Re: Why did you come back?
 

A very incisive post.

In general, when you first meet them, Australians (a little like Americans) have an appeal due to their optimistic and brash - but naive - approach. However, this superficial appeal can really grate when you live amongst them. Aussies and Americans have one thing in common - they both seem to believe that the world ends at their respective borders.

Re: Why did you come back?
 

Home is where your heart is!

As a 7 year old I moved to South Africa for 21 years loved it but eventually came "home" but it has never felt like home. Yes we have a very good standard of living in the UK but its not for us.
My heart has been in Aus for a long time so thats where we are heading.
Everyone wants different things out of life - be true to yourself and make your dreams come true

Re: Why did you come back?
 

I take objection to your comments about Australians and Americans being similar in some respects.

Having lived in both Australia (19 years) and the US (6 years) I would say that they are nothing alike. I find Australians to be rude and brash and their jealousy and negativity can be very destructive. Whereas, the Americans, generally speaking, are very positive and encouraging and supportive of anyone who wants to better themselves or who does well.

Re: Why did you come back?
 

My comment was that both Americans and Australians - in general - are very parochial : and I stick to that (approx only ~12% of Americans have passports).

I also agree with your comment that 'Australians [are] rude and brash and their jealousy and negativity can be very destructive. Whereas, the Americans, generally speaking, are very positive and encouraging and supportive of anyone who wants to better themselves or who des well'.

Re: Why did you come back?
 

I've been in Australia (Sydney) for 6 months and we will probably stay here for 3-4 years. I think its a fantastic place if you've got young kids cause of hte outdoor lifestyle and good medical care compared to the UK. Its really family friendly and Sydney is a very accessible city. But it is parochial and small -minded and we can't envisage ourselves staying long term. I find people very friendly compared to London and don't find people anymore rude or brash than living in London [as opposed to the rest of hte uK} Salaries are fairly bad for professionals and is more a country for small business.

Why not sell your property, cash out of the UK property market while you can and spend a few years here with your kids. Its a great experience to have. You can have an adventure and go back to the UK when you're ready.
Nothing is permanent

Re: Why did you come back?
 

Sydney is a place where fresh water, petroleum and food are combined to create sewage - hence small business.

The Big Business in Australia is mining (which is conducted outside Sydney) - which provides metals and energy to other countries so that they can transform food into sewage more conveniently.

Re: Why did you come back?
 

Hi Amanda,

We spent 16 oths in Perth and came back simpley because my daughter and I were terribly homesick and I for one couldn't shake that feeling away. It was something I thought about constantly and it was wearing me down. My daughter who was 6 when we arrived hated it and missed my parents too much. Saying goodbye to people when they come over to stay isn't a good experience for any child to have to go through year in year out?

The warm days in Perth were lovely but the hottest days were awfull. I would find myself wishing for rain and to be cold, now I'am backin the UK and it's cold I don't wish to be boiling hot...strange isn't it.

I never get up feeling ill with the isolation and depressed because my family and friends are thousands of miles away, now I love being in the UK. I don't regret for one minute coming back and look on our Aussie experience as expensive but a good trip!!!! :rolleyes:

Re: Why did you come back?
 

Hi
Thanks for the reply, Glad to hear your settled back in the Uk ok, homesickness sounds a terrible thing, one you dont know if your going to suffer with until your away from home.
Thanks again.
Amanda :)

Re: Why did you come back?
 

Friends and familiarity is what I miss the most.



I've been reading some threads on here from people who did return or want to return to the UK. I would be interested in hearing why, was it because you missed your family or was there more to it than that.

We have three kids 13, 10 and 7, a four bedroomed house, we are comfortable (money wise, I dont need to work) But have got itchy feet, the weather is s**t here (not a good enough reason to go on its own I know)

I've always wanted to go to OZ but have a sneaking suspicion things will not be the same and definitely wouldn't be if we were to return (after husband has given up his job and prospects)

We want to go (we are not close to our families) but what else will we miss?? Maybe you have/had things you missed that we haven't thought of yet.

Best to think of everythink before hand

Any thoughts welcome :-)
Amanda[/QUOTE]

Re: Why did you come back?
 

[QUOTE=Ian12]Friends and familiarity is what I miss the most.



I've been reading some threads on here from people who did return or want to return to the UK. I would be interested in hearing why, was it because you missed your family or was there more to it than that.





Are you in Oz or the UK? Your location says Sydney?

Heres a list of 'other' things I also missed:

1. A normal night out in a few pups - not a pub crawl or a night club - I mean a good night out with friends, be able to catch a bus to the pubs and a taxi home.

2. I missed the rain. Strange to some but I did, I still don't mind it raining so much here anymore.

3. I missed being cool. The heat became claustraphobic.

4. I missed the green of the British countryside.

5. I missed shopping in a more varied city, with more shops to choose from.

6. I missed the choice of foods from places like Sainsburys.

7. I missed being able to shop for 'good' quality clothes that didn't cost a fortune - some shops in Oz were either tacky market type clothes or very exspensive.

8. Missed not having a job. I was bored because I couldn't get work, 150 letters - and 16 months later and still no job.

9. Missed walking down a road that had people on it.

This is just a small list of 'misses' and I'm talking about Perth rather than the East coast. On our return to the UK we travelled a bit and visitied Adelaide which we thought was utopia compared to perth!!! :rolleyes:

Re: Why did you come back?
 

[QUOTE=janeyray]Hi Janey,

Ditto to all on your list except we were in Brisbane not Perth and number 8 doesn't apply to me.

I think that Ian's post is only the bit about friends and family the other bit is from Amanda's original post.

Susan :D

Re: Why did you come back?
 

[QUOTE=Ian12]Friends and familiarity is what I miss the most.



I've been reading some threads on here from people who did return or want to return to the UK. I would be interested in hearing why, was it because you missed your family or was there more to it than that.

We have three kids 13, 10 and 7, a four bedroomed house, we are comfortable (money wise, I dont need to work) But have got itchy feet, the weather is s**t here (not a good enough reason to go on its own I know)

I've always wanted to go to OZ but have a sneaking suspicion things will not be the same and definitely wouldn't be if we were to return (after husband has given up his job and prospects)
================================================== =======

The best thing to do if it is possible for you would be to rent a house in OZ for a year and travel around the country to see which areas you like the
best, OZ is a large country with different types of countrysides and climates,
don't make the mistake of just seeing one part of the country such as Perth,
If after a year you get homesick and decide OZ is'nt for you then you have had a great holiday. Some people on this forum will say moving to OZ was the best decision they ever made and they never felt homesick or wanted to go back and others will say moving there was a mistake , the only way you are going to know if its the right decision for you is to go there.