eddie007

Are you still coming? Or have you changed your mind?

We feel like we did the right thing for us... Well, HE knows we did... I think we did....no I'm pretty sure we did.... I'd really like a trip back to make sure.....

How many people are still "on their way regardless"?

Anyone got their visa but have decided not to come out now....

Are there statistics available?

What made you change your mind?

Trailing_Hubby

Currently in the process of turning down an offer... Good money, but not enough for us to up and go so far away from family, friends, Arsenal etc.

We don't have that "must go at all costs" attitude that some people have. We'd welcome the chance to live in Oz for a while, but not at the expense of what we have at the moment.

eddie007

That sounds very sensible......

northernbird

7 years ago the 'at all costs' option was worth it but I have to say as much as this is my home now I wouldn't make the move now under the same circumstances. Hope you find happiness.

brissybee

Why is that?

northernbird

Decreased house prices, therefore equity in the UK. Crap exchange rate between GBP and $ and the increased house prices and cost of living in Australia. I love it here, I would NEVER live in the UK again on a full time basis but the factors I mention would prevent me coming now.

Cheetah7

We have had bad stuff happen in the UK and terrible stuff happen here and have learned that wherever you live, shit happens (as we all know that).

But I have also learned, it doesnt matter where it happens if you have a good support network and ours is here, I think I get better medical treatment here comparing where we lived in the UK.

My 'expat family' have been more supportive here than in the UK - sad but true. I am in the right place, I never question it but I will admit to sometimes wanting to be at family functions, or birthdays - just wish I could dip in and out when I fancy it.

This is my home, no matter what - this is my home, better/worse and I can outweigh the good from the bad, even if some things get on my tits or frustrate me.

Took a long while to get to this stage though.

Wendy

snap...except for the last bit

northernbird

I agree but I am still not sure with the benefit of hindsight whether I would come now.

Wendy

I would. No doubt about it.

Trailing_Hubby

I do feel like I'm being very sensible, it's not normal...

I know we'd have a great time wherever we are - our eyes are very much open. Everywhere has it's problems and good points. If it was more money we'd be over with nary a second thought, but the thing we don't live in is an ideal world!

Bernieboy

I'll put the kettle on shall i love

MissingOZ

I think that if a graph of statistics was made for all possible scenarios that it would be far to complex to understand.

If it's done as a single person then it has it's different characteristics. If done as a couple it's different. If as a family with kids it's different. No matter how much/little money you have to start with it is usually the emotional stuff that makes the decision for you.

Some just arn't cut out for life outside the area they where born and raised in or the area they have settled in and all that goes with that. Family, friends and experiences gained within the first 20 or so years of life is a hard thing to 'give up' for most. Most will never leave the comfort of their surroundings and simply leave school and get a job with a local employer and continue socialising with old school friends. Eventually get married, have kids and settle down. Grandparents become involved and another generation of bonds are formed etc. Life dictates life. Not surprising that it's so hard just to decide to do it.

To others who take the chance/opportunity and think that they can live with the above are then perhaps faced with additional hurdles such as jobs, wages, weather, remoteness etc. Again, a huge leap from the security of 'home' and maybe a realisation that things arent as expected. Yet being there is the only way to really know.........I know.

I experienced most of the above despite leaving 'home' at 17 and seeing the world with my job. My 'leaving Oz' experiences where different to that of my wife and to that of my kids but as a family unit 10,000 miles away from 'home' we had to go with the 'minority'. Nobody would have predicted our situation and certainly not me. There are no sure fire answers. Most will at some point hit a hurdle and either turn back or climb over it and give it a go and/or climb back over and go 'home'. Some with regret......others with none. Some will act on that regret.......some won't.

I regretted leaving Oz the moment it was suggested and I knew we where doing the wrong thing and not in just returning back to the UK. UK is fine, just it's had enough of my time. And sure enough, 5 months later the 'minority' had a change of heart and wanted to return to Oz. By which time other influences had a hold and it didnt happen. Keep smiling and plodding..............with regret in our case.

A little older and wiser, with less dependant ties, we are moving back. Albeit a few people lighter but there comes a time when we had to realise that they have their own destiny and will probably follow us anyway.

We are the 'give it a go' and 'money isnt everything' type. We can be as 'well off' in the UK as we can be in Oz and we can be as 'skint' in the UK as we can be 'skint' in Oz. Each other, a chance, a change, a beach, a surfboard, a snorkel, a parachute and somewhere to ski is us. Jobs are required too.

Life to us is not a rehearsal, it's an experience......good and bad, and we think that the next half of our lives needs to be somewhere else. Why not Oz?

That's my ten bobs worth.

Good luck all.

Kapri

Some people on here may know my experiences.

Had the visa and a job offer in 2008.

At exactly the same time, my Dad died and our house sale fell through. It was also the start of the GFC, so house prices dropped rapidly and other buyers disappeared.
There was no way I could leave the UK when my mum had just had a major bereavement.
At the time I hated my job and couldn't wait to leave it far behind. In the wake of what had happened I got a new job that came with a great training opportunity. We settled back down into UK life and really made a go of it.
We now have a fairly good life - good friends, secure jobs, the kids are in great schools.

However, we are still coming to Australia later this year
I have just sent off my registration docs to AHPRA and we are in the process of painting the house ready for sale.

Mad? Yes, totally

Houses do seem to be selling round here so we will put it on at a realistic price and hope the exchange rate goes more in our favour by the time we want to buy in Aus.

elice_in_oz

I'm with you on that one NB, though our circumstances are most likely very different.

10 years ago, when we came with one WHV and 2 suitcases between the two of us , it was a great time to move. There were jobs everywhere, OH's skills were in high demand and we needed a change of horizons. We had savings that took us a long way without jobs, no kids, a flat up for sale in the UK and a 'Let's see what comes of it, we can always go back' attitude. Considering today's economic climate and exchange rate, even if we were still childless, we probably would only do it with a job lined up and a sold house at least. Might still only bring 2 suitcases though

As a family, I am not sure I would do it now without an even better job lined up, maybe a relocation package and/or expenses paid and a visa. Then again, who's to say what our life now would be like if we had stayed in the UK? Would we still want to leave? Who knows? I don't dwell on it too much and relish the fact that we have a great life here, the life WE want.

As always, some will love it, others won't, for millions of very different reasons, all valid.