Re: Returning home
 

Thanks for that. I couldn't reply because I don't know Perth:D

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Of your list, I think I will miss the above, and also
very blue skies
watching the sky after the sun has just set
stars and moon (hoping to see the comet tonight)
warm evenings with a slight breeze after a very hot day
friendly welcome for our kids at schools and kids' activities
ease of getting around

Perth is nice, but it's not home and these things are not enough for most of us who live here and post on this part of the site. You grew up here, so you are bound to feel different. For many of those that didn't, there will always be something missing. A lot missing, in fact.

Didn't you once say "Perth is soo boring", lacking in culture and vibrancy? (can't be bothered to dig up the post just to embarrass you yet again). You know exactly why people leave Perth. I suspect that you are now pretending otherwise to justify your decision to return, and because you have been offended by people's frank views of your homeland and you feel the need to strike back. But you forget that for people leaving Perth, the UK doesn't have to prove itself as better. For many of us, it's just where we feel we belong. We tried it here. We didn't really like it. Or, in my case, we did like it, but perhaps not enough. We should be able to explain our reasons on this site without insecure and overly sensitive people like you feeling the need to endlessly defend your place of origin.

You also forgot to mention that most days if you are on the beach in Perth after 11am you will be sand-blasted. There is no way you can read a book in comfort.:)

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I too can understand why Denver feels the way she does. She is maybe experiencing homesickness, as some of us do from time to time. Perth is her home and she obviously feels the need to 'belong' and I for one fully understand that. But most, if not all, of the things she has listed are things that make her feel comfortable because she was brought up here and no doubt has happy memories of going to some of these places. To me, most of those are either 'one offs' or totally unexciting and can be done most anywhere in this world.

I will miss the blue skys, but none of the above. Perth is very isolated and costly to get out of once you are here.

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Who could ever get tired of penguins:) Could watch them for hours.

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They weren't to be seen when we went....twice! We did stay to watch the ones inside being fed though.

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I haven't seen the Perth ones, but I have seen them at St Kilda (Melbourne) and on Tassie in numerous places, my favourites being the ones on Bruny Island - you stand on steps and on a wooden walkway and watch them come up the beach, under the walkway, and into their burrows :)

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Hi Sandra - am so delighted that things may be looking better for you - keeping my fingers and toes crossed for you ;)

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And me!! I've only been back from the UK for 2 days, and I am struggling to unpack my suitcase now! I keep finding other distractions like reading this forum, looking back over the 100's of photos we took in England and remembering where our real 'home' is. Struggling to understand why we have just endured a horrendous long haul flight to return to a place where I really don't want to be! How's it going Rachel?

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Hmmm..... likewise! But when I told the lady who was 'in charge' that we hadn't seen any penguins, she seemed quite offended (now, there's a surprise!) and said "Well, did you expect to see any penguins?? We'd be worried if you did, madam, because they are all nesting at this time of the year" Oh, sorryeeeeeee. Pardon me for being so naive!! Any chance we could have our money back??!! No! I actually didn't say that - wouldn't dare!!!

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Coward.lol

We have friends and rellies who have visited Penguin Island and they've all said the same.Not worth the trip or the money.Go to Perth Zoo, you stand a better chance of seeing Penguins there at least.

BTW, did it smell down in Shoalwater when you were there? We think it smells dreadful down there.

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Hi all


Still not got a firm decision as to where we are going, although he has emailed the company in Gibraltar to see if the position is still available and if so what they are prepared to offer him, if it is a no no then we can rule that out,
I wish they would hurry up and respond.

Then we can look at the Cambridge option, and see what they have to offer.

Although he keeps backtracking saying maybe we should stay and get the Cit-ship and go after that as it will only be another year and at least we/the Kids can come back in the future, but that thought fills me with dread, I really don't know if I could do it.
He said if we just look at this as an adventure and we will defiantly be going home at the end of it.. then he changes his mind again and says sod it let's go.

So where am I, so confused, and scared.

I keep having these strange dreams, where I picture my mums face then it disappears and it wakes me up. what is that all about.
I wonder if it is because we don't have webcams etc and have not seen my mum since 14 feb 06 and I am missing her so much. Spooky and weird.

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get webcams sorted out. when I was homesick when I lived somewhere else it really helped. I still wanted to leave but it helped me stick it out.

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My Mum and dad are very old school they don't understand computers they can just about get their head around using the remote control,

My dad still goes to his bank same branch to do his banking, even though they moved over an hours drive away (because they know him) and he has never used a ATM machine, I even had to go to the machine to sort out his cards for the Chip & Pin.

Asking them to use a computer/Webcam is like asking them to cut off their arms.

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Oh I see, my Dad was a bit like that until we moved overseas. He now has a mobile and sat nav in his car. He is like a born again bleedin christian now!!!

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I wish I could get them to move into the real world, get some modern gagets ie: computer but they won't, they don't like flying, love England, love the English countryside etc holiday there twice a year and can see no reason for wanting to go elsewhere, so I have to respect them for that.

I speak to my Mum every 2 days and have done since I arrived here 12 months ago, but it is not the same, I miss just being around her.

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and I hope you can get back to that soon Sandra.

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Me too.

Thanks

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The majority actually like the place and stay only a minority go home.

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Hello Beryl/Peril..i didn't realise you were going back to the UK for a hol!!
Sounds like you had a great time:thumbsup:
My good friends who emigrated here in OCT have just gone back to the UK for good. They realised they had made a big mistake. It has unsettled me even more now. We all got very close and now it's gone.:(
But we are going back to UK for Xmas anyway::thumbsup: then will be coming back to see where we really want to be.

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Just the smart ones.

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:D :D

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Wow! That's almost as short a time as friends of mine took to make their decision. I think they lasted about 6 weeks, and when their shipment arrived, they sent it all home again - didn't even unpack! They were in QLD. She didn't like the sun or spiders - so not a good choice for them really, was it?!
Yes, had an amazing - really amazing time in UK. I loved every minute of it and realised just what we stupidly walked away from. I know it's not 'always' like that and everyone was riding high because it was Christmas and because they were so excited to see us. But being back reminded me how very different (and better) our life was there. (Full of fun, laughter, girlie chats, community living, looking out for each other's kids, spontaneous happenings, dogs, country walks, fantastic pubs!) One of my best friends had an on-going 'open house' for us and masses of people people came round. My son was almost 'mobbed' by his friends and body-surfed around his old classmates, cheering as they went! We had an incredible welcome home.

Meanwhile, back in Perth (groan) - now more determined than ever to get the heck out of here and back to where we belong! Just got to work on OH a bit more. He's not talking about it at the moment!

Is it next Xmas you're going back? It's a long wait, but something to look forward to!

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Everytime I return to the UK for a visit I feel like that too. It's almost like living again! Trouble is, when I return to Canada it feels like I'm going back into prison so I've decided enough is enough and we are getting things rolling to go back to the UK.

I'm very close to my family and I miss the mum and daughter outings we had. My 8 year old cried the other night about how much he missed his family back in England and I was so shocked, he was the one whom I thought had settled so well in Canada, lots of friends etc, seemed happy with his life. I thought what am I doing to him, dragging him away from his family just to live out a dream for myself, not him.

I feel lucky to have a great family that wants to be involved in my life, lots of other people don't have that support and I will go and make the most of it.

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[QUOTE=fishfinger;4299057]Everytime I return to the UK for a visit I feel like that too. It's almost like living again! Trouble is, when I return to Canada it feels like I'm going back into prison QUOTE]


i know exactly how you feel :(

hope all goes well with your return plans :)

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Sounds like you have 'out' lived the dream FF, and the dream has become a bit of a nightmare for you! My dream only lasted a couple of months (that's all you need in Perth to get the best out of it!) and I too, have felt like I'm a prisoner a lot of the time. It's a feeling of being 'trapped' because of not being a free agent, but part of a unit (in my case, husband and son). I would've been long gone if it was just me! I think my son would happily go back to UK now, having had a taste of being back amongst his extended family and lovely friends (he's 15 by the way) - the biggest problem is my husband, who although I think he'd return, would find it very difficult to find another job in the UK. Anyway, good luck with everything!

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Hi ..well i had a night out last night with the girls. Went to one pub and stayed there all night. Karaoke was on ( i never go on it) and ended up leaving at 10pm. Couldn't bear listening to everyone trying to be sing, gave me headache.
I felt about 50 years old sat there clapping along to songs i have never heard of:(
Saying that there were loads of fit lads in there, poor sods, nowhere nice for them to go.

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1.Mind numbing: Because there is little or nothing to stimulate the senses. It's a bland non-descript place without vision, sense of community (not the volunteer type stuff), socially dislocated, superficial, pretentious, and lacks any feel of a soul or pulse.

2. People flood in: The picture in their minds of coastline beaches, houses with pools, the 'easy' life, see it as less hectic than say sydney or melbourne and possibly cheaper airfares to UK from WA for hols.

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Top post! Well said. Karma sent :thumbup:

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For 3 of us to fly to UK recently (21st Dec to be precise!) cost a mere $7,000 - gulp! Hardly cheap. On top of that, the cost of being there, petrol, presents, meals out, copious amounts spent in Tesco, Sainsburys, and Fat Face (just because you can't resist the temptation after the shops out here!), and of course the pub! However, worth every penny in my opinion - just to escape this cripplingly dull place for just a few weeks!

When are you outta here Kiwi-Child?

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Have to say my biggest disappointment on arrival in WA was the pubs.

And that remains till today 20 years after arriving.

It's not the atmosphere so much although that is lacking, but it's the music. For some reason they can't get over playing it so loud that you can't hear the person next to you talking no matter were you sit/stand in the place.

UK pubs are (or were) generally smaller in size and largely social places, they just don't get that here.

Dave

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I'm off to NZ in March for a couple of months hols, then I come back to finish my last few units of my degree. Will either head back to NZ then for a year or so to see how it goes, or exit Perth for UK. My trip to NZ will hopefully help to give me an update on what the work and cost of living etc is currently like there.

Sounds like expensive tickets airtickets Beryl, but I guess it's to do with what airline you use and time of year you go.

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Yes, it was a lot of money - Christmas is always the most expensive time to go - we went Singapore Airlines. If you know of a cheaper source, I'd be pleased to know. Next time (hopefully the last time!) we do that long haul flight, I'll definitely break it up a lot more! My jet lag has lasted all week and it's getting very boring! Zzzzzzzzzzzzz...........

Glad to know the end is in sight for you anyway - we were in NZ this time last year - awesome country, but not sure about living there. Our friends returned to Nelson for the 2nd time (from the UK) and left within 6 months having not been able to find work and the isolation aspect. We were very tempted to relocate to NZ, but quite glad we didn't now. The biggest thing that has got me down about Perth is the dullness and lack of 'buzz'. Despite the disgusting weather in the UK (winter) the place was full of 'buzz'. It really felt that life was going on, unlike this retirement village we all find ourselves living in over here!

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It is interesting that I also use the trem "buzz" it sums it up really.I am begining to feel that I am on medication! I felt alive in the UK but not here. I do think that it may have something to do with where I live but I am in Qld and your in Perth so perhaps not.

Royal Brunei are reasonable on their flight prices and the service was good.Jetlag seems to get you more has you get older .

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Yeah, that's interesting. I found Sydney had much more of 'buzz' to it, and I had a good social life there. But that was 20 + years ago and I was of course younger then! I would never recommend Perth to anyone now, unless they are really happy to lead a reclusive and retirement like existance. I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has moved from Perth across to Brisbane, or other parts of Oz for that matter and found a real improvement. We have considered Brisbane as a possibility (OH could find work there) but it still doesn't address the issue of feeling homesick all the time! Any comments/experiences about that anyone? (in case we go and make another mistake!!)

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Couldn't agree more. When I have visited UK for holidays its like waking up from a coma. Can't help but think of the life you COULD have been leading. Makes you go all "Sliding Doors". Having to come back to bloody Perth is one of the most depressing feelings.....

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Isn't it just! I've done it 5 times now in the last two years. Twice from Bali, twice from NZ and once from UK. I went into deep decline this time and more or less went to bed for 2 days just to shut the feeling of depression out! Every time you come back here, you see/feel just how dead it is. The only activity you see is countless people power walking, jogging, cycling and pushing prams along the coast road! It's almost as if there is nothing else to do!

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What kind of things do you like to do Beryl?

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I've lived in Brisbane and while the people are friendlier, the humidity is a killer. It's also not a particularly attractive city.

Relocating to another part of OZ won't be cheap but if I was going to do it I'd go to adelaide, melbourne or hobart.

If you still get homesick then maybe returning to UK to live would be best.

About cheap flights, you can check out www.flightcentre.com.au There's also a new outfit with cheap flight to UK been advertising on ninemsn, just can't recall their name.

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It is the humidity that's a killer. I can't cope with it. If I am to stay it must be somewhere cooler. I spend more time indoors now and socialising is nil. This doesn't help homesickness or lonely. I have heard good and not so good reports about Brisbane but thats just the way it is I think, different needs, wants etc.

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the telegraph today is reporting that englands economy is going to take a bad downward turn.