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Well hello to you all at PIO, I have missed you and the group but I have deliberately not posted until now as I wanted to give myself sometime to get over the initial shock of moving my worlds…literally, I have been so very very busy with new job / divorce 🥲 / saying goodbye 🥲 / saying hello / trying to settle / British life again and just feeling like I am back home and belong it has been the hardest thing I have ever done, I knew it would be but until I sat down in the single room in the shared house and the door shut it didn’t really hit home, I sat there in silence, no more voices of my children, no more cooking meals, dancing to music with my daughter, being a silly dad……Australia for me was with the people I love with all my heart, but not in the place that I love…….and that is eventually toxic to your soul I cannot pretend that it has not been a bumpy ride, I have had moments when the aching to see the children have been so bad that I started packing a bag and looking at flights…after all I could just do it, I could just get a cab, get a flight and go back…..but even though that’s what my heart wants my head is telling me to stay, I should explain that when I came to Australia I was very homesick from day one, but I decided to not just cut and run, I needed to keep going to ‘ see it through’ to ‘ stick it out’ …ten and a half years later I finally left so how has it been, other than the difficult bits, missing my children, new job, new people etc Amazing….I can only describe that the feeling of being back where I belong has been like a weight lifted of my shoulders…like I have been released from a prison, like I had never left…really…I knew that somethings will have changed, the people I knew would have a few more wrinkles, houses and roads would now be in places that they where not in before, but on the whole ten years have not really changed that much, since being back I spend all my time when I am not working exploring…not only does it help to keep my mind occupied, it helps with mental health to have an interest outside of work, something totally separate the food….the food …..honestly the choice and the food….. the places every town, every village, every city is individual and different…. the pubs ….say no more…there are hundreds of them each one different the beaches…the mountains…the long country drives …the late nights …..the late sunsets I have met some really lovely people, I forgot how friendly people are, and how they are willing to help you or check in on you, I have just got back from camping around the lochs of Scotland, every spare moment I get I go camping and exploring….I can’t pretend it’s all roses I have to admit it would be nice to share my time with someone…it can be lonely at times A couple of things I have found really difficult, I have gone from being with someone and serving a purpose as a dad, to being not needed as such, it’s a weird unsettling feeling, I have had to try and get used to no one being there when I get in from a journey or work, it doesn’t matter what time I get in no one is waiting for me, I do find this hard a song came on you tube whilst I was listening to Coldplay yesterday it’s called ‘daddy’……it really got me….I cried and that doesn’t happen often on a plus note the work here is so very, varied and I feel like I have already made a difference in my patients lives, when I am at work I am totally committed to my job and the patient before me, I switch off my personal life and switch on my paramedic head, to say I have had some eye opening jobs is an understatement, My next move is to get a mortgage, I have to wait until I have three months wage advices so I can approach a lender….I am working around Manchester which is not where I want to be, but I got ‘put here’ so will have to stay for now….however I will be looking to get a place back in North Wales as soon as possible, as that is my home i have a post stick note on my cupboard in my room …I look at it most days ….i wrote it when I arrived, ‘ one step, one day at a time’ I realise there is a long road to go, but I am getting there…..slowly, ………is it all great nope, nothing ever is, is it home absolutely

Ten long years ago I made a promise to myself and my country that I would have an adventure down under, but that I would return home one day ......that time is now upon me and I am now leaving this great southern land to return home to work as a paramedic for north west ambulance service around Manchester It has been an amazing ten years I have worked with and met so many amazing people, I have seen and done things I could never have dreamt of, it was so very hard to say good bye. Just waiting for my plane at Perth airport Wish me luck on my next adventure I'm coming home xxx

Thought I’d share my happy news - I got engaged in Edinburgh last weekend 🥰

I got the job that I went for the other week - the best thing is that I don't actually leave the place/team that i'm working with.

Hello all those I remember and new ones . nice to see this thread still going had some laughs over the years . Pomqueen hope you and yours are well . Congratulations those who got to oz , good luck those waiting . This is a good site for migrants , those who are here and even those wanting return . Lots of support and advice . Take good care tink Xx

Yes of course you are right, we did have a choice. but I really think that perhaps you need to know the circumstances before you jump on another posters post. The choice was of being unemployed and going on the dole, with very little opportunity at that time of employment in my husband’s industry for the foreseeable future in the UK with a family to support, as against at that time the only opportunity of offered employment. I realise sometimes what we write with the best best intentions for some reason annoys another poster, but I’m not sure that is a good enough reason for the tone of the reply. We weren’t forced, as you say, but it was a very hard decision to make, and as a wife and mother, I am trying not to get upset with the memory of how hard it was trying to be there for both.

Just a mini update from me. As per my signature, things are moving forwards at a rate of knots! I’ve got a job offer ready for when we land, the dog and cat have their import permits, I have my Aussie nursing registration (just need to show my ID in Oz to finalise everything) and have submitted for state nomination. Just waiting for that invite/grant. Geelong is going to be our new home! Desperately hoping before Xmas but we will see what happens.

Years ago I worked with an Australian who was settled in Brussels. She’s home in Australia visiting her family, and yesterday we got together. Such a lovely afternoon.

I passed my HNC and got into university to do occupational therapy 🥳

Iknowcb... Been a while. I've started the emigration process officially now. I passed my PTE academic with 20 points back in march. Submitted skills assessment in May, received a positive skills assessment last week and also submitted an EOI with NSW last week for 190 PR. I'll probably be waiting a few months at least for an invite as only have 75 points, so will sit and wait and keep saving for now. Waiting to see what the other states do come July and see if there's other states I may be able to apply to. We're using an agent as don't want to mess things up haha.

Iknowcb.... We got the invite to apply for our visa!! Getting our documents ready with our agent and hopefully submitting visa application next week. RIP bank account

Please leave me out of the pathetic point scoring list out of 10 that you have posted, I don’t care about your opinion, you have lost my respect.

Load of cobblers, I am 81 and my mind is still filled with planning adventures to the deserts of WA and the NT, digging for amethysts and garnets and fishing for barramundi and buying shares and sex and selling up to move to the Kimberlies. Alas, the wheelchair has got rusty…BUGGA! Cheers, Bobj.

Today is 85 kilo day. I've lost two stone since September, over three from my all time high.

Today, flying back after Sydney weekend,

Hi Guys, I just wanted to provide everyone with an update. All your advice has been really helpful and I wanted to say thanks to you all. We are now looking at spending May to October 2023 in the UK. We will rent our house out and treat it as an extended maternity leave for my wife and a sabbatical for me. We've cleared it with our employers that we will have our jobs when we get back. I'm hoping the rent will cover our mortgage but I am keeping a constant eye on interest rates (that whole situation has me worried). My mum has agreed to host us, she lives alone and has 3 small spare bedrooms so we will just about squeeze in. (will be my wife and 2 small children) Im hoping to buy a (very cheap) camper van for the UK as I don't think I could spend 6 months in my mum's front room. This way we can be around for most weekends but during the week when people are at work we can go on adventures around the British isles. We are very excited. We won't have a massive budget but this really will be a trip of a lifetime so quality time with family, camping adventures around the UK and perhaps a couple of trips to the continent. Maybe even a music festival. Let's all hope everything fits together and we can pull it off. Thanks again for all your help.

We are thank you... I am about to become a Grandma in the next few weeks, do pretty excited about that.

I am so sorry that you feel this way. Just a couple of thoughts about your situation. As the above poster said, do you think that if you hadnt been brave and made the move then you would have similar remorse and regret about not taking a chance? I know several people who thought about going to Aus but never did and live with deep regret. As for the regret about cousins etc, without sounding harsh, as children get older the relationships with cousins and aunties etc often drift anyway and they end up being like extended family/aquaintainces in a lot of cases. Grandparents are obviously different, but what about the strong relationships your kids have made in Aus that they wouldnt have had otherwise. As for the feeling that everyone is doing great in the UK-well hopefully they are, but clearly your MIL is only going to give you the positives and whilst on paper going to uni and travel is a great success, are they all completely happy with no problems? are there issues you arent hearing about as usually people dont discuss the bad stuff in families. As a healthcare professional I know that there is a mental health epidemic amongst young ppl in the UK at the moment. And at the same time do you not think that people look at your life with envy and think how lucky you all are without realizing the sadness you feel. As for the air bnbs - of course they are going to post pictures of the pretty bits - same as Aus bnbs would post pics of the beach or the bush, but I can promise you that a lot of the UK is run down, litter strewn and decaying. I think you are looking at it through rose tinted glasses perhaps? At the end of the day, only you know how you feel and maybe it really was the wrong choice to move to Aus but alternatively, do you think the issue could be internal dissatisfaction maybe.. are there courses or career moves youd love to take, trips youd love to do or maybe even some therapy to give some personal sense of wellbeing and satisfaction?

Flying up to Sydney later today. We'll be staying there for a few days. Elder son arriving from London. Very excited!

Just been watching Prince Harry being interviewed by an American network whilst he was in the Netherlands. He says he has to be careful he doesn't suffer from burnout. Good grief. He really has turned into a bit of a drip.

G'day, young lady, I lived in the Pilbara for a few years when it was a 'fledgling' region. Indeed, when I first went there, Karratha was only a sheep/cattle station. It is now the admin centre of the region and has exhorbitant costs for accommodation. PortHedland was a sleepy, 2 pub town but now is a huge iron ore port. Much as I loved the region, I would be very hesitant to recommend it to a young family straight out of the UK. It can be done, though, if one has that certain attitude to heat, dust, flies and the redness of it all. If you are determined to do it, I recommend Dampier to all the other towns that have sprung up 'overnight'. It has a sea breeze and views that make it liveable. And yes, I have lived in most towns except for Newman and Goldsworthy, building railroads and roads. I wish you well. Cheers, Bobj.

Iknowcb... Starting to get the visa ball rolling! I took the PTE test last week, got all 90s which im super happy with so thats 20 visa points :) Going to get in touch with an agent in a couple of months to get my skills assessment done. So slowly but surely.

We have this family of 11 ducklings on the lake, it’s so lovely, as everyone is stopping to watch them and have a chat.

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