lucy boo

Hi well this is my story, we have lived in Sydney before, back in 2008, we spent about 18months here, liked it but just wasnt for us, I had a problem teenager and needed my family around us, we settled back into the Uk really well enjoyed life! But my husbands old company would email him trying to tempt him back with the promise of high salary good prospects etc..,. sounded good, almost too good, so on the promise of a good wage, and his old boss had left, he was told the bosses job was now his! great step in the right direction we thought. Looking on Seek from the uk, looked like there were loads of jobs for me, fab, how great we were both heading back with our youngest son, husband would have a great job on a 457 visa, and I'd surely be able to find a job, there are so many about! excellent! The reality has been very disappointing, husband job, turns out he's doing about the same job as last time! no bosses job! actually the old boss might be coming back! husband not happy as he left a senior position in the uk! So the in house recruitment girl, has told lies to get him over here, so ultimately she can have her bonus, when husband questioned company there seemed to be a shrug shoulder policy if all else fails! Also I have applied for over 30 jobs on various websites, mainly Seek, half the jobs don't exist anymore, and need taking off the site, had two really good second interviews, great feedback, then nothing! have now starting applying for jobs in retail, still no joy, spoken to a friend who's in recruitment he says the job market is pretty flat and has been for the past year! Also the cost of living is ridiculous! I know Sydney is a city much like London, but the price of some of the food is just so inflated! I expect the rents to be high, but I'm sure there not worth it, we live in an expensive area, but the house it's self is really nothing special at all. So basically I'm having a moan we've been here since September, husbands job not any better etc... We have decided to return back to the Uk next year we're talking Feb / March, yes very expensive holiday, husband has good contract lined up, and I have a job in the pipeline doing my usual Account Manager work, family are really happy we're coming home, and to be honest the grass wasn't greener for us, so why wait for things to change when I look at the bigger picture I know where I'd rather be This has been a pretty bad experience for us, and I would never ever think about coming back to Oz after this. Husband hasn't handed his notice in yet, but will be after Christmas, I think alot may come out, the managing director doesn't know what the recruitment girl is saying to people when she's head hunting!!! she is an idiot, she doesn't care about anyone, as long as she gets her commission, we trusted her as we know her quite well, also the company have always been ok, but just shows you what lengths people will go to, to get the deal/money! So I'm off back home in Feb, flights not booked yet but will be so excited when they are, my 12year old is happy to be going home too, husband wants to go as soon as

Hi, I have lived in the North shore, we settled in Turramurra, good schools, nice people, next to Pymble, on the train line, St Ives is nice, but you would have to catch a bus to the trainline, as there is no station in St Ives. For a good sized house rents are around 600 - 800 a week, we rented a old house with a pool, which was fine at first but realised the house was so out of date, but the pool had inflated the price of the house, the kids loved the pool, but to be honest I'd rather of had an up together house. Obviously the closer you are to the city the more expensive rent becomes, just like London, but having said that there is more going on nearer to the city, depends what you're used to really. Pymble is a nice spot, nice outdoor pools, and parks. Good Luck, hope this helps

Hi, this could be a long post, my husband and my two sons moved out to Sydney about 3 and a half years ago, we came back to the uk after about 14months. Typical now we're going back in January, but without my eldest son, who is now nearly 19yrs old. Last time we were in Oz, eldest son managed to get himself in to all sorts of trouble with the Oz police, not good, stupid boy, he did gain a 2yr suspended sentence, I think he was about 16 at the time, this was for trying to take a bag of a guy in the street, my son was drunk, and with others at the time, not trying to make light of the situation, but if you knew him you'd know this was not his normal behaviour. Anyway, we've been back a while, husband, youngest son, and myself arrive back in Oz next year, but, eldest son may want to follow at some point, on either a tourist visa or working visa, will his previous Oz suspended sentence from when he was 16 become a problem when he applies for any type of Visa??? Long question, not sure if anyone will know the answer to tyhe question, but thought I'd try here first before the specific departments. Any help really appreciated, oh, and by the way, my eldest son is alot different now, totally sensible, thank god!

Hi, thinking of moving back to Sydney next year, does anyone know what Mosman High School is like, my son is 12yrs old, the school looks perfect for him, but would like to know is it as good as it sounds/ looks? All help appreciated, have posted this on the education page also, but no one has replied so far:biggrin: :smile:

Hi, wondering if anyone has had any experience of Mosman High School (state school), we've been looking on their website, also various other blogs, looks perfect for my 12yr old son, at present he's at a private school in the uk, but has out grown the school, great junior section, but too small now for his teenager years, facilities not so great. Mosman is where we'll be heading, close to the city etc... Any comments would be appreciated, Many thanks:smile:

Hi, wonder if anyone could point me in the right direction, my husband will be working in Sydney on a 457 visa, this is now going to be our second visit to Australia/ Sydney, this time it could be for keeps, but, I want to open my own beauty salon in Sydney, only a small affair, does anyone know whether I'll be able to on a 457 visa? Cannot seem to find any info on any websites?? All help, ideas welcome thanks! :smile:

Hi People, this is my first time I've joined in with a thread, just felt I had to share my experience with you. We've been back from Sydney Australia for about 2 years, we spent about 15 months in Oz, enjoyed the weather, outdoor life, my two sons came with us, one 16, the other 8, I didn't work straight away, but became really bored so went to work after 4 months, kids seemed settled, the home sickness hit me around month 8, everything that was english reminded me of home, I even missed the seasons, then my mother told me she wouldn't be coming to visit me, also my mother in law said the same, which was like the last straw! we decided to move back, husband really didn't want to at first but decided we should, my husband says "Sydney is the only place that feels like home" so you can imagine how guilty I feel! We're doing ok back in the Uk, but we do have a nagging connection with Australia now, husband is a IT contractor, his old company from Oz are always emailing him to go over, tempting him with high salaries, this past week husband has been in talks with his old company about a 6 month contract, I feel excited, but scared, I won't be going with him if he agrees to go, I'm just about to open a beauty salon in the uk, only a small one, so I have commitments here, I can imagine if he goes he'll love it and want us to go full time. My eldest son has left home, and is living with his long term girlfriend now, he talks about leaving the uk, various different places are talked about, he has mentioned Australia a few times. I honestly feel, that we didn't give it our best shot first time around, my eldest son was a pain in the back side at the time, but is more mature now, don't think he'd come with us though , not at first anyway his father (exhusband) is in the uk, my youngest son would go back tomorrow, he loves it in Australia, we didn't have loads of spare cash last time we were in oz, it isn't cheap living in Sydney, but we have alot more now, things are different, so not sure what I'm trying to say, but it's true once you've been over to Oz, it stays with you, would I consider moving back to Oz, umm yes maybe?!? I wonder how many others feel like me???