Scrundlebunny

Been in oz 6 months and I love my new home, Ive got no intention of going back to England, but after 6 months I'm wondering.........how long does this "odd" feeling last?
Does anyone know the feeling I mean........

Why cant I watch a decent tv show, without ads
Why cant I express an opinion on the weather without people looking pitying and saying Ahhhh, you're not used to it are you
Why cant I walk down the street witthout feeling like I dont belong here
Why cant I just accept constant power outages and expensive computer connections and washing machines that dont wash - the aussies accept it all, why cant i?
Why do I burst into tears when all i've done is break a plate?
Why do my husband and me keep fighting over silly things?

Am i going mad or is this normal? Will i ever feel like this is really home?

ScuntoBris

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Scrundlebunny
Been in oz 6 months and I love my new home, Ive got no intention of going back to England, but after 6 months I'm wondering.........how long does this "odd" feeling last?
Does anyone know the feeling I mean........

Why cant I watch a decent tv show, without ads
Why cant I express an opinion on the weather without people looking pitying and saying Ahhhh, you're not used to it are you


Agreed on these, first one most annoying, the second, well, occassionally the thermostat does touch 40C in the UK, yes honest this does happen, and we love it. (very occassionally)

helinuk

Hello there,
ok to start with better say I'm stuck in uk-still at planning stages of oz move:-)
But I did move to the far east with 2 kids and a hubby who was constantly travelling. So I do know a bit about homesickness and culture shock!
I can understand what you are going through. You are going through a homesickness/ stress/culture shock from the move and settling in . Don't underestamate the effort you have put into moving. Be kind to yourself. Treat yourself to a special meal out or whatever feels like luxury to you. Can you join a club, do you work? Can you phone home to your friends or family with a phone card-its quite cheap.?
Perhaps there is someone from this forum who you can meet with?
You are not going mad, its normal for some people especially if they've not lived away from uk before. And Yes I think you will get over it and call oz your home. You've come to the right forum for help, there are some lovely friendly people here to chat to you.

janeyray

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Scrundlebunny
Why cant I watch a decent tv show, without ads

This won't chnage, you just have to get use to it or go without the tv
*****
Why cant I express an opinion on the weather without people looking pitying and saying Ahhhh, you're not used to it are you

Wait till it rains, you'll get 'oh I bet your use to this aren't you'!!
*****

Why cant I walk down the street witthout feeling like I dont belong here

It does become more 'familiar'
*****
Why cant I just accept constant power outages and expensive computer connections and washing machines that dont wash - the aussies accept it all, why cant i?

It's what you're use to back home, some times takes longer to adjust to change?
*****
Why do I burst into tears when all i've done is break a plate?

Why do my husband and me keep fighting over silly things?

Just the 'stress' of not being familiar in your new surroundings
*****

Will i ever feel like this is really home?

If you want it to be then it will feel like home in the end. You have to think to yourself " do I want this lifestyle and can I see myself living here forever, if the answer is yes, then you're half way there.

dotty

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Scrundlebunny
Been in oz 6 months and I love my new home, Ive got no intention of going back to England, but after 6 months I'm wondering.........how long does this "odd" feeling last?
Does anyone know the feeling I mean........

Why cant I watch a decent tv show, without ads
Why cant I express an opinion on the weather without people looking pitying and saying Ahhhh, you're not used to it are you
Why cant I walk down the street witthout feeling like I dont belong here
Why cant I just accept constant power outages and expensive computer connections and washing machines that dont wash - the aussies accept it all, why cant i?
Why do I burst into tears when all i've done is break a plate?
Why do my husband and me keep fighting over silly things?

Am i going mad or is this normal? Will i ever feel like this is really home?


Dont think anybody in the history of emigration ever got used to OZ TV

Give it some more time, then weigh it all up, we all have to come to that decision is there enough here thats better enough to want to stay? You'll work it out, you just need more time

Scrundlebunny

Wise words thanks people. I do phone home sometimes,but they all want to hear how great it is and i cant tell them how lost i feel.
janeyray i like the comment about the rain, but when it rained hard here last week the comment i got was "this is real rain, you wont have seen any like this before"! Cant win it seems!!!
I do work, but the people there are just interested in working with me and then going their separate ways - even the other girls there are very cliquey and wont invite me to their little nights out. cant really afford to go out and spend money, perhaps i need to try and find places we can go for free and see if hubby can start liking scenery instead of just sport.

i guess maybe it just needs more time, cos i really do want it to be home. As two of you who answered are moving back home, did you ever want it to be home or did you dislike oz from the start?

sky

Why cant I walk down the street witthout feeling like I dont belong here



Yes I feel like this and am hoping the feeling eventually goes away. Walking round the mall is awful too cos I dont have my mate with me to have a laugh and chat with as we shop and I look round me and it seems everybody is with somebody ... it can make you feel very isolated

bondipom

I don't think the feeling of home can be forced despite all the trying in the world. It will either come or it will always be elusive. Most of the other matters are trivial but your homesickness makes them feel otherwise. 6 months is a short amount of time in the grand scheme so you may get that feeling.

Give it a go but if these feelings carry on for another year then you should start thinking about going back home. Returning to the UK is not failure but a recognition that Australia is not working for you. At least you can say you tried. A lot of people find it hard to admit that Australia is not working for them and I think they get into emotional and relationship difficulties as a result.

Vegemite Kids

Trust me its not just OZ.

Felt like this when I first moved to germany,(after living/working in 13 different countries incl. France, Italy, Norway, Turkey, Hungary, Czech, Singapore, Taiwan, UAE , plus, plus, plus). 14 Countries later and I'm still nervous about moving back to OZ.

Good news is ...... it does get better. You DO learn to love the country you are living in. There are lots of things I'm going to miss about Germany. Equally there are lots of things I miss about the previous countries I have lived and worked in. (would love to go back to Milan if only I could get a visa).

having said that 24 years away from OZ and I'm still homesick. Will be interesting to see my reaction to getting back to OZ !!!!!

M

helinuk

I feel that in Woking !! no friends to shop with, no one who understands what its like to live overseas, I miss the Australian, American, and Asian foods that we got in Singapore.(Although Sainsburys does stock more than it used to) School friends ask my kids if singapore is in Hong Kong! When I returned to Singapore (and Australia) last November both countries felt comfortable -like home!
We're all different and adapt at a different rate. Bondipom has some good points re-trying a bit longer and if you really don't settle at least you tried
why not post a message about where you are and see if you can meet someone from here?

bondipom

Helinuk. The only decent food in Woking is curry. Funny how you miss the Oriental foods and we miss the Curries. At least in Woking London in 30 min by train away and Heathrow is a short bus ride.

jasper pentop

I am an Aussie living in UK for three years... and I can tell you I experience the exact same thing.
People at work still crack jokes and I dont get! I just dont have the pop-culture knowledge to ever fully appreciate whats goign on around me! ha.
You do get used to what you have at home, and it will always secretly be better.... ahhhh memories.
I have to say that after three years, I am now only just starting to fit in, loose the accent, get used to the weather, follow the entire plot of East Enders and so on!!!
The first six months are hard! But after a year you should be clear-sailing

Good Luck!

helinuk

yes I met with an old friend in London a couple of weeks ago cost £11.60 on the train mind you!!And with the new terrorist scare since Madrid we are advised to only go to LOndon for work !
Yes we enjoy the local curries here- Knaphill has the best curry restaurant...ought to go into the Asian shops in Woking to stock up on spices soon too! There's a chain of restaurants called Jim Thompson that does excellent Thai food - our nearest is Frimley so we went for our sons birthday:-)

MikeStanton

6 months is a very short time. Generally, it takes about 2 years to know whether you want to stay.


Perhaps the following may help:


- be positive. Everybody goes through an adjustment period. It starts with the Oz honeymoon, then there is friction as people try to adjust to their new country. You just don't see many of them posting on this forum when they are feeling down etc. - and people adjust at different rates. Generally, men adapt faster than women. It may be that your husband is more settled and can't understand why you are easily upset. Hopefully, things will settle down.

- stop comparing things with the UK. You have to accept Oz for its good and 'bad' points. OK, some things don't work as well etc. But, remind yourself the reasons that you emigrated in the first place. Oz is not 'the UK with sun' - it is a totally different culture.

- rationalise the things that annoy you and do something about them. OK, the Oz TV is poor. It's not going to change quickly (unless you get digital TV!), but you can do different things - eg hire a video, read more books, take up a hobby

- try and find some friends outside work. Look for, say, some evening courses.

Stick with it, kiddo!

podgypossum

Where in Oz do you live?

Maybe you could set up a network of contacts with people from this site. It has worked extemely well for those of us that have recently moved to Adelaide. Having the ability to chat to others in the same boat, and lean on each other on bad days is a great help.