empire Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 I'm (we) are still in the progress on selling and moving to United Kingdom, I'm 22 years old and spent two months holiday, and I gotta say I felt different. I also be moving with mt grandparents that they haven't been back since 30 years (they are missing it). I'm an Australian and I don't regret being here at all, this year has been very hot and as I type now it's hot. We had Bulrushes and floods this summer season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 I'm (we) are still in the progress on selling and moving to United Kingdom, I'm 22 years old and spent two months holiday, and I gotta say I felt different. I also be moving with mt grandparents that they haven't been back since 30 years (they are missing it). I'm an Australian and I don't regret being here at all, this year has been very hot and as I type now it's hot. We had Bulrushes and floods this summer season. For a young man like yourself, UK has a great social scene what with the pub & club scene, gigs, bands, rock festivals. Pretty happening place, and your just a short hop in the plane from great travel on the continent. Were in the centre of the world and you do feel it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinker78 Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 no regrets here, but, the first few times i ping ponged i could not settle, but now, almost a decade on, very content with UK life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunbury61 Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 For a young man like yourself, UK has a great social scene what with the pub & club scene, gigs, bands, rock festivals. Pretty happening place, and your just a short hop in the plane from great travel on the continent. Were in the centre of the world and you do feel it. For me ,without question ,Australia is a fantastic place to raise a family . Bringing up the kids in a decent,safe environment . But once those kids grow and get restless ,Europe is the place ,just my opinion . Cheap flights or sleeping and travelling on the trains in western Europe is a great experience . GO FOR IT ,THE WORLDS YOUR LOBSTER RODDERS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ac123 Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 My thing is whichever direction you are going, rose tinted windows and trying to live the dream is a lot of migrants' downfall. Having relocated to a few countries myself i have learnt that if you look at starting from ground roots up you will always make it bar the push and pull of loved ones and so on. Whichever country you end up in you are responsible for your own happiness. You could be in the sun and miserable or in the rain and snow and ecstatically happy. Expectations need to be lowered and realities be more critically looked at studied before moving to the other side of the world 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JockinTas Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 My thing is whichever direction you are going, rose tinted windows and trying to live the dream is a lot of migrants' downfall. Having relocated to a few countries myself i have learnt that if you look at starting from ground roots up you will always make it bar the push and pull of loved ones and so on. Whichever country you end up in you are responsible for your own happiness. You could be in the sun and miserable or in the rain and snow and ecstatically happy. Expectations need to be lowered and realities be more critically looked at studied before moving to the other side of the world :notworthy: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loukat Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 Ive been back in the UK for 4 months now after 8 years in Oz and for me, its been the biggest mistake Ive ever made. Everyone appears to be struggling here, weather is depressing, I struggled to get work and was not even entitled to any benefits for the first 3 months. I feel that life is easier in Oz and will be heading back out there as soon as I can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 Life has changed and is changing in Australia as well. Traditionally Australia was always cheaper and easier to get ahead. That is far from clear in more recent times with high costs for essentials, a welfare system, especially if referring to unemployment New Start benefits, drastically reduced in overall value from years ago. Some quarter the population are on short term contracts and wage growth is stagnating. Not forgetting the resource industry collapse from previous boom conditions still have a long way to play out. I imagine it is easy to have regrets either way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamffc Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 Sometimes, especially at this time of year but on balance no. London summer v Melbourne summer: London London winter v Melbourne winter: London London winter v Melbourne summer: Melbourne! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JockinTas Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 Sometimes, especially at this time of year but on balance no. London summer v Melbourne summer: London London winter v Melbourne winter: London London winter v Melbourne summer: Melbourne! I prefer the Tassie weather to almost anywhere I've lived. We are having long, warm sunny days just now. Spring and autumn are lovely. The winters (at least here in Devonport) are fairly mild - wetter than any other time of year but also include frosty mornings and lots of sun and some days with strong winds. Don't seem to get extremes here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 Life has changed and is changing in Australia as well. Traditionally Australia was always cheaper and easier to get ahead. That is far from clear in more recent times with high costs for essentials, a welfare system, especially if referring to unemployment New Start benefits, drastically reduced in overall value from years ago. Some quarter the population are on short term contracts and wage growth is stagnating. Not forgetting the resource industry collapse from previous boom conditions still have a long way to play out. I imagine it is easy to have regrets either way. The housing market can take a very long time to correct and reflect reality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huggy75 Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 No big regrets just missing small things like certain friends and favourite coffee shops! Been back 8 months after 6 years away and have slotted straight back in, got my old job back but doing less hours which suits me perfectly - I'm able to utilise the experiences gained from my job in Oz back here in the UK as my Managers are keen to learn about new ideas or suggestions that I can contribute (something I wasn't able to do when I moved to Oz as they weren't interested). We have our own house again now and are paying less than half what we paid in Oz each month with only a 19 year mortgage as opposed to a 30 year one in Oz. Of course, in the back of my mind I always wonder if I've done the right thing for my 2 1/2 year old son, especially as we left his best buddy back in Oz (they were born within 2 weeks of each other). But on the plus side, it's great to see him so happy when he's with his Grandparents so for the time being at least, our life is much better back here in the UK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 No big regrets just missing small things like certain friends and favourite coffee shops!. Losing our British friends was the only hard thing about leaving Oz for us. Our Aussie "acquaintances" were forgotten about by the time we'd got to the airport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 The housing market can take a very long time to correct and reflect reality. Very true. Especially if external forces do all possible to prevent it. Makes matters worse when reality does finally hit home. Of course some one else's responsibility then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huggy75 Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Losing our British friends was the only hard thing about leaving Oz for us. Our Aussie "acquaintances" were forgotten about by the time we'd got to the airport. Agree - the "certain friend" I'm talking about is British too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Very true. Especially if external forces do all possible to prevent it. Makes matters worse when reality does finally hit home. Of course some one else's responsibility then. Best the agents can hope for are the enthusiastic excited newbies just off the plane to fall straight into their hands and sell them the dream Lets face it most new arrivals will go gooey eyed at the sight of a patio or a pool and will still happily part with their cash, no matter what the market is doing. But it wont shift the lemons in the transit camp suburbs miles out of town. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Best the agents can hope for are the enthusiastic excited newbies just off the plane to fall straight into their hands and sell them the dream Lets face it most new arrivals will go gooey eyed at the sight of a patio or a pool and will still happily part with their cash, no matter what the market is doing. But it wont shift the lemons in the transit camp suburbs miles out of town. . Indeed. All part of the Ponzi scheme of things in an attempt to keep the over valued market afloat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davegoose Posted February 14, 2016 Share Posted February 14, 2016 (edited) No Regrets from me or the Mrs. Obviously everybody returns for many different reasons.... We returned to UK about 10 months ago to Derbyshire from Perth. (we are presently back in Perth, but just for a holiday to see friends and relations). We lived in Australia (with stints in the pacific area - work related) for over 30 years... We returned to UK when I was 69, I was concerned about the move back because of my age, but, definitely no regrets.. Our kids are grown up, they make their own choices in life and encouraged to make the move...We can visit Aust every year if we want to as we have some wonderful friends in Aust. At the end of the day, home is where the heart is...When we lived in Perth we returned to the UK nearly every year for a holiday, so we did know what to expect with all the changes etc. What we find, is that if you are retired and have no mortgage you are better off in the UK apart from cost of fuel. Dave... Edited February 14, 2016 by davegoose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metoo Posted February 14, 2016 Share Posted February 14, 2016 Can anyone give specifics outside of personal reasons how you think the uk has changed since you were gone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted February 14, 2016 Share Posted February 14, 2016 (edited) Can anyone give specifics outside of personal reasons how you think the uk has changed since you were gone I think all countries are changing in similar ways due to globalisation, a lot of the problems you see in Australia are happening in Britain too. I think the big problem for migrants is that once you're a migrant, YOU change! When you migrate your eyes are opened to different cultures, different ways of doing things, and the longer you're in your new country (unless you've managed to find a British enclave), the more your lifestyle changes to suit your new situation. Even if you don't like it, there will be things you enjoy as well as things you dislike. Then when you go back to the UK, you may find you can't slot straight back in to your old life and habits because you've been exposed to all those different influences. To give you a silly "for instance" - growing up we used to eat Aberdeen rolls and my sisters still think they're a great treat. Then I went to France on work experience and got used to eating light, fluffy croissants. Aberdeen rolls are made to the same recipe as croissants but instead of being fluffy, they're squashed into a dense, slightly greasy patty - after France, I couldn't see the attraction AT ALL, and of course my family were indignant at me "disrespecting" a local icon! The longer you've been away, the more of these trivial differences will occur and they can mount up until you feel quite uncomfortable back in your home country. Also, of course, there's the rose-tinted specs. It's human nature to be nostalgic for the good things - who wants to dwell on negatives? - so when we leave a place, we're inclined to forget why we left! Even if you left the UK for positive reasons not negative (i.e. you were seeking adventure not running away from something), that can still be a problem. Why did you feel you needed an adventure? Why wasn't life in the UK enough? Why will it be different if you go back? Edited February 14, 2016 by Marisawright Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinker78 Posted February 14, 2016 Share Posted February 14, 2016 I think the UK has changed. but, i saw MASSIVE changes in Australia in the last decade, and not all good either. It's taken me 6 months to acclimatise fully to the UK. I had not set foot here for 3 years, and prior to that, 5. I've changed to though, i'm older and wiser and enjoy different things now. My assessment thus far: 2010- UK was clearly suffering- unemployment was high, jobs hard to come by 2016- lots of work- yes some are zero hours, but the market in general is very fruitful right now. 2016- yes, it's clear that society is diverse in the sense of europeans being here, that's noticeable, but has no impact whatsoever on me- apart from hearing the odd language in the supermarket. Education- yes, has changed. if you've got kids, they will have to pull their finger out here as it's pretty full on academically. However, there is lots in place to support them here. Community- i think we see a lot of bad media about this- i personally live in a lovely community- and feel much more aware of who is around me than i ever did in spread out Australian suburbs. I absolutely thrive on knowing lots of local people, having those kind of relationships, being involved in community projects such as events and stuff that was always lacking for me personally in oz. Zeitgeist- it's interesting- the UK is busy, stimulating and diverse. I don't find people downbeat, i find them more willing to talk about real issues and generally it feels a fairly positive place right now. There is of course, a large poor V Rich divide for some- i don't see that as UK issue, more a 21st century issue. Overall, a lot of us are having an ok to good time. I don't see much difference. If your'e working, and busy, life is life. I do the same stuff here ie work, raise a kid, pay for stuff, feel tired, blah blah, that i did in oz. One major difference is that i do a lot with family and friends- makes a massive difference to my mental health. I also feel very happy to have SO much on our doorstep. I was over beaches, but am overawed with what is going on here. It does feel exciting. Everything changes! Contrary to the press; we are not all downbeat, suffering serfs. Mostly, everything is ticking along just as it always has...... I think all countries are changing in similar ways due to globalisation, a lot of the problems you see in Australia are happening in Britain too. I think the big problem for migrants is that once you're a migrant, YOU change! When you migrate your eyes are opened to different cultures, different ways of doing things, and the longer you're in your new country (unless you've managed to find a British enclave), the more your lifestyle changes to suit your new situation. Even if you don't like it, there will be things you enjoy as well as things you dislike. Then when you go back to the UK, you may find you can't slot straight back in to your old life and habits because you've been exposed to all those different influences. To give you a silly "for instance" - growing up we used to eat Aberdeen rolls and my sisters still think they're a great treat. Then I went to France on work experience and got used to eating light, fluffy croissants. Aberdeen rolls are made to the same recipe as croissants but instead of being fluffy, they're squashed into a dense, slightly greasy patty - after France, I couldn't see the attraction AT ALL, and of course my family were indignant at me "disrespecting" a local icon! The longer you've been away, the more of these trivial differences will occur and they can mount up until you feel quite uncomfortable back in your home country. Also, of course, there's the rose-tinted specs. It's human nature to be nostalgic for the good things - who wants to dwell on negatives? - so when we leave a place, we're inclined to forget why we left! Even if you left the UK for positive reasons not negative (i.e. you were seeking adventure not running away from something), that can still be a problem. Why did you feel you needed an adventure? Why wasn't life in the UK enough? Why will it be different if you go back? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinker78 Posted February 14, 2016 Share Posted February 14, 2016 Oh! and the seasons move faster and the winter was warmer- we build it up to be a game of thrones style winter, but it really isn't. the dread lead to pleasant surprise. it's almost over and it went in a flash (as i say, working and doing family stuff, time goes fast wherever you are) . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dxboz Posted February 14, 2016 Share Posted February 14, 2016 Good post thinker! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted February 14, 2016 Share Posted February 14, 2016 For me personally, I would have preferred to stay in Australia with my family, and have my children grow up Australian. But I think they have been happier in the UK than they would have been in oz. Oz playgrounds are very cut and thrust, and the emphasis is to harden up princess. Not sure that would have suited them. I certainly think they have had more opportunities in the UK, and a greater richness of life than Perth has to offer. But they would have benefitted in other ways had we brought them up in Perth. We do visit Perth often. But they always tell me they don't want to move there. But they have citizenship so its always an option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Posted February 14, 2016 Share Posted February 14, 2016 II also feel very happy to have SO much on our doorstep. I was over beaches, but am overawed with what is going on here. It does feel exciting. Everything changes! Contrary to the press; we are not all downbeat, suffering serfs. Mostly, everything is ticking along just as it always has...... You are spot on there We didn't realise just how much we DID have at home, until we left it to go 20 years back in time to Perth. Singapore was the nearest kind of civilisation with any proper shops, not that we are into shops but my wife does still have a chuckle about the sorely outdated clothes shops in Perth's small town centre (about half the size of Dundee town centre). Now we are home we love everything about the UK like we rediscovered it all over again, and we revel in it still. We have so much stuff not just on our doorstep but in the nearest town and anything else just a short drive away. Life is definitely far more colourful and varied here and you feel far more alive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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