pommie bastard

Your post is far too real the rabble will want blood , the distance that the UK is from Australia makes human contact impossible .

Rosy

Real it is. I cannot see how people can justify moving to the other side of the world and yet still maintain that they "will always be there" for their relatives...

PS - check yer PMs.

whisky

When you are as old or older than me, and your kids are grown up, you will know what that means.

Whisky

Gra.B

Why should anyone justify themselves to you?

Yes, we all know you failed within a couple of months but this doesn't mean everyone else will.

PS - check yer PMt

pommie bastard

The rabble stir , 'You want the truth you cannot handle the truth '
great line that.

pommie bastard

Well I am as old if not older and you are clueless.

Jacqui

Well to say that I'm amazed at the response to this thread would be an understatement! I certainly didn't intend to have you all in tears - I felt bad enough upsetting all my relatives when I left, but it obviously shows that things do improve over time, because it never entered my mind that you would all find it so hard reading this post. I just wanted to give you an idea of how tough it is at the start and how it does get better. Now whenever I think of my mum and everyone, I'm not picturing them at Heathrow sobbing, I'm thinking of other things we did together. However I would suggest that you don't look through all your photographs when they first arrive on the container! Just put them away in a cupboard somewhere until you feel stronger, it did bring a lump to my throat when I first looked through them all, and re-read all our "bon voyage" cards. My husband is now scanning all our photos onto the PC, something we wanted to do before leaving but never had the time. If the ship had sunk.......... ok best stop there don't want to set you all off again!

I can't help wondering how families cope when their relatives move to the other end of England? I mean, let's say we had decided to move to Cornwall, or Scotland, both a day's driving away. If someone was ill, would we have jumped in the car and driven down to see them? I doubt it, unless it was really serious. We would have rung them, sent a "get well" card, emailed them. I can do all that from here. My best friend today emailed me with a very sad message to say that her husband has cancer, needs an operation next week and chemo. I feel bad that I can't visit her, but she knows I'm thinking of them. If serious illness affects our parents or siblings, then of course one of us will return to the UK for a short time if we feel that we should, it is only a plane ride away, though it's a good idea to keep an emergency fund going if you can, because it's pretty much inevitable that sooner or late a trip back will be necessary as our parents get older.

In response to the replies about being selfish when emigrating, about not being "there" for your relatives, I will also mention here that in the last 12 years I have had two major operations and one minor operation. How many friends and relatives do you think I had flocking around my bed or helping out afterwards? How many relatives were "there" for me? With my first operation I was nearly a goner having lost so much blood and luckily both mums helped out, but as far as everyone else was concerned "the weather was too bad for travelling", and it was "too far to come" and just about every other excuse. Second and third operations, I never even had any relatives of my own visit, and they only lived an hour away. Next time you you are feeling guilty about emigrating and leaving all your relatives behind, just stop and think for a while, were they always "there" for you?

whisky

Gra.B
Thanks, but I don't even bother replying to PB. He never has anything to say of interest. Just bitter and nasty.
Rosy, mmm well, I understand that she is not happy out in Oz, and wants to come home to the UK. We all make mistakes, and we have to realise that it doesn't mean that we have failed, just that it wasn't the right thing for us/them.
Being that little bit older, one realises these things, as what you expect in your 20s and 30s is not the same as you want into your 40s and 50s.
Its not worth replying, as it just spoils what was originally a good post.
I am saying no more, and will ignore.

Whisky

Gra.B

I know, it's just her 'tone' that gets my back up! It's as if she just can't stand the thought that someone might actually be happy.

Gra..

Pollyana

Your last post is very true Jacqui; the UK is only a plane ride away from Oz, and I'm already planning that emergency fund for the day which will inevitably come when a quick trip back is needed. friends out there tell me that airlines are quite used to people needing flights back at short notice and will do what they can for you.
Also your comments about your family being so near to you but not visiting; thats one of the things I am saying to my parents. I only see them a couple of times a year now though they are both in the UK,& my dad only rings if he wants something. I shall probably have more contact with them from Oz by phone and letter, than from Sussex. In the main, life has taught me that its your friends who understand you better, and mine are very supportive & being happy for me (and looking forward to the holidays!). I don't view my leaving as being "selfish", I view it as being given a new chance and if I don't take it I shall regret it and spend my life thinking "what if".
And don't worry about having us all in tears - I aleady have an inkling of how bad that last night at LHR will be, but I think a few people out there hadn't really thought about it, and as you know, you need to be prepared.
Thanks for some very thoughtful, and thought-provoking posts!

whisky

Yes, the 'tone' is not very nice, but it may mellow in time.
I have read a lot of her postings and she is not always like it, and can be very informative at times.

whisky

Loopy

I felt as though we were the other side of the world (ha ha) last night as my sister-in-law had her baby and we can't jump in the car to go and see them. I know we will see her soon on the webcam, but it's not the same. Just think we won't be able to babysit!

Loopy

Gra.B

...isn't that a good thing?

not always, only if PB or Dotty are online for back-up!

Rosy

This is not the first time you have chosen to have a go at me on this forum Gra.B. Why?

And please don`t assume I "failed" within a couple of months. I have done very nicely thank you whilst I`ve been here (now 14 months actually) but decided fairly early on that Oz didn`t give me what I was looking for.

However, I have had a great time here, seen some amazing sights, met some fantastic people, and enjoyed myself - up to a point.

As I have repeated many, many times before, I wish everyone success in their new life here. Just because I chose to question some posts doesn`t mean I disagree with them - just need a little clarification on points which I don`t or can`t understand.

Go and have a chat with Ellen 1 - you make a good pair.

PeteY

Don't forget the internet as a method of contact too !

Email......good replacment of snalmail (not all the time, a handwritten letter is great). You can include pics and other attachments.

Chat programs.....good instant contact. You can have a webcam and a mic linked up and "video conference"!!! My wife loves haveing a webcam session with her folks.

Lastly.....somthing thats getting easier to do, is to set up your own website. You need only give the url to family and friends, then just have a few sections that you update regulaly.

My dad and i are doing one together at the moment....he will update the england side...ill do the australia side, so the entire family can see what each other is up to. Just need a photo album, a news page and an archive, then make sure you update it regularly. Really good method of contact.

I know none of this replaces actually being there.....but the world is alot "smaller" than it was 20 years ago. Flights are constantly getting cheaper too...