Originally Posted by Britjo67

We moved to St. Louis, Missouri in 1996. It was our big adventure, Hubby got work out there and it seemed like a chance to make a life for ourselves. We moved there with $3000, three suitcases, a 10 month old baby boy and a 28 month old girl. It was really hard at first, and I was so homesick and missed my family. Time went on and it got easier. We started considering buying a house, and applying for a green card. Then in 1998 our daughter who was by then 4 years old, started talking constantly about her grandma in England, about how she needed to see her, and she would ask when we could go if she saw a plane in the sky.

Rashly (with hindsight), we decided to come home for her benefit. It was something we lived to regret. Hubby found work easily enough and we moved back to near my Mum. We had more money, but the way of life wasn't as good. It seemed like we had a better life in the US, even though we had less money, we had friends and a great lifestyle. We've regretted it ever since. The education may be better in the UK, but we felt that the sporting opportunities open to the kids were better in the US.

Now we've decided that we're going to emigrate to Canada, as I've just completed four years of study. This time around we will have enough equity to buy a modest house without a mortgage, which will make for a comfortable lifestyle, and we'll be able to guarantee that we can fly back in an emergency (which we couldn't when we lived in St. Louis). The kids are 12 and 10 now, and our daughter, the reason we returned to the UK, is really excited about it. Our son is the reluctant one this time, but when he realises that he won't be the only kid in his school who plays ice hockey (like he is now!) I think he'll come around!!!

Being away isn't right for everyone, but coming back isn't always the right thing either. It wasn't for us, we'd changed in those two years and found it hard to adjust. My biggest regret is that I didn't think long and hard about returning, I decided that it would be the right thing on the spur of the moment. What is that phrase about repenting at leisure??

Plants, I hope that everything sorts itself out for you and your family. xxx

Originally Posted by Britjo67

We moved to St. Louis, Missouri in 1996. It was our big adventure, Hubby got work out there and it seemed like a chance to make a life for ourselves. We moved there with $3000, three suitcases, a 10 month old baby boy and a 28 month old girl. It was really hard at first, and I was so homesick and missed my family. Time went on and it got easier. We started considering buying a house, and applying for a green card. Then in 1998 our daughter who was by then 4 years old, started talking constantly about her grandma in England, about how she needed to see her, and she would ask when we could go if she saw a plane in the sky.

Rashly (with hindsight), we decided to come home for her benefit. It was something we lived to regret. Hubby found work easily enough and we moved back to near my Mum. We had more money, but the way of life wasn't as good. It seemed like we had a better life in the US, even though we had less money, we had friends and a great lifestyle. We've regretted it ever since. The education may be better in the UK, but we felt that the sporting opportunities open to the kids were better in the US.

Now we've decided that we're going to emigrate to Canada, as I've just completed four years of study. This time around we will have enough equity to buy a modest house without a mortgage, which will make for a comfortable lifestyle, and we'll be able to guarantee that we can fly back in an emergency (which we couldn't when we lived in St. Louis). The kids are 12 and 10 now, and our daughter, the reason we returned to the UK, is really excited about it. Our son is the reluctant one this time, but when he realises that he won't be the only kid in his school who plays ice hockey (like he is now!) I think he'll come around!!!

Being away isn't right for everyone, but coming back isn't always the right thing either. It wasn't for us, we'd changed in those two years and found it hard to adjust. My biggest regret is that I didn't think long and hard about returning, I decided that it would be the right thing on the spur of the moment. What is that phrase about repenting at leisure??

Plants, I hope that everything sorts itself out for you and your family. xxx

Originally Posted by Sarah

Hi Alk, I'm from Blackburn and moved to the USA.
After you arrive in Oz, and start feeling homesick (and you will, and it can be hell)
Try and remember that the average joe needs about 2 years before they feel settled and at home in their new country.

Originally Posted by Tumbleweed

It's not utopia, you still have to lock your doors (see the post on the Australia forum about somebody who left a door open then moaned about getting robbed )
.

Originally Posted by sel

F@*k YOU !!!

Originally Posted by Geordie George

Hi, Sel.

If it makes you feel any better, leaving a door open or shut can make no difference. One afternoon I'd got the front door open, the security screen shut and was watching TV in the living room (the whole downstairs is open plan, so I can see the front door from the settee). I got the shock of my life when a bloke wandered up to the house and proceeded to start to let himself in - just opened the screen and started to walk in. I got up, walked towards the front door and just blocked him off, so he started to back out. It could have been really bloody dangerous. So I feel for you - it's unsettling. Hope you and yours are OK.

Nichola

Originally Posted by Tumbleweed

Not everyone feels homesick I've been here a year and haven't missed the UK one iota.

A lot depends on the life you have in the UK, if you're used to having a well paid job high up the ladder and loads of disposable income then you might find it hard having to start from square one again on sometimes rubbish money. Personally I've spent my whole life pretty much without two beans to rub together a lot of the time, and you don't miss what you never had.

If you think you're coming to a better version of the UK then think again - Australia is NOT the UK, it's a country in its own right and has good and bad points, just like anywhere else. It's not utopia, you still have to lock your doors (see the post on the Australia forum about somebody who left a door open then moaned about getting robbed ) but there are so many good things here if you keep an open mind and embrace them.

I would also say if you're the sort of person who cares about labels and has to have a close knit team of friends and family on hand then maybe you should think twice about making the move.

Originally Posted by Geordie George

Hi, Sel.

If it makes you feel any better, leaving a door open or shut can make no difference. One afternoon I'd got the front door open, the security screen shut and was watching TV in the living room (the whole downstairs is open plan, so I can see the front door from the settee). I got the shock of my life when a bloke wandered up to the house and proceeded to start to let himself in - just opened the screen and started to walk in. I got up, walked towards the front door and just blocked him off, so he started to back out. It could have been really bloody dangerous. So I feel for you - it's unsettling. Hope you and yours are OK.

Nichola

Originally Posted by Always21

Can you lock your screen doors? Here in the US they have locks, although granted we don't have the keys for ours!

Originally Posted by Tumbleweed

Not everyone feels homesick I've been here a year and haven't missed the UK one iota.

A lot depends on the life you have in the UK, if you're used to having a well paid job high up the ladder and loads of disposable income then you might find it hard having to start from square one again on sometimes rubbish money. Personally I've spent my whole life pretty much without two beans to rub together a lot of the time, and you don't miss what you never had.

If you think you're coming to a better version of the UK then think again - Australia is NOT the UK, it's a country in its own right and has good and bad points, just like anywhere else. It's not utopia, you still have to lock your doors (see the post on the Australia forum about somebody who left a door open then moaned about getting robbed ) but there are so many good things here if you keep an open mind and embrace them.

I would also say if you're the sort of person who cares about labels and has to have a close knit team of friends and family on hand then maybe you should think twice about making the move.

Originally Posted by Always21

Can you lock your screen doors? Here in the US they have locks, although granted we don't have the keys for ours!

Originally Posted by Geordie George

Our security door locks - I just don't like to lock it when we're in. It's a wrought iron grille security door, rather than a fly screen door - it's basically bars. I'm more worried about a fire starting when we're in and not being able to find the keys to be able to unlock the door to get out, than I am about being robbed.

Sel - Glad to hear it. What was scary, is that the chap could see me and still let himself in. God only knows what he was on ... I'd not long been back home from being out, so I still had my shoes on (I hit 6'2" in heels); I was very grateful for being tall! I think a combination of my height and my reaction wasn't one that he was expecting and probably helped in his decision to back off. I still called Mr GG afterwards though and demanded he come home immediately.

Originally Posted by Lucifer

I went from Somerset to Brisbane in May 2005. Had a lot of husband's family problems in Oz (i.e. Father-in-Law getting killed (in Oz) in a car accident 5 hours after we arrived) and sorting that mess out. I am from a huge, close family and it really got to me. Had a couple of jobs in Brisbane CBD, got treated like shit in both. Came back to UK 5 weeks ago and would honestly say that if I never went back to Aus it would be too soon. I hated the place, the biggotry, racism, sexism, no job security, the new IR laws are a joke.