skip1690 Posted May 7, 2014 Report Share Posted May 7, 2014 Hi all, I have been lurking around here a while and also on Poms in Oz, trying to gleen all the info I can. Mrs Skip, our 2 boys (5+2) and I are seriously contemplating a move to Perth. We have a few different and unrelated (to each other) friends out there and thought that that would help with what must undoubtedly be a very difficult transition. Mrs Skip is a secondary english teacher (actually very worried about this now, reading some recent posts:shocked:) and I'm a firefighter. We would be coming over with Mrs Skip as the main visa applicant, what with you lot being short of teachers and all that:laugh:. Ideally I would like to join the Fire service over there as I already have the skill set, 14 years experience and also have a friend in the DFES, my second choice would be joining the Police force and this really appeals, If I'm making a complete change, I may as well go the whole hog. However my concern doesn't really lie with me, I'll work at anything or anywhere until an opening comes up in my prefered line of work. What I'm worried about is Mrs Skip (in a shortage career) not being able to find any work anywhere and getting disheartened with the whole thing. She would be the one who would find the move the most upsetting and then not being able to find any work and having to rely on just one wage could just exacerbate things. I know it's really early days yet, but I don't want to go through all the upset, heartache, cost etc. just to find out that it's just going to be worse out there than over here. Don't get me wrong, my rose tinted glasses are definately off, but I don't want to come across as whinging either, not on my first post at least:biggrin:. Any help or reassurance would be definately welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verystormy Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Secondary teachers are still in demand - it is primary that really have issues. I would think that English teachers should be ok - might not walk into a job in the first week, but should be ok. For yourself, the WA police are pretty much always recruiting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beandownunder Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Hi Skip, just wanted to welcome you to PP, You will find lots of useful tips on here and friendly banter at times too :0) Bean x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skip1690 Posted May 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Thanks for your reply, that's quite reassuring to know. I've just been reading alot recently on here and PIO regarding the lack of teacher positions, but then again, it could well be due to the time of year as I imagine most teachers will be recruited towards the end of the year if your academic school year runs from Jan to Jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skip1690 Posted May 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Hi Skip,just wanted to welcome you to PP, You will find lots of useful tips on here and friendly banter at times too :0) Bean x Thanks, it does seem like a very friendly place and therefore a place to meet potential friends before arriving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7cdb Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Gooday Skip always wanted to say that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skip1690 Posted May 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Gooday Skip always wanted to say that! Ha ha, would you believe that never even crossed my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portlaunay Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Hey Skip, welcome to PP. I couldn't comment on the job situation for you both but the separation issues, homesickness and fear is well understood. Why do you want to come here and what are you prepared to sacrifice to make it happen? All I'd say is that unless you're all 100% committed to the stressful journey ahead then you'll be increasing the burden placed upon yourselves. The fantastic community that is PP can help though so if you are committed, share your thoughts and you'll have a heap of support but you need to think long and hard about whether this really is for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skip1690 Posted May 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Hi Portlaunay, The reasons for moving to Perth as oppose to any other Australian city is mainly based on existing friendships. The reasons for moving to Aus.......well I'm not one to be taken in by the 'Wanted down Under' rose tinted version of things. I understand fully that the daily grind of working,rushing round picking kids up, dropping kids off, bills to pay, essentially, life to be lived, is going to be just as hard as it is here and all without the support that family can (and does) provide. On the other hand, I know the weather is not the be all and end all, but to me, it is more than a bonus. It allows plans to be made without saying 'if the weather is fine on Saturday we'll go to....' it allows us to do all the free outdoor things available on our days off.......and basically live an outdoor lifestyle (if it's not too hot). Also, having 2 small boys, 5+2, who even now in England would spend every waking hour outdoors (even in the rain), I feel the move could be the best thing we could ever do for them. The importance and emphasis placed upon sports and the availability of sunny days to play them would, I'm sure, really benefit my boys and if in future years they wished to take up dual citizenship, it would mean they would not have to go through all this visa malarky to live in Aus, NZ or anywhere in the EU, which in a shrinking world, in future years can only be a good thing. I don't really like the term 'a better life' because I think it gives out the false impression that Australia is a cure all for everything that is perceived as wrong with your life in the UK. I Think what we're looking for is a more 'focused life' if such a thing is possible, time spent as a family doing the available things together on our days together. At the moment for instance, the free trip to the beach means in reality £60 in fuel, four hour round trip to a not very pleasant dilapidated victorian seaside town, not to mention the high possibility of bad weather while we're there. Like I sais, the weather is not the be all and end all, but it does open the door to so many other family orientated things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portlaunay Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 I hear ya Skip. I think there's no getting around the fact that the weather does make a huge difference. For more than eight months of the year you don't really think about what it's going to be like over the forthcoming weekend, you know the weather just won't hold you back if you want to be outside. I think your attitude is good but you only have to look through this forum to realise how close to madness the journey brings some people and for a great many who make the move, they'll be on the return flight to the UK before the first year is up. Our kids were probably the main consideration in our coming. We didn't feel the UK had a great deal to offer us as a family and even less of a future for them. We live a simple life here but it is rich, exciting, challenging and more wholesome than anything we've experienced before. There are some very generous people on PP who'll share their experiences and provide sound and objective advice. Good luck with your journey, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifi69 Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 What the big guy says is true. but you are right if you can get over the leaving family and friends behind, maybe even a decent job, spend a lot of cash, but come with your eyes wide open, you really can have the life you desire in Perth. yes of course you still have to work, pay bills, do the food shopping....there's no getting away from it for sure. And sometimes living in a place that feels like a holiday resort and the sun is shining, you really don't want to do those things. come the weekend though, and even night times, then this is the time you really get to enjoy the life. Never far from a beach, a lot of them with hardly anyone on if you stay away from the more inner city ones. Perth is a Mega family friendly area, so many things going on. It can be as cheap or as expensive as you want to make it. Eat out in the cafes, restaurants if you want, or throw some burgers and sausages in an esky and you will always find a free to use barbie. the only thing that will make it work.....is your mindset. its tough going at first, getting setting up, but stick with it.....and life is really worth living. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skip1690 Posted May 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 thanks for the replies everyone, it really does help knowing that you've all done it or are doing it and are willing to support people who are just starting out with the journey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odies Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Welcome to PP, I can not comment on the job front or what it is like for me to live there, I only know on all my visits I have enjoyed myself and hope I will be retiring there soon to my son and his family, who seem to be enjoying every moment after 8 years of being there. You will find people on PP very supportive and honest plus this month quite a few of the posters on here are making there move over in May and June, so I think we will have lots to read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7cdb Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 What the big guy says is true. but you are right if you can get over the leaving family and friends behind, maybe even a decent job, spend a lot of cash, but come with your eyes wide open, you really can have the life you desire in Perth. yes of course you still have to work, pay bills, do the food shopping....there's no getting away from it for sure. And sometimes living in a place that feels like a holiday resort and the sun is shining, you really don't want to do those things. come the weekend though, and even night times, then this is the time you really get to enjoy the life. Never far from a beach, a lot of them with hardly anyone on if you stay away from the more inner city ones. Perth is a Mega family friendly area, so many things going on. It can be as cheap or as expensive as you want to make it. Eat out in the cafes, restaurants if you want, or throw some burgers and sausages in an esky and you will always find a free to use barbie. the only thing that will make it work.....is your mindset. its tough going at first, getting setting up, but stick with it.....and life is really worth living. Great attitude! If it was easy everyone would be doing it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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