I worked out how to explain what it feels like living here to other people who don't get why I can't settle here. Bear with me, this may be a moment of genius or sudden rush of shit to the brain don't know which .

Australia doesn't suit me, like skinny leg jeans don't suit me, they make my arse and thighs look bigger, my legs look shorter and my mummy tummy hangs over the waistband. Now if someone were to tell me I could not wear anything other than skinny leg jeans every day for a very long time I would undoubtably get fed up and resentful and long for something to wear that fitted me and flattered me.

Does anyone get this or have a better analogy?

I think the simple "fish out of water" analogy sums it up quite well!

Alternatively (I've just had a sudden rush of shit to the brain too) maybe it could be best described as a bit like going to the school canteen on your first day at a new school, fully expecting to be able to choose from a menu of something like, say, Mousaka, Lasagne, Chilli Con Carne or Roast beef, and instead being faced with the choice of Vegemite roll, Villis pasty or sausage roll!

'If the shoe doesn't fit, don't wear it"

Your mummy tummy is better though

its like a donner kebab - you really look forward to it, think it will be great, cant wait to have it...........it takes a short time to devour and enjoy then you are left feeling unsatisfied and wishing you had never eaten it in the first place coz its bad for you

That, and "Square peg in a round hole" are two that often come to mind - for anyone who is living where they don't want to be...

Yeah, I completely get that, the whole "is this it!!" thing.

Yep, Australia is like a doner kebab, definitely.

totally desirable, with lots of silver flashes

I liken it to this.

Occasionally in my life, I have felt like a beautiful bird trapped inside a cage and couldnt escape.
In Australia, i feel like that bird in a cage, but even though the door to this cage is now wide open, i really cant be bothered leaving it to see whats there.

I know what your saying..we have just came back from the U.K on hols, and have decided we want to head back, Jesus you would have thought i have said to people that the end of the world is here, the way they have reacted is sooo wrong, To me going back is where i belong and feel at home, i don't give a crap about the weather, i just felt home and relaxed, every person had told me this is the biggest mistake of my life and i am not thinking about it!!! WTF if the shoe fits wear it, and my shoe fitted back in the U.K.
Not saying i don't like OZ, but it aint for me..

Cheers
Suzanne

I find it very hard to tell the difference between Australia and a doner kebab, don't you?

That sort of makes it sound like you're happy here???

Oh! Does it?? ummmm...

I think what i am trying to say is that i have felt trapped within myself as person many times in my life, but nowadays i am free to be whatever i want to be (hence the cage door is open) but being here in Australia i am so bored and apathetic towards it i cannot be bothered to leave my cage right now...

I'm a weirdo eh?

Not sure if you're a weirdo, but if the cage door is open, and you want to fly away, why don't you do so?

It just seems odd that you "can't be bothered". Surely there's more to it than that, because if you really want to go home, I'm sure you wouldn't stay here just because you can't be bothered!

In my case, the cage door is open too, but there's some reasonably nice (not wonderful but ok) food in the cage, plus there's some scary predators lurking around outside the cage and it sort of feels safe being in the cage.

I still want to leave the cage and fly home, but the above 2 things make it hard, and perhaps a bit tempting to stay put.

Is that sort of what you meant?

Like wearing a pair of shoes that don't fit properly but you stick your feet in them just the same and make the best of it.