billington22

Congratulations on the visa! Hope to see you here in albury/wodonga soon! A beautiful place.

Thanks everyone,, it has been a massive rollercoaster. The journey hasn't been an easy one. (maybe all signs from the big man upstairs!!) We are now on a perm visa. (initially a regional sponsored 457) we will definitely go for citizenship in the very near future. A few months ago My husband asked his work if he can have 12 months unpaid leave (just in case it doesn't work out) but i wanted to wait until i found out about my contract before making any decisions. My heart knows... And i think my head is catching up! We moved here to give our children a better start but seems i completely underestimated the need for family! Like you say,, if we do move back and realise we've made a mistake we can always come back! I shouldn't over analyse everything but I'm worried about making the wrong decision. Cheers again!

So,, found out on friday my work contract won't be renewed. I've been here 4 years but tbh, have wanted to go back to the uk for pretty much the whole time. I've had so many personal and professional knockbacks during that time it's unreal. But the question I'm wondering is,, 'how do you know when enough is enough? Is there usually a trigger or is it more a slow burning realisation? I think my time has come to call it quits and return home. I'm so frightened of making the wrong decision. My uk family just want me home. My husband ( after refusing to discuss it for the last 4 years) is coming round to the idea but doesn't want to leave really. My 8 yo daughter would love to return to be with grandparents, aunties, uncles, cousins etc. i read all the comments/threads on here with so much interest. I know I'm not alone... But those who have made the decision to return how do you finally come to that?! Returning home seems harder than the decision to leave in the first place!! Any advice would be great.

We had the 457 visa and applied for PR in September 2012. I was travelling back to the uk for a holiday on December 6th. I was automatically granted the bridging visa. Not sure what kind it was but i didn't apply for another to leave the country. As it turned out i was granted PR the day before i left! Didn't find this out though till after I'd arrived back. Probably best to check about the bridging visa A & B, as i wasnt aware there were 2! Just as well my PR was granted before i actually left!

Hi!! We messaged on the fb brits site!! You won't look back if coming to albury/Wodonga. It really is lovely. ( better to live in Wodonga though (imo). Hope to catch up soon!!

Hi,, I have lived in Wodonga for nearly 4 years. moved from the north west UK. Love it here. I run a Brit's group. Now I'm unsure how to invite you. Last time I did, I was warned by the admins. Any advice? Should I be pm'ing? Help! Would love to help out!

Such a difficult decision.....It was actually a lifelong ambition of mine & my husbands to emigrate to Oz but I did get cold feet after my son (second child) was born. However after being given the knock back several times (Visa issues) we were given the opportunity to come on a 457. We thought we should give it a go as we didn't want to be older and regret not having tried. In my heart of hearts I was worried about the whole thing but gave it a go anyway. I really threw myself into the lifestyle here but have had a lot of knockbacks professionally and personally which have really made me question is it all worth it? I have had several family visits and there are more planned at Xmas & Easter. I just really miss being able to pop round for a brew. Personally I think I know what I want but am just terrified of regretting a move back. I've been testing the water with some people (here & in the UK) and they are horrified I would even consider a return to the UK!! (My mum & sis don't feel this way and are desperate for me to return!) I also know my husband would forever resent me.Thanks everyone for your advice.

So sorry to hear about your loss. I feel I could've written your post as you 'hit the nail on the head' with many of your comments. My sister lost her baby (aged 16days old) last year and it hit me like a brick just how far away I was. I tormented myself about how I wasn't there for her when I should've been. I did manage to fly back for the funeral (in and out the UK in 3 days!) and felt much better for doing that. She has since gone on to have another beautiful little girl so think this is why my desire to return back to the UK is greater than ever. I have drawn up several lists of For and Against's and my list for returning home always starts with family (which I think is worth 50 againsts!) In my heart I would love to return home. If someone would offer me my old life back I would take it like a shot. However that's not going to happen!! The return home I know, will be just as hard as the journey out here. With all the knockbacks I've had I do wonder if this is fates way of saying 'Go home!.' The plan is to get citizenship (which I think we can apply for September 2014) & then see....

I'm 3 years in and still feel unsettled. But when I think back to those early days I do realise how far we've come. I spent the first 6 months constantly crying & researching the cost of flights back home. I even emailed my old boss asking for my old job back!! Even now whenever I hear the Wayballoo theme tune (children's program that seemed to be on TV all the time when we first moved!) it sends me straight back to those early days!! *shiver* 3 years on and a 5 week visit home later I am still undecided. My husband eventually found a decent job but I've been on constant contracts since we arrived. We still live in rented accommodation and are currently having the discussion about whether to buy. (I'm not sure this is forever so am dragging my heels a little!) You are right about the cost of living! Food shopping is so expensive! I couldn't get over the cost of basics like milk and bread when we first arrived. My advice would be to stick it out for a couple of years and see how things progress. In that time you'll hopefully find decent work & settle a bit more. If you don't at least you will have given it a good go. Good luck!

Yes, we had the discussion but it seemed a bit different having it before we left as we were both excited to leave. My husband has said we'll go back (if we have to!!) but I think he would really resent me for making him do it. Also not sure he would find work. He hated his profession in the UK.

'Give it 6 months' they said...I did & still felt the same. 'Give it 12 month's they said...I did & still felt the same. 'Wait till your permanent residency comes through' they said....I did & still felt the same!! I've now been here in Victoria just over 3 years and I think about home and moving back to the UK every day!! I've posted several times on here before and it does make me feel better that other people are feeling the same as me. (hope that doesn't sound horrible! It's not meant to!) I've struggled to find permanent work here. Contract after contract so feel unsettled all the time. Found out last week my contract will finish next July. Arrrgh! So frustrating. My husband LOVES it here. He has a good job (permanent) which he loves. He knows I am unhappy here but doesn't understand how I feel. He can't understand why I would want to move back to the UK. We went back at Xmas for 5 weeks. I loved it but he became quite depressed and couldn't wait to get back to Australia! My kids (3 & 7) seem to enjoy it here but even they have been asking to go back to England to see family. Think my feelings are now starting to affect them..which I don't want. I have a great social network here (far better than 'home') but I really miss my family. Especially my mum & sister. They have visited a couple of times and are due to visit again over the next few months. I also miss the familiarity of things, the history. I don't know. It's all very confusing and I'm not actually sure of the purpose of this post but how do you know when enough is enough? I don't want to be a ping pong pom! I know ex-pats that have lived here for more than 30 years but still hanker for the UK and all things British. I don't want to be like that either!! Help! Any advice would be welcomed. Anyone that has been in a similar position?

Been here since September 2010 but I am still really struggling with homesickness. It's not all the time but we've been going through it a bit lately and its returned with a vengeance! Came here on a 457 visa and we managed to fulfil all the criteria so in December 2012 we got our permanent residency. I managed to secure a contract to work as a teacher but unfortunately they were unable to renew it. Managed to find another 6 month teaching contract but again they were unable to renew. (For reasons to complicated & boring to explain!!) Anyway since then I have been working as a Casual Relief Teacher. I HATE it!! I am still in my previous school and love the staff & children but just HATE the nature of the job. I'm desperate to find something else (away from teaching!!) but this is where I am struggling! I can't find anything and it is making me so miserable I want to go back to the UK. We have made some fabulous friends here and have a way better social life here than in the UK but I really miss my family,,especially my sister. She lost her baby daughter last September which was incredibly hard to deal with being 10500miles away! I did manage to get back for the funeral but I think it's made me realise just how important life & family is. She is expecting again so I feel I should be with her to support her. I also spent 5 weeks back in the UK at Christmas with my husband and 2 small children. So I'm probably just homesick because of that. It doesn't help that my husband has landed a great job and LOVES being here!! We have no money and are struggling with childcare fees etc. Hopefully now we are permanent we should get help for that. I do love it here,, I mean, what's not to love? Wide open spaces, beautiful weather (if a little hot in the summer!!), less traffic, more friends, happy husband & children.....the list does go on. So, that's my story. Not sure what to do. I think I want to return but deep down know that this probably isn't the best decision for my family. On the other hand, without a job I am as miserable as sin!! Anybody got any advice? Should I give it more time and hope I find a job away from teaching?

I'm a wee bit jealous!! :-)

Hi, I moved from the NW of England to Wodonga in September 2010. We have come on a temporary regional sponsored visa with the intention of possibly moving somewhere else when we got our permanent visa. However we love it here in Wodonga! It is a beautiful place and great for raising kids. (I've 2 small children) We will definately be staying here. We have made some fantastic friends. We currently rent a 4 bedroomed house twice the size of the house we sold in th UK. The sun shines alot more than in the UK too! It's very different from where we have come from although not quite as remote as it seems. It does take a bit of adjusting to the more laid back life but that's why we came to Oz in the first place. Albury/Wodonga doesn't really have the fast paced life of the bigger cities. It is situated in a great place..only 3 and a 1/2 hours drive from Melbourne, 5 from Sydney, 4 from Canberra (all of which are amazing cities!) and there is a local airport in Albury. Don't feel disheartened that Wodonga isn't the 'ideal' australian place. It comes pretty close! We love it! There is the Murray River and Lake Hume to satisfy any water cravings. (Brits in Albury/Wodonga). Can't advise you on the furniture thing...we moved eveything here (can't beat your home comforts!!). Good luck! Kirsten

Hi Lisa, I'm an ex-pat living in Wodonga. Moved here from the UK in September 2010. Love it! It really is a beautiful place. Getting a little colder now as we move into Autumn but still warm enough to go out without a coat! I'm a married mum of 2 who is currently teaching. Kirsten