Ex-pat Mums in Oz??

[yummimummy]

Is there anybody out there......?
(Apart from me)

suzy - it was interesting reading that - given that in 2007 Pre-school no longer exists in QLD.

Hannahsaunt what happened was that they decided that QLD kids needed more school time - they started the year they turned 6 but finished at 17 whereas in other states they are turning 18/18 when they finish. When I was teaching high school there was a push for a year 13 but they have decided to go this way.

IT means my dd1 won't go to prep until 2008 even though she would have been eligible for pre school next year. At the moment she is enrolled in kindy and will do a pre prep programme next year and still keep some time at the Special ed unit. So she will go from a two day kindy week to a three day kindy week with the other two days at the sedu in either all day or morning sessions.

Nothing is compulsory here until year 1. Dd1 will be seven when she is in year one rather than 6 as she would have been under the old system.

So to answer you suzy - nope kindy and preschool are not compulsory and prep won't be when they introduce it - can't see many parents not sending their children along.

ghosty I can't see my wonderful MIL letting me come to the UK without the children... never been forgiven - especially as she has never seen dd2. I couldn't do it. In fact the only nights we have had away from dd1 was when she was in hospital - first of all in ICU/SCBU and when having her cardiac surgery - with her cardiac surgery we were still in the hospital just another floor and when she was in ICU/SCBU we lived 5 minutes up the road - can't imagine going to the other side of the world without them.

hannahsaunt - my dh works with the guy who does all the checking out for otd docs at the children's and he is very thorough - asking dh all sorts of questions about the UK when he has to deal with UK trained docs.... you know - about unis etc... as dh worked in the NHS in a management position prior to us coming out here.

I am still suspicious of foreign trained docs unfortunately after the patel scandal!! Even scarier when I read about the Prince Charles debacle - much calmer when I saw that dd's cardiologist was one of the ones who raised concerns about what was happening.

Suzy you're spa weekend sounds fab
My parents in the UK would kill me if I turned up without DD!
Your DH sounds lovely BTW.
We're off to the Yarra Valley in July for our first weekend away since DD was born.
Looking forward to it but mildly nervous at the same time.
My PIL will be looking after her.
I'm told that at her age ( 14 months by then) it will be a case of us missing her but her not really noticing too much. Not sure if that's true.
Eids - did you know about Mummabbba at Windsor? It's a spa beauty place with a creche. I wish I'd thought of the idea myself!

Yummi - I have seen it as I have driven past the home centre place. I remarked to dh about it one morning as we headed into the Children's and he jsut nodded. We have one at the bottom of our road almost - beauty spa place that looks okay.

I might try it one day yummi - depends on prices I guess too. Have you been there????

It's 22 degrees and rainy today, what the F is that all about?

Just to change topic a little, do you find these new houses in these well manicured suburbs all look the same? I drove up and down my friend's road today because I'd forgotten the number of the house and couldn't pick it out for the life of me. She opened the door and flagged me down in the end.

What's the vernacular architecture like in your suburb?

I am in Brisbane, Oz. I am not an expat but my mil is a pom who has been here for 40 odd years but still raves about how good bloody england is. I live on the Northside and I am sure my suburb must feature in the emigrating to Australia brochures because my dd's school has approx 13 families who have migrated in last 3 years. I am getting a great education in all things english.

I am on the northside mymamma too.

Suzy - showery and cool here today too.

I agree these new estates all look so same old same old. THe houses around me were built by a group called the Housing Commission who built affordable housing for people in the 60's. Whilst they are similar in appearance - high set, tin roofs etc... there is a mix of old and new around us as well - further down our road and across and down from us is the more modern brick and tile.

BUT - there are differences - eg our verandah has been built in and so it is like a front room/ sun room but next door on one side has it still as a verandah. OUr is built in under - there's is to some extent but ours if fully enclosed. The other side - same basic idea but a long skinny block so the house is turned side on iyswim. Far more character.

hi mymama

So we have a Brisbane-heavy posse here do we?

I tell you what, that Cascade Premium Light goes down a treat with a Red Rooster Classic Half doesn't it

Cheers

eidsvold my SIL works at the Royal Childrens too, in the Burns Unit. Lives in Windsor so not far for her to travel!

DH has told me we cant go back to Aus for at least another 2 years...foiled again!

eidsvold my SIL works at the Royal Childrens too, in the Burns Unit. Lives in Windsor so not far for her to travel!

DH has told me we cant go back to Aus for at least another 2 years...foiled again!

They seem to have managed to avoid the Wimpey model of identical housing in our suburb here by selling the blocks of land to people and then letting them build (I guess within reason) whatever house they want so although it's a new estate (still building but has been on the go since 2000) all the houses are different which is ok. Means good social mix too as there is everything from tiny cottages as starter homes to enormous 5/6 bedroom houses with pools etc. Quite good.

31 here and sunny - perfect! Esp as my mum is now here for 3 weeks. PILs arrive in a fortnight.

harrogatemum - dh's office was originally near the burns unit with a lovely view towards the city. Now he is at the back looking over at the car park!!

I frequent the Royal Children's twice a year with ds for allergy testing. That place is absolutely huge and I still get lost each time

I used to be like that mymamma - especially when I had to visit dh's old office - as corridors lead onto others and at times they all looked the same!!

Although - we see so many different consultants that outpatients etc at times feels like home!!

Hi Mymama, we're in Brissie too.
Eids - Mummabubba a great idea for birthdays I thought. I have been for leg waxing and it's about 10-20% more exensive than other places ( 20% more than my usual cheapo place!) A bit of a treat really.
Suzy, I've never had a Red Rooster. Do you recommend it?
Our suburb is an older suburb and is a mishmash of different styles - some queenslanders ( some renovated, some not - more and more are though in spite of astronimical building prices), and some modern houses along with a few 60's unit blocks.
We have a wealthy family one side of us and group of students the other. We've only ever had beer bottles thrown into our garden from the wealthy side though
Harrogate, Windsor is the next suburb to us -about 30m from our house in fact. DH works at the Royal Brisbane too! Small world

definite about the red rooster - prefer it to KFC

brissy mums - up for a meet? I thought perhaps after Bouj has her babe and things have settled down we could have a mummy meet and then a kids and mummy meet?!?! Just a thought.

Great idea Eids.
I'd def be up for that.
When's Bouj due to have her baby?

she is due in 5 weeks.

I wondered how long it would take you to get round to this, over 100 posts it would seem.

Aside, has anyone seen Gravity posting lately? We were meant to have a meet up.

We've got a gorgeous Autumnul week with average temps of 27

okay Suzy - life is very busy for me and it makes it difficult to plan things at times - seem to have no time

lovely autumn here too - sun is shining - am about to take dd1 to swimming lessons. First one after her op. Have to fight her to get ear plugs and bathing cap on - oh joy!!

You could trade your spa weekend for a spa weekend here in Brissy or the Coast?!?!?! just a thought!

haven't seen gravity in a while actually - perhaps the nasty responses she ahd to her profile made her feel like she had to lay low for a while.

A Brissy meetup eh?

Gravity did post recently. Can't remember on what threads though. ( I'm not in Australia by the way, I'm just up VERY late in Ireland!)

Mum is here and we're loving the fabulous autumn weather - absolutely beautiful here at the moment. Off to Sydney and Katoomba (Blue Mountains) for a week this Saturday - can't wait. Tips for the boys other than the zoo most welcome!