Originally Posted by monkeyc

We are still in Oz as the company I work for offered me a rescue package move to Sydney! Back to civilisation (That's right, I don't work in mining or the trades!)

Trouble now is that Mrs Monkeyc prefers Perth - sometimes you just can't win eh?

Originally Posted by monkeyc

First time I have reviewed this thread since March - quite surprised it carried as far as it has!

To this poster, and all the other's having a go at me as some sort of whinger you missed the point! I actually like Australia and Australians a hell of a lot - and by the end of this month I am going to be one!

That post was not all about me and my family...it was commenting on experiences drawn on many ex - pats I met after moving to Perth (the plumber, the gas fitter, the painter...all REAL people!).

With regards to the mortgage thing - well everyone's situation is different, my comment was meant for peeps to consider the implication of moving back if you don't settle and the housing markets move against you, most commentators seem to think Oz is even more heavily overvalued than the UK right now. As it turned out we were among the fortunate ones buying in Perth 2 yrs ago (and even then I thought the bubble was about to burst)!

Would you want to be trapped in a place you were unhappy in just because you are "mortgage free"? I would point out that most of your story describes how we saw our situation before we left too.

We are still in Oz as the company I work for offered me a rescue package move to Sydney! Back to civilisation (That's right, I don't work in mining or the trades!)

Trouble now is that Mrs Monkeyc prefers Perth - sometimes you just can't win eh?

Originally Posted by monkeyc

Hi All,

Just browsing through some of the posts here..the level of desperation to get that visa takes me back to when we went through all this in '03/'04.

Is UK plc such a bad place? Nah it's just different - nowhere is perfect.

We have been in Perth for 2 years now..the first six months were great - beaches, sunshine, etc, etc all the stuff you imagine enjoying when you are at the point most folks in this group appear to be. When the novelty wears off (oh yes it will - this is not a holiday) at least one of you will likely start to miss stuff you currently take for granted. If you have family here that will obviously be a help, but there are a lot of late 30's/early 40's Brits here that have taken the plunge 10 years too late and find themselves with a very difficult path back.

Examples?

Take an experienced gas fitter or plumber that had all the right ticks on the TRA assessment then finds once here that he can't work in the trade without undergoing a 2 year apprenticeship. (some of them end up driving courier vans or similar to survive - nothing wrong with that but it's not what they came here for)

Electrician? Similar story.

Painter? That's also a registered profession here chum - don't think you can just buy a van and get going as a contractor.

Quality of life is a subjective thing - is it having a pool in the back garden and living near the beach? Or is it having a dinner party with the friends you have spent half a lifetime with, a night out on the town with the boys/girls now and again, being able to drop the kid's off at your mum's place at the drop of a hat - don't even think about what your first Christmas will feel like, I haven't met an expat here that actually enjoys Christmas here even after many years - some of you will certainly be begging for Jan 2nd to come around so that you can forget about it for another year!

Many will end up sitting on the end of the bed, head in hands thinking "what the hell have we done!" (I thought it was just me until I confessed this to other ex-pats here)

Of course you won't want to hear this sort of stuff when you have spent a small fortune with DIMIA - 2 years ago I didn't either. No matter how much research you think you have done it will not be enough - there will be things you did not count on.

If you have spent good money on this and are determined to give it a go here's one tip above all others

DONT SELL THE HOUSE UNLESS YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO!

Refinance and/or rent it out if you can (remember UK interest is currently lower than AUS) - that's what an Aussie going to the UK would likely do! If you still love it here after the novelty wears off you could sell up a couple of years down the line - if you don't you would have your HOME to go back to (i.e. not just a house)

Australia is a beautiful place to spend time (I have visited various parts of WA, Sydney and Melbourne since emigrating) but remember most things you will gain will eventually be balanced against what you are leaving behind.

The scales may not tip the way you think!

Good Luck All!

John

Originally Posted by monkeyc

Hi All,

Just browsing through some of the posts here..the level of desperation to get that visa takes me back to when we went through all this in '03/'04.

Is UK plc such a bad place? Nah it's just different - nowhere is perfect....John

Originally Posted by paka

Lets take of those rose tinted glasses for the u.k returners as well.
Real life for the average working family.work Mon-Fri 8-5, set of in the dark, and wet and cold weather.8mths of the yr, the other 4 mths sick you have to go in work, as not usually good weather ,earn an average of £450 a week of which you spend £50 on petrol £150 on mortgage. £50 on bills , £80 on shopping £50 on all relevant insurances £20 cigarettes £30 on council tax.there goes one wage, haven't paid for bus fare for school or children's fun yet.or car finance. or to save for the two week holiday to travel to the sun , to sit with sundowners and wish every day was like that.
call in Morrison's served by someone that only just understands English, call in garage, again man behind counter not english. put tv on , TV depressing eastenders again ,go to dvd shop spend £10 who again are not english, to entertain are selves. as its raining so even if you did wont to do something free, its stopped, and if you could go for walk, gangs of youths, put fear of god in you ,so you dont.so you go to amusements were again , nothing but European people, work and hang out.(This is a place were i and all my friends hung out as kids, now we carnt even take are kids with out feeling out of place).Saturday comes. set out shopping , 1 new top, few bits, call at Morrison's ,petrol, there goes £60 ,set out for a night out , couple of drinks in town , served only by non speaking english,Hey Spent another £50 , sunday arrives dark and drizzly ,so go out for sunday dinner £40 , children go to cinema £20 , monday morning start of with dark day , traffic , petrol, lunch money, bus money, shopping, £30.
come home , bin men not took one black bin bag as it was stuck out of the top of wheelie bin,so went to the tip, asian asked for a permit for that vehicle (pick up).go home open mail to be told daughter has to appeal for her school placement, as over subscribed, but can offer alternative school of which the brochure on the school says the school has redeemed its bad reputation and is now a SAFE & Secure place of learning,that says it all.try to make appointment to see my doctor(asian), two days time , i phone next home shopping and speak with a woman in bangladesh. then i phone Barclays bank , i then say to the asian speaking woman, oh are you in bangladesh now aswell, she says no in leeds.
Yes the U.K has its good points like any other country , and when on a dry weekend you go to the lake district, and have a walk and
then sit looking at the pleasant scenery it to can be nice. but Usually due to the weather 8 mths of the yr nothing in the u.k that is good is free.and if it is the europeans have got there.
so it looks like most places in the world are becoming the same, so might as well try it somewhere else.
Same sh-- and all that , just with sunshine and less people.

Originally Posted by monkeyc

Hi All,

Just browsing through some of the posts here..the level of desperation to get that visa takes me back to when we went through all this in '03/'04.

Is UK plc such a bad place? Nah it's just different - nowhere is perfect.

We have been in Perth for 2 years now..the first six months were great - beaches, sunshine, etc, etc all the stuff you imagine enjoying when you are at the point most folks in this group appear to be. When the novelty wears off (oh yes it will - this is not a holiday) at least one of you will likely start to miss stuff you currently take for granted. If you have family here that will obviously be a help, but there are a lot of late 30's/early 40's Brits here that have taken the plunge 10 years too late and find themselves with a very difficult path back.

Examples?

Take an experienced gas fitter or plumber that had all the right ticks on the TRA assessment then finds once here that he can't work in the trade without undergoing a 2 year apprenticeship. (some of them end up driving courier vans or similar to survive - nothing wrong with that but it's not what they came here for)

Electrician? Similar story.

Painter? That's also a registered profession here chum - don't think you can just buy a van and get going as a contractor.

Quality of life is a subjective thing - is it having a pool in the back garden and living near the beach? Or is it having a dinner party with the friends you have spent half a lifetime with, a night out on the town with the boys/girls now and again, being able to drop the kid's off at your mum's place at the drop of a hat - don't even think about what your first Christmas will feel like, I haven't met an expat here that actually enjoys Christmas here even after many years - some of you will certainly be begging for Jan 2nd to come around so that you can forget about it for another year!

Many will end up sitting on the end of the bed, head in hands thinking "what the hell have we done!" (I thought it was just me until I confessed this to other ex-pats here)

Of course you won't want to hear this sort of stuff when you have spent a small fortune with DIMIA - 2 years ago I didn't either. No matter how much research you think you have done it will not be enough - there will be things you did not count on.

If you have spent good money on this and are determined to give it a go here's one tip above all others

DONT SELL THE HOUSE UNLESS YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO!

Refinance and/or rent it out if you can (remember UK interest is currently lower than AUS) - that's what an Aussie going to the UK would likely do! If you still love it here after the novelty wears off you could sell up a couple of years down the line - if you don't you would have your HOME to go back to (i.e. not just a house)

Australia is a beautiful place to spend time (I have visited various parts of WA, Sydney and Melbourne since emigrating) but remember most things you will gain will eventually be balanced against what you are leaving behind.

The scales may not tip the way you think!

Good Luck All!

John

Originally Posted by Devonly

Good point-many of these people forget that if a family earns less than £50 000-70 000 per annum in the UK life is a hellish struggle-getting work-for a good salary- isnt that easy, and lets face it people are expected to work damn hard in the UK too.

Originally Posted by Devonly

Good point-many of these people forget that if a family earns less than £50 000-70 000 per annum in the UK life is a hellish struggle-getting work-for a good salary- isnt that easy, and lets face it people are expected to work damn hard in the UK too.

Originally Posted by Australia_bound?

Sorry but you really are generalising. £50,000 a family or a hellish struggle "my arse".
What evidence do you have to back this up. Some areas of the UK the average household income is way less than £50,000.
But then again if you have to have a shallow lifestyle, were you need shop 27/7 I suppose less than £70,000 a year would be shear hell

Originally Posted by Australia_bound?

Sorry but you really are generalising. £50,000 a family or a hellish struggle "my arse".
What evidence do you have to back this up. Some areas of the UK the average household income is way less than £50,000.
But then again if you have to have a shallow lifestyle, were you need shop 27/7 I suppose less than £70,000 a year would be shear hell