Should I go back for a visit to the U.K
Nov 1st 2008, 10:51 pm
#16
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Re: Should I go back for a visit to the U.K
Hi all.
Been in Perth for only 3 months which is nothing I know.We came here for 2 visits before and thought it was quiet and a little boring but thought when we lived here it would be better, it is a lovely place which we have to admit.
It was my idea to come here and the Mrs. has settled better which is often the case I hear, we said we will give it 2 years which we will as it has cost us a lot of money like everyone else.
I am homesick and empty and to be honest at this moment in time cannot see us staying after 2 years although I cannot possibly say that for sure as things could change in a year. We have a few friends and are outgoing and in clubs.I am not desperately unhappy here and do not miss a lot of things in the U.K I think it is the people I miss mainly.
I am on less money here which I can totally deal with but I work longer hours and have less time than I did in the U.K but tell myself it is better for the boy's (6 & 8 ) here, but is it?
They miss their Nan e.t.c who looked after them when they were very young and also when I was ill so they have a special bond with her so there is all that to consider, although they will be teenagers in no time and will not see her so much anyway.
My Dad lives in our house so we can stay there and I was hoping to maybe go back next Xmas but is that too soon? I mean should people give it the 2 years and then go back as they are more sure of their feelings.
Should I try over east although I don't want to keep uprooting the kids and if we ever go back to the U.K that is it we will stay due to the cost.
Also for people that have gone back to the U.K to live did you always feel unsettled or was you happy for a year or 2 then it kicked in or did you just hope it would get better?
Sorry for the long post and the many questions, James
Been in Perth for only 3 months which is nothing I know.We came here for 2 visits before and thought it was quiet and a little boring but thought when we lived here it would be better, it is a lovely place which we have to admit.
It was my idea to come here and the Mrs. has settled better which is often the case I hear, we said we will give it 2 years which we will as it has cost us a lot of money like everyone else.
I am homesick and empty and to be honest at this moment in time cannot see us staying after 2 years although I cannot possibly say that for sure as things could change in a year. We have a few friends and are outgoing and in clubs.I am not desperately unhappy here and do not miss a lot of things in the U.K I think it is the people I miss mainly.
I am on less money here which I can totally deal with but I work longer hours and have less time than I did in the U.K but tell myself it is better for the boy's (6 & 8 ) here, but is it?
They miss their Nan e.t.c who looked after them when they were very young and also when I was ill so they have a special bond with her so there is all that to consider, although they will be teenagers in no time and will not see her so much anyway.
My Dad lives in our house so we can stay there and I was hoping to maybe go back next Xmas but is that too soon? I mean should people give it the 2 years and then go back as they are more sure of their feelings.
Should I try over east although I don't want to keep uprooting the kids and if we ever go back to the U.K that is it we will stay due to the cost.
Also for people that have gone back to the U.K to live did you always feel unsettled or was you happy for a year or 2 then it kicked in or did you just hope it would get better?
Sorry for the long post and the many questions, James
I really think you should go back NOW because the longer you stay, the harder it gets, if my experience is anything to go by.
Nov 2nd 2008, 12:23 am
#17
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Posts: 171
Re: Should I go back for a visit to the U.K
Hi Tracy
We're renting a holiday cottage which is in the countryside yet only 15 mins from the city. They don't normally do long rentals but as they are quiet after Christmas until Easter they said we could rent for longer. We are renting until the 2nd week in March.
In the meantime we are looking at houses on the internet but because we don't know the area it is hard to choose areas when we see houses we like. Have seen some lovely house with gardens that have fantastic views. You forget how green it is after being here!
We are going to have a busy time as we have to try and find our way around and get used to it there. We have to sort out schools. Again a problem as we need our 14 year old and 9 year old in as soon as possible but need to have some idea were we will be buying as we don't want to put them in to schools and move them when we buy a house in the area we choose. Our eldest 17 will be too young for university and can't go until next September but will have missed the college start dates (started in September) so can't go there so she may have to do a part time job for a few months to keep her busy.
One thing we have done is order our new car for when we get there to save hiring one.
It does seem to get harder moving back when your children are older trying to juggle schools and exams etc and by waiting for our eldest to finish has meant our second girl will have already missed out on 5 months of her last 2 years of school so will need to catch up.
We're renting a holiday cottage which is in the countryside yet only 15 mins from the city. They don't normally do long rentals but as they are quiet after Christmas until Easter they said we could rent for longer. We are renting until the 2nd week in March.
In the meantime we are looking at houses on the internet but because we don't know the area it is hard to choose areas when we see houses we like. Have seen some lovely house with gardens that have fantastic views. You forget how green it is after being here!
We are going to have a busy time as we have to try and find our way around and get used to it there. We have to sort out schools. Again a problem as we need our 14 year old and 9 year old in as soon as possible but need to have some idea were we will be buying as we don't want to put them in to schools and move them when we buy a house in the area we choose. Our eldest 17 will be too young for university and can't go until next September but will have missed the college start dates (started in September) so can't go there so she may have to do a part time job for a few months to keep her busy.
One thing we have done is order our new car for when we get there to save hiring one.
It does seem to get harder moving back when your children are older trying to juggle schools and exams etc and by waiting for our eldest to finish has meant our second girl will have already missed out on 5 months of her last 2 years of school so will need to catch up.
Nov 2nd 2008, 9:08 am
#18
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Joined: Jun 2008
Location: Back in the UK after 12 years in Australia
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Re: Should I go back for a visit to the U.K
Should you go back for a visit, don't know, sometimes it helps sometimes it doesn't.
The whole time you are there you know you are having to get on a plane and come back, and it is an awful wrench to go I find.
3 months isn't very long, how about you try and see a bit more of your surroundings in Aus and make the most of it, and decide in a few months if you stay or go? Don't fixate on 2 years, it's no magic number, and don't commit to anything big like a house, keep your options open.
The whole time you are there you know you are having to get on a plane and come back, and it is an awful wrench to go I find.
3 months isn't very long, how about you try and see a bit more of your surroundings in Aus and make the most of it, and decide in a few months if you stay or go? Don't fixate on 2 years, it's no magic number, and don't commit to anything big like a house, keep your options open.
Nov 16th 2008, 8:40 pm
#19
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Location: Arse hole end of the planet
Posts: 26
Re: Should I go back for a visit to the U.K
Deborahjane- have you thought about if the kids decide to return to Oz when they're older? Wouldn't it be better to get citizenship now rather than have regrets in the future? They may say they don't want to come back, but what if the grass is greener here? They will be young enough to maybe get citizenship in their own right but you may be stuck in the UK without enough points, whilst your family are on the other side of the world. You might not just want to come on holiday!
Nov 17th 2008, 6:43 am
#20
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Location: Back in the UK after 12 years in Australia
Posts: 579
Re: Should I go back for a visit to the U.K
Deborahjane- have you thought about if the kids decide to return to Oz when they're older? Wouldn't it be better to get citizenship now rather than have regrets in the future? They may say they don't want to come back, but what if the grass is greener here? They will be young enough to maybe get citizenship in their own right but you may be stuck in the UK without enough points, whilst your family are on the other side of the world. You might not just want to come on holiday!
And with climate change Aus may be looking like a much less attractive prospect by then.
Nov 17th 2008, 10:37 am
#21
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Re: Should I go back for a visit to the U.K
What I'm saying though is what if the kids (or one or two) come back, leave ma & pa in the UK and ma & pa want to come back to Oz to be with their offspring. At least if they've got citizenship they've got the option without having to jump through hoops and spend a fortune trying to get visas.
Alternatively, what if they get back to the UK and hate it, or if they get back & the kids hate it & in later life struggle to get back here and end up resenting the parents for not getting citizenship. It seems silly if you've got the opportunity to get it now, not to.
Alternatively, what if they get back to the UK and hate it, or if they get back & the kids hate it & in later life struggle to get back here and end up resenting the parents for not getting citizenship. It seems silly if you've got the opportunity to get it now, not to.
Nov 17th 2008, 11:05 am
#22
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Re: Should I go back for a visit to the U.K
I think you should go back for a visit....why not!!! it will be a holiday as well as helping you decide.
I went back last year for 3 weeks and never missed anything about Perth, i didn't even want to come back here, but OH persuaded me to get citizenship, which we did get in August.
I realised that Perth wasn't for us after afew weeks. But you never know unless you try. Maybe when we are 80 we will come back hehehehee
I went back last year for 3 weeks and never missed anything about Perth, i didn't even want to come back here, but OH persuaded me to get citizenship, which we did get in August.
I realised that Perth wasn't for us after afew weeks. But you never know unless you try. Maybe when we are 80 we will come back hehehehee
as I do not want to particularly be in the U.K but not sure I want to be here either, someone please shoot me, thanks again James
Nov 17th 2008, 8:27 pm
#24
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Posts: 171
Re: Should I go back for a visit to the U.K
We did talk about citizenship to the children, not for myself and my husband as we would not ever in the future decide to come back here, but for them. Both girls who are old enough to decide (17 and 14 1/2) said they were not interested in citizenship as they have no wish to return to Oz. They have never over liked it here and can't wait to get back to the UK. Our boy of 9 is young, yes, but to look in to his future and what he may want to do is too far away. For now he can't wait to get back as he misses his grandparents and life in the UK. From that there was no point in going for citizenship at all. We are not loyal to this country, dislike living here and there simply is no point as citizenship and an Aussie passport would be worthless to us.
There are far more exciting countries for them to try out if they did wish to move abroad at a later stage in their lives. They have so many countries in Europe they can't wait to visit but may well not want to live there. They all have so much to do with school, university etc that to think about emigrating is too way off at the moment.
There are far more exciting countries for them to try out if they did wish to move abroad at a later stage in their lives. They have so many countries in Europe they can't wait to visit but may well not want to live there. They all have so much to do with school, university etc that to think about emigrating is too way off at the moment.
Nov 17th 2008, 8:49 pm
#25
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Re: Should I go back for a visit to the U.K
Fair enough deborahjane, you all sound pretty sure about what you are doing, so time to start planning your return, and in the meantime treat the rest of the time as a working holiday and try and explore a bit as family.
"Far more exciting countries to try" LOL and none of them are a 30+hour journey from the UK.
"Far more exciting countries to try" LOL and none of them are a 30+hour journey from the UK.
Nov 18th 2008, 11:58 pm
#26
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Re: Should I go back for a visit to the U.K
Thanks again to all for your good and witty replies, the gun is loaded
I have settled a little better and we have said we might as well enjoy our time here, We will go back in a year or 18 months and see. We will always go back at times whatever the outcome as we have big families there.
Thanks again you are diamonds on here when in times of need, James.
I have settled a little better and we have said we might as well enjoy our time here, We will go back in a year or 18 months and see. We will always go back at times whatever the outcome as we have big families there.
Thanks again you are diamonds on here when in times of need, James.
