ozzieeagle

Yes I would agree with that for sure. In fact for families I'm very confident that Aus, with its educational focus on socialization is a far better prospect.

I was talking from a purely selfish or personal point of view, as to where I am at my point in Life. I doubt if my 8 year old would be better off there. However my 21 year old born and bred aussie daughter is living in London, and has a damn good job, and is moving forwards, and is probably heaps better off there.


It's all about where you are in your life. My advice would be, not to consider a move a permanent move. I think that this mode or moving back and forth will become more prevelant in the future.

BadgeIsBack

Ozzie, like what you say and agree with you. I'm looking forward to dropping in on the Uk every few years say 3 or 4. As we are financially ahead in Australia that might become easier as the years go by.

Its good to 'check nav'.

But I'm glad we got married, got a house, started a family here and not in the UK.

Sandra

UK has a lot of my history, my knowledge and my family - Being an immigrant is hard work at times and lonely.

I have been here five years, Australian Citizens and very pleased to be. Hubby fairly settled and we have a good life but we did in the UK too and it has possibly taken three/four years to get back to the same sort of stability of income - and now I am being made redundant

We have had many ups and downs, the worse seem to be around my homesickness which I have not managed to shake. I sort this by travelling back every year, which I am lucky to be able to save and do but takes a chunk out of the four weeks holiday here. Hubby's father died last December and he missed being there with him by 2 hrs - I am one person who thinks this 'it's only 24 hrs' is just complete shite. It is nearly 12,000 miles and very costly to do in flight prices and paid time off work if not planned. I cannot be there for the majority of my families lifes events so I have to live with that but it does drag me down at times.

Son 16 and in final year 12 is not sure what to do - I believe he will be travelling back to the UK either before or after Uni, we hope after as I think he will stay in Europe for quite awhile once he goes. Daughter 14 and in year 9 is working hard at long last as her goal is to get decent year 10 school certificate results as we promised her she could go to school in the UK for A levels if she had all fives and sixes in year 10! Obviously at this age things can change and I hope this will so she can feel happy wherever she is.

Hubby and I will be planning to move house when they go and not tell them where we live Might as well plan around our kids being 12000 miles from us.

Our goal is to be able to get to fifty ish and take life a little more easily, move out of Sydney and do the move further up the coast. (Take some money and run) I want to spend a few years back in Europe before then and will be using this opportunity of work change to see what is available.

themerlin

Been here over 5 years now (wow).

Reading some of the posts it seems that people are in holiday mode for the first few weeks even months, they convert prices into pounds so they think everything is really cheap.

Then reality hits home when they start to earn AUD

NickyC

I've lived here for over 27 years now, came here on my own for a year, and then decided to stay so didn't really migrate as such. Have never felt homesick and have never wanted to live in the UK again. Met and married my (English) husband here.

We have two sons, both born here, who've had a fantastic education and are both now at Uni. I hope that they'll both travel and live in the UK (for a while at least) so that they can appreciate both countries.

We've been very lucky with real estate and have a good house in a great beachside area. Fantastic shopping around here with everything anyone could possibly need. Day-to-day living is easy and laid-back, despite being close to the centre of Sydney.

We've had a few holidays back in the UK and whilst I enjoy being there for short periods, the longer I live here obviously the more 'foreign' it feels back there. I would like an extended holiday there one day - probably be a retirement thing - so we can explore a few places we've never been to and do the sorts of things it's impossible to do when you're limited to school holidays with the kids, but I would NEVER live there permanently.

Pollyana

Don't like my life, like the potential my life has. Never had holiday mode, job hunting the day I landed.

Came here 3.5 yrs back to marry an Aussie. He has seen all he wants to see of Aus, done the beaches, wants to stay indoors and watch TV. I want to see more of my new home, see the sea, meet up with my new friends. He wins, cos we are a couple and so I go along with what he wants - doesn't feel right always going out without him.

My life has the potential to be really good Don't think I'll ever achivee it though.

Best advice to anyone - come here as a family unit, and grasp every chance to explore and experience the country.

BadgeIsBack

The point that both Sandra and Nicky make about regular visits is that a bit of financial independence helps(!) I'm hoping, alongside other things that international flights will come down and that in 10 years time it might get cheaper to fly to Europe. (We've got 10 years to get through primary and achieve more financial freedom - and alot happens in 10 years) This is more for the sake of it than anything else - and cos I can - not to settle any demons. I might even end up having a bit of a chuckle.

Pollyanna has a point I think about family units. One point I tend to touch lightly on is that my wife's family are in North America and so she always expected to be away from family as she can't live there permanently but loves her annual trip. I love the fact we can travel through the US as a stopver as a result as I find elements of the US quite fun - for a short while. I would never have asked her to come to Australia otherwise, frankly. My parents are aging and don't have cars/money etc to manage trips to where we would probably live in the UK in any case so we both sort of 'fled' as refugees if that makes sense, and we quite like doing it alone at times.

KatieStar

We have been here for nearly two years. My hubby has found it easier to settle than me. I had a bad period of homesickness, and if I had of had the money I would have gone back to the UK again.

It took me a while but I now feel settled and happy here. We had a lovely day sunday, just taking our little boy to the local park, then a bbq in the evening. I feel very fortunate to live in such a beautiful country. I can sit out in the backyard for ages listening to the birds, and looking at the gum trees.

Katie

denver

There much more to Australia than empty sunny beaches. There is much more to the UK than green countryside and olde worlde villages. There is lots to see in the UK but also heaps to see in Australia too.

Sandra

Big big smilie symbol..............can I have some of what you are on

I feel very fortunate to live in such a beautiful country. I can sit out in the backyard for ages listening to the birds, and looking at the gum trees.

...............please

now shoot me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

KatieStar

You should move to Queensland. Might make you chill out a bit.

Pollyana

Nothing chilly about Qld unfortunately, except the feeling I get when I think about going back there next week.......