So, we're 2.5 years into our Australian adventure.
There's me, (28) my husband (35) and our 5 year old daughter.
So overall really enjoyed the last 2 and a half years and really like Adelaide. Our daughter has settled really well, initially went to childcare (which i find so expensive! We paid $250 a week after the rebate that everyone is entitled too) Then we enrolled her into Kindy 5 days a fortnight along side childcare which she loves and is ready to start school in January. She is so happy here, has really adapted to Australia and has a full Australian accent!
I know the job front is hard but i managed to get a temporary job after 3 weeks of being here in admin, which turned permanent and i left there 13 months ago for the admin job i am in now which is great and really enjoying it.
Husband had his own business for the first 12 months, went ok but was too hard with clients not paying on time, so eventually jacked that in and is now full time perm with another company which has worked out a lot better for us and a lot less stress!
I love how sociable everyone is here, feel like there is always something to do come wind, rain or shine and i love finishing work in the summer and being able to go to the beach for a couple of hours in the sun shine!
We have met some really great people both Australian and English and feel glad we put ourselves out there so to speak, we would never of done that in the UK.
So things i miss, i recently went back to England for 3 weeks for my sisters wedding, it was so hard leaving and i questioned if i was doing the right thing coming back, felt so down for about a week but i feel ok now and just thankful for Skype, Facetime and Facebook. I do have days every now and again where i feel like i just want to go 'home' but then i look how happy our daughter is and the lifestyle she has (and that we have too) to know we made the right decision. I just wish it wasn't so far away! Missing family will always be hard where ever you are i think.
I miss Europe, and miss being able to go on holiday to another country and it not costing an arm and a leg...butttt on a positive note we have seen so many beautiful things here in SA and other parts of Australia.
Christmas....just not the same in the sun, not as big a build up i find...so one day hoping for us all to go back to the UK for Christmas.
Anyway, just a bit of an update, not all rosy but overall we are really happy here and will definitely be going for our citizenship in 18 months x