Michwif

Ok here I am in Melbourne! beautiful country, friendly people, warm weather, nice house......can't stop bawling my eyes out. I have 3 kids----they love it -- Hubby ---- loves it!!
Is this normal? Of course meeting a Red back, a white tail and huntsman in one week was a bit unlucky, so was getting locked in my garage and injuring my back and elbow!!
I all honesty I didn't actually want to come here (ungrateful moobag I know I know!) I have friends who all but spat in my face when I told them our plans to move to Oz so many brits want to come!!
I want to love it so much but I am really struggling.
Please someone help!!! Tell me I'll wake one day humming waltzing matilda whilst burning shrimp on the barbie!! and not pining for a frozen windscreens, Ice on the train tracks, inadequate central heating and houses with more Xmas lights than National lampoons Christmas vacation !

How can anyone NOT love it here?

XXX
Mich

Amazulu

Australia is not for everyone.

jad n rich

No matter how much you love it or how long you stay, there will always be days when you simply want to be with someone or doing something elsewhere.

Spoke to my dad last night, painful or what, he was at home alone and saying how much he wished he could see the boys Only grandkids, another christmas without them, ohhhh the guilt, mind you my mother's letting me know about it, not even a card this year

Glasgowlass

You are perfectly normal! Try not to give yourself a hard time about loving it here straight away. You might find it'll grow on you slowly and there's nothing wrong with that. You've just moved to the other side of the world not trying out a new washing powder! If your really really unhappy after you've given it a fair shot then maybe a chat with your family is in order but for the minute it's okay to settle in slowly and see how you go. Best wishes to you. Use BE as your sounding board..it's a blessing in disguise!

Poppett44

You need some mates! I'm just down the road from you in Eltham and I have friends in Templestowe, Eltham, Diamond Creek etc.
I felt the same as you until I started meeting people.
I'm just off out to hubbys Christmas do but I'll pm you later and maybe after Christmas you'd like to meet up with some of us girls? we'll soon have you feeling better

TraceyW

Some people never suffer from it (lucky sods). Some suffer but get over it in time, others never lose it but learn to live with it and create a life in Australia that they enjoy. Other poor sods (se moi!) get lumbered with it big style despite working their backsides off trying to settle (3.5 years so far) and not quitting ....yet.

My advice is get out and about as much as you can, try not to mix with other homesicky people (negativity breeds negativaty) throw yourself into your new life. Keep in touch with home anyway possible, keep reminding yourself why you came, which, in the dark gloomy moments, is very hard to do.

Give yourself time, you've just made a huge change to your life, you're allowed to be unsettled. So, give yourself a break, cut yourself some slack woman! I hope it all works out for you here Good luck. xx

Michwif

Thank you peeps
Of course I'm typing and blubbing! This is Soooooooo not me I am the queen 'no Worries'.
Thank you Poppet44 what a star!
I have met a few people through my girls school who are great but maybe I just need to adjust.
Me and hubby agree that that maybe we should have stayed in the UK until after Xmas then moved. We had no idea we'd be moving house let alone country last Xmas so we did not make a big thing of it! It all happened fairly quickly so I suppose I'll need time.

XXX
Mich

Hunsletlad

Hello

I've been here (Oz) forever - well, over 40 yrs and I occassionally miss the UK - but this is my home. I went back for a visit in 1985, and after about 2 weeks I was homesick - for here.

You say your kids and hubby love it here - do you possibly think that you are being a little bit left out of the social life? not like the UK is it? No 5 minute trips to visit mum or sister.

It takes a bit of getting used to - you will eventually develop a new set of friends (as long as they're not a collection of whingeing poms!) and feel as though you actually belong.

"Homesickness" is a real malady - one of the English Cricket team ( trescothingymibob, quit the tour last year and went home because of it) - but if you have the support of your immediate family and a positive outlook, you'll be OK.

It's a great place to live ( apart from the politicians and the weather and the economy and the immigrants and the taxes and the bloody ads on the TV - sound like anywhere you once lived??)


Les

verystormy

Well, as someone looking to move over there (and despratatly counting off the days), i can maybe give you a few things to make you feel happier.#
1) Its freezing cold today with thick fog
2) The papers / news are full of stories about how the economy is going down the pan
3) Crime is going through the roof and barely a day goes by where there isnt another teenage shot / stabbed
4) Did i mention it freezing

quoll

Hang in there! Getting involved with things happening in the community is a good way to get to know other people and broaden your horizons. Try a voluntary job or community work or something. Do try and get some exercise in - join a gym or a fitness class. Keep a diary about how things are going for you and you will see that things are getting better day by day.

You have already done the hard yards with your spider experiences - chances are you wont see another red back for yonks!

It may be that you never get over the homesickness but you can live with it. I've been here 29 years and my homesickness is chronic and increasing as I come to terms with the fact that I will not be able to go home to live ever again. However, it is possible to manage from day to day and convince the rest of the world that you have it covered! Yesterday was my mum's 84th birthday and she will never see her gt granddaughter - I am sure she really feels that. Those sort of things are always going to have an impact on how you feel about being here.

moneypenny20

First off how you're feeling is normal for lots of people so relax. You're not mad Secondly work out what you're sick for. Home? If your nearest and dearest are with you, you're home. (in my opinion anyway.) Family? Not much you can do to be honest. Some people find phoning them makes life even harder than before so if you're ringing or msning a lot maybe cut back a bit (not completely just a bit). Britain? Get out and about and explore your surroundings. You'd be surprised how much beautiful scenery there is around. Find somewhere that's stunning but unlike anything the UK has to offer.

Your life is an experience - enjoy it. If it ends up not working, don't sweat it, work it out step by step. Christmas can be hard for loads of people. If you've only just arrived it will be harder still. In a couple of weeks you may (will) feel very differently.

shiels

Hi Mich.......

Been here 6 months now and still homesick, well peoplesick really TBH.
Dont miss the UK at all just family and friends. I work part time to try and help, which is has to a degree as I dont have as much time to think about 'home'.

Take each day at a time and try to focus on why the 'move' was made in the first place, well that's what I'm trying to do anyway.

Good luck, C x

furkew

I can understand your feelings, I had the same many years ago when I first left the UK to live abroad, and I have always thought that it is most difficult for the wives to relocate. The men have work and their mates, the kids have school and their new friends, but its often difficult for the wives because they are at home thinking about "home"

Have a look on britvics, the site for Melbourne expats, and maybe try to hook up for a meet, or just chat with locals. Hopefully it will help.

http://s7.invisionfree.com/BritVics/index.php?act=idx

One of the britvic members is having a xmas day get together for fellow expats this crimbo, maybe its worth looking into.

Its going to be our first xmas here as well, and trust me, we have had some real hurdles thrown in our path in the last 4 months. 3 moves in 4 months, bike accident, bereavments back home etc etc but we are still positive that we have made the right move.

Try to look on the positive side as well as the negative side. Its true that emigrating is not for everybody, but the world isnt that big anymore with todays technology, so you don't have to lose contact with friends & family, and try to think back, why did you as a family decide to make the move in the first place ?

Dont know about humming waltzing matilda, but at work they can always find me because I spend all day whistling tunes while working, which I never did before we moved out

Any help I can offer, just drop me a PM,

Paul.

Eastend Girl

I was thinking when I started reading through this thread that it's the time of year and now you've said it
Christmas is the worst time for missing people back home. Homesickness comes and goes - I've been here for 11 years now and to be honest I wasn't homesick at all for the first two but I went home then to visit my Mother (as I promised I would when I left) and that was the start of the homesickness for me! It comes and goes Mich am sure you'll have lots of positive days ahead and as you settle in more and meet more people.

marvinc

Good advice, totally agree - best wishes to you Mich