I am sat here in my lounge while my stuff is being packed up! Feeling really strange, not sure why? Is anyone else feeling the same?

I have lived in Australia before for 5 years, been back in the UK for a year because we missed it, now we are heading back. Feeling really guilty for leaving family behind, even though we havn't seen much of anyone.
I know the reasons we are going, but struggling to remember them, why is it that you suffer memory loss when u need it most? Is it the stress? It must be.
Feeling pretty sad, not excited!
We should be flying to Brisbane in about a week, not booked the flights yet! So unorganised I know!
Any thoughts would be appreciated, feel really wierd today!

Dont be afraid of mistakes. If it turns out to be a mistake to move back to Australia, then deal with it then. You're taking the fun out of it for yourself by worrying about it now

I sent you good luck Karma. Haven't been in your boat exactly, but I'm sure some folk will be along soon enough to help.

All the best!

we are in the same boat as you. Been in oz for 5yrs and been here for 9mths now, don't speak to family much at all but we're heading back next sept so we have another year to go. I think its because you have done it all once before and you know whats going to happen, but don't you feel that because you know how it all goes you'll learn from your mistakes and you'll settle so much quicker. I wish we were going this year but we need to sort out a few things first, just embrace it all again and think this is going to be so much easier this time around.
Good luck with everything for you and your family. You'll realise you've done the right thing when you land.
Best wishes.

Well, if all the reasons that made you leave Australia in the first place are still there then you can always be a pingpong pingpong - it's only money after all. It's called the curse of the expat - the grass is always greener in your imagination than the one you are walking on. Good luck

We're ping pongers. We came to Aus originally just for a couple of years and fully expected to return to the UK at some point. We made the move back to Blighty knowing that we'd end up back in Aus again at some point. Moving out here for the second time was scary - we knew what to expect as we'd lived here before. There wasn't the same excitement factor that there was the first time and in many ways it was harder to do the second time because of that. I found the first three or four months being here quite difficult this time. But once that initial 'what have we done?!' shock had worn off, I'm finding it much easier to settle in this time. It feels like it's for good now and I'm surprised at how quickly time is going and how much I'm enjoying it. I know what you mean about finding it hard to remember your reasons. But that will return, I'm sure. Good luck!

We've been in SA for a year but visited Brissie for three weeks last year. I thought I'd hate it, but truth is, I thought it was great. You may have lived here before, but I reckon you should jump in with two feet and you'll be fine.

Best of luck,
Cooler

Best of luck with the move back!

I 'm sure your collywobbles are a normal part of the leaving process and you are leaving your comfort zone to have a big new adventure so of course that will feel a bit scary and strange!

We're talking about pingponging back to oz in january too, so I know how you feel!

All the best, roobush

Hi

Good luck with your move back! I'm sure you will be absolutely fine! It would be strange if you didn't worry! That's what I tell myself anyway about our move out there!

Hi there, I see you've had lost of replies already which is nice but just to add my welcome to the site. If you need a hand around B.E at all, give us a hoy.

Enjoy B.E. and enjoy your new life.

Alistair.

dottyann, just another one of life's adventures. To do it again you have to be brave and amazing, and so you are. While all those peeps you thought you were going back for have gotten on with their lives, (and quite probably doing the same things as they were when you originally left), you've had amazing adventures. You go girl! (as the USians seem to say a lot, which must mean I'm spending too much time with my 11 yearl old sometimes pseudo-American granddaughter )
Good luck

I'm in the same boat as you. Been in Oz for almost 2yrs and came back to the UK 5months ago and have now decided to go back to Oz. We re going in 2wks time put not booked the flights yet, still on hold!!

I hope we have made the right decision but hey-ho you never know, wish I had a crystal ball, save me a fortune.

My poor kids (aged 10 & 3) don't know wheather they are coming or going, feel really guilty but at least they want to go back to.

Good luck hope it all works out.

It's lot warmer in Oz at this time of the year as you well know. Your 3 year won't remember much, but your 10 year will, and will adapt.

Good luck! Hope it works out this time.

Another curse of the expat is finding that the grass is not as green as it was - in other words, once an expat - sometimes - sometimes always an expat...

People leave the UK and can never go back and after 1 or more countries find a place which just does them. They remember aspects of the UK which they like but a move back is not on the cards. I've met a lot of professional expats in my time!

Just normal feelings - and seems like a lot of them are shared. Am sure you will be O.K. but bound to be daunting. I feel like pinging to the UK at the moment 'cos I'm so homesick, but quite confident that once there, I'd miss Brisbane