gilliantay

A visit back to the UK for the arrival of grandchild number one cemented my decision to return to the UK - Made the visit in November and was back living in the UK by the following June - Been back 3 years this June and am now on grandchild number 3 !!!

Curious to hear from some Brits about the reasons why they moved back?

 

As an aussie I can name loads of reasons to leave but would like to hear your thoughts..

My grandchildren started arriving and that was all the reason I needed to fly the coop back to Scotland.

I pushed for the move to Oz and my OH dragged his heels - when I decided that I wanted to return to Scotland my OH had slotted into the Ozzie way of life and did not want to return.

Suffice to say that he did return with me and we have been back for 2 years now - I think the only way I would return to Oz is if I won the lottery (not much chance of that when I rarely play the game).

I could not envisage leading my life without seeing my grandkids on a regular basis - such is life

The only thing that makes you go OMG is the amount of Brits prepared to pay the money the do for the Brit stuff in the Brit isle . Seriously you don't have to have Bisto!

I even went to the British shop in Melbourne to get Bisto - hated handing over the money for it but I just could not get used to the Oz version.....lol

More money than sense !

Hi all,

we lived in Perth for 18 months for my husbands job which he loved and had a really good prospects. We moved back to the Uk last November due to classic missing friends and family as we didn't really make hardly any friends in Perth. I had a 2nd child out in Perth who was then ill. My husbands two Nans passed away whilst in Perth and well we were so lonely and homesick. My other daughter who is now four is so close to her grandparents she cried every time she saw them on Skype and was so lonely and homesick without cousins or friends we felt it best to move back to the Uk. I never ever thought I would say this but not sure if we have made the right decision.

 

i feel terrible with emotions how people have really been put through it, but I know my husband and I are just not settled. People have their own lives and nothing at all changes when you move back.

 

the place is really messy and not beautiful. the weather is dyer!! Aleays raining you can never ever plan anything and its quite depressing everyday, My daughter on the other hand is so happy being back with family. But my husband got back into BT his old company but hates it.

 

i am training to be a florist here which makes me think could I do it back there.

 

we just don't know what to do for the best. It will break our families hearts if we put them through it again. But I just feel there is better things there for our family and prospects even though we were lonely. My husband and I are stressed here as we are always busy seeing people which is ironic as its the total opposite to Perth but we were so close there together as a family.

 

I am so confused just don't know what to do for the best.

 

all I would say if people we thinking of moving back things don't change only you have as you have experienced something different which will always make you wonder.

 

should you be happy in life or content who knows...??

 

thanks for reading, x

Poor you, it is not very nice to be stuck between a rock and a hard place..........................

I have been back for 2 years now and YES, surprisingly, I have had days when I have thought "why in the hell did I come back"...........................

I think that we are very spoiled in the fact that we have the opportunity to live, work and breathe another country - some people would give their back teeth to have this opportunity - which begs the question..........what in the hell is wrong with us returnees ?

Just as well we are all different - what a boring old place the world would be.................................

My 1st grandchild arrived (in Scotland) while we were in Australia - we came back to see her and that was my downfall (but was it really?) - I just couldn't shake the feeling that if I stayed in Australia I would miss so much and with the 1st one arriving I knew that , pretty soon, others would start to arrive (the 3rd one should arrive today at some point).

We arrived back to find that nothing had really changed - everyone was going about their life just the same as they had when we had left - the only people who had changed were us (like you have stated)..................................but at the end of the day, they are family and friends that you have spent your whole life with - you feel comfort and familiarity being around them.......I do anyway lol.

I felt rather lonely in Australia - reflecting on this, someone should have just given me a good old kick up the a*se.....................BUT.............................having the good job, the house, the money was just not enough for me in the end.................so back we came - all my doing of course - I dragged us there then I dragged us back.

I love being back as much as I hate being back - would I return to Australia.....................................YES, in a heartbeat......................................BUT, I am honest with myself now and know in my heart of hearts that I would want to return back to Scotland again so I will not put myself through all that emotional turmoil again........I think I am staying put........unless I win the Lottery !!!

Only you really know what is best for you and your family - it is great having everyone coming on and giving their tuppence worth (me included) but only you can make this decision - it is not an easy decision but you really have to be quite focused and stick to your guns - can you afford to move back down under at the moment? - are these feelings of homesickness going to rear their ugly head again if you do return?

It truly is the curse of the expat.............................................some of us take to it like a duck to water for others it unravels their life at a speed of knots.

Wishing you all the best

Well for those that remember me I had a roller coaster journey to get to Australia and when I did it all went wrong so decided that I wanted to come home to Edinburgh. I have now been home in Edinburgh 9 months. For the first 6 months I was really happy and I was back working where I used to work, nice wee house, friends and I felt good. I still love Edinburgh but I am struggling to survive.

It has become VERY expensive to live here and unfortunately the wages do not reflect that. It is with this in mind and the fact that my parents who were planning on coming back to Scotland have decided not to return that I now find myself thinking about going back to Australia. I NEVER in a million years thought I would be thinking like this but looking at the work that is available in Perth and the salaries compared to here in Edinburgh I know that I would have a much better lifestyle back in Perth. I have written a pro's & cons list about a dozen times and every time Perth has the most pro's but the one that Edinburgh has every time and this is what is keeping me from making the move is that its home! I don't know why but the thought of not living in Edinburgh scares me so much and I get that horrible sick sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach each time I think about leaving! I know that I have to start taking the emotion out of it though and start being practical as I am not getting any younger, I am still single and not got a pot to pee in so I need to start thinking about my future and where I can provide the best one for myself....this at the moment is Australia! :arghh:

I know that I am the only person that can make this decision but I thought it would be good just to get how I was feeling out and I know that there are those of you that will empathize with how I am felling where as my friends here don't understand!

 

Oh what to do!

Emma

x

Oh Emma - what a tangled web we weave -

It does not really come as any surprise (to me at least) that you feel this way.

I should think that most returnees will undergo this 'WHAT HAVE I DONE' feeling at some point when they land back on the shores that they departed. I did and still do some days but there comes a moment when you have to 'screw the head' and make the decision which country you are going to put solid roots down in, unless of course you can afford to fly back and forth.

Is it down to the fact that your parents have decided that they will not be returning to Scotland ?

Have you realised that you are not actually missing anyone/anything and life in Edinburgh/Scotland is just trundling along as it always has done.

What will you do if you return to Oz and the feelings resurface of the want/need to get back to Edinburgh.

I have been back for just under 2 years now - Family, Friends, Familiarity - my reasons for returning....................................

Family are a drain........well the grandkids (they are popping out in quick succession) but how could I not be here to watch them grow up.

Friends ......... I may not see them often but I know that they are just 5 mins away

Familiarity.........I know everything/everyone.....it is a comfortable feeling.................................

Edinburgh is not a cheap option - hell, I stay in Perth and we call this city a suburb of Edinburgh............................

You need to give it a little longer - do not make hasty decisions that you may regret further down the line.

It's not a nice place to be at the moment..................................

Wishing you all the best

Been back in the UK (Edinburgh) 5 months and finding it a bit of a struggle to settle. Returning during the winter months has been challenging, after 5 years living on the Gold Coast. Wondering if the temperature will ever increase as we're on track for the coldest March in 50 yrs or so!! Always seems easy remembering the great aspects of life in Oz when you've left them behind and easy to forget the things that drove you nuts about the place. Would be good to hear from other returnees and how you settled. Did you struggle at first and then did it get better or was it great being back at first then wished you were back in Oz further down the track???

Hi there,

I am a wee bit up the road from you in Perth and we have been back for nearly 2 years now - it is so easy to remember the (good) things about Oz when the weather is horrendous or you feel your life is crap !

In saying that, I thought the extreme heat in Oz was horrendous and like the saying goes, you can easily wrap up warmer than strip to stay cool.

We make life so much harder for ourselves by constantly comparing, I think once you have made the move to Oz then made the return journey back to the northern hemisphere you remain in a constant state of unsettledness (is that a word?) -

I have no regrets about moving back - yes, I miss my family in Oz and the friends I made in Oz and there are days when I think it would be nice to see them again but I know that I would pine to come back here again.

My OH, 2 years down the line is still wanting to go back to Oz and it has changed our relationship in many ways.

Who knows what is round the corner ?

You have to be careful that you do not make rash decisions - this applies to the Oz/Uk move as much as the UK/Oz move.

Can you afford to move back to Oz ? How long will you be back in Oz before you realise that you have made a judgement error or do you think that you can overcome the reasons which made you return to the UK and settle into life in Australia again ?

Only you can make such decisions and it is a hard one.

Wishing you all the best.

Life is the same as it was before we made the journey to Oz..........................

Still of the belief that I made the correct decision to return - the OH, of course, would disagree there !

Hope all is well with you and yours :hug:

You toying with the idea of moving back across the pond Dom !

I left 3 grown sons and 6 grandchildren and brought two much younger sons with me to Oz.

I think it is me who has a major problem in the respect that I "FEEL" that I should be here with them............................I think I should sit down with them and actually ask them how they felt when I WAS away and how they would feel if the day came when I DECIDED to maybe go back again !!

In an ideal world, I think this is the scenario I would be most happy with, but with working in the NHS, I fear I will not see out my retirement.....lol

Thought I was finished with PIO as I felt no real need to log on any more - truth be told, I frequently visit the site without logging on and sit at the computer going through a whole heap of emotions (laughter mostly) as I read some of the threads.

My sister has just spent a few weeks visiting us back in the Old Country and it has stirred up lots of emotions - I was quite sad to see her leave to go back to Oz.

It got me thinking as to why the move to Oz has been so successful for her and others like her whereas, although I do not feel that I failed, why was I so adamant about returning to Scotland ?...........

Of course, she moved as a 'whole' family unit - accompanied by her husband and 2 sons. I had to leave 3 children behind (no longer dependent) and I feel that when all is said and done, this was most likely the real reason for me returning as when grandchildren are thrown into the mix, it became so difficult (for me) to be living so far away.

My grand daughter who was born when I was in Australia is now 2, my second grand child is due in 7 weeks and I have just found out that a third grandchild is due next year.......................

Are there any of you who have moved over to Oz (and are still there after 2 years) who have left their kids and grand kids in the UK ?

How do you cope and do you feel selfish ?

My OH is continually asking to go back, but I feel it would be for all the wrong reasons ........... I would give myself 6 months and I would be busting a gut to get back to Scotland again..........................

Oh what a tangled web we weave.................................

PS, I am perfectly happy back here but I now know how my OH felt when I was the one in Oz who was pushing for a move back to Scotland.

Have not really explained my self properly but answers on a postcard please........................................................................................................................................

Sometimes find it hard to believe that 1 year has passed since I landed back on these shores.

Some days I think back to how this journey all started.................................

I was one who got carried away on the dream that was 'Australia'...................streets paved with gold and golden tickets..................UK crap and everything was going to be so much better when I landed at the other side of the world.........who needs family and a change is as good as a rest................................I cringe when I read my posts from way back.

I have said before that I had a profession that was in demand so why not up sticks and try this new life!

Australia was not new to me having been there a few times before the big move BUT living there is so much different to holidaying there.

I was lucky in that I already had family based in Oz, so we literally stepped of the plane into the family fold.....................this certainly made things much easier.

I was the major driver in this move to Australia, my OH and our son were dragged along on my crest of the wave - the funny thing is that my OH would dearly love to return to Australia (not that he hates the UK but I think he found his niche in Oz)........at the end up, he wanted to stay in Oz whereas I was hell bent on returning to Scotland come hell or high water.............................he did return with me and our son but will things really be the same?

No-one will really know the outcome of their journey until they arrive - yes, you can research until you are blue in the face and be able to quote facts such as how much rainfall to how many kms you have to travel to work........................but the reality is that you have to be living and working to fully appreciate if it is going to be the life for you.

I could write War and Peace on my journey from start to finish but I think we have heard it all before.

At the end of the day, what is the difference between the UK and Australia - none really apart from the tyranny of distance..................................in my case, this was the nail in my coffin and I suppose the major factor in my return to the UK.

Australia gave me a lot of pleasure as does Scotland.

Suffice to say that I had a good life in Australia - I have a good life in Scotland.............I am healthy (for the time being), I have had the opportunity to experience something that some people can only dream about......................I am happy and content with my lot...................................

I have used this site to gleam information over the years and poured over the MBTTUK when I was in the depths of despair but I have not really been an active participant within the forum so with this, I think in my case it is:-

Over and Out x

after living in australia--just what did you think of the country you left to start your new life in australia-had it changed (or had you changed)--was it all doom,and gloom or was it a new start with different thoughts about yourself--there must be quite a few people on pio who may want to return to the uk, but are unsure about how they feel--hopefully this thread may help them decide there future path

After spending 2.5 years in Oz (with numerous trips back to the UK) - it was like I had just returned from my 2 weeks summer break in Spain, Turkey, Greece..............................nothing had changed................................the people were the same, the weather was the same, the people who were working when I had left were still working and the people who did not work, well, they were still ' not working'............................................

The good old NHS was still standing - the nurses were still frazzled, the workload was still horrendous, the shift work was still mandatory, the paperwork still came 1st and patients came last................nothing new there.

The politicians were still as dodgy as the day I left

Tesco were continuing with their world domination

The High street was still the High Street - with a few shops missing and a few new ones opened up.

British Rail were still charging exorbitant prices to travel 20 miles down the coast.

I could go on but I think you get the picture........................................................

Still glad to be back though

I am getting fed up of people telling me what a s**t hole the UK is and how there are no jobs and that I am an idiot for going back. I know that the UK is in a recession I do read the papers & news. I know that the unemployment rate is higher than it is here but for gods sakes GIVE IT A REST!!!:arghh: I am an adult who has the right to chose where I live and I have chosen to live in the UK (Scotland to be more precise).

 

Anyone else returning sick of all the negativity?

 

 

Emma,

 

Just ignore all the 'fools'(would like to apologise as this is really not my style) - come back home and see for yourself just exactly what it is like.

 

Been back now just shy of a year, both working full time, own our own home once more, been abroad for holidays and are debt free for the 1st time in years .................... for us, life doesn't get much better

 

Hope everything works out well for you.

You finally made it - enjoy the experience. Wishing you all the best

Work/Life Balance/Job Satisfaction......................... I would say that Oz probably wins the point for Work and Job Satisfaction. UK wins the point for Life Balance.

House and Creature Comforts..............................Of course my house in Oz was bigger and better than any house I have had in the UK so another point to Oz.

Physical Health.......................................Healthier in Oz.....lost a fair amount of weight but have subsequently put it all back on since returning to the UK seeing as Asda and Tesco are only a 5 min walk away.....another point to Oz !

Mental Health............................................Totally in the depths of despair in Oz - not such a good place to be........Point to UK

Family Life............................On reflection, totally non existent in Oz...............due to both of us working shifts so another point to UK

Social Life.......................Far better in the UK....................................Sorry all you P.I.G.S out there but the distances to travel for nights out were horrendous so another point to the UK

Some interesting stuff on here about when people are going home (and many seem to have been here a similar length of time to us)

 

What I would love to read is peoples reasons....

 

Is it the UK you miss, or the people, or do you find you dont like Australia as much as you expected?

 

 

Can't quite believe that we have been back in the UK for nearly a year now......................................

 

For me, I think I became bored with Australia and all things Australian which on reflection is a rather sad statement as Australia has a lot to offer.

 

Also, I began to feel trapped.......can't quite explain the feeling but suffice to say, it had me running for the hills............................

 

I do not regret all the money spent - to me, it was money well spent.

 

I gave a lot to Australia, and in return, Australia was really good to me and my family.................................but at the end of the day, I craved the familiarity of what I grew up with so I made the decision to come back to Scotland.

 

Also, the arrival of grandchild number one pushed me just that 'little' bit - I just could not envisage a life of missing out on her growing up so to speak.

 

Do I regret moving back ?

 

I would be lying if I said I had no regrets but at the end of the day, I am now happy, content and have that inner peace that was somewhat missing when I was in Oz.

 

Hopefully you find your inner peace too.

Thanks Gillian

I will be going back to Edinburgh so hopefully I will get something. I have kept in touch with my old work mates and I would go back in a heart beat but I think they have put a freeze on hiring! I'm sure I'll get something!

I take it you are happy to be back in Scotland? I am feeling a bit nervous about it I have to admit!

 

Thanks

Emma

Happy to be back Emma - some things I miss about Oz but all in all, glad to be back.

Don't set the bar too high for your return and you should be fine.

Did the same as Emily shredded heaps of old paperwork.

 

No shredder for me, I just filled my rather large soup pot with paperwork and set it on fire.................in the back garden of course. Don't think the neighbours were too amused but it gave me an extra box to put more crap in for the return journey !!!!!

Hi Emma,

When I moved back, It took me 2 months to find a 'post' (I am a nurse). This was fine with me as we needed the time to find our feet again.

I have since moved on to another ward so I suppose I have been quite lucky when I read some of the other posts in respect of nurses. One of the nurses on my ward trained in England and the only job she could find was here in Perth, Scotland !

I think it is a case of who you know and not what you know......but then it has always been like that.

My OH was practically working within days of stepping off the plane - again, who he knew.

I suppose it is all dependent on what part of the country you are moving back to and if you still remain in contact with your previous employers (always a good idea to keep on good terms with your previous employers as you never know when you may need to knock at their door).

Good Luck, hope all goes well for you

Can we hear some good stuff about the UK please?

It is fan-dabbie-dozie - you will see for yourself if you are intending to make the trip over at some point.

Hi everyone' date='

both my wife and I are nurses we would like to ask how other nurses have found it going back to the UK. Did you have to wait long before getting employment (I understand they don't do telephone interviews there to Oz :sad:) Are you able to work straight away or do you have to wait for CRB clearance first? We were silly and gave up our UK registration and are in the process of reapplying anyone been through this? How long does it normally take? Any other information regarding moving back would be really greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot. The Cox family.[/quote']

 

 

Hi,

 

I returned to the NHS after 2.5 years in Oz..............went back to the ward I had left and it felt like I had only been away on my 2 weeks annual leave !!

 

I also let my registration lapse whilst in Oz but it was a quick and easy process (once I had figured out what to do) to re-register........it didn't take that long, a few weeks, once NMC had received all the necessary paperwork.

 

Interviews will be fun as all they want to know is what it was like in Oz and the differences between UK + Oz nursing.

 

I found that they looked upon my experience in Oz in a good way.................................

 

One thing I will advise is..............................if you are successful in gaining a post, make sure that they pay you for your years of nursing experience........................................make a note to ask that question at interview.

 

Good luck, hope all goes well for you

Cadbury's Rocky Road Chocolate !

Hi Everyone,

 

Well it's nearly time to depart these shores and return to the UK, the shippers arrived today and are packing us up for the next 2 days then our container arrives on Thursday at which point we fly out. It all seems a bit surreal really as this is something that I've wanted in my heart for sometime now and now it's actually happening, the pull of family (especially for our kids), friends and the little things (too many to mention) are the main reasons for returning.

 

We have been here over 5 years now and I think we've had an adventure and been pretty successful with it, I don't see it as a failure, we have gained citizenship. We have worked our way up to a good standard of living, my wife works and has started her own successful business too, I have worked my way up in my line of work and now work from home 4 days a week in fact the company I work for have been so good that I will continue to work for them for at least a couple of months when I return to the UK. Some people would say we're mad but as DaveTheBear mentioned on a previous post, you have to have lived here to explain the feelings. Ironically I do think our family life has suffered.

 

I'm feeling anxious about the state of the UK economy, a little sad about leaving work and our surroundings (we live rurally) but very excited by the return at the same time, maybe it's last minute nerves??

 

Just a question for those of you who have made the return trip, did you experience these feelings at the time and are you glad/relieved/overjoyed/devastated you made the move home?

 

Thanks

Hi,

May I begin by wishing you all the best with your return journey to the UK.

We have been back for 8-9 months now (jeez, where does the time go) and in that time, I can honestly say that there have been 3 occasions when I have uttered the immortal words.......WTF have I done !

Suffice to say that I am actually quite happy and settled and as other posters have stated, yes, it is akin to emigrating once again - sorting out bank accounts (if you have not kept one going), council tax, renting/mortgage, phones, cars etc, etc.

You will not really know until you arrive back on these shores, and get over the 'holiday' period, if it is/has been the right move for you. There will be many things that you may miss about Australia but there will be many more things about the UK that will bring you joy.

One good thing is that you have gained citizenship and should you decide that the UK is not really for you after all, then you can just enjoy an extended holiday and plan for a move back.

Hope it is all you expect it to be - it is for me

Hi all,

 

Been back in Uk for 18 months now and it has been a tale of two halves - half the time loving it half the time missing the good bits of oz (not everything).

 

Generally all the things we returned for have panned out - most of all the kids education and fixing some of the holes in our relationship that became gaping in Oz ( we've done a really good job of that and are really enjoying our marriage properly).

 

Kids doing brilliantly at uni and loving the vibrancy of London life. School going really well for my daughter and despite her never wanting to come back she now loves UK and has a really tight group of friends who she feels she can trust.

 

My work is going brilliantly and I really love it and my OH is also doing really well at work (neither compare to our work in Oz).

 

But I have days - like today where I still feel like i don't fit in anywhere.

 

Family are great - but they haven't changed - except I have and have a more positive can do attitude which I think they all find a bit annoying.

 

It has taken time for my close friendships to get back on track - mainly because of serious illness of one of them and also - once again I have changed - I think nothing of whizzing into London for a mooch along the Thames - or flying up the motorway to see the Christmas markets in Birmingham - life for them is kept to a small radius and I suspect they think I am a bit nuts.

 

On the other hand I get jealous that they are so contented with "ordinary" lives - and they genuinely are - lovely homes, friends, jobs and happy lives. Whereas I seem to be seeking something I can't find.

 

I dream of the good bits of Oz (which for me is my friends, the beach and sunshine) - but love the good bits about here (vibrancy, countryside, pubs, conversation, food and a good good laugh).

 

I definitely wouldn't want to go back as I remember how lost I felt there - and certainly my kids wouldn't go back - but the adventure of it took us out of ordinary lives for a while and now I can't seem to go back.

 

Anyone else felt like this and any tips on working through it.

 

Oh and I guess a big piece of the jigsaw is that we haven't found a house yet (still renting). We sooo don't want to accept a step backwards as we had a lovely house in UK before we left and a lovely house in Oz - everything here is still overpriced (near London) and despite recession house sellers still asking too much. Our money sitting safely in the bank not making anything - but safe all the same - so am being patient.

 

Maybe a home will fix my lost feeling - i don't know - would love to hear form others about the transition and handling the crappy days.

 

Thanks for reading my ramblings.

Hi Mrs I,

I can so relate to what you have just written. We are into our 7th month back in the UK (Scotland) and there are some days where I too wonder just where I belong.

I can categorically state that I will not move back to Oz...............the fear of once again falling into such a deep dark depression haunts me and I would never put myself through that again.

Yes, there are many things that I miss about Oz ..........................but strangely, not the weather............ I much prefer the cold to the heat.

Like you, we continue to rent..........................our money is sitting in the bank just waiting. We have the option to buy the house we are currently renting but I want to be 100% sure this is the house for us 'forever'......................I suppose it is a 'try before you buy'......we will see.

Reflecting on the whole process................it has changed us - not quite sure yet whether for the better?

Hopefully when we both have our own homes, we can once again start to put down roots and feel that bit more settled with a true sense of belonging.

Wishing you all the best