LIFE IS FOR LIVING

[KathyP]

Four years ago my family - husband, son (now 18) daughter (now 16) went on holiday to Australia, We spent a few day's in Sydney and the balance of our three week holiday on the Gold coast. I fell in love with the country. I loved the freedom, the climate, the order, the cleanliness and the freindliness. What realy drew me to this far away land, was the many old people I saw realy "living". They walked every-where, grocery stores were geared to assist them with their old age, and one particular Sunday we found a place on the border of New South Wales, a private club where the older generation where catered for with a dance floor, gaming room, canteen & bar. These older people where having a great time, something i certainly hadnt seen in South Africa. Australia offered a "dignity" in getting older. I wanted to get old in this country.

We returned from our trip and the more i thought about Australia, the more obsessed I become of one day living there. Perhaps it had something to do with my grandfather having been born there in 1897. I felt a need to "adopt" this other land. Having grown up in the Southern Suburbs of Johannesburg, we had spent our youth arguing more with our afrikaans neighbours than being too aware of apartheid. This I became more aware of after my first full time office job. My boss was a political activist fighting for equal rights for all. As a young 17 yr old I absorbed everything, and I too adopted a different approach to my fellow man. With the onset or breakdown of apartheid, I had such great hopes for my country. We could now be "proudly South African". not hang our head in shame every time we travelled abroad.

I married and raised two children. I like to think I raised them well. despite having had succesful businesses, my privaleged children where raised never to judge and always to help those in need. My children grew up to be VERY PROUDLY SOUTH AFRICAN. After our trip to Oz, they where horrified about ever having to leave their beloved country. As they grew older, they would often chastice my husband and i for the evils of apartheid. So, I put aside my feelings for Australia, but in the back of my mind, i thought "one day".

over the next four years, i lost both my parents. My younger sister (a young 40 yr old met a man on the internet, previously a South African - now living in Oz. their relationship grew and eventually they decided to get married. She sold up lock, stock and barrell and went off to her new life. In december last year, while leaving our business, my husband, daughter, her freind and myself where "ambushed" - a criminal road block had been set up just outside our business, letting our customers pass through and then fired over 30 bullets into our car. Miraculously we escaped unharmed. Our car windows blown out, bullet holes around the petrol tank and our nerves in tatters. My 15 year old daughter, who writes lovely poetry, wrote a poem titled "Sweet 16 and Never been shot". As a parent, it broke my heart. I felt this overpowering anger that my daughter had to experiance such a traumatic event at such a young age. As adults, we could cope as many of our freinds in business had been through crime. But when youre children get affected, you want to come out with guns blazing.

My "proudly South African" children where now afraid of living in their beloved country. Every visit to our business entailed "body guards" following us home. Where my husband and I would previously share the running of our business, I could no longer go there alone. Being a business women, and having worked my whole marriage, I found this constricting and degrading. The last year i have struggled to maintain an interest in a business that i had lovingly built up over the last 11 years. And so, my longing for Australia returned. We made another trip out for my sisters wedding in March, and this time toured Perth and the Sunshine Coast. How I love the Australian way. I spent many mornings walkiing along the coast. (my passion is to walk). I met many interesting people from all walks of life. I found if you take the time to open up to people, all around the world, you always get a good response. I've yet to find a nationality I can say i dont like. We are all so very different, and all so very interesting.

We returned, talked and talked and talked a bit more, and decided to put in the paperwork for immigration.

In October our 163 visa was granted - state sponshorship for Queensland. Dealing with my husbands family has been traumatic to say the least. I have heared about every South African that has failed and lost all, every unhappy immigration story that exists, and still I yearn to live in Australia. Even prior to our crime incident, I have had this burning desire, unexplained why, to live in Australia. My first visit there 4 years ago - pulled at my heartstrings. How come I never felt that pull towards England, where most of my ancestors hail from? Why this large, drought stricken land, with lots of flies, a million miles from nowhere? At the age of 43 i now have to learn how to put in my own petrol, re-do my licence, find a new business, a new home - my place in the sun! Why does the thought of leaving all the familiar and swopping my comfortable life to start again not terrify me, but excite me?

I am now sending in the final paperwork and await our visa's! and hope, that my family left behind can forgive and accept our decision. I dont doubt that I will be happy, as I believe the state of contentment lies within each of us - a country can only offer you a place to lay your head, hopefully in peace. The rest is up to us to adopt, accept and embrace our new land.

[Polyanna]

Why this large, drought stricken land, with lots of flies, a million miles from nowhere? At the age of 43 i now have to learn how to put in my own petrol, re-do my licence, find a new business, a new home - my place in the sun! Why does the thought of leaving all the familiar and swopping my comfortable life to start again not terrify me, but excite me?

Hi Kathy

What an interesting read! Thank you for posting.

We have been in Aus for almost 3 months and you pretty much summed up how I felt - excited! I still have moments when I stop and think of how priveleged we are to be living here. My husband and I joke "Aahh! Another tough day in Oz!".

Good luck with the finalities of the visa and with the actual move. I wish you and your family all the best.

Kim

Edited November 11, 2007 by Polyanna

[Navigator]

I had a long reply typed, but on second thought I decided to delete it as I think most people would not be able to handle my response. I find a lot of comments on this site very ironic.

Edited November 11, 2007 by RenierPret

[Dax]

A great post Kathy! I loved reading it and admire your straightforward honesty!

Australia is probably the most egalitarian country in the world and you’ll find that on many levels the governments (whether state or federal), look after its citizens.

Once over here, you’ll have to get used to certain “Luxuries”:

* You can walk the streets without fear.

* You are being treated with respect and friendliness wherever you go.

* You can actually see where your tax money goes

* Your 17-year-old son walks home from Church Youth Group on a Friday night and you’re not worried.

* In the morning you realize that you forgot to lock the front door or close a window the previous night, and your only concern is that the e#&@*$ cat might have got out.

I hope you and your loved ones arrive here in Oz safely and soon, and all of the best. Check out all the business opportunities and I hope that you will soon have something thriving going for you!

Cheers,

Dax

Edited November 11, 2007 by Dax

[SASydneysider]

Hi KathyP,

Thanks for your story, I really enjoyed it - probably because I was slightly older than you when I left SAfrica (Lonehill) in 1999. To this day, I haven't looked back.

Good luck with your move and may Aus be everything you've dreamed of! It certainly is the place where I want to grow old!

SAS

[Guest mrs mupersan]

Thanks for your post KathyP. I too have had an unexplained/unexplainable yearning to go to / move to Oz since I was at school - I'm now 35. My brother married a Kiwi and they are now living in bliss on the Gold Coast. I've still never been there to Oz but my heart is there already.

For years I have secretly (this is the very first time I have let this one loose!) supported Oz - in both cricket & rugby!!! George Gregan is my hero!!! Sure, it was great that SA won the rugby world cup - but for me that seemed a bit empty - what with the cr*p that went beforehand with quotas & the deputy minister of sport (I think) saying that Jake White is a racist and all the other political rubbish that went on. But not to worry..... We'll be in NZ in 2011 supporting the Wallabies!!

Anyway, I'm just rambling now. I'm so excited I could do a jig! We're heading to Oz early in 2008. The only thing I'm nervous about is managing to sell the house and get all the lose ends tied up as quickly as possible so I can get there. Of course leaving family and friends is going to be extremely hard - but luckily my folks had already planned a trip out for June 2008 to see my brother.

KathyP, I wish you a safe journey and many happy years growing old in Oz.

[no longer interested]

I had a long reply typed, but on second thought I decided to delete it as I think most people would not be able to handle my response. I find a lot of comments on this site very ironic.

I think that if you put it out on this site that you find a lot of comments on this site ironic then you need to say what it is and why you find it Ironic I think that your comment is somewhat vague and doesnt add value to this thread.. why worry about what people can or cant handle people are big enough if one or two persons are offended what does that say or if you have many people responding to your opinion in a manner that indicates that your post is offensive what does that say.. To the point dont put a vague comment out there for fear of reprisal whilst it is noble that you think most would not be able to handle your response it is also somewhat shortsighted to not post it for that reason..

In all the years I have been in Aus I dont think that Australians are thin skinned to the contrary they are generally thick skinned and rarely are easily offended so the point is if you have a opinion on something that you want to say.. say it if there is a general concensus that your opionion is offensive/unsubstantiated etc you will be told quicksmart

[Bob]

Kathy,

I notice you said that your grand-dad was born in Australia.

I'd be checking out the Australian High Commission to see if you can't get an Australian passport on the strength of this fact.

I know of an older South African couple who have been in Australia for nearly 25 years now, all on the strength that his mum was born in Sydney and met his dad (a South African sailor) in Sydney on New Year's Eve 1944 towards the end of the War.

The Australian gov't granted him a passport and he got his wife and two kids into Australia as a result, never to think of settling in South Africa again.

Check it out. You could be clutching an Australian passport within the month!

[DesV]

Kathy,

I notice you said that your grand-dad was born in Australia.

I'd be checking out the Australian High Commission to see if you can't get an Australian passport on the strength of this fact.

I know of an older South African couple who have been in Australia for nearly 25 years now, all on the strength that his mum was born in Sydney and met his dad (a South African sailor) in Sydney on New Year's Eve 1944 towards the end of the War.

The Australian gov't granted him a passport and he got his wife and two kids into Australia as a result, never to think of settling in South Africa again.

Check it out. You could be clutching an Australian passport within the month!

Unfortunatly you can only get Citizenship by Descent if one of your Parents are Aussie citizens, if the parent who is an Aussie citizen got citizenship by Descent then they must have lived in Australia at some stage for a minimium of 2 years.

pity about that because citizenship by descent is a quick process.

Des

Edited November 12, 2007 by DesV

[NikkiH]

Hi Kathy

I especially like what you said about being able to still have a life when you grow old, I think that life does not end as soon as you turn 60, and it is wonderfull that in Aus you will have the oppertunity to have a full and happy life right to the end.

Here in SA you dont see old people out and about much, and it will be great to see people live life to the fullest potential in Oz.

The difference in quality of life is great! And that makes it all worth it.

Thank you for your insightfull post.

[HollanderInOz]

As they say,

CARPE DIEM,

(Gryp die Dag).

[Bob]

Unfortunatly you can only get Citizenship by Descent if one of your Parents are Aussie citizens, if the parent who is an Aussie citizen got citizenship by Descent then they must have lived in Australia at some stage for a minimium of 2 years.

pity about that because citizenship by descent is a quick process.

Des

Australia has citizenship laws not unlike British laws in this regard, I beleive.

If your father, or your father's father were born in Australia, you may get citizenship by descent.

A quick phone call to the Australian High Commission or nearest Australian Consulate will determine that.

Perhaps a search on the net?

Always worth a try.

An old mate of mine, born here in Australia, got a work permit for the U.K. just on the strength of his mum having been born there in the 1920s, migrating to Australia as a kid in the late 20s / early 30s.

Australia may operate something like that also??

You've gotta look into all these "angles".