3 months back in the UK and............................................... .....................

[northshorepom]

Glad to hear you got back OK and have worked out what you want! Always liked/laughed at your posts

 

Do you want to share your "last trip around Oz" with us as well? Would be really interested in that

 

Cheers and good luck!

[Rue 66]

Hi Blobby,

I have been watching your story for a while now and can completely relate to how you were feeling. We have been here as a family for 4 1/2 years now. We have got a nice circle of friends but no-one really close. I don't think I have had a good belly laugh since I got here. Friendships seem to be very much on a superficial level and believe me we have tried really hard. What is even harder is seeing my boy, aged 14 1/2 who sits on his own pretty much every school holiday and has done since we got here where I know that in England he would have had mates living close by to hang out with. We do loads of things, he is very sporty, surfs and is into sports at school but we have just spend 4 days Easter weekend pretty much on our own where I know that if we were in the UK we would have either been visiting friends or had someone to stay. It's very hard socially and I would have said we are pretty outgoing, friendly, nice people to know. Just can't seem to crack it at all! So now seriously thinking of a move back to the UK.

 

Anyway, just wanted to say that I hope you keep letting us know how you are getting on and that it has been really interesting to follow your story and that I am sure that things will pick up for you. If your kids are in primary school, surely that means there must be people your age around? Anyway, it's early days - at least you might meet like-minded people through work.

 

All the best.

 

Rue

[Guest]

Glad you are happy to be back.

 

I do agree with that it can be really hard to get a foothold in a small village (esp in some rural areas with a strong identity like Cornwall). A larger town down there probably would have been better in terms of not noticing or feeling so isolated from the local population. It can take a fair while for a small village to welcome new arrivals past the initial welcome mat (if you even get that). This from someone who is a rural person and knows how it can go.

[BelgianBun]

So Mr Blobby...

I have the opportunity to join up with an ex-colleague in Oz, who's a partner in Consultancy firm. I can choose from Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane. They are willing to do the necessary for a 457 visa for 6-12months and paying around $700-800/day + GST.

Whilst it appeals to me somewhat (Note I'm a Belgian national, have lived and worked in France, Monaco, US and now UK since 1995 - with the latter being what I call "home"); I can't deny I'm content with my current live here. I'm a self-employed IT consultant (living not too far from your back garden in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire), living a comfortable lifestyle (nothing fancy)... I like the are where we live (cycling a lot) though I always need to travel about an hour or more for work. My wife is a local and her parents are still with us and there's 2 kids aged 10 & 13... Give me your honest opinion?

[Guest guest74886]

So Mr Blobby...

I have the opportunity to join up with an ex-colleague in Oz, who's a partner in Consultancy firm. I can choose from Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane. They are willing to do the necessary for a 457 visa for 6-12months and paying around $700-800/day + GST.

Whilst it appeals to me somewhat (Note I'm a Belgian national, have lived and worked in France, Monaco, US and now UK since 1995 - with the latter being what I call "home"); I can't deny I'm content with my current live here. I'm a self-employed IT consultant (living not too far from your back garden in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire), living a comfortable lifestyle (nothing fancy)... I like the are where we live (cycling a lot) though I always need to travel about an hour or more for work. My wife is a local and her parents are still with us and there's 2 kids aged 10 & 13... Give me your honest opinion?

 

If you are making good money where you are I wouldn't consider it just for 12 months and probably not even if it was long term either, your lifestyle would be no better and commutes would probably be similar, the only thing you would have is experience in another english speaking country which is probably going to disappoint as it is behind the rest of the world in most things although I can't speak for IT.

you would get the sun but even that is a bit of a bore when its in the 30's for 3/4 months at a time.

[dmjg]

you would get the sun but even that is a bit of a bore when its in the 30's for 3/4 months at a time.

 

Sunny and warm allowing you to do anything you wish without packing a mountain of clothes is a bore?

 

I am sure many consider that the rain sleet and cold for 6 months of the year would be an issue too. Isn't that one of the reasons people think about immigrating to Australia before looking at anything else?

Edited April 11, 2013 by dmjg

[Guest chris955]

I wouldnt want to live anywhere that had rain sleet and cold for 6 months either but the heat certainly stops you doing a lot of stuff.

[Guest]

If you are making good money where you are I wouldn't consider it just for 12 months and probably not even if it was long term either, your lifestyle would be no better and commutes would probably be similar, the only thing you would have is experience in another english speaking country which is probably going to disappoint as it is behind the rest of the world in most things although I can't speak for IT.

you would get the sun but even that is a bit of a bore when its in the 30's for 3/4 months at a time.

 

IT industry is behind in OZ according to friends who work in it. I wouldnt bother with the upheaval if your happy where you are. Why not come out here for a short Vacation and see what you think

[Guest The Pom Queen]

I agree!!! For some reason my computer wont allow me to press return on here!!!!

 

It's an incompatibility between the forum software and Internet Explorer version 10 or 11.

 

 

Try viewing the site in compatibility mode by clicking on the button as shown in the image below, that might fix it.

 

 

[fizzybangs]

I love the posts from people who have returned and this one was great so thanks. I return on Tuesday and know not everything will be perfect and the weather will probably get us down but I am so excited. Been back several times before for fairly long holidays and once for 9 months for work but have been in Oz since April 1981 - long time! I hope I will be able to post about as many positives as you have and hang in there - retirement does come eventually and then you'll be left with just the positives!

[Freckleface]

I love the posts from people who have returned and this one was great so thanks. I return on Tuesday and know not everything will be perfect and the weather will probably get us down but I am so excited. Been back several times before for fairly long holidays and once for 9 months for work but have been in Oz since April 1981 - long time! I hope I will be able to post about as many positives as you have and hang in there - retirement does come eventually and then you'll be left with just the positives!

 

 

 

Hope everything goes well with your move back fizzy. Not long to go now :smile:

[Dawny]

So pleased to hear you are happy back in the UK, but sad to hear Cornwall isn't the place to be, We too are happy to be back in the UK,

Had many a happy holiday in Mullion (Cornwall) and still have plans at some point to up sticks and live there!!

[Conniebygaslight]

I agree!!! For some reason my computer wont allow me to press return on here!!!!

 

Mine too.....all of a sudden!

[Tea4two]

Hahaha I wondered what had happened to you! I used to comment on your posts as I felt you were negative to newbies about Melbourne - do you remember? Our user name has changed since then but your post made me laugh so much. We also do everything the hard way and we decided between Cornwall and OZ haha. Maybe the reason holidays are so much fun is because they are a special treat and you don't live there. I'm still undecided on OZ and the husband still hates it. I love my work, love the cafe culture and now we live in Sandringham it's so much better than the West. But there is always something missing - family and friends and I worry that the longer we are away, we will lose our connection to them. I'm sorry to hear about your child's schooling but you also gave them a brilliant adventure and i'm sure they can catch up. I work in a top private school here and kids are held back all the time. The only thing you may have to think about is- if your child is held back and for some reason they are desperate to leave school when they reach 16, would that mean they could leave before they've sat their GCSE's? Xx

 

We want to move back to Australia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No no, only joking. We did our 6 week trip around the country which was pretty special, although it was mixed with a little anxiety in thinking we ought to be keeping the money for when we got home. But at least it meant we left in a more positive frame of mind. Having said that, we had no regrets when we boarded the flight out of Melbourne and headed home via Bali. Australia was not what we wanted and we were mostly disappointed with the experience. Having said that, since getting home we have put ourselves in an equally difficult situation! We decided that we did not want to return back to where we had come from. We felt that we had lived that life and we wanted to be free to live wherever we wanted. We had always fancied Cornwall and so we headed down here, we found a house within days and I got a job after 2 weeks and Mrs Blobby got one too....People on here warned me that we were going from one situation with no friends to another and I am afraid that that is exactly what has happened!!!! Actually its almost a carbon copy of our experience of arriving in Australia and shows that we have learned very little and its almost amusing. We selected a tiny Cornish village called St Tudy and rented a cottage (we have a house back in Cheltenham waiting for us, but that would have been far too simple!). Well, I imagined popping down the local pub, joining the skittles, darts or pool team and becoming a member of the community whilst drinking plenty of Doom Bar. But it doesn't quite work like that. Just like Australia, people don't welcome you into their world with open arms, you have to work hard and being that the average age in the village is about 83 and there is no skittles pool or darts due to the fact that everybody uses zimmer frames, that idea went right out the window. Our eldest son (aged 5) started in the local school where he is behind (due to Australia starting later) and the teacher wants to put him back and year. We have therefore got him a private tutor to sort out the mess we created. Our other son (aged 3) says every day "it is very very cold!!!" and, in fairness, it is!! Still barely above freezing and its April tomorrow!! I am back working for the NHS as a community psychiatric nurse, I am drowning in paperwork and my caseload is enormous. Mrs Blobby has a job in a nursing home where she is subjected to systematic bullying (as are the other staff) and hates every minute of it!!! So whats the positives!!!??? Well my 78 year old Mum and 86 year old Auntie have been for the weekend. Mrs Blobbys friends are in town for the week and its great to back in England. The countryside, the humour, the fact people talk to you, the beer, the amazing takeaways, the good manners, the tele, the crisp cold sunny mornings, Cheltenham national hunt festival, the music, the courteous drivers, the character, the architecture, the intelligence, the hard work ethic. Its great to be back!!!! Having said this for us, Cornwall is a place we love to go on holiday to and in the summer we will be returning to Cheltenham, to our house, to my job (I hope!) and to our friends, who we actually want to see and not to live 3 hours away from! We remain in the wrong place for now but not the wrong country. We have no regret in coming back. MELBURNE SMELT.

[Lambethlad]

We want to move back to Australia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No no, only joking. We did our 6 week trip around the country which was pretty special, although it was mixed with a little anxiety in thinking we ought to be keeping the money for when we got home. But at least it meant we left in a more positive frame of mind. Having said that, we had no regrets when we boarded the flight out of Melbourne and headed home via Bali. Australia was not what we wanted and we were mostly disappointed with the experience. Having said that, since getting home we have put ourselves in an equally difficult situation! We decided that we did not want to return back to where we had come from. We felt that we had lived that life and we wanted to be free to live wherever we wanted. We had always fancied Cornwall and so we headed down here, we found a house within days and I got a job after 2 weeks and Mrs Blobby got one too....People on here warned me that we were going from one situation with no friends to another and I am afraid that that is exactly what has happened!!!! Actually its almost a carbon copy of our experience of arriving in Australia and shows that we have learned very little and its almost amusing. We selected a tiny Cornish village called St Tudy and rented a cottage (we have a house back in Cheltenham waiting for us, but that would have been far too simple!). Well, I imagined popping down the local pub, joining the skittles, darts or pool team and becoming a member of the community whilst drinking plenty of Doom Bar. But it doesn't quite work like that. Just like Australia, people don't welcome you into their world with open arms, you have to work hard and being that the average age in the village is about 83 and there is no skittles pool or darts due to the fact that everybody uses zimmer frames, that idea went right out the window. Our eldest son (aged 5) started in the local school where he is behind (due to Australia starting later) and the teacher wants to put him back and year. We have therefore got him a private tutor to sort out the mess we created. Our other son (aged 3) says every day "it is very very cold!!!" and, in fairness, it is!! Still barely above freezing and its April tomorrow!! I am back working for the NHS as a community psychiatric nurse, I am drowning in paperwork and my caseload is enormous. Mrs Blobby has a job in a nursing home where she is subjected to systematic bullying (as are the other staff) and hates every minute of it!!! So whats the positives!!!??? Well my 78 year old Mum and 86 year old Auntie have been for the weekend. Mrs Blobbys friends are in town for the week and its great to back in England. The countryside, the humour, the fact people talk to you, the beer, the amazing takeaways, the good manners, the tele, the crisp cold sunny mornings, Cheltenham national hunt festival, the music, the courteous drivers, the character, the architecture, the intelligence, the hard work ethic. Its great to be back!!!! Having said this for us, Cornwall is a place we love to go on holiday to and in the summer we will be returning to Cheltenham, to our house, to my job (I hope!) and to our friends, who we actually want to see and not to live 3 hours away from! We remain in the wrong place for now but not the wrong country. We have no regret in coming back. MELBURNE SMELT.

 

I've got a feeling that you aren't just joking and that you soon be back in Oz.

[Guest chris955]

:biglaugh: