Hey everyone
I'm a bit of a newbie, so be gentle! Thing is, for a long time I have been considering going to Australia, maybe for a year to begin, or maybe for good. I've been single for 4 years and have wanted to up and move for a long time, currently I feel like my life is standing still and I need some fun, sun and a big change. This need to move just isn't shifting, and I haven't been happy living in the UK for a long time.

My question is, how hard is it to move to a new country, all alone. I don't know anyone over in Oz, I'm a teacher, so would continue doing that if I were to move, but it seems really scary. I'm very close to my family, so leaving them would be hard, and a good network of new friends will definitely be needed.
So what do you think? Am I just scared, or is moving all on my own a bad idea?
All thoughts gratefully received!

Sarah xx

Hey Sarah,I cant help you with moving alone yet but will be able to next year. Im 22 and moving alone, I just cant imagine anyone moving with me so Im up and doing it alone. Im sure you will be fine, Im using a good agency and they make me feel so much better bout moving alone. Good luck if you go through with it, any questions you can PM me.

Wouldn't advise it.

Plenty of sob stories on here from people who are homesick and they've got their immediate family with them.

Aussies are very insular lot unlike the Kiwis who are a lot friendlier. And every city that I've been to in Oz is the same in that respect. IE if you get homesick in Perth, it will be just the same in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide etc.

Once you get to Oz you'll realise how good the UK is even under the appalling leadership of Anthony Blair and Gordon Brown.

I'm going on my own. If you don't like it come back. I don't see moving to Sydney as any different to moving to another city in the UK. You'll still need to start again. In fact Sydney would be better, it'll be sunnier.

Im going it alone, with my son. Live in the town that my ex husband was brought up in. Doesnt feel like home now. Need a fresh new start and challenge in my life. Am scared too but hang around on here and you will find plenty of others feeling the same. Have been to sydney twice this year and loved it. The thing that keeps coming back to me, is what is there to lose cos the worst thing that can happen is you hate it and come back home.

Am a nurse planning to go to sydney, have already made friends with another single mum on here with the same plans.

Where are you thinking of going to?

Jane x

Thanks to everyone for their advice. I'm still very much in the weighing up my options stage, but the more I think about it the more I want to do it. I'd rather regret doing it that regret not doing it.
It sounds very difficult, does anyone have any success stories of making great new friends?

There's a massive thread on here about peeps that are going it alone.There's quite a few that are going alone so you wont be the only one Good Luck

Click here for the thread

I'm going it alone too! I have a job in Sydney and am leaving everything I have here; just waiting on my visa - my thoughts are you only live once, give it a go, if you don't like it then come home. You will have more regrets not doing something you're thinking of than actually giving it a go and realising it's not for you and heading back to the UK! Good luck! x

I agree, I did it when I was 18 going to Uni and now 12 years later I'm doing it again. You're the only one who can judge. If you don't at the back of your mind will always be the what if....... what's the worst that can happen? you come home.
Personally I'll be treating it like a holiday that's open ended (otherwise I'll freak out).
Ignore the nay-sayers.

I did it 11 months ago and have never, ever regretted it Peeps out here are fab and so friendly and helpful and everything is pretty easy, much easier than going it alone in the UK I'd say! Key recommendation is get a job as soon as, this helps you make friends and get a social life

If you want any info feel free to PM me!

I'm going it alone, just waiting for my visa!!

Go into the Barbie section, and look for a thread called "The official loners thread" - plenty of us in the same position as you doing it!!!

How can u put Australia and social life in the same sentence?.if u have a bbq at your house..it is not going out for gods sake!!!... social life is when u actually LEAVE the house and meet other people,not family,other people!

I'm thinking of going it alone too. I want a change of scenery, wherever I go in the UK will involve making new friends/meeting new people, so what difference would it be doing that abroad is how I see it. Not in a position to go for a couple of years yet tho as I'm just about to complete a postgrad course. I'm planning on testing the water so to speak by doing a 3 month internship in Oz as it will give me a taster of working and living there without what could be wasted time and money in sorting out the appropriate visa (even tho it's going to be a few years before I can apply as I have very limited work experience). Good to know that there are others doing the same!

Who says you need to go out to have a social life? If you were a single Mum you would be very glad for people to come to you!