Druid Posted April 6, 2015 Report Share Posted April 6, 2015 If you fancy a trip to mandurah, pop round for a bbq and beer mate I would, but you live north of Bunbury & I live south of Geraldton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beandownunder Posted April 6, 2015 Report Share Posted April 6, 2015 . @Keefo just looking at your location- what's been happening to you?! Hope you're all ok?...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou8670 Posted April 6, 2015 Report Share Posted April 6, 2015 @Keefo just looking at your location- what's been happening to you?! Hope you're all ok?...... I just read that [emoji33]! Slightly off topic I know but what has been going on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou8670 Posted April 6, 2015 Report Share Posted April 6, 2015 Mike, are you on FB have you joined the Mandurah Poms group? Nic is always organising get togethers in Mandurah. I haven't been able to get to many of them unfortunately due to the kids activities but we're going to one later this month at Mandurah Football Club. I know it's a Poms forum and you probably don't just want to meet Poms but everyone's very friendly on there and it would introduce you and your wife to people who don't all smell of chlorine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sideshowdeb Posted April 6, 2015 Report Share Posted April 6, 2015 Just another thought! If the kids are into swimming then why not enrol them for SLSC later in the year. My kids had a ball and we found all the parents to be super friendly! I'd second that, I've found the Nippers parents to be quite sociable, and unlike a lot of school orientated things there are lots of Dads at Nippers too, not just Mums. I haven't noticed any cliques at ours and they're always looking for volunteers so it's easy to get involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy little Vegemite Posted April 7, 2015 Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 Our kids go to kirby too and we were lucky enough to make a good friend there, I guess it just depends who is in your kids class and what their story is as to how willing they are to strike up a conversation and friendship with you (there's lots of nippers from pyramids beach at kirby too!). There's a really great playgroup that you could try at living waters school in halls head (if that's the right age group?) it only runs term time, on Friday mornings from 9-11am. The lady that runs it is lovely and there's a good mix of nationalities there. Keep plugging on, you'll get there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cara Posted April 7, 2015 Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 We haven't got to Perth yet, still in Visa process but can I just say that this happens in UK so much - if your not part of the pram brigade then your a nobody! Everyone at my daughters school was all over me when I was heavily pregnant, then I had my other daughter and the novelty soon wore off - now they barely look at me! So rude. I am gutted to hear that Perth mums are like that too!! We arrived on New Years Eve. We have really struggled. We met a lovely English family who arrived 4 weeks before us. Other than that nothing. I am so sick of saying good moring to people in the playground and sometimes they say hello and the next they ignore you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwjw Posted April 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 Yeah will keep trying, they might start avoiding me when I become too irritating!!! Our lad is only 9 months old at the moment so its only a small class. Will look out for swim events though and hunt you down!!! hahah!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou8670 Posted April 7, 2015 Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 Yeah will keep trying, they might start avoiding me when I become too irritating!!! Our lad is only 9 months old at the moment so its only a small class. Will look out for swim events though and hunt you down!!! hahah!!! Awe bless! I won't be seeing you at States then for a few years [emoji87]. I'll be breathing in chlorine fumes for 3 whole days this weekend. The joys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kedge5 Posted April 9, 2015 Report Share Posted April 9, 2015 It is hard to make friends, but remember in UK you have people you grow up with so they know you inside and out. Happy to meet up if you fancy it. No hidden agenda!!!! i am a 48 year old single mum with a 22 year old daughter and 9 year old boy. (plus a 26 year old boy who lhas been here 8 years) Living in Waikiki so PM me if you fancy meeting. I am off work next week. karol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwjw Posted April 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2015 Hey Kedge, will defo arrange something. We cant do next week, stuff has arrived from UK today, will be spending our evenings sorting it out!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chauhan5 Posted April 11, 2015 Report Share Posted April 11, 2015 I understand exactly how you feel, we have been here the same time and are struggling making friends and finding work! But need to remember why the move was made, sure it will get better for all us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kedge5 Posted April 11, 2015 Report Share Posted April 11, 2015 I'm still unpacking boxes after 4 weeks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danrosiefrancis Posted April 16, 2015 Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 Hi there. My name is Rosie and I am Australian married to British Daniel. We moved to Mandurah 18 months ago to have our son Francis as we have family here. Dan and I lived on the east coast from 2010-2013 and found it easy to make friends, but here in Mandurah we have found it harder. I have a good mothers group but we are really in need of British pals, especially Dan who misses his pals in the UK very much. As an Australian I think I am allowed to say that Aussies (especially down here) can be very friendly or very unfriendly and are often intimidated by people who have seen a world outside of Australia so don't make a lot of effort. I hope this doesn't sound unfair, it is just my observation after living in England and returning home to Australia. Maybe start with British friends and go from there... at least there would be shared experience and cultural likeness... Australians are quite different to the British, not in a bad way, just have a different sense of humour etc. I seem to fall somewhere in the middle of Australian and British these days... maybe we should try and organise a Mandurah Brit meetup? I am new to the forum and joined us up in the hope to find some British friends with shared interests and personality, mainly for my husband but also for our lil boy Francis and I. All the best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portlaunay Posted April 16, 2015 Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 Welcome to PP @danrosiefrancis Why not open a new thread, suggest a date and a location and maybe you'll have some takers. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Druid Posted April 16, 2015 Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 I'm still unpacking boxes after 4 weeks �� I have been lugging unpacked boxes around for over 3 years now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
no1mum Posted April 27, 2015 Report Share Posted April 27, 2015 Hi mwjw, Just wondered how its going since you put this thread up? Have you met any new people/friends? I don't know what your childcare situation is, but a few of us are meeting up on 9.5.15 in the city at moon and sixpence, murray street. If you can get there let us know and we will look out for you so you not sitting on your own.[ QUOTE=mwjw;128363]Weve only been here 3 months but are finding it difficult to be accepted into things, like at my sons swimming club, no ozzzies really bother with us. Try talking to a few but feel like were not in the click. Are we just expecting too much, too soon? We are a nice sociable family!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott C Posted November 25, 2015 Report Share Posted November 25, 2015 Good to know there are others that struggle too!!! I honestly thought it was just me and I've been here nearly 9 years. Made a few friends, just hard to make those friendships like back home. most of my friends here work on mines, so just end up losing touch. It will happen for us all, just got to be patient i suppose!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Posted November 26, 2015 Report Share Posted November 26, 2015 I live in rural WA right now and find the Aussies quite standoffish. I always had this niggle about it being about me being a POM but adter the best part of 12 months they've finally warmed to me, well sort of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne Posted November 26, 2015 Report Share Posted November 26, 2015 We have been in WA for 30yrs & have always found it difficult to make long term friends. West Aussies come across as friendly but it is hard to make a deeper, lasting friendship with them. They are wrapped up in their families & people they went to school with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwjw Posted November 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2015 Hey everyone, I probably should update on the comment I started!! Things are getting a little easier. We find it tough as the people we meet don't have kids and we have a 16 month old!! Ive been speaking to a couple of people on her and meeting up with them soon. We seem to be making some kind of leads, just following them up as we don't get time!! If anyone in Mandurah wants to meet a couple who like a beer or two and have a mad toddler, feel free to PM me!!! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KLO Posted November 27, 2015 Report Share Posted November 27, 2015 Have you joined your local Playgroup? That was singlehandedly the best way I found to make friends. And my husband joined the local soccer team to meet guy friends, that worked well too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rossmoyne Posted November 27, 2015 Report Share Posted November 27, 2015 It can be hard to meet like-minded people who become good friends when you move anywhere new, whether you have children or not. As other posters have said, it is probable that old friends we have are those who have been to school with us and grew up with us, so they know us warts and all, and that makes a deep and lasting friendship base. I also agree the first year or two in a new country (or even a new town in the same country) can be hard if you are a very social person and are finding it hard to make new friends. We first came to Perth nearly 25 years ago. We came to family and had been here quite a few times before for long holidays, but still didn't have friends here. We knew people - neighbours of rellies - friends of rellies etc, but they weren't our friends per se. I certainly missed my close friends and my support network from life in Sussex, and I probably tried too hard to make friends for a while as I made some bad decisions on who to pal up with along the way initially. However, once I started work and relaxed about trying to make friends, it all seemed to just flow. I was at a disadvantage in some ways as a single Mum as I was told on more than a few occasions that people saw me as a threat to their marriage because I was single and they couldn't be friends with me for that reason. Well I guess that says more about them and the depth of their relationships than it does about me, as after my one foray into the world of marriage, there was no way I was ever going to consider that again,…..but that is another story. My children were primary school age, so I threw myself into volunteering at school, joined the P & C, became involved with all the sport and dancing clubs that my children attended, just to keep busy and meet people. I also drew the ace card when I bought my house as my neighbours on one side have become good family friends as our children grew up and went to school together. I have met a lot of people and slowly over the years, my friendbase has developed. I hadn't really thought much about all of this until I came across this thread this afternoon, but I well remember how I felt in those first months and years trying to make friends and I have great empathy with you all in this situation. So the point of my post is to say that you need to be relaxed and open with people you meet, but don't let people take you for a ride. Some friendships can be intense for a while and then they dissolve.... others can start lukewarm and they grow into amazing relationships. We all meet people that we like and want to know better, but for some reason they don't think the same, and you have to let it go as you can't force people to be friends if they don't want to. Some friendships too have a short lifespan... great while they are happening, but they die a sudden death. I think we all neeto be aware that some people come into your life for a particular reason too, and once that reason is gone, so is that person/friend. It takes time to build your friendbase in a new life….. nothing will replace the friends you already have in another country… so just be your natural self and new friends will happen. Sorry for bleating on…. I seem to have my Grandma hat on today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bev M Posted January 1, 2016 Report Share Posted January 1, 2016 We have been here three years and haven't made any friends outside of work colleagues. Beginning to think it is us ? We are a married couple from the UK (hubby originally from South Africa) with grown up children overseas. Would love to get to know other couples or ladies wanting a shopping or coffee mate. ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest6235 Posted January 1, 2016 Report Share Posted January 1, 2016 We arrived on New Years Eve. We have really struggled. We met a lovely English family who arrived 4 weeks before us. Other than that nothing. I am so sick of saying good moring to people in the playground and sometimes they say hello and the next they ignore you. Know how you feel on the saying hello part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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