SCOTTISH MARK 2

Hi Guys,

I've been living in Melbourne for 3 years and think it's a
fabulous place.

The weather's great most of the time, well coming from
Scotland, I can't bring myself to complain Beaches
are beautiful, restaurants excellent. All things I'd
really miss if I returned.

BUT I was very happy in Scotland, truthfully much
happier than here, and I do still hanker for home.

I also worry about going home and regretting it,
rose tinted specs and all that.

I'd love hear from people who've returned from Oz,
was it the right decision or do you have any regrets.

MikeStanton

I returned to UK after 12 years. In Sydney, we had a large house, pool and were 5 minutes drive from the beach. Great restaurants. Saturday mornings we would have bacon and eggs while watching the surf roll-in. But, was it bliss?

Nope.

Life was OK, but I always felt something was missing. And the years rolled by as the children grew up...

It was only after we left to work in Europe and UK we realised what it was; Oz doesn't provide the stimulation, attitude and (dare I say) sophistication that Europe and UK have to offer. No matter how it dresses itself up, Oz is similar to small-town USA; parochial and detached from 'where [most of] it happens'. All the material stuff, large house, pool etc - are just mental sweets (sorry, lollies in Oz) - enjoyable in the short term, but not satisfying.

Put another way, Oz is the world's largest suburb - with all that implies.

So, now we're back in the changeable weather, traffic jams and people who are always too damn busy for each other.

But, while a lot of people talk about stepping off the treadmill etc, they don't recognise that it is self-inflicted. Lots of people need the stimulation that our so-called rat-race provides. No doubt that explains why many people that move to i) the (UK) country; ii) France, Italy, Oz etc for a quieter life - whether to 'downshift' or raise organic chickens and being at one with nature, blah, blah soon get bored.


We love it back in the UK.

No regrets.

And we're a lot more settled - a case of having to leave what you have to really appreciate it.

HiddenPaw

Been back nearly 12 months now (from Melbourne)
Love Melbourne to bits, miss it a lot, even considering going back.....but never felt entirely settled there, still not sure I could make it a long-term home - not at this stage in my life. Maybe nice to retire to Australia tho!

Really happy in the UK, not working due to baby but husband has shaved about 10hrs off his working week - makes all the difference, we have much more leisure time than we did in Oz and our lifestyle is far more laid back in the UK than over there. Plus we do more outdoors stuff over here as we have the long light eveings in the summer, and the daytime temps are more agreeable to us to exercise outdoors. Saying that, this summer has been pants and has rained endlessly. The weather is high on the list of tempting reasons to go back, but realistically, the weather itself isn't enough to make a place a home.

Restaurants - I agree, you can't beat Melbourne for variety, style and choice. I do miss the cafe culture BIG TIME. And the gum trees!

Love being so close to the countryside where I am in the UK tho - really couldn't get to grips with being over half hour drive from any real greenery/rural area, let alone walk to some in 2 mins like I can here. But I guess that's all part of living in the middle of a huge city.

I was fearful of what I would find on my return to the UK - if you read some of the stories on here or things like the UK Mail in Oz, you'd think the UK is some crime-ridden hellhole, full of benefits scroungers and dodgy politicians. Well, in that respect, it's no different to Melbourne! I see nothing worse here than I did in Australia. There's problems here, just like there are there. Maybe not the same problems, but still problems.

If it doesn't feel like home, don't stay - 3 years is a good amount of time to give it. Presumably you have citizenship, in which case it doesnt have to be a one-way journey.

Have you got kids, etc to ship back too?

Good luck

SCOTTISH MARK 2

Thanks for the advice folks.

I would be going back to Glasgow, where the house prices have
doubled in the past 3 years. Of course, didnt move anywhere
for 10 years when I was there. But I guess that's something you just
have to get over

We made the mistake of buying a house here at the height
of the boom, thinking we could make some money, and
now find we could've saved much more, so there's the
selling and shipping some stuff back. No kids yet, which
is another reason for going back, healthcare, education, etc.
(No need to mention the other obvious ones like Next, M& S, etc)

I guess it's just making the final decision. Funny, it was a lot
easier to decide to come than it is to leave. We do have citizen
ship but I don't want to do the boomerang thingy.

I am thinking middle of next year will be time to go home.

It's great to hear other's experiences, especially
that you have no regrets. And hey, what an adventure
to have done it.

dunroving

Wow, I didn't know they'd gone up that fast. Last I looked, the prices were reasonable outside Glasgow. I know I lived about 20 mins drive from Glasgow on the north side, beautiful little village. Houses still seem pretty reasonable, especially compared to the West End. I'm referring to Lennoxtown, Blanefield, etc.

I went back in 2000, lasted a year then came back here. It was my job situation that led to my regrets mostly, though I did have a tough time with the culture shock (was almost 20 yrs since I left). I did get used to things though and loved living in the Glasgow area. I'd go back at the drop of a hat, given the right job opportunity. I'm heading back for Christmas, can't wait.