Dal3

Hi

some of you amy recall some really depressing posts I made over 2 years ago when I was having real issues with settling in, firstly BIG THANKS all as this forum was my life and really helped me keep going.

Now coming up to 3 years in August and yes even I can say I am totally settled and soo glad I didn't go back, will be visiting UK for the first time in December and finally feel OK with doing this without having the urge to want to go back. It took virtually 2 years to the day when I sat and thought yes I am settled and yes this was the right thing to do.

So anyone out there thinking what have we done, for me the 2 year mark was a real turning point as we had done all the house move, settling in stuff and were no longer busy and pre occupied and sat and thought was this the right thing, and didn't want to cry everytime I think of home. Still call UK home but no longer have the horrible sick feeling and emotional attachment I had the first 2 years of being here.

Just thought I would share this as never thought in a thousand years I would say and think like this.
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hantsfamily1

Well done, we came over at exactly the same time and love it too.

stuckinblighty

Comming up to 2 years for me and i still think Aus is rather tinpot to be honest.

Centurion

I happen to agree with you for various reasons and 5 years on I still feel the same way. I'm not sure that I will ever be "settled" anywhere, such is the nature of the wanderlust I suspect of a married couple with no children.

Australia is not all I would like it to be and but neither was the UK.

However, that said I feel Australia is best for my wife and I for the foreseeable future given world economics, the challenges faced with global mass migration, global climate and the boogey man.

Purely a subjective opinion you understand.

Pollyana

I hate to say this but I feel the same way - and thats coming up to seven years......

dave99

4 years here and I dont feel settled, it took me about 1 year to stop having feelings of homesickness a lot. Now though I look around and the place just doesnt feel like home and I dont click with the people, I have spoke to people who have been here 20years+ and they all seem to say get out while you can!

danjones1

I reckon even when people say they are settled on this forum they are probably not.

I mean if I was settled somewhere I wouldn't hang out on a forum about moving abroad.

Pollyana

A lot of good info on here though does come from people who are settled - and I know several of them personally so can vouch for it! Without them we wouldn't get such a balanced view of things. Also a lot of people do post from work which is a bit differet from hanging around on here every hour of the day (I'm guilty as charged on that one!)

Buzzy--Bee

Bollocks.

I was settled shortly before the plane's wheels touched the ground, have never felt unsettled since and still hang out on a forum about moving abroad. Mind you I also hang out on a number of other forums depending on what I'm doing at the time.

There's a number of us here in the same boat - Badgeisback, Martin Luther, JonD and Hutch spring to mind.

Buzzy

moneypenny20

Rubbish. I was settled as soon as we arrived, as were the rest of my family. I choose to spend time on a few expat forums, as well as others. I also choose to spend time with friends out and about. Just because you don't think it's something you would do, doesn't mean the rest of us very settled people are lying.

Who knows, one day we may move back or onward somewhere else, never say never but for now and for the foreseeable future this is home and we are very happy to be here.

Centurion

I would disagree to the extent that whilst people tend to gyrate toward the forum on that basis initially it becomes more about a simple advice forum about expat living after people have migrated.

The amount of times that I've posted for help on certain subjects and got some pretty decent leads or answers makes this more than just a forum about moving abroad. It's more about an expat community with a common point of reference (the UK for 99% of us).

After all, how would we all know the best curry houses in Australia without BE ?

moneypenny20

Also it's a way of staying in touch with people. I've got friends around the world through BE and it's an easy way of staying in touch. As you say, it's not all about migrating.

Pollyana

Too right, where would we be without the friends we have all made and keep in touch with through BE

Dreamy

Those are my thoughts and sentiments exactly!

I only come here to be entertained

Fortunately for me, my home (and heart) is wherever the OH and kids are. At the moment, that's in Australia. I would never be so foolish as to try and predict where life will take us, but we're extremely happy to be living here.

DadAgain

12 years in... and although it took me a while to really bed down my opinions I've reached the conclusion that Australia is absolutely 'tinpot'.

Having said that - its where I live and the logistics and costs of trying an intercontinental move with a family of 4 are sufficient for me to be resigned to the idea of staying put.