I think everybody has already stated that only you could make this decision!

However, if I was in your situation, let me put it this way. You've got the PR visas, you've already been to Brisbane and got an idea of where to live. Keep the house in the UK rented. Stay rented in Australia, Do your two years and get those Australian passports. After that go back to the UK, but at least ALL of your family will be able to easily return to Australia at later times of their lives (if they so wish)! (I'm thinking of children when they're older).

Good luck in whatever you choose.

Nick

People often quote wanting a more 'outdoorsy' life as a reason for emigrating but miss the point that you can have that here in Britain. Putting on wellies and taking the kids and dog for a walk in the fields and woods is one of life's pleasures. It's actually nice when it's a bit cooler.
I sympathise with your predicament as I am in a similar situation. There is nothing wrong with my life here, I would just like a change. My husband says if it ain't broke don't fix it- he doesn't want to go. He wants me to focus on the positive things about living in Britain rather than the negatives.
You should think carefully about giving up secure jobs and a lovely place to live.
Go only if you think you have something to gain.

If by gain - you mean 'financially' it would probably be advisable to stay in the UK however, as a life experience... you've got to go.

That's what I'm doing. I don't expect to be any better off, but if I only make 2 years, at least I can get my aussie passport and return at a later date.


Rob

Do you think it will be cheap for your kids to go to University in the UK then?....I think you need to research that a bit. Will they all get grants ?.......trend now is to leave Uni with lots of debt unless you've got rich parents.

Think of where this country is heading when your kids need jobs.....are they up to being able to cope with lots more applicants for every job from europe ?
If you could live with less debt in Oz with more income available for investment for the future (pension, schooling, kids housing) I know where I'd seriously consider is best.

It's tough and I too am unsure about all this, but I think trends here in the UK aren't great.....and why are you saying Oz schools aren't as good as UK ?,...good and bad all over I think.

Hi GB
Give it a few months yet. Over time your perspectives on each place will probably change. Things you thought you couldn't live without may seem less important and things that annoyed you may become more tolerable.

As for Aus, you could try living in a different area - not all schools are the same - if they were, there wouldn't be the oh-so-desirable catchment areas; Australia isn't full of pylons - look elsewhere; there are stylish and not-so-stylish areas - Melbourne, IMO, has better shopping and fashion than Manchester (and has great hairdressers too); not everywhere in Australia is humid.

I know it is a difficult decision - I am going through it. Many things are a trade off - you know that life in the UK isn't awful so therefore you will always have to trade off something here to gain something over there. Only you can work out whats worth losing and what's not.

But I would put it on the back burner for a few months and focus on UK life, and then look at it all through renewed eyes in a few months. What is your visa status/expiry? Do you need to make decisions now?

Good luck

hiya chuck,

hmmm...decisions decisions!!

As you have made a list, try giving each point a positive or negative mark out of 10...then whichever scores best wins!

seriously though, it must be hard.
Is the Uk looking good because its familiar/what you know? If i was you id go for the 2 years now to get that aussie passport, then you can come and go as you please later if you decide not to stay. me and my other half have agreed this, and even if he hates aus hes willing to stay the 2 years just to give us the option to return later.
as others have said, uni costs a fortune wherever you are - i finished my course 2 years ago with £8K of debt!!!! and i didnt even complete it and graduate!!! If they continue with tuition fee's, you may be better off with the kids at uni in aus! suppose it depends on what they intend to do!

good lcuk with whatever you decide honey.......if it isnt the right decision you still have a couple of years to either return to the uk, or return to aus.

even though we still havent got out there, i feel lucky to have the money and opportunity to at least try it......many people in the world have nothing, not even a roof over thier heads, so i thank my lucky stars and take whatever opportunities in life i can.

sermon over

sue

ps. you have to go back to qld, we have a knees up arranged if im not mistaken........the uk nurses forum - up!!!

We are doing it to give our kids a better way of life (we hope), especially when they grow up. Living just outside London, is OK, but not much for them to do, no country walks etc, wouldnt take them in the pubs round here for a pub lunch anyway .

So for us i think, regardless of what we might miss, its what we can give them, and by moving to Oz while they are still quite young, they wont know what there is to miss in UK, cos the wouldnt have had it.

Oh you're all sooo wise!!! My heart tells me I should be in oz, my head says the UK. I think tonight I'll sit down with a huge glass of wine (you know the big ones from Ikea) and do some research. Uni will cost us, yet the kids want to go so they can get decent careers, whatever country we're in its gonna cost. i also want the citizenship for the kids as all of them have said when they're 'older' they want to go back. It at least gives them choice (and they wouldn't have to go through as much visa hell as we have). Its whether or not I can convince the other half to take another career break and put oz first? Once we've done 2 years and got it out of our systems then maybe we'll feel more settled. We can put it off until next year no prob, age isn't a prob as we're both young and the kids are only 9, 8 and 5 (yes they know already that they want to go to uni)! And you're right Sue, we have a nurses do to do!!! Husband has suggested landing in perth next time round and travelling via gt ocean rd up the east coast (trust me we've done worst and camped along the way). We'll be in no hurry to find a place to settle so we could take our time. We've already done the renting house out thing in the UK, and it was a mistake!!!! Completely ripped off by letting agents! But, we could put equity in bank account and keep it there until we know what we're doing! Sound good to anyone???

If you're going to do it - do it. Don't let your house out otherwise you'll have a 'way out'. Get cash in the bank and go for it - your kids will thank you for it I bet.

When you say your heart wants to be in Oz and your head wants to be in the UK, its worth remembering that situations can affect what goes on in our head, but what our heart is feeling is rarely clouded.

Get your PR for australia and by doing that, you are giving you and your family a choice for their future.

If any part of you 'belongs' to Australia, then give it the chance to develop.

Good luck.

This is easy for me to say as I have no kids, but given the age of your kids I would suggest not letting the uni factor become too important.
It's going to be nearly 10 years until the oldest is old enough to go, and who knows what might happen before then?
They may end up not wanting to go, or opting for a more practical college course rather than academic uni course.
And don't forget, if they intend to stay in Aus then an Aus college/uni course may be more use to them than a UK one.
As for cost, it's extortinate in the UK anyway. I left 11 years ago and am still paying off my student loan (because I ended up in such a poorly paid profession I could keep deferring my repayments until two years ago!).

And in response to one of your other points, I'd go with your heart not your head. If you ignore your heart you'll always regret it.
Good luck in whatever you decide

Hi glittababe!

Well, i would like to add my little point to this thread...

do you have itchy feet? are you seeking a new experience? If you can mentally, physically and financially afford it my answer would be GO GO GO!

There are pros and cons everywhere... my feet are itchy again and i feel that i will be leaving soon! just for a change and a new experience. thats what life sums up for me!

Good luck with whatever you decide!!

fabi

Hi glittababe,

I see your hubby is a copper and is hoping to join the Qld police, it might be worth him trying to contact some expats who have already gone down this road, we have friends in Brissy where the hubby was a copper over here and then joined over there and from what I gather isn't really enjoying it at all. I thinking starting from scratch again after working your way up is really hard and I don't think it was as he expected. A career break would be a good idea if he can get one.

Susan

Glittababe,

It seems your having a lot of trouble deciding what to do since we emailed last year. To let you, (and Hubby), know I have an interview with Qld Police next month for entry under the PACE scheme which would mean at least not having to start at the very bottom. To the best of my knowledge the posting situation is not so extreme as it sounds, although you are technically liable to serve in any part of the state my understanding is that they will not move you any great distance form your home as they have to pay removal costs and need to consider your families commitments etc so the chance of being posted to Mt Isa is not so good. But either way I can let you know what happens in March, all things going to plan I should start at the college in Oxley in June.
As for education levels being less than here I was educated at a government secondary college in Melbourne and can say that compared to what Ive seen in sussex the level was much higher in Oz and more people stayed on to finish year 12 than seem to here. So I would not worry about that and you need to remember that private education is subsidised by the government in Oz so is much cheaper than here also.
I too love the same sort of things about England as you seem to but having lived in Oz for over 25 years prior to living here and having the opportunity to bring any children we may have up there or here, then there is no contest Australia wins hands down.

Anyway, thats my two cents worth and I doubt it will help you much but you never know. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Thats great, do keep us posted as Mark's career is the main reason we are having doubts. We had the estate agents over today (3 of them), and will put the house on the market asap. Maybe once the house is sold it'll be final? Let us know how the interview goes. Best wishes annie