barnsleylass

Hi all,

It was all set up for us to move to Sydney last year - sold the house, husband had a job offer etc. Despite this we decided it was the wrong time personally as I was 5/6 months pregnant with my third child and I thought it would be just too hard looking after three young children with no support.

So we relocated within the UK instead - from Barnsley to Alnmouth on the Northumberland coast (My husbands family are 30 mins away). So far its been great - we spend lots of time on the beach (weather permitting), have lovely countryside around us, made lots of new friends and my little girls loves her new school BUT I have this nagging feeling that life would be even better in Aus and we are denying our children that better life if we decide to stay here forever.

To all those who have made the move - is the grass really greener? Do your kids have a much better life and if so how? Are they always outdoors? More active? Do they have access to more opportunities?

I aways had the feeling that maybe i let my family (mum/sister) talk me out of the move to Aus too easily and we should have gone for it. Should we make the move now and risk losing a 90% perfect life for a quest to gain that extra 10% in Aus or should we just accept what we have and be grateful for it?

Any advice/thoughts much appreciated!

Sally x

roaringmouse

Could be better, could be worse - no one can say which. Experience of moving to Australia for different people ranges from "best thing we've ever done" through to "worst thing we've ever done".

cominghometomel

Who knows... I guess it depends on where you live, I am in the same situation as you. Importantly though I can also give you some insite as my parents moved to Australia to give me and my brother a better life.

I was born and raised in Melbourne from English Parents (telford). They moved to Australia to give me a better life, and I think they did and I am so thankful they made the decision. I loved my childhood but at the end of uni I came to travel the world and ended up back in the UK (still here 8 years later). I think the life for an 18-30 something is better in the UK, I love the pub culture etc and its very central for world travel which is why I have stuck around so long.

What makes me think my parents made the right decision is to see how my cousins turned out, raised in Telford. Not great, 14 kids between them , over weight, no jobs, life of council houses and benefits. There doesnt seem much for young people to do in Telford apart from hang around on street corners getting into trouble. My childhood was full of Beaches, Sports and parks. So I think my parents did well to get me out of that.

But now I am in the same position as you, I am currently very happy here in UK, good job nice social life (now lost contact with most aussie friends). But I have a serious girlfriend now and I want to go back, to give my kids (when I have them) the same opportunity I was given as a child. The exchange rate is terrible and houses are unaffordable in Aussie so maybe we would be better finiancially staying here, its the same as you risk 80% happyness to go for gold. I however think I will do it, as i know how much I loved growing up down under.

My girlfriend is supportive and says she will come if its what I want, though I know she doesnt really want to leave her mum. And as she points out she grew up locally and turned out ok . So I think every situation is different but from my experience I would say yes go for it, its just im not sure if the current house price/exchange rate means I can maintain the same lifestyle I have here.

Jon77

Very difficult for anyone here to answer your question of if it was the right thing for you to stay or not, I would think it would even be hard for you to answer also. We are all very different and what works for one in Australia doesn't always work for others.

You can only consider what you have done and not really consider the 'what if's'. You sound like you have a very nice life indeed up there on the Northumbria coast, an area I know well and love so apprechiate what you do have.

If you decide to have another go at moving to Australia then good for you, if you decide to stay put and are happy where you are then good for you again There is no winning and losing here, just do what you feel is right for your family and yourself.

moneypenny20

Grass is grass in my opinion. Most of us who live here don't get the 'better life for the children' sentiment. It's only talked about by people who haven't got here yet. Life is no different and depending on your preference, it could be worse. Our life is better in some terms but much the same in the majority of ways but it was down to luck as to when we moved over and where we moved to. It sounds like you have a good life now, given exchange rates and what you get for your money here now I think if I were you I'd stay put (well I wouldn't, it would be too cold for me up there ) Very beautiful though.

steen1976

Only you could answer that question. I don't believe anyone else can for you.

But you've moved to one of the most fantastic parts of the UK. No doubt about that. If you are staying in the UK you could do a lot worse than the Northumberland coast. If I could live there and earn good money I would.

millicent

I used to live in Wooler and Norham, then in Scotland (Kelso to be precise) beautiful part of the UK.
we emigrated to Canada thinking it would be better for the kids. in reality, how can leaving loved family members and good friends be replaced?
We have returned to Lancashire, our parents were ailing and had missed their grandchildren and us.
You sound very settled where you are.
There are no dry stone walls and quaint country walks in vast countries. Something keeps bringing expats back - have you noticed?
There are many elderly expats and sorry to sound depressing but they want to return to the UK to live out the rest of their days.just go on holiday

Lois1

Unfortunaltey none of have a crystal ball, if only we did! Perhaps do the usual pros and cons list, but not just for the now, but for the next 5, 10 or 20 years.

For us we are giving it a shot with our 2 young girls. We have only recently got our visa and we told no one beforehand, so came as a complete shock/surprise to many. The one question we have been asked time and again is why, and why australia. But there is never a simple answer. For us its an accumlation of "little" reasons that have made our mind up...

we dont have a large family and support network, no aunts cousins etc. We have my Mother-in-law and my father. My oldest daughter is almost 8, we as a couple have had one night without kids since pregnancy - and we stayed home just in case we had to collect the kids! Sooner or later there will just be the 4 of us, so as long as we are together it doesnt matter where in the world we are. Of course, we have true and great friends who we will miss no end, but with technology its easy and cheaper to keep in touch. Us moving is not going to affect theire lives that much at the end of the day... they will always be friends wherever we end up.

My OH is a "tradie" and unfortunately due to numerous reasons again, the work/wages etc are not particularly good and neither we think are the long term prospects. The weather here alone has a huge impact on work, for the first 6 weeks of the year he didnt work a full week purely down to the weather, sometimes just working for 2 hours a day before getting rained off. Too many "rogue trader" type programmes that give everyone the impression all "tradies" are out to rip people off and must be conmen! if only they made the odd programme about rougue customers

These are just 2 "small" reasons of our many reasons, we are not going with rose tinted glasses but at the end of the day, its our choice to go, accept the country and its faults etc for what it is. We may (i'm sure eventually) criticise and moan about the oz government, politicians, taxes,etc etc, but at the end of the day we are "guest" and if we dont lilke it we can either put up with it or move.

Every place, country, culture, government, education system, climate etc has its pros and cons, you just need to work out what is best for you and whether you can handle the "what if's" that may arise at a later date.

Whatever you decide to do, the best of luck, and let us know !!!!

Robbie37Michelle32

Well - - - we to went originally on a temp visa and on return got a permantent visa straight away glad we did. For me the UK in the NHS holds no future prospects for promotion or job satifaction. We delayed our move to AU because i was pregnant and then selling our house was an issuse. My daughter is now 2,and we are moving next week and can not wait.

I feel the time is right for our family,but we have been lucky and both families have both supported us 100%. I realise that we will criticise some elements of life in AU but currently i criticise many elements of UK. But we have decided that AU will hopefully offer a better life for our daughter. It is a very individual decison that you have to make and dont be swayed by anyone it has to be right for you.

Robbie37Michelle32

Too drunk to do a spell check, but to the one's who critisise **** off ****ers lol:t humbup::thumbu p:

quoll

I guess it all depends on what your "better" life looks like. Will it be better if you cant get a job, have to live in a small rental house, have no friends and family around you, the kids struggle with unchecked bullies in school but the sun shines or would it be better in a place where you have a support network, have a job and a nice house and the kids have friends in school? Of course Australia works for some folk and not for others. It does depend on what you want out of life, how much you are prepared to risk to get it and how hard you are prepared to work to achieve that. There is nothing magical about Australia, it is just another first world country with first world problems. Your kids wont magically acquire 50 IQ points or metamorphose into Elle McPherson on the plane over.

At the end of the day you still have to deal with crap government, put the rubbish out, go to work every day, buy the groceries and pay the mortgage.

Bermudashorts

It sounds like you have a pretty idyllic lifestyle where you are.

I had a nice lifestyle too, we decided to make the move for a new experience and we are enjoying it here, but I don't know if my lifestyle is any better or worse.

If you were moving because you want a new experience, or you love the place and feel like it is where you belong or if it is just something you have always wanted to do ... and it is financially viable , then go for it.

But if you are doing it purely because of some notion that "the kids will have a better life" then I would be very cautious. Australia does not automatically mean a better life for children, that is all down to you.

Vash the Stampede

If you're happy, you're happy. No need to rationalise any further.

macy

To be honest if they talked you out of it that easily then maybe it wasn't for you. Honestly we have been here 7 years and bringing up 2 kids with no support is tough, no babysitters, even when I have to go to things like doctors/dentists etc the kids have to come with me and sit in reception as hubbie works, if things hit the fan which they have then you feel very alone. Yes we have made friends and being here 7 years they are now becoming older friends but the early years are hard, really hard and you can be in paradise and feel completely alone.

It's obviously not all bad and my kids are now true aussies and they love their life, love their school and have so many great opportunities but nothing your children wouldn't have in the UK. Sounds like yourself and your children are doing just fine in the UK and I would think really really hard about coming out here just for the sake of that 10%.....

sonlymewalter

Aus is fantastic but it aint for everyone and certainly not the lighthearted. added to that the exchange rate from UK to Aus is crap, moving here is already expensive, especially with the exchange rate as it is.

You need to ask yourself if the risk is worth the 10% gain

Good luck mate