Re: This article should be compulsory reading for anyone planning to emigrate
 

Amen to that.

My thinking is that Melbourne has a lot of the good things that London had (art galleries, theatre, great restaurants, fantastic CBD. stunning city parks, etc) some great things that London did not have (beaches, the bay, very rural areas within an hour or so's drive) and not so many of the bad things that London had (high burglary rate, car theft, perceived fear of violent crime etc).

I can't put a $ value on any of this....

BB

Re: This article should be compulsory reading for anyone planning to emigrate
 

And for me, it's even a bit surreal that the cultural things (about England) that migrants really, really, miss are here anyway. Infact, I suspect that some migrants never experienced such life in the UK either.

If you could teleport all that back to the UK then I'd do it, anywhere, but there's no guarantees and we are established. I think the reality is that many people don't have enough to keep them here and the investment of returning is well worth it, has to be, infact. How can you be sure? Even a nagging doubt might prove it.

Re: This article should be compulsory reading for anyone planning to emigrate
 

Nothing cultured or stylish about crimson cords. The revolting sleazy uncle has always worn such things, normally with bright yellow socks. He has no finesse whatsoever and the nearest he's been to anything military is watching the Changing of the Guards. :D
I have never heard the expression 'immigration failure' anywhere other than on forums from people who think other people will accuse them of failing. Wanting to do something, doing it and finding it's not what they really want to do anymore is never failing and I don't know anyone who'd say it was.

Re: This article should be compulsory reading for anyone planning to emigrate
 

I have an array in green and browns.

I would also pass on red, wheat, salmon...

Re: This article should be compulsory reading for anyone planning to emigrate
 

Horses for courses & all that, but we quite often went on weekend breaks to Birmingham esp when they had cheap accomodation at Travelodge type places. Loved the Electric independent cinema there.

Also a radio 4 downloader here, amongst others.

Re: This article should be compulsory reading for anyone planning to emigrate
 

Hmm, well I was in Melbourne and now I'm in North Yorkshire. I can't think of anything Melbourne offers our family at this point in time that we can't get here, that might change in the future but at the moment England offers far more for us than Melbourne did.

Re: This article should be compulsory reading for anyone planning to emigrate
 

You must have had your fingers crossed when you we're typing that, you don't honestly expect us to believe that anywhere in England can give you as much and heaven forbid MORE than anywhere here ? :lol:

Re: This article should be compulsory reading for anyone planning to emigrate
 

Different people have different wants and needs, there's no need to take the piss.

Melbourne gives us more now. 10 years ago it would have been London easily.

BB

Re: This article should be compulsory reading for anyone planning to emigrate
 

I wasn't taking the piss and made no reference to your posts.

Re: This article should be compulsory reading for anyone planning to emigrate
 

I wish that could be true for me/us.... Half your luck :thumbup:

Re: This article should be compulsory reading for anyone planning to emigrate
 

Seems to me you have to first define what you as the individual needs...then mileage will differ ..

I've had a realization - I like the Welsh borders - if you could excise Birmingham and replace it with Melbourne CBD and inner North and East I'd be quite happy!

Re: This article should be compulsory reading for anyone planning to emigrate
 

Why not? But you don't seem to believe other souls when they say that a place in Australia might offer just enough or more...never mind...
:blink:

Re: This article should be compulsory reading for anyone planning to emigrate
 

It's very easy to work out if people are going to stay here or move back. You can work it out in the first 6 months of them arriving.

Unrealistic expectations is one of the first things you pick up on. "Why can't I live in a giant mansion by the harbour with views of the bridge having just sold my 3 bedroom semi in an inner city location in the UK?" "Why is fuel not free?". "Despite the fact that this chicken breast as 4 times the size of a Tescos chicken breast I fail to understand why it is 4 times the cost!".

Second is not having committed emotionally to the move before arriving. This becomes really obvious in the way that expats start talking about family, friends and Tescos. Yes you WILL miss them that much and did you really think that because they speak English here they are the same as you? This is a foreign country after all!

Thirdly is lack of integration skills. You need to make enough close friends to provide emotional support. If you do not have a track record of being able to find and keep very good friendships then it will be a struggle. Add to that the complex and deep cultural differences and it is totally understandable why people struggle.

There is a fourth, more complex indicator as well. Often I find people who come here talk about the move as if they thought moving here would change them. Somehow make them a more relaxed, easy going, happier person. You cannot migrate away from yourself!

The fact is that Australia offers a great deal. In my view more than the UK and so we chose to start our family here. But the debate is ultimately pointless because we all feel the need to justify the decisions we make. Nobody will ever convince me that the North of England (where I am from) is a better place for my children than Melbourne, nor would I expect to convince someone over there otherwise.

And yes, I am very close to my UK based family. My parents are still alive, I am the eldest of 4 children, I have two of my own children who wish they could see their grandparents, and count at least one UK based couple as some of my best friends. But I still believe Melbourne is the right place for us to live.

Re: This article should be compulsory reading for anyone planning to emigrate
 

Wow so Stratford upon Avon, Warrick Castle, Ludlow, The Cotswolds, Bath, Cheltenham, Birmingham has some fine arts, and many others to numerous to mention and all within an easy day trip of Walsall count for nothing????

Re: This article should be compulsory reading for anyone planning to emigrate
 

I have visited Chester many many times as my mother lives not to far from there and have never seen or had any trouble. You live in Coburg and near Sydney Rd, just in the short time i have been here there have quite a few major crime incidents and even murders in that area, i can't believe a tough Sarf London boy like you could be so scarred by an incident with a few hoodies :)