Syedney

have you checked out the Sussex coasts?...Not too far from the madding crowd in London and yet you're surrounded by beautiful green hills, endless streams and of course, the channel. You're not too far from the continent either. A ferry ride or a drive thorough the tunnel and you're sipping red wine from the bordeaux region, in bordeaux itself! Ah, what about the umpteen countryside pubs where a sunday carvery is to be had, outside in the garden while the kids can play around the stream. Places like Faulking, Upper Beading, Arundel or even Winchester would do...

Maybe just being biased, but trust me, those places are what I think of when I think of England...

As well as, the laughter from friends around a bench on a summer day, drinking my favourite tipple while sharing a joke or two with the dearest ones...Always a quick quip from one mate would be followed by more and before you know we are all sitting around a barbeque fire getting some food ready...It would be either ours or our mate's...It didn't matter as we all took it in turns to do this...

Can you again remind me why am I here?

jacqui cameron

Wow that sounds amazing.. Maybe I will look into those places. Sounds lovely Thanks for info.

Are you in Sydney then ?

Syedney

Yes, in Dee Why (northern beaches) to be exact.

Good luck in Blighty...Don't listen to all the negative stuff about UK...

There are people out there who would give anything to be living in England too...And some of them are actually Aussie too...

If you ever get to live in any of those you can always pop down to Brighton (our old city) and sip some coffee by the beach...Not exactly northern beaches, but hey, you still get the smell of the sea and you can buy fresh fish too (some lovely smoked kippers too)....

Michwif

Hi Jacqui
So sorry to hear that things have never felt right after so long.
I just want to ask if you have been back to England at all in the last 11yrs.

Friend of a friend moved back to England after 9 yrs of homesickness..she lasted less than a yr in Sussex hating every minute. She moved back to OZ last month.
If you can get a trip back before committing to a permenant move back you might find the England you pine for is not there anymore.
I must say though, we moved from the Medway Towns in Kent 18mths ago and despite it being bit of a dive I still miss it and always will to some extent. At least now I'm not sobbing everyday for Quavers, Galaxy bars, impromtu coffee's with my beautiful friends, getting snowed in, dull grey cold Christmas mornings....okay now I'm blubbing...BUT it's been at least a fortnight since my last homesick moment!

bluekipper

Good tip,, everyone who moves to OZ must feel a bout of homesickness sometime, the UK is not better just different, as is OZ its not better just different, its about what you want from the place your living in and if your glass is half full or half empty.

Good luck to all, Im hoping to be a ping ponger and go bk to OZ asap.

Bluekipper

jacqui cameron

Hi There, I'm interested to know why you decided to go back to OZ and where abouts in OZ ?

So many people go back n forth. I hope I'm not going to be a victim of this too

I just need my husband to find a job in UK before we go back which is gonna be a struggle but I feel stuck at the moment. Have lots of lovely friends here but dying to get out and back to UK.

Anyone know of any Acoustic Enginner firms in the UK ?

jacqui cameron

oh sorry michviff I didnt see your thread..
Yes I go back to UK for 6 weeks every year and run around like a headless chicken visiting everyone. Its not a holiday !
Most of my roots are very strong so find it hard to let go and dont want to really either. I come from a nice area, good school, nice background until I was a teenager and was very bored. But we can always come back to OZ as now have dual nationality

Syedney

Don't want to preach to anyone, as I do hate doing this, but that should be an aim for most Brits who can't make up their mind between UK and here. Get yourself sorted in terms of possinle return to here and staying in UK....In other words, get dual natiionality if you can!!!

Michwif

How old is your daughter? how is she getting on now?
I have 3 girls 3, 7, 8 and my 8yr old was bit of a mess and cried at the drop of a hat...mind you so did I. My 7 yr old couldn't care less and my 3 yr old kept asking when we ere going home!!!! Oh those heart strings!!
Something in my eldest has shifted and she is not as loving and chilled as she was. It's been almost 18mths and from what I gather from my UK friends this was on the cards anyway.
I really like Sydney but much prefer Melbourne for the kids. Sydney has a few too many funnelwebs for my liking .....
Seriously though Melbourne feels very family inspired.

bluekipper

This to me? we lived in Adelaide,may may go back there? dont know yet,I do know I dont want to be in the UK, we came back got jobs bought a house,but still miss OZ.

Bluekipper

jacqui cameron

Hey Michwif .. so like I was saying .. Yes I go back to UK every year for about 6 weeks. So get a real feel for the place. Its all changed since had my 3 year old and now one on the way ..I'm freaking out !!! I just wanna be close to Mum n Dad and my sister has 3 kids .. be so nice to have that around the corner or at least no more than an hour away.

Question :-

Is there anyone thats lived in OZ for a good few years then went to UK and really enjoyed it and has no regrets ?

Michwif

Big congrats on the new baby!!
I think you are right to be close to family when you have little ones. My in-laws have been out twice since we got here and my mum was hear over Xmas. I was a wreck when they left.
I really think it is a personal choice...I must admit I'm a tad jealous

spsspence

I guess I was being fairly one-eyed when I said you’re in for a shock as obviously I’m waiting for my visa and hopefully on my way out.

However, I reckon I’m pretty well placed to comment (for me anyway, as I've lived fairly long term in seven different countries), as I live in the Middle East as a kiddie. After leaving school I was in the Royal Navy for eight years (lot of time away from home), then after a short stint in Surrey I’ve been working overseas, right up until a couple of years ago. For me going back to the UK was always fun and something to look forward to, you know, catching up with family and friends etc, holiday almost, then I moved back and (for me) living here was a whole new ball game. I wouldn’t say I hate it as I love my home and love my family but I’m not where I want to be and there are just too many things I’m not at all happy with and too many thing I can only see getting worse. I want to settle somewhere for good, not here. I reckon Oz is worth a bloody good go, and if it doesn’t work then nothing ventured nothing gained.

Spencer

jacqui cameron

Yeh you see I've never lived as an adult independantly in the UK.
I was always at home before I came to OZ and so was my husband so we have never had our own home in the UK. We always lived dependant on our parents home. So thats why I'm looking forward to my own home/garden etc
Even though both our roots are strong we both left mid 20's and now in our mid 30's.

I do also think if you travelled around alot when you grew up like you said you did then settling anywhere you put your hat would be easy enough but for me where everyone stayed and noone moved out of the town its harder as I'm the one that moved away.

I have noticed people uprooted find it so much easier to readjust.

To be honest , I am having differculties convincing my husband to move back and I've given him a few years here... Why cant life be easy arrrrrr

Syedney

It's the other round for me... Maybe we should swap

Well, I thought I was getting better at this migration lark until this evening...I managed to catch my daughter typing on the laptop the words " Miss Chloe and Courtney !"

They were her best mates in England...

I am very sad now...In our wisdom to provide the best life for our daughter, have we made a heart wrenching one instead for her?

God knows...