Don't bottle things up.

[Guest Guest77374]

Hi Guys, I am not writing this to scare anyone. the vast majority of kids who emigrate to Australia enjoy the experience and are happy there once they make friends and feel settled. :biggrin:

Thats the good news!

 

However there are some kids who will struggle to settle (I know I was one of them). They will get homesick and sometimes they won't tell anyone because their mums and dads (or step mums or step dads) are saying how lucky they are to have this opportunity and even their friends and family will say the same thing. If you find you are not as happy as everyone thinks you should be you can end up feeling very lonely.

 

If you struggle to settle (or are worried about going), but do not feel you can share your feelings with your loved ones try talking to friends. If your friends are not understanding of where you are coming from please talk to someone at school, like a nice teacher. If you would prefer to be anonymous there are counselling phone lines for kids. http://www.aifs.gov.au/nch/pubs/sheets/rs23/index.html

In the Uk there is childline....http://www.childline.org.uk/Pages/Home.aspx

 

Just please do not bottle your feelings up inside.

Edited October 25, 2012 by Guest77374

[newjez]

I had the same experience. I had no one to confide in. I could have talked to my parents, but I was worried I would just give them a guilt trip. My teacher had a problem with English accents - so he was more part of the problem. I thought about suicide a lot between the ages of 13 - 17. Never attempted, but thought about it lots. From 17 onwards I drank lots and lived very dangerously. I failed uni, dropped out, and life was pretty bad. I didn't exactly hit rock bottom, but I had an extreme lack of self esteem. Slowly - bit by bit, with some good influences I began to re build. I was still drinking lots and playing about with drugs, but I went back to uni, got a degree and then got a job. But life never really made sense till I returned to the UK. Jumping out of an aeroplane was the turning point. Ever since that day I've found a strength within myself. I can drink now with no issues, (I was never an alcoholic), but choose not to most of the time. Married, kids and very happy. It very nearly didn't turn out this way though.

 

I second you Rubyslippers. Don't keep it bottled up, and parents; don't assume your kids have settled and are happy.

[Guest Guest77374]

I had the same experience. I had no one to confide in. I could have talked to my parents, but I was worried I would just give them a guilt trip. My teacher had a problem with English accents - so he was more part of the problem. I thought about suicide a lot between the ages of 13 - 17. Never attempted, but thought about it lots. From 17 onwards I drank lots and lived very dangerously. I failed uni, dropped out, and life was pretty bad. I didn't exactly hit rock bottom, but I had an extreme lack of self esteem. Slowly - bit by bit, with some good influences I began to re build. I was still drinking lots and playing about with drugs, but I went back to uni, got a degree and then got a job. But life never really made sense till I returned to the UK. Jumping out of an aeroplane was the turning point. Ever since that day I've found a strength within myself. I can drink now with no issues, (I was never an alcoholic), but choose not to most of the time. Married, kids and very happy. It very nearly didn't turn out this way though.

 

I second you Rubyslippers. Don't keep it bottled up, and parents; don't assume your kids have settled and are happy.

 

Newjez, thanks for sharing. I am so glad you turned things around for yourself. I too suffered with depression and now I believe it was because I was holding so much pain and confusion inside myself, hence the reason for this thread. When you are on fb and all your old mates are saying things like 'god your so lucky!' you start doubting your own sanity. I was always thinking how lucky there were growing up in the UK. My situation was made all the more painful because I had to leave my dad behind and I am sure that is rarely the case for most kids, but even without missing my dad, I missed my grandparents, cousins, friends etc, so much. I am back amongst them now though and appreciating it all the more for my time away!

I just wish I could have talked to someone when I was younger about my feelings, because I am sure they would have reassured me they were normal. And I am sure it would have helped you too!