To sat, or not to stay?
Jan 24th 2004, 10:15 pm
#16
Bitter and twisted
Joined: Dec 2003
Location: Upmarket
Posts: 17,503
Noodle
Not sure where you are in the process.
I have also had a lot of doubts and have put a few posts on to that effect.
We are in a relatively fortunate position in not having kids to worry about - they are already there.
I am also able to find work and as we are retiring early do not have to worry about work or finance. Despite this I still had severe doubts
Strangely,since receiving notice about my visa yesterday I am less worried as I now have things to focus on.
My concerns now are about HOW and WHEN instead of IF.
I also have things to do ie sell house etc.
At the moment things look a lot clearer.
It may change but I now don't have too long to prevaricate.
Hope it works out for you
best wishes
G
Not sure where you are in the process.
I have also had a lot of doubts and have put a few posts on to that effect.
We are in a relatively fortunate position in not having kids to worry about - they are already there.
I am also able to find work and as we are retiring early do not have to worry about work or finance. Despite this I still had severe doubts
Strangely,since receiving notice about my visa yesterday I am less worried as I now have things to focus on.
My concerns now are about HOW and WHEN instead of IF.
I also have things to do ie sell house etc.
At the moment things look a lot clearer.
It may change but I now don't have too long to prevaricate.
Hope it works out for you
best wishes
G
Jan 24th 2004, 10:48 pm
#17
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 11,149
Noodle I believe it comes down to whether you will get over the homesickness and build a new social and family network in 2 years.
Only you can even start to answer that. The kids will be fine but it is your sanity that will make it work.
Only you can even start to answer that. The kids will be fine but it is your sanity that will make it work.
Jan 24th 2004, 11:36 pm
#18
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2003
Location: back from far south coast, NSW, now in Cheltenham
Posts: 205
Hi Noodle,
felt exactly like you before I got here. Have been here 3 months & still feel like it!
It's a major move, there's is no way round it being scary, difficult etc.
I liken the whole migration thing to having a child (despite the fact I don't have one!) you can read all you like, talk about it to peole who have been through it till the cows come home, surf the net till your fingers cramp, but until you actually do it there is no way of knowing how it will impact on your life.
I have had fantastic times & desperate times since being here. I have stroked kangaroos, fed parrots in my back garden, canoed through a wilderness and seen water dragons basking on rocks, swum in beautiful turquoise seas & stretched out on golden white sands. The people are superlatively friendly, the landscape immense BUT .... I miss my family & friends terribly, I miss my previous home, I miss London, I miss decent TV, I miss cheap chocolate (!), I miss cheap books. I miss loads but I love loads.
I suppose what I am trying to say is what you are experiencing is normal & real & no matter what anyone says, you have to make up your own mind & be prepared to find whatever you decide tough at times.
I don't know if I will stay here & I don't have kids to consider which makes a return easier, but I am certainly trying to make the most of the time that I am here.
Hope I haven't just confused you all the more!!
Cheers,
Bella
felt exactly like you before I got here. Have been here 3 months & still feel like it!
It's a major move, there's is no way round it being scary, difficult etc.
I liken the whole migration thing to having a child (despite the fact I don't have one!) you can read all you like, talk about it to peole who have been through it till the cows come home, surf the net till your fingers cramp, but until you actually do it there is no way of knowing how it will impact on your life.
I have had fantastic times & desperate times since being here. I have stroked kangaroos, fed parrots in my back garden, canoed through a wilderness and seen water dragons basking on rocks, swum in beautiful turquoise seas & stretched out on golden white sands. The people are superlatively friendly, the landscape immense BUT .... I miss my family & friends terribly, I miss my previous home, I miss London, I miss decent TV, I miss cheap chocolate (!), I miss cheap books. I miss loads but I love loads.
I suppose what I am trying to say is what you are experiencing is normal & real & no matter what anyone says, you have to make up your own mind & be prepared to find whatever you decide tough at times.
I don't know if I will stay here & I don't have kids to consider which makes a return easier, but I am certainly trying to make the most of the time that I am here.
Hope I haven't just confused you all the more!!
Cheers,
Bella
Jan 25th 2004, 1:05 am
#19
Superfreak!!
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Thornlie, Perth, W.A.
Posts: 1,177
It`s a big decision and it`s only natural to sway all over the place about it... especially if you haven`t been there.
We would like to stay in the UK is poss (we come from Perth), but we rent and it doesn`t ever look like us having a house here the way the market is. I also don`t know whether I could get a decent job in Perth. But we have a baby due in May so we know we have to go back in the next few years anyway as we don`t want the baby missing out on having grandparents/uncles/cousins etc... plus living in the UK feels like we`re treading water all the time because of all the extra taxes etc etc. 1 step forward 2 steps back kinda thing.
Here`s some things for you to think about:
- If you do decide to go, if you were able to I`d buy a flat you can rent out (if possible). Get an agent to manage it, and if you ever decide to come back you still have a foothold. We`re thinking of doing that ourselves.
- Aus is like any country, it has it`s good and bad points.
GOOD:
weather, standard of living, beaches, less stressful lifestyle, friendly, close to Singapore & Bali, petrol is cheaper, movies get shown at the cinema first, safer (I hope), more activity orientated (so kids will be more active), get much more house for your money, and you can eat out more.
Bad: Scenery (dry, sparse, not like the beatiful UK), lack of history + culture (in the UK you can go all over the place and see castles etc etc), air travel is expensive, not really a huge amount of places to go and see (in UK you have Europe and America nearby), crap tv.
The most important thing though is the job situation, and how much you`d get paid. There are a few threads about that for you to compare prices.
Some things in Oz are more expensive, and others are cheaper, so it`s probably similar to the UK once it`s all added up.
I should qualify that I haven`t lived in Perth for 10 years (have been back for long holidays though and talk to the family every day on Paltalk), so ppl who are there now would have a better idea, although it`s probably all subjective.....
Flights can be had for £500 return (Royal Brunei), so maybe you should go and have a look first before committing.
We would like to stay in the UK is poss (we come from Perth), but we rent and it doesn`t ever look like us having a house here the way the market is. I also don`t know whether I could get a decent job in Perth. But we have a baby due in May so we know we have to go back in the next few years anyway as we don`t want the baby missing out on having grandparents/uncles/cousins etc... plus living in the UK feels like we`re treading water all the time because of all the extra taxes etc etc. 1 step forward 2 steps back kinda thing.
Here`s some things for you to think about:
- If you do decide to go, if you were able to I`d buy a flat you can rent out (if possible). Get an agent to manage it, and if you ever decide to come back you still have a foothold. We`re thinking of doing that ourselves.
- Aus is like any country, it has it`s good and bad points.
GOOD:
weather, standard of living, beaches, less stressful lifestyle, friendly, close to Singapore & Bali, petrol is cheaper, movies get shown at the cinema first, safer (I hope), more activity orientated (so kids will be more active), get much more house for your money, and you can eat out more.
Bad: Scenery (dry, sparse, not like the beatiful UK), lack of history + culture (in the UK you can go all over the place and see castles etc etc), air travel is expensive, not really a huge amount of places to go and see (in UK you have Europe and America nearby), crap tv.
The most important thing though is the job situation, and how much you`d get paid. There are a few threads about that for you to compare prices.
Some things in Oz are more expensive, and others are cheaper, so it`s probably similar to the UK once it`s all added up.
I should qualify that I haven`t lived in Perth for 10 years (have been back for long holidays though and talk to the family every day on Paltalk), so ppl who are there now would have a better idea, although it`s probably all subjective.....
Flights can be had for £500 return (Royal Brunei), so maybe you should go and have a look first before committing.
Jan 25th 2004, 3:10 am
#20
Just Joined
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 23
Re: To stay, or not to stay?
Originally posted by noodle
God, I am soooo confused.
I just don't know whether to go for it or not. The move to Oz that is. I would go tomorrow, but I do have my family to think of, which includes hubby and 3 young kids (7,2 and 1).
Hubby went for an interview last week, and I had the house valued at a really great price. So, I kind of thought that if he got the job and we found a nice house that it would be fates way of saying to stay here as we would be really comfortable.
We are in a 3 bed semi with a £500 per month mortgage. To go to a 4 bed detached the mortgage would go up to nearly £900 on a £200k house. But the 4 beds are sooooo small. Then I look at houses in Oz and what I could buy for that amount really makes me wanna go. It isn't all about the house size I know, but what with the weather and all I can't help but wanna go. I am happy with what I have, but I'm sure we could have a better life.
Sorry, just had to vent my frustration!!
Regards
God, I am soooo confused.
I just don't know whether to go for it or not. The move to Oz that is. I would go tomorrow, but I do have my family to think of, which includes hubby and 3 young kids (7,2 and 1).
Hubby went for an interview last week, and I had the house valued at a really great price. So, I kind of thought that if he got the job and we found a nice house that it would be fates way of saying to stay here as we would be really comfortable.
We are in a 3 bed semi with a £500 per month mortgage. To go to a 4 bed detached the mortgage would go up to nearly £900 on a £200k house. But the 4 beds are sooooo small. Then I look at houses in Oz and what I could buy for that amount really makes me wanna go. It isn't all about the house size I know, but what with the weather and all I can't help but wanna go. I am happy with what I have, but I'm sure we could have a better life.
Sorry, just had to vent my frustration!!
Regards
Sounds great and it is but its been very hard to settle wife and youngest dau very home sick I love it my son 17 and other dau 13 are in 2 minds.For your kids I would say the sooner the better but how ever hard you think it will be it will be 3x harder.
I hope we are here to stay but we have all got to be happy if we had stayed in the UK and missed our chance I know I would have allways been saying if only we had gone to Oz.I read somewhere (could have been here) that in 10 yrs time you allways regret what you did not do and not what you did.
I would say go for it as it is such a great place for kids and adults alike.
Jan 25th 2004, 7:29 am
#21
BE Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 309
Big thanks to everyone for your advice, comments and support. I'm raring to go again now!!! It's down to me at the end of the day and the effort I put in. With having 3 young kids, I'm sure it won't be too hard to make friends. I'll talk to anyone.
Jan 25th 2004, 7:48 am
#22
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Epping NSW
Posts: 606
Re: To stay, or not to stay?
Originally posted by noodle
...It's just the job security thing that will make us decide for sure, I guess....
...It's just the job security thing that will make us decide for sure, I guess....
I'd be relying for my information on the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian computer sections. Perth and Brisbane are much smaller than Melbourne and Sydney so the market is thinner.
As to a cheap source of books for those who have a pricing problem, check out www.pcug.org.au/~clouhall/about.htm
