Anyone already back in the UK?
Jan 11th 2008, 10:12 pm
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 35
Anyone already back in the UK?
Please can anyone already gone back, share some experiences with us, thoughts on going back and what its really like? Feeling homesick and want to know I'm doing the right thing dragging my family back? Thankyou.
Jan 11th 2008, 10:39 pm
#2
Just Joined
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 20
Re: Anyone already back in the UK?
Hi
We moved back to the UK in 2005 from Brisbane for very clear reasons so the discission wasn't hard. We moved to get help in schooling for our special needs son.
How long ago did you first move to Australia?
I left in 1987 and came back in 2005. The economy has been much stronger than when I left the UK. There is more money around, or at least at the moment, as these things can change.
We found the people more friendly than we found in Brisbane but I think it's as much to do with the difference between city living and country living (people and community attitudes etc)
Housing is a bit of a nightmare (Cornwall is very bad from our experience).
If you want to rent, even if it is before you buy a home it might be difficult if you don't have any UK references or a UK credit rating in the last five years.
The weather is very easy to forget about here once you've lived in Australia a few years, it does get one down and is quite a big consideration.
What are your motivations for moving back? Family?, community?, missing friends?
From the statistics I've seen thousands of Brits moved back and thousands return again to Australia, its a very common thing to do, just very expensive, but you can't put a price on happiness I guess.
If there's anything specific I can help you with please let me know,
Tom
We moved back to the UK in 2005 from Brisbane for very clear reasons so the discission wasn't hard. We moved to get help in schooling for our special needs son.
How long ago did you first move to Australia?
I left in 1987 and came back in 2005. The economy has been much stronger than when I left the UK. There is more money around, or at least at the moment, as these things can change.
We found the people more friendly than we found in Brisbane but I think it's as much to do with the difference between city living and country living (people and community attitudes etc)
Housing is a bit of a nightmare (Cornwall is very bad from our experience).
If you want to rent, even if it is before you buy a home it might be difficult if you don't have any UK references or a UK credit rating in the last five years.
The weather is very easy to forget about here once you've lived in Australia a few years, it does get one down and is quite a big consideration.
What are your motivations for moving back? Family?, community?, missing friends?
From the statistics I've seen thousands of Brits moved back and thousands return again to Australia, its a very common thing to do, just very expensive, but you can't put a price on happiness I guess.
If there's anything specific I can help you with please let me know,
Tom
Jan 11th 2008, 11:31 pm
#3
I don't give a damn
Joined: Apr 2007
Location: In the arms of my family. Heaven...
Posts: 4,980
Re: Anyone already back in the UK?
I have been out of the UK for over 8yrs. Just spent 3mths back in UK but now temporarily back in Sydney.
Some myths i dispelled on my trip back were... I found the UK community far more friendly than their Aus counterparts. I have lived in several Australian communities and also in NZ. I have lived in London and also countryside Essex. The locals back there are far more friendly and open to general chit chat with strangers. In fact the first week i was back in the Essex village my daughter now lives. I was stopped no less than 4 times on my way back home by complete strangers! The local shop staff were great. Chatty and genuinely open to passing the time of day and being helpful.
Drivers are far more polite on the whole and of much better standard.
Online shopping is superb compared to Aus. Most large stores offer this service.
In general, i felt as if i had jumped back into the 21st century. What a relief it was!!
Yes the weather is crap at times, but in a warped kind of way i enjoyed it after the skin wrinkling, incessant heat of Aus. I'm sure the novelty would ware off, but i was there at the end of summer which was glorious. Pleasant summer days, swathes of colour everywhere from beautiful hanging baskets of flowers, properly tended gardens looked after with passion. Pub lunches in the beer garden was a real treat I had forgotten about. Gotta love a good old ploughmans lunch!!
The run up to christmas had just started when i left. All the shops had made a real effort unlike here where most dont bother coz it would mean spending a few cents to brighten up the community... geez that gets my goat over here!! Christmas trees and street lights everywhere. People busily doing their shopping. Carol singers and sally army brass bands playing in the precinct. Made me feel sooooo at home again.
I best stop i getting homesick again.
But hopefully you get my drift
Some myths i dispelled on my trip back were... I found the UK community far more friendly than their Aus counterparts. I have lived in several Australian communities and also in NZ. I have lived in London and also countryside Essex. The locals back there are far more friendly and open to general chit chat with strangers. In fact the first week i was back in the Essex village my daughter now lives. I was stopped no less than 4 times on my way back home by complete strangers! The local shop staff were great. Chatty and genuinely open to passing the time of day and being helpful.
Drivers are far more polite on the whole and of much better standard.
Online shopping is superb compared to Aus. Most large stores offer this service.
In general, i felt as if i had jumped back into the 21st century. What a relief it was!!
Yes the weather is crap at times, but in a warped kind of way i enjoyed it after the skin wrinkling, incessant heat of Aus. I'm sure the novelty would ware off, but i was there at the end of summer which was glorious. Pleasant summer days, swathes of colour everywhere from beautiful hanging baskets of flowers, properly tended gardens looked after with passion. Pub lunches in the beer garden was a real treat I had forgotten about. Gotta love a good old ploughmans lunch!!
The run up to christmas had just started when i left. All the shops had made a real effort unlike here where most dont bother coz it would mean spending a few cents to brighten up the community... geez that gets my goat over here!! Christmas trees and street lights everywhere. People busily doing their shopping. Carol singers and sally army brass bands playing in the precinct. Made me feel sooooo at home again.
I best stop i getting homesick again.
But hopefully you get my drift
Jan 12th 2008, 1:45 am
#4
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2003
Location: Hands up if you like shopping !!
Posts: 876
Re: Anyone already back in the UK?
Been back for nearly 6 months and don't regret it one bit, I love being back here, have got so much renewed energy for the place and after being 3 years in Oz, was so fabulous to come home.........................................
Homesickness is something you cannot describe to anyone who hasn't felt it, its awful and didn't have much sympathy with people (feel bad about that now) until I had it, fortunately had great friend to see me through my crap days, talking helps soooo much.......and having like people around, as others just knock you for wanting to come back which makes you feel even worse.
Settled back in easily and spent first weeks squealling in delight everywhere I went and more positive friendly attitude meant people were the same back.......world over people love to talk, just takes one person to start it. Alot felt really strange and new to start with but after my 100th time of explaining that it'd been in an Alien world for 3 years, I got to grips with it all
Family have made an immense difference to our lives, having 2 children, one born in Oz, it really kicked home to me "what the hell was I thinking of" after observing them with various members of the family, have cried on many occasions, more that how happy I am here rather than the bitter painful ones out there!!!!
Its given me a big lesson, an amazing best friend, dual nationality so I have no major regrets, been there, done it and got over it lol
In my opinion, happy Mum means happy family, we are what holds it together after all
Homesickness is something you cannot describe to anyone who hasn't felt it, its awful and didn't have much sympathy with people (feel bad about that now) until I had it, fortunately had great friend to see me through my crap days, talking helps soooo much.......and having like people around, as others just knock you for wanting to come back which makes you feel even worse.
Settled back in easily and spent first weeks squealling in delight everywhere I went and more positive friendly attitude meant people were the same back.......world over people love to talk, just takes one person to start it. Alot felt really strange and new to start with but after my 100th time of explaining that it'd been in an Alien world for 3 years, I got to grips with it all
Family have made an immense difference to our lives, having 2 children, one born in Oz, it really kicked home to me "what the hell was I thinking of" after observing them with various members of the family, have cried on many occasions, more that how happy I am here rather than the bitter painful ones out there!!!!
Its given me a big lesson, an amazing best friend, dual nationality so I have no major regrets, been there, done it and got over it lol
In my opinion, happy Mum means happy family, we are what holds it together after all
Jan 12th 2008, 2:04 am
#5
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 35
Re: Anyone already back in the UK?
Thanks for your replies, it is good to hear that you have settled well and still love it. I expect to have bad days, thats life eh! You never know if you are doing the right thing, but have to try these things. I am pleased we came here and have experienced another way of living in another country however, can't see myself growing old here....I miss too much. Its reassuring hearing your stories and makes me want to go back back even more. Thankyou
Jan 12th 2008, 1:10 pm
#6
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Tropical North QLD
Posts: 21,434
Re: Anyone already back in the UK?
We returned after 2 years in the caribbean in 2002.
Whilst we were away, housing market had gone crazy & it has been a struggle to afford the mortgage.
It took a while to feel settled even though we had wanted to come back but part of that is that we also moved to a new area as there was no way we could have gone back to London after living a laidback lifestyle for 2 years!
The realities are that any major move is hard financially & stressful but it gets easier.
The UK is a lovely country, great countryside, culture etc, I love it! But despite this we are planning to give Oz a go! Ihate the posts that slag off a particular country just beacuse a person has not been happy there, does not make it an awful place! The grass is rarely greener, just different!
Whilst we were away, housing market had gone crazy & it has been a struggle to afford the mortgage.
It took a while to feel settled even though we had wanted to come back but part of that is that we also moved to a new area as there was no way we could have gone back to London after living a laidback lifestyle for 2 years!
The realities are that any major move is hard financially & stressful but it gets easier.
The UK is a lovely country, great countryside, culture etc, I love it! But despite this we are planning to give Oz a go! Ihate the posts that slag off a particular country just beacuse a person has not been happy there, does not make it an awful place! The grass is rarely greener, just different!
Jan 12th 2008, 4:36 pm
#7
to be or not to be...
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 195
Re: Anyone already back in the UK?
I have been out of the UK for over 8yrs. Just spent 3mths back in UK but now temporarily back in Sydney.
Some myths i dispelled on my trip back were... I found the UK community far more friendly than their Aus counterparts. I have lived in several Australian communities and also in NZ. I have lived in London and also countryside Essex. The locals back there are far more friendly and open to general chit chat with strangers. In fact the first week i was back in the Essex village my daughter now lives. I was stopped no less than 4 times on my way back home by complete strangers! The local shop staff were great. Chatty and genuinely open to passing the time of day and being helpful.
Drivers are far more polite on the whole and of much better standard.
Online shopping is superb compared to Aus. Most large stores offer this service.
In general, i felt as if i had jumped back into the 21st century. What a relief it was!!
Yes the weather is crap at times, but in a warped kind of way i enjoyed it after the skin wrinkling, incessant heat of Aus. I'm sure the novelty would ware off, but i was there at the end of summer which was glorious. Pleasant summer days, swathes of colour everywhere from beautiful hanging baskets of flowers, properly tended gardens looked after with passion. Pub lunches in the beer garden was a real treat I had forgotten about. Gotta love a good old ploughmans lunch!!
The run up to christmas had just started when i left. All the shops had made a real effort unlike here where most dont bother coz it would mean spending a few cents to brighten up the community... geez that gets my goat over here!! Christmas trees and street lights everywhere. People busily doing their shopping. Carol singers and sally army brass bands playing in the precinct. Made me feel sooooo at home again.
I best stop i getting homesick again.
But hopefully you get my drift
Some myths i dispelled on my trip back were... I found the UK community far more friendly than their Aus counterparts. I have lived in several Australian communities and also in NZ. I have lived in London and also countryside Essex. The locals back there are far more friendly and open to general chit chat with strangers. In fact the first week i was back in the Essex village my daughter now lives. I was stopped no less than 4 times on my way back home by complete strangers! The local shop staff were great. Chatty and genuinely open to passing the time of day and being helpful.
Drivers are far more polite on the whole and of much better standard.
Online shopping is superb compared to Aus. Most large stores offer this service.
In general, i felt as if i had jumped back into the 21st century. What a relief it was!!
Yes the weather is crap at times, but in a warped kind of way i enjoyed it after the skin wrinkling, incessant heat of Aus. I'm sure the novelty would ware off, but i was there at the end of summer which was glorious. Pleasant summer days, swathes of colour everywhere from beautiful hanging baskets of flowers, properly tended gardens looked after with passion. Pub lunches in the beer garden was a real treat I had forgotten about. Gotta love a good old ploughmans lunch!!
The run up to christmas had just started when i left. All the shops had made a real effort unlike here where most dont bother coz it would mean spending a few cents to brighten up the community... geez that gets my goat over here!! Christmas trees and street lights everywhere. People busily doing their shopping. Carol singers and sally army brass bands playing in the precinct. Made me feel sooooo at home again.
I best stop i getting homesick again.
But hopefully you get my drift
I have a special love for Australia but became unsettled after the 2000/2001 visit. The reason mainly that we seemed so backward in Australia in comparison. I went home(OZ) and things got on my nerves, service, shopping and by that I mean choice.
I used to be able to order from Myers by telephone and have stuff delivered, you can't do that anymore.We in(OZ) just don't seem to have moved into the 21 century. Good Luck for your families future
