The Smith Clan Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 We are at the stage of deciding if we should commit to applying for our visas? This site has been great for information but also has highlighted things we need to consider seriously, the initial thought of moving to Oz seems to trigger excitement and the thought of a warmer climate but we also need to be realistic. What made you decide to move back to the UK? Appreciate any response? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 You should give it a go if you are young enough. We first applied in 1998 for our visas and there was not really a lot of info online at the time and the internet then was over a painfully slow dial up connection where it took half a day to download a web page with a few simple pictures on it...all you would find online in those days was government and migration agent propaganda and promotion of how much better life was down under. Back then there were no sites like this where you could talk to real people living there and get inside info. We really had no idea what we were going to out to, to be honest with you. To answer your question in short, the UK has far more to offer for us personally, and of course nothing can replace family and real friends. For us, it was a case of grass looking greener elsewhere and having a sense of adventure which made us go out in the first place and in all fairness, it was an adventure at first. We don't regret having tried it but we would have really regretted not trying it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinker78 Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 We are at the stage of deciding if we should commit to applying for our visas? This site has been great for information but also has highlighted things we need to consider seriously, the initial thought of moving to Oz seems to trigger excitement and the thought of a warmer climate but we also need to be realistic. What made you decide to move back to the UK? 9 years Appreciate any response? Family- illness. Ageing. never enough time. long periods of time without being able to do simple things with them. Homesickness- literally real, physical, in bed for 2 weeks kinda stuff that seemed to get worse as the years went on. In no way did i live like that on a daily basis, but when it hit, it hit. like grief. Feelings of displacement- felt like i was on a some weird, surreal long holiday that was never over. Not everyone gets this. A lot do. Weather- heat can be as limiting as cold. Hated the sun in the end- it was an enemy to be faced with military precision- clothing to be worn, sunscreen, water, mossie repellant. It aged me and i had 2 pre cancerous things removed..... Overall sense of not belonging- i gave it a good shot at 9 years. it either works or it doesn't. could not see myself there forever. took it for what it was, and made the best of it towards the end. Ultimately, it's people. Back in the bosom of family and close friends. Learned the hard way that when people get sick and die and you are there, it's pretty fking terrible really. And watching my child with these people, that's priceless. Also, i'm not a beach person. i tried to embrace it, but ultimately, i like books, theatre, museums, country walks (without worrying about wildlife), history and pubs. That's just me. it's what i like. i'm almost 40 and i'll never be a surfer. good luck!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bound4Tassie Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 I would speculate that the 2 main reasons for coming back are missing family/close friends and lack of suitable work. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 Family- illness. Ageing. never enough time. long periods of time without being able to do simple things with them. Homesickness- literally real, physical, in bed for 2 weeks kinda stuff that seemed to get worse as the years went on. In no way did i live like that on a daily basis, but when it hit, it hit. like grief. Feelings of displacement- felt like i was on a some weird, surreal long holiday that was never over. Not everyone gets this. A lot do. Weather- heat can be as limiting as cold. Hated the sun in the end- it was an enemy to be faced with military precision- clothing to be worn, sunscreen, water, mossie repellant. It aged me and i had 2 pre cancerous things removed..... Overall sense of not belonging- i gave it a good shot at 9 years. it either works or it doesn't. could not see myself there forever. took it for what it was, and made the best of it towards the end. Ultimately, it's people. Back in the bosom of family and close friends. Learned the hard way that when people get sick and die and you are there, it's pretty fking terrible really. And watching my child with these people, that's priceless. Also, i'm not a beach person. i tried to embrace it, but ultimately, i like books, theatre, museums, country walks (without worrying about wildlife), history and pubs. That's just me. it's what i like. i'm almost 40 and i'll never be a surfer. good luck!!! I can totally relate to all of what you said. The choking summer heat and brutal sun in Perth was never fun Much prefer the seasonal weather and we live in the countryside now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 Warm climates are over regarded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith and Linda Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 Warm climates are over regarded. By some! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelbourneTractor Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 We are at the stage of deciding if we should commit to applying for our visas? This site has been great for information but also has highlighted things we need to consider seriously, the initial thought of moving to Oz seems to trigger excitement and the thought of a warmer climate but we also need to be realistic. What made you decide to move back to the UK? Appreciate any response? A big consideration for us is the cost of living in Melbourne. Whilst housing in Leicestershire isn't 'cheap' it's a damn sight more affordable than in Altona, another consideration is that we can save quite a bit on child care in the UK as the in-laws are happy/desperate to help. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JockinTas Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 I would speculate that the 2 main reasons for coming back are missing family/close friends and lack of suitable work. Yes all that and also underestimating how hot it can get in some parts of Australia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 I would speculate that the 2 main reasons for coming back are missing family/close friends and lack of suitable work. I substitute "missing the UK" for "lack of suitable work", most ensure they have work before emigrating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicF Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 I substitute "missing the UK" for "lack of suitable work", most ensure they have work before emigrating. Not sure that this is true at all, and even if it is it doesn't mean that the job last forever. From what I have seen on these forums is that missing family and friends and being unable to get suitable work, either at first or after loosing a job, seem to be the main reasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JockinTas Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 Not sure that this is true at all, and even if it is it doesn't mean that the job last forever. From what I have seen on these forums is that missing family and friends and being unable to get suitable work, either at first or after loosing a job, seem to be the main reasons. ............... and all that would make most people want to return to 'home'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith and Linda Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 Not sure that this is true at all, and even if it is it doesn't mean that the job last forever. From what I have seen on these forums is that missing family and friends and being unable to get suitable work, either at first or after loosing a job, seem to be the main reasons. Yep, would generally agree with that but linked with family & friends is the 'Lifestyle' that goes with them such as "I miss going down the local with my mates". Also the job front I would say is more zonal such as WA and SA is adversely affected at present and soon to be followed I think by the towns up NE Qld. We do not seem to hear to much about no work in the likes of NSW, Vic, and SE Qld. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bibbs Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 Of the people I've known go back it's been 2 sided. Temp skilled Visa / no work. So heading back as they need a job. Wife misses family/friends. So she is leaving with the kids no matter what, and the husband tags along on the return. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbirdmoose Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 (edited) Family- illness. Ageing. never enough time. long periods of time without being able to do simple things with them. Homesickness- literally real, physical, in bed for 2 weeks kinda stuff that seemed to get worse as the years went on. In no way did i live like that on a daily basis, but when it hit, it hit. like grief. Feelings of displacement- felt like i was on a some weird, surreal long holiday that was never over. Not everyone gets this. A lot do. Weather- heat can be as limiting as cold. Hated the sun in the end- it was an enemy to be faced with military precision- clothing to be worn, sunscreen, water, mossie repellant. It aged me and i had 2 pre cancerous things removed..... Overall sense of not belonging- i gave it a good shot at 9 years. it either works or it doesn't. could not see myself there forever. took it for what it was, and made the best of it towards the end. Ultimately, it's people. Back in the bosom of family and close friends. Learned the hard way that when people get sick and die and you are there, it's pretty fking terrible really. And watching my child with these people, that's priceless. Also, i'm not a beach person. i tried to embrace it, but ultimately, i like books, theatre, museums, country walks (without worrying about wildlife), history and pubs. That's just me. it's what i like. i'm almost 40 and i'll never be a surfer. good luck!!! Yep I agree with a lot of this. We are currently packing to move back to UK after 8 years in Australia. With no family here and very little family there I haven't got those kind of ties however my family is on the East coast USA and travel for them is much easier and cheaper to UK than here. In the 8 years here my Mum has visited once (2years after we arrived) OH's Mum visited once (also 2 years after we arrived)...... and that's it. Until about a month ago when my cousin and her family dropped in for the day we have seen no-one. None of the friends who made endless promises of holidays to the sun have ever visited. The odd school friend gets in touch to say they're heading down-under for a holiday and want to catch up, have us show them around, go mysteriously silent until after their trip. I totally get the "Feelings of displacement" - that was a big one for us. What we thought would feel familiar feels very alien. Also the weather - we have discovered we hate the sun. When our back yard hit 49.6'C a few years back we could not believe we had willing signed up for that! Looking forward to some cold weather. Strangely one thing we both missed very quickly was proper lush green grass. The kinda grass you can take your shoes off and walk around on without fear of sharp stabby blades of grass or bites from poisonous tiny creatures or random blood-sucking leeches. And, like you @thinker78, we are not beach people. I get sick of sand very quickly and neither hubby nor I will ever, ever go in the sea here. Ever! One other thing I've found, since getting here unfortunately my health took a turn for the worse within 18 months and has never recovered. Yes Australia has Medicare but we were not aware you have to pay. Weird system of pay everything upfront then Medicare will pay you back but not all of it, just a percentage... so being sick became very expensive, very quickly. And that's just the tip of the iceberg when it come to the past 8 years. I am truly happy for those it works out for... Just a shame I wasn't one of them! Edited February 2, 2016 by jbirdmoose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 The old life curve ball - elderly parents, only child, wheels falling off the parental wagon. Bloody blessing in disguise actually cos after 32 years, 8 months (and 3 days) I had come to hate Australia! The heat began to get to me as I got older, I was bored witless, the bush gives me the creeps (working on bushfire grounds in recovery will do that to you), I was an alien in a foreign land with little in common with most of my acquaintance. We came on holiday with backpacks and just didn't go back! (Life is what happens when you are busy making plans, they do say!) Anyway, returning to care for two (now) 92 year old is no picnic and though I have a slight sense of failure that we could no longer keep mum in her own home, we kept her there for 4 years that she would probably not otherwise have had. I would most definitely like my life back but, in a perfect world, it would be back here in UK where I "fit", have so much to do that I am never bored, have friends I can have a good laugh with, can go to different places for different things. I know that when I do get my life back it is likely to be in Australia but things with the DH have gone so amazingly well here that we will both be making huge adjustments when we do go back. I had last month in Australia with DH and it was surreal - almost as if the intervening 4.5 yrs hadn't happened. The two halves of my life just don't intersect at all - when I am in either place, I struggle to remember the other but both are familiar when I am there. I hated the few hot days we had but, I will say that being considerably lighter (the UK helped me get healthier and much, much fitter) made it a bit easier to cope with. I caught up with friends, saw a bit of the countryside, spent time with the grandkids, chucked a lot of stuff we haven't needed for 4.5 years and had quite a good time but I certainly didn't shed a tear on leaving. I'm optimistic that by the time my olds have popped their clogs I will be in full adventure mode again (just hope I'm not too old to enjoy it!) but meanwhile I am having a great time and enjoying (almost!) every moment. In essence, for me, I just don't "belong" in Aus, I'm always a visitor and like most holidays it's bloody good to get home afterwards! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 An awful lot seem to go back at the 7,8 year mark it seems. I wonder why that is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JockinTas Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 The old life curve ball - elderly parents, only child, wheels falling off the parental wagon. Bloody blessing in disguise actually cos after 32 years, 8 months (and 3 days) I had come to hate Australia! The heat began to get to me as I got older, I was bored witless, the bush gives me the creeps (working on bushfire grounds in recovery will do that to you), I was an alien in a foreign land with little in common with most of my acquaintance. We came on holiday with backpacks and just didn't go back! (Life is what happens when you are busy making plans, they do say!) Anyway, returning to care for two (now) 92 year old is no picnic and though I have a slight sense of failure that we could no longer keep mum in her own home, we kept her there for 4 years that she would probably not otherwise have had. I would most definitely like my life back but, in a perfect world, it would be back here in UK where I "fit", have so much to do that I am never bored, have friends I can have a good laugh with, can go to different places for different things. I know that when I do get my life back it is likely to be in Australia but things with the DH have gone so amazingly well here that we will both be making huge adjustments when we do go back. I had last month in Australia with DH and it was surreal - almost as if the intervening 4.5 yrs hadn't happened. The two halves of my life just don't intersect at all - when I am in either place, I struggle to remember the other but both are familiar when I am there. I hated the few hot days we had but, I will say that being considerably lighter (the UK helped me get healthier and much, much fitter) made it a bit easier to cope with. I caught up with friends, saw a bit of the countryside, spent time with the grandkids, chucked a lot of stuff we haven't needed for 4.5 years and had quite a good time but I certainly didn't shed a tear on leaving. I'm optimistic that by the time my olds have popped their clogs I will be in full adventure mode again (just hope I'm not too old to enjoy it!) but meanwhile I am having a great time and enjoying (almost!) every moment. In essence, for me, I just don't "belong" in Aus, I'm always a visitor and like most holidays it's bloody good to get home afterwards! Why don't you and OH stay in England forever? Why are you coming back to live eventually when you would rather be back in the UK? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 Why don't you and OH stay in England forever? Why are you coming back to live eventually when you would rather be back in the UK? Life ain't quite that easy unfortunately (pragmatics!) but we shall go with the flow and see what happens! Things will have changed so it should be more liveable. Either way we are going to have sons and grandkids on both sides of the world. The market is all out of crystal balls unfortunately! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 An awful lot seem to go back at the 7,8 year mark it seems. I wonder why that is? Like in marriages - 7 year itch perhaps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bound4Tassie Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 I substitute "missing the UK" for "lack of suitable work", most ensure they have work before emigrating. Yes but things change. E.g. end of boomtime, economic down turn...or being on a 457 & hating your job or employer sacks you etc....or being able to get a job but finding out their commute is further than they thought, or their skils aren't fully recognised so they have to retrain eg plumbers, electricians etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 (edited) Yep I agree with a lot of this Also the weather - we have discovered we hate the sun.Strangely one thing we both missed very quickly was proper lush green grass. I get sick of sand very quickly and neither hubby nor I will ever, ever go in the sea here. Ever! Australia has Medicare Yes I thought I would have "loved" the heat too but came to really hate it. We live in the countryside now and love it. Got very bored of beaches. Medicare was a let down. Edited February 2, 2016 by johngdownunder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 (edited) I substitute "missing the UK" for "lack of suitable work", most ensure they have work before emigrating. Absolutely not true! For many occupations, it's difficult if not impossible to secure work before you leave the UK. You can do the research and find out about job prospects, but that's not the same as knowing you have a job. Besides, unfortunately some people don't realise how much research is necessary - they assume because they've got their visa that their qualifications will automatically be recognised by Australian employers , or they assume that because an occupation is on the SOL or CSOL, there must be heaps of jobs - and then find out that's not the case when they arrive. Edited February 2, 2016 by Marisawright Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 Absolutely not true! For many occupations, it's difficult if not impossible to secure work before you leave the UK. You can do the research and find out about job prospects, but that's not the same as knowing you have a job. Besides, unfortunately some people don't realise how much research is necessary - they assume because they've got their visa that their qualifications will automatically be recognised by Australian employers , or they assume that because an occupation is on the SOL or CSOL, there must be heaps of jobs - and then find out that's not the case when they arrive. Its a tough one but you are bang on in that research is the key. Failure to plan = planning to fail, as they say. Even go over for a visit and do some groundwork and meet some employers face to face before committing to throw your whole life down the pan potentially wasting thousands of your savings in the hope it will all just "work out" because there are no guarantees. It would be pretty stupid to throw in a stable life and move to a place which has a shrinking economy. When we applied for our visas in 1998 there was no info online and most companies didn't even have a website or an email address. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunbury61 Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 Yep I agree with a lot of this. We are currently packing to move back to UK after 8 years in Australia. With no family here and very little family there I haven't got those kind of ties however my family is on the East coast USA and travel for them is much easier and cheaper to UK than here. In the 8 years here my Mum has visited once (2years after we arrived) OH's Mum visited once (also 2 years after we arrived)...... and that's it. Until about a month ago when my cousin and her family dropped in for the day we have seen no-one. None of the friends who made endless promises of holidays to the sun have ever visited. The odd school friend gets in touch to say they're heading down-under for a holiday and want to catch up, have us show them around, go mysteriously silent until after their trip. I totally get the "Feelings of displacement" - that was a big one for us. What we thought would feel familiar feels very alien. Also the weather - we have discovered we hate the sun. When our back yard hit 49.6'C a few years back we could not believe we had willing signed up for that! Looking forward to some cold weather. Strangely one thing we both missed very quickly was proper lush green grass. The kinda grass you can take your shoes off and walk around on without fear of sharp stabby blades of grass or bites from poisonous tiny creatures or random blood-sucking leeches. And, like you @thinker78, we are not beach people. I get sick of sand very quickly and neither hubby nor I will ever, ever go in the sea here. Ever! One other thing I've found, since getting here unfortunately my health took a turn for the worse within 18 months and has never recovered. Yes Australia has Medicare but we were not aware you have to pay. Weird system of pay everything upfront then Medicare will pay you back but not all of it, just a percentage... so being sick became very expensive, very quickly. And that's just the tip of the iceberg when it come to the past 8 years. I am truly happy for those it works out for... Just a shame I wasn't one of them! For no particular reason,I have a strong feeling ,reading your post ,that you are going to love being home . Devon ..good choice ...like Exeter ...love croyde Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.