CTM5198

Aw thanks! And yes boring... and hot. I don’t think I can stand another summer tbh, especially after this lengthy one we’ve just had.

Don’t get me started I have certainly been acquainted to the Hyacinth Bouquet personality and my God is it stifling...

Yes it’s all about perspective! Your experience in Africa reminds me of the many migrants in Australia who come from developing & least developed countries - they are completely satisfied with their life here and view Australia as ‘heaven’ simply because they are contrasting their past living conditions (perhaps war, famine, etc...) with greener pastures, like with the example you gave about the novel, Room. Migrants coming from developed countries will be looking at different things when determining quality of life. But thanks for that perspective on things!

Yeah I’ve heard stories about people going back to the UK for a visit, and experiencing a reverse culture shock - “omg I can’t believe I actually used to live here, in this cold, crowded place with monotonous-looking houses”.

Yeah cos at 15, you’re kinda at the point where people have already forged their relationships and connections since primary school or at the beginning of secondary school and are about to dissipate for university.

That’s really funny though, how it didn’t take 2 seconds for him to re-integrate into British life . An honours is definitely something I was planning, just to have that competitive edge.

Some wise words there... Thank you!

I get what you mean. I am already being told over Skype that my accent has changed so that’s not a good start ...

I’m doing a double degree in Law & Business at Western Sydney University Parramatta, which is of course not the best of unis nor would it be as universally recognised as the Russell Group or Red Brick unis in the UK. From what I hear though, it’s harder to qualify as a lawyer in the UK due to the training contract requirement, but jobs are probably less competitive than in Australia due to a bigger legal market.

Yeah I’ve heard people describe Australia as “Just a Sunny Britain” but that’s obviously not the most accurate description . All I can say is good for you! Good to hear that Australia is working well for you. An interesting insight, thanks for that!

Yeah that’s true. And yeah it’s funny to think that I came here as a naive 15 year old and still have an attachment to home. I’m still young I guess so no hurry...

Yeah I agree. Every country has its flaws but it’s the things that make the UK unique, that makes me miss home, no matter how crappy the weather can be (I can’t stand the heat either).

Yep definitely!

That’s good to hear! And yeah I’ll treat this visit as a ‘taster’ and see where my feelings lie. And yes you’re right, probably best to finish uni here first (or else I’d be paying international fees back home thanks to the 3-year residency rule for home fees).

Hi! So I’m a 20 year old uni student and I moved out to Sydney with my parents in late 2013. Recently, I’ve been feeling extremely homesick and thankfully I’m going back home for a visit in July. I’ve been homesick to the extent that I’ve been making jokes about not coming back to Australia after my trip. One thing that is kinda bothering me is that I feel like an outlier or a weirdo, missing the UK & preferring it over Australia. I feel like I have to justify myself to other Brits (and never really Aussies), especially to those back in the UK who seem to have a television snapshot of Australian life. I get that we all have our various preferences, likes and dislikes but are my reasons rational? Australia is beautiful, I must admit, but my reasons the aspects I miss about the UK certainly outweigh the positives of Australia. Is this natural?