hantsfamily1

Made me chuckle.

I like this forum for its diversity and different opinions and some of the passion people write with is excellent.

Where ever you end up in the world you can either make it or break it. Some people are born to moan about everything and some are born to enjoy everything. Personally I enjoy everything and make good things happen.

Life is tough all over the world right now but I am having a great time in Australia, new challenges, new experiences, got a boat and do completely different things now. When it gets tiresome I will find another new pursuit and there is plenty to choose from over here.

chris and farideh

For us been very stressful as hubby works much longer hours than we could even imagined we had to do loads of moving around, 3 states for the family & 4 for hubby. But hopefully we are here to stay & not do any moving around. If I knew this is what was in store for us would I have done it, the answer would have been no, but as we left UK for better opportunity as in job wise I would say yes, for my hubby his current job is fantastic but has worn us out to get to it.

eddie007

Australia has a lot to offer... Depends on your personal wants and needs as to whether its a heaven or a living hell. And whether what it offers is what you want....

We like a simple life, relaxed and with as little stress as possible... Hubby wants time to do stuff like fish n motorcycle around the country side, we wanted our kids to grow up with less pressure from numerlus sources... And to be relatively safe whilst they are doing it...

Australia has given us all this and more...

We have made some fab friends here... And are both lucky to have great jobs where we are appreciated and we feel happy.... The kids are happy at school (now mumbles is in an educational support unit) ....

We still have bills to pay and housework to do, but we dont have money worries and we arent working ourselves into early graves... We have plenty of time to enjoy ourselves and as a family we do so much more together...

We are the lucky immigrants to the lucky country

HelenTD

There are plenty of places in the UK to get a buzz, without having to live in London.

Amazulu

Same for Australia

Deancm_MKII

Moving to Australia is a bit like a relationship. When you first arrive it is new and exciting; an adventure. The longer you stay the more you realise that you really want a divorce... (or slit your wrists)

eddie007

Some relationships stand the test of time... 22years with HIM and I feel like doing neither of the above... And its still pretty damned exciting... When we can get rid of the kids for a few hours... Or even ten minutes when we're desparate...

Turban Explorer

Or when it comes down to the nitty gritty just close your eyes and imagine your somewhere else.

Cheetah7

I can go a long with that Eddie, Mr PP and I love our lives here - we get citizenship in 9 months and cannot wait and fully intend to have a party. We still get accused of rose tint syndrome despite of everything we have been through here.

Our marriage is actually stronger, we see more of each other, go out more together, have tried new things - the very thought of living back in the UK makes me feel sick, not that there is anything wrong with the UK but we just no longer fit there, our lives fit here and it just works for us.

We still have heaps more to see and do, discover and I cannot wait. Actually one of our plans is to save up and travel on a train across Australia - Indian Pacific or whatever it is called.

If I could have an extra couple of days in my week to do what I want to do then I would be happy, I have shit loads of plans and I am excited about my future here because all the dreams I had in the UK, were hard to achieve as my dreams involve media which can be a closed shop in the UK, I remember bending over backwards just to do film extra work just to get near the camera, but now I am at studying at media college here - I seem to be given more of a fair go - I like the 'its not what you know, but who you know' and I have met some creative, inspiring people that are helping me and have already had work experience with a film producer and getting help with my writing and doing my treatment for my major documentary project.

For Mr PP and I, the best of our lives began when we moved here, I dont care if it is cheesy, and the 'doom and gloomers' can accuse me of rose tint spec syndrome but we know ourselves, we know our lives and we know what we have now - and that is what matters.

I am very sorry for anyone who is unhappy here and stuck but IMO, for us it is a case of a stronger marriage, better life for us - bring on citizenship.

Buzzy--Bee

Same for us, gee that time went by quickly, it doesn't seem 4 years ago that you were in Northolt and we were in Ruislip....

That is one of the most sensible riposts to "UK is better/Aus is better" that I have ever heard, WE JUST NO LONGER FIT THERE....so true, we move on, different things and places are right at different times in our lives...

BB

BadgeIsBack

I've always reasoned that you are one of the posters that represents an attitude that crosses over into Australia well. I could name and shame posters who are going to do well - who represent a cross-section of interests.

The longer I have been on this board the more I realise that people need to future-proof their migration. If people can afford to move close to that city life then it's all good - and noone says you have to live anywhere for ever. We've realised it was a bit of luck we did move 50mins from Melbourne rather than say 2 hours from Sydney. It is important.

But some people I feel might trap themselves in country when they want city.

And others trap themselves in a nation. But now is probably the time to go back...

BadgeIsBack

True.

The thing I remember is that there are parts of the UK that are very bland but not very far from the non-bland.

There are breathtaking places in the UK - but move 20mins away and you'll find yourself on an Barratt estate where the people leaved school at 16 and watch Corrie from behind their net curtains and 3 bed semis where the front door is a trifle close to the staircase...where the Daily Mail or Express lands on the front mat.. where the countryside is overgrown and rather wind-swept - and yes, the winters do appear long and the south Terminal at Gatwick beckons...I sometimes see these people on 'real life' documentaries and they are bland - at least, as far as I can tell. I'm not sure I prefer these people over suburban Australians, in fact, I don't.

It's all relative...

Bix

Diluting expectation with discovery would help a great deal.

Don't live in a place until you arrive.

BadgeIsBack

Dean - can you substantiate this - and tell us why you personally feel this way?
Comments like this tend to be left hanging in the air?

And the reasons you give might have people saying - 'Well I could have told you that'...

Turban Explorer

In many ways the discussion is almost irrelevant as unless you have a very good job lined up and no intentions to use any sterling savings/equity to buy property in Australia (unless you are prepared for a significant downsize) you can't afford to be here anyway right now.