Antipodista

What on earth is going on with this thread? People being rude and using “dearie” and “diddle dums” and this nonsense? Accusing others of being argumentative…whilst simultaneously being passive aggressive and argumentative?! This seems to - yet again - come back to the usual inability to respect and understand that one person may prefer one country/area/state/thing to another. To be unable to offer an opinion without dragging another person’s. It mirrors social media - and media in general - these days, and it’s bonkers. To the OP - I hope the thread gets back on track soon as this all probably hasn’t helped how you are feeling Sending you best wishes xxx

Very frustrating when it is used as a stick to beat you with in terms of “but look how rosy everything is there though?! It’s paradise!” Gah!! I’m going off thread but want to offer support to the OP, I’ve been through it wondering how on earth I’d ever unravel the mess and wishing I’d never set foot on non-UK soil! I hope you find a way through xx

This!!! , you literally have to Google for proper news about Aus. All the mainstream media is either “it’s all fine and wonderful” or “what about Scotty from marketing though?”

@Amber Snowball @s713 sounds like there are 3 of us in this little section for Cheshire West and Chester?! Totally agree with your comments btw It all gets a bit troll-y sometimes. I went to Delamere with the kids yesterday for the light show - fantastic! X

Hi Marisa - well said as always. @proud preston it sounds like you are in a really low place - wishing all the best to you. I’ve been there. Sometimes you just have to shrug your shoulders and say “this is just what I prefer and makes me happy” - no further justification needed.

The youth culture here isn’t so bad. Of course there are issues in deprived areas but that’s true for Aus, too.

You (and others) need to stop telling people how to feel and what they should and shouldn’t do, in my view. I know people who adored Australia, would never leave, but still called their country of origin “home”. Let’s offer advice and not “you need to”. Comes across as unhelpful to posters and contributors who are clearly in a bit of turmoil.

You make good points Quoll! First thing I did when I renovated my new place was get a good, stand-alone shower! Managed to squeeze it into the bathroom despite the builders protesting, best thing I ever did! I keep telling them “i just want a proper shower like in Australia!” And agree re parking bays, though my parking skills are a lot better here as a result

Such good replies on here. I would have said coffee but I actually find that there are loads of great independent coffee shops opening round Cheshire and where I live now so I miss that less. They even do fab avo on toast brekkies I miss the smell too. The sound of the kookaburras in the morning (even though I generally love the birdsong here, I used to be fascinated with the kookaburra sound. I actually thought it was monkeys when I first moved to Aus and woke up to it at 5am ) The beach views and the new-ness of everything. I adore the UK, but it’s nice to miss Aus too

Possibly, but no one is disagreeing with anyone else’s life decisions that I can see. Putting you own POV forward - I prefer here to there, or this about here and that about there - seems totally unpalatable to some people. It’s this “you must like what I like mentality”. It’s almost woke in it’s approach. I find it baffling.

Me too, Toots!

I said “it’s ridiculous” not “you’re ridiculous”. I think my post was pretty clear, I’m not sure any further explanation is needed.

Can’t you just let people prefer the UK? Or even elements of it? Or miss it, a bit? It’s ridiculous.

Exactly, and it drives me crackers and means I come on here less. Anytime there’s any “perhaps that’s better in this country” or “what do you think of this” mentioned on a purely subjective level it’s “bashing” or “just go back there”. Being a migrant is an incredibly complex thing and comparisons and missing certain things - even if not said with any ill-intent - are natural and it’s comforting to want to discuss them sometimes. FGS. ps: hope you are well Marisa xx

Hi, sorry to hear of your homesickness and dilemma. As someone who lived in Australia for 10 years and is now home in the UK I totally empathize and sympathize. It is tough in the UK at the minute but like Amber has identified, most of us are just getting on with life. There is a real community spirit about it in a lot of areas and everyone feels in it together. I’m pleased for Australia of course that theyve been so much better off re the pandemic but like it or not, it IS a large part due to geography. The UK is a tiny island which is part of (soon no longer) a huge bloc. We couldn’t have just shut the borders. And it grates a little when you hear that Australia overcame the virus because people were more willing to follow the rules - I think they had just as many rule-breakers there by the sounds and the UK people in the main have tried so hard and put up with so much. But I digress! Again, tricky to hear about how you can’t get a GP appointment- I needed some bloodwork last week. Called GP, telephone appointment next day, bloods done 2 days after that, results by phone with GP 3 days after that (with weekend in the middle!), follow up scan (non-urgent) booked 2 weeks later. Not bad, but I must be in a very good area. I’m sure it’s not unique though. Also don’t forget that the cost of private health here is actually comparable to Aus now - I actually pay less than I did there. I actually am at the point now where I do miss Australia. BUT even in the midst of all this, I feel better off here. I do think of my kids and whether Australia might be better for them right now. But I just remember that crushing unshakable loneliness. That doesn’t go. All countries have pros and cons. You need to be where your heart needs to be, that’s the long and the short of it. I just like to redress the balance with the whole “the UK is an absolute pit” arguments.