meme78

I'd say - don't make any major decisions just yet. I have been back 5 years. It has been fantastic - for family, my child knowing people, history, schools, culture, holidays, friends, humour etc, but it's pretty tough times here right now. The UK, like everywhere, has major issues caused by inequality and a ruthless, austerity focused Government. Things don't work here, not that well, and that was before Covid. It's very doable if you're wealthy (you sound ok) but it is a country of divide and issues. Covid has really magnified the issues. There is a very oppressive feel to most things right now, and a lot of resentment building up. 

That being said, I'd probably still rather be here than Australia, where I always felt like an outsider and the Adelaide summers nearly killed me. I wouldn't leave my ageing parents either, or remove my child from the culture she now knows, but I have given serious thought to the future. Perhaps not directly now, but once we're finished with school here. I love the UK, I really do, but there are problems. 

In the tiny hypothetical that I'd have to return to Oz, it would never be Adelaide - i feel your pain there :) 

I came back to the UK 3 years ago after over 9 in Australia. Although it's taken adjustment here, I NEVER felt that 'at home' feeling down under, and it got very exhausting in the end. The old friends who were still around welcomed me back- we had all changed through life stages- but it made me truly appreciate a sense of belonging and 'being myself' again. Sometimes I walk around places in England and I well up- the sense of belonging somewhere still hits me even after 3 years back. I love going away and coming back to the UK. It's an amazing, diverse, challenging and wonderful place. For me, it will always be home, even if I travel again. No plans to leave- since getting back, i've got 'fresh eyes' and find everything so very interesting- i'm a sucker for history, and i'll never be bored in the UK. Also truly value the old and new people in my life here. I've found it much easier to make new friends in the UK. That's my experience anyway. 

I have been back in the UK 3 years very soon, after about 9 in Australia. During my time there, I went from elation to loving the place and ranting about how great everything was to returning to UK when I had my baby, to returning to Australia and still liking it and raising a kid with little to no support, to then enter the years of being crushed by the isolation, homesickness and general 'this is not home' feelings. Like a lot of people, underestimated how as life changes, so do you- the backpacking me was no longer the mother me, the missing family, my own culture and seeing my parents age. Australia grated more and more, and i felt like a nothing person, i had lost all sense of self, normal for mums of young kids but coupled with cultural isolation, even worse. I was not into baking, netball, BBQs or beaches by this point-  I longed for nothing more than to show my child what i had grown up with- basically UK culture. It has been hard starting over and it's a struggle for some of us returning. As a single parent, the UK is a tough place. Rent is high, help with childcare much less than in Australia and yet I am way happier. Returning to old friendships- i had to put a lot of work into re-establishing bonds etc, and have made lots of new ones also. I found it very tough making proper friends in Australia- most of those when tested, fell apart. Here, we have a life full of people and activities. And family. I walk around disgruntled by many things in the UK but I actually laugh here, connect to people and fit in. You cannot put a price on that. They say mental health is better treated in Australia but i disagree. When i was going through a terrible time, that old attitude of 'toughen up and get on with it' was not helpful. I find my British friends are a lot more sympathetic and help out more, and I do so in return. Overall, yes a success. I still think of Australia kindly and would like to visit for a holiday and dream of a long stint during my older years travelling around NW WA. However, for now, it has been lovely finding the old me. My child also loves UK life and has no desires to return to Australia. Whether that changes who knows, but there really is no place like home....

One thing which I'm sure has taken its toll on me was the constant glare in Australia. Even in winter, I'd struggle to drive without sunnies. That can't be good, surely?! I find I am super sensitive these days to light and I wonder if 10 years down under had some sort of effect on that. The UK can be grey let's face it, but it can also be wonderfully changing, stimulating and different. I find being in tune with the seasons here does wonders for my natural body clock- I truly believe there is something to be said about feeling the 'right way up' and better placed in the northern hemisphere (if you grew up this way around). I always felt the wrong way around in Australia, seasons, time, you name it. I think it added to the sense of displacement. Whilst winters are no longer 'hard' in the UK (certainly not in the South anyway) by the time March arrives I hold my hands up and i'm desperate for Spring. But, I was also desperate for the Adelaide summer to bog off in March- and awaited more gentler weather patterns. I find the UK busy, diverse, culturally rich, problematic, historically interesting, the natural environment amazing, the people for the most part friendly and interesting, certain things expensive, certain things not. The best thing about it, is that it feels like home. 

with sea and sand?! really?! that is just so very shallow. having lived in both with my child, her life is no better or worse in either. In fact, less to worry about here- no mossies, snakes or sunburn/heat exhaustion- her hayfever and constant skin infections are no more in the UK. We still visit the beach btw- and we still cycle, go for walks, swim (outdoors in summer, indoors in winter) and our lives are no better or worse for either place. Having had 2 potential skin cancers cut off whilst in Oz, I'm happy to be without slathering on toxic sunscreen. Honestly- think of all the kids who grow up in northern Europe, or Canada- you don't hear them moaning about 6 months of snow and are you seriously saying all those children are unhappy, or having a horrible childhood? The wonderful thing about humans are is- we are adaptable. I had a lovely childhood in the UK- weather is a big part of that- memories of long summer days or cold, snowy ones- all lovely, never stopped me feeling happy. 

hello. don't over think it- kids will be kids wherever- i brought Miss 8 (was then just 6) back and she's doing great. She has no desires to return to Oz and says she barely remembers it now. We've done SO much in the UK since we've been here. London is on our doorstep-we've done the theatres, museums and galleries. We've been camping, visited castles and stately homes. We did our first trip to Spain and it blew her mind- our friends who speak 3 languages introduced her to a world she'd never known and she loved it. We've learned the geography of Europe, met people from so many places, she learns French and Dutch at school. We have things to do every weekend- not always costly- and we don't miss the geographical or cultural isolation that we had in Australia. There is just so much to do here. Sure- winter is testing by February- but so was the Adelaide summer- day after day of not being able to play outside, park equipment being too hot and fearing sunburn. We live near a small beach here and she loves it just the same- it's nothing on an Aussie beach but it's got water, safe swimming and no sharks and plenty of sand to build castles. School is harder here- they push them more and it's less fun. But, what can you do? I find the teachers excellent and the extra curricular stuff really good, if you're keen on that. Our lives here are richer for culture- without a doubt. We aren't outdoorsy, so not being able to do things outside all year doesn't bother us. Generally though, we are more engaged with life and the world. I lived in Perth for a spell and I can see where you're coming from. It is more of the same. There is nowhere to go barring a big drive or flight. Here, we can drive for an hour and be somewhere totally different. And we can catch a plane and the same goes again. Good luck! Ps. we still manage to swim, cycle and walk and I do yoga- we do all of those things here- just in a different way- we don't have our own pool, but there's plenty of indoor public pools. we can cycle most of the year and walk too- no snakes, mossies and sunburn- just mud  

hello. don't over think it- kids will be kids wherever- i brought Miss 8 (was then just 6) back and she's doing great. She has no desires to return to Oz and says she barely remembers it now. We've done SO much in the UK since we've been here. London is on our doorstep-we've done the theatres, museums and galleries. We've been camping, visited castles and stately homes. We did our first trip to Spain and it blew her mind- our friends who speak 3 languages introduced her to a world she'd never known and she loved it. We've learned the geography of Europe, met people from so many places, she learns French and Dutch at school. We have things to do every weekend- not always costly- and we don't miss the geographical or cultural isolation that we had in Australia. There is just so much to do here. Sure- winter is testing by February- but so was the Adelaide summer- day after day of not being able to play outside, park equipment being too hot and fearing sunburn. We live near a small beach here and she loves it just the same- it's nothing on an Aussie beach but it's got water, safe swimming and no sharks and plenty of sand to build castles. School is harder here- they push them more and it's less fun. But, what can you do? I find the teachers excellent and the extra curricular stuff really good, if you're keen on that. Our lives here are richer for culture- without a doubt. We aren't outdoorsy, so not being able to do things outside all year doesn't bother us. Generally though, we are more engaged with life and the world. I lived in Perth for a spell and I can see where you're coming from. It is more of the same. There is nowhere to go barring a big drive or flight. Here, we can drive for an hour and be somewhere totally different. And we can catch a plane and the same goes again. Good luck!