Hi, we moved back to the UK 2.5 years ago after spending 8 years away. Some years in Perth and some in Melbourne. My daughters were 5 and 6 when we moved out there and so teenagers when we came back. It was me ( the wife!) of the family who wanted to leave (and I had for a quite a while) everyone else was perfectly happy. Within 4 weeks of being back I started to wonder " why on earth did I want to come back" and 2.5 years later I still feel that way and I have a lot of regrets about leaving Australia. Basically I let my heart lead rather than head and I know that some say that you should follow your heart...
Reasons for leaving: I wanted to see more of family and old friends; even after 8 years I didn't feel "at home" and I found it difficult to make close friends other than with other English people (despite trying hard and taking up opportunities when they presented, although maybe I could have tried harder..); I struggled with the high temperatures in the Summer (and didn't want to move to Tasmania nor somewhere like SW WA- as lovely as they are for a holiday); for some bizarre reason I wanted my daughters to be able to access UK Universities as domestic students rather than overseas (need 3 yrs residency) etc and so the list goes on. UK University fees are now some of the most expensive in the World, higher that in Australia (taking into account Commonwealth loans etc)..
So anyway our experiences of coming back. I will just mention that we were very lucky and my husband had also been offered 2 different jobs back here in the UK at the time, both as good (and one even better) than his job in Australia so we didn't come back to unemployment and he could well have eventually been made redundant in Australia due to a downturn in the mining industry and manufacturing. Anyway, the bottom line is that it was a complete hassle and frankly a nightmare at times in trying to sort out and establish life here again in the UK. By that I mean it was a nightmare trying to get school places (all schools are full and frankly there are not a lot of good ones in the State Sector in the area we had to live- dictated by job). Dealing with the LEA was like dealing with the military. Rude, unhelpful and totally lacking in flexibity. Despite the fact that we were born and bred here, still had UK bank accounts, NHS numbers, NI numbers and the fact that my husband was employed immediately it was very difficult and a hassle trying to sort other things out like getting reasonable car insurance, securing a house rental etc etc. The rental market in the UK is in crisis, there is little affordable decent accommodation available unless you want to live somewhere very remote (outer Hebrides maybe?). I know I am sounding negative and obviously we did get sorted eventually but it was extremely difficult despite the fact that are British Citizens, born and lived here for 40 years, paid taxes and NI for over 20 yrs etc. Why so difficult? The UK wasn't exactly welcoming so prepare yourselves for that.. When we moved to Australia, it was 100% easier. From school places to car insurance to bank accounts etc.. Everyone was pleased to have us there and to have our business. There is no doubt that during our 8 years away (2006-2014) the UK had changed a lot. A big obsession with security checks etc etc.
On starting at secondary school my daughters were initially horrified.. and said they couldn't stay there they had to leave. Everyone (girls) were made upto the nines in makeup, carrying handbags, gossiping and there were/ are many miserable depressed faces. At their High school in Australia there was no make up, lots of fun and kids were happy. They have settled now and made some friends but only the other day my youngest daughter said she missed talking about books they had read with friends at school (she is 15); here it is frowned upon by peers to show/admit that you actually read. So unless you can afford the exhorbitant fees of an independent school, be warned about most State Secondary Schools here in the UK. That said my eldest daughter has just got 12A*s in her GCSE's last Summer but it was down to sheer hard work on her part (and maybe from coming from such a good Education in Australia) and not to do with teaching. Apparently half the time teachers don't turn up on many occasions, there are kids swearing (at teachers and others), asleep at the desk, over 30+ in the class and so on. So frankly up against all that she did pretty well. I will just mention I am not talking about a rough inner city school here it's one in a nice semi rural area of W Sussex.
You are probably hoping there is no more but what else!? The hope of meeting up with family and old friends has been a complete disappointment (apart from parents and maybe a couple of old friends to be fair). Most friends have either not wanted to meet up or are just too busy.. Everyone here is much too busy and stressed compared to Australia. I know someone reading this might say why would anyone want to meet up with such a whinger (!). Point taken I am just trying to give a true picture. Frankly people won't make the effort, or don't have time or have simply moved on- probably a combination of all 3. Anyway I have stopped trying as have got the message and one new friend I have made who has lived overseas many years has in their wisdom advised- on coming back from overseas you have to start afresh. Make a new life with new friends etc as people just don't want to know- there will always be one or two old friends for whom this isn't the case but generally it is the case. They were right, you can't just slip back easily and you do have to start again.
Now I haven't even started on the weather.!I found Australian Summers stifling- I like the outdoors, walking and the like and couldn't do it for several months or not properly anyway. But I have found the grey, damp weather for a good half year or more as you find in the UK very depressing. I never wished life along in Australia whereas every Oct to March I wishing for it to be Spring again..
I haven't got into the disgraceful roads here (pot hole after pot hole), high taxes (making you feel quite poor and bear in mind high Council taxes- payable even as a tenant unlike in Oz)d), heavy traffic and overcrowding (yes health service in a crisis- all about juggling figures and not patient care) and then couple with all this there is this constant bombardment in the news now about Brexit, terrorism everywhere you go (esp Europe etc).
Anyway sorry to be so negative but truly think very carefully about throwing it all in and coming back. Think about your children's future. We have Citizenship so may well turn around one day and go back but are tied here now due to job, finishing education etc so are now trying to make the most of things.
What do I like about the UK? Apart from being able to see parents of course, then what I do like is what I would describe as "the depth" pf people. When someone asks how you are or speaks to you, perhaps just in a shop etc they seem to genuinely mean what they are saying.. There is a certain genuine friendliness that I didn't feel in Australia, even with strangers. The quirkiness of the UK. It's scruffy in many parts but there is character.. Whatever others might say I feel that the last couple of years the job market here has been pretty good.. not sure how it will keep going in the future. Online shopping and deliveries. All huge here and brilliant service. Sometimes you even get a delivery at 10pm Saturday evening. Post delivered on a Saturday!
Anyway there is lots to think about and it is just our experience.
