Originally Posted by pazza

Hi iPom,

That is absolutely shocking !!
How any parent could do that is beyond me. But i'm a great believer in what goes around comes around, and for their sake, they want to hope they don't need your help, cos i hope you'd tell them where to go.

Originally Posted by halcyon 52

The big house e.t.c will not make you happy anywhere in the world, happiness comes from within yourself :)

Originally Posted by iPom

I don't think it will make you happy, but it will certainly help. I appreciate Australian architecture a whole heap after living in a little Victorian cottage! :D

Originally Posted by halcyon 52

I live in a smallish semi and it is one of the attractions I must admit but not the right reason to emmigrate. :)

Originally Posted by Australia_bound?

Tell you what you must have some journey to work!!! £50 petrol what you driving lol.
Have to say I live in the eutopia bit of Utopia of UK if that's what you have to put up with. Hopefully you won't take the pesssmistic view of everything in Aus or you'll be miserable there too ;) and will have moved for nothing!

Originally Posted by halcyon 52

I think its good to see the good posts about Oz and the negative posts also.
At the end of the day most sensible thinking people will make their own mind up about wether or not to emmigrate and will not be swayed by a post.
I thought the op was quite good and it does make you think how you might feel.
As said before with a gain there usually comes a loss and the op is just stating his own feelings.
The big house e.t.c will not make you happy anywhere in the world, happiness comes from within yourself :)

Originally Posted by Vash the Stampede

Well said. :)

If you're a miserable bastard, it won't matter which country you're in; you'll still be a miserable bastard. :cool:

Originally Posted by methuselah

Darling hubby has a bee in his bonnet about Australia and how wonderful it is. He's been accepted to go but I'm staying firmly put and my children too - I've got family here that I just won't leave. So, I said, go then. He's never been before, not even for a holiday. So we're selling up, he'll be off to Oz and a wonderful life (so he says), I'll have my smaller house here with the children, and he reckons he'll see them over there during school holidays. He reckons the weather's great, everyone loves each other, the houses are huge, the salaries are big, he'll have a swimming pool, a paddock for the horses he'll get the girls when they visit, a wonderful job/business, etc....
What can I tell him to make him see that the grass isn't always greener on the other side, and that he stands to lose everything that really matters? I call Oz the 'family breaking country'. Even my sister and her family are off there later this year, for a 'much better life'. Why are some people, including those we think we know, more intent on lifestyles rather than flesh and blood? :( (A few years ago it was Florida. Get the picture?)

Originally Posted by methuselah

Darling hubby has a bee in his bonnet about Australia and how wonderful it is. He's been accepted to go but I'm staying firmly put and my children too - I've got family here that I just won't leave. So, I said, go then. He's never been before, not even for a holiday. So we're selling up, he'll be off to Oz and a wonderful life (so he says), I'll have my smaller house here with the children, and he reckons he'll see them over there during school holidays. He reckons the weather's great, everyone loves each other, the houses are huge, the salaries are big, he'll have a swimming pool, a paddock for the horses he'll get the girls when they visit, a wonderful job/business, etc....
What can I tell him to make him see that the grass isn't always greener on the other side, and that he stands to lose everything that really matters? I call Oz the 'family breaking country'. Even my sister and her family are off there later this year, for a 'much better life'. Why are some people, including those we think we know, more intent on lifestyles rather than flesh and blood? :( (A few years ago it was Florida. Get the picture?)

Originally Posted by JAYMAC

I agree with this .. speaking personally, we came here with an open mind and werent running from anything. We had good jobs and a nice house in the UK however we werent actually doing much other than working. Hubby was fed up working in factory environment and I was stressed out in job which didnt leave much time for family. We have now embarked on our 'adventure' and are only four months in and are thoroughly enjoying it. We are both working, I am working school hours which is great, kids are in school and we are enjoying our new situation. Australia is by no means perfect, same as UK, there are good things and bad things, but we have changed our lifestyle and have spent more quality time with the kids in the last four months than we have in the last year.

Yes, I miss knowing that the family are close by, but I never relied on them for anything but knowing they were there if that makes sense. However, we are making new friends and gaining new experiences and while we are settled we will remain. If the day came that we didn't feel like this then, yes we would weigh up the options and consider a return to the U.K. but what an adventure we would have had!

Jaymac

Originally Posted by paka

Yes i now oz is also mixed race, please do not see me as racist in anyway, its just that the u.k is getting the most of it , and if anyone returning back form oz,will be shocked.even just in the last 6mths there has been an influx again ready for the summer work.The u.k is nowhere near as it was.and in time it will cause big problems. riots, we are just to small to take it. Look at France.
Just like people are saying dont come to oz with tinted glasses on, in which we have to thank them for making us awear. lets return the favour and say take of the tints ,for the return to the u.k too.

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 martin1

Why is it every time i read a post by a brit it is nearly always about what you miss about the uk never what you enjoy about oz.<...> life is too short,ENJOY IT!!!!!!!