So....I moved to the other side of the world....

[Strawdermangrl]

Yay for you, how exciting! I've only been to WA twice (I live in Victoria near the south coast, about an hour from Melbourne) and loved it! Love the climate

Thanks!!! I am totally looking forward to coming out your way and exploring a bit more, we are planning a bigger trip to visit all over the east and south coast soon, you will have to give me pointers.

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

Yay for making a friend! that's awesome Renee the only other thing I can think of is if you get M to have some workmates and partners over for a BBQ so you can meet some of the wives and gfs?

Dampier sounds awesome, you are going in to the best time of year as well! Beautiful weather with clear blue skies.

Would love to do a Perth GTG when you are down! I am around on the June LWE although I'm working the Saturday morning and on the Monday. Little Creatures is an awesome place for a gtg

 

[Strawdermangrl]

HOT- OMG, I LOVE Little Creatures. And maybe some Cicerellos (spelling?) I love those fish and chips. No lie. It is a sickness.

Lets do that, Little Creatures, maybe that Sat arvo? <--Did I do that right? LOL, the whole 'arvo' thing?

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

Yes you did!! Don't worry we will make an Aussie out of you yet

Saturday arvo @ little creatures... It's a date!

Shall we start a thread in the gtg forum for others in Perth?

 

[Strawdermangrl]

Yes you did!! Don't worry we will make an Aussie out of you yet

Saturday arvo @ little creatures... It's a date!

Shall we start a thread in the gtg forum for others in Perth?

So Saturday the 5th at say 230? Yeah, get a thread going, HOT. OMG, SO excited to meet you!!! I will be nice and refreshed from my little getaway to Coral Bay with M for my birthday.

Oh hooray!!!

 

[Trekkie]

I am absolutely wild with envy and rage.

HOW DARE YOU MOVE TO AUSTRALIA WITHOUT ME?!

Hmmmmmf!

I hope you are having fun and congratulations on making a new friend. I'm sure you'll make lots in no time.

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

Cool I'll start a thread!

You will love coral bay.. I have been once, it's the furtherest north I have travelled in WA. (by car)
It was the first and only time that I have been diving. We went to a place called oyster bridge, it's only shallow but very protected and a great little ecosystem of coral and tropical fish. I have a big framed picture of it on my wall. I'll never forget it.

ETA: I just checked, Saturday is the 4th

ETAx2: I have emailed Ella and asked her to start a thread for us. Hopefully it will be up in the GTG forum soon!

 

[Amethyste]

Hey there... I am glad that you are settling and getting used to your new life!

I just have a question for you... I know a little bit about immigration, since my husband is German and we filled out all the paperwork for him to be a legal resident in the USA. It was costly and labor intensive!

I thought that Australia and New Zealand have really tough immigration laws... I read once that unless you marry a national you cannot really live there and work there (unless you are hired by a company there)... how did you manage this - is there a different way that I am unaware of? Just curious

 

[TravelingGal]

Hey there... I am glad that you are settling and getting used to your new life!

I just have a question for you... I know a little bit about immigration, since my husband is German and we filled out all the paperwork for him to be a legal resident in the USA. It was costly and labor intensive!

I thought that Australia and New Zealand have really tough immigration laws... I read once that unless you marry a national you cannot really live there and work there (unless you are hired by a company there)... how did you manage this - is there a different way that I am unaware of? Just curious

Amethyste, I believe she said she got a holiday work visa. It might be easier if your company has an office there and will do a transfer. With my own company, this was an option for me, although we didn't look into it too much.

My friend's SIL moved to Oz, on her own, but it was a very long and costly process...and she was on the list of professions they were seeking (vet.) She needed to show 10's of 1000s in her bank account...her father, who is rich, put it in her account and then took it out when the process was over.

 

[Amethyste]

Hey there... I am glad that you are settling and getting used to your new life!

I just have a question for you... I know a little bit about immigration, since my husband is German and we filled out all the paperwork for him to be a legal resident in the USA. It was costly and labor intensive!

I thought that Australia and New Zealand have really tough immigration laws... I read once that unless you marry a national you cannot really live there and work there (unless you are hired by a company there)... how did you manage this - is there a different way that I am unaware of? Just curious

Amethyste, I believe she said she got a holiday work visa. It might be easier if your company has an office there and will do a transfer. With my own company, this was an option for me, although we didn't look into it too much.

My friend's SIL moved to Oz, on her own, but it was a very long and costly process...and she was on the list of professions they were seeking (vet.) She needed to show 10's of 1000s in her bank account...her father, who is rich, put it in her account and then took it out when the process was over.

THanks for the info, Tgal!

 

[labellavita81]

I did a Long distance relationship before I made the move to Australia from Canada. I came on a working holiday visa just like you and once a year hit I applied for a common law visa (which is a perm resident visa) and that was tough and costly. We hired a immigration lawyer and she took care of most of it. Our family and friends as well as the two of us had to write letters about our lives together etc etc.....we also had to document emails and photos of us out together and with our families etc. I was lucky and never needed to have an interview so I cannot touch on that but it was a pretty stressful time for the two of us. There is so much I can share with you! And if you need advuce on anything let me know.

I found it really hard at first to get a job and then once I did I found it even harder to make friends. About a month into my job I made amazing friends who I still talk to today (I have now moved back to Canada). Just get yourself out and about, which it already sounds like your doing! Enjoy oz, don't take that place for granted - I miss it everyday!

 

[labellavita81]

To answer someone else's question about immigration - in between my working holiday visa expiring and waiting on my perm resident to be approved I could not work. I had to apply for a bridging visa so I did not have to leave the country while waiting. Once my perm residency application was approved I was able to work full time and I also received Medicare (free healthcare in NSW). The residency visa was a temporary one - 2years later they will re visit your relationship (make sure you are still living together etc) and then you can be approved for perm residency.

 

[Strawdermangrl]

Hey all!! Sorry for the delay and SUPER late reply!!!

HOT- SO excited. Do we have a linky yet to the post in the GTG forum? I can't wait to meet you!

AM- so, yeah, I came over on a working holiday visa which was approved in something like 6 hrs. We have just decided (we have the option of the Defacto Visa- which is the one that Labellavita81 is waiting for- or just applying for a marriage visa ) that we are getting the marriage visa. I have until May of next year on my VISA but we are going to apply in the next few weeks as the approval time is varying from 4-9 months for approval. Once we have been approved we will have 9 months to be married!! So, on top of getting all that together, now I am trying to plan a wedding, too. LOL. Haven't started yet but we are trying to figure out our budget, how we are going to accomodate everyone being on 2 sides of the world and what we want. We are excited, though. My immigration consultant is WONDERFUL and he takes care of it all, we just ask questions when we are curious/nervous and he makes everything a breeze. No worries, that is what I love about it. Sure, it cost a bit, but at the end of the day, we are glad to not worry about messing up somewhere along the way.

So, Trekkie, when you coming to visit?

 

[princesss]

OMG. Luvah! MARRIAGE VISA?!!?!?

I'm so exciiiiiiiiiited!

 

[justginger]

Congrats on the big move down under -- I am also an immigrant to WA. I've been here for (gasp) 6 years, this December. Time sure does fly. Excluding Christmas, you'll never miss that pesky white stuff!

I wish I could make it to a GTG with other Perth-ites, but we're going to be overseas. I really shouldn't be complaining...we're back in my hometown for our American wedding, then honeymooning in New Orleans/Orlando/the Cook Islands. BUT - it would have been nice to see some of the Perth diamond lovers.

I hope you guys have a great time together...and I hope you continue doing such a great job at making new friends. I must admit, possibly due to my age when I moved, I wasn't as good as you. I didn't put myself out there like you are and I found it was really lonely at first -- so coming from someone who did it all wrong, you're doing it all right!

 

[Strawdermangrl]

Congrats on the big move down under -- I am also an immigrant to WA. I've been here for (gasp) 6 years, this December. Time sure does fly. Excluding Christmas, you'll never miss that pesky white stuff!

I wish I could make it to a GTG with other Perth-ites, but we're going to be overseas. I really shouldn't be complaining...we're back in my hometown for our American wedding, then honeymooning in New Orleans/Orlando/the Cook Islands. BUT - it would have been nice to see some of the Perth diamond lovers.

I hope you guys have a great time together...and I hope you continue doing such a great job at making new friends. I must admit, possibly due to my age when I moved, I wasn't as good as you. I didn't put myself out there like you are and I found it was really lonely at first -- so coming from someone who did it all wrong, you're doing it all right!

JustGinger- Congrats on the upcoming wedding, we will have to have another GTG once you are back and see the pictures!!!! I fear that we will have to have a reception type thing in the States, too, as I just can't imagine asking people to spend that kind of money to go to one or the other. So, there you have it. I was kind of bad last night, on the friend making front. I decided I wanted to join the softball group here, since I am trying to meet people and such. SO, M sent me the name and number of the organizer for the group and she called and left a message about the group meeting at 530 last night. I was tired, I had cleaned and worked all day, I didn't even get to sit until close to 515 so...I didn't go. How lazy/horrible is that?! Ugh, who knows what I missed. I guess I am going to have to muster up the courage to call and apologize. Hopefully, they will still have me. Where are you located in WA? I am probably not near ANYONE. LOL, Middle of nowhere calling...no, wait. It is just Renee. LOL.

Princesss- Guess you better start saving for the Wedding trip over. You know it, I am calling you out- on PS. Bring it. <3