I'm so stressed... to go back, right or wrong decision?

[LKC]

Where i live theres a fair amount of english people, usually from the south. I think if someone likes scotland and they can find work then its a no brainer since they can get a really nice house for much cheaper. Once on the train im 40 mins to glasgow, 50 to edinburgh. Its 4.5 hours on the train to london or a short flight so its not far.

 

I must admit that having been thinking about returning to the UK, Scotland is very appealing. I know that we've just been on an amazing holiday there, and that some of that may be 'holiday-tinted glasses', but I think that it might suit us down to the ground. We wouldn't want to move to the south of England, East Anglia or the West Midlands because we don't want to move back to where we came from/used to live (I think we'd find it really hard to do that, although we didn't move away because we didn't like it there). I don't think that the south west of England or Wales would suit us either. That really leaves northern England or Scotland, and out of the two Scotland seems more what we are looking for. We like the outdoors, do lots of walking etc and don't mind the rain and cold, OH would need a job which would involve being near a relatively large town or preferably a small city and we would like good transport links both for day to day and also down to visit family.

[CatMoose]

golf courses in perth better than Scotland.. St Andrews, Royal Troon, Carnoustie, Turnberry, Muirfield, Gullane, Loch Lomond, Prestwick, Gleneagles. Probably the finest cluster of golfing acreage on the planet. This disturbs me.

 

no idea what 'opportunities' lie in Germany that aren't in the UK. Maybe youre comparing Berlin with Scarborough here. Im in Manchester and the city is buzzing.

 

I am still bemused by the anti UK stances of British people on here generally. I think ultimately peoples reasoning revolves around the need to be in permanent sunshine. when that doesn't occur in Australia anyway.

 

I'm also bemused and the poor OP must be dreading reading these threads to get some rational points. I came over to Australia 7 years ago and used Poms in Oz to garner much needed advice in advance. Once here, I refused to consider myself an ex pat and threw myself into the lifestyle. I can't imagine spending all those years on an ex pat forum having a dig at people choosing to return. I was too busy getting my citizenship and enjoying myself.

 

Im back on here now because I'm moving back to he U.K in January - but dear god, the negativity! To be honest, the people I want to hear from are those who have moved back and can give me some ideas and advice. If you love Australia and have no desire to return to the UK then I'm genuinely chuffed for you - seriously- but carping on about how 'crap' the U.K. is is pointless.

 

The OP is hopefully picking thorugh the thread and getting the info needs.

[CatMoose]

Ha! I'm a Leicester lass and I'm moving back to the UK In January (not Leicester though - a bit TOO near the family! But that's kind of the point. Nowhere in the U.k is all that far away is it? I went back to Leicester in the summer and me and a friend had tickets to see Leicester play Celtic. We drove there... Certianly helped to make my final decision to return.

[Siblin!]

Once you open Pandora's Box there is no escaping it. Life is changed forever and for a vast majority of us we will always see green grass on both sides. I have been out in Australia for 9 years and am now in the UK. I have also ping ponged. This time we came back to the UK for other reasons than homesickness. We had settled quite well back in Australia but for us there is always an element of homesickness, it just gets less and less with each passing year. I think someone mentioned the UK in terms of 'holiday glasses', I think this is a good analogy. We now know that we can't live with the mundrum, the cold and wet of the UK for most of the year but we love the summer time. We love English country fairs but it isn't enough to sustain us there full time. The cold and wet, and dreary, can grind you down so we are hopefully heading back to a life that, yes, may get sterile at times but is laid back, warm and mostly carefree.

9 years is a long time and it's amazing just how much of an Aussie we have all become. There are so many things we miss about the lifestyle we had.

 

I do have a point here lol... In all the time we have thought about the UK while in Australia and vice versa it didn't matter what 'advices' (Arnie, Pumping Iron were given to us, we would have walked down our own pathway. You will too. If you go back don't think of it as forever and never cancel your PR visa like we stupidity did. You may find you enjoyed Australia much more than you think you did.

I envy people in either country who have never migrated' never had the urge to explore and seem content with life but that will never be me. I have a wandering mind and a buzzing brain that will never shut off. It's always looking for that next high. I know, maybe I'll turn to drugs lol, it would surely be a dam sight cheaper than moving countries three times...lol

 

If you need to scratch your itch, do it but remember it's not forever you can come and go as many times as you like. Oh and remember, when the you are feeling low, if life is throwing you a curve ball, in either country, you will feel like you what to escape to an old and familiar life, it's a comfort blanket and we need to recognise this as situations change quickly and a few months down the track life can change for the better and we don't need that comfort blanket anymore. oh and the UK is not Midsomer Murders or Doc Martin

[VERYSTORMY]

I must admit that having been thinking about returning to the UK, Scotland is very appealing. I know that we've just been on an amazing holiday there, and that some of that may be 'holiday-tinted glasses', but I think that it might suit us down to the ground. We wouldn't want to move to the south of England, East Anglia or the West Midlands because we don't want to move back to where we came from/used to live (I think we'd find it really hard to do that, although we didn't move away because we didn't like it there). I don't think that the south west of England or Wales would suit us either. That really leaves northern England or Scotland, and out of the two Scotland seems more what we are looking for. We like the outdoors, do lots of walking etc and don't mind the rain and cold, OH would need a job which would involve being near a relatively large town or preferably a small city and we would like good transport links both for day to day and also down to visit family.

 

Have a look around where I am - Strathaven. Small old and very pretty little market town, surrounded by stunning countryside, but, only 18 miles to Glasgow with the motorway just round the corner and Edinburgh less than an hour away. I can also be in the highlands in under two hours - I was yesterday at Pitlochry.

[LKC]

Have a look around where I am - Strathaven. Small old and very pretty little market town, surrounded by stunning countryside, but, only 18 miles to Glasgow with the motorway just round the corner and Edinburgh less than an hour away. I can also be in the highlands in under two hours - I was yesterday at Pitlochry.

 

It looks like a lovely area! That is the sort of thing we'd be looking for, I think.

 

I suppose I feel like many migrants, I have a foot in two wonderful countries and it is just so hard to untangle the feelings I have about each place. When we lived in the UK we moved 9 times in about 10 or 11 years, partly due to being students, but five of those moves were as a married professional couple. It was like there was something 'extra' that we were looking for but couldn't quite find. When we moved to Australia we found that the 'extra' was at least in part being able to explore new things and places, and living in a great area in a great part of Australia. However, as time goes on there are higher and higher prices to pay. I've had some health problems (minor physical ones but also mental health troubles), my mother in law has had breast cancer, my grandma is getting more frail by the day, and of course everyone is getting older. I am in my early forties now, and just don't see myself being happy in Australia as I get older.

 

I will see how I feel when I get back to Australia later this week, and I am expecting a massive dose of homesickness for the UK which I will hopefully be prepared for, but over the next few months I hope to have a plan. Whether that involves staying or moving back, at the moment I just don't know.

[VERYSTORMY]

It looks like a lovely area! That is the sort of thing we'd be looking for, I think.

 

I suppose I feel like many migrants, I have a foot in two wonderful countries and it is just so hard to untangle the feelings I have about each place. When we lived in the UK we moved 9 times in about 10 or 11 years, partly due to being students, but five of those moves were as a married professional couple. It was like there was something 'extra' that we were looking for but couldn't quite find. When we moved to Australia we found that the 'extra' was at least in part being able to explore new things and places, and living in a great area in a great part of Australia. However, as time goes on there are higher and higher prices to pay. I've had some health problems (minor physical ones but also mental health troubles), my mother in law has had breast cancer, my grandma is getting more frail by the day, and of course everyone is getting older. I am in my early forties now, and just don't see myself being happy in Australia as I get older.

 

I will see how I feel when I get back to Australia later this week, and I am expecting a massive dose of homesickness for the UK which I will hopefully be prepared for, but over the next few months I hope to have a plan. Whether that involves staying or moving back, at the moment I just don't know.

 

I do understand.

 

We we were generally happy in Oz and it was the work situation the forced our hand, but, it now seems that the problems we had were actually a silver lining as we are enjoying it so much here and we had forgotten just how much the UK has to offer. Most of last week I was in the highlands with work and as my wife isn't working yet, she came with me and had a great time in the stunning scenery. Yesterday it belted with rain all day, but we still had a fantastic time - went to a few places including a distillery tour. Next week I am working in Whitby and my wife is tagging along again and will enjoy Yorkshire for a week. Having that variation within easy travel is amazing.

 

Scotland offers so much. Where we live it is more like an English type countryside with rolling hills and woodland. But, an hour north and I am in loch Lomand or, and hour south and in Cumbria.

 

The Scottish people are very warm and friendly and we couldn't ask for better. Life here is very quiet, which suits us, though we can pop into the city at ease.

 

I hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday

[CatMoose]

Great response - 2 thumbs up duck !

[Quokka2005]

Come on over! I second what verystormy said - strathaven is bice. Theres loads and loads of places that you can live that are quiet but you're never a long car ride or train from a city. Compared to aus distances nothing in the UK is far. We never really thought twice about going to the lake district for a day trip or somewhere like manchester for the emigration expos. The distances was one of the things about australia i couldnt get my head around haha.

 

If theres anything else I can help you with then please give me a shout.

[Chris N Lora]

PB you obviously have never lived in London, or at least this decade.

 

Would love to see where you would buy in London on 25k? You might be surprised by the costs of a monthly travelcard too.

 

 

I have to say, when I used to live in London, living on 25k was easy. Prior to pay rises.

 

We we're a single income family, 2 kids 3 bed house 2 cars .. working in central London ... I was on 33k a year as a wage. At the end....

 

seriously, as it has been said not every property is 2m in London ... nice places such as Epping / north chingford in zone 4 only 35 minutes to Liverpool street by train.

 

What you have to compare also is cost of food is cheaper in the U.K. Stuff closer to hand etc ... better healthcare system.

 

 

We have decided to return to the uk after 5 years in Australia.... we cannot wait ... we will be going back to London my wage will be 42,500. My wife won't be working at first and we won't be spending 2000 a month on rent..... sorry I think personally, some come to Australia and can't see the bad just like my in laws ... they think it's all Rosie here. When infact it's more expensive. I can't wait to be out of this backward country .. and proper internet public transport services etc.

Edited October 16, 2016 by Chris N Lora

[Chris N Lora]

Also, would just like to add, if you think it is right do it ... regret what you do not what you don't do. Hopefully we will have our commitments resolved in April 2017 and we will be on the first flights out of this place ... biggest regret of my life and 5 years wasted.

[janlo]

They aren't staying in Brisbane, I know your brain probably can't compute why someone would leave but they do lol

 

:laugh: lol...brill

[janlo]

Yeah ive noticed its really cheap. It seems to be that all the time atm but it wasnt january 2014 when i went to london. It was working out £60 but i got a megabus for 30 return. Now im looking and its £20 return. Its the exact same with dublin. Im going to go to one or both next year

 

 

Afternoon...are you back home now? Dont see you on here much anymore

[Bound4Tassie]

I do understand.

 

We we were generally happy in Oz and it was the work situation the forced our hand, but, it now seems that the problems we had were actually a silver lining as we are enjoying it so much here and we had forgotten just how much the UK has to offer. Most of last week I was in the highlands with work and as my wife isn't working yet, she came with me and had a great time in the stunning scenery. Yesterday it belted with rain all day, but we still had a fantastic time - went to a few places including a distillery tour. Next week I am working in Whitby and my wife is tagging along again and will enjoy Yorkshire for a week. Having that variation within easy travel is amazing.

 

Scotland offers so much. Where we live it is more like an English type countryside with rolling hills and woodland. But, an hour north and I am in loch Lomand or, and hour south and in Cumbria.

 

The Scottish people are very warm and friendly and we couldn't ask for better. Life here is very quiet, which suits us, though we can pop into the city at ease.

 

I hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday

 

 

 

Working at the potash mine? Send for a Beacon farm ice cream !

[VERYSTORMY]

Working at the potash mine? Send for a Beacon farm ice cream !

 

Nope, the mine is a long way from opening. I am off to do some ground investigation for a site.

[Quokka2005]

Afternoon...are you back home now? Dont see you on here much anymore

 

Im probably on just as much as before lol. Yeah ive been back almost 8 weeks now.. found it hard yesterday and really missed australia. I'm ok now though

[Flake]

Very different situation but very similar theme. On paper Australia offers a better life in so many ways but the heart wants what the heart wants. I guess it all comes down to how much your head rules over heart. No real advice except they do say you should only ever regret the things you haven't done. Think of it as an adventure and you always have the option of returning to Aus.

[Marisawright]

On paper Australia offers a better life in so many ways

 

I am still trying to work out why people say that.

 

Thirty years ago when I migrated to Australia, there was no question that Australia offered a more prosperous life, with cheaper housing and higher pay.

 

Nowadays, I don't think you can say Australia offers a better life.

 

- SOME people will find the weather is better (but it depends where they came from and where they moved to and how they handle heat/humidity);

- SOME people will find the pay is better (but it depends what their occupation is);

- SOME people will find they can afford a bigger better house (but it depends where they came from and moved to).

- SOME people will find the lifestyle is better (but it depends whether they like a beach/outdoor lifestyle).

 

Very few people would find Australia is "better" in EVERY aspect. It's just different, that's all, and those differences will suit some people and not others.

 

Australia offers the rare opportunity to live in a foreign country where there's no language barrier, so it's a good place to have a new adventure. That's it in a nutshell.

Edited October 20, 2016 by Marisawright

[CatMoose]

Let me answer that for you

 

I'm earning £38,000 a year in Australia- the salary I left in the U.K. was £24,000 and it's what I'll be going back to. Not to mention a crap pound thanks to the Brexit genii.

In South Australia we talk about how hot the summer will be, not wonder if we'll even have one.

People are more open and friendly in Australia

I couldn't believe the litter and dirty streets when I went back for a visit to the UK in July compared to South Australia

I find Australia, far more family friendly than the UK

Australia offers a better outdoors life than the UK does

 

I would suggest that Australia would offer most people a better life in a lot of ways, particularly if you have a family.

 

 

There are many ways in which I prefer the UK, my civil rights being a big one. However, my main reasons are family and the opportunity to reimmerse myself in European culture.

 

As always, to each their own. What works for one - will not work for another and that's as it should be. Life would be dull if we were all the same.

 

Happy decisons and travels people

[Marisawright]

Let me answer that for you

 

I'm earning £38,000 a year in Australia- the salary I left in the U.K. was £24,000 and it's what I'll be going back to. Not to mention a crap pound thanks to the Brexit genii.

In South Australia we talk about how hot the summer will be, not wonder if we'll even have one.

People are more open and friendly in Australia

I couldn't believe the litter and dirty streets when I went back for a visit to the UK in July compared to South Australia

I find Australia, far more family friendly than the UK

Australia offers a better outdoors life than the UK does

 

I would suggest that Australia would offer most people a better life in a lot of ways, particularly if you have a family.

 

 

Your answer supports what I said. For each person, so much depends where you've moved from, where you've moved to and what your tastes are.

 

For instance, I believe you when you say Adelaide is more family-friendly than the UK, but you can't make a generalisation about Australia. You don't know whether Sydney is more family friendly unless you've lived there.

Also, of course, for someone who doesn't have a family, what benefit is that to them?

Sure, Australia offers a better outdoors life than many parts of the UK - but for someone who's not interested in an outdoor life, what good is that?

 

Like you say, it's a personal thing but it's also location-specific. People seem to persist in thinking that Australia is the same all over, when in fact the different cities are very different in character.

Edited October 20, 2016 by Marisawright

[VERYSTORMY]

Let me answer that for you

 

I'm earning £38,000 a year in Australia- the salary I left in the U.K. was £24,000 and it's what I'll be going back to. Not to mention a crap pound thanks to the Brexit genii.

In South Australia we talk about how hot the summer will be, not wonder if we'll even have one.

People are more open and friendly in Australia

I couldn't believe the litter and dirty streets when I went back for a visit to the UK in July compared to South Australia

I find Australia, far more family friendly than the UK

Australia offers a better outdoors life than the UK does

 

I would suggest that Australia would offer most people a better life in a lot of ways, particularly if you have a family.

 

 

There are many ways in which I prefer the UK, my civil rights being a big one. However, my main reasons are family and the opportunity to reimmerse myself in European culture.

 

As always, to each their own. What works for one - will not work for another and that's as it should be. Life would be dull if we were all the same.

 

Happy decisons and travels people

 

I earn a fraction of what I generally did in Australia, but, we are better off financially.

 

We we were very pleasantly surprised how nice summer has been, even though many Brits around us still say it was barely existent. In fact, if I could change anything about it, it would have been less hot days and less hot generally. Even Autumn has been very mild. Only 3 weeks ago, we were sat at a wonderful country pub in t-shirts basking in sunshine - and that is Scotland!

 

I will ill defer to my wife's view on friendliness as she is not English. She is amazed by how friendly people are to the extent she initially found it odd, but now loves it, but, again that is based on the north east of England and Scotland.

 

We are big outdoor people, we were before Oz and still are and it is the main reason I went into my career - I am an exploration geologist. We find the UK far more outdoors based than Oz. In fact, we have done more outdoor time this year than we did in the last 8 in Oz.

[Keith and Linda]

When we moved over to OZ mid 1999 my salary in Oz was just over half of what I was on in the UK, based on the same exchange rate as then, I am now on over double what I could get in the UK, present exchange rate is just too mind blowing to compare. However in 1999 the cost of living in Oz was lower (but not by half) and we have watched this get ridiculously high.

 

We are looking forward to spending somewhat equal time enjoying each country in the not too distant future.

[bencrom81]

Let me answer that for you

 

I'm earning £38,000 a year in Australia- the salary I left in the U.K. was £24,000 and it's what I'll be going back to. Not to mention a crap pound thanks to the Brexit genii.

In South Australia we talk about how hot the summer will be, not wonder if we'll even have one.

People are more open and friendly in Australia

I couldn't believe the litter and dirty streets when I went back for a visit to the UK in July compared to South Australia

I find Australia, far more family friendly than the UK

Australia offers a better outdoors life than the UK does

 

I would suggest that Australia would offer most people a better life in a lot of ways, particularly if you have a family.

 

 

There are many ways in which I prefer the UK, my civil rights being a big one. However, my main reasons are family and the opportunity to reimmerse myself in European culture.

 

As always, to each their own. What works for one - will not work for another and that's as it should be. Life would be dull if we were all the same.

 

Happy decisons and travels people

 

People more friendly in Australia than the UK! sorry, just fell off my chair. I love a stereotype but this is generalising to biblical proportions! try the eastern suburbs of Sydney and find me a friendly person. very private school cliquey and materialistic, it is not a fosters advert..i found the vast majority of Australians bereft of sense of humour, in fact its a common joke with ex pats there..

and of course they have progressive ideas on harmonious race relations! do me a favour.

I used to get in a lift with people in Sydney and say hello, nothing back. people go out of their way in Manchester to say hello.

 

Litter and dirty streets? Sydney is filthy! maybe Adelaide is clean, but maybe a bit of litter would give it some character.. p.s. Adelaide has more homeless/drug addicts than any other Australian city.. maybe they don't live on clean streets?

define better outdoor life? getting melanomas on a busy beach whilst swatting flies? if people like staying indoors and watching telly, it doesn't matter where you are. I was golfing up at turnberry last week - freezing, windy.. but amazing! depends what you like..

[AJ]

I do understand.

 

 

 

 

Scotland offers so much. Where we live it is more like an English type countryside with rolling hills and woodland. But, an hour north and I am in loch Lomand or, and hour south and in Cumbria.

 

The Scottish people are very warm and friendly and we couldn't ask for better. Life here is very quiet, which suits us, though we can pop into the city at ease.

 

I hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday

You forget to mention only about half an hour away is the lovely area of Onthank which starred in a few episodes of the Scheme! Maybe you havent come across any of the local Jakeys or Neds yet! Lovely scenery up Glen Coe, but you really wouldnt find much work there.

 

I think the rose tinted specs are on when some people are describing Scotland now!

 

Forgot about the Parliament being led by Jimmy Krankie!

Edited October 20, 2016 by AJ

[bristolman]

Let me answer that for you

 

I'm earning £38,000 a year in Australia- the salary I left in the U.K. was £24,000 and it's what I'll be going back to. Not to mention a crap pound thanks to the Brexit genii.

In South Australia we talk about how hot the summer will be, not wonder if we'll even have one.

People are more open and friendly in Australia

I couldn't believe the litter and dirty streets when I went back for a visit to the UK in July compared to South Australia

I find Australia, far more family friendly than the UK

Australia offers a better outdoors life than the UK does

 

I would suggest that Australia would offer most people a better life in a lot of ways, particularly if you have a family.

 

 

There are many ways in which I prefer the UK, my civil rights being a big one. However, my main reasons are family and the opportunity to reimmerse myself in European culture.

 

As always, to each their own. What works for one - will not work for another and that's as it should be. Life would be dull if we were all the same.

 

Happy decisons and travels people

 

Some huge generalisations there. We certainly dont find this country less family friendly than Australia, we don't find people less friendly here, we live in Herefordshire and rarely see litter around the place.

There is absolutely no reason whatsoever to assume Australia offers most people a better life on lots of ways, we certainly see no evidence of that.

We have had very acceptable summers since being back, last summer was very nice and the autumn is still nice and mild.

I'm clearly not alone thinking this way as others have made simple ilar comments. I will say that as little as 20 years ago I would have agreed with much of what you said but in 2016, no.