Wow, 2 years in Australia

On the 12th February, I celebrated my 2nd completed year in Australia. Whilst this is a time to think back on what has happened over the first couple of years, I believe we have accomplisded a great deal and settled pretty well into Aussie life in a short period of time.

As I said - looking back, we did not have much choice when the proposition of a job at Komatsu was offered, it was a no brainer for us, and I am glad we took it. We miss our friends and family very much, but if the truth be told, you guys have also moved on....from Feb 2006. We arrived, very nervious and not knowing where we would stay, what work would be like, how we would find Aussie lifestyle and so on. Gladly we can report that the pangs of missing friends still remains, but we have made some new ones, both ex South African and True Blue Aussies and realised Australia is a counrty of immigrants anyway. We are comfortable in our lifestyle, enjoy the good stuff like electrity, safety, secruity and the outdoor life, sport and fun we can have. Basically we now realise that we call Australia "home" more often than not. Australia is not without it's faults, there is crime, and it is certainly NOT utopia, but there is a general rule of law, which is respected, and people generally do "what is right" - those that don't soon find themselves outsiders in society.

We have had some unexpected "road bumps" along the way, the biggest for me personally being the "Komatsu saga". It did knock me for a while, but I am so over it now, and very happy in my job at Hagglunds, where I find there is a lack of politics, and I am appreciated for the skills I bring to the company. Komatsu were not bad to me in any way, it's just here is a better "fit".

I now enjoy cycling around the city and in the country, love coaching Ian's cricket team at the Valleys District Club, going fishing with Leon and Ian, taking Jan and Emma to Fraser Island and other places, going down to spend weekends away on the Gold Coast, traveling in my job - all over Australia, and more recently (and coming up) to South America, The USA and Sweden.

I am way more optomistic with regards our opportunities to live a comfortable life into retirement and genuinely believe Ian and Emma have a far brighter future. Jan too, is enjoying her life more today than two years ago. We still worry for Ryan and would love nothing more than to see him happy and safe whatever that means for him. We are so proud of so many things. Emmie has found her feet - and James....Ian is a happy chap and getting used to high school..we have a new church family and I look forward to the next 2 years in anticipation that we will then have 4 years to look back on with fondness for our new found country. We will be Australian Citizens by then and the outlook looks good.