British Expats

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-   -   7 weeks update (https://britishexpats.com/forum/back-home-158/7-weeks-update-706252/)

alipally Feb 20th 2011 9:58 pm

7 weeks update
 
Well, we've been back in the UK for 7 weeks now, so thought I'd give you a little update.
Youngest decided to stay in Australia, but as he's 18, it had to be his decision. He's living with his girlfriend now... and continuing his Bricklaying apprenticeship... Just going into his 3rd year.

We found a rental very quickly, although it's a little larger than we need (6 bedrooms!) the price was right and they didn't want 6 months up front. OH has gone back to his old company (with a big promotion, and started 2 days after we landed) I don't think he's enjoying it much but he didn't work in Australia for the 2 1/2 years we lived there, so I guess it's a bit of a shock!!

Our container arrived the day after we got the rental as, did the dog, who'd been in Kennels for weeks as MIL has a dog already and ours is not sociable! We also seem to have regained our elder son who finished Uni in the Summer, he couldn't wait to move back home!!

We've bought a car (BMW) which was very reasonably priced compared to Australia.... Although I'm not so delighted with the price of the diesel (luckily it will do 40 to the gallon!)

We've bought a plot of land already and are just applying for planning to build a home of our own. (The council was selling off residential plots for a song, so we thought it would be rude not to! Recession really does have it's compensations;))

There are things I miss; mostly our youngest, although, I think it's teaching him some life lessons, doing without the bank of Mum and Dad. Also stupid things like Cheezles, and Tim Tams, and walking the dog on the beach in the early morning. I've been FREEZING since we landed, but tbh, it's not enough to make me want to return.

I'm grateful that I don't have to pay $5 for a decent loaf of bread anymore, but I have to say that the price of food has gone up a lot in the UK since I left.... the cheapest butter you can get now is 98p when I left it was 65p that's a 50% increase in price in less than 3 years! But dried fruit, chocolate, Pork, bacon, chicken etc is still less expensive here, even with the price increases.

My sisters, my friends and my family just down the road is just great. Funny thing is that I didn't realise how much I missed them until I came back.... I'm not a homesick kind of person.

The decision to move back was always a practical one based on employment and lifestyle. My home is really where my man is... the rest of it is flexible.
I'm sure that all you expats who live in another country, when you'd rather be elsewhere, because of you man understand what I'm saying.....

I'm just starting to look for a job myself now, but from what I've seen there seems to be no shortage of opportunities in my field, so I'm hopeful....

Hope all of you planning on the return trip find your move as smooth as we have:)

quoll Feb 20th 2011 11:28 pm

Re: 7 weeks update
 
Gee, you guys dont let the grass grow under your feet either do you? Good to hear that things have gone smoothly for you, it is nice to hear success stories from the land of doom and gloom!!!:thumbup: Hope it continues to go brilliantly!

Mummy in the foothills Feb 21st 2011 4:05 am

Re: 7 weeks update
 
:thumbsup: excellent update

sallysimmons Feb 21st 2011 4:31 am

Re: 7 weeks update
 
Great to read - thanks!

Beedubya Feb 21st 2011 6:35 am

Re: 7 weeks update
 
Thanks for sharing your upbeat update. So good to hear. :thumbsup:

sarah64 Feb 22nd 2011 4:04 am

Re: 7 weeks update
 

Originally Posted by alipally (Post 9190959)
Well, we've been back in the UK for 7 weeks now, so thought I'd give you a little update.
Youngest decided to stay in Australia, but as he's 18, it had to be his decision. He's living with his girlfriend now... and continuing his Bricklaying apprenticeship... Just going into his 3rd year.

We found a rental very quickly, although it's a little larger than we need (6 bedrooms!) the price was right and they didn't want 6 months up front. OH has gone back to his old company (with a big promotion, and started 2 days after we landed) I don't think he's enjoying it much but he didn't work in Australia for the 2 1/2 years we lived there, so I guess it's a bit of a shock!!

Our container arrived the day after we got the rental as, did the dog, who'd been in Kennels for weeks as MIL has a dog already and ours is not sociable! We also seem to have regained our elder son who finished Uni in the Summer, he couldn't wait to move back home!!

We've bought a car (BMW) which was very reasonably priced compared to Australia.... Although I'm not so delighted with the price of the diesel (luckily it will do 40 to the gallon!)

We've bought a plot of land already and are just applying for planning to build a home of our own. (The council was selling off residential plots for a song, so we thought it would be rude not to! Recession really does have it's compensations;))

There are things I miss; mostly our youngest, although, I think it's teaching him some life lessons, doing without the bank of Mum and Dad. Also stupid things like Cheezles, and Tim Tams, and walking the dog on the beach in the early morning. I've been FREEZING since we landed, but tbh, it's not enough to make me want to return.

I'm grateful that I don't have to pay $5 for a decent loaf of bread anymore, but I have to say that the price of food has gone up a lot in the UK since I left.... the cheapest butter you can get now is 98p when I left it was 65p that's a 50% increase in price in less than 3 years! But dried fruit, chocolate, Pork, bacon, chicken etc is still less expensive here, even with the price increases.

My sisters, my friends and my family just down the road is just great. Funny thing is that I didn't realise how much I missed them until I came back.... I'm not a homesick kind of person.

The decision to move back was always a practical one based on employment and lifestyle. My home is really where my man is... the rest of it is flexible.
I'm sure that all you expats who live in another country, when you'd rather be elsewhere, because of you man understand what I'm saying.....

I'm just starting to look for a job myself now, but from what I've seen there seems to be no shortage of opportunities in my field, so I'm hopeful....

Hope all of you planning on the return trip find your move as smooth as we have:)

Argh you brought tears to my eyes! Alipally, I was there in October :) Gorgeous sunny London day, amazing views, beautiful blue skies :) So you left your 18 year old behind, that's what I'm facing at the moment, ideally I'd like to leave in June, my 18 year old doesnt finish her course until November and doesnt want to come :(, my oldest is at Uni in NY and is blissfully happy here so neither would he. You're proof this can be done lol. I'd be leaving my husband behind so I know they'd have at least one of their parents.....

alipally Feb 22nd 2011 10:55 pm

Re: 7 weeks update
 
LOL Sarah!
I seem to be adept at leaving children behind as I gallivant across the world! When we left for Aus our eldest was at Uni, and choose to stay here in the UK.

Being in a different country though, doesn't seem to have affected their ability, to ask for money on a regular basis. I have to say that my bank balance hasn't noticed that I now have two 'grown up' children!!!

Cumbrian Lass Mar 2nd 2011 7:11 am

Re: 7 weeks update
 
WOW that is an amazing up date !!!!
Thats what i love to hear........and i cannot wait for that day too!
We are also looking for land to build.It seems expensive though,but i think it will be worth building a house to our needs,rather than buying an expensive property and spending more money on it.Where did you move back to?
We are looking to go back to the North west we think.
I laughed at your remark about butter.......here in Canada where it use to be soooooo cheap,at the moment a block of the cheapest butter is almost $5,that is about 3 quid...so triple the cost of the UK. We were told by 3 familes that have recently gone back from Alberta that food is much cheaper in the UK than here.It use to be the other way around though!
very pleased to hear you story :thumbsup:

fatcat65 Mar 2nd 2011 1:40 pm

Re: 7 weeks update
 

Originally Posted by Cumbrian Lass (Post 9213762)
WOW that is an amazing up date !!!!
Thats what i love to hear........and i cannot wait for that day too!
We are also looking for land to build.It seems expensive though,but i think it will be worth building a house to our needs,rather than buying an expensive property and spending more money on it.Where did you move back to?
We are looking to go back to the North west we think.
I laughed at your remark about butter.......here in Canada where it use to be soooooo cheap,at the moment a block of the cheapest butter is almost $5,that is about 3 quid...so triple the cost of the UK. We were told by 3 familes that have recently gone back from Alberta that food is much cheaper in the UK than here.It use to be the other way around though!
very pleased to hear you story :thumbsup:

I checked out Asda online the other day and couldn't believe how cheap things were compared to here in Canada well Alberta! What about the cost of bread in Alberta, you usually pay around two pounds for a small loaf here and its so much cheaper in the UK!
That means I can eat more and put all that weight back on that i've lost!! lol:lol:
I know other things like petrol are cheaper here but we travel a lot further distances in Canada than the UK.

Cumbrian Lass Mar 2nd 2011 1:52 pm

Re: 7 weeks update
 
yeah your right fatcat !
I think over the 10yrs that we have been here,prices of groceries have gone through the roof here in Alberta. I can remember spending around $75 for three of us to live like kings per week,when we first arrived.Now two carrier bags and its $100. You can spend $300 per week and still have to go out and buy stuff in between. Cant wait to have all that choice of food again and at a fraction of the cost.
Yeah petrol in more expensive,but we have the little economical cars over there.Not many have the big chugalug trucks,like they do over here lol

bandrui Mar 4th 2011 8:01 am

Re: 7 weeks update
 
Enjoyed reading your update. I only hope that I can be that lucky when I go back. Wonder how much it cost to kennel the dog though.
Yes, food prices are definitely higher here in BC. Same as the others said, so you can be happy about that.
Hope things continue to go swimmingly for you.
Linda

alipally Mar 6th 2011 8:42 pm

Re: 7 weeks update
 
Kennels vary according to the size of your dog... we have a Weimaraner (so large!) and she cost around 8.00 GBP per day to kennel. However if you are going to be kenneling for a while, I suggest that you negotiate a rate with the kennels for long term (we didn't!:eek:)

bandrui Mar 8th 2011 2:43 pm

Re: 7 weeks update
 

Originally Posted by alipally (Post 9222864)
Kennels vary according to the size of your dog... we have a Weimaraner (so large!) and she cost around 8.00 GBP per day to kennel. However if you are going to be kenneling for a while, I suggest that you negotiate a rate with the kennels for long term (we didn't!:eek:)

I think that's very reasonable. I pay double that to a local lady to watch my dog when I go away.

ctb1803 Apr 25th 2011 1:39 pm

Re: 7 weeks update
 

Originally Posted by alipally (Post 9190959)
Well, we've been back in the UK for 7 weeks now, so thought I'd give you a little update.
Youngest decided to stay in Australia, but as he's 18, it had to be his decision. He's living with his girlfriend now... and continuing his Bricklaying apprenticeship... Just going into his 3rd year.

We found a rental very quickly, although it's a little larger than we need (6 bedrooms!) the price was right and they didn't want 6 months up front. OH has gone back to his old company (with a big promotion, and started 2 days after we landed) I don't think he's enjoying it much but he didn't work in Australia for the 2 1/2 years we lived there, so I guess it's a bit of a shock!!

Our container arrived the day after we got the rental as, did the dog, who'd been in Kennels for weeks as MIL has a dog already and ours is not sociable! We also seem to have regained our elder son who finished Uni in the Summer, he couldn't wait to move back home!!

We've bought a car (BMW) which was very reasonably priced compared to Australia.... Although I'm not so delighted with the price of the diesel (luckily it will do 40 to the gallon!)

We've bought a plot of land already and are just applying for planning to build a home of our own. (The council was selling off residential plots for a song, so we thought it would be rude not to! Recession really does have it's compensations;))

There are things I miss; mostly our youngest, although, I think it's teaching him some life lessons, doing without the bank of Mum and Dad. Also stupid things like Cheezles, and Tim Tams, and walking the dog on the beach in the early morning. I've been FREEZING since we landed, but tbh, it's not enough to make me want to return.

I'm grateful that I don't have to pay $5 for a decent loaf of bread anymore, but I have to say that the price of food has gone up a lot in the UK since I left.... the cheapest butter you can get now is 98p when I left it was 65p that's a 50% increase in price in less than 3 years! But dried fruit, chocolate, Pork, bacon, chicken etc is still less expensive here, even with the price increases.

My sisters, my friends and my family just down the road is just great. Funny thing is that I didn't realise how much I missed them until I came back.... I'm not a homesick kind of person.

The decision to move back was always a practical one based on employment and lifestyle. My home is really where my man is... the rest of it is flexible.
I'm sure that all you expats who live in another country, when you'd rather be elsewhere, because of you man understand what I'm saying.....

I'm just starting to look for a job myself now, but from what I've seen there seems to be no shortage of opportunities in my field, so I'm hopeful....

Hope all of you planning on the return trip find your move as smooth as we have:)

hey good to hear somone with a positive review on here ,we have been in nz for 3 yrs in june and are hoping to come home to uk nxt yr ..my eldest daughter wants to stay for uni etc she live with her boyfriends family out here and is 20 in july so up to her ...although it makes me sad ....you made it all sound so easy i just hope it goes aswell for us..we keep hearing all the horrible doom and gloom stories about the uk but noone understands untill you have been away yourself for so long..its the little things you miss ...Glad it going well Good luck.

Cumbrian Lass Apr 25th 2011 2:01 pm

Re: 7 weeks update
 
yeah glad to hear some thing possitive too !

I think if its that bad no one would live there....but everyone keeps on going back. We intend to do the same thing this summer !!!! cannot wait :thumbsup:


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