Taylors4 Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 It's with a heavy heart I post this, but our story is we are now 8 months in (I know it's not long enough), but even though we love the lifestyle here, we are now beginning to realise it's not everything. We had an itch to scratch and have done just that. Our main worry is our daughter who is about to turn 14. She is really missing her friends, although she's made lots of friends in school, none seem to want to socialise out of school, so she's very lonely. At home we had an excellent stables 5 mins away, where she spent most of here weekends and holidays helping/working. If we stay here we will have to put her into private school as her present school is crap, for want of a better word. We are conscious that in the UK she would be starting year 10 in Sept and really need to get her back into it before then. We feel so guilty for bringing here her now, even though she begged us to come, we truly though for her horse riding there would be more opportunities. My son who is 11 loves it here and had made some really great friends. I've struggled to get a job, am working in a supermarket, not really what I had planned, but it's a job, but 12 hours a weeks isn't enough. Being on a 489 visa doesn't help, as I'm sure I could get work if I could work closer to, or in the city, but we knew that before we came, so only have ourselves to blame for that. My OH is bored out of his head at work, he's very experienced at what he does, but his skill level isn't really required here. He's a builder, and whilst he had worked on new builds before, he is more into meatier projects, such as barn conversions and generally working on older structures, which require a completely different skill set to what's used here. Whilst I cope with loneliness quite well. He's struggling, along with my daughter. We had a very good life In the UK, but wanted to try Aus as we do love it, but don't feel as though it's our forever home. We did come to ride the waves of the UK recession, we have worked extremely hard over the past 5 years, and got a bit fed up with the constant battle to try to keep the family business going, last year we had no work from Dec to March which was the deciding factor of coming here. We are lucky to be mortgage free and our renting our UK home. Our tenant is leaving at the end of March and are now thinking of going home. Our aim was to always give it a go, but if we didn't have a UK income we would be very poor living here on just what we earn here. If we sold our house and moved our money over, as we had planned, by the time we got a similar house and paid for schooling for our 2 kids we really would struggle here financially. Has as anyone returned with a 14 year old and how did they cope getting back into the UK system after being here? If my daughter wasn't at such a critical stage in her schooling, we would stay here, but realise if we put them both through the Aussie system it will be 7 years before we return to the UK, and realistically we are not sure we could last that long. Well enough about us, can anyone recommend shippers from Perth to UK please, we would really appreciate any help as I don't know where to start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helz980 Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Hey although I can't help with the schooling etc I just want to say good luck & if 8 months is as long as you can do so be it I don't think there is a rule that you have to be here for so long to know in your heart of hearts that its not for you. It's taken me nearly a year to come up with that conclusion but I always said am not here forever. I just can't wait until I can pack up & head back to my home xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylors4 Posted January 8, 2014 Author Share Posted January 8, 2014 Thank you so much, i have just read your other post and can totally understand how you feel hun, you've been through it big time and I can only imagine what you are going through. It's a beautiful, amazing and diverse country, I do truly love Oz, but maybe should of kept it as a holiday destination. I really hope it works out for you, hugs x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Caramac is the person to ask about returning with teenage daughters - I'm sure she'll be along soon but AFAIK her daughters were well supported when they moved back and have done very well. However, moving back sooner rather than later at that age might be a good idea. Sorry it hasn't gone according to plan for you but I guess you make the best decisions you can based on the information you have at the time! Good luck with the next step in the adventure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3FatCats Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 I wish wish wish we had gone home after 8 months! The longer you leave it, the harder and more complicated it seems to be? Trust your instinct, good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynne78 Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 If 8 months is enough for you then so be it. I think moving back home is made harder by people referring to "failure". We haven't failed because we don't find Australia home and decide against staying for ever. If you moved cities within the UK, no one would ever say you'd failed - you just moved! We hit the 3 year mark in November, then in a flood of tears on Boxing Day decided to move back home. We never had a huge urge to come here. I wasn't happy at work, neither was my husband, I suggested Aberdeen, he suggested Australia! I thought, what the hell, let's give it a go, if we don't like it we can always come back. It was fine at first, I really enjoyed work (job the same, just different environment) now it's just work. My husband (electrician) has been unemployed (and depressed and stressed) for most of the 3 years. This really has not helped. Took countless applications to get a job, temporary contract of course, then once work is done so is he. My husband always said he'd never go back to Scotand, which I think is why I always told myself, it'll get better soon. It didn't. If you've had enough after 8 months, don't spend time being miserable waiting for the day you decided to stay forever because it probably won't come. We're going to give it up to 18 months to save some money (although I'd go back tomorrow if I could), but I feel much happier now that the decision has been made! Good luck with the move. If you are all happier back home, the rest will work itself out eventually. Any tips with movers would be appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacaranda Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 I moved my aussie kids over from Oz when they were 9 and 11.Settled into UK life very well.My OH worked as a relief farmer so we moved alot around the UK (8 times in just over 10 years).Oldest daughter atm is a full time Mum of 3,youngest managed to graduate from uni with honours and a law degree!So no dont worry about the kids hon,they'll be fine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylors4 Posted January 9, 2014 Author Share Posted January 9, 2014 I wish wish wish we had gone home after 8 months! The longer you leave it, the harder and more complicated it seems to be? Trust your instinct, good luck! Yes think you are quite right on that, although we really love Oz and really wish we could of seen more, we will be back, but will leave it as a holiday destination and to visit our relies instead of 'living the dream', I feel like I am in a dream sometimes here, it just doesn't seem real sometimes, don't ask me why, I just don't know ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylors4 Posted January 9, 2014 Author Share Posted January 9, 2014 If 8 months is enough for you then so be it. I think moving back home is made harder by people referring to "failure". We haven't failed because we don't find Australia home and decide against staying for ever. If you moved cities within the UK, no one would ever say you'd failed - you just moved! We hit the 3 year mark in November, then in a flood of tears on Boxing Day decided to move back home. We never had a huge urge to come here. I wasn't happy at work, neither was my husband, I suggested Aberdeen, he suggested Australia! I thought, what the hell, let's give it a go, if we don't like it we can always come back. It was fine at first, I really enjoyed work (job the same, just different environment) now it's just work. My husband (electrician) has been unemployed (and depressed and stressed) for most of the 3 years. This really has not helped. Took countless applications to get a job, temporary contract of course, then once work is done so is he. My husband always said he'd never go back to Scotand, which I think is why I always told myself, it'll get better soon. It didn't. If you've had enough after 8 months, don't spend time being miserable waiting for the day you decided to stay forever because it probably won't come. We're going to give it up to 18 months to save some money (although I'd go back tomorrow if I could), but I feel much happier now that the decision has been made! Good luck with the move. If you are all happier back home, the rest will work itself out eventually. Any tips with movers would be appreciated! Glad you have made plans and are looking forward now. I do feel for your hubby, I know mine would be on suicide watch now if he'd been unemployed for any length of time, he just can't stop at times, which in a way is why we moved here, but he doesn't like working for someone else and prefers to be his own boss. So off we trundle to start up again at home and try and get the work/life balance right this time, instead of throwing the towel in. To be honest, I know we will cop a bit of flack at home, but I'm past caring what others think, it will be 10 months when we get home, at least you've done 3 years, it looks a lot less embarrassing lol. Our decision has really be made by our daughter, who isn't really very happy, but she's been putting on a brave face and just wants to get back to her pony world, school and mates (could of bought her a few of the blinkin ponies with the money we have spent) Oh well, onwards and upwards. Good luck and hope things turn out well for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conniebygaslight Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 We moved back after 8 months with 3 children but ours are younger, the eldest was nine when we returned. The fact that we hadn't been gone very long was a bonus as we just fitted back in. We've been home over 3 years and haven't regretted it for a single second....and my husband is an Aussie! Good luck to you...it's possible to start again xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylors4 Posted January 26, 2014 Author Share Posted January 26, 2014 Yes, that was our thought, as we haven't been gone that long, hopefully we will just slot back in to life pretty much as before we left, apart from job wise. Hoping the kids will just as easily get back into school, as they know so many people there, even if they will be behind, we are just going to have to look for tutoring for them. Thanks it's reassuring to know others have also come to this decision so soon in their Aussie adventure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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