ridds

Hi all,
It's been almost a decade since I was last active on this site. Previously we (me, Aus/Uk hybrid, DH Brit and 1 year old Brit son) were moving from Hampshire to Brisbane. We met a number of great people through this site and were able to help a number of now good friends make the transition from the UK to life in Brisbane.

Fast forward six years and we moved to Hobart Tasmania for work and fell in love with the place. Four years on, I've been offered a pretty good job in Bristol and am torn about making the move back to Britain, this time with an 11 year old and the prospect of giving up a pretty amazing lifestyle (but not much job certainty) for the chance of a good long term job and the opportunity for my son to get to know the other half of his family (including elderly grandparents) much better.

Are there any other expats who've made the move to Bristol who could offer advice about key things like schooling / where to live and such?

And if you didn't have to move back to the UK (regardless of where you moved), and were generally happy where you were in Aus - what tipped you over the edge to move back, and was it worth it?

TIA
Ridds

Sparkleydiva

Can't help with Bristol I'm afraid but returned to UK from 8+ years in NZ through choice. Not for family reasons or anything other than I felt our time was done overseas and needed to be on home turf. Has not been an easy ride for many reasons but still very happy to be home. Plenty of job opportunities for me although not so for DH who is 53 and struggling despite excellent experience etc. It is always a personal thing though and what works for one may not be right for others. Glad to be home.

verystormy

We moved back from WA this year - March - because of work. We enjoyed Oz, but I couldn't get work and after 18 months of only getting bits and pieces I started applying back in the UK and was offered work.


We are very glad to be back and really enjoying life here. It is different to the life we previously lived in the UK as now living in Scotland and in a very small rural village where as previously we were in the city center of Leicester. But fid our lifestyle is better than it was in Oz.

brits1

Hi,


You do sound very content with life in Australia, if your are in work now and you are sure you job is not so secure then could you not start looking for other work now? I am only saying that if I were happy with "my lot" in life then I would try and do everything I could to keep it that way, then if you have tried and it does not work then think of a move but I would only do it if I had no other choice. Our oldest son is currently living and working in the South West, he is okay about Bristol but prefers the areas around Bath, Cheltenham etc it seems you can work in Bristol but "get around" the areas pretty well as they are all fairly close to each other (well compared to what he has been use to) I have yet to visit those areas but it is of an interest to me and my dh as we are starting to look around for areas we would like to hopefully "grow old" and finally unpack our boxes lol. Good luck with everything

Benson55

I bought my first house in St George area of Bristol in 1979. Then the city was somewhat run down but there was access to the countryside and many areas worth going to. Depends why you would want to live there, there are not really any beaches, property is very expensive, its now clean and restored but more like a London commuter city due to the fast rail link. It is in a good location, good shopping.

not2old

Its not 'just' about Bristol, its about the biigger picture of 'all what is the UK', the fact that having been away for awhile having experienced a whole new life elsewhere, it won't be the same place that you left

Given your age & that of your child & as time marches on...

If you stay in OZ can you imagine what life will be like 5 years from now career wise & lifestyle?

If you move back to the UK, do you expect long term that your life will be better all round than it would be staying in OZ?

If you move back & it doesn't work after giving a 'fair go', would you likely move back to OZ?