kookaburras

Thank you everyone for your replies, I really appreciate you taking the time. Agreed, it would be better to be safe than sorry and get citizenship before moving back, who knows we may hate it after a few months of miserable weather! My partner and I are on different visas because we were originally sponsored by our respective employers on 457s and I decided to get PR on a 189 for better job security. Bf wants to remain on 457 visa because this will allow us to have our moving costs covered if we ever move back to the UK (it's written into his contract) and allow him to withdraw his super if he leaves. It's funny, I was never that close to my family, went away to uni twice and hardly ever went home, lived abroad in asia for a few years during my 20s, but the past year it has crept up on me how much I want to see them on a more regular basis. Maybe it's just all of us getting older. We are not an emotional family and I never tell them I miss them. It's actually quite stoic at the airport when we leave, dropped off, "see you soon" and on the plane. The suggestions from Lady and snifter not to go home so often has given me something to think about. Quoll, I think DD will be this time in 6 months, and I'll try to stop thinking about moving back as a possibility until then. One thing that niggles is if I/we do take citizenship, I understand that we have to pledge that we intend to live in Australia on a permanent and ongoing basis. Oz has been very good to both of us and while I feel like we would want to return in the future, I have nothing to prove that we will do so (immediate family ties, property etc). Wouldn't feel very patriotic hopping on a plane as soon as certificate is in hand... :dull: Thank you all again for your support and understanding.

Hi everyone, I am really missing my family in the UK at the moment and starting to wonder whether I should go home for a while or whether it will pass eventually... does anyone have any advice? My story is we have been here for 3 years (my partner and I) and enjoying Oz very much. Life here is beautiful and we love our home and the environment and spectacular weather. We both have secure, well paying jobs - we both moved for fantastic employment opportunities - I am PR while he is still on a 457. However, I am really homesick and he is also getting itchy feet to try somewhere new. His parents are also on his back asking "when are you coming home". Every day I think about going home and I'm even starting to have bad dreams about a family member getting sick or dying and I never get to say goodbye. Dramatic I know!! While I realise it's just thoughts and silly dreams ,and I try to distract myself, it's always in the back of my mind what we're missing out on back in the UK in terms of family life. We don't have any children and although we both have some extended family here, our parents, grandparents, siblings, nephews and nieces are back home. I still own a property in my hometown and am only renting here in Oz so it would not be very expensive for us to move back. We could find jobs relatively quickly, although for likely much less pay than in Oz. We take trips home 1-2 times a year to alleviate the homesickness but if anything that just makes me miss my family even more. Any advice would be appreciate as I am completely 50/50 at the moment whether to stay or go! :frown: