benj1980

As above, your wife is qualified to work in day care centres/nursery settings and not to teach early years in a primary school. A degree, certificate, transcripts and experience would need to be assessed.

Site fees are costing us around $20k, not all builders will mention that straight away. Every additional double socket cost us $25 so not extortionate but seemed a frustrating expense. For us the FHOG was a big bonus/attraction.

McGowan certainly means business!

This is new to me as well!

Yes no quick fix, practice makes perfect. I'm quite well educated and found it to be a bit of an insult, then managed to obtain a 7.5 in writing when I needed an 8. So I swallowed my arrogance and pride and practised far harder than before and got what I needed.

Hopefully you'll land on your feet with something soon. The Australian experience must help? It was a huge concern of mine coming over with no real work opportunities just a few contacts which came out really good in the end. It's a huge risk coming out from the comfort of what you know but needs must!

Yep no balloons or welcome party. It's all a bit surreal!

But Mandurah is great!

Sounds good, I'll ask the wife!

I know one electrician who has moved over and has struggled for work, but everyone else (must be nearly ten families) have found work since moving over in the past year. Mandurah must be a special place to gain employment!

Cheers! Don't disregard Perth entirely at the moment. Depends what occupation you are in of course!

That's quite a rollercoaster, I didn't realise the speed of events!

My youngest starts Kindy. He's already well known at the school by virtue of picking up his older siblings, even the Head speaks to him on first name terms. He's bold as brass so he's looking forward to it, referring school to his school etc...

I cope with people leaving pretty well including my family. I know they're going to leave so it's not a wrench, my wife thinks I'm a bit heartless! I also enjoy the family being back in their routine, I'm quite wary of how it effects the children. They are resilient enough but it's probably not great for them.

Personally it's been easier than we imagined. Certainly there was the initial emotional roller coaster but we are glad we made the move. 15 months in my wife and I have jobs, kiddies thriving at school, we have a bit of a social life and are building a home. All very exciting! Everything seems very normal and settled. No regrets! I can't see us coming back to the UK at time soon. We have three lots of visitors booked in this year already. We have certainly become a convenient hotel but that is part and parcel of moving to somewhere so beautiful and taking away children from grandparents, aunties and uncles! Our plans this year are really to make our new house a home and explore further south. Maybe north next year!