Update 10 months after returning to the Uk

[Marisawright]

How do you mean? Surely when you left everything you knew behind in the UK you must have thought you were going somewhere truly amazing didn't you? I thought we were all like that, otherwise why would anyone ever go!

 

I was very lucky to spend a few years working in Africa before moving to Australia. That cured me of any illusions that any country is magically wonderful. Before I left, I was amazed at how people at my work viewed the move. You'd have thought I was moving to Paradise! I expected it to offer me better opportunities but I didn't expect miracles.

 

I also did a fair bit of research, including finding a couple of books by migrants who spelled out the pros and cons very well. The information is all there if you want it, but unfortunately it's human nature to want to believe the dream is possible.

[Marisawright]

This overly-sensitive Australian thing is really over-played IMHO. Try putting the shoe on the other foot: Be openly critical of the UK, in the UK, but with a foreign accent. About as welcome as that fart in your Grandmothers house. Many of you seem to think that because you complain like a good un in the UK, and hear it all around you, that the whole country is a sea of robust self-reflection, open to all opinions. That only works if your accent blends in. As someone who had an Australian accent in the UK, I wouldn't have dreamt of wandering around pointing out what I perceived to be flaws. A few may have escaped out of frustration but I never expected my hand shook and appreciation for my input.

 

It's like criticisms of your own family. Only welcome from those who belong. This is pretty much true no matter where you're from. Same with countries.

 

Absolutely true.

[Guest]

I also did a fair bit of research, including finding a couple of books by migrants who spelled out the pros and cons very well. The information is all there if you want it, but unfortunately it's human nature to want to believe the dream is possible.

 

Can you remember what these books were called/or who authored them? thanks.

[Surf N Turf]

Great post your right.

 

I believe the perceived view of an over sensitive Australia kicks in when someone realises they aren't fitting it to the way of life, suffering from home sickness or the realisation they made a mistake emigrating, it's just another coping mechanism to pass the blame for things not working out.

 

An unhappy immigrant can feel very isolated here where Aussies (rightly or wrongly) are quite proud of their country and many migrants around them will be settling well. So it can be hard to find someone who shares your view point and is happy for you to vent. But I think it's a mistake to assume that what you're going through is unique to Australia rather than part of human nature. But PIO might get a little dull if we focused on the overlaps rather than the differences

[Peccavi]

No not really. We had totally unrealistic expectations of Australia.

 

We also underestimated the real feeling of living somewhere where you don't feel you belong. I got tired of always treading on egg shells around Aussies and permanently being obligated to tell them what a truly wonderful country they have and how honoured I am to live there.

 

Unfortunately that Blobby is what dropped you right in it! Oh yes mustn't forget....:wink:

 

This is a wonderful posts and eloquently describes what I have been trying to say for years.

 

Australia is not so bad but it's exhausting moving somewhere where you don't feel permitted to be honest and say what you think about a country. Living in Australia is a bit like popping round your Grandma's house and holding in a fart all afternoon.

 

Try holding one for 37......36 years and 7 months. Eloquently put.....:wink: I know exactly what you mean.

 

I haven't left the uk,to do that i need the house to sell,no other way,simple as that

No,dont judge everyone as naive as yourself,i dont think for one minute aus is utopia,nor is it the most financially sensible thing for me to do,here i'll probably be mortgage free before long,in aus i'll be starting on the bottom rung due to house prices,thats the reality

 

No,i dont think aus is truly amazing,some people just get itchy feet,need a change or adventure,despite knowing it could be a risky financial strategy,"sensible" reasons dont always matter the most,sometimes people just say ahhhh "#### it'lets try it anyway",know what i mean?

Stop judging others reasons for wanting to try aus against your own,you expected too much,i dont,im not a dreamer

 

I am not naive, and I hold much the same view.

 

This overly-sensitive Australian thing is really over-played IMHO. Try putting the shoe on the other foot: Be openly critical of the UK, in the UK, but with a foreign accent. About as welcome as that fart in your Grandmothers house. Many of you seem to think that because you complain like a good un in the UK, and hear it all around you, that the whole country is a sea of robust self-reflection, open to all opinions. That only works if your accent blends in. As someone who had an Australian accent in the UK, I wouldn't have dreamt of wandering around pointing out what I perceived to be flaws. A few may have escaped out of frustration but I never expected my hand shook and appreciation for my input.

 

It's like criticisms of your own family. Only welcome from those who belong. This is pretty much true no matter where you're from. Same with countries.

 

This conundrum is almost on a par with the true meaning of life isn't it?!!.....:wink:

It will go on and on.

 

Given that this section is 'returning to the UK' and not 'my experience in the UK', I think people should be allowed to explain why they are returning to the UK, fffing and blindin' aside.

 

That is not liked; it is not required; it is constantly criticized. And hopefully that will not put people off giving their reasons for return.

 

A country is just a country.I'd like to know how people's expectations of a place manage to get so distorted from the reality?TV shows?Migration agents?Friends or family already over there?Your own "dream"(hate that word lol)?Not having a go Blobby,I'm just curious from you and other posters,why the dream did'nt match the reality?What did you think it would be like?

 

They do. It is all very well to refer to naivety, but the only naivety at play is not acknowledging how manipulative these messages are when they incessantly go on for years.

 

Take that on board, plus the discouragement of having any negative view of Australia as evidenced in so many posts,-and the die is cast.

[Guest]

Great post your right.

 

I believe the perceived view of an over sensitive Australia kicks in when someone realises they aren't fitting it to the way of life, suffering from home sickness or the realisation they made a mistake emigrating, it's just another coping mechanism to pass the blame for things not working out.

 

The introduction of The Guardian newspaper's digital Australian edition last year has generated a bit of a ripple in media circles over here. Being a centre-left newspaper politically it's published stories about Australia which portray the country in not always the most favourable light over issues like asylum, the treatment of Indigenous Australians and the environment. As such, it's carrying on the same tradition of investigative journalism of it's UK edition, and like the UK edition it has a comments section where readers can respond to articles. What's striking for me is the level of antipathy that critical analysis of Australia evokes within the paper's Australian readership. In response to a number of articles readers have accused the paper of having an anti-Australian agenda, of having views of Australia which are stuck in the past, or of being a means for British imperialists to keep the colonials in their place. This is The Guardian we're talking about here, not The Daily Telegraph!

 

What's ironic is that for the most part these articles are written by Australian journalists (poor old John Pilger gets a terrible kicking), they're not even Brits and yet they seem to push up the blood pressure of a huge number of readers. As for those using the comments section to air their own criticisms of this country, a small proportion certainly do appear to be disaffected Brits, but the vast majority are either Australian themselves or come from just about anywhere in the world (UK included) and are just interested in what going on over here.

[Peccavi]

Righto :mask:

 

I've been and right clickety clicked like a mad thing and lopped a heap of posts off this thread.

 

Stop the bickering, discuss the topic not the people discussing the topic. And stop all the other stuff too while you are about it, you are flogging the old proverbial and its gotten very old :wacko:

 

Cheers and warm fuzzy internet hugs :hug:

 

snifter

 

PS - Some of the banter was lovely but when other posts were lopped, they lost context so alas had to go into the internet void of deleted posts *sniff*

 

Thank-you. I mean that. Thank-you.

[pablo]

Not sure what you mean Peccavi,you thought aus was going to be something "truly amazing"?

Well if that "is" what you mean then i think thats naive,maybe im just more cynical,comes from where im from i guess,but i dont expect aus to be any kind of utopia

[Peccavi]

Not sure what you mean Peccavi,you thought aus was going to be something "truly amazing"?

Well if that "is" what you mean then i think thats naive,maybe im just more cynical,comes from where im from i guess,but i dont expect aus to be any kind of utopia

 

What I mean is this Pablo: Naivety is referred to with regard to another posters view of 'totally unrealistic expectations' of Australia.

 

I am saying that I am not naive, and did not have any unrealistic expectations of Australia, but my perceptions are similar to Blobby's.

There is no agenda, nothing deep, no double meaning OK?

 

I don't feel any further need to explain what my perceptions were; why I came etc. If someone wants to do that it's fine. It's a choice. And there IS choice here n'est pas?..

I have said previously that this is not a tribunal, I have no intention of meeting the requirements of others here.

 

What it is -is 'Moving Back to the UK'. If it were 'Moving Back to the UK but Don't Explain Why' then that would be different.

But it isn't.

 

I trust that will clear up any misunderstandings?.........:wink:

[pablo]

What I mean is this Pablo: Naivety is referred to with regard to another posters view of 'totally unrealistic expectations' of Australia.

 

I am saying that I am not naive, and did not have any unrealistic expectations of Australia, but my perceptions are similar to Blobby's.

There is no agenda, nothing deep, no double meaning OK?

 

I don't feel any further need to explain what my perceptions were; why I came etc. If someone wants to do that it's fine. It's a choice. And there IS choice here n'est pas?..

I have said previously that this is not a tribunal, I have no intention of meeting the requirements of others here.

 

What it is -is 'Moving Back to the UK'. If it were 'Moving Back to the UK but Don't Explain Why' then that would be different.

But it isn't.

 

I trust that will clear up any misunderstandings?.........:wink:

 

 

I haven't asked you to explain anything,i simply replied to Blobby(not you),that everyone "doesn't" think aus will be "truly amazing",to use his words,you chose to reply to me,and said "thats how i felt",if thats the case then yes i think its naive.

 

I dont really care why others come back if im honest,it makes no difference at all to me,i never use others as a barometer of how i will feel about aus,and dont understand why some people do tbh.

 

I also dont need everyone to report in glowinmg terms about aus,again,that might not be my reality,we'll see?

 

I think there's some truly amazing "things" in aus,see Melza's thread about the electric storm,see the stromatolites,great barrier reef,even the big starry skies,but "in general",i would never expect my life over there to be truly amazing,i'll most likely still have a trowel in my hand in the baking hot summer sun,so theres the first reality check

I dont watch WDU or any of that stuff,and have never called it living the dream,because i dont expect it to be a dream

I dont know what "misunderstanding" you talk of tbh,i just know that anyone thinking it will be truly amazing is setting themselves up for a fall

[Peccavi]

I haven't asked you to explain anything,i simply replied to Blobby(not you),that everyone "doesn't" think aus will be "truly amazing",to use his words,you chose to reply to me,and said "thats how i felt",if thats the case then yes i think its naive.

 

I dont really care why others come back if im honest,it makes no difference at all to me,i never use others as a barometer of how i will feel about aus,and dont understand why some people do tbh.

 

I also dont need everyone to report in glowinmg terms about aus,again,that might not be my reality,we'll see?

 

I think there's some truly amazing "things" in aus,see Melza's thread about the electric storm,see the stromatolites,great barrier reef,even the big starry skies,but "in general",i would never expect my life over there to be truly amazing,i'll most likely still have a trowel in my hand in the baking hot summer sun,so theres the first reality check

I dont watch WDU or any of that stuff,and have never called it living the dream,because i dont expect it to be a dream

I dont know what "misunderstanding" you talk of tbh,i just know that anyone thinking it will be truly amazing is setting themselves up for a fall

 

..........I responded to posts as people do on forums. Then you asked me a question and I answered it.

I may not have answered it as you wanted, but I answered you.

 

This again has now gone to addressing the poster rather than the post.

 

:nah: (I'm really starting to like these emoticons. Colours rather than meanings)

[pablo]

..........I responded to posts as people do on forums. Then you asked me a question and I answered it.

I may not have answered it as you wanted, but I answered you.

 

This again has now gone to addressing the poster rather than the post.

 

I dont care how you answered it if im honest,it makes no difference at all to me,i really dont understand where im addressing the poster rather than the post?

You seem to be having an argument with yourself ,your opinions on aus or the uk are obviously important and valid for you,but to me they dont really matter,how you and others perceive aus in no way influences any decisions i make,so i think you're putting a bit too much importance on what your opinion of aus is to me,i honestly dont care Peccavi,nor do i care what anyone elses opinion is,good or bad ,i'll leave it there

[Guest]

*eyes thread*

[Guest]

OK, I had locked this while I dealt with one or two things and removed a few posts. Unlocked again now.

 

I don't know how much clearer I need to make it. If you don't want to take the rather large HINT I am posting here, to stop the bickering and arguing, I suggest you leave posting in this thread. Bottom line now is if this nonsense continues it will be locked permanently.

 

snifter

[pablo]

OK, I had locked this while I dealt with one or two things and removed a few posts. Unlocked again now.

 

I don't know how much clearer I need to make it. If you don't want to take the rather large HINT I am posting here, to stop the bickering and arguing, I suggest you leave posting in this thread. Bottom line now is if this nonsense continues it will be locked permanently.

 

snifter

 

God i love it when you're bossy:biggrin::wubclub:

[Guest]

God i love it when you're bossy:biggrin::wubclub:

 

Shush and shoo :mask:

 

 

 

ETA - Lets get back to topic, last time of trying and all that.

[pablo]

Shush and shoo :mask:

 

 

 

ETA - Lets get back to topic, last time of trying and all that.

 

Now yer doing it on purpose

 

 

Ok,ontopic,just a slight misunderstanding,im off out anyway,tara!

[blobby1000]

Well this has been a very enjoyable thread with plenty of dramas and deletings etc....I will be back soon to give you another update!

 

in answer to some questions:

 

i never thought of criticising Australia with a foreign accent to be akin to someone criticising your family from outside, but I think that's an excellent analogy and, for the first time, I can understand why it would annoy people. But I suppose that's my point, it's really hard living somewhere where you cannot moan! I mean, In England I can say what I think and I found it so stifling to not be in that position. I could make the most harmless remark and they don't argue or debate, they just smile and say "whinging pom" that was the Australian answer to any gripe I might have.....and NO I didn't moan to the Aussies much at all!

 

in answer to why I went I must admit that naive is a polite word for me. "Idiot" would be more apt. Im afraid I, and my wife, had the blinkers firmly on and totally ignored any nagging thoughts about any negatives there could possibly be in Australia. In addition, life was pretty tough in the UK at the time we left. we had a massive mortgage, I was a newly qualified nurse on a pretty low wage, I was working 5 days of the week and mrs Blobby was doing the other 2. We had no time together as a family, we were skint, and I did countless amounts of overtime just to make ends meet. The thought of high Aussie wages and sunshine was appealing. It's also well documented that we were mis-sold the deal by our agents and the people I worked for in Australia. I won't go I to all that again, but basically I believed a lot of stuff which turned out to just be sales talk and good old fashioned bullish!t.

 

But we lasted 26 months, and did so much stuff when we were there, which is not bad! I moaned a lot but we gave it a good go.

 

its not easy coming back though, moving abroad certainly changes you forever and I do miss certain things. I miss the sense of adventure, and the fact that every day something surprises me.....like when I turned on the radio at 9am and heard the word w£nker.... Or when I was asked by a senior nurse to go "check on the po@f in room 19".....

 

it was an interesting time!

[blobby1000]

Not sure what you mean Peccavi,you thought aus was going to be something "truly amazing"?

Well if that "is" what you mean then i think thats naive,maybe im just more cynical,comes from where im from i guess,but i dont expect aus to be any kind of utopia

 

Pablo are you in Australia or the UK currently......sorry in a rush and no time to go back reading stuff to check...

 

Either way.....what DO you expect from Australia and why are you going.....if you don't mind me asking

[Guest Guest 47403]

I mean, In England I can say what I think and I found it so stifling to not be in that position.

 

I can't see that as unique to Australia though blobby, the Aussies like Brits are proud of there heritage and don't like it criticism of it, If I had an Ozzie work colleague who continually bitched about things in the UK I'd probably say well if you don't like it you could always...................

 

in answer to why I went I must admit that naive is a polite word for me. "Idiot" would be more apt. Im afraid I, and my wife, had the blinkers firmly on and totally ignored any nagging thoughts about any negatives there could possibly be in Australia. In addition, life was pretty tough in the UK at the time we left. we had a massive mortgage, I was a newly qualified nurse on a pretty low wage, I was working 5 days of the week and mrs Blobby was doing the other 2. We had no time together as a family, we were skint, and I did countless amounts of overtime just to make ends meet. The thought of high Aussie wages and sunshine was appealing. It's also well documented that we were mis-sold the deal by our agents and the people I worked for in Australia. I won't go I to all that again, but basically I believed a lot of stuff which turned out to just be sales talk and good old fashioned bullish!t.

 

And this is where you differ from the returnees who blame everything but themselves, you were sold a dream that didn't exist for you, you accept it was just a mistake to move, and don't feel the need to stay on PIO after coming back with the sole intentions of slagging off Australia like a select few do with there constant negativity.

[Guest]

And this is where you differ from the returnees who blame everything but themselves, you were sold a dream that didn't exist for you, you accept it was just a mistake to move, and don't feel the need to stay on PIO after coming back with the sole intentions of slagging off Australia like a select few do with there constant negativity.

 

I'm not sure whether you'd include me in those Baz but I can say with absolute honesty that any negative I say about Oz if with the sole intention of ensuring people planning on migrating do so with their eyes wide open.

 

To be honest I believed my own research rather than the opinions of people on PIO - in fact even when my future employer arranged a meeting with a previous migrant who told it like it was I didn't believe her so why I think anyone would listen to me I don't know

 

Of course I'm human and when you get idiots talking about going jogging in 44 degree heat I have been known react negatively!

 

I also found it hard not to 'whinge' in Australia - one of the most surreal experiences was protesting along with thousands of Australians about 'Live Export' and being told that's the Australia way so 'FIFO'. Er....so all these Aussies who oppose it are also un-Australian???? I have no issue with them being opposing views but I have an issue with not being allowed to have one because I am a migrant.

[kungfustu]

I'm not sure whether you'd include me in those Baz but I can say with absolute honesty that any negative I say about Oz if with the sole intention of ensuring people planning on migrating do so with their eyes wide open.

 

To be honest I believed my own research rather than the opinions of people on PIO - in fact even when my future employer arranged a meeting with a previous migrant who told it like it was I didn't believe her so why I think anyone would listen to me I don't know

 

Of course I'm human and when you get idiots talking about going jogging in 44 degree heat I have been known react negatively!

 

I also found it hard not to 'whinge' in Australia - one of the most surreal experiences was protesting along with thousands of Australians about 'Live Export' and being told that's the Australia way so 'FIFO'. Er....so all these Aussies who oppose it are also un-Australian???? I have no issue with them being opposing views but I have an issue with not being allowed to have one because I am a migrant.

 

You have something that a number of members of this website do not have......thats experience......you have been there....done it.....returned and lived to tell the tale.....some of your main critics still havnt even got on the plane so take it all with a pich of salt.....it will be interesting to read their updates several months into their experience (if some of them ever go)......its interesting to read yours and others comments about how well planned you thought you were and how even though you were being given info you kind of filtered out the negative stuff to suit.....I wonder if the same thing is happening for others on this thread

[Guest Guest 47403]

I'm not sure whether you'd include me in those Baz but I can say with absolute honesty that any negative I say about Oz if with the sole intention of ensuring people planning on migrating do so with their eyes wide open.

 

To be honest I believed my own research rather than the opinions of people on PIO - in fact even when my future employer arranged a meeting with a previous migrant who told it like it was I didn't believe her so why I think anyone would listen to me I don't know

 

Of course I'm human and when you get idiots talking about going jogging in 44 degree heat I have been known react negatively!

 

I also found it hard not to 'whinge' in Australia - one of the most surreal experiences was protesting along with thousands of Australians about 'Live Export' and being told that's the Australia way so 'FIFO'. Er....so all these Aussies who oppose it are also un-Australian???? I have no issue with them being opposing views but I have an issue with not being allowed to have one because I am a migrant.

 

No I don't include you amongst them Lady R, there is a huge difference in letting potential migrants know the negatives they are likely to encounter in an informative way, and the constant searching out of bad news and drivel that a few posters continually dish out and with some of them it is CONSTANT!

 

Don't get me wrong everyone is entitled to post on PIO but I struggle to understand why after returning some people are so intent on trying to negatively influence others, I find it incredibly sad tbh that they have such little going on in there lives that they do it!

 

People with always have opposing opinions no one stopped you having an opinion just because you were a migrant you were there expressing it. It's a cliche I know but If I had a £ for every time I heard someone say 'they should f... off back to there own country' I'd be rich, it's what ignorant people say.

 

First generation migrants will always have it tough.

[HappyHeart]

First generation migrants will always have it tough.....

 

Very interesting statement Baz. I suppose we pave the way in some manner for our offspring and future generations to enjoy being fully integrated members of Australian society

[Guest Guest 47403]

First generation migrants will always have it tough.....

 

Very interesting statement Baz. I suppose we pave the way in some manner for our offspring and future generations to enjoy being fully integrated members of Australian society

 

I believe it's true HH most of us will have spent 30-40 years living in the UK by the time we emigrate it will always be a culture shock some handle it better than others, there will always be things we don't like about new places. I know some of the things I won't like about living in Australia that won't stop be enjoying the things I will like about it, it's a big balancing act of emotions.