Cheetah7

It's a funny old world isn't it?

For myself and Abdel, it is a huge struggle for our application and there isn't light at the end of the tunnel yet.

We have put all of our energies into this and have become somewhat one track minded in the whole thing.

Whilst people say that if it 'feels wrong' for them, then they may well leave Australia to come to the place they call 'home'.

I know that Australia felt 'right' for me and was a place I am sure I could call 'home'.

Abdel felt the same way as well. Many of you say that if one person isn't happy out there, then you all come home.

Abdel and I have decided that if one isn't happy and the other is, then we stick it out. We spent money, time and invested emotions to get there and one wouldn't 'make' the other come back to the UK. Which is our choice and others may not agree. We don't have children to consider either.

But we do have each other to consider and if one person is living the dream then the other won't snatch it as opportunities to live out our dreams don't come around very often.

And dreams should be shared, which is what we will do, even if it's harder on the other. Give and take, compromise in all directions.

I don't know how I will feel IF we ever get out there, but I am excited at the thought of working my nuts off to live in the place I want to call 'home'.

We are all entitled to our own piece of paradise, whether it be in the 'Great Smoke' of London, any other part of the UK or another country.

Some it works out for, some it doesn't.

Good luck to those returning, find your paradise and enjoy it, wherever it may be.

And we just pray that we will have the chance to live in our own place that feels 'just right' - for us.

SCOTTISH MARK 2

I have citizenship and am going back for a month in January
on holiday... so I'll let you know how I survive the dark winter
month. I figure if I can cope in January I'll know if it's the right
choice.

Maybe sometimes you just need to go back to figure out
what you want...........so we shall see.

It'll be interesting to read this forum in a year and see where
we're all at LOL

SCOTTISH MARK 2

[QUOTE=cal3]Hi There

- THE UK IS CHANGING FAST _ TAXES ARE GOING UP AND UP AND CULTURE IS CHANGING very fast. NO HOme for me is going back to NZ.


Hi Chris,

It's good to hear the other side of the coin......should make us all more
open to things not working out.

I think you build up this picture of Oz and then it's not better
than home but it's hard to let go of the fantasy...after 5 years
I figure I was genuinely happier in the UK.........but that's the
bugger with moving abroad, it changes you so you just never
know........ahhhhhhh

ramac

I have to say it, Guys, please give it a bit longer. It has only been 5 months. What were you expecting that has not come through in this short time?

I have a friend who moved to Oz, gave it 3 months, came right back and is desperately trying to get back any way that she can.

MrsB

Everyone is different. Libby stressed that she was missing her family. If you are missing being part of an extended family, and that is what is important to you.... then surely you will miss them after 5, 7, 9, 10 whatever months? What will change? Do grandparents and parents suddenly become unimportant?

If you've got no family, or are not bothered about family...then thats different.

LIBBY

Thats fair enough and lots of people do regret returning, but for me its not the fact that I dont like it here, its the fact that I miss Family, Friends and familiar stuff around me and no matter how long I am here, that will not change.
You dont know what things mean to you until its not there and we were not unhappy in the UK so no drama for us to go back, (except financially)

I am happy at going home. Cant wait, the sooner the better.

Libby

LIBBY

Exactly right!!

Libby

SCOTTISH MARK 2

I can see what the other poster means...but sometimes I think if you go home
now you'll slot right back in..otherwise it gets harder and harder(and
house prices'll go up).

And I believe once you have opened your visa you have 5 years in
which to come back..so all doors won't be closed.

Anyhow sounds like you've made up your mind...so good for you..
go for it. Much better than wasting the next few years trying to make
up your mind.

Family and friends are the most important thing...I think when you go home
you'll make much more of all the opportunities in the UK...and "Smile
at the rain" as I believe someone else said a while ago

ladyofthelake

Also be prepared to miss a lot of things about your life in OZ, once you get back. You may have only been there a few months, but it will have made an impression on you, and I'm sure there will be things that you will compare in Britain to how they were in OZ.
Once you've made the move abroad, I think it's very difficult to get back into the mindset from pre-expat life. I know for myself, before living abroad, I would just accept a lot of life in Britain as "that's just the way it is here" After living elsewhere, your eyes are more wide open to the fact the it doesn't have to be like that at all. That's when the itchy feet can set in again.

Fitz750

LIBBY

I understand where your coming from. I live in the US at the moment and knew very early on it wasn't for me. I lived in Europe for many years and thouroughly enjoyed it and never thought i'd want to go back to Blighty.

I'm interested to find out how people are coping with the move back myself. I don't plan to stay indefinitely but at this point in my life i feel it's where i want to be.
There are a lot of people who have strong opinions about places they dream about but have not actually lived. A holiday there, however long does not prepare you for life there.
As you say it's no drama. I'm sure the experience, good or bad will be a benefit in the long run.

babyblue

I have found this to be a very interesting thread. I am also in the sittuation of wondering which way to go with my life.
Having a thread like this really does help many people. We all see threads here about people wanting to return but to have the other side of the coin does help a great deal.
We are all guilty of thinking the grass is greener but we also know this is how we felt before we made the first move away.
My children are my life and what is right for them is far more important to me right now. I beleive that Canada has far more to offer them than the UK. I love England i often sit and romantisize about 'home'. In reality 'home is where the heart is'. For me personally, my family made my mind up for me. Back in the Uk before i left, my family came out of the woodwork to help me sort things out. They took what they wanted got the house and never really hear anything from them. funny really!..eh!
i am sure many of you can remember things of this sort before you left?

I guess there is good and bad everywhere and life truly is what you make it.
It is also about what you truly value in life!
I personally value life itself. The air we breath, health and the love of those close to you. My mother lived in canada whilst i raised my children in the UK. I missed her but i knew she was there, only a phonecall away and a flight if needed. I am here in canada,only a few miles from her home and we remain as close as we were back when i was in the UK. No different!

Great to read guys!
Hope things all work out for you whichever way you decide to go!
take care

Gezza

We gave Vancouver 3,5 years. Thought it was terrible and was dying to get back to U.K. And now we am here. So are we happy?
No, England is chaning into a Non - England and the changes it underwent in our absence make us think that it was actually better in Canada after all.

If we do go back there, I certainly hope Canada has not changed for the worse too.

just_the_two_of_us

School kids here are bad influence. I sit on the train every day with school children and hear them talk. And I think she is right. Only today I heard 2 15 year olds boasting to each other about having sex beside the road somewhere. So if you are planning to raise children in England save some money for private schools. If that helps at all.

Ciao,[/QUOTE]

I have to say that after what I've seen, I do tend to agree with you. We only left the UK about a year ago and I remember the kids around our area and the number of them who used to stay out, unsupervised until the wee hours of the morning. And whilst I agree that the parents play a major role in deciding how well children are raised, u can't get away from peer pressure, etc. p.s. I do remember a group of kids - probably about 13 or 14, openly discussing what they do sexually - each trying to outdo the other. These kids in large groups are also dangerous. My husband and his mate were walking along a street when a bunch of them (probably 15 or 16 in total), started punching my husband in the head. They weren't exactly tiny - minature rugby players. It was lucky he fell into a shop and they backed off. FOR NO REASON!!!!

ramac

I have to say that after what I've seen, I do tend to agree with you. We only left the UK about a year ago and I remember the kids around our area and the number of them who used to stay out, unsupervised until the wee hours of the morning. And whilst I agree that the parents play a major role in deciding how well children are raised, u can't get away from peer pressure, etc. p.s. I do remember a group of kids - probably about 13 or 14, openly discussing what they do sexually - each trying to outdo the other. These kids in large groups are also dangerous. My husband and his mate were walking along a street when a bunch of them (probably 15 or 16 in total), started punching my husband in the head. They weren't exactly tiny - minature rugby players. It was lucky he fell into a shop and they backed off. FOR NO REASON!!!! [/QUOTE]


Are U still living in the UK or are you in Canada?
I take it that was one of your reasons for choosing to move away (the incident with your husband).

just_the_two_of_us

Are U still living in the UK or are you in Canada?
I take it that was one of your reasons for choosing to move away (the incident with your husband).[/QUOTE]

We're actually much further away - South east Asia!!! Definately, it factored into some the decision making. We moved for business reasons primarily but we had discussions all the time about the environment that we would be raising kids in. There were so many underage girls pushing baby prams as well! It seemed like there were just too many negative influences on young children.