Hey, first time posting here but have been reading many similar threads to try and figure out what on earth to do.
So we have been living in Aus for 6+ years, moved here from the UK with my Aussie hubby (married over there and had several happy years together in the UK) and our two children both born in the UK.
We moved mainly because hubby was super home sick after 10+ years in the UK and I agreed to have an adventure and try life in Aus. He was the driving force behind it and I spent many months in denial it was actually happening, but like so many others, here I am 6+ years later with a life in Australia!
It took me well over two years to actually settle here, only once we bought our house did I start to feel a bit better about things. Had a good period of feeling settled over around a two year period so we had another baby here who is now 2.5 years. Our other children are now 9 and 7, little Aussies who love our area, their school, running around barefoot, the sandy parks.
They came as little ones so don’t remember anything else.
I have struggled with living away from family for most of the time we’ve been here, apart from a brief settled period, and I am struggling again now, this one has been pretty serious since around Christmas. We’ve managed to see my family often, around twice a year, until the pandemic hit. We had a reunion with my parents earlier in the year which was great. But this feeling of longing to be home is as present as ever, made worse by my parents knowing they need to prioritise renovating their house in the next few years. We don’t have the funds needed to afford the expensive flights at the moment. We are facing the fact that visits may need to slow down now but I don’t want that at all. I feel like I’m missing out on so much time with my parents and siblings, nieces and nephews, it eats away at me while I’m over here quite lonely and just longing to be there.
Hubby and I have agreed to return to the UK for two years to fill up my emotional tanks, spend time with family, show the kids some of the UK, London, Lake District etc and some Europe. I’m just about to get citizenship so we know we can return, my hubby is already dual. We are trying to work out a timeline and action plan, but it all feels a bit of a concept at the minute than an actual thing we are doing and I’m not sure why?
I am worried that what we are planning is just all a bit crazy. We have a life here, my husband likes his job, kids are happy, we have a house, live in a good, maybe too quiet area. But there is nothing particularly wrong with life here except I feel this discontent, I don’t feel a deeper connection to this place an often wonder what we are doing living here.
Im worried I’m ruining everyone’s lives because I want to be back with my family. I have friends here, but most of them are surrounded by family or good friendship groups, and it makes me feel even lonelier.
Is needing to be back with family actually a good enough reason to uproot our lives? And in reality will two years back home be enough? Has anyone moved with kids aged 9 and 7? I’m so worried they will struggle with the move.
But I see a window of time before my eldest starts high school, where we could *try* a life back home/have a break/ start again.
Has anyone else done it? Sorry for the long post!