3 months back in uk
Oct 15th 2007, 7:48 am
#1
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3 months back in uk
Hi all
Been a while since I was on site so thought i'd just send an update on life back in the UK.
Have been back 3 months now and it does feel longer. So much has happened in that time, arrived home on thursday and thomas started back work with the gas board on the monday , keeping really busy and loads of OT, he earned more back here in 4 weeks than he did 6 months in aus, its just such a big comparison. They put it down as a career break and gave him his old payroll number so his pension and benefits kicked back in which was great.
I have been working for 2.5 months doing part time admin in school hours and a little better money than what i was getting before I left.
We are still staying with MIL, and starting to wear a bit thin and feeling frustrated now, however have been able get a new house and get keys on 5th November, yippee, cant wait for some normality , routine and privacy after this past year of stress and ups and downs and staying with relies.
Our girls were welcomed back into their old school very warmingly and have settled in great, within the same classes. Our 5 yr old is a little behind because of the whole prep education in aus, she has been put into primary 2(scotland), but getting extra homework to catch back up.They are back at dancing, girls brigade and swimming . I enjoy them having clubs and interests , something which we could not afford in aus due to poor salaries.
We are just getting over the shock reaction from everyone since being back, the usual 'oh my god, your back what happened?' etc and small town gossip which actually became quite funny as we all laugh about it now as a phase we went through.
We left Melbourne in July 2007 and seems like an eternity ago, and after only 7 months in aus it feels as if we lived there for years, its such a weird feeling.
We do still think about it and pine for certain little things, but luckily we have distraction just now and getting back on our feet financially so no immediate thoughts to return at any point soon.
Things I do miss are, socialising at weekends , having picnics and barbecues round friends houses, vino at lunch time and a short walk to the school in lovely weather, the great expat friends we made in mornington, and of course the bay views and beach.
We do notice certain things more here, and get annoyed when we see graphiti or rubbish and seem to compare some little things like the mass of neds and crime.
Overall what i love most about being home is it home, and feels like i belong here. Its cheesy but it i do love the sense of humour, the patter, the beautiful greenary, countryside, fresh air, shopping, oh my god, i'm still amased walking round tesco in a daze as it gets a bigger variety of stock everytime i'm in. I love the trends, the bars and old pubs the scottish traditional party's, and the simple little things like being round my brothers slagging him off for one thing or another, priceless.
I'm glad we made the choice to come home when we did, thats just mho, although it would have been great if we were financially more secure and did not have as much restrictions with the plumbing that we could have stayed on 2 yrs at least, but, it was not for us at this time. We have even learned alot and it has opened other ventures for us, We might being going into business , both being self employed. It seems to be the gear start we may have needed to get out of our comfort zone , as they say one door closes another opens.
Good luck to all those whatever you choose to do, stay or go, its not an easy decision and it was more stressful and tougher deciding to come back than actually deciding to go in the first place it was especially hard when we got so attached to new friends and family in aus,we hope we may be lucky enough to go back for visits or a future holiday at some point.
What now, well better get stocked up on scarfs and gloves again bracing ourselves for a brrrrrrrr winter, but equally cant wait until the festivites of xmas.
take care
sarah-jayne x
Been a while since I was on site so thought i'd just send an update on life back in the UK.
Have been back 3 months now and it does feel longer. So much has happened in that time, arrived home on thursday and thomas started back work with the gas board on the monday , keeping really busy and loads of OT, he earned more back here in 4 weeks than he did 6 months in aus, its just such a big comparison. They put it down as a career break and gave him his old payroll number so his pension and benefits kicked back in which was great.
I have been working for 2.5 months doing part time admin in school hours and a little better money than what i was getting before I left.
We are still staying with MIL, and starting to wear a bit thin and feeling frustrated now, however have been able get a new house and get keys on 5th November, yippee, cant wait for some normality , routine and privacy after this past year of stress and ups and downs and staying with relies.
Our girls were welcomed back into their old school very warmingly and have settled in great, within the same classes. Our 5 yr old is a little behind because of the whole prep education in aus, she has been put into primary 2(scotland), but getting extra homework to catch back up.They are back at dancing, girls brigade and swimming . I enjoy them having clubs and interests , something which we could not afford in aus due to poor salaries.
We are just getting over the shock reaction from everyone since being back, the usual 'oh my god, your back what happened?' etc and small town gossip which actually became quite funny as we all laugh about it now as a phase we went through.
We left Melbourne in July 2007 and seems like an eternity ago, and after only 7 months in aus it feels as if we lived there for years, its such a weird feeling.
We do still think about it and pine for certain little things, but luckily we have distraction just now and getting back on our feet financially so no immediate thoughts to return at any point soon.
Things I do miss are, socialising at weekends , having picnics and barbecues round friends houses, vino at lunch time and a short walk to the school in lovely weather, the great expat friends we made in mornington, and of course the bay views and beach.
We do notice certain things more here, and get annoyed when we see graphiti or rubbish and seem to compare some little things like the mass of neds and crime.
Overall what i love most about being home is it home, and feels like i belong here. Its cheesy but it i do love the sense of humour, the patter, the beautiful greenary, countryside, fresh air, shopping, oh my god, i'm still amased walking round tesco in a daze as it gets a bigger variety of stock everytime i'm in. I love the trends, the bars and old pubs the scottish traditional party's, and the simple little things like being round my brothers slagging him off for one thing or another, priceless.
I'm glad we made the choice to come home when we did, thats just mho, although it would have been great if we were financially more secure and did not have as much restrictions with the plumbing that we could have stayed on 2 yrs at least, but, it was not for us at this time. We have even learned alot and it has opened other ventures for us, We might being going into business , both being self employed. It seems to be the gear start we may have needed to get out of our comfort zone , as they say one door closes another opens.
Good luck to all those whatever you choose to do, stay or go, its not an easy decision and it was more stressful and tougher deciding to come back than actually deciding to go in the first place it was especially hard when we got so attached to new friends and family in aus,we hope we may be lucky enough to go back for visits or a future holiday at some point.
What now, well better get stocked up on scarfs and gloves again bracing ourselves for a brrrrrrrr winter, but equally cant wait until the festivites of xmas.
take care
sarah-jayne x
Oct 15th 2007, 11:41 am
#2
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Location: Kamloops, BC
Posts: 5,387
Re: 3 months back in uk
Was it purely financial reasons that made you return the UK? ie- If you got a job in Oz that paid enough to give you both a very comfortable lifestlye would you have stayed? Just curious that's all.
Sounds like your OH did OK getting his old job back with his old payroll number
Sounds like your OH did OK getting his old job back with his old payroll number
Oct 15th 2007, 8:05 pm
#3
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Re: 3 months back in uk
Hi
Yeah the main reason was purely financial, although we were not quite settled where we were, a catalogue of reasons ie- moved within reach of family which was more hassle than it wasworth sometimes, if you get my drift, hubby too many obstacles with pic, plumbing board, exams, waiting times, jobs etc, and we just got very bitter and negative at the end, as felt the government misled us into thinking he would have loads of work, well paying work. We had a bad experience with pic, and were just severley let down and suppose a little demoralised by the whole thing. Old posts go into it in detail dont want to bore ya. But i suppose if we were secure financially it probablly would have made a difference, as would not have went through all that stress.
thanks
sj
Yeah the main reason was purely financial, although we were not quite settled where we were, a catalogue of reasons ie- moved within reach of family which was more hassle than it wasworth sometimes, if you get my drift, hubby too many obstacles with pic, plumbing board, exams, waiting times, jobs etc, and we just got very bitter and negative at the end, as felt the government misled us into thinking he would have loads of work, well paying work. We had a bad experience with pic, and were just severley let down and suppose a little demoralised by the whole thing. Old posts go into it in detail dont want to bore ya. But i suppose if we were secure financially it probablly would have made a difference, as would not have went through all that stress.
thanks
sj
Oct 15th 2007, 9:31 pm
#4
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Joined: May 2006
Location: UTOPIA, QLD
Posts: 1,764
Re: 3 months back in uk
Hi all
Been a while since I was on site so thought i'd just send an update on life back in the UK.
Have been back 3 months now and it does feel longer. So much has happened in that time, arrived home on thursday and thomas started back work with the gas board on the monday , keeping really busy and loads of OT, he earned more back here in 4 weeks than he did 6 months in aus, its just such a big comparison. They put it down as a career break and gave him his old payroll number so his pension and benefits kicked back in which was great.
I have been working for 2.5 months doing part time admin in school hours and a little better money than what i was getting before I left.
We are still staying with MIL, and starting to wear a bit thin and feeling frustrated now, however have been able get a new house and get keys on 5th November, yippee, cant wait for some normality , routine and privacy after this past year of stress and ups and downs and staying with relies.
Our girls were welcomed back into their old school very warmingly and have settled in great, within the same classes. Our 5 yr old is a little behind because of the whole prep education in aus, she has been put into primary 2(scotland), but getting extra homework to catch back up.They are back at dancing, girls brigade and swimming . I enjoy them having clubs and interests , something which we could not afford in aus due to poor salaries.
We are just getting over the shock reaction from everyone since being back, the usual 'oh my god, your back what happened?' etc and small town gossip which actually became quite funny as we all laugh about it now as a phase we went through.
We left Melbourne in July 2007 and seems like an eternity ago, and after only 7 months in aus it feels as if we lived there for years, its such a weird feeling.
We do still think about it and pine for certain little things, but luckily we have distraction just now and getting back on our feet financially so no immediate thoughts to return at any point soon.
Things I do miss are, socialising at weekends , having picnics and barbecues round friends houses, vino at lunch time and a short walk to the school in lovely weather, the great expat friends we made in mornington, and of course the bay views and beach.
We do notice certain things more here, and get annoyed when we see graphiti or rubbish and seem to compare some little things like the mass of neds and crime.
Overall what i love most about being home is it home, and feels like i belong here. Its cheesy but it i do love the sense of humour, the patter, the beautiful greenary, countryside, fresh air, shopping, oh my god, i'm still amased walking round tesco in a daze as it gets a bigger variety of stock everytime i'm in. I love the trends, the bars and old pubs the scottish traditional party's, and the simple little things like being round my brothers slagging him off for one thing or another, priceless.
I'm glad we made the choice to come home when we did, thats just mho, although it would have been great if we were financially more secure and did not have as much restrictions with the plumbing that we could have stayed on 2 yrs at least, but, it was not for us at this time. We have even learned alot and it has opened other ventures for us, We might being going into business , both being self employed. It seems to be the gear start we may have needed to get out of our comfort zone , as they say one door closes another opens.
Good luck to all those whatever you choose to do, stay or go, its not an easy decision and it was more stressful and tougher deciding to come back than actually deciding to go in the first place it was especially hard when we got so attached to new friends and family in aus,we hope we may be lucky enough to go back for visits or a future holiday at some point.
What now, well better get stocked up on scarfs and gloves again bracing ourselves for a brrrrrrrr winter, but equally cant wait until the festivites of xmas.
take care
sarah-jayne x
Been a while since I was on site so thought i'd just send an update on life back in the UK.
Have been back 3 months now and it does feel longer. So much has happened in that time, arrived home on thursday and thomas started back work with the gas board on the monday , keeping really busy and loads of OT, he earned more back here in 4 weeks than he did 6 months in aus, its just such a big comparison. They put it down as a career break and gave him his old payroll number so his pension and benefits kicked back in which was great.
I have been working for 2.5 months doing part time admin in school hours and a little better money than what i was getting before I left.
We are still staying with MIL, and starting to wear a bit thin and feeling frustrated now, however have been able get a new house and get keys on 5th November, yippee, cant wait for some normality , routine and privacy after this past year of stress and ups and downs and staying with relies.
Our girls were welcomed back into their old school very warmingly and have settled in great, within the same classes. Our 5 yr old is a little behind because of the whole prep education in aus, she has been put into primary 2(scotland), but getting extra homework to catch back up.They are back at dancing, girls brigade and swimming . I enjoy them having clubs and interests , something which we could not afford in aus due to poor salaries.
We are just getting over the shock reaction from everyone since being back, the usual 'oh my god, your back what happened?' etc and small town gossip which actually became quite funny as we all laugh about it now as a phase we went through.
We left Melbourne in July 2007 and seems like an eternity ago, and after only 7 months in aus it feels as if we lived there for years, its such a weird feeling.
We do still think about it and pine for certain little things, but luckily we have distraction just now and getting back on our feet financially so no immediate thoughts to return at any point soon.
Things I do miss are, socialising at weekends , having picnics and barbecues round friends houses, vino at lunch time and a short walk to the school in lovely weather, the great expat friends we made in mornington, and of course the bay views and beach.
We do notice certain things more here, and get annoyed when we see graphiti or rubbish and seem to compare some little things like the mass of neds and crime.
Overall what i love most about being home is it home, and feels like i belong here. Its cheesy but it i do love the sense of humour, the patter, the beautiful greenary, countryside, fresh air, shopping, oh my god, i'm still amased walking round tesco in a daze as it gets a bigger variety of stock everytime i'm in. I love the trends, the bars and old pubs the scottish traditional party's, and the simple little things like being round my brothers slagging him off for one thing or another, priceless.
I'm glad we made the choice to come home when we did, thats just mho, although it would have been great if we were financially more secure and did not have as much restrictions with the plumbing that we could have stayed on 2 yrs at least, but, it was not for us at this time. We have even learned alot and it has opened other ventures for us, We might being going into business , both being self employed. It seems to be the gear start we may have needed to get out of our comfort zone , as they say one door closes another opens.
Good luck to all those whatever you choose to do, stay or go, its not an easy decision and it was more stressful and tougher deciding to come back than actually deciding to go in the first place it was especially hard when we got so attached to new friends and family in aus,we hope we may be lucky enough to go back for visits or a future holiday at some point.
What now, well better get stocked up on scarfs and gloves again bracing ourselves for a brrrrrrrr winter, but equally cant wait until the festivites of xmas.
take care
sarah-jayne x
Be happy in your new home and cheers for a good sensible all round honest post.
Oct 15th 2007, 11:01 pm
#5
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Re: 3 months back in uk
thanks framac,
sj
sj
Oct 15th 2007, 11:19 pm
#6
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Location: Gold Coast
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Re: 3 months back in uk
Hey SJ,
We met a few times at the Glasgow meets! I had no idea you were thinking of going back to the UK let alone had, but it sounds like your all happy there now. I hope that continues and you enjoy a very cold christmas
as will I as I'm coming back to Edinburgh for a wee visit in December
hugs Axx
We met a few times at the Glasgow meets! I had no idea you were thinking of going back to the UK let alone had, but it sounds like your all happy there now. I hope that continues and you enjoy a very cold christmas
as will I as I'm coming back to Edinburgh for a wee visit in Decemberhugs Axx
Oct 15th 2007, 11:39 pm
#7
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Re: 3 months back in uk
Hi Andrera, thanks so much. Vey i feel much more content know i'm home, i just mad myself ill with anxiety in aus.How you getting on? this is the first i've been on site for months
sj x
sj x
Oct 16th 2007, 12:04 am
#8
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Re: 3 months back in uk
We love it (sorry MBTUK not rite place for that sentence
) kids have settled and I haven't been homesick but never had a close knit family as was in scotland and them in England anyway. We got here june and go back in Dec for 3 week hol to visit friends and inlaws so not looking forward to the cold
Brrrrrrr freezing!! We fly from here xmas day just like you flew xmas day in the oppossite direction.Hope you all continue to love Scotland and the girls are back to speaking with a wee scots accent.
hugs Axx
Oct 16th 2007, 12:20 am
#9
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Re: 3 months back in uk
Thats great news Andrea, i'm really pleased for you, glad to hear some good happy settlement stories. Wish you well with your new life and hope you continue to enjoy it. Hope you have a lovely xmas, minus the brrrrrrrrr, thats great your able to get home for it the kids will love it being back with family for xmas.
take care
sj x
take care
sj x
Oct 16th 2007, 1:00 am
#10
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Location: Kings Moss, UK - it's a bit like Emmerdale
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Re: 3 months back in uk
It's a huge worry when work doesn't pay what you were lead to believe it would. I know it had a massive impact on how we felt over there and certainly was a huge factor in our decision to return home. The constant worry of hubby never having regular work and being paid a crap wage when he was in work was no fun at all.
Good luck and keep enjoying
Oct 16th 2007, 2:10 am
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Re: 3 months back in uk
What a nice post... I always read the 'we've been home for 3 months/4months etc...' with a little dread as you never know what you are going to read and we will be moving back to the UK next year. So far I have read no regrets, which is a relief!!
I'm quite green with envy that you will be having Christmas 2007 in the chilly UK. I don't know how it was in Oz but Christmas in Florida is not only warmer but over very quickly. Our family started Christmas from the 24th and just celebrated all the way through to new years day! (are we a bit weird or do other Brit families do that too?). Here in the US Christmas is just 1 day then everyones back to work on 'boxing day' and the Valentines are out!
Please keep the updates coming
I'm quite green with envy that you will be having Christmas 2007 in the chilly UK. I don't know how it was in Oz but Christmas in Florida is not only warmer but over very quickly. Our family started Christmas from the 24th and just celebrated all the way through to new years day! (are we a bit weird or do other Brit families do that too?). Here in the US Christmas is just 1 day then everyones back to work on 'boxing day' and the Valentines are out!
Please keep the updates coming
Oct 16th 2007, 6:52 am
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Re: 3 months back in uk
Thanks for that louise
Your right it is a worry, I also followed your posts and feel the exact same as you did returning home, heres hoping we will still be glad to be home in many months to come as you are now.
good luck to you too
sj x
Your right it is a worry, I also followed your posts and feel the exact same as you did returning home, heres hoping we will still be glad to be home in many months to come as you are now.
good luck to you too
sj x
What a lovely post. So glad that you are happy back home now and that you and your family are settled into work/school.
It's a huge worry when work doesn't pay what you were lead to believe it would. I know it had a massive impact on how we felt over there and certainly was a huge factor in our decision to return home. The constant worry of hubby never having regular work and being paid a crap wage when he was in work was no fun at all.
Good luck and keep enjoying
It's a huge worry when work doesn't pay what you were lead to believe it would. I know it had a massive impact on how we felt over there and certainly was a huge factor in our decision to return home. The constant worry of hubby never having regular work and being paid a crap wage when he was in work was no fun at all.
Good luck and keep enjoying
Oct 16th 2007, 6:55 am
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Re: 3 months back in uk
Thanks for that
no your not weird at all, we love xmas and all the events that goes with it, and we love to milk out the fortnight season, I just think when you work hard all year its times like this that families should spend together whatever the weather, hope you have a nice xmas in florida albeit it may be short and sweet, but hopefully you'll have a great time anyway.
take care
sj x
no your not weird at all, we love xmas and all the events that goes with it, and we love to milk out the fortnight season, I just think when you work hard all year its times like this that families should spend together whatever the weather, hope you have a nice xmas in florida albeit it may be short and sweet, but hopefully you'll have a great time anyway.
take care
sj x
What a nice post... I always read the 'we've been home for 3 months/4months etc...' with a little dread as you never know what you are going to read and we will be moving back to the UK next year. So far I have read no regrets, which is a relief!!
I'm quite green with envy that you will be having Christmas 2007 in the chilly UK. I don't know how it was in Oz but Christmas in Florida is not only warmer but over very quickly. Our family started Christmas from the 24th and just celebrated all the way through to new years day! (are we a bit weird or do other Brit families do that too?). Here in the US Christmas is just 1 day then everyones back to work on 'boxing day' and the Valentines are out!
Please keep the updates coming
I'm quite green with envy that you will be having Christmas 2007 in the chilly UK. I don't know how it was in Oz but Christmas in Florida is not only warmer but over very quickly. Our family started Christmas from the 24th and just celebrated all the way through to new years day! (are we a bit weird or do other Brit families do that too?). Here in the US Christmas is just 1 day then everyones back to work on 'boxing day' and the Valentines are out!
Please keep the updates coming
Oct 16th 2007, 1:24 pm
#14
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Posts: 4,235
Re: 3 months back in uk
What a nice post... I always read the 'we've been home for 3 months/4months etc...' with a little dread as you never know what you are going to read and we will be moving back to the UK next year. So far I have read no regrets, which is a relief!!
I'm quite green with envy that you will be having Christmas 2007 in the chilly UK. I don't know how it was in Oz but Christmas in Florida is not only warmer but over very quickly. Our family started Christmas from the 24th and just celebrated all the way through to new years day! (are we a bit weird or do other Brit families do that too?). Here in the US Christmas is just 1 day then everyones back to work on 'boxing day' and the Valentines are out!
Please keep the updates coming
I'm quite green with envy that you will be having Christmas 2007 in the chilly UK. I don't know how it was in Oz but Christmas in Florida is not only warmer but over very quickly. Our family started Christmas from the 24th and just celebrated all the way through to new years day! (are we a bit weird or do other Brit families do that too?). Here in the US Christmas is just 1 day then everyones back to work on 'boxing day' and the Valentines are out!
Please keep the updates coming
Jackie in Perth and it's warming up!!!
Oct 16th 2007, 3:18 pm
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Re: 3 months back in uk
This is a piccie of our xmas here in oz last year, stupid thing i was laid the tables outside instead of in the airconed house
flies everywhere and blimmin hot too
Have to make effort as my eldest is xmas day baby and middle on 21st (but she liked it here for her birthday as she had a pool party!!!
Kath
These flies are driving me wild today
flies everywhere and blimmin hot tooHave to make effort as my eldest is xmas day baby and middle on 21st (but she liked it here for her birthday as she had a pool party!!!
Kath
These flies are driving me wild today
