to all who are thinking of returning!
Jan 4th 2007, 10:23 pm
#16
Thinking about it
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Mid-West
Posts: 9,435
Re: to all who are thinking of returning!
Some great posts on this thread - so full of understanding 
A lot of what the OP says about the UK is spot on, however many people are aware of this yet are prepared to move back because the UK is their home, whether they like it or not it is where they feel most comfortable.
For many of us we are no more able to chose our 'home' than we are able to chose our own family - sure we can move away, but it will never feel quite the same elsewhere despite the original reasons for moving away still being there when we return.
For those who can emotionally detach themselves from the country of their birth/parents/upbringing, well good luck to you - I wish you all the best, but not everyone is like that.
A lot of what the OP says about the UK is spot on, however many people are aware of this yet are prepared to move back because the UK is their home, whether they like it or not it is where they feel most comfortable.
For many of us we are no more able to chose our 'home' than we are able to chose our own family - sure we can move away, but it will never feel quite the same elsewhere despite the original reasons for moving away still being there when we return.
For those who can emotionally detach themselves from the country of their birth/parents/upbringing, well good luck to you - I wish you all the best, but not everyone is like that.
Jan 4th 2007, 10:24 pm
#17
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2005
Location: uk-perth northern suburbs-uk
Posts: 740
Re: to all who are thinking of returning!
hi tony,
read this with interest as on radio 4 there was an article on uk economy then, as im typing this, there is a prog on BBC2 re uk economy. The bits below i type are quotes from the programme, so apologies if it reads like muddled notes but i cant type v fast but want to get a number of points accross....
Quotes
UK is 5th largest economy in the world
Liberal attitude to censor and selling assessts etc whats making country economy so strong.
Transport and communication contribute less to economy than they did 50 yrs ago. Same with manufacturing. - which at one time dominated the world. Now we don’t get wealth from making things. Uk economy now is wealthy as a result of “knowledge economy” eg heath sector, advice, design, anything innovative that transpires knowledge to other economies (TV progs, software, design, inventions) its known as the creative energy of England - the new buzzword as to what’s making Britain a leader in world economy
Has overtaken new york as leader in money trading (banks, pensions, shares , finance etc) - largest foreign exchange centre in the world. largest contributer to uk economy
Globalisation had bad effect on traditional manufacturing areas in uk but fantastic effect in other areas. London is booming.
54 billionaires in world top 1000 list live in UK - having v positive inpact on UK economy
Cornwall poorest wage in relation to highest house price (I mean biggest gap between relationship)
In 2yrs time a new luxury development of apartment buildings will be available in canary wharfe. Apartments now contain own shops, gyms, cafes etc……but the aim is these new builidings attract foreign buyers. Third of all british plc s are now foreign owned.
Utilities - nearly 2 thirds electricity companies foreign owned. Although a lot of argument is foreigners “coming in and taking our jobs” the opposite is in fact true - ie the very wealthy generate huge income/jobs for country, and the poorer (eg Eastern Europeans) doing a lot of unskilled work necessary to keep businesses going. (end of quotes)
Its funny when people moan about the Eastern Europeans taking jobs….The fact that a polish served me in a pub, waited on the table in Pizza Express and picked lettuices for local vegetable farm expand the capacity for these business to take on more custom, therefore more money for economy. If Eastern Europeans demanded higher wages the British do, then house interest rates would rise as the prog explained.
the McDonalds worker didnt take a British persons job - the British person wrongly thinks they are above that type of work, so doesnt apply. McDonalds etc permenantley recruit - they did before the mass european influx here and they will continue to do so as they look for continual expansion as do many other companies.
maybe if more parents gave their kids a kick up the arse and said "you WILL work and you will do anything, even waiting on tables, to bring money in and work while you look for something else," rather than allowing them to lounge around feeling the world owes them, there wouldnt be intimidating gangs of kids on street corners as theyd be more useful. Not, that where i live in UK, i ever feel intimidated by gangs of kids - yet - touch wood. Im sure you do see it in London and many major cities - but how many have been personally affected by it - or just heard about an incident from someone else?
i cant comment on the effect Eastern Europeans have had on the trades as thats not my field, so i accept your point, although tadies in Oz seem to have similar concerns to you there. I work in education and know again, many kids think they are above being apprentices etc or what they wrongly see as menial work. Blame the parents!!! Not the country as in the scheme of numbers, most people wherever you live in the world are decent. England has a minority of underclass, scumbags...but it is a minority. Its growing, sure, but isnt it everywhere?
2 more points to make from a personal view.....
NHS - cant stand it when people rubbish the NHS.
IMO its the best health service in the world. People make sweeping statements about NHS....How many who make these sweeping statements trusted their loved ones to give birth to their children there? if people think the NHS is so bad, it is hypocritical if their children were delivered by the NHS. Trusted them with your childs life, didnt you? How many women have regular smear tests, cancer treatment, rehab etc etc etc? How dare you then rubbish it unless you are/or a loved one now disabled/dead/worse following treatment?
And then you go on the Oz forum... Read the threads about how people come to UK for their holiday, taking the opportunity to visit the dentist/optician/get prescriptions etc. I know a lot of people who regularly visit from their new home to use NHS services, even though it was so crap, its one of the reasons they left
Second point...I agree. The diversityinequality in Uk is clear just driving through some towns. Thing is, I cant help thinking its interesting. When people want to move on in their careers or want adventure, London attracts. While that doesnt help those on benfits in a poorer area, its still interesting. In Australia, a big pull is the perceived notion of people being more equal. Try telling the aboriginals that. it is harder to live in UK but sometimes people prefer that. Some people need a buzz, a bit of edge in their lives...
Im still trying to work out if i do or not.
A happy medium would be good, but in the end you cant get that so opt for one or the other.
All the best for your move, rose tints off to you too, and good luck!
C
read this with interest as on radio 4 there was an article on uk economy then, as im typing this, there is a prog on BBC2 re uk economy. The bits below i type are quotes from the programme, so apologies if it reads like muddled notes but i cant type v fast but want to get a number of points accross....
Quotes
UK is 5th largest economy in the world
Liberal attitude to censor and selling assessts etc whats making country economy so strong.
Transport and communication contribute less to economy than they did 50 yrs ago. Same with manufacturing. - which at one time dominated the world. Now we don’t get wealth from making things. Uk economy now is wealthy as a result of “knowledge economy” eg heath sector, advice, design, anything innovative that transpires knowledge to other economies (TV progs, software, design, inventions) its known as the creative energy of England - the new buzzword as to what’s making Britain a leader in world economy
Has overtaken new york as leader in money trading (banks, pensions, shares , finance etc) - largest foreign exchange centre in the world. largest contributer to uk economy
Globalisation had bad effect on traditional manufacturing areas in uk but fantastic effect in other areas. London is booming.
54 billionaires in world top 1000 list live in UK - having v positive inpact on UK economy
Cornwall poorest wage in relation to highest house price (I mean biggest gap between relationship)
In 2yrs time a new luxury development of apartment buildings will be available in canary wharfe. Apartments now contain own shops, gyms, cafes etc……but the aim is these new builidings attract foreign buyers. Third of all british plc s are now foreign owned.
Utilities - nearly 2 thirds electricity companies foreign owned. Although a lot of argument is foreigners “coming in and taking our jobs” the opposite is in fact true - ie the very wealthy generate huge income/jobs for country, and the poorer (eg Eastern Europeans) doing a lot of unskilled work necessary to keep businesses going. (end of quotes)
Its funny when people moan about the Eastern Europeans taking jobs….The fact that a polish served me in a pub, waited on the table in Pizza Express and picked lettuices for local vegetable farm expand the capacity for these business to take on more custom, therefore more money for economy. If Eastern Europeans demanded higher wages the British do, then house interest rates would rise as the prog explained.
the McDonalds worker didnt take a British persons job - the British person wrongly thinks they are above that type of work, so doesnt apply. McDonalds etc permenantley recruit - they did before the mass european influx here and they will continue to do so as they look for continual expansion as do many other companies.
maybe if more parents gave their kids a kick up the arse and said "you WILL work and you will do anything, even waiting on tables, to bring money in and work while you look for something else," rather than allowing them to lounge around feeling the world owes them, there wouldnt be intimidating gangs of kids on street corners as theyd be more useful. Not, that where i live in UK, i ever feel intimidated by gangs of kids - yet - touch wood. Im sure you do see it in London and many major cities - but how many have been personally affected by it - or just heard about an incident from someone else?
i cant comment on the effect Eastern Europeans have had on the trades as thats not my field, so i accept your point, although tadies in Oz seem to have similar concerns to you there. I work in education and know again, many kids think they are above being apprentices etc or what they wrongly see as menial work. Blame the parents!!! Not the country as in the scheme of numbers, most people wherever you live in the world are decent. England has a minority of underclass, scumbags...but it is a minority. Its growing, sure, but isnt it everywhere?
2 more points to make from a personal view.....
NHS - cant stand it when people rubbish the NHS.
IMO its the best health service in the world. People make sweeping statements about NHS....How many who make these sweeping statements trusted their loved ones to give birth to their children there? if people think the NHS is so bad, it is hypocritical if their children were delivered by the NHS. Trusted them with your childs life, didnt you? How many women have regular smear tests, cancer treatment, rehab etc etc etc? How dare you then rubbish it unless you are/or a loved one now disabled/dead/worse following treatment? And then you go on the Oz forum... Read the threads about how people come to UK for their holiday, taking the opportunity to visit the dentist/optician/get prescriptions etc. I know a lot of people who regularly visit from their new home to use NHS services, even though it was so crap, its one of the reasons they left
Second point...I agree. The diversityinequality in Uk is clear just driving through some towns. Thing is, I cant help thinking its interesting. When people want to move on in their careers or want adventure, London attracts. While that doesnt help those on benfits in a poorer area, its still interesting. In Australia, a big pull is the perceived notion of people being more equal. Try telling the aboriginals that. it is harder to live in UK but sometimes people prefer that. Some people need a buzz, a bit of edge in their lives...
Im still trying to work out if i do or not.
A happy medium would be good, but in the end you cant get that so opt for one or the other.All the best for your move, rose tints off to you too, and good luck!
C
Jan 4th 2007, 10:53 pm
#18
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: sydney -cos it never rains
Posts: 141
Re: to all who are thinking of returning!
I'm not knocking the NHS, well at least not the staff, my sister is a nurse. I'm saying its a joke, its run by incompetant accountants and is at breaking point through lack of investment and mismanagement of funds. Nurses are working 12hr+ shifts even though there are record numbers of nurses coming through training. They just dont have the money to pay them.
CTB, Yes London is booming for a few who live in half a dozen streets in chelsea and hamstead and earn million pound city bonuses but for the man in the street it's a differant storey.
CTB, Yes London is booming for a few who live in half a dozen streets in chelsea and hamstead and earn million pound city bonuses but for the man in the street it's a differant storey.
Jan 4th 2007, 11:01 pm
#19
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: sydney -cos it never rains
Posts: 141
Re: to all who are thinking of returning!
Bloody hell what is this? I was only having a bit of a rant about the state of things and now people want to see me hang! whooo whooooooo chill out:scared:
Jan 4th 2007, 11:01 pm
#20
Timelord
Joined: May 2006
Location: Lost in space...
Posts: 2,834
Re: to all who are thinking of returning!
Some go away and love it, some go away and hate it but for anyone thinking or returning to the uk who's been away a few yrs make sure you really think about what your giving up. Put those rose tinted specs away and see the UK forwhat it really is. I've lived in Oz, come back home, been out and visited, come back home and now i'm going back out again for a few yrs. England certainly isnt the place it once was, believe. There are lots and lots of problems here at the moment especially in London. Houses are very over priced, crime and violence are spiraling out of controll (if your burgled they wont even send an officer out to see you anymore!) Tony Blair and the Labour party are selling the place up the river. The NHS is joke. The building trade is getting SCREWED thanks to these total strokers in govenment and the whole country is overun with foreigners (mostly eastern european) bringing the day rates down to what they were 4 yrs ago in some trades (bricklaying, spreads, chipies, stud partitioners, dryliners) we are heading into recession an the economy is *****ed. This is the reality of life in Britian today. I love the place and it will always be my home but some of the posts i read in this forum are just totaly unrealistic, i dont think we're even talking about the same place. Who could really care less about Tesco's? eh? please. You may not like certain places or things about Oz but dont be too hard on it cos life is far harder here. I wish everone luck with their decisions butmany need to remove the blinkers.
And then there's the usual about a wannabe immigrant complaining about immigrants working in his field and dropping the wage rates...
Wonder what you'll be doing when you get to Oz, eh...? You might find the locals are not quite so receptive when you get there as a competitor instead of a cash happy tourist...And I won't even start about the stuff you said about the UK...
Jan 4th 2007, 11:04 pm
#21
Timelord
Joined: May 2006
Location: Lost in space...
Posts: 2,834
Re: to all who are thinking of returning!
Anyway I much prefer old sparky...
Jan 4th 2007, 11:05 pm
#22
Timelord
Joined: May 2006
Location: Lost in space...
Posts: 2,834
Re: to all who are thinking of returning!
hi tony,
read this with interest as on radio 4 there was an article on uk economy then, as im typing this, there is a prog on BBC2 re uk economy. The bits below i type are quotes from the programme, so apologies if it reads like muddled notes but i cant type v fast but want to get a number of points accross....
read this with interest as on radio 4 there was an article on uk economy then, as im typing this, there is a prog on BBC2 re uk economy. The bits below i type are quotes from the programme, so apologies if it reads like muddled notes but i cant type v fast but want to get a number of points accross....
K
Jan 4th 2007, 11:13 pm
#23
Banned
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 880
Re: to all who are thinking of returning!
Some great posts on this thread - so full of understanding
A lot of what the OP says about the UK is spot on, however many people are aware of this yet are prepared to move back because the UK is their home, whether they like it or not it is where they feel most comfortable.
For many of us we are no more able to chose our 'home' than we are able to chose our own family - sure we can move away, but it will never feel quite the same elsewhere despite the original reasons for moving away still being there when we return.
For those who can emotionally detach themselves from the country of their birth/parents/upbringing, well good luck to you - I wish you all the best, but not everyone is like that.
A lot of what the OP says about the UK is spot on, however many people are aware of this yet are prepared to move back because the UK is their home, whether they like it or not it is where they feel most comfortable.
For many of us we are no more able to chose our 'home' than we are able to chose our own family - sure we can move away, but it will never feel quite the same elsewhere despite the original reasons for moving away still being there when we return.
For those who can emotionally detach themselves from the country of their birth/parents/upbringing, well good luck to you - I wish you all the best, but not everyone is like that.
But apart from that britain seems much the same as it always was when i was there last year .
Jan 4th 2007, 11:14 pm
#24
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: sydney -cos it never rains
Posts: 141
Re: to all who are thinking of returning!
I dont blame the poles for coming over, i'd do the same in their position. I blame the system for letting it happen. Wages are dropping, houseprices are rising and so are interest rates. People are having a lot of trouble meeting their repayments. mate its not a good situation. Yea i done the backpacking thing and settled in Sydney to work for year. I got a mates who live there both Aussie and English who have now become citizens so i hear everything -well what they tell me! I'm English and proud and every now and then i might have a rant about my country, its where i was born and bred so i'm entilted to but it breaks my heart to see it going downhill. I'm not for one minute suggesting that Aus is any better, just giving an opinion.
Jan 4th 2007, 11:18 pm
#25
Banned
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Santa Monica,CA from Birmingham, UK
Posts: 18,402
Re: to all who are thinking of returning!
If you lived in Britain in the late 70's and then Thatcher's regime, it can only seem better now.
Jan 4th 2007, 11:26 pm
#26
Banned
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 880
Re: to all who are thinking of returning!
I dont blame the poles for coming over, i'd do the same in their position. I blame the system for letting it happen. Wages are dropping, houseprices are rising and so are interest rates. People are having a lot of trouble meeting their repayments. mate its not a good situation. Yea i done the backpacking thing and settled in Sydney to work for year. I got a mates who live there both Aussie and English who have now become citizens so i hear everything -well what they tell me! I'm English and proud and every now and then i might have a rant about my country, its where i was born and bred so i'm entilted to but it breaks my heart to see it going downhill. I'm not for one minute suggesting that Aus is any better, just giving an opinion.
As you say cant blame them ,blame blair .But all these problems cheap labour etc are happening here and australia isnt that clever for work in the building anyway ,its excellent on the west coast but crap on the east .
So its all about matters of the heart really ,i feel happier in the uk even when the weather is shite ,i havent got that constant homesickness which put your whole life on hold .
Jan 5th 2007, 12:53 am
#27
Absinthe Minded
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: At the football
Posts: 668
Re: to all who are thinking of returning!
[QUOTE=tony_russell;4249450]England certainly isnt the place it once was, believe. There are lots and lots of problems here at the moment especially in London. Houses are very over priced, crime and violence are spiraling out of controll (if your burgled they wont even send an officer out to see you anymore!)
I'm thinking of turning to burglary as a means of recouping the thousands I've missed out on during my time in aus....... So its a good career move in UK ..right?
I'm thinking of turning to burglary as a means of recouping the thousands I've missed out on during my time in aus....... So its a good career move in UK ..right?
Jan 5th 2007, 12:54 am
#28
Banned
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: Godzone, utopia, Paradise Island under the sun.
Posts: 1,177
Re: to all who are thinking of returning!
Perth property costs almost trebled since our first move there in 03, philippinos and chinese all moving in to take jobs with fear of them driving down wages for aussies ( nyone see the programme of immigration agents raiding building sites for illegals), cost of health care and violence in Pert hospitals. ( saw fight in the only time we had to wait in hospital between security and drunks). workers in Burswood can ask for security escort back to their cars due to danger especially at the train station. Many aussies say the bubble will burst there soon with huge debts etc. Sunshine and beaches and BBQs dont count for much when skint, the wages are poor in Aus. better education in Aus debatable, cost of living comparable in relation to wages. Its what a person sees and wants to see that determines where they be happiest. every country will have boom and bust. You made your choice, others will make theirs, i spoke to many who would never dream of migrating as they simply do not want to, their choice.
Last edited by Lord Pom Percy; Jan 5th 2007 at 12:57 am.
Jan 5th 2007, 5:48 am
#29
Forum Regular
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 176
Re: to all who are thinking of returning!
Thats my point, same can be said about any country a person lives in, somone can only comment on the place they lived, I never tried anywhere else in Oz. I said many times Perth is nice but only as a holiday.