Yeah, the kids have settled in well. Well M has been at school since August, so it's just standard beginning of year stuff for her. C has been at school a week tomorrow, he has struggled with tiredness, but other than that I think he is coping, he is doing his homework, has made a friend and seems to be settling. Worst thing is he hurt his knee really badly on the first day (running away from girls who were chasing him! That's my handsome boy!!) and it's still not right so he is struggling with walking between classes.

I'm going great. Seriously well! Love the course, the people are nice but mostly young, the content is spectacular, I'm going to learn so much. I love being in the city and I'm very happy. Life is crazy busy though. The transport cost is a major bummer as my gear costs are massive, but it is what it is, we just have to suck it up.

Sandra: challenge I am home tomorrow, come for coffee. I can give you directions, you can do it!

Im glad your enjoying your course HC but bugger about those transport costs.

I hope you enjoy your visit MummyMel and you and your family can make some decisions about where your going to live


Its fun getting out and making friends isnt it Sandra. Im not sure if Im going to find time for working with my social life now

surely there must be some way you can contest the "student" costs for travel? is it a photo ID? can one of your kids not get it for you? how do they even know you aren't a Permanent resident, you must have a student ID, why isn't that enough?? How FRUSTRATING!!!

Is very clear. Australian citizens and permanent residents are eligible and Special category visa holders are excluded. You can't get concession travel without a special travel concession card, in order to get that your institution has to sign and stamp a piece of paper and they do the checking. Yep, photo ID. J got it last year, but I guess it was because his institution didn't follow the letter of the law. I guess an institution with 1000 students can get away with stuff that an institution with 72,000 students can't.

Bollocks!

HC - glad all is going well with the kids and your course - sounds like life is good

NO WAY can I visit you yet lol. I will drive to Frankston with Nick at the weekend though so that I can at least get that far. If you PM me directions to your place then I can find it in the car with him so that I can do it all by myself next time

Sandra you need to buy a GPS they are relatively cheap and the best investment you will ever buy saves so much grief and stress whilst trying to navigate around a new area and country. 4 yrs on and we always use ours.

Yeah, they are a bit of genius.
Sandra the way to my place is down Moorooduc Highway, lots of roundabouts but not many traffic lights.

I agree about the GPS Sandra soo worth the money

Ok - will have to consider a GPS. Although with me - its more about the traffic lights lol. So pleased to hear you dont have many on the way to your place HC!

Just went to our first playgroup and I LOVED it. Was very small and so friendly. Thing is the kids were all between 1 and 2 years and Amber is 3.5. May have to think about 3 year old kinder afterall

First thing we bought when we arrived was our TomTom, great investment!! What is it about traffic lights that you don't like?

Glad Playgroup went well

We're borrowing my dads Navman while we're over, since we're driving from Gold coast up to Gladstone, thought it would save a few arguments and critisizems about my map reading I definitly think we will be buying one if we move there! lol

GPS is an absolute must.

Your boy is handsome HC, he'll have to learn some tactics for dealing with the girls I reckon because he'll be fighting them off the whole way through school.

Am gutted for you about the transport costs, that seems really dumb and unfair to me.

2.5 weeks left on our lease and no house still. I have two viewings tomorrow though, one sounds great but is out of our price range. We got accepted for a house on the main road and opposite the train tracks but I'm stalling them because it would be a last resort. There's no room for a dining table which is a biggie for me with my sewing and family meals etc. And the washing machine has to go in the kitchen!

Pudding. Good luck for tomorrow's houses!

Chased by a pack of girls!!!! I'm not looking forward to that part of having teenagers. I know how silly I was and am NOT looking forward to being on the other side!

I love our GPS too.

I was walking to school this arvy ( ) in a complete dream, then luckily snapped out of it in time to stop and avoid (by 15cm!!!!) running over a giant lizard! He was about 60-70cm head to tail and absolutely STUNNING! We often see them on the side of the path but this one was right on the path

Wow! Cool about the lizard Amie!!!

Pudding - all the best for house hunting - hope you find the perfect place

Twitch........I'm a GEEK with driving...learnt to drive in the Middle East which basically meant nothing lol. I drove for 10 years in Queenstown with NO traffic lights so took me a long time to drive in Nelson as had to learn the give way rules etc. I finally got confident with those and then now living here they have all changed! I'm ok with the rule but scared shitless about the big roads! I know - silly but it's a REAL fear...

Can someone shed some light?

DH (who is an Aussie) WILL NOT go to centrelink to see if he can apply for unemployment benefit etc. He reckons that because he left his job in NZ by choice (well, for financial reasons, but he wasn't fired) that he won't be entitled to anything.

I think it's worth a shot. It looks like he will get work very soon but in the meantime if he is entitled to something I think why the hell not get it? I mean - we are living off our credit card so not as if we have loads of money or anyting.

My computer is dying a fast death and won't allow me access to the centrelink site and without going in there myself (which I can't do as am a kiwi) I have no idea if it's worth DH applying.

Would someone be kind enough to let me know what we can do?

THanks in advance

I have no idea whether he is eligible for newstart (unemployment) but you will definitely be eligible for Family Tax Benefit part A and B and probably a Health care card. Go into centrelink, they are enormously helpful. FTB will be over $100/fortnight so definitely worth applying for.

Thanks HC - DH is incredibly 'proud' but I don't see the point of us getting into so much debt if even our petrol money could be paid for.

Pudding I hope tomorrows house will be perfect for you and the family

I bet that lizard would not have been happy if you ran him over Amie.
I think I might have to get a cheap stroller for the school runs. DD gets too tired walking the 15 min to daycare (It takes me just over 5 min on my own and 15 at her pace) but it seems dumb taking the car up there.

FTB A and B aree things you would be claiming regardless of employment status, well depending on income of course, but the top level for Part B is $150,000 so plenty of people get it. health care card is also income dependent and gives discounts on a massive range of things, definitely worth getting.