Exile

The psychology of ping-ponging is a fascinating subject. I'm also trying to determine my likelihood of bouncing back to Perth if we leave.

We've been here almost three years, and when we leave it will definitely be after exhausting all possibilities here, so there will be no excuses that we can roll out later to convince ourselves it will be different in Oz next time (didn't give it long enough, culture shock, were in the wrong place, had a baby, etc).

s-jmelbournewannabe

Just curious, but did anyone consider moving to a diff state in Oz?? If i've been unhappy in England i have moved to a different area... Only an idea, as when we go to Oz, if i'm not happy where we go initially my plan is to explore Oz a bit more, might stumble on our bit of paridise????

Good luck to everyone with whatever they decide, dont be too hasty.. S-j x

janeyray

Yes we returned home to the UK after 16 months in Perth. We travelled home via the Indian Pacific Train across the Nullabor to Adelaide which was brilliant!. We thought Adelaide was great adn so much more 'with it' than Perth. Although most cities in the East slate Adelaide for being like a country town, what must they think of Perth then!!!?? We then went on to Sydney for a week. Nice places and much more buzzing than Perth but we still wanted to come home. Being in another city might have been ok for a while after living in Perth but family are still thousands of miles away and Australia is so far away it doesn't matter which city you live in.

Good luck in your decision

TraceyW

Yes we have. Hubby still wants to live on the Gold Coast. If we went it would only be floating my boat for a little while. Then all the things that are 'wrong' would come back to me. Things like;

1) Being able to get to your family, QUICKLY, when they need you (bless poor Kath ) and being able to spend regular time with them, not just a few weeks every year or so.
2) My old friends who know the real me.
3) The seasons changing, not just stinking heat, then sunny rainy days.
4) The history and culture that only England has.
5) Hopping over to europe for a few quid....that's priceless.

All these things and more we took for granted. We would never find them in Australia. That's a definite.

blowers

Agree completely. Did 7 months. Now almost 12 back in the UK and am heading back. On these forums everyone advises you give it at least two years, but a lot of people ignore this, like myself

Bex66

3) The undecideds, who can't make up their mind where they want to be the most. (Poor sods!)[/QUOTE]

Ha, this is us perfectly!!! And yes, poor sods are indeed! We wish we had never gone to Oz, then we would never have known what we were missing!

We lived in Perth for 8 years, loved it there. But after convincing ourselves that we could never settle as we were missing family too much we came back in Jan this year. So we definately gave it a good go over there.

Anyway, we will be heading back at the end of this year - not really my choice, I love it here, but hubby and kids desperately want to go back. Looking forward, I want to go back for the kids sake - life here for them does not offer a lot. And my dreams of lots of family bonding fell flat - they had all moved on - 8 years to live their lives with out us changed a lot of things. After the initial buzz our day to day life here is really hard going.

The problem is I want it all - family and Oz - cant tho!!!

Becky

Brewerboy1

Nothing wrong with it..........other than it might be the most boring spot on the continent. I think it really is the case that WHERE in oz you choose to live is far more important than where in the UK you base yourself-many poms who don't stay in Oz didnt realise this...I suspect.

Geordie George

Ah, so you've made it into the MBTTUK forum? When are you planning to move back?

king kong

Are you having second thoughts now you have sold the house ? might be easier just to Pong instead of Ping [only joking ofcourse],good luck with your move home .

birdynumnum

I'm one of those poor sods....

I was here for just under 2 years, went for a trip back as i missed it and came back to get the passport.
Then 2 years later I returned to UK 'for good' I thought.
14 months later I returned to Oz. (I know)

Its been good to return in many ways, I'm glad I did.
I have now lived for nearly 2 years in the area I hadnt tried and leaned towards and think/hope that if I do decide to return to UK to live, I'll do so knowing that much as I like the climate here and other stuff, its actually the UK I want to live. I dont see myself here long term so thats all rather good in my mind.

I wouldnt wish ping ponging on anyone - its a total headspin and makes you fell like a crazy coconut at times

Brewerboy1

The psychology is fascinating but boils down to this-when in the UK they werent happy and dream of Oz-go to Oz, not happy, dream of the UK. Never occurs to them that it might not be the place.

Brewerboy1

Petty Stalins Russia is no more-you would have made a good thought policeman.

birdynumnum

You cant assume that a ping pong hasnt been happy either in UK or Oz

They may actually love both places. They may be torn for whatever reasons.
Its a huge decision moving here and a bigger one to move back.
I have ping n ponged and yes, I was happy in the UK, yes I have been happy here too. Yes at times wasnt happy in UK or here (part of life)

Your post implies that only those who arent happy anywhere ping pom which I dont agree with.

It can be really confusing

wafc

Well said, we are currently in the process of pinging and we do love both places, each has many benefits and disadvantages.

We just want to be back with friends, family and our old social lives.

Hopefully we wont pong but I wont rule it out yet!!

birdynumnum

Hi WAFC

Cheers
I hope you love being back and appreciate all the UK has to offer.
And that you dont pong back too