hi
we have been here in brisbane for 3 weeks now so it is too soon for honesickness. whereabouts are you cos i could do to make some friends here.
amanda

Someone told me to give it two years and then go home if I still couldn't stick it out. They were right about the two years, and I'm still here and loving Australia. It IS all new and far away, but you DO adapt.

Best to you whatever you do.

l agree. People who go home after only 6 months are making a mistake. It is not long enough to adjust to living in a new country.
They should give OZ two years, then if they go home they can say they gave it a real go and it was'nt for them.

Thanks for all the support guys!

You are all right, the homesickness cload moves over you when your not expecting it and can move on just as quickly! By the end of today I was feeling alot better but when I wrote the original post this morning I was feeling very low! The worst I've felt since being here. I have personally moved around quite a bit as for the last twenty years I worked as a Chef so was used to going through homesickness pangs.

We are commited to making a go of it, my wife and I are both positive people but it can get to all of use at times.

I recently bought a gardening business which shows we want to succeed in our move downunder.

Alot of you said about staying for at least two years in order to get our citizenship, I think this is right as you never know what may happen down the road! We would like to take a trip back to the UK at that time if we still have feelings about going back but as many of you have stated we would see the Uk in a different light.

My wife isn't working yet which I think is bothering her, as most of us have found out since arriving here it's not always easy to find work which can be very frustrating.

Our main problem is that we did leave a good life behind in the UK, our friends have constantly kepted in touch either by e-mail or by phone which proves to use how good their friendships were/are! We have made friends here and not only Poms although as we knew would be the case it can take some (alot of) time to build up friendships.

We live in the western suburbs of Brisbane as we have some friends we new of from the Uk who moved out here two years ago.

Once again thanks for your help and support today.

Regards

Pomdownunder

Hi Pomdownunder,
I posted this on the Moving Back to UK forum and thought it might be useful to post here.

We've been back in the UK for three years now and have never felt settled, even though we have good jobs, house etc! We wish we had stuck it out longer in Oz (Brisbane) and now feel that we panicked and returned too soon.

My mum was ill and my father died whilst we were in Australia and I felt terribly guilty about not being there for them and so we returned. Another factor was the job situation I was unable to find work and had always worked in the UK, my husband found a job but the money was very poor. In hindsight we should have stuck it out longer.

My husband settled more quickly than me and that I believe this was due to him working and integrating sooner.

Because we are so unsettled we don't feel able to move on with our lives in the UK. Next month we will be visiting Oz and meeting employers and will then make a final decision about returning or not.

Whatever we decide to do I hope it finally gives us peace of mind and allows us to move on with our lives, as being unsettled wherever you live must be one of the most stressful situations you can be in.

Best wishes to you all.

Sula

Thanks for that Sula,

I feel for you. The worst thing where ever you decide to be is being unsettled? I heard many times of the boomerang poms! This must be really bad.

I guess you had not stayed for the two year period in order to get your citizenship?

All the best with your trip back to Australia and I hope it all works out for you.

Regards

pomsdownunder

Its been mentioned before on here, but the 6 month mark seems to be a low point for homesickness for a lot of people. I suppose the initial excitement has worn off but new friendships and bonds havnt really had chance to develop too much.
We've been here for a year next week, I was extremely homesick around the 6 month mark, though its only ever been people I miss (and shops but thats another post!) not really england. My close friends still e-mail me several times a week, a couple have already been over and we go back for the second time in march. I'm just starting to feel that this will be enough now, and realising that if I went back, I'd miss my new friends as well as the pool and the sunshine, there are still low days, but far fewer than there were 6 months ago,
good luck, I hope it works out for you,
Michaela

A bit of 'useless' information. 'The Bill' is mostly filmes around South Wimbledon, Mitcham and Tooting.
I caome from that area.......never been to Sun Hill though!!

Sorry to hear how you are feeling. I don't really have any words of wisdom either but one thing I have always maintained is the fact that my home is where my wife and child are (which hopefully in a few months time will be in Oz).

I know my wife is going to go through this, I don't think I will, having lived abroad in my younger days.

My Dad has told us we need to give it two years as well. He went out in the 70's and has been there ever since and can't see any reason to come back.

My brother and his wife went over a few years ago. They spent 4 months over there and came back just before Xmas. 3 weeks later they were hankering to get back to Oz but had to work for another 12 months in the UK to get enough money to go back. They lost over £15,000 in the process too.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

You're right - completely useless!

think they also film bits of the Bill in Northcote road in Wandsworth area...

I was in Oz for 7 years before coming back to the UK March last year for a working kind of holiday/see the folks. We are looking for Oz return in 2006/07.

I have no regrets about coming back to Blighty. I did however after about 9 months start to get "homesick" in a way for Australia, so it works in any country you move from and to, the first few months you don't get time to think then boom!!!! Mind on over drive.

I went to Oz on a working holiday in 1997, so never had to go through the big sell off of your life in the UK but never said any real good byes, that is why I am back.

Try if you can to stick it out, I remember some of my first years feeling like complete alien in Australia but it gets better.

We have both Oz & Brit citizenships and gives you the option of living wherever, so this is worth sticking out for if you can.

I wish you the very best, sorry no real advice but do keep talking on this site as lots of people to listen and help.

Merlot

I don't think its what you are missing that is making you homesick. its what you think you're missing.

I bet when you go home, as many others have, you'll realise there's nothing to miss. People have moved on, you can't relate to their lives anymore and you just want to get back to OZ.

if you do go back i would go back for a holiday. That way you can save on the shipping costs etc. Also try get people to come visit you on holidays.

My brother has been out there 18 months now and has only had 2 visitors, me and mum.

I think that recent scene with the bank manager all hooked up with a bomb was filmed in Woolwich Town Centre. I distinctly saw the Greenwich Social Services logo on the building in the background.

Odd isn't it, My dad and best mate have been here for the last 2 and a bit weeks and I have had albeit knackereing a fantastic time, visited all the tourist places that I haven't had a chance to see yet etc ( I have only been here 3.5 months) anyway today they flew home, I drove them down to Perth spent 2 days there with them, said my goodbyes at the airport and started the 5 hr drive home, as I pulled into Geraldton I felt realy cack, and once I actually got home it was really weird them not being around, seing things like my dads writing on a blackboard really upset me, so today I am feeling really really realy homesick, I am sure it will pass as have all the other bouts. It's just one of them things that you get if you decide to move to the other side of the world.

I came with my Aussie Hubby to his home town and as much as I feel like a complete bitch for thinking it but I find myself being really pissed off that he has friends and everyone that I know I know through him, We own our own business so I dont have a job that is seperate to him and my own group of mates which I am finding realy difficult being as I had a pretty good job in the Uk with a great bunch of people to work with and was a very independant person.

well had my whinge now so will get off, just dont think you are strange for feeling down, there are loads of us which is why this site is so great, we can all have a good ol moan to someone who understands


Cheers
Kala