TopCat3

I think it might have been me that said that somewhere on another thread, Louise, about nostalgia for my youth, which happened to be in England. Also my first years here were fantastic, now I sort of seem to be in limbo and working all hours at several casual jobs and not really able to feel happy and settled in anything. Need to re-find my life's course. Feel my compass is sort of spinning round at the moment. I have 19years history here which is enough time to have some roots, memories etc etc and about 14yrs working-life history in UK plus schooldays so ...you know...I wouldn't want my UK life back but I guess parents passing on in last few years etc tends to invoke nostalgia and a sense of where-do-I-go-from-here. Some disappointment at the way some things are changing here too, it's not the Sydney I fell in love with and came to back then, but also I'm not the person that came here back then either. I guess I'm just coming to a new level as I reached a milestone age in life a few years back and am still coming to terms with what that means. Another year rolls round on Friday, more I'm beginning to ramble, sorry folks I miss the British humour which is why I kept coming back to BE after I stumbled across it by accident. So thanks for the everyone. OH God Friday's coming :scared:

JackTheLad

Don't know about that. Today has been my first day that it was cold enough to wear a rugby shirt, so I stuck on my Scotland rugby shirt, people have been smiling and talking to me all day. God, I started to wish I could take it off, even the guy in the bottle shop had a daughter at Edinburgh Uni

Bayside Bribane is full of expats, and Ormiston is apparently settled by Scots, after the first bloke who built a sugar factory here, Louis Hope, named the place after the family house in Scotland on the Forth river, cos, the view from Ormiston reminded him of the view from his stately home in Scotland.

See, I can be informative, and at the same time boring,

But the point is, we meet a shocking amount of Scots around here at the local shops, and everyone was talking to me today cos of my damn Scottish rugby shirt.

Cheers,
JTL

jc_hoops

Very Interesting to see the different reasons for staying in Aus, or going back. Out of the replies on this thread, and on the other "Going Back section", the one thing that stands for me as a main issue, is the reason for leaving Britain in the first place.

Now, my personal feeling is that this country has had it, bad schooling, European state, lack of respect amongst youth, etc, etc. Again these are my personal reasons, and I don't want this to change this into a "rose tinted specs thing" and "we have all that crap here" thread, what I'm trying to say, is that if you leave a place because you feel that it has so many negatives, than that might make the transition easier.

Lets face it, if you have left Britain, but were quite happy where you lived, close to family etc, then how the hell is going to Aus going make life any better ? It would be interesting to see if anyone on this Forum has gone to Aus/NZ having hated Britain, and ended up going back because the absence made them release that it was not so bad after all ?

Anyway mate, good luck with your decision. Personally, I think that six months is to soon ,but I'm sure I will get a roasting for saying that - personal choice and all that stuff. Way I look at it, six months in the grand scheme of life, is such a short period of time to try and make a life changing decision, especially after spending all that time trying to get there.

Merlot

No matter how many people answer your question, at the end of the day it is all down to what makes you happy.

Came back to the UK in March 2004, the only strong tie that keeps me here is my family and friends, apart from that to be honest I would just travel and work around the world (mind hubby would not come or should that be ). But this is just little old me! I want to pack as much in as I am possible before I pop me clogs!

That is it really, no hard and fast rules. As far as the Returing to the UK Forum, it has its place, they are not all bitter and twisted. I found some great support and advice on my return back to the UK. The same amount of nutters as you get on here really Just have to remember a lesson I have just learned about respecting others feelings.

Good luck
Merlot

scrawni

I agree Merlot. Taking a look at both forum's can offer a balanced view of all the feeling and emotions aswell as pratical matters that come with such a big move.

Yes, there are a few posts from very sad and homesick members
on there but they play a very important role themselves. If you are feeling like that then it helps a great deal to talk to people who find themselves in a similar position.


How many come back? I have no idea! I guess it depends on what you want out of life and what is important to you.

Mandy

Pants

I also agree with Merlot and Scrawni and sadly the comment made by 2 previous posters about whingers etc in the moving back forum may only really apply to a few. It's like history repeating itself on this forum...the "them" and "us" situation. I just thank god those posters who are so judgemental about people moving back or being homesick aren't my mates !!!Makes me realise why some of these people moved to the other side of the world..!!!

Try not to judge we are all entitled to live in our choice of country. !

Still enough about them....Have a good read in both forums. There are some excellent posters in both who have many experiences to share. Get yourself a big glass of beer or wine and enjoy the read !

numbers

The above is absolutely true, so many people dont realise this!! good point Louise

wombat42

l agree with 3 legs on this one. It seems a couple of people who regularly post on the ' returning to Uk forum' have jumped aboard this thread as a chance to spread their negative vibes about OZ. Maybe we do wear rose tinted glasses up here on the OZ forum , but thats the way we like it

sackofspuds

One thing I suggest you do is to examine in detail what you meant by "a better life". I expect you had some specific reasons. Perhaps it's time to look at each reason in turn. You may find that when you get down to specifics things are better.

I first went to Oz to visit my grandmother who emigrated in the 60s. I then went in the 80s on a year's working holiday when I was young, free and single. My mother and stepfather then emigrated. I did the same in the early 90s with my then girlfriend now wife. We returned mainly because we felt we had more family ties in the UK and we wanted to settle down and have kids. We were in Sydney, my mother in Adelaide, so we didn't see her much.

We got married and had kids. Both our fathers died. We don't see that much of my wife's mother and sister etc; 130 miles away. So one big reason for returning has changed and didn't work out the way we thought it would.

My mother and stepfather are still in Adelaide and that is the major draw in perhaps going back there; no way would I bother, despite both my wife and our kids having citizenship, if it wasn't for the family support we have there.

Of course, kids aren't kids forever. One major draw with the UK are the cheap breaks in Europe we could perhaps have once our kids are older.

bondipom

What is stranger is those that haven't even left Oz who spend time in there. What purpose could that be for?

jad n rich

Ridiculous to say those on the UK fourm are bitter and twisted, read it, some of the most calm rational debate on the forum. Some very real stuff is discussed in a mature and open way compared to some of the tat that goes on on in other sections. And the posters are from UK US Canada NZ not just OZ, usually highly informative, I guess that comes being people who really have lived (not imagnined) both sides of the coin.

The main bitter and twisted bit comes from a few living in OZ and claiming to absolutely love it, yet they spend ages on the UK fourm trying to convince people how wrong they are

It would be a worthwhle read for anyone emigrating anywhere. Some of the insights into what its really like are brilliant, I admire people who sum it up so well.

sackofspuds

I've only checked it out a few times but I agree, it should be compulsory reading for anyone who decides to emigrate on the strength of a TV programme or similar.

I guess many people dip into this forum before they leave for some info then go on to lead happy lives in Oz, never returning here.

One other point I feel I should mention is that there must be many others who would like to return to the UK but after, say, 10 years, the discrepancy in house prices means it's not a practical proposition.

Finally, if you're plannning to emigrate and have dependents, you really do need to look very carefully at your job prospects, particularly if you're not a tradesperson. It's easy to underestimate just how much smaller the Australian economy is than the UK one, especially in the minor State capitals.

moneypenny20

Sorry guys but this is how words get put in people's mouths that haven't been said and it really annoys me. Just did a quick search of this thread (sad I know). 3legs mentioned "some are bitter" " . No one has said that people on "returning" are "bitter and twisted" until Merlot said they are not all like that and then you said the phrase.

If you read the whole thread quickly it comes over that everyone else has bad mouthed the returning guys. Read it slowly and everybody is saying they have their place and help others.

wombat42

Why does'nt anyone answer the question" How many have gone and come back" what are the numbers or the statistics. l am sure the majority decide to stay on in OZ because they find they have a better quality of life down here.

Geordie George

Just thought I'd offer a different perspective on this, because a lot of people don't leave the UK for the 'push' factors, but rather for the 'pull' factors that Aus offers; their reasons for leaving in the first place.

Personally, I don't think that thinking of a place negatively makes the transition to a new place easier. Trying to ignore the rose tinted specs and 'we have that here' is unrealistic. Because when you're here, you realise that all the negatives about Britain are also true of Aus and that you develop rose tinted specs for the UK - particularly when homesickness or (to borrow a term from Bix da Boss) peoplesickness kicks in. I think that accepting that the places are different might help more. I believe that trying to view one place or another in a negative light puts even more pressure on yourself to view where you are in an artificially positive light.

Mr GG and I were happy in the UK. We enjoyed our life and our lifestyle there. We didn't move to Aus to make our lives better, just to experience a different life. We have never expected our move to Aus to be forever, mainly because we feel that would add pressure and that we'd have to enjoy living here. As it is, we've moved to Aus and may stay or may not. Going home will not be a failure, because staying wasn't the ultimate goal.

I do think you're right about giving it time though. When it gets difficult is when it gets interesting.

Tinman, good luck with whatever you decide to do. Use all the forums to sound off your ideas and feelings.

GG