Hi Bryan, I can really relate to your post. We’ve been here 3 years in Feb and found it really tough at times. My hubby is gas engineer/plumber and has really struggled with work since we arrived, he’s only now starting to settle down and has a permanent job, but it’s taken him this long to build up contacts etc. luckily I got a job 3 months after getting here so we were able to manage but it was never the plan for me to work full time and as such it’s meant that I haven’t been able to build any meaningful relationships in the suburb (we live in Duncraig too!) as I wasn’t able to do the whole school thing. Completely get what you mean about your wife not making ‘school’ friends, it’s harder when they get older. We’ve got 2 kids - our son is also 13 so probably in same year as your son, now going in to Year 8, and got a daughter now about to start year 7 so they’ll both be at DSHS. Are your boys at DSHS or Carine HS? We do have some friends in Tapping and Carramar and also close friends in Duncraig but they are friends from UK who we have known for years so that makes life a lot easier. We have had many ups and downs since we’ve been here but we always decided that we’d need to stick it out for 2 or 3 years to really make a go of it, and it seems like we may just be getting there. I’m not very good at putting myself out there and starting new friendships but would be happy to have a cuppa (or wine) with your wife if she wants, I work in a school so off work for another few weeks! And I’m sure my hubby wouldn’t mind a beer or 2 - we’d be happy to lend an ear for you both to unload [emoji2] Sally Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk