Visa granted - yippee

[suzy]

Hello!

 

My marriage visa was granted this week after 13 months waiting! So now we need to sell the house, buy airline tickets and pack the bags! Entry to Aus must be by 5th Feb so hopefully we can get all that done by then.

 

I'm married to Dave who is from Adelaide and we have 2 kids Elle who's 3 and Daniel who'd 4 weeks! Really looking forward to saying goodbye to the poor English weather and getting settled over there. We will initially be settling in Rostrevor as that is where Dave's family are.

 

I have a question regarding schools / kindergarten if anyone is able to help. I understand that the school term starts in Feb so that is handy as we will have arrived by then, our daughter will be 4 1/2 by then and I understand would go to kindy for 2 days per week. Over here she has already been in pre-school for 1 year going 3 days per week. She's born early sept so if we stayed in UK would start full time school sept 2017 (but if was born a week earlier would be starting this year) So in effect she won't be starting actual school over there until feb 2018 - I'm worried that this may be a bit too late for her and worry she may get a bit bored - has anyone else moved over there with kids of this age? Or am I just worrying over nothing!

 

Also Dave works in IT kind of project managing for large manufacturing firms and I am a recently qualified reflexologist - any ideas what the job front is looking like in these areas.

 

So looking forward to getting there, settling and meeting new people

 

Any advice, tips or info would be greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks

Suzy x

[snifter]

Congrats on the visa grant.

 

Re starting school, I think you are worrying too much. Its only going to be a few months difference in terms of starting date at school and she'll be in the same system as all the other kids here. At that age, kids love to play and so on and I doubt for one moment she'll think she is missing out by not going to school a few months earlier. My niece is in kindy this year and loving it and will turn 5 in August and not start school till Feb next year. No way is she unhappy about it, she loves kindy, has made lots of new friends her age and looks forward to going

 

Your daughter will have as much kindy time as she would nursery in the UK but over 2.5 days usually, 2 long days, one half day till she starts school. And then when starting school she'll be in with kids the same age and in the right year group. That's got to be a good thing, in my book anyways.

 

I'd honestly not stress about it. Just let her settle in and go with the flow of the country you will be living in. It all evens out in the end. Don't wish them into school is how I always viewed it. They are only small for such a short time, school is a big step up and here they don't do a few weeks of gradual settling in, its much shorter and then straight into a full 10 or 11 week term. No half term to break the term up, just 4 long terms over the year.

 

Try to get your head round the school system is different here and the intake times and school year span will of course be different to the UK. The sooner you can stop comparing or stacking it up against the country you are leaving (or left), the easier it is in adjusting to it all IMHO. I found it quite different when we first arrived, the first few weeks were hard going in some respects but I embraced it after that and since we moved to our new school we haven't looked back, its been brilliant and my son is loving it and doing so well.

[suzy]

thanks for the advice - you are right I'm over thinking it. We'll get there and just fit in with everyone else - I can't wait!

[Tamara (Homes Down Under)]

Hi Suzy, Congratulations!

All the best with your plans and the big move!

[NicF]

Agree with Snifter - don't worry about it and go with the flow. I'm a bit biased but Rostrevor is a lovely place to live . Good luck with the move.

[Blossom]

Congratulations!

[Karen S-D]

Congrats Suzy and good to hear about your new arrival! Only saw this after I replied to your PM x