Doobi will no longer have to endure 5fm .... [Archive]

doobiwan

9th December 2008, 11:05 PM

Voicy, I love you guys too :p

That's awesome Doobi, how long did you have to wait?

The long answer is 10 years ... My wife and I have been planning on moving since before we met each other. The month we met I was due to go to the UK to work, she was emigrating to Israel. We were going to meet up in London and go from there. But life happens - a career change, doubt and 2 kids later we're finally ready to go ;)

The actually process took about 2 years dedicated action - skills assessment, English Exam, Meds, PCC, passports and birth certificates for the boys etc etc. We lodged in Feb and it came through today taking a total of 301 days exactly (for a pure skills/no sponsor visa, lodged online).
(I know this because we run http://www.austimelines.com :D )

SintaxErr

10th December 2008, 07:18 AM

Congrats Doobi. Where hexactly you going? I did quite a bit of research on Brisbane. It looks like nice spot. Eastern coast and on the same Latitude as Durban.

Ruslan74

10th December 2008, 07:28 AM

Well done Doobi, you know this means you will have to be up at wiiii hours of the evening to play in SA time? :D

Arbythep00nage

10th December 2008, 07:59 AM

:( hooray for doobi, now you will have to argue with the ps3 fanboi's on myadsl at weird times of the day!
Why are you leaving us?!?!?!?!? Or more accurately, why arent you taking us with!

Noodle

10th December 2008, 09:13 AM

Congrats doobi!
You peeps have been waiting for this for a long time now.

Well now we have another source to import goodies for us :D

doobiwan

11th December 2008, 12:40 AM

Thanks for the wishes everyone.

Congrats Doobi. Where hexactly you going? I did quite a bit of research on Brisbane. It looks like nice spot. Eastern coast and on the same Latitude as Durban.

We're heading for Sydney. We were originally going to be all impartial and check out Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, but my wife's brother lives in Sydney and no matter how much she pretended to be impartial ....

Having said that, I know quite a few peeps in Brisbane (and yes they're from Durbs too ;) ) apparently they are very similar. It's also an emerging city which at least makes the property more reasonable than Sydney. :o

First time I saw rental prices let alone buyer I fell off my chair ...

(And considering I'm posting this 1am SA time I don't think Time zones are going to make much difference ;) )

11th December 2008, 11:20 AM

I have family in Wharoonga(sp?) in Sydney.

doobiwan

11th December 2008, 12:16 PM

I have family in Wharoonga(sp?) in Sydney.

*doobi surreptitiously crosses Wharoonga off of suburb check list ...*

;)

Where is that?

Thumponius

11th December 2008, 01:17 PM

in Sydney I hear.

11th December 2008, 02:36 PM

Australia apparently.

doobiwan

11th December 2008, 04:52 PM

:facepalm:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Sydney+Wahroonga&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=40.460237,93.164063&ie=UTF8&ll=-33.724911,151.169815&spn=0.332947,0.727844&z=11&iwloc=addr

11th December 2008, 05:49 PM

Heh, I actually found my uncles house on google street view ;)

Tresbien

11th December 2008, 09:52 PM

The long answer is 10 years ... < :yikes: >
My wife and I have been planning on moving since before we met each other. The month we met I was due to go to the UK to work, she was emigrating to Israel. We were going to meet up in London and go from there. But life happens - a career change, doubt and 2 kids later we're finally ready to go ;)

:hmmm: I recall having a job lined up in UK (Oxford to be precise) roughly (exactly) 10 years ago, then this dude Vorty says "hey why don't we get married?" So I blow all my savings on a trip to Israel with him, and ... career change and 2 kids later....

The actually process took about 2 years dedicated action - skills assessment, English Exam, Meds, PCC, passports and birth certificates for the boys etc etc. We lodged in Feb and it came through today taking a total of 301 days exactly (for a pure skills/no sponsor visa, lodged online).
(I know this because we run http://www.austimelines.com :D )

ok, so about the usual length of time, no fast tracking for the Geeks then??

doobiwan

13th December 2008, 02:03 AM

:hmmm: I recall having a job lined up in UK (Oxford to be precise) roughly (exactly) 10 years ago, then this dude Vorty says "hey why don't we get married?" So I blow all my savings on a trip to Israel with him, and ... career change and 2 kids later....

ok, so about the usual length of time, no fast tracking for the Geeks then??

That's just bizarre ;)

No favours to concessions. I'm ctually a bit annoyed. I specifically delayed application for a month to upgrade my skills assessment to max out my points and get "MODL" status, which is supposed to get you in in 6 months. A screw up by the SAPO and holidays conspired to us only lodging 3 months later, but that's not the worst bit. It now turns out according to the actual stats "low point" (~100pts, I had 135) family sponsored visa are taking 2 months less than skilled visas, all told we could have been there in August!

stoke

13th December 2008, 08:23 AM

Kekekekeke .. but, the relief must be tangible Doobi.

You probably would have had some other problem with an unskilled application, it's not like they're going to tell you about the problems that they have with that side of the "process".

Let da Adventure beginz!

Vortex

13th December 2008, 09:07 AM

Without being too political, can you explain why you're moving?

It can't purely be 5fm's fault! :D

doobiwan

14th December 2008, 11:26 PM

You're right. 567 Cape Talk has a lot to do with it as well ;)

There's more truth in that than may seem in jest, but in truth my reason are not very political. Yes the constant immanent threat to my family put some fire in the ringer, but my reasoning is long term one of culture and opportunities. Culturally, My family on both sides are well travelled (None of my Grandparents were born here), we don't have long term roots in any country, we're rather "Colonial" if you will. The Durbanites might know what I mean, I don't really know if I do. I just know that coming down to Cape Town, or going up to Joburg, feels uncomfortable, like a foreign country. I just have more in common with Aussies and Poms than I do with Saffers. For the record I was born in Durban and moved to Cape town 8 years ago.

There are some fantastic opportunities to be had in South Africa, if you have the appetite for risk you can do very well for yourself here. Me? I'm a natural born risk adverse slacker. I place greater value in taking walks in the park with my kids than starting an empire. I see the stress SA children are under, and I don't want to subject my kids to that. If they want to pursue careers in Sport or the Arts I'd like them to be able to do that, and not have to get 2 degrees just to earn enough to maintain a safe standard of living.

Okay maybe I do get a bit political ....

I see kids of friends of ours getting "A" Matric results and not getting into the courses of their choice or into decent institutions simply because there aren't enough places. As a parent I just cannot put my kids in a position where they are denied opportunities for reasons which are not of their making.

I don't "hate" SA, in fact I really hope it manages to sort itself out. I hold thumbs that it will, and that in 10 years or so I'll be able to look back and say "We could've done great things there, maybe we should have stayed." But at the same time my decision is made, me and my kids will be dinkum Australians with no worries mate. I don't believe in looking back or regrets - My kids will just have to learn to enjoy Vegemite.

</psycho babble>

Megnut3025

15th December 2008, 08:16 AM

Awesome Post Doobi!! As a parent of 2 little boys I can fully understand your reasons for leaving!! :bow: :)
Ive also said to Punky that if the Lord opens doors for us to leave... just say when and the bags will be packed and ready to go but if not then we must make the best of what we have here. :slide:

Hope your plans and packing are all going a long smoothly!! :woot:

Punky3025

15th December 2008, 08:17 AM

Reading this is like looking in the mirror. I have argued this in my own mind so many times. I just keep putting it way in the back and try not to think about it. Thanks for your post Doobi.

Tresbien

15th December 2008, 09:52 AM

What Meg and Punky said! Looks like we have more in common than just the Wrg :)

stoke

15th December 2008, 10:06 AM

Lol @ the undecided peeps.

I decided midway through last year to live out the rest of my life in this country, and to fight for what is right.

The relief for me once I had decided was quite palpable because soooo many decisions were being held back based on my previous un-decisiveness, and I now feel that my life can begin to take direction once again.

Of course, I was single and free when I finally made the decision, I do NOT have a clue as to how on earth I would decide had I a family to worry about.

To me, this country is AWESOME, but, you've got to lower your risk profile, because there are waaaay too many have-nots, and way too few prisons and courts and police. I like it because it makes me feel alive, the other places i've been to were staid and boring.

I blame growing up in Kempton Park for this mindset.

doobiwan

15th December 2008, 11:16 AM

Lol, Exactly Stokie.

Something I heard recently that I found wrung quite true was "By the very nature of choice, there is no such thing as a wrong one." Bad, yes, but not wrong. As long as everyone understands that people have different priorities and we don't all see things the same, and respect that, fantastic.

It's saddens me when people of influence like Graham Smith start getting nasty. I stopped supporting the Protea's when he had a go at Kevin Pietersen for leaving. For the record, Smith is Rich and single - Pietersen is married with kids and was excluded from the Protea's on whatever grounds. I became an English Cricket supporter the day Kevin was made Captain and Whipped Smiths A$$ :D

Thumponius

15th December 2008, 07:12 PM

Just don't support KP and his boys when the Ashes are on. Your new bedfellows prolly won't be very understanding. Fair dinkum.

doobiwan

15th December 2008, 09:36 PM

Lol, true.

I'm probably better off going cricket agnostic ;) Sharks FTW!

Vortex

16th December 2008, 10:35 AM

You're right. 567 Cape Talk has a lot to do with it as well ;)

Thanks Doobi - I don't think that there are too many *previously advantaged* individuals who haven't had similar thoughts to you - I'd imagine the reason that there isn't MORE brain drain is laziness! :D

At this point in time I fully understand what you're saying, however I have fairly positive ideas for the future of the country, things *might* be about to change for the better, but we'll just have to see..

Stoke - it's awesome that you've made the change of lifestyle that you have, but you're right, it's not so easy as soon as kids come along.

doobiwan

15th January 2009, 11:24 PM

Phew, and that's almost part one done.

Finished packing up the house. 9 crates are sea born, 3 suitcases and 2 bags with everything else and tomorrow we leave Slaapstad forever. Durbs for 3 weeks then we're outa here.

Feels surreal ...

Sheepy

15th January 2009, 11:47 PM

Good luck Doobi, Only just saw this thread now.

My brother (Rizzy) left last week for Auckland NZ. I'm having a hard time deciding if I should try join him or not. :confused:

Noodle

16th January 2009, 12:25 AM

Dang doobi, the time really has flown...

Vortex

16th January 2009, 08:22 AM

Yeah, can't believe how quickly this day has come! Keep us posted..

Arbythep00nage

16th January 2009, 08:36 AM

wow, I can only imagine how stressed I would be in that situation. Im sure its quite something leaving everything you know and heading off somewhere else.

senorblinky

16th January 2009, 08:37 AM

Now you can listen to 5FM on the web! Yeah!

Congrats Doobi!

Noodle

16th January 2009, 09:00 AM

doobi may I suggest the streaming audio of www.highveld.co.za on that side.
SO you can hear some good ol'e SA voices coming over, They also better than 5FM :D

Vortex

16th January 2009, 09:14 AM

doobi may I suggest the streaming audio of www.highveld.co.za on that side.
SO you can hear some good ol'e SA voices coming over, They also better than 5FM :D

You see, I *used* to agree with you, but recently the music that they play has become more and more .. erm..
/me tries to think of a politically correct way of saying this (and fails)
..
..
.. American slums?

WingNut

16th January 2009, 09:42 AM

Tuks FM streaming... why listen to a professional radio station with paid staff when you can listen to a volunteer run campus station!

senorblinky

16th January 2009, 11:14 AM

i was actually surprised to se how popular TUKS FM is, talks of them going national?

doobiwan

18th January 2009, 11:50 PM

Now gents you seem to miss the point of the exercise.

Triple J all the way :punk:
http://www.1radio.com.au/

jupman

19th January 2009, 08:34 AM

Wow!
Just saw this thread now....Doobi, dude....Best of luck to you and your family over in Aus!

Pity we never got to go for a going away Curry!! :D
Our little curry group is small now....in fact, it just leaves me!!

Go well....Chat soon!

senorblinky

19th January 2009, 09:01 AM

Now gents you seem to miss the point of the exercise.

Triple J all the way :punk:
http://www.1radio.com.au/

Isn't he a wrestler?

doobiwan

28th January 2009, 09:46 AM

A word of advice for those considering moves. Don't linger.

We're in Durbs for 3 weeks to say cheers to the family, it was a mistake, we shouldn't have taken more than a week. Now the kids are getting all sad at missing their friends and I'm just getting antsy.

Noodle

28th January 2009, 09:58 AM

Most sucky doobi. Ty not to kill anyone before hand.
I think they might frown upon that on the otherside

stoke

28th January 2009, 12:14 PM

LOL, and it's freaking raining like it's gonna miss you or summin.

Megnut3025

28th January 2009, 02:02 PM

Our radio station is so popular in PE that people actually do that audio streaming thing so that they can still listen to it... how awesome is that ? :D
I must say I quite enjoy the breakfast show... the 3 peeps that are on air at that time have brilliant witt and continuously rip eachother off! :rofl: It really makes the traffic a lot more bearable! :rockin:

Hope the rest of you holiday goes better Doobi! You're almost there now! :)

Arbythep00nage

28th January 2009, 02:29 PM

Our radio station is so popular in PE that people actually do that audio streaming thing so that they can still listen to it... how awesome is that ? :D
I must say I quite enjoy the breakfast show... the 3 peeps that are on air at that time have brilliant witt and continuously rip eachother off! :rofl: It really makes the traffic a lot more bearable! :rockin:

No human should listen to Algoa... seriously!
They are constantly Rick rolling us too.

Good luck Doobi, its going to be tough duder, just stay calm and everything will be better in a few months time.

doobiwan

28th January 2009, 05:27 PM

Thanks guys & gals.

I can't believe I survived 24 years in this heat. Today's a lot better, but it's been pissing down all day, I'm still so friggin hot my ass is stuck to my chair ...

Well at least the curry's good and I can wear a Sharks T-Shirt without Death threats ;)

Megnut3025

29th January 2009, 11:08 AM

No human should listen to Algoa... seriously!
They are constantly Rick rolling us too.

Did you ever think that Im actually the one requesting those Ricki songs?? I happen to LOVE them :heart:

:D

Punky3025

29th January 2009, 02:12 PM

I can get her back for you all....for 200 gold :D

Thumponius

29th January 2009, 03:27 PM

It's in the post. Go to it!!

Megnut3025

29th January 2009, 08:32 PM

I can get her back for Y'All....for 200 gold :D

Now He is even starting to type like Oprah :faint:

:D

Tresbien

30th January 2009, 08:06 AM

lol @ Meggy and Punks
I used to listen to Algoa back at varsity after they canned Radio Orion. I recall "lunch with lance" ??

Doobs, sorry the kids got all sad on you, I'm sure they'll get the hang of the outback soon enough mate. I have friends there who wanted to come back 2 days after they landed from all the home sickness. 7 months later they can't stop telling everyone to immigrate they love it so much.

Rizzy

31st January 2009, 03:31 AM

Good luck Doobi, Only just saw this thread now.

My brother (Rizzy) left last week for Auckland NZ. I'm having a hard time deciding if I should try join him or not. :confused:

/Rizzy throws a confused look at the word...DECIDING!!! :unimpressed:

Darnit696

31st January 2009, 07:34 AM

Vortex

2nd February 2009, 12:13 PM

/Rizzy throws a confused look at the word...DECIDING!!! :unimpressed:

It's 'cause I'm here and he doesn't want to tip his hand.. ;)

doobiwan

11th February 2009, 08:58 AM

Good luck in Auz Doobi. Hope you do fantastically well there (We might all need a place to bunk :P). Of course this is the nice part of being a WrG... you can move to Aus and you dont have to leave your friends behind. :D

Ain't that the truth :D

Well we're here, and so far. You guys are missing out on Frozen Coke, enough said.

stoke

11th February 2009, 09:01 AM

One small step for Doobi, one giant leap towards ice-cream-sox!

doobiwan

15th February 2009, 12:48 PM

Phew, so it's been almost a week since we left SA soil. Hopefully my sleep cycle will settle in the next day or so, it's getting better every day. The kids are pretty much set.

So, real first impressions...

I'm a bit stressed. It's one thing moving somewhere and having to find a job, a place to stay and rebuying all our furniture. It's a totally different thing when you've never been there before! Thank goodness for family, and decent public transport. Sydney doesn't stack up to say London or New York, but compared to any SA city the networks fabulous. For example - in London you could get by your whole life without a car, here, you just need one to run around on weekends.

As for other things, prices blew my mind. Big items are directly convertible, so are effectively cheaper, but something like a 500ml coke, is $3.2! :eek: (That's R25) All the smalls are shocking - cup of coffee at a cafe is also ~$3.5, a slice of toasted Banana bread was $5.5! I smelled a bit funky for the first 3 days before I could psyche myself up to spending R50 on a can of deodorant. I guess it won't feel so bad once we start earning.

But overall? I'm pretty happy with Sydney, I have no regrets. Today we walked with our 2 boys to my in laws place, stopping at a bank to draw cash, and there was never that overbearing sense of fear that there was something nasty just around the corner. On Friday when I went for an interview my wife took the boys on her own to a public park for them to play (The parks here are magnificent and numerous) once again - no fear.

It's liberating.

Oh well, got an interview first thing in the morning, my first time across to the north shore, so it should be interesting at the very least. Wish me luck!

Oh, as for the radio stations ... suffer!!! I've been listing to generic Sydney radio, and we're talking U2, Sting, Led Zepplin, not an ounce of Hip Hop, Techno or R&B to be heard :D

stoke

15th February 2009, 01:08 PM

Awesome Doobs. This is so interesting, please tell more!

Megnut3025

15th February 2009, 06:41 PM

WOW! Doobi... Thanks so much for the update!! Its' really great to hear that you guys are settling in and finding your way around! :woot:
Please let us know how your interview goes!! Will definately be thinking of You! :)
Hope it all continues to go well! Im still an Algoa FM fan... so Id be audio streaming if we moved away ;) :D

Tresbien

15th February 2009, 08:20 PM

Glad you're smelling better and starting to settle Doobi. All the best for the interview, which you should be waking up for shortly. You might want to take a brolly with you as I see the forecast says sprinkles and partly cloudy :D I've seen photos of the parks, and they do look amazing. Once again, all the best!!!

Thumponius

16th February 2009, 11:11 AM

Glad you're finding some sense of normalcy Doobs. It is pretty daunting but it does get better after the first year or 5. It does feel strange not having to look over your shoulder the whole time esp. when out walking at 11 at night.

Hope the interview goes well. It's always better to get into the work scene as soon as possible. Fingers crossed.

Voicy

16th February 2009, 04:18 PM

All the best oom Doobi!

I'll try check in on you on msn when u/me aren't sleeping :)

Tresbien

19th February 2009, 08:10 PM

So how are the interviews going? Still holding thumbs...

stoke

20th February 2009, 08:26 AM

Shhh, they have him tied up in an "office" in Sydney and are teaching him the old criminal ways.

doobiwan

22nd February 2009, 02:45 PM

I wish.

Right now a criminal carreer sounds quite promising, although you'd have little success here, there are police and rangers absolutely everywhere, and because of the terrible traffic situation they have a million bye laws that are enforced with an iron fist. Such a strange sight to see traffic cops actually doing their jobs ....

So we've finally moved in to 'our' place. It's a thankful change to living on top of each other in a hotel room for 2 weeks. It's a neat, recently redone 2 beds 1 bathroom in double bay so transport access is excellent, the ferry is definitely my favourite. After using it a bit to get to interviews I cannot fathom why they haven't implemented them across Table Bay, they're awesome.

The job hunt continues in ernest, my standards drop day by day. I was hoping for a carreer as a Senior Burger flipper and a McDonalds, but I'm looking to settle at Grease scraper at a Fat Fried Fish shop. There's a lot of vacancies, but unlike SA there's a lot of competition here as well. Recruiters are sharks, but hey they hold the keys to all the locks, so what can you do? But then again, maybe I'm just being hasty, it's barely been 2 weeks and I've had a few interviews (one absolute disaster on my Birthday :( ) So I'm not panicking yet.

Prices here continue to confound me. $3.50 is like a magic number. Pick a product, any product and it's $3.50. Small coke, big coke, big packet of chips, pie, milk, bread, all $3.50. Oh well.

stoke

22nd February 2009, 03:57 PM

Aaaah ... no longa 1 dollah luv me long time. Inflahtion!

Tresbien

22nd February 2009, 04:55 PM

Hang in there Doobi, the right job will come at the right time.

doobiwan

7th March 2009, 02:17 AM

:D :D :D :woot:

It's so nice to have a positive update. First and formost, I have a job! Yay for me. I have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing, apparently it's development but on some strange unknown platform and they're paying me what I want so who's to complain?

Job means no more hectic stress and also a nice daily walk and commute for me to North Sydney. It also means I get my new telly (delivered today) :D In other great news I got the ADSL hooked up and after settling at at meagre 8mbps I decided to fiddle with my router settings. (Row-ta, not Roota otherwise you get a smack for being rude, go figure.... and I still call it a robot and traffic circle, old habits die hard) It's good to be 500m from the exchange, I'm syncing at 18Mbps :eek:
Pity there aren't any servers that can sustain that :p

The family's finally setting in and returning to normality, we're just looking for a play group or something for the boys which is such a mission, everything is on a 2-3 year waiting list, it's absurb. People book their kids into every dayschool they might consider as soon as they know they're pregnant so even our little one supossed to start next year is a hundred and something on 30 place waitlists.

It's taken a month now but Sydney is finally beginning to feel a bit more familiar. If you're thinking of coming over under the impressions that Aus is "a lot like SA" then think again. There are similarities, but they're far from the same. A lot of Saffers who've come to visit have called the Aussies "less sophisticated" but that not entirely true, things are far more subtle here.

Things are good, I'm glad we came. But I still can't get over paying R25($3.5) for a 500ml coke, especially when I can get 24 cans for $10(R70) ...

Voicy

7th March 2009, 02:24 AM

Extremely glad that you guys are settling in well, uncle Doobi!

Take good care that side!

stoke

7th March 2009, 06:39 AM

Them unpacking fee's are unreal! :D
Bravo Doobi!

Arbythep00nage

7th March 2009, 01:18 PM

Doobles, you will soon stop comparing prices to ZAR and when you do then you will be alot happier. You are earning in the currency now so start thinking in it!
Im really happy you are settling now and have a job!

doobiwan

7th March 2009, 01:50 PM

Thanks guys. RB, you're totally right, but it takes time to get those "Ronds" out your system. But even then, when you can pick up a 1.5 litre Coke for $2.20 and a 600ml is $3.5 my head still hurts. Oh well.

What I did discover this evening is that Digital telly is great. There's about 14 free to air channels, 5 of which are HD and the contents pretty decent, they had Ant Bully and Hulk on tonight. Aussie though are mad for Reality telly, one of the channels is pretty much Reality stuff all day - Dancing, biggest loser, Australian Wipeout, Guerilla Gardiners ... yeah I avoid that one ...

Time to go put some XBL through my new telly .... :D

stoke

7th March 2009, 07:51 PM

It's Randt ... nawt Rond! Pffft! Damn Auzzie!

Noodle

9th March 2009, 10:16 AM

Awesome to hear that the dust is setteling your side doobi.
Have you and the wife found any playgroups for yourselves yet?

Tresbien

9th March 2009, 08:26 PM

Hey Doobs, SO glad you got a job and are settling. Very scary thought thinking of the waiting lists for the schools :yikes:

doobiwan

10th March 2009, 01:52 PM

Tres, it took me 2 days to actually register how bad it is. We're down in options, the only place in our area that has a vacancy is $82 dollars a day (about R550), and that's about average. (For a Salary comparison divide you SA salary by 3 and stick a "$" in front)

Lol Noodle ;) Who needs a playgroup when I've got Xbox Live at 18Mbps ;)

We know quite a few peeps this side so we're not doing too bad socially. The boy's have a few playdates lined up so even that's coming right. Our boxes arrived today, it's just some non-essentials like the kids toys, pots and pans (cost a fortune this side) the other PC, etc etc. Funny how important the stuff seemed on that side and now half of it is "did we really need it?"

I still reckon we did the right thing by ditching most of our stuff in SA. The beds are different sizes, Foreign fridges are practically impossible to bring in and our other appliances were defy which is an SA brand. So for the $40k it would have cost for a 1/2 container, plus the R10k we made selling everything (Gumtree rules ;) ) We've managed to replace pretty much everything new. The only issue was the 2 flights of stairs ....

stoke

10th March 2009, 03:05 PM

Yep, I must agree with gumtree for flogging second hand stuff.
5 days and it's gone.

doobiwan

8th September 2009, 04:45 PM

Sheesh, time flies when you're having fun!

I can't believe we've been here for over a year now. SA was starting to seem like a distant memory until the Aussies went and beat SA in the Tri-Nations ;) Aussies are incredibly insular, The only time we here of SA in the news is when it's sport or something like Casa Semenya.

The paranoia is starting to fade, when we're in the parks I don't feel the need to be arms length from my kids at all times which is a relief. I'm starting go get a feel for $$ as well, but it'll still take a bit. The system works a lot on deals. It's like an unpreparedness tax. By at the right place and right time or the price difference can be exorbitant. I just had to pay $230 to get a quarter panel fixed on our car! On the other hand some luxury items are relatively reasonable, I buy Cashew Nuts by the Kilo ;)

Work is a lot less stressful than SA, it doesn't seem as cutthroat. Having said that Saffers generally have a bad rep for being flashy and arrogant, I think they call it the tall poppy syndrome or something.

All in all I'm happy we're here, I have no regrets. At the same time I know people here who hate it here and would love to go back. (Personally I think it's a Rose tinted specs thing, they left 10 years ago and have never heard of people like Julius Malema) The point is, You make of where you are what you want.

And MMM & JJJ Rock ;)

Punky3025

8th September 2009, 05:18 PM

Thanks for the update. Always nice to hear a balanced view

Gala

8th September 2009, 08:36 PM

Indeed, thank you Doobi :)

Tresbien

8th September 2009, 10:11 PM

Nice Doobi. Glad you guys are all settled and are able to relax. Enjoy!

doobiwan

22nd September 2009, 05:03 PM

...
I can't believe we've been here for over a year now. ...

That's why you don't post a 6 month update at 2am :o

A few other things to note - Aussies are besotted with 3 things:
1. Beer
2. Bacon
3. Beer & Bacon

The anchor folks on daytime telly have no qualms discussing how smashed they got over the weekend, and then they wonder why they have issues with underage binge drinking. On garbage day our block (12 flats) glass recycling bin is just overflowing with beer bottles.

You go to Domino's pizza and of 30 pizza's 3 don't have some kind of pork product on it. Barbecue sauce here is all "smokey bacon" flavoured - even the aussies use the SA braai marinades. (If you hadn't gathered, I'm not a fan ;) ) The flipside, is you go to crust instead whether they have a dozen varieties of gourmet veggie pizza's, yum!

People are generally pretty crass, but not ill meaning. It's like the entire nation is still in their adolescence. It's a bit alarming at first but after you start to get use to it, it's what makes Aus such a laid back place.