I think as so many people have mentioned 'What if' can haunt you forever.

What if we get to Australia and we don't like it?

What if the homesickness is worse than I imagined?

What if we dont get jobs and cannot support ourselves financially?

What if the children don't settle?

Shouldnt we stay in our comfort zone, after all, our life isnt that bad when we think of it?

What if we get to Australia and its everything we thought it would be and more, and we settle and we love it?

What happens if we stay in the UK in our safe zone and ten years down the line, migration rules have changed and we are no longer qualified to migrate?

What if next year, our health dictated that we or one of us would be too ill to travel?

And finally, what if every little thing we are concerned about, didn't happen at all and we really could have made that huge jump into the unknown to try something different?

Negative 'What ifs' rarely happen in life, they are just your own worries magnified because you have a big decision to make.

Now 'if onlys' have a nasty habit of catching you up, kicking your backside and making you wish you had done something in the first place.

If it were me, I would ignore the 'what ifs' and 'if onlys' and give it ago.

Because you will only know if it is right for you by trying it.

My advice to you is to stop thinking about it and just get on and do it! No one is going to tell you that emigrating is easy and we can all think of reasons for staying in the UK - BUT you need to start focusing on the positives that Oz has to offer and stop thinking about what you're leaving behind in the UK, otherwise of course you won't go!

I do empathise with you because I'm going through exactly the same thing, but I know I'll regret it if I don't give it my best shot. The majority of people in this country don't have the opportunity of emigrating to Oz - but you're one of the lucky few who can........so go for it now!

Nicky

My "what if" was juxtaposed to yours. I was really working within the context of "what if we had gone?" when the OP is old and reflecting on their life.

Sorry to be pedantic.

[QUOTE=chris n]Not really looking for the answer, just looking for people to share their experiences if they have been where we are now.

House has taken eighteen months to sell (this is the third time!) - and we finally move out on Thursday. But where to? It's taken that long to sell that we had intended to stay in the UK and have started to buy a new house. But we keep asking ourselves - why are we not going to Australia?

We think that if we were truely committed we wouldn't have to ask the question - but have we just got a serious case of cold feet? Australia still offers all that we wanted when we first applied nearly three years ago (better family life, more time with the children), it's just that the UK has caught up a bit financially for us (good job, better standard of living).

The key dilemma is the risk of the uncertainty in Australia versus the financial security and family in the UK. Our nine year old son summed it up yesterday - it's easier for him as he is taking his parents with him whilst we have to leave our's behind.

Please discuss!!!

Chris & Angela



There was a few lines that I read , either on here or on Adbrits that is relevant to us and keeps us positive about immigrating...... " it is easier to live with failure than regret".

There are quite a few of us who don't know if were making the right choice...........but we will never know unless we try.

Good luck to everyone

Like the idea of the holiday!!!

Thanks for all the advice so far.

Chris & Angela

I don't believe that anyone who goes through life, regardless of what they do, can have failed. None of it is a test. It might appear "testing" sometimes but it's not something you can fail

The most annoying thing about migrating is the amount of people that say I wish I'd done that when I was younger or I nearly did that.

Honestly, when you tell people you're migrating, this is all you'll hear.

So firstly, don't be one of those that wish they did it. Britain (unless anyone knows different) will still be there if you hate Oz.

Secondly, don't become one of the one's that said I nearly did it, otherwise you'll spend you're life thinking 'what if'. At least if you come here and it's an almightly f**k up, you won't have to live with any regret.

Paul.

What, even Arkon?

Spot on Anna, nothing worse that what if.


It's weird you know, I've got a dilema that is the end result of the OP's post.

At age 50, I reckon I've got more directions to go to in life now, than I've ever had. That probably comes with "semi" financial security. I'm pretty sure that If I didn't have two youngsters...Youngest one almost 8. I'd be waiting till my 10 year anniversary in August at the post office here. Getting my long service Trying to con the post office into a years leave of absence, and heading off to the uk, mostly for financial reasons as I feel I don't have enough for comfortable retirement.

The treadmill that I would have to be on in the UK, would be different enough after 26 years away, to keep me interested and stimulated, what with pubs and football and europe etc etc, not to mention family.

In other words, dont let the past hold you back, you are probably creating more choices by migrating than by not.

I don't have my own member name and am answering on my husbands (with his permission of course)! How old are you both just out of interest?

I was the biggest advocate of going for this when our process started, LSH wasn't sure! He went with me on it to support what I wanted and we went for it! LSH has become more and more excited as the time has gone on and he is now really up for it and can't wait.

I however have got more and more unsure! Yesterday our Visa was granted and within hours I started to get 'seriously cold feet'!

I can only tell you from my own personal feelings that however scared I now am (and it's quite a strange feeling seeing as we've waited this long) that if I do go and regret it - what have I actually lost - nothing - I'll just come home and start again! If I don't go and regret it - I've lost the opportunity and nothing will bring that back as I'll be too old to try again!!

No one can tell you what to do but my advice would be - go for it - it's really OK to be scared it's a new life but the opportunity would be lost if you don't!!!!

Good luck with your decision and welcome to the middle of the night club!!!!

Mrs LSH

Good post Mrs LSH

We are in limbo at the mo but I know that I will start to panic when things finally come together surely its only natural?? We are afterall making the biggest move of our lives.

it would be so much easier when this panic sets in to say 'oh I'm not going, I'll stay in my comfort zone', but the thing is you cant be that happy in your comfort zone in the first place or you wouldnt have applied to live in Australia.

Feel the fear and do it anyway, if it dont work fine but like someone else said above, I do not want to sit here in 20 yrs time thinking what if.

Good luck to everyone

Be a nice chunk of change when you do your tax return then.

We are giving ourselves 4 years make or break. We also as we are getting closer to going, are starting to have panic thoughts but I suppose they are no different to changing jobs (in fact I think that feeling is worse!)

There have been a few coming back to UK' and 'cost of living comparison' threads recently that make you think ??? what am I doing!

But deep down I know we have to go and do this, we have discussed it since we were married there 8 years ago and know we have to have this adventure, one that not many have the opportunity to do.

To me, success in life is finding a true partner and a job that you love, kids on top is great if desired! Anything else, well you should feel very lucky.

As I mature, I realize getting caught up in this earning extra just for material gain is absolute B******S.

I used to earn a nice salary and had a great material life. But I missed so much of my little boys childhood. I have been at home with the second and have never been so tight for cash but so happy, we laugh at the fact it's a beans on toast night, or my sweatshirt has a hole, my car has an L reg plate on it, who cares. There will be a time when we can have nice things again, but for now we know our kids go without nothing and have some fantastic memories of Mum & Dad laughing at stuff and that's because we are not stressed about creating an image.

Of course this is my situation and I would not condem for one minute anyone who wants a life full of nice things. But don't let it take over you. Be true to yourself and relax a little, laugh more. With this attitude towards life, you can go anywhere.

Australia would be nice though, hope to see you out there,

Vics xxxx

Even Arkon! He has definitely been tested but he has also gained a son, he now knows what he wants as opposed to what he thought he wanted. No failure there