Merlot

I have become a "Poll mad lady" but I have been back 10 months after 7 years in Australia and slowly starting to realise that my true home is not here.

I have no regrets about coming back, I enjoy most aspects about the UK, looking forward to doing lots of things with the family in 2005 BUT Australia is slowly calling us back.

Why??? Who knows????

It is not a case of rose tinted glasses for Australia as I have never owned a pair for any country. There were lots of things I didn't like in Australia and lots I did.

I just know in my heart that this is my last time in the UK, I am here for a closure of sorts as I when I left in Feb 1997 I was only going away on a Working Holiday but never made it back to live.

I am sort of saying my goodbyes in a way now, even though it will be 2006/07 at least before we have the funds to go back. If that makes senses. I think half of me knew this even before we left Australia.

Wondering how everyone else feels?

Merlot

blossom

Hello Merlot

Your sentiments echo my family's to a Tee! We came back in 1994, and I must admit it was my decision and pressure put on my husband and daughter to return to the UK. Unfortunately, although nothing has gone wrong for us, they have never truly been happy being back here and it is only the last couple of years that I have realised that as a family we need to return to Aus.

The sadness of it all is that our return to UK only netted personal gains for myself, both career wise and being close to my family again.

However after 11 years, it is definitely time to return to the land of sunshine.

Good luck with your future choices.

Blossom

angelica

Hi Merlot, not been on for ages but your poll was too much to resist!

We are absolutely 200% sure that we made the right decision to come back. We were only in Oz for 6 months though, but lived in 2 states in that time.

We've been back a year at the end of February and dont regret a moment. The move away from UK helped us to focus on whats really important for our family, a sort of 'dont know what you've got til its gone' realism so even now we appreciate what we have here in England.

Take care, Angelica x

Merlot

Thank you for your responses, I think it is really important to me (and others)to hear other stories, whatever they may be so I don't think I am going completely mad

Kee 'em coming and good luck to all.

Merlot

Pants

Hiya Hun
mmmhhhhhhhhhhhhhh you sort of know how I feel.....speak soon.
Good and bad in both....may go back but not for at least 5yrs who knows...ekkkkkkkkk helppp me !!!!

janeyray

Most definitely the best decision we made was coming back. 100% sure that we would not live there again. Too happy and 'content' with our lives here now.

Although beautiful in parts to look at and the wildlife is brilliant I can't forget the empty feeling of lonliness I woke up with every morning

I never wake up with that feeling here

dunroving

I know what you mean - we were woken up by the neighbors every morning when I stayed in my UK terraced house over Christmas - definitely not lonely when your lughole is never more than 10 feet from the neighbor's dog!

Got used to it eventually, but it seemed pretty quiet when I came back to my detached ranch in NC - and I live in a neighborhood.

suziequ

We have lived in South Africa and Botswana, and have been back in UK for 11 years, we have been happy here but now we have itchy feet and are planning on going to Canada.

Nothing wrong with the UK, but I think that once you have lived abroad you are always thinking about what it would be like there now.

We would never go back to South Africa again.

Sue

dunroving

My uncle came back from SA to live in Cheshire maybe 10 years ago (he lives in Wigan, I think). He has been sunk by the exchange rate of the Rand (his pension is in SA), just because he has now has so little money coming in. He may have to go back just to get a decent standard of living. Is that a common problem with expats coming back from SA?

sula

We've been back in the UK for three years now and have never felt settled, even though we have good jobs, house etc! We wish we had stuck it out longer in Oz and now feel that we panicked and returned too soon.

Because we are so unsettled we don't feel able to move on with our lives in the UK. Next month we will be visiting Oz and meeting employers and will then make a final decision about returning or not.

Whatever we decide to do I hope it finally gives us peace of mind and allows us to move on with our lives, as being unsettled wherever you live must be one of the most stressful situations you can be in.

Best wishes to you all.

Sula

loubol

I spent 12 and a half years abroad. The first year I was very homesick, the second less so, then by the time I was away three years I swore I'd never live in the UK again...

However, the last two years away, the homesickness started to kick in again. I got sick of speaking a foreign language most of the time but the fact that marriage was breaking up was also a major factor in deciding to come home at last. It really made me think long and hard about my future. By the time we'd split up, redundancy was looming anyway so I took the cheque and packed my bags - perfect timing!

My standard of living is not quite as good as where I was living and I get frustrated at the insularity and anti-Europeness of Brits at home, not to mention the way things get done here most of the time, but I have absolutely no regrets whatsoever.

I'm really happy to be home again.

Merlot

The responses make interesting reading, thanks for sharing and keep them coming.

Shows us what a mixed bunch the human race is hey! And amen to that.

Merlot

melaniee

Aaaarrrggghhhh! :scared:

jad n rich

Did any of you people post when you were leaving OZ? maybe reading those posts be helpful.

Just saying that because I looked back at one posters threads to see why they left OZ, they said constantly how much they hated the climate, then read the were thinking of going back to an area where by wednesday its expected to be 35 degrees with 100% humidity :scared:

Just found it funny thats all.

Merlot

That's more than likely me, the humidity was unbearable in a house with no ceiling fans or air con. Those crappy ones from Big W did not cut the mustard. When I lived in Sydney we had both plus a pool on the complex so life was more bearable.

This is why myself and I know at least another two old posters from this site are in "limbo" land. I have read my old threads and whilst they all make sense, they also don't help.

It is trying to get my head around what, why and where next? My head hurts with it all.

The first 9 months back were busy, new and wonderful then you get more time to think. I enjoy lots of aspects of the UK.

My main aim for coming back and will maintain this is the family. If I could ship them over with me, perfect, but I can't and I could not go on living with that horrible lonliness in my belly.

I hated the heat/humidity by the end in Australia BUT miss the brightness and sunshine. January in the UK has been the biggest culture shock to me. :scared:

I don't know if this clarifies the confusion I am going through at the moment and others thoughts are really helpful.

I think in the ideal world there would be aspects from all countries I have lived in rolled onto one - now where is Paradise on the map.

M