Rljacobs

hi all, Ive mainly posted on here in the immi section for advice and such.

i hope to be jetting off, partner in tow, to brisbane sept 2013.

my question is: for those that have come from the UK and started a new life, has it been worth it? did you make the right choice? do you have any regrets/things you knew before you went/any general advice for two young people starting from scratch out in oz?

all opinions good/bad/indifferent welcome!

quoll

Never thought of it as starting a new life as much as getting on with the one and only one I had. Initial move was sensible and the first 10 years were quite fun but I regret not moving back to UK earlier and just going with the flow rather than making active decisions about where I really wanted to be and what was right for me. It's all worked out in the end though.

Good luck with your move, hope it is the right one for you. If not, dont be afraid to make another one and dont just go with the flow if it isnt quite right.

knockoff nige

Yep, good advice. If I can add to it. Don't let the small irrelevant things get in your way. Many people complain about the quality of the tv here, or how detergent doesn't properly wash your clothes like it does in the UK/Ireland. Find simple solutions to these small problems and enjoy the good things about your new home.

itigo

We're coming up to 3 years and I would cry if anyone told me I had to go back! We love it and are settling in well. I'd agree with quoll, just stay flexible....Of course there are a few things we would like here, that we just can't get, and the form filling etc. gets a bit much but you soon get used to it.

As I type it's the first day of Autumn, drizzling, windy and chilly so I'm not just saying it cos the sun's out!!

eddie007

MY only regrets was that we didnt do this 20 years ago


and that we hadnt sold our house before the uk crash

and that the exchange rate isnt still 2.5ish

dragon5254

We moved to Australia initially 31 years ago. We have since lived in a number of locations around the world due to my OH work and gone back and forward to Oz. Was it worth it??? Definitely. Australia has been very good to us financially and it has given us so many opportunities. I read many of the negative comments on BE about Australia and to some extent I do agree with much that has been written ie Australia being bland/boring etc. But nowhere is perfect!! NOWHERE!
For us this is another new phase in our life and we are looking forward to retiring soon. Hope to spend 6 months of the year in Europe and 6 months in Australia.

chris955

For us it wasn't the right choice but for others it is, we are all different and want different things from life.

iamthecreaturefromuranus

I'm OK with the fact that we made the move and I'm in no rush to return... but with hindsight I probably wouldn't have bothered at all.

We haven't 'gained' enough to make up for what we 'lost'.

dragon5254

How times have changed!
When we came to Oz it was either sink or swim!
It was during the Thatcher era where it was tough in the UK, to return meant possible unemployment and it was also very expensive to travel - $1000 air ticket was a lot of money back then. It was certainly character building....which has put me in good stead for the many other places that we have lived and worked!

LINZI

That's the thing for me I think sometimes is there anything ever enough to cover the fact that you have come away from family and friends and so on..

I have mixed feelings all the time about living here but at the moment we are staying put but who knows what will happen in the future.

At this point I feel like I dont belong here and I dont belong in the uk

Forgot to add money wise we are better off here than we where in the uk.

Good luck Rljacobs

iamthecreaturefromuranus

Pretty much my feelings exactly. Our life here is good, but it was in the UK as well. We didn't see family/friends on a daily basis when we were in the UK, BUT they were there when we needed them. Obviously not so now.

Dorothy

Why? Will some random internet poster's experience change whether you decide to move to Australia or not?

knockoff nige

It did for me. People share experiences, That's human nature. Cheer up Dorothy.

Dorothy

I don't need cheering up. I'm actually quite cheerful ATM. I've just booked a 3 week holiday to see my grandchildren for the first time, lucked out big time with an assignment at uni, my husband's boss has just given me a beautiful grapefruit tree as a belated (by 3 years ) housewarming gift and my daughter has just started an apprenticeship at an award winning bakery as a pastry chef. Life right now for me is very good.

I'm simply asking why someone whether someone would change life altering plans like emigrating to another country based on the opinions of strangers.

knockoff nige

Because it helps. I don't think it would be wise to move somewhere without some advice from other people, even if they are strangers.