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There has been much considered advise on here. It's a tricky situation. As some other posters have suggested - I'd suggest seeking help to first address your home-sickness and anxiety. Be it a group of mums to be , professional assistance or both. Going back to the UK may not address all the issues you hope it may do. When did you leave the UK? Life has been difficult for a lot of people there for some time, and isn't going to get easy in the near future with The coming changes to EU membership. You may find building the support networks here may be helpful and also, don't feel the need to give into extended family pressure if it is being applied (explicitly or implicitly). Siblings and parents could support you by visiting you here, for a part of your pregnancy or after the birth - if they wanted to. Sent from my iPhone using PomsinOz

If this is true - NK on manoeuvres- then it says I all. The NK man-child has been sporting the dummy over successive US administrations without it getting out of hand (other than for he poor citizens of NK). But now all it takes is the current US man-child in charge to start WW3, due to his own dummy spit.. Sent from my iPhone using PomsinOz

A Korean mate and Ozzy spouse are still going. Albeit the spouse insists on travel insurance just in case whilst the Korean says - 'she'll be alright' - don't bother. Interesting approach. I'm akin to go with the view of the locals every time. Still no accounting for the current incumbent in the White House and what his reaction might be.... Sent from my iPhone using PomsinOz

In my experience, nothing is ever a seperate issue. Cause and effect, symbiosis and all that. I have no more to add to this specific conversation. Building up a strong defence on the backs of broken or maimed youth, is not something that attracts me. Sent using Poms in Oz mobile app

I'm sure there is some justification as you point out, but it's not the whole story is it? Knowing personnel in the army, serving and retired, including majors who campaign for better conditions and PTSD support from within and without, I'd be willing to believe them over a publication from or for the military establishment. I'm sure there are those in the army who'd disagree, but campaigns and charities for PTSD, war veterans, invictus etc don't come out of thin air.... Sent using Poms in Oz mobile app

Hmm.....those in the Army who fought successive wars in the Middle East with substandard equipment and even poorer post war support may have another view on that. Being in the thick of it and all.... Sent from my iPhone using PomsinOz

Which state are you based in, and what areas are you looking for PMs for? Could you pls IM me? Sent using Poms in Oz mobile app

Shame about what happened to Cavendish....and also the shadow cast by Lance Armstrong. Wiggins is also now getting sucked into the fray, worrying. Sent from my iPhone using PomsinOz

We've been here just six months, living in Sydney (suburbs), and a lot of what you say resonates. It's pure ecstasy and agony. Paradox and contradiction. Yet I wouldn't change it for anything (having instigated the move, my partner was willing however, being an Aussie And wanting to be closer to ageing family) Work - I had a job offer in my field before I arrived. My other half got one a month in -also in her field. So far so good, pays way better than the UK but yes - bloody incompetent, too laid back IMHO and wasteful. This, coming from someone who has worked pre and post Austerity in Britain and knows what the good and bad times were like. Still it's a 2-5 year plan before moving onto (ideally) running our own going concern. House - we are renting, similarly in the U.K., and plan to buy in the next few years - investment and retirement property. Prices are high but seem to get a lot more for the money. Weather still need to get used to the scorching summer - but Sydney winter so far is a doddle. More Autumn and Spring than winter. Where we rent is single glazed also and it can go down to 4-6 degrees, but the heating has been on sparsely and sporadically. Friends - miss my UK friends and find socialising here is more family and community oriented. This is different/the one thing I find hard getting my head round. Back in Britain we lived in the South East - 40miles out of London, relatively 'white collar', 'white' ethnicity area. Still my group of friends were the most diverse - all ethnicities (White, Asian, Black, mixed race) - 90% of the group are Brits, 10% from Europe or further a field. All age groups - from 30s - 65, gay and straight, all religions, including atheists, varying jobs from lorry drivers to lawyers/; artists to ex army security personnel. And this was rural Buckinghamshire, not London. We all knew each other and socialised extensively. I'm trying to get the same going here, and the ice is slowly beginning to thaw - glacial pace, but I'll keep chipping at it. Food/lifestyle - expensive, but great variety - swings and roundabouts indeed. Missing Britain - first three months, massively. Now - I catch myself out with the odd nostalgic moment but getting settled in. Glad that there is good Brit telly in abundance here - loving Line of Duty![emoji108] So all in all at times difficult, sad, different, happy and loving the adventure [emoji3] Sent using Poms in Oz mobile app

Credit rating is very important and hard to establish if it's your first time in Britain. If you are eligible to vote, get yourself on the local electoral roll (great for proving stability, so make sure you intend to stay at the address for a little while - up to three years). If you intend to move regularly/often it may not work to your advantage. Also open a local bank account. I was with Natwest and HSBC - it takes about six months to a year to establish credit-worthiness (this may have changed). As for mobile phones, if you intend to travel to and from the UK to Oz, 3 (owned by Hutchinson), allow calls from Oz to UK numbers on their 'feel at home', option at no extra cost than your pre-paid tariff. When you go contract, it'd be part of your inclusive minutes. So if you were in Oz, you could call any UK number from your U.K. Phone, at no extra roaming cost. It worked a treat for us when I moved over and had to call UK banks, utilities etc to chase up final bills, close things down etc. Also when I was on hols, and needed to call Blighty[emoji108] Apart from that as Scottiegirl said, have a good curry, glass of wine/cider and enjoy the British summer [emoji41] Sent from my iPhone using PomsinOz

Ok. Which begs the question why are they being overlooked? I don't think it's a wages/salary/economic issue based on how much more productive the economy is here and how competitive salaries are here (hands down compared to the UK - it was a shocking difference, I found out - so much better here. So cutting costs/cheaper labour from abroad isn't likely to be the issue here. Besides the economy here is relatively healthy and productivity good Sent using Poms in Oz mobile app

I can understand that. Being away, for some time, the local news and commentary when seen from afar can be perceived as incendiary. In my case, we lived through the Blair and Brown years into the Lib Dem/Tory coalition into Cameron and then the beginning of Theresa May's stint. I worked in the public sector and the education sector and I saw and experienced the sea change and also the change in tone and attitude, as the recession and then austerity hit. IMHO, things were going sour around 2013/14 and was cemented with the 2015 election. I wasn't personally affected, but things did turn. The growing restlessness and dissatisfaction with poor and middle classes being squeezed economically, Uni or school graduates not being able, to get a job because there were none, the gap between wealthy and poor getting worse etc. The NHS, doc strikes, tube strikes etc. Stories of misdeeds in NHS trusts etc, the shrill press getting worse. People losing pensions over night, bedroom tax etc. The vitriol of the Brexit campaign side-show, Jo Cox's death and then all the goings on in the last six months. There is no hell fire and brimstone as such, but there has been considerable change over the past 9-10 years. Sent using Poms in Oz mobile app

It may also come down to experience, reputation and skills in the role, not just a piece of paper (assuming the piece of paper is from a highly regarded professional body). If a world leading cancer/heart specialist sought work in any country other than their own for some reason. For example a British, Aussie, South African, Indian doctor etc, eminently respected in their field wanted to emigrate somewhere else, I'd be surprised if the country that specialist wanted to move to would turn the Doc down on the basis of 'Our nationals first'. A policy/decision maker/ immigration officer who turns down the opportunity to improve healthcare in their own country because of some jingoistic bureaucratic 'nationals first' policy is not seeing the wood for the trees. Sent using Poms in Oz mobile app

Especially when a big part of the GFA was Westminster being neutral Sent using Poms in Oz mobile app

Owen Jones is a bit too much of a lefty for my liking, but there is more than a kernel of truth in what he says about change coming. Very safe of him to notice and hence have the ability to call it, even if he previously had a different view (ref Corbyn). Not so sure that neoliberalism per-se is dead. However people are fed up with austerity and its many versions over the past 10 years or so and it is showing..... hence we've arrived at Brexit, Grenfell, more extremism and hung parliaments IMHO. Sent using Poms in Oz mobile app

The sooner this conservative and unionist negotiating team hits the buffers, the better IMHO. Foster sounds like a dinosaur and the Tory nasty party doesn't need to be re-established. Sent using Poms in Oz mobile app

As for this attack it's as vile, pernicious and misguided as any of the others (before a competition about body count ensues) Sent from my iPhone using PomsinOz

Interesting thoughts. IMHO This place is positively benign compared to some of the stuff seen on the Guardian, Economist, Independent, BBC, Daily Mail, FB and Twitter comments sections that get bandied about. I do not comment on news sites, but they can be comedy gold - the level of puerile one-up-man-ship that goes on there.....it's a whole community of trolls!! [emoji3] Sent using Poms in Oz mobile app

I'd imagine this is down to TMs immigration policy towards non-EU countries. It's harder for non-EU students and or families to get visas- lots more criteria and requirements. The fact that Indians see Oz, with its strict visa and immigration criteria as more attractive, says a lot..... Sent using Poms in Oz mobile app

As far as I know (and I don't see why this would have become less exacting with time) if you are not qualified from a reputable University/accredited by a world recognised training body for professional services such as Doctoring, Accounting Engineering etc, you have to study and qualify to Oz standards. So even if you come from the UK, US, and Europe if it's not a qualification of good standing, you have to retrain. On that basis Indian qualified doctors too I'd expect have to go through such rigorous selection. So the question for me would be, why are the Oz doctors being overlooked if they are so good, and most importantly available (whilst the majority of overseas doctors re-qualify/re train)? Sent from my iPhone using PomsinOz

Partner is Australian - so for her a move to be closer to family; For us it's lifestyle, weather better job opportunities and options for future retirement. Besides, the current situation at home in the U.K., Brexit, the results of cumulative economic austerity policies since 2008 and now more recently extremist and terror attacks on a very regular basis, meant we were getting to this point of moving, sooner rather than later. So all in all, to be closer to loved ones, for a better life and all that Oz has to offer. Sent from my iPhone using PomsinOz

On that basis, doomed to never learn the lessons of history. Thus, as it ever was.... Sent using Poms in Oz mobile app

Go Ireland [emoji106] Sent using Poms in Oz mobile app

Sad, but I fear, will become true... Sent using Poms in Oz mobile app

Fund public services, build more infrastructure for transport, health education etc. The problems you mention, will carry on despite net migration figures declining. Why? The UK will continue to have UK citizens that need public services as they get older and subsequent generations have families of their own. Despite U.K. Pop regeneration replenishment stats being below the desired rate. Even if the UK had a 'one child' policy like China, more infrastructure will be needed. Controlling immigration is important (for any country), but shutting it down all together is a no no Sent using Poms in Oz mobile app