proud preston

Yet Peter Dutton talks of sending weapons to Taiwan if any acts of aggression from China...I don't necessarily think we are safer where we are....global warming will probably be felt worse here too...forest fires and floods

There'll be nothing boring about your posts - I will be looking forward to reading them. Well done with the NHS interview! The rain here in Brisbane last weekend has really unnerved me. I know it rains in the UK, and yes there are occasional floods, but nothing of this magnitude. I can feel anxiety creeping up just now there has been another heavy shower. I can't live in a country long term with these more frequent floods. I was talking to a lovely woman today in her late 70's- she is finally returning to New Zealand- she loved the flora and fauna of Aus but felt that NZ was a lot more "gentle"- landscape, people and climate. Thought that NZ related very much to the UK whereas (lately) Australia was leaning towards the U.S.

@bug family What was the interview for? Great it was successful! I think many people will be thinking about the UK after this scary, relentless rain. Oh my god. It certainly is feast or famine in Australia. Keen to hear the next part of your journey.

@Chortlepuss and @Blue Flu- agree entirely with your posts

@BrisPaul Interesting to read your experience. When did you start to feel that it was the wrong decision? As I am reading I'm wondering if you both think about the "what if we'd just stayed put in the UK and never migrated?" I think for so many of us that migrate there can sometimes be that "wish I'd just stayed put" as once you migrate you can feel a bit like nowhere is really truly home (well I think I do) Good to hear your daughters are now happy at uni. I look at my 2 boys here- both at uni and both still at home in Brisbane. I feel like uni is just an extension of school life and no fun at all. I went to uni in Newcastle and it was the whole fabulous life experience of being away from home. I can't help but feel jealous of nephews and nieces and friends children having a similar "away from home" uni experience in the UK. I'm sick of myself for continuing to grapple with Aus/UK. I'm my own worst enemy. It's always somewhere in my mind. I talk to my siblings each week and I am astounded that they rarely see their GP nowadays and I know that I do appreciate being able to see my GP here whenever I need to- a scary prospect re poor access to a GP; especially as we age. I think you summed it up though regarding spending time with your mum- My loss (and guilt) that I left the UK when mum was 75 and was still here when she was battling with dementia. I was so close to mum and this was probably what I dreaded most when I got swept along with the whole "Australia better life" argument On the subject of boring- I love hiking and camping etc and love the gum trees, wildlife and so on but am feeling it's all a bit "the same"

@bug family Nice. I’ve been saying ‘ Happy Christmas’ to all and getting the response of ‘Merry Christmas’ A time of year that many British either love or hate here. Like Marmite! My British friend in New York State posted a pic of snow, trees with no leaves and low winter sunlight. Bliss.

@Bulya-I think you know what I meant! I like the familiarity of winter in December etc

@Bulya ah if only it was so easy... so....originally decided to move here from Ireland as my husband had a scuba business pre-Australia and wanted to continue diving, boys then got enrolled in schools, jobs etc etc. Even if I lived in a state with seasons it is the "wrong way round"- for me anyway.

@bug family- Agree!! Yes, I miss my siblings immensely but all the things you mentioned are still the same (albeit the countryside gets eaten up for ‘development’ -same world over) and I miss them all. 15 years ago this month we moved here and I still miss buildings, trees, light, seasons etc etc. I know that I always will and ....I do feel bad because it is hard for my husband to know that I’m yearning for home. Again, I’ll stress, I’m not depressed, do not need therapy ....Australia really is, for me, just ‘a different world’ Maybe we need a little SE Qld group that we could meet in person every now and then to have a good old heart to heart without any well meaning advice - just to listen and agree....and some alcohol chucked in for good measure.

Yes! All of the above and more. Thank you.

This is such a good observation yet makes me pine for the UK even more! Opening to the London Olympics was fantastic.

@Chortlepuss- exactly! ‘The things I like to do aren’t available here’ Even if I lived in Tasmania and went a crisp winter walk it would be lovely but I’d still be hankering after a walk in an English wood, with oak, beech, ash, sycamore etc. and pale blue winter sky. I’m in Brisbane too and I agree lots to do and lovely for a warm night out going round a few bars. I feel like a tourist - in a good way - every time I’m in the city. There will be some of us, and this forum has confirmed this, that will always long for home no matter what we do here; how integrated we are or how much we appreciate where we are.

@Amber Snowball Thank you. Appreciate that response.

@bug family- Well meaning posts have wondered if I’m depressed too - not at all - yet I do have this constant longing for ‘home’. I’m wondering about your thoughts on the mini obsession I have with ‘we should have migrated to Canada’ Some have discounted this and said I’d still feel so homesick - and whilst I can see their point yet ......Canada has the same 4 seasons, it’s the Northern Hemisphere, old buildings, also French, probably similar opportunities to here and it’s so much nearer to the UK. Familiar trees, mountains, lots of hiking in decent weather. Easier to wrap up warm than try and stay cool. etc. I’ve an old school friend who lives in Catskills, New York state. She has acres of land filled with deciduous trees and gets snow at Christmas- I’ve often thought I may have taken to Canada more than Australia but that ship has sailed anyway as too old to try.

@22B- ah I’m so sorry - you may not see this reply but I do so wish you well. I hope you you find some solace ...some good outcome. Some people just don’t get the absolute longing for that familiarity ..whether it be for family/friends and/or music, TV, buildings, trees, history, radio, landscape, birds, so many different accents, Europe, cold, fog etc etc etc. This is why I find such comfort in daily BBC news, Radio 4.... You’re not alone in your longing for the country that you love. All the best.

@22B - exactly! Sorry to hear that you’re feeling a ‘shell of yourself’. Have you friends who are migrants as well as Australian friends? Migrant pals, I believe, are great - even if they don’t share my nostalgia and longing, they can share my love of the music scene and chat about bands in the UK when I was a teen, we can reminisce about familiar places and laugh at ‘ in house’ jokes. It helps me. Gloucestershire is such a beautiful place too (even though I’m a Lancashire lass) Twickenham - studied social work there and would cycle along the Thames from Kingston. Bliss. Yep - robins and blackbirds - I’ve always missed the bird song and familiar trees ( I am currently sat in our back garden getting eaten by mozzies) but....I’m appreciating the beautiful birds here and the eucalyptus trees and.....taking advantage of the sun to grow peppers, passion fruit, toms, limes etc It is hard to disclose how difficult it is when battling homesickness as I’m sure others can either get bored or the glib statement ‘if you don’t like it leave’ ?! This forum has helped me although sometimes I wish there was a separate section for those who are really homesick and just want to vent without any well meaning suggestions/responses! (And no harm at all to those who have offered suggestions!) It’s not solely the plight of people from the UK (as I’m sure we are all aware) My beautiful Kiwi friend is counting down the days until she goes back to NZ as finds Qld grating and just misses ‘home’ Reading your post was heartening yet sad. It also reminded me of @bug family - and I wonder if he’s gone back to the UK? There are times when I love Australia- when out hiking or clambering over rocks (but then the kangaroo situation out in the country makes me sad - but we won’t bring that up again ) or walking through rain forest, or driving along through ‘nothingness’ My sons, at this moment in time, would never contemplate the UK and there’s no way I would leave them....they could leave me and that’s fine ..but not the other way around. I suppose none of us know what’s in store and maybe it’s a case of ‘never say never’ I’m planning on taking long service leave for 2 months next year and will enjoy the company of my siblings, go to outdoor festivals, be a tourist in London, eat parched peas in Preston, wonder at the beautiful trees and revel in all this. It will be hard though as it will be the first time back since my mum died but ......It’s high time for a visit.

@Chortlepuss- I tend to agree with @Blue Flu- if I had a house in the UK there’s no way I’d be selling it (unless of course needed for finances etc) I was so, so sad when our family home was sold as mum had lived there 60 years before she died last year. It was gut wrenching to sell it and I used to love being there when I went back - like a comforting warm, snuggly jumper. You never know what will happen in a few years time and it could be a good bolt hole for any of your family for many reasons.

@Chortlepuss- that’s me! Aside from the fact that I’m from Lancashire I also find it scary the thought of growing old here. Yes, agree about the things we find irritating/upsetting but COP 26 has just solidified my anxiety/disgust/disdain surrounding the current government - they’re like a throwback to the 1950’s. @Antipodista- thank you. I think maybe I whinge a bit too much rather than being in a really low place. Utter contentment when I’m looking at my back garden or hiking (as long as it’s cooler weather!) or swimming in the sea but yes....there is a low grade sadness about not living the life I thought I would live..

@Robert Dyson- ok - we’ve skewed away somewhat from my original post regarding my sad feelings regarding living here for ...ever. It’s starting to feel a bit like we’re being petty. Almost waiting for the ‘slip up’ - ahh gotcha! I didn’t want that. Too much of that on FB. I’ll leave it just here if that’s ok?

@Robert Dyson- and your point being? Are you suggesting that it’s ok to kill as they are ‘just’ animals? Everything as an inherent instinct to survive. I purposely said ‘someone’ as the label ‘something’ allows total disconnect. @Parley- the relevance to me in that I live in Australia (currently) and I’m not hampered by a complete apathy to the wildlife that we share this country with. Kangaroos have to contend with habitat destruction, wildfire, traffic and people who choose to kill them to earn a dollar and farmers who see them as a pest. I believe that there is a nasty mindset - worldwide - of looking after number one and not considering others. Yes, bludgeoning babies to death is factual. Kangaroos are also looking for food as their habitat has been destroyed by farmers - think of the great areas of land, devoid of many trees, used to farm cows - and housing developments. It’s pathetic (in the true sense of the word) to see the yellow and black kangaroo signs in housing developments that was once habitat. I’m aware that the UK kills animals. I’m talking about an animal that we exploit for tourism, on the coat of arms, coins, Qantas etc and yet we savagely kill. Many of us are quick to pour scorn on so called ‘trophy hunters’ in African countries. How is killing native wildlife here any different. I’m sorry that you’ve digested the myth that there are ‘too many’ and they need to be ‘managed/culled’ - awful euphemisms. I wish more people would open their heart and be a little kinder to the animals we share this country (the planet) with. ‘We need nature, nature doesn’t need us’

@Parley - I disagree but we’re different people with different ideas and beliefs. Killing humanely is a complete oxymoron when someone doesn’t want to be killed. The joeys are bludgeoned to death. The kangaroos aren’t always killed at first shot and can be left with awful injuries. The industry does not keep stats on how many are killed. Who sets the bar on what is a ‘manageable population’ ? Kangaroos have existed here for millions of years yet us Europeans have labelled them a pest. They will have lived through drought before. The British and other Europeans - as we are all aware - took great swathes of land for farming cows. They saw (see) kangaroos as a pest -despite the fact that one cow eats far more grass than a mob of kangaroos. 100 years ago koalas were near extinction as it was big business to turn their fur into hats. The US government at the time stepped in to stop this ( well influenced policy.) Do other countries need to step up again? Slaughtering a tourist attraction. Drought - are you aware of how much water animal ag uses? I am British - of course - but we have decimated so much of Australia - First Nations, wildlife and habitat - and continue to do so. First Nations used (use) kangaroos for food yet had a deep respect for them. Colonialists and present day Aussies kill them in the thousands for profit -nothing to do with ‘management’ - big lies perpetuated to protect big business. And......some people really do get a kick out of shooting animals. We see it in ‘big game’ photos. A public inquiry was recently held in NSW and one fellow confirmed (from the Kangaroo Industry) that their shooters are now having to go further afield to look for kangaroos to kill and are killing females - used to be males- females with babies. It’s profit - pure and simple.

Just to add my tuppence worth re the government - I’m aware that corruption is rife in governments worldwide (are people crooked before they’re elected or do they become crooked?) but....I find the government here - federal and state have a total disregard for the environment and wildlife. Australia kills thousands of kangaroos - for football boots and pet food. People buy into the myth that’s gleefully perpetuated that they are ‘pests’ The true pests being humans. A country that savagely kills its national emblem! Tourists come to Australia to see this unique native animal. Australia could be such a fabulous country if there was a huge change in mindset. Honouring past wisdom whilst being progressive and looking to the future. I’m sick of seeing greed for short term gain and yes, the wilful destruction of habitat / wild areas does make me want to leave. Australia not signing up to reduce methane is deplorable - we are led by cowboys - quite literally - who are too invested in animal agriculture to admit that it is a major producer of methane. Australia could do so much better.

@Toots - heartening to read your friends from Lancashire manage to live their life there and still see their son. It can be done I suppose.

@Marisawright- thank you! I sometimes think of the affinity and connection First Nations have to the land and appreciate this idea of being connected to country. Time and time again I realise that it is the land and nature that I’m missing; flora/fauna etc - and this will never dissipate no matter how much counselling etc. I don’t see it as an affliction as like the idea (even though it pains me) of feeling deeply connected to a place. I thought I was a nomad as a teen and in my early 20’s and loved to travel ...but that was it - to travel not to settle. Often it is one partner who wants to migrate far more than the other.

@Robert Dyson thanks for your response. I’ve found that places contribute to my emotional well being. I feel a deep sense of connectedness when I’m back in the UK; particularity in Lancashire. Additionally, as mentioned, I never disliked the UK as many migrants did/do. I’m not searching for something that no longer exists. Each time I’ve gone back and heard the Lancashire accents I’ve always felt a comfort and a pang of jealousy because I moved away. I think many feel a connection to place. I love the light, the trees, the craggy mountains, the architecture ..... I despise the current government- greedy, no appreciation of past wisdom and in the same breath not forward thinking. Cutting down habitat, no value for native wildlife Looking after their own.