mcmillsa Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Hi just thought I would write this thread as an update on our return after 4 and a half years living in Australia. First 3 years loved living in oz and saw it as forever then after losing my dad and coming back for 4 months at the end of 2010 during his last few weeks changed the way I felt. Feb 2011 returned to oz with the view of getting home started to settle again but could not get that feeling of not belonging away. Had the perfect lifestyle for an outsider looking on good jobs nice home friends etc but felt what was the point of it without my family and our good friends in England. 99% of people said to us you will be back. Anyway booked our flights in feb to return in march 2012 we had a break in Dubai on way back. Fast forward the last 2 and half months and absolutely feel so happy to be home both got jobs, nice home, daughter back in education, son loving been around family. Social life's great people pop in to see us we can pop to people's houses all local to each other. Mostly I belong here and feel proud to be British and grateful that I have been given the opportunity to experience living in Australia. It was harder to return than go to Australia and had many doubts about if we were doing the right thing but it was so right for us. Had the best experience no regrets in fact it has opened us up to change and new experiences instead of plodding on. I couldn't of stayed much longer or I think my daughter would of stayed in oz she is 18 next year and wasn't getting anywhere fast there had left school with no qualifications and was hanging around with people with no get up and go I could see her going that way also which was hard. I always believe go with that gut instinct it tends to be right whether for those deciding to go or return. I don't believe I will return don't think I could ever leave my family and friends again. We were fortunate to have the option also to come home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgt Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Least you did it,many talk and dont bother, enjoy your return:biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helent113 Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 What a great post! Glad everything has worked out well for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perthbum Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 At least you ad the guts to try it, many people dream about going but will never go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Good to hear that things have fallen into place for you all and that you are now in a place you "belong" - isnt that a fabulous feeling?! Hope things continue to go well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soozan Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 That's so lovely to hear, really pleased everything has fallen into place for you (I'm just a little bit jealous!) xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LojaChica Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Great Post..............Thank you for sharing............... Have you returned back to Lancaster then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully81 Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 It is so nice to hear positvie feedback. I can appreciate that Aus not for everyone but no need to diss any country (aus or UK) . Each to their own. It so nice to hear that people appreciate chance they've got to get to Aus as there are many that would like to come but can't (including some of our family and friends back in UK) and then a lot that gets the visas but send negative . Glad you are happy back home. Enjoy!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laguna Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Hi Mcmillsa Glad its worked out for you. Hard decision to make whether to stay in Oz or go home. I was just wondering how easy was it for you to get your daughter back into the education system. We arrived in January and my eldest daughter is 13. We are definitely going to stay in Oz two years as husband has two years leave from his job in UK and we are renting our house. That would mean my daughter would then be home in time to start the GCSE years. However I would quite like to stay four years to get citizenship if we decide we like it but that would then mean my daughter would be 17 and would not have done GCSEs. Not sure you can do A Levels without doing the GCSEs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcmillsa Posted June 4, 2012 Author Share Posted June 4, 2012 Hi yes we returned to Lancaster a village just outside originally thought we would go anywhere but then if it was friends and family we missed why go somewhere else. Always liked where I was from and Australia was a change and an adventure. My daughter was 12 when we moved over. She was doing well until we came back from England after my dads death and she got into the wrong crowd and ended up leaving school in year 11. I later found out the death of my father affected her a lot hence the behaviour after we got back to Australia. My dad looked after her alot when she was young when I was a single parent and worked shifts. I had said to her I would stay until she completed school then she could get her qualifications hence not to be. It's a very hard age to move them as she did not want to come back had her friends main network at that age. If she had been doing well then maybe things would of had to of been different. Now she is doing an entry into further education and loves it, has applied for a full time course in September doing maths and English GCSE along side. She has now a part time job and no longer says she is going back to live there next year but she would like to go for a holiday (just hope she comes back!) We got our citizenship after 4 years so she does have the option. I do feel I have messed up her education a bit from all the moving but she has also had the experience a lot of kids don't and would like. Also she is only 17 and has got a long time ahead of her to figure out what she would like. Teenagers it's here and now that I have learned. A lot easier when children are not involved. Son who is 7, easy loves been home with his grandparents and rest of family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcmillsa Posted June 4, 2012 Author Share Posted June 4, 2012 Hi yes we returned to Lancaster a village just outside originally thought we would go anywhere but then if it was friends and family we missed why go somewhere else. Always liked where I was from and Australia was a change and an adventure. My daughter was 12 when we moved over. She was doing well until we came back from England after my dads death and she got into the wrong crowd and ended up leaving school in year 11. I later found out the death of my father affected her a lot hence the behaviour after we got back to Australia. My dad looked after her alot when she was young when I was a single parent and worked shifts. I had said to her I would stay until she completed school then she could get her qualifications hence not to be. It's a very hard age to move them as she did not want to come back had her friends main network at that age. If she had been doing well then maybe things would of had to of been different. Now she is doing an entry into further education and loves it, has applied for a full time course in September doing maths and English GCSE along side. She has now a part time job and no longer says she is going back to live there next year but she would like to go for a holiday (just hope she comes back!) We got our citizenship after 4 years so she does have the option. I do feel I have messed up her education a bit from all the moving but she has also had the experience a lot of kids don't and would like. Also she is only 17 and has got a long time ahead of her to figure out what she would like. Teenagers it's here and now that I have learned. A lot easier when children are not involved. Son who is 7, easy loves been home with his grandparents and rest of family. Oh they would access her level for A levels forgot to say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laguna Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Thanks for the reply. Another reason why I was asking is that someone told me that if they are not in the UK for three years before University you have to pay international fees which I feel is a bit unfair as she was born in the UK and has spent most of her school years in UK. I'm just a bit worried that if we stayed here for four years to get citizenship and then decided to go home she would be 17 (the same as your daughter). Not sure what an entry into further education is I will have to look that up. My other children are younger (ages 10 and 8) so it doesn't really affect them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munchkinella Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Thanks for sharing Mcmillsa. Happy for you. Wishing you all the best for the future. :wubclub: Jxxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Great post ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cartertucker Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 Great post, thanks for sharing:cute: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris OHare Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 any regrets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissEmma Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 Thanks for the reply. Another reason why I was asking is that someone told me that if they are not in the UK for three years before University you have to pay international fees which I feel is a bit unfair as she was born in the UK and has spent most of her school years in UK. I'm just a bit worried that if we stayed here for four years to get citizenship and then decided to go home she would be 17 (the same as your daughter). Not sure what an entry into further education is I will have to look that up. My other children are younger (ages 10 and 8) so it doesn't really affect them. Hi Laguna, I moved to Victoria when I was 15, at the end of Year 10 in the UK. I completed VCE in 2005 (Victorian equivalent of A-Levels) and planned to return to the UK for university. However, when I began looking into the application process, I was informed that I would be liable for international student fees; at the time this was approximately £8,000 per year vs the usual £1,000. Apparently this was because I had been out of the country for more than two years, and during which time had paid no tax (which is ridiculous, because my parents had paid tax all their lives!) It's extremely unfair and still makes me cross! I ended up completing my university studies in Melbourne; I qualified as a secondary teacher this year and am finally moving back to the UK in February 2013. In terms of advice to you, if you opt to stay for the full 4 years in order to gain citizenship (and your daughter intends to go to university), she would be better off doing it in Australia. It is too expensive/an insult to have to pay international fees, and in the 3 years she would have to wait to be considered a 'home student', she could have completed a degree in Australia. I'm afraid I'm unable to help re eligibility for A-Levels without GCSEs - hopefully someone else can. Emma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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