THR

Are here any British expats who have moved to Australia and have realised that they have made a colossal mistake and are thinking of moving back to the UK? I have met several British expats who live in Australia and I'm yet to come across one who would regret moving to Australia but the fact that I haven't met anyone who's regretted, doesn't mean that people like that wouldn't exist.

After all, moving to another country is not a light decision to make. You must really be absolutely convinced that you want to live somewhere else where you happen to be living. Are you really ready to leave behind your relatives and friends? If so, do you know anyone in the new country?

chris and farideh

No I just wished we got here much earlier, better late than never.

Centurion

Have a look at the moving back to the UK forum and then you will see the reasons why some people choose to return. All as individual as the next.

Other than accepting that a minority of people make the move and do return to the country of origin I'm not entirely sure the point of your post. Afterall, who would actually move to another country, especially one as remote as Australia and not initially be committed to the idea.

tyke

Here in Adelaide I've seen and heard of a few people who were not happy from their first few days here.
Adelaide's charms are not always instantly apparent.

One family who recently stayed with us hated the place and flew over to Perth.
I had a call from them to say the loved it - it was like Miami??

Goes to show it might be an idea to move interstate rather than back to the UK.

There are a few long term "regretters" I know of who are waiting 2 years for permanent residency.I suppose it is for their kids.

sue1964

I know of a couple who have come out to OZ and sold up and got back to the UK twice.Its very hard landing in a country not knwoing anyone only having a suitcase and nowhere to live and infact no nothing.
Its not all going to fall into your lap straight away it takes time.
As for relatives is it worth leaving them behind thatsa tough one.My dad has got cancer which makes it very difficult living at the other side of the world.
Taking kids away from grandparents looking back very cruel and if the kids could go back yes they would even thogh they have a great life here they miss thier relatives.

jonah38

Anyone regretted - Seemed to the point to me.

OP obviously wants a broader opinion and chose here to ask for it. Not everyone goes to Australia and falls in love with it. OP obviously wants the bad as well as the good. Pre -warned is pre - armed

THR

That is one thing I just can't understand that some people very lightly move to another country and later on regret. Moving away from your country of birth is never a light decision and one should be absolutely convinced that he/she doesn't want to live in that country before drawing the conclusion to move somewhere else.

If you haven't got that figured out in your mind, you are bound to head for troubles in your new country, whatever it may be.

Glasgowlass

I've only recently met a lovely family who only after being here for 8 months are heading home and there's no convincing them otherwise. It's not always what you've imagined when you get here but if you can stick it out long enough to get a feel for the place it can grow on you. And sometimes it's just not for people at all.

bcworld

I disagree......depending on their circumstances I don't think there is anything wrong with people uprooting themselves purely on the basis of having 'itchy feet' or because they just have a niggling desire to find out if the grass is greener somewhere else. They don't have to have decided that their home country is somewhere that they no longer want to live just that they'd like to experience somewhere else.

When I said dependant on circumstances I suppose that means that they can afford to go back if they want to and that the move isn't too much of an upheaval for other family / kids etc.

jonah38

Well said.

But people can also do all the homework and plan,plan,plan, find the place, the house, the job, the school etc and only then realise that it just isnt for them

Merry christmas

quoll

Regret coming here? No
Regret being here? Yes

We came a long time ago when we were young and fancy free (well, we had a baby but we were still pretty fancy free!). We had lived in PNG and UK before coming here and we thought that when we came here - because of a good offer - that it would be just another step in our lives not necessarily the end of the road step. We almost went back to PNG but it fell through, as did a job in India. We just sort of stayed here, had the jobs, paid off the mortgage, put the kids through school and now retired. I guess I didnt want it to be the end of the road here though and I want to go home. DH is an Aussie so he is home and if he moves it is to be out in the bush somewhere (he can do that on his own, I cant abide the flies!). So I regret being here now, definitely yes. It's almost been like one big working holiday because I have never felt like this would be the place to end up in for ever and ever but I dont regret having taken the chances that were available to us and come here in the first place.

Dorothy

Trust me, if Perth was anything like Miami we would be on the next flight out. Miami is an American shithole full of American shit. Not that I'm Perth's biggest fan, but I just hate Florida with a passion.

jonah38

OH DOROTHY

More to do in Florida though, and the weather is better

Dorothy

Florida is shit. It's dirty, crime filled and full of Americans. Yuck.

jonah38

Definitely full of Americans - and some from Perth i hear