mohogony

Why do some people with great well paid jobs , a great house in a nice area and plenty of friends and family want to immigrate to OZ? are most of these people doomed to return to the UK becasue OZ can't make up for what they have left behind.

JenJen

Because everyone is different for some life can become too comfortable, everyone has they're reason for moving, and sometimes these ppl with great jobs and lots of friends etc find that they have a transfer or a chance at a job in a new country and having had lots of friends some find it easy to make friends and so almost replicate they're life here, some do, some don't.

Sometimes people just want the experience of living in a different country, but it's for them to try, I sit back and watch and see they're story unfold.

Everyone is different and while everyone is entitled to they're opinion I think it unfair to judge why ppl want a change of appears to be a currently perfect life, experience tells me that it may appear perfect but appearances can be deceiving !

nbn8

To try something new, you only get one life and love the outdoor/weather why not give it a whirl. We are giving up well paid jobs, nice house, area etc but are of the opinion we are not going to compare the two countries but to experience a different lifestyle and if it not for us well we will return. Nothing ventured nothing gained.

Petals

For their children, even though they have a really good life they feel their children may not in the future.

For the weather as they like outdoor life all year round.

The thing is, I believe we who are born in Uk will always be torn a bit and feel sentimental etc , however our children know who they are and its been worth it.

Alfresco

Why not?

rodandhayley

whats happened to the spirit of adventure
for me at close to 45 it seemed like there was no great adventures left,
for some good job ,great house,well paid was the pinnacle of of life
we had all that but I want something more
nearly 3 years in have not regretted anything the wife and kids love it too

starting to wonder where lifes next big adventure will come from though
any ideas?

quoll

The grass is greener and the tv tells us Australia is paradise.

JenJen

But only a fool would truly believe that there is a yellow brick road, life is what you make it no matter where you live, or go and what you do.
Sometimes people have to learn that the hard way?
Even accepting that things may not be rosy life can be just as difficult moving to another part of the country you currently live in.

iamthecreaturefromuranus

Death?

spartacus

Probably.

However, fewer people than you might think have a life with all of those attributes . . .

rodandhayley

WOW never thought of that I was hoping for something a little less permanent
I will try that one day though

iamthecreaturefromuranus

You know what?. I think I'll join you.

koalakim

We were in that position so why did we do it?

We came to Oz in 97 to visit an old friend who lives on Freshwater beach in Sydney and yes it was an oh wow want some of this! Fell in love with the Aussie lifestyle and the relaxed attitude to life and yes Oz was just a generally brighter place to the UK which we always found so grey and miserable overall.

We have had lots of friends live overseas usually through the husbands job and we've been lucky enough to be able to visit some of them. Therefore we always thought we'd love to live overseas and try out something different.

So began our long journey to Oz and finally we got a visa then there was the dilemma of do we don't we ? We had just moved to Brighton and really loved living there (despite the 3 hour round trip to work each day) and we were doing pretty well, had great holidays, boootiful sporty car etc. Fortunately no kids so didn't have to consider that factor into our plans.

We could have quite easily stayed....our wedding photography business was just starting to do well and it does seem a pretty crazy thing to do! My Mum thought we were totally mad (but then Mum's do..) but it was one of those well if we don't will we regret it, will I look back when I'm 80 odd and wonder what if.

So here we are three years later and there are times I think what the hell have we done! It's not been easy giving up all we whilst we try and build up our photography business here but finally some opportunities have come our way, we are slowy getting more bookings and referrals which are all important in Oz.

It's been hard but we didn't exactly do things the easy way and there are things I would do differently with that wonderful thing of hindsight!

I think overall the hardest thing about giving up everything we had in the UK is that between deciding we'd like to live here and when we finally got here is that everything has gone up so much....housing, both buying and renting, food etc. You could have a nice life here on little money when we first came over - I remember filling the trolley in Coles and it came to $50 or something but now I buy a few bits and it's $50!

Another hard thing is giving all that up in your middle years I find, especially when we stayed for a couple of months in a friend of a friends spare room - I thought what the hell are we doing here! You do this in your 20's not your 40's!

I guess the thing I miss most is travelling. We've been to Sydney a few times since we've been here and that's it! At the moment we are having to make the trip back to the UK each year - fortunately it's for weddings so it helps to pay for it and the folks get to see us (we have non-travelling parents which is a pain!) but I could think of nicer places to go!

So that's why we did it....

Dorothy

Does someone else's reason for emigrating affect your life? No? Then why do you care?

We did it because we could. Yes, we had a lovely house, good jobs, lots of family, some friends; all in all a very nice life. Here we have a house we built, great jobs that we love, no family but it's their choice not to keep in touch, great friends; all in all a really good life. We will not be returning anywhere anytime soon. Nothing I left behind could make up for the life I have built for myself here.

ABCDiamond

For a change. Something different.

Some will, some won't.

Those that move, and yet expect everything to stay the same, will be the ones who may well return to the UK.

Those who are wanting the change, who desire something different, with new challenges, are the ones who may well stay, at least until the next relocation adventure comes along.