What Constitutes a "NEW LIFE"?
Jan 6th 2005, 7:10 pm
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
What Constitutes a "NEW LIFE"?
I had a huge debate with a friend today who has split with her boyfriend on this!
Most posts I read say that "We are off to Australia to start a new life".
What exactly in your eyes would you say is your "New Life"? What are you expecting that is so different from your old life, wherever that may be? Do you think that your happiness is going to go through the roof by moving? Are your kids going to be happier? Is the sun going to make life seem all that better?
If you moved to another part of your own country lock, stock & barrel would you say the same?
It is just really funny as when I returned to the UK to live in March 2004 I said I am off to "Start a New Life in England" - the place I was born?? I have done this countless times in a few different countries, it just strikes me a such a bizarre thing.
Your thoughts????
Merlot
Most posts I read say that "We are off to Australia to start a new life".
What exactly in your eyes would you say is your "New Life"? What are you expecting that is so different from your old life, wherever that may be? Do you think that your happiness is going to go through the roof by moving? Are your kids going to be happier? Is the sun going to make life seem all that better?
If you moved to another part of your own country lock, stock & barrel would you say the same?
It is just really funny as when I returned to the UK to live in March 2004 I said I am off to "Start a New Life in England" - the place I was born?? I have done this countless times in a few different countries, it just strikes me a such a bizarre thing.
Your thoughts????
Merlot
Jan 6th 2005, 7:40 pm
#2
Cup of tea, Father?
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Underground, overground, wombling free
Posts: 6,895
Re: What Constitutes a "NEW LIFE"?
Hi Merlot,
Hubbie and my reasons for heading off to Aus have been posted on the forum before (http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=269431). We're not going to start a new life as such, we're going just to try something new; precisely for the reason that Australia will be different, not because, to us, it will be better or worse. Personally speaking, we fully expect to be taking backwards steps by moving overseas. We have good jobs, a nice home and all the great trappings that this brings at the moment. And we're about to give this up, for what? Maybe having to work in a bar and live in a hostel until something more permanent comes along. Who knows? We're completely prepared for the first however many months bringing nothing but unhappiness, a sense of loss and regret.
As someone who has moved about in the UK (from Sheffield to Newcastle to Oxford - knowing not a soul in either the North East or the South), moving doesn't worry me. We travel light, so it'll be fine; they're only possessions after all. As I said in the other post, we have no plans to stay indefinitely. We might, or we might not. And if we come home again, it won't be to anywhere we've lived so far.
But then I might just have been blessed with itchy feet.
Nichola
Hubbie and my reasons for heading off to Aus have been posted on the forum before (http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=269431). We're not going to start a new life as such, we're going just to try something new; precisely for the reason that Australia will be different, not because, to us, it will be better or worse. Personally speaking, we fully expect to be taking backwards steps by moving overseas. We have good jobs, a nice home and all the great trappings that this brings at the moment. And we're about to give this up, for what? Maybe having to work in a bar and live in a hostel until something more permanent comes along. Who knows? We're completely prepared for the first however many months bringing nothing but unhappiness, a sense of loss and regret.
As someone who has moved about in the UK (from Sheffield to Newcastle to Oxford - knowing not a soul in either the North East or the South), moving doesn't worry me. We travel light, so it'll be fine; they're only possessions after all. As I said in the other post, we have no plans to stay indefinitely. We might, or we might not. And if we come home again, it won't be to anywhere we've lived so far.
But then I might just have been blessed with itchy feet.
Nichola
Originally Posted by Merlot
I had a huge debate with a friend today who has split with her boyfriend on this!
Most posts I read say that "We are off to Australia to start a new life".
What exactly in your eyes would you say is your "New Life"? What are you expecting that is so different from your old life, wherever that may be? Do you think that your happiness is going to go through the roof by moving? Are your kids going to be happier? Is the sun going to make life seem all that better?
If you moved to another part of your own country lock, stock & barrel would you say the same?
It is just really funny as when I returned to the UK to live in March 2004 I said I am off to "Start a New Life in England" - the place I was born?? I have done this countless times in a few different countries, it just strikes me a such a bizarre thing.
Your thoughts????
Merlot
Most posts I read say that "We are off to Australia to start a new life".
What exactly in your eyes would you say is your "New Life"? What are you expecting that is so different from your old life, wherever that may be? Do you think that your happiness is going to go through the roof by moving? Are your kids going to be happier? Is the sun going to make life seem all that better?
If you moved to another part of your own country lock, stock & barrel would you say the same?
It is just really funny as when I returned to the UK to live in March 2004 I said I am off to "Start a New Life in England" - the place I was born?? I have done this countless times in a few different countries, it just strikes me a such a bizarre thing.
Your thoughts????
Merlot
Jan 6th 2005, 8:14 pm
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: What Constitutes a "NEW LIFE"?
Originally Posted by Geordie George
Hi Merlot,
Hubbie and my reasons for heading off to Aus have been posted on the forum before (http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=269431). We're not going to start a new life as such, we're going just to try something new; precisely for the reason that Australia will be different, not because, to us, it will be better or worse. Personally speaking, we fully expect to be taking backwards steps by moving overseas. We have good jobs, a nice home and all the great trappings that this brings at the moment. And we're about to give this up, for what? Maybe having to work in a bar and live in a hostel until something more permanent comes along. Who knows? We're completely prepared for the first however many months bringing nothing but unhappiness, a sense of loss and regret.
As someone who has moved about in the UK (from Sheffield to Newcastle to Oxford - knowing not a soul in either the North East or the South), moving doesn't worry me. We travel light, so it'll be fine; they're only possessions after all. As I said in the other post, we have no plans to stay indefinitely. We might, or we might not. And if we come home again, it won't be to anywhere we've lived so far.
But then I might just have been blessed with itchy feet.
Nichola
Hubbie and my reasons for heading off to Aus have been posted on the forum before (http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=269431). We're not going to start a new life as such, we're going just to try something new; precisely for the reason that Australia will be different, not because, to us, it will be better or worse. Personally speaking, we fully expect to be taking backwards steps by moving overseas. We have good jobs, a nice home and all the great trappings that this brings at the moment. And we're about to give this up, for what? Maybe having to work in a bar and live in a hostel until something more permanent comes along. Who knows? We're completely prepared for the first however many months bringing nothing but unhappiness, a sense of loss and regret.
As someone who has moved about in the UK (from Sheffield to Newcastle to Oxford - knowing not a soul in either the North East or the South), moving doesn't worry me. We travel light, so it'll be fine; they're only possessions after all. As I said in the other post, we have no plans to stay indefinitely. We might, or we might not. And if we come home again, it won't be to anywhere we've lived so far.
But then I might just have been blessed with itchy feet.
Nichola
Enjoyed reading your post, I like your outlook.
I too have always had itchy feet and love nothing more than trotting into a new town with a small bag of clothes and setting up home.
I don't think I will change either, we came back to the UK with 13 boxes of clothes and a few knick knacks. We rent at the moment and will continue to do so. Our house is filled with furniture mainly donated by family/friends (all given with love) plus a few pieces we have accumulated in nearly 12 month back. I tomorrow could give it all away!
I know many moving to the otherside of the world is probably the biggest thing they have done, they may not have even been to Oz, so I do take my hats off to them for giving it a go.
I have no doubt I am destined to go back to Australia, I have things I need to do here for the next few years then I think that will be it with the UK, no more moving countries at least . . . maybe States!
Best of luck
Merlot
Jan 6th 2005, 11:57 pm
#4
been there........
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: Perth, WA
Posts: 349
Re: What Constitutes a "NEW LIFE"?
Originally Posted by Merlot
I had a huge debate with a friend today who has split with her boyfriend on this!
Most posts I read say that "We are off to Australia to start a new life".
What exactly in your eyes would you say is your "New Life"? What are you expecting that is so different from your old life, wherever that may be? Do you think that your happiness is going to go through the roof by moving? Are your kids going to be happier? Is the sun going to make life seem all that better?
If you moved to another part of your own country lock, stock & barrel would you say the same?
It is just really funny as when I returned to the UK to live in March 2004 I said I am off to "Start a New Life in England" - the place I was born?? I have done this countless times in a few different countries, it just strikes me a such a bizarre thing.
Your thoughts????
Merlot
Most posts I read say that "We are off to Australia to start a new life".
What exactly in your eyes would you say is your "New Life"? What are you expecting that is so different from your old life, wherever that may be? Do you think that your happiness is going to go through the roof by moving? Are your kids going to be happier? Is the sun going to make life seem all that better?
If you moved to another part of your own country lock, stock & barrel would you say the same?
It is just really funny as when I returned to the UK to live in March 2004 I said I am off to "Start a New Life in England" - the place I was born?? I have done this countless times in a few different countries, it just strikes me a such a bizarre thing.
Your thoughts????
Merlot
We take our 'personal baggage' with us where-ever we go, and till we learn to leave that behind, we're going to find ourselves in similar circumstances, repeating old patterns, regardless of the country we're in.
Jan 7th 2005, 12:23 am
#5
Brain Drained
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,882
Re: What Constitutes a "NEW LIFE"?
Originally Posted by Merlot
What exactly in your eyes would you say is your "New Life"? What are you expecting that is so different from your old life, wherever that may be? Do you think that your happiness is going to go through the roof by moving? Are your kids going to be happier? Is the sun going to make life seem all that better?
If you moved to another part of your own country lock, stock & barrel would you say the same?
If you moved to another part of your own country lock, stock & barrel would you say the same?
Jan 7th 2005, 1:06 am
#6
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: What Constitutes a "NEW LIFE"?
Originally Posted by TheCrone
We take our 'personal baggage' with us where-ever we go, and till we learn to leave that behind, we're going to find ourselves in similar circumstances, repeating old patterns, regardless of the country we're in.
Jan 7th 2005, 1:28 pm
#7
A former regular of BE
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Carramar, Perth
Posts: 6,241
Re: What Constitutes a "NEW LIFE"?
Similar to Nichola for me. As someone wrote on here a while ago - "same sh1t different bucket" I am sure I will be financially worse off, probably work longer hours and be a day and £600 from family and (old) friends. I stumbled across a list of New Year's resolutions / goals I made about 12 years ago and I have exceeded them all by a large margin (apart from drink less and lose weight ). So it is just about a new challenge, something out of the ordinary. My wife is more of the rose-tinted-specs brigade but then she will be giving up work so she is entitled to be. But the weekends will be free of chores and we will have loads more places to explore. Not sure about USA next, but I am open to NZ, Canada or a return to the UK if Aus becomes a new rut.
The other main thing for me is the chance to unclutter my life (mentally and physically) somewhat. Perhaps half the stuff we own will not come with us. We should end up without much of a mortgage hopefully. I am looking forward to not feeling obliged to watch the certain programmes on TV or surf certain websites everyday etc
It did cross my mine to move up North where we both have family where we could do much of this stuff more easily, but then it is the extra challenge that makes it exciting. Oh, and the sun helps of course
). So it is just about a new challenge, something out of the ordinary. My wife is more of the rose-tinted-specs brigade but then she will be giving up work so she is entitled to be. But the weekends will be free of chores and we will have loads more places to explore. Not sure about USA next, but I am open to NZ, Canada or a return to the UK if Aus becomes a new rut.The other main thing for me is the chance to unclutter my life (mentally and physically) somewhat. Perhaps half the stuff we own will not come with us. We should end up without much of a mortgage hopefully. I am looking forward to not feeling obliged to watch the certain programmes on TV or surf certain websites everyday
etcIt did cross my mine to move up North where we both have family where we could do much of this stuff more easily, but then it is the extra challenge that makes it exciting. Oh, and the sun helps of course
Jan 7th 2005, 4:01 pm
#8
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: What Constitutes a "NEW LIFE"?
Originally Posted by HUP
The rest of it is how you make use of the new opportunities that are around you. It is all to easy to slip straight back to work and not live what you moved there for.
So true HUP, the slipping back bit, I have seen that happen time and time again with expat families in my 7 years over in Australia!
Merlot
