Husky Posted March 25, 2017 Report Share Posted March 25, 2017 Fabulous @CazK When things are meant to be, the universe responds. Glad things have moved along so smoothly for you. It's ok to feel a little sad. A house is also a home full of memories. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CazK Posted April 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2017 Flights are booked! We leave Cape Town on 26 June...and I resigned from work yesterday (gave just under two month's notice). The house is sold. It has been an awesome week so far! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CazK Posted June 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2017 It's been almost two months since I last posted here. Both my husband and I finish work tomorrow...voluntary unemployment is a rather scary thought , but a necessary part of the process. On Saturday, the furniture we have sold to friends and family will be leaving and then the next few days are going to be chaos as we organise our last few worldly possessions (we have sold most of the furniture and appliances) in preparation for the MoveCube arriving on Wednesday. We have spent the better part of the last month packing boxes and cleaning garage tools. It is actually amazing how one can survive with so few items when required to do so. We also vacate our house on Wednesday. In the end it has been less stressful that I anticipated, more of an adventure, but it is still early days. We still need to arrive in Aus having left all of our loved ones behind. The guilt is there, especially leaving my mom since my dad passed away less than 1 year ago, but despite how she actually feels about the situation, she insists and knows we must go. I can relate to the volumes of posts on this forum on the emotions of having to leave parents behind, separating grandchildren from grandparents, and missing the familiarity of growing up and living in one city your whole life. By God's grace we will survive and hopefully thrive. Let the countdown start. Days left before takeoff: 18 and counting... 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CazK Posted June 16, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2017 So we packed our MoveCube and moved out of our house on Wednesday. Keys were handed over to the new owner yesterday. It has been such a busy and chaotic week, but our boys are such stars. They are so excited to share a bedroom in the flat we are now renting...although we will have to see for how long that novelty will last. 10 days left before we leave! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CazK Posted June 25, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2017 We leave tomorrow! It was just over a year ago that we made the decision to immigrate. How time has flown. Our bags are mostly packed, just a few last minute items or washing drying on the line. Tomorrow afternoon we need to herd 2 little boys (and a mountain of luggage) through 3 aeroplanes and 4 airports! See you on the other side! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wonderer Posted June 25, 2017 Report Share Posted June 25, 2017 Travel safely, we're flying in a week. Can not believe time time is finaly almost here! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Husky Posted June 25, 2017 Report Share Posted June 25, 2017 Very exciting and scary. Remember to breathe and why you're doing this. Let us know how it goes once you've settled. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
189inprocess Posted June 28, 2017 Report Share Posted June 28, 2017 Hi CazK, Ive just read your posts and see that you would have been in Melbourne by now. I hope the flights etc went well. What area of Melbourne have you decided to settle in ? we are heading there at the end of the year and finding it difficult to know where to go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CazK Posted June 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 We arrived in Melbourne safe and sound on Tuesday evening along with our mountain of luggage (without any luggage redistribution services at OR Tambo, thank goodness). We flew with SAA (CPT - Jhb - Perth - Melbourne) and despite us preparing for the worst the boys were actually well behaved. The 2 yr old got a sudden high temperature on the flight from Johannesburg to Perth, but we had packed some medicine in hand luggage, so we managed to sort it out. I ended up with motion sickness on the flight to Melbourne, which surprised me as I have never had it before despite flying several times in the past. Perhaps it was the sheer exhaustion. We were amazed at how complete strangers were willing to help us out at both Perth and Melbourne airports. For example, in Perth we had limited time to claim our luggage and get through customs before checking it in again for the next flight. Our 2 yr old was balling his eyes out in a backpack on my husbands back (he was tired and wanted mommy), while we were trying to remove luggage from the carousel. A lady working at the airport saw what was going on and offered to push our one luggage trolley (we had 3), took us through passport control and on to the next check in counter. We are super grateful for her assistance! Admittedly, we have had a soft landing. Friends from varsity are going overseas for two months and we are looking after their two adorable cats while they are away. Besides the free accommodation, they also took us to their doctor when my oldest son got a stomach bug the morning after we landed. We've sorted out our banking stuff, applied for Medicare, and bought car seats for both boys (good timing with EOFY sales). So slowly but surely we are getting administration done. Once we have access to a computer again we will apply for tax file numbers and book appointments to convert our drivers licenses. I also need to sort out vaccinations so that at least my older son can go to kindy. As to which suburb we will stay in after our two months at friends are up is still undecided. We have our preferences (Blackburn or surrounding suburbs), but will also be influenced by where my husband can find work (eastern or south eastern suburbs). We considered schools, rental costs, work options etc to come up with our short listed preferences. We aren't stressed about it, we'll take it as it comes. Don't need more gray hairs! The boys really suffered from jet lag. Imagine two exhausted and frustrated parents still trying to get a 4 yr old and 2 yr old to go to bed at 2 am! Not fun. I'm not a fan of medicating children unnecessarily, but if you have small children consider an antihistamine that also makes them sleepy. That worked wonders for us last night. Hopefully, we will get back into our routine soon. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackoFam Posted July 1, 2017 Report Share Posted July 1, 2017 Welcome to Melbourne . Hope you and your family will be very happy here. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonny Posted July 4, 2017 Report Share Posted July 4, 2017 Wow I remember that hectic and exciting time. Doing it with a 2 and 4 year old is super-brave. But you sound like you can handle it. Enjoy to the fullest! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedPanda Posted July 13, 2017 Report Share Posted July 13, 2017 Welcome to Melbourne! Brave to land in the winter, no? I hope you enjoy it. While you still have the time at your friend's house (that feels like having a holiday?) download something like the WillyWeather app and plan some park visits while the sun shines. Melbourne has some great public parks, free access. People gripe a lot about the weather, but I found that actually checking an app that shows a rain graph for the whole day is usually sufficient to avoid getting rained on Also, go onto places like Twitter or Facebook and check the official City of Melbourne pages/feeds for activities you could attend. There is always something going on, and a lot of it is free, and while the school holidays are on they have lots of stuff for children to do. Hope you like your new city. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CazK Posted July 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2017 Thanks RedPanda. We don't mind the weather; we're from Cape Town and are used to the rain. Although it's a little colder here, central heating certainly helps! We've taken to park-crawling to get the boys out of the house and exercised! We go walking / driving to one almost everyday. We also took the train to the Royal Botanic Gardens and visited the Children's Garden. They loved that. But the " holiday" does need to end. The doctor we saw has indicated what vaccinations need to be done so that the boys are up to date (will probably go tomorrow) and then I can look for a kindy for my older son. He needs interaction with children his own age again. My husband has been contacting companies and applying for positions, but nothing has happened so far. His specialisation makes it complicated as there are so few positions open. But he is going to a networking event held by Engineers Australia next week, so maybe he can make a few contacts there. It is a tricky situation in general. I'm the one with 10+ years work experience, but where he finds work will dictate where we stay: there is a rather large difference between Geelong and south eastern suburbs. Otherwise I would have applied for positions already. Anyway, onwards and upwards! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CazK Posted September 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2017 We moved into our rental at the beginning of September and last Friday we received our MoveCube! Packed: 14 June; unpacked: 15 September...and nothing broke. The boys were over the moon to have their toys and books back again - the ones we brought on the plane were getting a little boring, apparently. My older son started kindy last week Monday, so he is a happy camper. Initially, the younger one was very upset that his brother was going to school and he wasn't until he realised that with brother gone, he's got mum's full attention...hmm. Husband still hasn't got a job, sigh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odendaal Posted September 18, 2017 Report Share Posted September 18, 2017 Hi @CazK, What does your husband specialise in if I may ask? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CazK Posted September 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2017 Hi @Odendaal, he does finite element analysis (mechanical engineer). He's gone to two EngAus conferences / networking events and met people via LinkedIn and other connections, but nothing so far. There is a contract position he's waiting to hear about, but otherwise his field is very quiet at the moment and he doesn't have security clearance (not a citizen) so that removes those positions. So now I'm applying for jobs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedPanda Posted September 19, 2017 Report Share Posted September 19, 2017 Sounds somewhat familiar. Just keep at it, keep going to events. Talk to everyone you know, let them know he's looking for work. Sometimes it helps to do a relevant local course, to show you're keeping busy (not always, but sometimes). Good luck and keep courage 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Husky Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 Hi @CazK Glad to hear you have settled. Where did you end up renting? Sure a job will come through soon. Have you found anything yet? Has your husband looked into lecturing roles as another option? With his Ph.D. and Victoria being the education state, it may be worth looking into. I've been looking into university roles and know that amongst others, Deakin is hiring. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CazK Posted October 5, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 Hi @Husky, we are in Mitcham and quite happy here. I've made some progress in the job department - I have a second round interview on Monday next week so that is encouraging. My husband is not an academic (despite his PhD, which he did for the love of his field) and so lecturing is not really his thing. That said, he has applied for a few research officer or research fellow positions due to his industry experience. Thus far, he's been unsuccessful (mostly with RMIT) and Deakin's engineering dept is sitting in Geelong...ehh, just a bit too far from Mitcham. We have several job searches saved across various sites which we look at everyday, so we are up-to-date with job availabilities. He's also kept in touch with various contacts. It's just frustrating that when it looks like one pathway is opening up, it seems to lead to a dead end. Albeit not the greatest analogy, but if we throw enough mud at the wall, something has to stick! At the moment it looks like it might be daddy daycare... ...but we'll be fine one way or another. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Husky Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 Nothing wrong with daddy day care. Hoping we can perhaps have coffee when I come over in November. Will pm you. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CazK Posted October 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2017 Exciting news, my husband was offered a job yesterday! It's in his field, similar to what he was doing in Cape Town. So after (almost) five months, we are finally getting back to earning an income. I'm staying at home with the boys at least until next year so that we don't have to move my older son from his current kindy to a daycare so late in the year - he starts prep next year. God is good. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RussellJ Posted October 19, 2017 Report Share Posted October 19, 2017 Congratulations! Wishing you guys continued success!! Enjoy!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisH Posted October 19, 2017 Report Share Posted October 19, 2017 55 minutes ago, CazK said: Exciting news, my husband was offered a job yesterday! It's in his field, similar to what he was doing in Cape Town. So after (almost) five months, we are finally getting back to earning an income. I'm staying at home with the boys at least until next year so that we don't have to move my older son from his current kindy to a daycare so late in the year - he starts prep next year. God is good. Congratulations! I love it when the pieces start falling into place! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidjet Posted October 20, 2017 Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 Congrats! It is amazing when God answers prayers and then He sommet shows off. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mara Posted October 20, 2017 Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 @CazK That is certainly wonderful news... hope the job is all that he has ever wished for! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.