Ok lets widen the search **** all antipodeon mums living in the UK****

[quokka]

Lets have a new thread the other was getting a bit long!

All expats are welcome, I come from Perth WA and have been here for 8 years, married a pom and live in West London with my ds1 2yrs and ds2 1yr. No plans to move back to Oz but we are thinking of moving to Singapore for a couple of years. Well the weathers got to be better than here, and it will be further away from the inlaws

[quokka]

Astrophe I feel exactly the same way! People here are lovely but everyone seems to have a barrier that takes years to get through. Some of my best friends in Oz are people I met randomly. ie: at the bus stop.

My brit dh was so worried about me when we first started going out as all my aussie friends had gone home and I wasn't making any brit friends. He couldn't understand how different it was. I also found it funny how you would have to book a time to see someone. I would ring and ask if they wanted to catch up, and they would say "Yeah I can fit you in 3 Sats from now." . Everyone seems so busy, and they don't bring their own meat when you have a bbq!

[Astrophe]

Glad its not just me then! This is prabably my main reason for wanting to go home tbh.

Yes - "I'll have to check my diary...um,how about April?" ...HUH!!!??? I just wanted to meet up for a coffee!

And the meat we felt really rude and stingy explaining to people that they needed to bring some!

[O2BMe]

I'm in no hurray to head back to Oz. Spent Oct and Nov there last year and was glad to leave. Sorry but I have to say the Radio stations in Brissy were terrible! I just didn't remember them being that bad. I am too used to the Brit stations now.

At the same time I don't want ds to grow up here in the UK. An outdoor lifestyle is important for children IMHO. So will no doubt end up back in Oz but not sure when.

Actually we are waiting on news regarding a position DH has applied for in New Delhi, India. Am getting very excited about that. Looking forward to travelling India and the surrounding countries. We will be able to afford a large house with a huge back yard and a swimming pool - with housestaff as well.

[KaybeeandZak]

Quokka & Atrophe, i agree, it is really hard to make friends with brits! And the thing about booking a time to meet a month in advance, it's just crazy!!! With my friends in NZ it's all just about popping in to see them whenever, but I guess in London it's a bit hard to do that

We should try for another london meet up. Am still worried about ds on tube though He's very temperamental!

[KaybeeandZak]

Had such a crap day today, i rang my dh and told him i was resigning from my job! I have been wee-ed on, and had horrible explosive poo to clean up. I put ds in the bath to clean him, got him out and he puked on himself !!!!!! Grrrrrrrrrrrr

[quokka]

oh the joys of motherhood

[KaybeeandZak]

yeah i rekon, though when they smile at you it's all worth it

[quokka]

sucker!

[eidsvold]

Astrophe and quokka - that is what I found hard to take - not being able to pop in to see friends if you were passing instead having to make appts to catch up with friends. Used to do that when I lived in Aus before moving to UK - and there was no offence taken if person was busy or on their way out the door - you would just catch up another time.

I was lucky living in Essex as I managed to make some fabulous friends - mainly work colleagues although besides teaching I also worked part time in a pub so made contacts there - including meeting dh. However can relate to the english reserve that I experienced as well as some discrimination - i was a poor convict from Aus etc.... Actually had someone say that the fact I had a pommy father made me 'more' likable than if I was just another aussie!! I also had lots of barbed comments about marrying dh for a british passport - despite the fact I already had one!!!!

Having said that - again as I said make some fabulous friends who I miss and can't wait to catch up with - when we finally can afford to come back to the UK for a trip.

[cinnamontam]

Well - if I ever make any Brit friends I'll let you guys know if I agree with having to book time to see them

Went to a friends 30th last night. She's an Ozzie and so were most of the other people there. We had a BBQ, I made a pav, we played Chisel and friends all night and it was magic

[Astrophe]

Sounds like fun Cinnamon

Its hard to settle whe you know you're going back isn't it? We are going back in about 18months-2 years, and I always feel like I'm trying to live two lives at once - maintaining links in Sydney as we will be back there soon enough, as well as trying to commit to relationships and life here, as we will be here for a good while yet!

[cinnamontam]

I know what you mean. The heartening thing is whenever I go back to Perth and Melbourne everyone is still there and our relationships are just the same. It's like a limbo we are all in

[quokka]

sounds great cinamon haven't done that for yonks!

I must admit that I'm so bad at making arrangements now that I have to consult the calender to see if we're free, but more than happy for someone to pop in for a cuppa.

I too have made friends and had to say a sad goodbye soon after. It does get tiring after a while, but we maybe the ones saying goodbye this time. Singapore looks like it going full steam ahead.

I had one of those fed up with London mornings. Firstly someone has nicked my side mirror from the car on the drivers side, then I nearly got a parking ticket. Our resident parking permit had expired, but Hounslow can't garentee that you will be sent a reminder when its due to expire????? Yet another way for them to make money!

[cinnamontam]

Oh Quokka - what a painful morning for you

Singapore sounds very exciting! When will you be going and for how long?

[quokka]

Well dh has to go in S'pore today, so will meet up with HR and hopefully talk money. He's going for a meeting with his current employer/client so its perfect timing! The thought of packing up the house is a bummer but a change of scenery will be nice. I'm going to look into the aussie school over there - would love ds1 to go

[cinnamontam]

Wow - that is really exciting and much closer to home as well. Forget about the humidity for a moment - you will be WARM

[superloopy]

Finally today after what seems to have been the biggest homework assignment ever, I have posted off DHs Australian spouse visa application.

The fact that we are still married after completing that sucker should be reason enough to give him the visa.

I just hope we hear back soon.....

[KaybeeandZak]

Well done superloopy! We have to do DH's NZ application soon, what a nightmare! And I have to organise a UK passport and NZ citizenship and passport for DS.......sigh

Quokka, how exciting about Singapore, when would you be going? One of my antenatal group is movng to Sydney in May with her husbands job, and they only just found out it was going ahead this week - crazy!

[Mellin]

Yep the paperwork is a nightmare. I have just gone through sorting out dd's UK passport, Australian citizenship and just this week sent of her application for a passport.

And the cheek of the Oz High Commission - they have an 090 phone number for all enquiries which costs £1 per minute!

[sunshinefairy]

Wow you guys are bogged down with paperwork,
Melin it should be really quick to get the passports now you/ve got your citizenship by decent forms. I remember well that phone line and then the phone bill.
Wasn't today lovely and sunny I had to wear sunglasses i almost felt at home.

[cinnamontam]

Oh yes - having my sunglasses on my head made me feel very happy

[superloopy]

I refuse to call the Oz high commission on that crazy expensive number. I have found that you can email them with any questions and you get a pretty quick reply.

[quokka]

I don't even have an aussie passort, had to cancel it when we got burgled and I've never renewed it after 6 years. I'm sure it will involved lots of paperwork. Its just easier when we travel to all go with Brit passports, even when we go Oz I get a visa

[Mellin]

Doh! Didn't think of emailing, could have saved myself a small fortune there.
I can understand they probably get lots of queries about immigration/visas etc from other nationalities but you'd think they'd cut their own citizens a break.
My Dad's favourite saying is "the little guy always gets it in the neck" which I guess applies here. You'd think he was the original Aussie battler the way he thinks the big corporations are all out to get us

[sunshinefairy]

helloooooooo where have you lovely ladies been, it was very quiet over the weekend on this dicussion, did you all pop over to oz and not tell me now you all have your visas.......