Go back for kids university/life experience?
#16
Re: Go back for kids university/life experience?
Both.
We didn't want the kids 'growing-up' with the entrenched Aussie parochochalism - as if mediocrity is something worth celebrating. Also, our experience of both Oz public and private schools was a key driver for our move back to the UK.
No regrets.
And our recent visit to Oz only helped to reinforce that view.
We didn't want the kids 'growing-up' with the entrenched Aussie parochochalism - as if mediocrity is something worth celebrating. Also, our experience of both Oz public and private schools was a key driver for our move back to the UK.
No regrets.
And our recent visit to Oz only helped to reinforce that view.
I can't believe you came back to the Land of Bland Mike! What inspired that?!
#17
Re: Go back for kids university/life experience?
It's funny - the grass is always greener!.
There's good universities in Canada, and some great ones!
There was something about being in London though - I used to work out in LSE's gym cos it was better than King's.
Being in College on the Strand I would get my haircut at Bush House, drop into the National Gallery at lunch-time to get an eye full of art. Or stop by St. Martin in the Field to listen to some wonderful singer practising. Or sit in a trial at the Old Bailey or the Law Courts on the Strand. I'd wander round Temple, go into the Temple Church, maybe look at the knight's tombs. My cousin sang at Westminster Cathedral, so I would drop by there from time to time for sung prayer. Listen to the organist at St. Pauls or the Abbey. Wander over to the Tate. Check-out Covent Garden. Have a drink at the Lamb and Flag. Stroll through St. James' Park. I love London!
Canada is great, but I want my kids to experience a major world city too!
BTW I also saw the reality from living in "digs" in Brixton and Stockwell! Enjoyed that too!
There's good universities in Canada, and some great ones!
There was something about being in London though - I used to work out in LSE's gym cos it was better than King's.
Being in College on the Strand I would get my haircut at Bush House, drop into the National Gallery at lunch-time to get an eye full of art. Or stop by St. Martin in the Field to listen to some wonderful singer practising. Or sit in a trial at the Old Bailey or the Law Courts on the Strand. I'd wander round Temple, go into the Temple Church, maybe look at the knight's tombs. My cousin sang at Westminster Cathedral, so I would drop by there from time to time for sung prayer. Listen to the organist at St. Pauls or the Abbey. Wander over to the Tate. Check-out Covent Garden. Have a drink at the Lamb and Flag. Stroll through St. James' Park. I love London!
Canada is great, but I want my kids to experience a major world city too!
BTW I also saw the reality from living in "digs" in Brixton and Stockwell! Enjoyed that too!
#18
Re: Go back for kids university/life experience?
However, what surprised us after a few days back in Sydney: i) how expensive food shopping had become and ii) Oz is far more boring and unquestioning than even we remembered.
The Oz newsapers and TV remain truly atrocious.
As for the economy - well, it may not be as bad as the UK; yet. However, having been through the Oz downturn in late'80s/early'90s, Aussies love to panic. So the economy will still go off a cliff; especially given their dependence on commodity and farm exports.
As for all this rubbish I hear about emigrating to Oz to give their kids a better life, what exactly is that better life? It certainly isn't the long term job prospects. Or a less violent, druggy society. Not even, for most people, a better work/life balance - Aussies work some of the longest hours in the Western world. Indeed a cynic might say it's just a woolly non-justification...
Last edited by MikeStanton; Jan 17th 2009 at 1:32 pm.
#19
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 55
Re: Go back for kids university/life experience?
We returned - one of the reasons being schooling for my kids. My youngest is now at a traditional Boys Grammar - lovely school with cricket pavillion etc etc - good values, shirt and tie etc, lot to be said for that ( in my opinion). My oldest is now at Uni Central Lancs, he is having a fab time - the one good thing I liked about the UK uni system is you get to do an honours degree in three years as opposed to four years in Oz, where we lived. The good thing is that either of my kids can return to Oz in the future for further study/work as we have all got dual nationality now. I went to uni in London, and I have to say, I loved every thing about it. I wanted my kids to experience uni in the UK as I felt it had more to offer - I did start a masters in Oz, but opted out at certificate level just before we left. In my opinion the Ozzie uni wasnt the same experience I had with uni in the uk. I dropped my son back off at uni last weekend and had a look round the halls of res etc, it brought back many happy memories for me - the drinking games, mad party atmosphere,the british sense of humour, having good fun, you cant beat it! I'm so glad we returned.
#20
Re: Go back for kids university/life experience?
We returned - one of the reasons being schooling for my kids. My youngest is now at a traditional Boys Grammar - lovely school with cricket pavillion etc etc - good values, shirt and tie etc, lot to be said for that ( in my opinion). My oldest is now at Uni Central Lancs, he is having a fab time - the one good thing I liked about the UK uni system is you get to do an honours degree in three years as opposed to four years in Oz, where we lived. The good thing is that either of my kids can return to Oz in the future for further study/work as we have all got dual nationality now. I went to uni in London, and I have to say, I loved every thing about it. I wanted my kids to experience uni in the UK as I felt it had more to offer - I did start a masters in Oz, but opted out at certificate level just before we left. In my opinion the Ozzie uni wasnt the same experience I had with uni in the uk. I dropped my son back off at uni last weekend and had a look round the halls of res etc, it brought back many happy memories for me - the drinking games, mad party atmosphere,the british sense of humour, having good fun, you cant beat it! I'm so glad we returned.
#21
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 367
Re: Go back for kids university/life experience?
Yes. Eldest flies into Gatwick next weekend to do GCSE'S and beyond. The rest if us expect to be home before the year is out. London and all it has to offer is a specific part of our decision to return.
#22
Re: Go back for kids university/life experience?
So we have King's, UCL and which college did you go to Debs?
This weekend my wife and I sent in the admission forms for my 8 year old daughter to go to an all girls school from grade 4-9. I'ts all part of the master plan!!!
It's a uniformed school, with a closed campus, and focusses on maths and science. It also has great choirs, arts and drama programs.
This weekend my wife and I sent in the admission forms for my 8 year old daughter to go to an all girls school from grade 4-9. I'ts all part of the master plan!!!
It's a uniformed school, with a closed campus, and focusses on maths and science. It also has great choirs, arts and drama programs.
#23
Re: Go back for kids university/life experience?
(late, but anyway...)
[QUOTE=MikeStanton;7180572] <snip>
The Oz newsapers and TV remain truly atrocious.
As for the economy - well, it may not be as bad as the UK; yet. However, having been through the Oz downturn in late'80s/early'90s, Aussies love to panic. So the economy will still go off a cliff; especially given their dependence on commodity and farm exports.
<snip> Not even, for most people, a better work/life balance - Aussies work some of the longest hours in the Western world.[/ <snip> [QUOTE]
What, worse than the way the Beeb's going?
Is the Oz economy not on the sinking ship yet?
What do you call long working hours?
nb none of these is sarky, I know nothing of Oz & maybe some others don't
My reason for watching this thread is that we're now in Spain, son now more fluent in Spanish than I am (not difficult) but we know the education in the countryside - and from what I'm hearing maybe in Andalucia, possibly Spain, as a whole - is pretty parochial, low in EU tables so although we don't like the idea of British Schools in some ways (why move to a country then annex your child with other Brits) some of these schools apparently have 80%-plus Spanish children because of the academic standards. We want to make sure he'll ultimately be able to choose between a Spanish Uni or any other anywhere be it UK or ??? However looking at this thread I'm now getting sentimental about (a) cricket -OH would love him to get to play - and (b) the
very notion of 'Britishness' - though I'm equally pleased he's learning the whole European, lack of frontier, type life. We thought our issue revolved around language..... a uni educated Spaniard will get a Spanish job over a fluent/bilingual uni educated Brit anyday but maybe it's more about what you get from whichever uni you're at.
#24
Re: Go back for kids university/life experience?
Way too many people seem to believe that they will get a better work/life balance in Oz. That's a load of BS! See: http://www.careerfaqs.com.au/news038...rk_longest.asp or http://www.theage.com.au/national/au...1029-5au2.html etc.
Having worked with many Aussies in Oz, the phrase 'turn up for work' is more appropriate...
To get a better balance, people have to change their priorities and material goals. For Westerners, it's rarely anything to do with the country they are living in.
The BBC? It remains head and shoulders above any other broadcasting organisation...
Having worked with many Aussies in Oz, the phrase 'turn up for work' is more appropriate...
To get a better balance, people have to change their priorities and material goals. For Westerners, it's rarely anything to do with the country they are living in.
The BBC? It remains head and shoulders above any other broadcasting organisation...
Last edited by MikeStanton; Jan 19th 2009 at 5:51 pm.
#25
Re: Go back for kids university/life experience?
To be fair to Canada I was heartened by the quality of the school we've applied for. The passion and desire of the staff to do the best by the girls. The technology focus impressed me - Each girl will have her own MAC Laptop, and will post her homework/schoolwork/research on her own website! the work closely with the university for Maths and science.
I have been a school administrator so I'm not easily taken in!
Re: university and training for a career.
The universities round here are very good at that. But I don't think that 4 four years learning to fit into an oil and gas economy will necessarilly give my kids the best view of the world.
I want them to experience the frills - the kinda "stuff" available by short walk and a few bob in London for example,
I have been a school administrator so I'm not easily taken in!
Re: university and training for a career.
The universities round here are very good at that. But I don't think that 4 four years learning to fit into an oil and gas economy will necessarilly give my kids the best view of the world.
I want them to experience the frills - the kinda "stuff" available by short walk and a few bob in London for example,