Up there with Death and Divorce

We all know that the top five most stressful life experiences are,

• work
• loneliness
• moving house
• debt
• relationship problems.

So moving 'Down Under', to quite literally, the other side of the world has to be right up there in terms of 'strain' (stress is apparently, though widely used, incorrect terminology, gripping stuff eh?) .

Unless you're so laid-back that you're practically comotose - or very 'comfortable', then boy have you just launched yourself into the ultimate stressful situation.

Making the decision to move to Australia and leave the UK probably wasn't made in minutes (unless, ditto above). After finally deciding, yes let's do it, there comes the first big emotional maelstrom - telling family and friends. And it all gathers momentum after than.

Waiting for visas isn't easy. Watching currency exchange rates fluctuate is nail biting. Deciding whether to sell property before you migrate or after a trial period, is fraught with difficulty. Looking at schools, employment, living requirements - even locations - you just end up feeling that nothing is ever easy.

But in the end, you've made it, you're here and after all that, possibly wondering why.

Moving internationally is expensive; you may take a little while to find a job which may add to the stress. Finding somewhere to live can also be hard if you're doing it over the internet and have never physically visited a place. Everyone may feel a little unsettled - all of which can cause arguements leading to even more strain.

Without be really aware of it, I think it took me a full 3 years to adjust to living in Australia permanently. There was the difficulty with finding decent bacon (I know my priorities), it took me 8 months to find a full-time job, and I don't like waves. On the plus side, the sun shines a lot more than it does in England (except those halcyon days of my childhood which appear to have been spent running through verdant green fields for endless summer days. Or was that the Railway Children?), and well, for me (not always being one to have a glass half full), that was it for a long while.

Then suddenly I found I'd gone from Billy-No-Mates to someone who had a great circle of truly lovely friends, a job I enjoyed, working with people I liked, lived in one of the most beautiful places in 'God's Own Country' in a climate that accommodates swimming almost year round in those refreshing waves.

At the risk of making us all want to vomit, iPom aims to get you to the same happy place, to be a Troubadour of Peace and Harmony in your Horizon (vomit now) - well maybe not, but it would be great if we can all help each other along and perhaps have some fun on the way.