Well it has been twelve months since we left Ol' Blighty!!
Although we have missed friends and family a lot, the year seems to have flown by. So much has changed for us in the last year. We have a new home in a new country, I have a new job and we have met some fantastic new friends. We have visited some great new places learnt new skills and enjoyed almost all of our time here.
It has been fantastic to have our Mothers over to visit us and we have loved showing them around. The kids have loved their visits but unfortunatley miss them dearly as I'm sure do their Nans. I wish our fathers would have been able to visit us here. My Dad would have loved it for sure and Rachel thinks Pete would have loved it too.
It is great to keep in touch with friends and family through Facebook and Skype. Although it's obviously not the same as face to face contact it does make you feel people are closer than they are. How people must have felt just being in contact by phone makes me wonder and with advances in technology it can only get better.
Settling in Australia has has many suprises for us, a few have been unpleasant. For example, obtaining documents to allow me to work. After completing reams of paperwork in the UK and acceptance by the Australian "Trades Recognition" suddenly after arrival my TRA certificate is not enough. A six hour trade test in Sydney followed and six months later my certificate arrived. I then sent off for my refrigerant handling licience which took a further two months to arrive. I still believe that I need more paperwork and certificates but no one is asking at the moment so I'm keeping quiet.
There are a few things we don't like about Australia, one being the red tape and beaurocracy. Most people included ourselves are fixated by the "poisonous or deadly" wildlife. The red tape and beaurocracy you have to live with but it is amazing how quickly you become used to the "creepy crawlies"
I have been to Australia five times now. All the times I have visited on holiday, I have gone back to England feeling wrenched away but glad to give my body a rest from the "Mozzie" bites. I am a little allergic to mozzie bites and always suffer for days after. My dread of coming here was constant agony from them. Since we landed though, I have only been bitten a handfull of times and usually after dusk. All I do now is either wear jeans after dark or spray repellant when I'm outside. I would like to think I've built up immunity but I'm not willing to test the theory.
I was panicking about the spiders etc when I have to get into peoples roof spaces. When I arrived and saw redback spiders in outdoor condensers. I wore goves for about two days but again, they don't bother me. They can't bite you after you step on them or burn them with a welding gun!! I am aware of spiders and snakes but really don't give them a second thought. I haven't even seen a snake yet. Probably because all the crocodiles have eaten them :)
So after all that's happened since we arrived I have to say it's been a great year and I'm happy to say we love it here and consider it "HOME"
