I need some reassurance!
The shippers are coming next week and I feel awful! I think it's just blind panic but I feel sick and seem to spend my whole life crying or trying not to at the moment. There are good days and bad days. We both have jobs to go to and have spent the last year or so planning all of this. The panic has set in only in the last couple of weeks. I hope that I will be ok when we get there. I've looked at other peoples messages and they've recommended trying the happy pills. What happens though if they aren't enough to get me through the next few weeks? We seem to have so much to do and no time. What will happen if I don't like it when I get there? I know we should give it a go but my sense of adventure is causing me great greif now. My husband is far more positive than me and I wish that I was as calm as he is. I think that I would feel better if we were definitely going for a limited time period - say one or even two years rather than it being open ended. Realistically I don't want to stay forever but would like to give it a go. Everything just seems a big deal at the moment. My friends are being great as is my husband but I think that even he is being worn down by the way I feel now.

Is this the same for everyone who takes the plunge? This is probably the biggest upheaval that we have ever done. I hope that I come out in one piece when I get off the plane!
Reassurance needed!

It's normal, as you say it's a massive step and it affects people in different ways.

Just like to say good luck

I'm in exactly the same boat at the moment - everyone wants a piece of me, well that's how it feels!

I'm hoping everything will come together - it has to and I am looking forward to getting on that flight without having to worry about a thing.

It can be daunting at times with the prospect of moving for good...Rob and I have put a plan in place, we have decided that we are not going to make any decisions until we have been there two years (this may be easier said than done), we have lived there before, so I'm hoping we are going to love it as much as we did when we lived there last time.

Best of luck to you and your move.

Claire

Hi,

Yes I am feeling exactly the same, it's exactly 3 weeks till we emigrate. It seems so final doesn't it? Like you are leaving everything forever. I know it's not final, and it's not forever but it's really hard to be positive when you can't tell what you new life will be like. It's not like you can compare this unseen life with what you have now and decide which is better.
I personally would not go down the happy pill route, I know it works for some people but I'd be terrified of relying on them.
Is there any way you can change your ticket to an open return? It was £90 for us to upgrade them to a year's open return and its reassuring knowing that if worst comes to worse you can be back in the UK in 24 hours, even if only to visit.
Just take it a day at a time and think of all the reasons you wanted to go in the first place. England will always be waiting for you if you want to come back!!

I felt EXACTLY the same as you in August this year (when we left UK for Oz) running around like headless chickens. Selling cars, packing up house, trying to keep it as 'normal' as possible to make sure the kids didn't get nervous and I was dreading the flight I hate flying.

Made the decision not to tell anyone when we were leaving, kept it vague, said November sometime. I have a big family and was really upset about leaving them.

So we sent cards explaining everything followed by flowers (Interflora owe me a BIG discount!) to everyone once we had checked in at the airport and knew the flight was on time. We also, as someone else suggested, stayed at the airport hotel the night before which really helped to calm me down a bit. Was able to have a few drinkies knowing everything was done and dusted and look forward to our new start.

All of my family were totally understanding about us not saying goodbye or having a leaving do said they would have been too upset too. Hubbies parents bit huffy but came around after a phone call. Had loads of text messages once the cards arrived loads of positive thoughts and feelings which I have kept because they made us feel great and right in our decision.

I just feel it is so much to deal with taking on board everyone else's feelings would've sent me over the edge. It was our move and our new life and we started it our way. Selfish I know, but it worked. We are so happy, have a great rental house (worried about that too!), bought a block of land (worried a bit more), kids love it here (feeling calmer), we love it here (and relaaaaaxxx!).

Hubbies parents coming over in January so they are happy to visit and catch up, no bad feelings at all now.

You will be fine. A happy pill does help a bit and takes that 'edgy' panic away. It's worth it for the short term.

Don't forget you are 'just giving it a try' it's not FOREVER it's FOR NOW. Hope that helps take the panic away a bit.

AND the flight was a breeze it was such a relief to sit down, relax and watch a film or two AND be waited on it's the best flight I have ever experienced!!

Sorry for going on and on!!

Lorna

I spent a month at work trying not to cry and/or throw up. I had to rush to the toilets when I realised how much we had to do just to cover up how i felt. In the end, I went to see our HR manager and changed my leaving date to give me an extra week at home. It's the best thing I ever did.

We move out on Friday, up to parents for a few days, then off on the plane on Tuesday. Which gives me 2.5 days to sort the house out, and I'll need every bit of them. I look around and still feel mildly ill, but strangely, the closer the leaving day gets, the better I feel.

I just keep focussing on getting to the airport and checked in. Once that's over with, it's all easy.

We've decided to give it at least 18 months, 2 years, before we decide that we hate it. Hopefully that won't be the case, but you never know. And if we do hate it? Well we've done it once, we can do it again - we'll just go somewhere else.

I'm sure everything will be fine. Here's a beer for everyone stressing about boxes at the moment.

hiya,
just wanted to add some words of support, but i havent got to your stage yet!
have to say though........who said it was forever?? my other half was quite scared by the words 'permanent resident' and 'migrating'......it doesnt have to be forever!!
you need to sit down and come up with a back up plan - something EVERY prospective migrant should do - discuss what you will do if you dont like an area/city/state...decide some time frames, for eg - give yourself 6 months in your rental.....if you dont like it, use the time to look around other areas together; if that doesnt solve the problem, and if you find your city isnt what you expected then will you try another city or state? try and set yourselves some guidelines and rules - eg, the other doesnt just put up with it cos the other is so happy.....you need to communicate any problems as soon as they start to happen, not a year later when you are on the verge of murdering each other!
my ohter half was much happier when i sat him down and we talked about it - we are going to give it 2 years to start with, and if either of us or the kids dont settle we will discuss moving to another state; if we feel that isnt going to try and solve the problem, then we will return to the uk.
simple.
its also a good idea to set aside an emmergency fund for returning to the uk....we aim to get a pot of abuot £5k to leave for emergencies.
and before anyone harps on about it, we dont have a house to sell......we will go when we have enough money to set us up/live on for 6 months, plus have the emergency fund.

life is an adventure......if you see your migration as such, you will enjoy the time more, as it wont be the life sentence you see it as now

sue

Absolutely agree with everything. And have some karma, seeing as noone ever sends you any Not that mine's worth much, but it's the thought that counts.

Easy to say as not at your stage yet but you have made this decision for a reason a betterquality of life...it's a challenge and an adventure enjoy it.
Once you have made rrots in OZ i gues you will look back on your efforts with
satisfaction.

Dave

Sorry too stressed to post

Times like this you appreciate BE.
Been really stressed today thinking of all the stuff to do, trying to get customers to pay money they promised defiantly by end of November, sorting shipping (coming 10th Jan).etc..etc
It's great to read the nerves, doubts and stress are quite normal.

Kevin

If being open ended is too much to get your head around, just tell yourself you will re evaluate it all in 12/18mths. For me that just made it a little easier to deal with. Otherwise the enormity of it can be overwhelming
If my experience is anything to go by(and i doubt it) as the time gets even nearer you almost become numb from any emotion at all
Not sure which is worse really..But Good luck to you and everyone going out before next year.
Heres to 2006 in Oz
Rachx

Good luck Rachel,
Today Sidcup, tomorrow the world.

Kevin

I dont mean to be insensitive,and i did have a lot of those feelings,but we had a kinda shit or bust attitude,we were going to give it are all,financially we moved everything.People said "you can always come back"but my feeling was and still is, why would i go back to somewhere i spent so long trying to get out of.If it didnt work here we would try somewhere else.
However a year on we still love it and it was the best decision for us.
Good luck to all.Once you become familiar with stuff here its not so daunting.
donna

Hi Kevin
I see Sidcup will be losing you too in January. Good luck to you and your family