View Poll Results: WOuld you do it all again? (emigrate that is)
Yes
63
57.80%
Jury is still out on that one
9
8.26%
I'll let you know when I've done it for the first time!
3
2.75%
Yes but to somewhere other than Australia
7
6.42%
No
16
14.68%
You having a giraffe? I'd rather crawl round the desert with a mouthful of rocks
11
10.09%
Voters: 109. You may not vote on this poll
Would you do it all again?
May 1st 2011 | 5:05 pm
#31
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 6,830
From: Perth
Re: Would you do it all again?
No way,Not to Australia these days but glad came when i did in the mid 90s.
On reflection would have been better to have stayed a few years and returned to work Europe.
Would certainly leave UK though,if still there and move to Europe and/or possibly Asia.
One reason being with the years spent in Australia along with time spent working in Western Europe,would have easily been able to retire early, on a very decent pension in a few more years and taken up other pursuits.
Now looks more the case will be self funded as will never have enough in super for a comfortable retirement.
On reflection would have been better to have stayed a few years and returned to work Europe.
Would certainly leave UK though,if still there and move to Europe and/or possibly Asia.
One reason being with the years spent in Australia along with time spent working in Western Europe,would have easily been able to retire early, on a very decent pension in a few more years and taken up other pursuits.
Now looks more the case will be self funded as will never have enough in super for a comfortable retirement.
May 1st 2011 | 5:10 pm
#32
Fighting my corner
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 11,948
From: Adelaide, South Australia
Re: Would you do it all again?
May 1st 2011 | 5:48 pm
#33
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 447
From: North Rocky
Re: Would you do it all again?
If I wanted to stay married - I probably would have to 
Mx
Mx
May 1st 2011 | 6:02 pm
#35
Account Closed
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,374
Re: Would you do it all again?
Definitely yes, the right decision, just wish I'd done it 5 years ago, then again I'd not have met my OH so it's been the right time for us both. 
Since moving here I have never felt so free in all of my life - free from the politics of a very messed up country, from a family situation which was incredibly unhealthy for all involved, and from a work situation that was, in the end, going to drive me insane, LITERALLY!
And no, before anyone jumps in, I didn't move to Australia to run away from all of these things, I made a huge amount of sacrifice too, some of the things I gave up I'll never ever forget. 
However, I feel I'm in a much better place emotionally, geographically and financially, than I have been for a long time.
God Bless Australia
Since moving here I have never felt so free in all of my life - free from the politics of a very messed up country, from a family situation which was incredibly unhealthy for all involved, and from a work situation that was, in the end, going to drive me insane, LITERALLY!
And no, before anyone jumps in, I didn't move to Australia to run away from all of these things, I made a huge amount of sacrifice too, some of the things I gave up I'll never ever forget. However, I feel I'm in a much better place emotionally, geographically and financially, than I have been for a long time.God Bless Australia
May 1st 2011 | 6:59 pm
#36
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 14,188
Re: Would you do it all again?
Yes to the country and the job and lifestyle for me and the son but no to the rest. Had I been aware of all factors before i emmigrated I'd have stayed at home with supportive family and friends. Personally, I find a lot of the people you meet here or just not of the calibre of the ones you left behind. But, as i'd gave up a good job in UK that I can't return to and sold a house I would never get back at the price I paid for it, I'm stuck here making the most of it so just as well it's a nice country with plenty of things to do.
If I could rewind to the point, 5 years ago, when my company asked me if I would fancy the move to Australia, with hindsight I would probably answer "no"; rather than the "yes" I said first time round.
Having said that, the question of if I would I go back to the UK again now, is a difficult one to answer. On balance, at this precise moment, I probably wouldn't, but I would hate to think that I'd never return to live there again one day.
May 1st 2011 | 8:06 pm
#37
Thread Starter
Home and Happy
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 94,305
From: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
May 1st 2011 | 8:17 pm
#38
Shiny Arse Know All
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 14,180
From: Adelaide, somewhere
Re: Would you do it all again?
Dragged from London to Ireland age 9 NO!
Escaped at age 18, hell yes
To Oz? Will (hopefully) let you know
Escaped at age 18, hell yes
To Oz? Will (hopefully) let you know
May 1st 2011 | 9:10 pm
#39
Crazy Cat Lady
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 65,493
Re: Would you do it all again?
Same time, same place, same circumstances then yes. And Poll, I think you would too because circumstances at the time for you, made it the right move. It's what's happened since that has made it 'wrong' move but you won't even know that for sure until you die because you have no idea what will happen in the future and you'll never know what would have happened if you'd stayed. You play the cards as they're dealt, you can do no more than that.
May 1st 2011 | 9:42 pm
#41
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 20,821
From: Brisbane
Re: Would you do it all again?
There's a typo in the Poll.
"WOuld you do it all again? (emigrate that is)"
"WOuld you do it all again? (emigrate that is)"
May 1st 2011 | 9:48 pm
#43
Thread Starter
Home and Happy
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 94,305
From: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Re: Would you do it all again?
there's a reason why i don't pick on other people's spelling and punctuation its cos i know my own is krap. get someone else to fix it, I'm off to stick my head in a bucket.
May 1st 2011 | 10:01 pm
#44
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 20,821
From: Brisbane
Re: Would you do it all again?
Sorry.
Sorry. Was just teasing.
Sorry. Was just teasing.
May 1st 2011 | 10:26 pm
#45
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 16,623
From: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Re: Would you do it all again?
1. fx rate
2. House prices in UK and Melbourne
Cost of living thus not subsidized.
Things I have since cottoned on to:
1. A move to any place other than Melbourne might have bored us eventually. I still giggle when I realize just what is on tap and so easily.
A lot of people are saying 'if only earlier!' Well we came 7 years ago and so we did that. What worked for us:
1. We were childless and not married. We were at a natural decision-point and crossroads. I've often suspected that this was crucial and plays a major part.
2. We were still younger than most migrants. We were in good health physically, especially my wife. We had no 'mother-in-law' strife.
3. We were equipped mentally and physically.
4. We were both veterans of 'living away': my wife especially having left to au -pair at 17!
5. Moving from London to Melbourne set us up to pull it off. We like Melbourne - the best of both worlds.
6. We chose to live on our own terms. Edge of city, semi-rural. We might have lived 60-90mins from London:and ended up further from a major city.
7. We did not replicate our UK lives in Australia: apart from transport skills and experiences and ourselves.
8. The move coincided with a step up in career. No loss of 'time-accrued'
9. Our skill sets are transportable - neither of us required any retraining or accreditation.
Things that could have been better:
1. We did not have as much cash as some. We drive old cars and bought the cheapest house in the best road. That worked too as we did not overstretch.
Last edited by BadgeIsBack; May 1st 2011 at 10:28 pm.
