Am I Flippin' Barmy?????
Sep 24th 2003, 2:03 pm
#31
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2002
Location: England
Posts: 279
I had written out a long reply about our experience but I'm not sure it will help you, no-one can really advise you. All I can say is we were in a similar position to you (not quite as much equity!!) and we could see how our life would be over the next 20 years and we felt trapped.
Our children are younger, they were 4 and 7 when we arrived, so we thought it was a good time to travel a bit, see another country. Australia was our choice and we've been in Perth now for 15 months.
We want to stay for 2-3 years then review our decision, we will probably go back to the UK but may well return to Australia in the future. Who knows? I change my mind every week!!
At the moment we are enjoying the lifestyle, we've been to the Great Barrier Reef, go camping regularly and have a trip to Sydney planned next January. My husband earns good wages for the area and we haven't got a mortgage so that helps.
For us the experience has been far more stressful than we could imagine, but we have a strong marriage (essential!!!!) and on the whole we have no regrets.
Our children are younger, they were 4 and 7 when we arrived, so we thought it was a good time to travel a bit, see another country. Australia was our choice and we've been in Perth now for 15 months.
We want to stay for 2-3 years then review our decision, we will probably go back to the UK but may well return to Australia in the future. Who knows? I change my mind every week!!
At the moment we are enjoying the lifestyle, we've been to the Great Barrier Reef, go camping regularly and have a trip to Sydney planned next January. My husband earns good wages for the area and we haven't got a mortgage so that helps.
For us the experience has been far more stressful than we could imagine, but we have a strong marriage (essential!!!!) and on the whole we have no regrets.
Sep 24th 2003, 3:39 pm
#32
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2003
Location: Going Home
Posts: 1,215
It sounds like you regret the move, or am I mis-interpreting what you're saying?
I think once you get to 40 the job situation is a lot harder in any proffession.
Last edited by karawara88; Sep 24th 2003 at 3:43 pm.
Sep 24th 2003, 10:38 pm
#33
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 6
Originally posted by RichS
a few things:
1. You make no mention of what your kids think about moving away from their friends. all I could see you mention is what you were thinking was right for one of them.
2. A$1m is no way enough money to sit back with and raise a family. It might be that you don't mind downgrading your lifestyle but again what about the rest of your family? In my experience its not so easy to take all the material stuff away from teenagers. I know I've been one.
3. The retirement option would seem to make good sense.
a few things:
1. You make no mention of what your kids think about moving away from their friends. all I could see you mention is what you were thinking was right for one of them.
2. A$1m is no way enough money to sit back with and raise a family. It might be that you don't mind downgrading your lifestyle but again what about the rest of your family? In my experience its not so easy to take all the material stuff away from teenagers. I know I've been one.
3. The retirement option would seem to make good sense.
RichS - the situation with my kids is that the 12 year-old wants to go (but I think she's just thinking about having a pool really!). The 7 year old is less keen, would miss his friends etc, but we are pretty sure he'd adapt well. You make a good point though.
With regard to the retirement option, this is worth looking at, but could be viewed as 16 years lost time - and I doubt my wife would want to go to Aus whilst leaving our (albeit grown up) children here.
I guess part of our confusion comes from a slight feeling of guilt that we really ought to be happy with our lot here in the UK - we know we are very fortunate to be in the position that we are.
Arrrrghhh!!!
