To think those on wanted down under

[Thefishewife]

AIBU to think many on wanted down under have no intention of moving to Australia and just want a free jolly

Just occurred to me watching it today after a couple who would be 700 in oz would be worse off were still struggling weather it would be a good move

Lol I remember watching one with a teacher who taught Spanish and French in the UK, and wanted to emigrate to NZ...she was shocked to learn that there wasn't much call for Spanish/French in the area she was looking in and actually languages of SE Asia would've been more beneficial.

I didn't know that either, but then I would like to think if I was looking into emigrating I would check first that my skills were relevant! (Not that many people on WDU seem to bother with that...)

At least today's couple were more willing to compromise together and the husband wasn't willing to make the wife feel bad or push her.

I saw one of these where the family included the husbands daughter from a previous relationship who he had got to know only recently. She was about 16 and he expected her to leave the rest of her family to live in Australia with a parent she'd only met a year before.

It didn't come across as very well thought out.

Wanted down under makes me laugh and be frustrated equally! I originally hail from Sydney but have lived is for the best part if 20 years.

My most memorable moment was when a couple wanted to sell there flat admittedly in London and be mortgage free in Mosman. If you know Sydney that is one of The MOST pricey places. They were somewhat shocked that they couldn't even afford a knock down there. Aggggh

A friend in NSW posted on FB yesterday that the temperature was 0.8 degrees. It is winter I know, but it really annoys me that people think it will be sunshine all the way.

I've noticed with this programme that both parties wanting to emigrate is rare in the extreme. At best one is apathetic about it, at worst there are tears and bullying from the keener one.

A friend of mine has just come back from Perth after 18 months (it was never intended to be permanent, it was a work related secondment). She enjoyed her time there but didn't feel any desire whatsoever to stay (it was an option). I remember being quite shocked when she said it got cold in winter. I thought Australia got pretend winters, like Florida. In my (weak) defence, I'd never previously given Australia much thought. Except to cross it off my holiday list because of the spider situation.

I was only thinking the same the other day...but in all honesty, it would be pretty dull and I don't think I'd watch if it was like the Smith family all want to emigrate, they've visited before and love it, and they have all secured jobs!

Doesn't Australia have snowfields? I don't think the skiing is like France but all the same it must get cold enough for snow.

Yes, it does. The mountains are not as high as in Europe, America and NZ, but that's because it's so old, they've worn down, but there's reliable skiing every winter in Vic and NSW.

Larry my sister lives there! In may I sent her a parcel of all the faux fleecy goodness primark had to offer. A onesie, two pairs of pjs, a dressing gown, a hoodie and 6 pairs of slipper socks. :o

Alis, my sister has been there nearly 2 years and although not completely arachnophobic she has her moments. She has never seen a spider in her home. I ask her about it a lot. :o

i would love to do that programme - because its something i would genuinely consider and my job is transferable, not sure that dh is but mine would get us there.

i have no family at all in the uk that i see (well - one dsis and one nephew who i would miss)
dh has no family that he sees.

but i fear that ive left it too late for my own children - one is 22 but has SEN and the other is 17 and has made a life here....has a boyfriend, friends.
i would never leave my children if they wouldnt go with us. my best friend is out there and has been for a good 10 years now - he loves it.

i would love to do the wanted down under thing to compare and work out what differences our life styles would have....

@ Your

It wasn't so much in the home, she said it was mostly cockroaches (which are grim but I can deal with).

It was the Huntsman spider that crawled up the leg of her friend whilst he was driving a car that terrified me. And her, as she was a passenger at the time. They are apparently the "Labradors" of the Arachnids - that statement rather put me off Labradors for a bit

It makes me laugh when they say ''We are going because we want an Outdoor Lifestyle''.
They seem to think that people in warm countries spend most of their time outdoors, when the reality of the situtation is that they have to spend a huge junk of time at Work and School - just like us.

I know 2 Labradors. They are both barky, snarly fuckers.

I lived in Brisbane for a couple of years and I remember in winter I had a hot water bottle, thick dressing gown and fleecy pyjamas - it felt really cold at night (house was an oldish wooden one with no heating or insulation). Flatmate & I used to huddle around 2 electric radiators clutching mugs of hot chocolate. Friends & family back in the UK were absolutely transfixed by this information, they thought it was wall-to-wall sunshine all day every day, and that I was always on the beach or lounging around by my (nonexistant) pool!

I had done some research before I took the job there, and had visited Australia beforehand - I loved my time there but came back because at the time my job prospects were much better in the UK and I also felt so far away from everyone in the UK. There was no Skype etc at that time and it was harder to keep in touch via phone calls with the time difference - one of us was always just about to dash off to work or just about to go to bed.

I severely doubt I am capable of seeing a fuck off massive spider as being anything like a friendly dog, the analogy was a bit lost on me.

We were one of those families who listed a more 'outdoorsy' lifestyle as one of the reasons we moved to oz. Granted it is a cliche, as there are many beautiful places to visit outdoors in the UK but it boils down to the weather for us, it doesn't rain for 6 months solidly (that's whats it felt like one winter we had in the uk), the sun makes us want to get out and about and please don't shoot me down but the parks are much nicer here. The play equipment hasn't been vandalised within 2 weeks of opening and they have free BBQ's for use. It just makes a more friendly environment to spend a few hours. We have also lived in Germany and the leisure facilities there were so much better that the UK, not over priced and not over crowded because there were more facilities to be used. The UK, as much as I love it and it is my home, needs to invest more into its parks and leisure facilities. Not everyone can afford a week at centre parcs to be able to go to an indoor fun swim centre!

A schoolfriend of mine was on WDU on one of the earlier series. She went and came back last year. She has an autistic son and he was having some special therapy in Oz which she can't get here so has been fundraising for her son. She got defriended from fb then as she isn't the only person in the world with a special needs child ffs. My close friends don't feel the need to fundraiser for their kids. They just parent the best they can and do a damn good job. Grrr.

Btw my mum's cousin moved out to Oz without WDU. They had a hard time at first with Cost of housing and getting jobs established but are really happy now.

I am surprised at those saying it is more expensive to live in Aus.

Most episodes of WDU I have seen show the participants being shocked at the cost of living - £7.50 for ham in Aus compared to their usual £5 in UK, mortgage of £1000 a month versus their £500 in the UK.

However once they do the sums they usually realize they will be £1000 - £2000 per month better off!

This is because of higher wages. I watched an episode of Youtube yesterday and the female participant was a nurse on £11,000 part-time and £19,000 full-time [she was currently working part-time but wanted to start working full-time]. In Perth she was told for doing the same level job she would earn £56,000 full-time! So yes, it is an expensive city to live re property prices and food costs but this woman was going to be over a £1000 a month, £15,000 a year better off if she moved!

DH and I are seriously considering a move to Brisbane next year. I have previously lived in Australia and can say it is a wonderful life for a family and children.

And no, people definitely don't work longer hours than the UK, I would say on the whole that they have a better work/life balance than here.

At the moment DH and I are doing the research and the sums and it seems we can earn more and have a better standard of living in Aus.

nutcracker it depends on your sector. DH and I are from NZ, and it's more expensive back home. We have looked into jobs and also houses.

We aren't doctors and nurses and our sector has more opportunities here than in NZ. Almost everyone we went to university with has left NZ. Mostly to Australia, many to the California and some to the UK. (The California bit should give you a clue which sector it is).

For me, the outdoor life means that you can get out, even in the garden, more often. When I first came to Australia, I couldn't understand why so many people had tables and chairs dotted all over the shop outside. Now I get it, and have seating and a table front, back and side gardens, and will put the the same on the balcony outside my bedroom. I keep it cheap as it's out all year round. It means I can chase the sun and shade all year round.

The other thing is it's very rarely day after day overcast, most days there'll be a sunny morning or afternoon, and then even in winter, it's warm within minutes. This winter in Vic has been wonderful; barely a day passes without brilliant sunshine.

Also big YY to unvandalised parks and barbecues.

Hi! I was on wdu NZ. Our programme just got repeated. We are now in...... NZ. The programme is highly edited but was great fun and very helpful. In fact we are now good friends with the cameraman and his wife who 'fixed' all of the activities for us on the show. We went to have a risk free explore. I got offered a job and we then went again a year later (this Feb) and finally moved out three weeks ago! Its a big commitment for a free holiday, and the selection process is pretty thorough. Great experience and something to show the boys when they are bigger.

I am watching the Brendan episode now. I'm already enjoying it very much. She just doesn't look like she likes him very much really