city. Its not enough but for now we are surviving nicely on my income along with my contract work I'm doing on the weekends with a friend. Hard labour here pays well and for some painting work and some building work I make on average $410 (pre tax) per day for a Saturday or a Sunday each weekend which isn't bad at all. We are feeling very settled now but still have a long way to go in feeling like we are making progress as my wife is struggling without routine and having financial stability and independence here She feels its all on me to keep us alive and to be honest it is but this is what marriage and a journey like this is all about. We have also found a Church and went to our first service this Easter Friday and then again on Easter Sunday which was a real blessing!! We found an amazing Church in the Shire called Shire Live The pastor and half the church are South African!!! Ha ha ha yup South African so we were welcomed with open arms and have already started connecting with a few of the couples. So after that trip down memory lane all i can say is that its been an emotional roller coaster!! Its been draining and at times very very frustrating at how things work here but I WOULD NOT CHANGE A THING! This is all part of the journey and all part of the learning we need to go through in our new home. We knew the challenges would be there but we couldn't pinpoint where, when or how they would happen. Emotionally you try and prepare but its not really humanly possible to be strong and prepared in all areas. We have already had milestones (happy and sad) back home that we haven't been able to attend but with our Lord and savior we know that he has brought us here to enjoy life to the fullest and raise a family (hopefully in the not to distance future ) with all the joys and blessings this life has to offer. Australia is an amazing country with its own 1st world problems and challenges but we have still got so much more to experience and if this is what the 1st 3 months has been like then i cannot wait to see what is next... PS. Congratulations to everyone who has received their Visa news and to those who have already departed thus far! You have an interesting journey ahead but embrace each day where possible and support your partners and loved ones because everyone deals with things differently. To those who are still waiting use this time to prepare and grow spiritually and emotionally because the hardest parts are still to come! 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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