Cestrian

Hi everyone. I've just discovered this excellent site having emigrated to Oz only 6 weeks ago to be nearer family. Being near family is great but here's a question you must have had countless times before (so apologies). As I said being near family is great and I have no regrets about my decision to emigrate - but is it normal to feel really homesick for all things English (friends, places, cold weather, a sense of history, good TV, soccer, big cities etc). I guess it is and so I just need reassurance that the feelings do go with time.

Thanks

MikeStanton

Certainly, for many people the feelings subside over time (usually 1-2 years). Will they subside sufficiently for you? Dunno. Stats tend to suggest that ~60% of Brit emigrants remain permanently in Oz. General advice is to acknowledge that there are differences, but embrace the positive things about Oz

Simmo

Cestrian
For me personally I have never felt homesick for anything except my family, so I guess you are fortunate in that regard, most people take a while but persevere and I can promise you you will love it here. Whenever I now go back to the UK to visit relatives, I can't wait to return, the place just really depresses me now.
Keep your chin up....
Simmo

joh117

Cestrian

I am at the same place as you and only in the last couple of weeks. Been here 8weeks today. Not nr family but I am missing things like yorkshire accent (mad as I hate mine) cried watching calendar girls and not cos the film is sad it was my home in the film well yorkshire.

My hubby is not missing anything but I have a good circle of friends here and I am sure I will get through it.

Jo

wombatboy

I miss the uk all the time. Some days are good and i enjoy being here ...some are well bad and i am a mess.

I cant listen to my coldplay cd anymore! It makes me too nostalgic.

but when i go out with my mates here - it all makes sense.

Cestrian

Thanks for replies. I guess 6 weeks is a bit too soon to have got over all feelings for UK. I need to give Oz a fair crack of the whip, be positive, and remember why I came here - but it's good to know that I'm not alone.

Badge

I guess, if you are homesick, the feeling never goes away completely. When I was in the UK I missed Australia bigtime. And I know that feeling would never go away. If I was to go back, I would still pine for Australia in some shape or form for the rest of my life.

Now I am in Australia, the UK seems like a distant memory. I have spent a fair few years away from the UK so have no recent memories to dwell on anyhow apart from summer 2003 which was a kind of curtain raiser for moving to Australia. I have only spent the last 2/5 years in the UK, so am accustomed to having feelings of having ''outgrown'' it.

When I think of UK, the images are not that great -I just think of general bustle and hassle (which I don't miss) - and maybe a crowd in a bar in the 6 nations (which I do miss) but for the tournament, not for the UK.

BM

bundy

Totally normal Cestrian. After all, you've just made this massive change in your life - it doesn't get much bigger than moving to the other side of the world. Of course it will take time to adjust. Try not to look at the things that you miss too much, but look at the new things you enjoy and try to remember that it will all become more familiar eventually.

Or you could do what my friend does whenever she feels wobbly about the UK - she looks at the various 'Jam Cams', those webcams placed above major motorways. Always seems to cheer her up!