scousers

This could well be me in the next few years. We have lived in OZ 35 years and loved it for some of those years. Aus born daughter now 24 will not leave Melbourne. I however have been wanting to return home since she was about 8. I think i enjoyed my so much more in the UK than i ever have in OZ and i miss the lifestyle back home. My very elderly parents are here in OZ and most of my time is looking after them no but i feel i don’t really live anymore. So, yes in a few years it will be do i stay or do i go and start a new life that i will feel energised by. It is a very hard decision. I feel for you

I worked in KFC in the UK approx 1983

The problem is as an only child i just cant leave her. She doesn't have a serious other

Thats why im still here.

That was me when i first came, i was always the first to do anything. But unfortunately my family followed me to to Melbourne which means i have been stuck here. Didn't like it very much when i arrived and really not keen after all these years. But have learnt to turn off all emotions until i become so frustrated, i think thats why i am talking about it today, sorry

No, she says absolutely not, strange thing is she seems more at home over there than here. But we have had the discussion many times and she says no. How do you leave your only daughter behind?

I get you totally. Life has been dull for a long time now living in Melbourne. . Missing the UK even more because its just not Christmas in Melbourne lol. my daughter is doing ok, she seems bored except when she spends time with friends, sometimes its alot of the time then she can go a few weeks and see no one. For a 24 year old it just doesn't seem like a life to me. She is seeing a physiologist so i guess she talks to them about things. It concerns me that she has basically been in therapy since she was about 15. Not sure how to make decisions for the future, it would be too hard to leave her here on her own but at the same time i don't want to stay living here for much longer.

Have lived in Melbourne 33 years now and it does become boring. There is alot to do but i think im sick of being entertained, i would rather live than be entertained all the time. Everywhere in OZ becomes boring after a while its down to the culture and the people in my opinion. I know my personality disappeared about 10-12 years ago

Sounds funny hearing them and us and i never would have thought of it that way until i found it just happening that way. A good example is hubby’s best mate in oz, they have been best mates for 30 years now would not meet his best mate from childhood when he came out to oz, he was here for 4 weeks and the aussie mate made every excuse under the sun to not see us for those four weeks, really weird. Even his uk mate as he was leaving said its weird we never got to meet, we had no answer to that, they live about four streets away. As soon ss he left things went back to normal? Football isnt in all families from Liverpool, some of ours follow but i would say only 50% though. Never followed it here or there, no interest.

I think at the time it was a huge shock when they let me down especially after some of the times i had been there for them. One in particular i had given work to in at least two jobs when she was on Her knees basically and the same one i gave multiple jobs to her son when she said he was suicide, he has done quite well for himself but she no longer speaks to our family, lol.. you got to love people like her, 28 years we where “friends”! Tbh very glad she has gone. The worst thing is it has made me really cautious and i don't like who i have become, it is always a huge relief when i get back to the UK, i can breath!

You may well be right, i know the bonds i have are very different to the ones i left behind.

I have made “ good “ contacts in Melbourne i must have sounded like i hadn't however its just not the same. Have lots of aussie friends however its an interesting way of being friends, once i realised they where different was about 15 years in i started to watch, lots of back stabbing and fallings out. I learnt years ago never open yourself up to them, only did it twice to who i thought where my best friends both turned on me, still good friends but i watch what i say. Never ever be honest with an aussie on how you feel is now my way of being. Interestingly i have only fell out with one person ( not my doing) but i watch the others omg they are crazy in a weird sort of way, my analysis is that they are bored and need to create drama. So onto uk friends, so easy, so much fun when not in lockdown, really enjoy these people full stop. What i miss is when you need to really talk i have to call the uk and speak to old friends they do the same keep me in the loop. Have a gorgeous Liverpool friend here who i would call bestie but because of other experiences here i know i am cautious but wish i wasn't. No, don't like sport haha

Totally agree, i really miss those i worked with in Liverpool UK, its been 32 years now and still in touch with many of them, here in Melbourne you leave a job and never here of the people again.the humour too is missed very much

Agree, i am from Liverpool but live in Melbourne, its the people that make the difference , its Liverpool for me

I left home @ 20 and bought a house with hubby , we only lived there for 18 month's then came to OZ. I think the thing i struggle with is i have always been best friends with my mum. We have only ever had 2 disagreements and i remember them clearly, both times i was at fault. I just don't understand why my daughter makes it hard when we could just be enjoying life. Sorry for my whinge