Originally Posted by daisymoo

I have just been reading about people coming back home.....


You will never know whether you will love it or hate it or just simply put up with it, until you actually do it.
We all have the intention of coming to Oz for a better life, but sometimes it takes that move to realise what you did have back in the UK.
That is certainly the case for me. Am I going moan about the cost of getting there and getting back and bring up all the things I dislike about Oz? NO. It was an experience, glad I tried it, not for me thank you.
If anyone asks me about moving to Oz I would say "Do it".
Also anyone in the process of trying to get visas, just about to make the move, I wish you all the very best and good luck in the future.

Originally Posted by hawk2005

People have a bigger comfort zone than they thought, but only realise it once they have stepped outside of it

Recreating a new one is sometimes a thing which some returnees could not do sufficiently quickly or just were unwilling to do full stop.

The thought of ever having to return to that cold, grey skied, alcohol sodden, badly managed, dirty, overcrowded country sends shivers down my spine

Originally Posted by Luma

But lots become ping pom poms. Sometimes you have to go home to realise that actually it wasn't so bad over there afterall

Originally Posted by blowers

You will see a lot of people making comments like :"same sh*t, different bucket" or 'what you gain on the swings, you lose on the roundabouts". I won't go on and on, but this just about sums it up really. So, perhaps council tax is extortionate in the UK, but my monthly phone bill from Telstra (who practically have a monopoly out here) or the cost of my flight back home on Qantas (who practically have a monopoly out here - bit of a pattern here) could make you cry. And young people here can't get on the housing ladder either. But yes, you got sun, and you got warmth, and you got the beaches, and to be honest if thats what makes you happy, you'll be happy here. Unfortunately, a lot of people, myself included think that this will make them happy, and realise that actually, given the choice between beaches and their friends and family back home, its the friends and family they want. This is very common!
Most people here, even if they decide to go back, would agree this is a great country, just that some of them would prefer maybe to visit it, rather than live here.
Others come here, love it from day 1 and 20 years later are still loving it - so good luck to you, and hopefully you'll be happy here, but its good to have an open mind.

Originally Posted by jlkk

We are one of those ping pong poms.
We are on our way back although we are not returning to the same place as we were, I do think that was a big problem for us. We did not settle in Adelaide and put it down to homesickness, but the reality is, we did not like Adelaide that much. (our opinion).

All I will say to those returning to the UK or anywhere else is, (like it was said to us plenty of times)...try somewhere else first...believe me its an expensive way of testing what you do want. If that does not work then at least you know either way.

LibbyX

Originally Posted by wmoore

In today's Courier Mail (can't be bothered to search for the online link) a report is saying that 1/4 - 1/3 of the cost of buying a house is going on government charges (read: tax). So if you buy a $450k house, you hand over $150k in tax.

And did you know that the top rate income tax here is 48.5%?

Your kids will struggle to get on the property ladder here too and who knows? Your hubby may have to work long hours to get a decent wage too.


FWIW I'm just playing devil's advocate. I love it here, I'm not dissing the place but I really think you need to take a look at the bigger picture. Your post screams out that you think everything is so much better here when the reality is that some things are better and some things are not.

Originally Posted by Suni&Jay

Daisymoo, not having a dig, but can you take off the rose tinted glasses.
Like others have said, people have different needs. You will still have to work when you get to oz, you will still have bills to pay etc. Hopefully you will have a better lifestyle, and that is one of the many reasons we are moving. Hope you find what you are looking for, good luck

Suni

Originally Posted by hevs

This is funny to read. When i joined here nearly 3 years ago posts like this were common place and in those days you had the likes of PB and Dotty screaming in a very condecending way for us to "take off our rose tints" And all of us telling each other to "just ignore them. They're only bitter etc"

So. Would any of us listen? NO! Because it was our dream to live and we were gonna do it no matter what some tool on an internet forum said.

Now it seems to have come full circle. Those of us who have been around a bit realise that, although said often in a somewhat offensive manner, PB, dotty and the like DID have some very valid points.

Now WE all choose to share those points but in a constructive, less condecending way and kindly say "take yer rose tints off love, yer dreaming" And we certainly have more back up these days too.

So. Would knowing what i know now change my decision? No. But its been a long hard road and i wouldn't choose to do it ever again

Everyones needs, wants and expectations vary immensly and for that they should never be judged

Originally Posted by daisymoo

I dont own any rose tinted glasses, we both fully intend to work long and hard, why change the habit of a lifetime, we would rather do it in a better climate with the opportunity of a more outdoors lifestyle in a country that the majority of people say is wonderful. MY little family and me thrive in our summer, we make the most of the warmer weather and the ability to spend the majority of our spare time outside, like a lot of people we hibernate through the winter not wishing to rear our ugly heads. I know what our needs our and that is why we are trying to do this, i would never take such a big step on a whim

Carol

Originally Posted by ozzieeagle

One advantage that the UK has over Aus with the UK summer is the Light hours. Winter is approaching us in the Southern states, it wont be as cold, but it sure as hell will be dark when most people get home. The Light hours in the UK summer compared to the Aussie summer are far greater, giving more time for people to enjoy the outside daylight hours.


Personally I'd rather be outside in 7 degrees in London at 7.30 pm in April in the light, than 13 degrees in April here in Melbourne at 7.30 pm in the Dark.

Also who cares if It's dark at 3.45 pm mid December in London, if it's only 2 degrees outside, when you can compare that to Mid June, at 10.30 pm a nice dusk and 11 degrees. Light hours are as important as the Temperature in my opinion.

Originally Posted by daisymoo

The weather and temperature are not the most important things in my life, i know that it gets dark in an instant, i also love to sit outside here till 10pm sometimes still light but i'm open to all things new.

Originally Posted by daisymoo

Hope i have redeemed myself if i needed to, i have tried to explain to everyone what i meant and that it wasn't meant in a negative way. My god this is hard :scared: :scared:

Originally Posted by daisymoo

Hands up who thinks i am judging i just happened to be reading the posts and wondered stupidly out loud what people were missing but at the same time not wanting to be nosey. Wish now i'd never read anything. I know what my needs wants and expectations are and totally understand that others are not the same. I said jokingly about the blue skies but am not stupid enough to think it's the cure for everything. I am 43 years old with 3 kids, eldest 23 youngest 12, been through quite a bit, i'm not naeive and i'm very sorry if it's been hard for you, i hope i dont feel like you at the same stage of the game. Good luck with your return

Carol