ramot

I was definitely an expat when working overseas on a contract, now an immigrant since we moved to Australia to live permanently and became citizens.

My brother has never visited me anywhere I’ve lived, from moving around England when husband was in the RAF, to Brunei or Australia, even though we have been to Cypress twice, where he retired to, to support him when his wife was ill. He didn’t even bother to catch up with us on the one occasion when we were both in England at the same time. I got the message. Since my SiL died, he has reached out and occasionally contacts me now, but hasn’t taken up our invitation to visit us. I find it odd and a bit hurtful.

I’ve not lived in UK for 30 years, but did visit annually for about 3 months before COVID as our only grandchildren are there. We are made very welcome by our friends to visit them, but I think there is a different mindset in England. We usually rent somewhere big enough for people to stay with us, but most prefer to stay home, I think genuinely want us to visit, but perhaps don’t realise how much driving around we then to catching up with everyone? There is the long standing expat joke about visiting UK, when you try to arrange a visit, they are looking forward to seeing you, BUT! Mondays out because I do the washing , can’t make Tuesday because I get my hair done, Wednesday I’m at bingo, Friday I do the shopping, etc etc, and it’s true to a certain extent, as many are set in their ways, happy to see you, as long as it fits into their life. Having written the above, we love catching up with everyone, we always stay with friends in our old village, we have a wonderful time there, a great pub lunch is always arranged so we can see lots of our old friends, and we accept that we do the travelling, as rekindling old friendships is worth every mile travelled.

During my years as an expat, our youngest went to school in England, while the older 2 were in university. Honestly it’s the last thing I would recommend to leave a child in England for schooling away from family unless there is no option. in our case there was no schooling available after age 14. The amount of times I had to cope with problems long distance were very difficult, and emotional, and I was in the lucky situation that I could fly back very cheaply, and had a house there. We missed so much precious time with our daughter during those year’s spending most of the year apart, our sons were much older and established at university, so wasn’t as hard for them. If staying at a local school, who will they live with full time and take responsibility for them? should have a guardian under a certain age. If at boarding school who will they stay with at half terms and be responsible for making the arrangements for their long haul flights. Factor in the cost of the emotional side to lack of family and support at a vulnerable age. the cost of fares at peak holiday times, and how confident is the child travelling long distance on their own. What’s more important? UK exams, or moving to Australia and being with your family, and entering the schooling system here.

Wait for furniture is more likely to be 3 month's, as quoted for our recent purchases from both Harvey Norman and Nik Scalli.

A friend of mine’s granddaughter has done that. She is Australian, but lives in England with her parents. She is in her 2nd year at JCU, and loves it. Although her grandmother lives on the Sunshine Coast she is completely independent, just stays with her for a couple of days at the beginning of the year and then again before flying home for Christmas. Hope that helps.

I wish you nothing but happiness in your future life xM

I’m getting a bit fed up with you having nothing good to say about where I live. It’s a lovely place with plenty of interesting people, who don’t have tattoos or mullets, of course some people do dress as you describe, but not everyone has a lot of money here, and it is a hot climate so buying food is a priority. No one I know dresses anything like your dress code description. Of course your experience with a bottle thrown from a car was totally disgraceful, an awful experience, hooning does go on here unfortunately,, but seems to take place in certain areas, but I have never ever experienced anything like you unfortunately experienced, since living here.

Can’t earn the same money sadly, there is a scarcity of well paid work, and the daily drive to Brisbane is not viable long term, due to the amount of traffic on the BruceHighway in comparison to 21 years ago.

I’m sad that you have had a rather negative impression to the Sunshine Coast, compared to my 21 years living here. I agree there is very little ‘night life’ here, that’s mainly because so many people are up and about early living a healthy lifestyle , swimming, surfing, walking, before they go to work or school. There are well attended clubs and activities for every age and cover almost everything anyone might be interested in. We go to the Caloundra Events Centre fairly regularly to watch a good variety of shows, eg, QLD Ballet recently, Sunshine Coast Symphony Orchestra is playing on Saturday, all are well attended. I have made a great group of friends, from warm and welcoming life long generations of Australians, to the more recent immigrants, like us from a mix of countries who have made the coast home, making it such an interesting place to live. Our son who now lives in North Brisbane would move back here instantly if he could move his job here, he has many friends here with young families, who have a great life on the coast, and they aren’t covered in tattoos. It is not my intent to cause any upset by the above, I just felt I needed to say that it is a nicer area than might have come across to you, and I wish you all the best for your new life in Australia. Moving here after living in 4 other countries, was the best decision we made for us, and our two children who followed us here say the same xM

Good luck with your move xM

Same, no frills, minimal ceremony and collect your certificate on the way out, we didn’t even have photos, still waiting for my tree

Not looking for problems, just pointing out some of the realities, as possibly one of the very few posters who has actually experienced living between 2 countries for over 30 years, Makes sense to me, to listen, and then weigh up the advice that has been given to help you in your decision.

That is the only reason we have gone back almost every year, for the past 21 years, because we have a son and grandsons there. We wouldn’t bother otherwise, too busy enjoying retirement here. We tried playing at a couple of bridge clubs when there, as visitors are very welcome here. weren’t made to feel welcome, no one spoke to us, no welcome mention before play, even told on one occasion that our bidding, Standard American, wasn’t compatible with their play. We didn’t go back, to either. just seemed a different attitude to ‘outsiders’. Sorry seem to failed to attach to Marisa’s post

Originally we had seriously considered living 6 months in each country when my husband retired, 21 years ago, but as some posters know, I had spent 10 years living partially in Brunei with husband due to his job, and in UK supporting our 3 children aged 13-21 who stayed there for their education. When the time came to retire I realised I needed to call somewhere ‘Home’, I had spent 10 years constantly readjusting to life in each place as I travelled between the 2 places fairly frequently. We also analysed the reality of the cost involved in having a place in each country, this wasn’t a problem when working as expatriates we had accommodation provided, and kept a UK home to go back to. We certainly didn’t want the cost and insurance problems of keeping a house empty for 6 months in 2 different countries, furnishing 2 properties, or the hassle of renting out for only 6 months at a time, constantly giving notice and re renting. We kept a property in London that is permanently rented out, we were only on a long term temporary visa here then, and bought a house that we love here, and until COVID went to UK for just under 3 months a year, as we have a son and grandsons there. It’s not a cheap option, if you include either buying 2 properties, or renting somewhere to live, renting a car?, air fares, possible trips to the continent? We made the right decision for us, we went back for only 6 weeks last visit, and I don’t think we want to make the journey back again unless there is a very pressing reason, as Australia is home, and now at our age, really don’t enjoy the journey.