Katie22 Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Beanbear - I don't think its madness going back to UK, you're going because you think it's the right thing to do and when people you love become ill then it puts life into perspective about what really matters. It sounds as if you miss the UK and your time in Australia has probably made you appreciate all it's positives - be sure to go back and make the most of them. Of course it's going to be difficult but positivity and determination go a long way into making that move work. You've got citizenship so you have the freedom to return. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Pitstop Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 If living in England last June/July was typical I wouldn't contemplate ever leaving. A beautiful summer. Rewind to June/July 2012 and the temperatures barely exceeded double digits most days with endless days of drizzly rain. When you have come out of the dank, dark long winter that is pretty depressing I can tell you. I know that returnees have lived in England before but it is easy to forget I think how miserable the climate often is here. I have lived here all my life but every year in March I get full of expectation for all the things I am going to do in the summer and most years it is a let down. Then when you get a nice weekend you have a backlog of jobs in the garden or cleaning the car etc. if you take a trip millions of others are heading the same way. Most people in UK are just plugging away too. Always a good idea to bear in mind why you left UK in the first place as well as reflecting on the things that you miss. I know what you are saying having endured several years of family holidays in England with small kids sitting indoors watching the rain fall down. Last June/July was lovely but everyone was moaning about how bad it had been. The thing is that everyone in the UK is obsessed with the weather, but there really is more to life than that. Good weather isn't everything. I suppose it's a bit like the money argument - it's easy to say 'money isn't everything' when you have plenty, likewise it's easy to say 'good weather isn't everything' when you have lots of sunny days. Money is everything if you haven't got enough, likewise good weather seems the ultimate goal in life when you feel restricted by bad weather. But honestly, there is so much more to life than the weather. We've had a hard time financially since we've been here (pleased to say things are looking up at the moment) and there have been many times we would have happily swapped the sunshine of Australia for the rain of the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beanbear Posted March 13, 2014 Author Share Posted March 13, 2014 Without sounding pro Australian Melza, to move country in this economic climate, and reading between the lines, the poster doesn't seem too sure about it anyway, is IMHO foolhardy. If you have a job and house etc waiting for you at the other end then that is another matter, but please don't criticise me for pointing out the obvious. Moving country is costly and expensive and many people end up regretting it. The grass isn't always greener. As far as education is concerned schooling in Australia is just fine and the universities are very good. Also the poster says the kids are at a critical stage in their education! So why move them back to England to me it just doesn't make any sense. Have they even been consulted I wonder ??? Let me respond to your points: Firstly, as I said in the post only I am working at the moment (OH is completing a double masters course at uni) and I have had my hours cut this year so am doing two jobs, which don't equal what I was earning full-time.) He will be finishing in July and looking for a job and it so happens that in his field, there are a) less jobs in Adelaide as it's a very small 'city' and b) less jobs in his field generally as Tony A has slashed the budget for everything environmental. Therefore we are at a natural cross roads anyway and it is in many ways a good time to move back. I disagree about the education here. I have taught in both and find the standards of the UK to be higher academically. We thought the top 2 years of primary here was particularly bad. My kids have been consulted extensively as this is the main source of guilt for people in our situation. Despite having friends here and being generally happy, they are both looking forward to the challenges and differences of life back in Europe. This is a real bonus for us. They both miss family - we have been lucky with visitors, but it is not the same as having grandparents and cousins you can see regularly and have a proper relationship with. We may well regret aspects of the move. As others have said, you never quite feel the same about any one place when you have split loyalties. However, on balance when I look back at spending my own teens in another country, all I have are good memories of that time. I then lived many subsequent happy years in the UK. I think I am a wanderlust person who just likes new adventures every few years! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasepom Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 I just can't be bothered.....Life's too short to try and argue with you jasepom Fair enough but its offensive to say money isn't everything when a lot of people are doing it tough right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortlepuss Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Fair enough but its offensive to say money isn't everything when a lot of people are doing it tough right now. I think that not having money makes you miserable - and money becomes much more important to your situation. If you have sufficient, then having more doesn't necessarily make you happier (I must admit that when my loaded SIL who lives in a 3 million quid home told me money wasn't everything it did irk me a bit!). My earning capacity is more in Australia than in the UK and if I wasn't constantly chasing my tail paying out (just learned I've got a $4K medical bill coming my way as not covered by my health fund) I'd probably feel a lot richer. But will I take a pay drop to go back to UK? - absolutely - friends, family, scenery, travelling, affording a home of my own - those are the things that I value - and (I have to be honest), access to the NHS where my son's op would be free would be pretty welcome right now too!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasepom Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 It's swings and roundabout. It's easy to point out the expensive things in both UK and Australia, and I think it balances out. All in all, your financially better off where you are earning the most money. If that is not important to you, then point taken Chortlepuss :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacaranda Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Without sounding pro Australian Melza, to move country in this economic climate, and reading between the lines, the poster doesn't seem too sure about it anyway, is IMHO foolhardy. If you have a job and house etc waiting for you at the other end then that is another matter, but please don't criticise me for pointing out the obvious. Moving country is costly and expensive and many people end up regretting it. The grass isn't always greener. As far as education is concerned schooling in Australia is just fine and the universities are very good. Also the poster says the kids are at a critical stage in their education! So why move them back to England to me it just doesn't make any sense. Have they even been consulted I wonder ??? Read my post again Jasepom!!!As I said in my post (7)I am sure the OP has thought all this through!Why would they be crazy as you put it?I doubt they are acting on a whim and have spent a long time thinking through every scenario! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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