UKPlay

Thanks for reading my post, i have never done this sort of thing before so i apologise if this seems a bit amateurish!

At this present time, my girlfriend and I are considering coming to Australia at the end of 2009. We both have very different views on what we want out of the experience and this obviously effects our plans whilst in Australia. Her plan ('and dream') has always been to make a life in Australia and I can fully understand why she thinks that way. I am looking into the prospect of seeing a great country and having an amazing time, but would only be looking to stay for say a year. At the moment we both know how we feel, but neither of us can really see that our respective plans are the right way forward.

My girlfriend has no family ties, has moved countries before, has a job which she is happy to give up, seems unhappy in England and has been to Australia before. She sees a move to Australia as providing her with a better quality of life and is ready to go now. From my point of view I would love to see the country at some point, but could not see a life away from everything I have in England. I have a massive and very close family, a very good job, lots of friends and a life I like in England. I am not comfortable with committing to moving to Australia other than for travelling. I am really worried by the reality of actually living there. We are not loaded, so could not sustain a life in Australia without working....but with the way the world is I am not confident we could get a job to support us in Australia. I can see us really struggling and the 'quality of life' (which I hear so much about) going to go very much downhill. Can anyone give some advice on the job prospects in Australia for general employment.....ie a job that would be suitable for UK workers who do not specialise in particular field. Given the way the world is, I am really worried about leaving my job in the UK for the prospect of a porrly paid job in Australia.

I feel like I have everything to lose for some sunshine and some time on the beach? LIke I have explained, I would be a very willing traveller and would love to explore the country (after saving more in the UK) but cannot see a life there. Has anyone else felt the same? I have a great family in the UK and it scares me to think I would not see them, as they have told me they couldn't fly that distance. From my own experience in life, I always have had the best times with my family and friends in a variety of places....at home, school, university, London, holidays etc.....but whenever i have been back to those places alone it has never been the same because the people I enjoyed the experience with are not there. I can imagine feeling the same in Australia. Am I being overly cautious and paranoid or is this natural....any advice?

I would be very grateful for some honest advice on particularly the reality of moving to Australia, job prospects and what it is really like being away from home. I would love to have the best time in Australia and see the country whilst travelling, but I am not keen at the present time in settling down.....I like my life in England so do not feel the need find somewhere else to live.....which sadly is the opposite of what my gf is feeling Her general answer has been the quality of life is amazing and it will all just work out. I cannot feel comfortable with that as a justification for moving. From reading various posts on here and contacting employment agencies directly, I feel confused and not confident in moving to Australia......it just feels like a massive gamble when I have so much to lose. But like I said, seeing the country appeals to me, just not the living.

Any thoughts......thanks for reading!!

Grayling

You can not live here unless you are eligible for a visa so you are jumping the gun a bit.

Start here:

www.immi.gov.au

ABCDiamond

Plan to do something like that, once the economy is more settled again.

Maybe agree a year or so, when the time is right ? Then see what happens.

It is very difficult when two people have opposite views on something, but a compromise has to be found.
But not my wifes version of compromise; "agree to do it my way, and I'll say Yes" (The problem is that my wife is no different to most women! )

lastere

better quality of life? is she dense or just trying to dump you?

you will hear 'some things are more expensive, some are cheaper'. translation: more expensive = housing- aka a major expense and a basic human need. cheaper = mango or some brand of beer that you spend 19.99 on anyway. you'll have to eat a truck of mango each week to make up for the extortion rates asked for dwelling.

anyway if you're not 'loaded' you don't fit the business model. the way this thing was setup is people with more money than sense bring their funds, burn them, struggle for a couple of years until they snap and go home content that 'at least they tried'.

pompeyblonde

To be honest you seem to be answering your own question! If you are happy where you are and don't really want the experience of living overseas then you would be spending a HUGE amount of money just to confirm what you already know! Could you afford say a 4 week holiday just to have a look?

Hutch

Read back your post and it's totally obvious that you shouldn't move anywhere.

Save your money and travel regularly.

WelshSarah

I totally agree...

moneypenny20

How long ago was it your girlfriend was here and how long for? What was she doing whilst here? If she was backpacking and doing the odd bit of fruit picking then I should think her lifestyle was brilliant You have really good strong reasons why you don't want to make the move permanent, if you do as she wants I would imagine the relationship would break down.

If you really want to see for yourself then book a long holiday (without resigning from your job) and come and have a look with her. You may find that once you get here, she realises it's not the be all and end all she remembers and you go back and get on with your lives and just have some damn good holidays.

DCS

what a load of tosh! you cant compare a whole countries property prices with another whole countries property prices.

yes a 3 bed house in yorkshire is going to be a lot cheaper than a 3 bed house in central Sydney but a 2 bed house on the south cost of England is gonna set you back what a 4 bed 2 bathroom would in a perth suburb.

its all relative. and quality of like dont mean what house you live in! its the life you live.

quoll

It sounds as if she may have itchy feet problems. How long after she gets here will she begin to feel that she is bored here (and that definitely sets in sooner or later) and wants to move somewhere else - are you content to be chasing her around the world for the rest of your life?

I'd say, if it aint broke then dont fix it. Stay where you are, earn enough and save up to travel widely. The "quality of life" thing is a myth - your quality of life is what you make it whereever you happen to be living it and IMHO quality also includes the people in it not just the stuff you have around you.

JackTheLad

How old are you and your girl friend? If you're both under 30, come for a year or 2 of working holidays, exploring different cities and regions and see if you can imagine yourselves living here.

If not, like others say, save up money and travel for a bit of fun when you can.

I certainly wouldn't move half way round the world permanently when life and jobs are so good where your are, and when you have such close relationship with family and friends in the UK. Too big a gamble and you will both regret it.

Mrs JTL

the troubadour

[QUOTE=lastere;7315781]better quality of life? is she dense or just trying to dump you?

you will hear 'some things are more expensive, some are cheaper'. translation: more expensive = housing- aka a major expense and a basic human need. cheaper = mango or some brand of beer that you spend 19.99 on anyway. you'll have to eat a truck of mango each week to make up for the extortion rates asked for dwelling.

anyway if you're not 'loaded' you don't fit the business model. the way this thing was setup is people with more money than sense bring their funds, burn them, struggle for a couple of years until they snap and go home content that 'at least they tried'.[/QUOTELike it....says it how it is...lol

jad n rich

I feel like I have everything to lose for some sunshine and some time on the beach?

[/QUOTE]

Tell your gf you want a 4/6 week holiday in OZ before you decide if you want to give up job, huge close family etc etc for some sunny days on a beach, which after a while becomes mind numbingly boring.

Its the same sort of decison as I want kids you dont sometimes in life you just aint on the same track.

RayZor

if you dont go....yoo'll never know....

you can always come back!

eugene43

Just enjoy yourselfs & lead a happy life witheach other because unless you are prepared to put years of hard work learning a trade & then getting the experience to go with it, this then makes you elligable for a visa.