lisaroo

i agree with you, we actually told oh family tonight of our intentions of our return to oz, and they seemed ok!!!! which proves a point that i think they know they havnt been as close to us and the kids since we came home, but saying that in the end we didnt actually return for f&f . but his dad knew how much we loved it and actually said that he didnt blame us, because he even said that he couldnt think of anywhere better than oz for us to bring up our boys!! cant wait to get back feel like im in prison, but im not im, in my lovely home in wales, for now!!!!!

dunroving

I just found this thread through another thread on MBTTUK (I never come over to "this side" as I was a UK/US expat, not UK/Oz). I didn't realize there were so many ping-pongers (including multiple ping-pongers)!

I've been back and forth twice (1983 -- 2000 -- 2001 -- 2006) and this last time back in the UK (been here about 21 months) I have struggled for about 90% of the time. Being a ping-ponger can have serious effects on your outlook on life and there are times you really wonder if you are mad (you ask yourself "How the frick could you NOT have seen this coming?") I'm planning to go back to the US in fall 2009 (I'm in academia so most jobs start in Aug/Sept), but this entails not only job-hunting but the whole immigration thing (I never did get to the Green Card/citizenship stage, doh). For all those who are struggling with the financial, personal, professional challenges of moving "yet again", good luck to you and remmeber there's a stack of us in the same boat. We'll get there in the end, one way or another.

LIBBY

Its good to know that we are not the only ones out there...

Good luck dunroving with your return

LibbyX

Nu-Shooz

How do you know they are 'pretending' to be happy?

moneypenny20

Presumably they are referring to someone in particular they know, rather than a general observation.

LIBBY

I should imagine its like pen says, just a generalisation.

I do agree though, as far as my family here are, they have no clue how unhappy we are here and we are just pretending to be happy for there sake.

I dont see the point in telling anyone yet of our plans as it will upset them.

So yes I should imagine there are others out there "pretending"

LibbyX

bluekipper

Because Im talking about my own life atm and a family here where I live who have come bak and are deciding to return BUT put on a happy face whilst bk in the UK but underneath were not happy,,,, thats how I know, I have a feeling there will be many more, BUT I dont know for sure!

bluekipper

lisaroo

its quite funny actually in our case, as when anyones asked me including family members, ARE YOU HAPPY TO BE HOME? i say no and make a face and they always tend to laugh, but they dont realise that im serious!!!!!!! so it shoudnt be too much of a shock then when we do go again!!!! anyway i think our lot know anyway, but dont want to admit it, i cried twice within 3 hour of arriving from heathrow, never mind hubby takes over family bussiness tomorrow so gonna work our arses off for next 3 years and bring some decent money (hopefully) back to oz with us, and then start living properly, think im gonna start my own hair salon amongst all the other millions of them on the goldie!!!!! so girls and boys keep me in mind for about 2/3 years

bluekipper

Lisaroo, il come work with you,lol

what part of OZ will you be heading back to?

bluekipper

lisaroo

currumbin south gc, dont know where to open yet though, somewhere residential i should think, how long have you been a hairdresser?, did you work at all when you were in oz? will deffo be looking for good staff!!!! and clients!!!!!

bluekipper

Nope im not a hairdresser,lol and when we go bk it`l be to Perth! my daughter has just been saying she`d like to do hairdressing tho, but she changes her mind like the weather!

good luck

bluekipper

lisaroo

she should go for it, they had a pole about two years ago and hairdressing was one of the jobs where people were at their happiest in the workplace, and i have to be honest ive never been out of work here or in oz, even when i had my 3 children i still worked from home /mobile, thats what im doing for the next 3 yrs until we go back as my kids are very little, and to be honest we are no better off over here than in oz with babysitters, which means i cant go to work for someone now! but you can always make some cash!!!!!

lisaroo

have you planned when you are going back yet? did you live in perth last time you were there?

bluekipper

Would ideally love to move bk later in the year BUT we dont know yet with eldest doing exams etc,, we lived in Adelaide-going to try Perth nxt! Adelaide way too quiet for us! we have plenty of time tho to decide when to go bk, maybe i should retrain as a hairdresser myself,lol

bluekipper

melaniee

Ping-ponging was the best thing we ever did. Australia is very much home now, although I do wonder if 'one' ever feels 100% settled again. Good luck to all the ping-pongers - and think of yourself and your direct family when making a decision : no-one else should matter !