Perhaps an insane question...but why exactly are you leaving?
Apr 1st 2009, 10:30 am
#91
Australia's Doorman
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: The Shoalhaven, New South Wales, Australia
Posts: 11,056
Re: Perhaps an insane question...but why exactly are you leaving?
Fairly accurate description for the most part, except the bit about 'free time'.
Apr 1st 2009, 11:08 am
#92
Forum Regular
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: Randwick
Posts: 208
Re: Perhaps an insane question...but why exactly are you leaving?
It was over two years ago that we left the UK but it wasn't because of crime or violence or rah-rah-rah (although better weather was a huge pull to the antipodes!). My dh had just qualified as a mental health nurse and there were zero jobs in our county- massive NHS cuts then meant that the seconded students were given posts as nurse aids and the rest were told to look out of county. We'd already visited NZ and Oz and fancied spending some time there. We had a few thousand in savings and just a single newly qualified nurses salary, so we didn't have much to lose financially. We looked into NZ and there were jobs everywhere- dh just let me choose where I fancied and the health board subbed our airfares, put us up in a very nice motel for nearly four weeks and gave us a hire car.
I'm not a fan of the UK education system- this isn't about output, I'm sure there are plenty of studies and stats to show it's right up there globally, it's more a gut feeling that the testing and the ethos just isn't what we wanted for our kids. NZ schools offered something totally different.
Now we're in Australia, partly because I wanted to do teacher training and we lived very rural in NZ where it wasn't really practical and partly because a few months after we left Blighty my mum emigrated to Oz, so we sort of thought why not? Kiwis waved us off to "the third island" as is the Kiwi way, but I was given a local bone carving so I am apparently 'caught' to the area and will return ....
Sometimes I think, had I known the fallout of leaving our family and culture, I wouldn't have opened the box. But it's too late now- I find it hard to imagine how and where we could live in the UK and get everything we enjoy from life on this side of the world. But it is a Pandora's Box this emigrating lark.
I'm not a fan of the UK education system- this isn't about output, I'm sure there are plenty of studies and stats to show it's right up there globally, it's more a gut feeling that the testing and the ethos just isn't what we wanted for our kids. NZ schools offered something totally different.
Now we're in Australia, partly because I wanted to do teacher training and we lived very rural in NZ where it wasn't really practical and partly because a few months after we left Blighty my mum emigrated to Oz, so we sort of thought why not? Kiwis waved us off to "the third island" as is the Kiwi way, but I was given a local bone carving so I am apparently 'caught' to the area and will return ....
Sometimes I think, had I known the fallout of leaving our family and culture, I wouldn't have opened the box. But it's too late now- I find it hard to imagine how and where we could live in the UK and get everything we enjoy from life on this side of the world. But it is a Pandora's Box this emigrating lark.
Apr 1st 2009, 12:20 pm
#94
Australia's Doorman
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: The Shoalhaven, New South Wales, Australia
Posts: 11,056
Re: Perhaps an insane question...but why exactly are you leaving?
Steinbeck? Nah - I was talking about Robin Williams (3:20 in). 
Delightful.
no but this is about 15 miles down the road.
Apr 3rd 2009, 1:38 am
#95
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 839
Re: Perhaps an insane question...but why exactly are you leaving?
We've been here in Oz for an eternity...the longing to return is only stronger. Yes, we've been back; loved it...ok, not the grimy horrible, decrepid inner city bits, but the countryside is bloody stunning, the people ARE warm, witty and friendly (mostly) and the weather isn't really that bad is it? So why exactly are so many Brits desperate to get out...what do you see that we don't? Is sunny weather and a lack of Gordon Brown worth the loss of all the other things. Anyone gone back and realised they made a mistake? Honestly interested to learn more...
Aussies talk themselves up "best country in the world"- my arse.
In the uk we talk ourselves down.
If you are employable ,live in a nice place in the uk Australia will be an inferior place in most aspects of your life.
Apr 3rd 2009, 1:58 am
#96
Chan eil aon chànan gu le
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: On the ning nang nong
Posts: 22,437
Re: Perhaps an insane question...but why exactly are you leaving?
Have returned to the uk (3 weeks) .We have more than doubled our salaries since in Oz. I believe that Aus is a good country .However, it is backward largely humourless, and has more rednecks than anywhere else I've been. The prospect of my kids being Aussies horrified me.
Aussies talk themselves up "best country in the world"- my arse.
In the uk we talk ourselves down.
If you are employable ,live in a nice place in the uk Australia will be an inferior place in most aspects of your life.
Aussies talk themselves up "best country in the world"- my arse.
In the uk we talk ourselves down.
If you are employable ,live in a nice place in the uk Australia will be an inferior place in most aspects of your life.
Apr 3rd 2009, 2:11 am
#97
Fighting my corner
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Posts: 11,948
Re: Perhaps an insane question...but why exactly are you leaving?
Australia is not the best country in the world (and I speak as an Australian). There is no such thing as the best country in the world.
Sure, plenty of Australians will say that Australia is the best country in the world, and they'll believe it too. Nothing wrong with that; it's called national pride, and they're entitled to it.
BTW, can't agree with Hutch re. the Gower; I think it's absolutely gorgeous. Spent some happy times there a few years ago.
Apr 3rd 2009, 2:15 am
#98
Banned
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 427
Re: Perhaps an insane question...but why exactly are you leaving?
Have returned to the uk (3 weeks) .We have more than doubled our salaries since in Oz. I believe that Aus is a good country .However, it is backward largely humourless, and has more rednecks than anywhere else I've been. The prospect of my kids being Aussies horrified me.
Aussies talk themselves up "best country in the world"- my arse.
In the uk we talk ourselves down.
If you are employable ,live in a nice place in the uk Australia will be an inferior place in most aspects of your life.
Aussies talk themselves up "best country in the world"- my arse.
In the uk we talk ourselves down.
If you are employable ,live in a nice place in the uk Australia will be an inferior place in most aspects of your life.
Apr 3rd 2009, 2:22 am
#100
Chan eil aon chànan gu le
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: On the ning nang nong
Posts: 22,437
Apr 3rd 2009, 2:42 am
#101
Australia's Doorman
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: The Shoalhaven, New South Wales, Australia
Posts: 11,056
Re: Perhaps an insane question...but why exactly are you leaving?
Apr 3rd 2009, 3:03 am
#102
Fighting my corner
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Posts: 11,948
Apr 3rd 2009, 4:18 am
#103
slanderer of the innocent
Joined: Dec 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 6,695
Apr 3rd 2009, 8:08 am
#104
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: Castle Hill, Sydney (previously Brum)
Posts: 1,095
Re: Perhaps an insane question...but why exactly are you leaving?
So we've heard about the beautiful countryside of the UK, the pubs, the arts - Australia's natural beauty, rednecks and ease of living, but I have to admit that no one has mentioned the UK's gloomy cities of substandard life, the way gangs of youth hang around the streets, the general demeanor of anger and violence inherent in them, lack of classroom discipline, mad laws, expensive living, an obsession with 'elf and safety' ...etc, etc. Because much as I love the UK, it's these things that put me off returning and would really love to here from those recently left the UK or still there to find out how these things affected your decision to leave.
I'm not hearing this at all so I can only presume you all lived in idyllic villages untouched by all the things I mentioned above. When I went back in November, I found people I knew were either on benefits (and perfectly healthy people too!) or they were scared, angry and financially exhausted from living in the UK.
I'm not hearing this at all so I can only presume you all lived in idyllic villages untouched by all the things I mentioned above. When I went back in November, I found people I knew were either on benefits (and perfectly healthy people too!) or they were scared, angry and financially exhausted from living in the UK.
Apr 3rd 2009, 10:03 am
#105
Banned
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 22,348
Re: Perhaps an insane question...but why exactly are you leaving?
Not only does it happen everywhere, but it's been going on far a looong time. When I was a kid, back in the 1970s, growing up north of London, the drug of choice amongst teens was glue. They'd buy some industrial glue and 'huff' it from plastic bags. Down the common, at the bus stop, outside the Chinese, on the train - always some zit-faced (result of the glue sniffing) kid with his face in a Bejam bag. Then heroin started coming down in price and soon anyone could afford it.
