The seven-year itch was upon us and there were points in our lives now that were tearing us apart, we needed to do something to save ourselves but from what we weren’t sure. Having both left our jobs and spending time together at college studying the travel industry we were excited about our new career choices and were searching jobs daily. Elena got a job with a wholesale company and I with a car rental company. Neither of these jobs lasted long and within 4 months of leaving college we both found ourselves working for a large travel company.

old house
Looking at our old house with so much to renovate, we literally camped inside our home. We lived this way for 4 years and had spent little on the house. We mad a decision that the way forward for us was to buy an investment house and move into it while we renovated our current home. We talked the real estate company who came and inspected our wreck of a home. To our surprise he advised us he had someone interested in our house! This was wonderful news when the offer on our old home was double what we paid just 4 years ago and we had spent pretty much nothing on the house. Three weeks later we were homeless and living in a caravan park in South Auckland (not an ideal situation). Now we were faced with the decision of buying a new house our two cheaper ones to do up. It was one afternoon sitting in out tiny cabin when out of the blue Elena said, “Lets go live in Australia”  The next 9 months we were on the learning curve from hell as Elena excelled and I struggled to grasp new concepts, computer programs and the philosophy that the companies’ main drive is money and is totally sale orientated. Do what you can to make as much as you can, I thought this was me and had wanted to work in the travel industry for the last couple of years, but with a team of non-sportive people around me I was really struggling with the whole program. Elena’s team was different and she blossomed in what she was doing. Something had to change.

cabin

And so our move began….
Six months later to the day we found that e loved this little suburb of ours so much that we bought our first Australian home.One month later Elena breezed through Brisbane for a two-week stay before heading off to Russia. She was exited about moving to Australia, but was distant and still not sure about us. Only time would tell if this move was going to make or break us. None of our friends knew that we were a lawyer visit from going our own ways. Calling her in Russia on my Birthday to hear that she still wasn’t sure was a low point in my life. I was sure we had made the right move and left New Zealand and our troubles behind us. The container arrived and with newfound friends through my new job unpacking was a breeze and since Elena wasn’t here I got to set the house up the way I felt was right. All I needed now was my family to fly back from Russia. The next month went by quickly as settling into a new job and live consumed me. Them the big day arrived and we were finally a family again. Ready to start afresh in our new home in Australia.Telling work I was leaving was like a giant rock had been removed from me and for the first time in ages I was exited about what we were doing.

Paint Place Underwood Ute

One month later I was here, Elena and Kirill were still in New Zealand packing the container and selling the several cars we had collected over the last coupe of years. The plan was for me to find a house to rent, buy a car and get a job before they follow me over. I made it my “job to find a job and within 20 days of being in Australia I had moved out of the backpackers accommodation secured a managers job with a company car, a house to rent and bought a car for the family. I was still waiting on the furniture to arrive, but I had bought a sofa bed and set of bunks for Kirill from IKEA (great store – we didn’t have in NZ) and a small TV from Big W (a separate division of Woolwoths). Once again I was camping within a house, but this time there was an air of positiveness. I said to Elena why not take some of the money from the house and go to Russia with Kirill and see your family while I’m setting us up in Australia.

house_front

One month later Elena breezed through Brisbane for a two-week stay before heading off to Russia. She was exited about moving to Australia, but was distant and still not sure about us. Only time would tell if this move was going to make or break us. None of our friends knew that we were a lawyer visit from going our own ways. Calling her in Russia on my Birthday to hear that she still wasn’t sure was a low point in my life. I was sure we had made the right move and left New Zealand and our troubles behind us. The container arrived and with new-found friends through my new job unpacking was a breeze and since Elena wasn’t here I got to set the house up the way I felt was right. All I needed now was my family to fly back from Russia. The next month went by quickly as settling into a new job and live consumed me. Them the big day arrived and we were finally a family again. Ready to start afresh in our new home in Australia.

Six months later to the day we found that we loved this little suburb of ours so much that we bought our first Australian home.