blondie Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 Hi all We have been back home for 2 years now after 7 years in Sydney, so thought I would give a little update that may reassure others making the move to the green and pleasant land. HOUSING: While in Sydney we rented and had to move 3 times for various reasons. Lived in the burbs (which I hated). In the UK we sold our house in Devon and bought in Somerset. We have an amazing home (barn conversion) which is large and open plan and fits all the furniture in which we bought back with us. We are in a lovely little village, good community, surrounded by fields and sheep. We even have our own allotment EMPLOYMENT: OH had a job offer made whilst still in Oz which was great to come straight into, I took a little longer to find work as our son was diagnosed with diabetes and I had to re-think a lot of choices. I now work part time within the NHS and I love the job. Our daughter is a teacher and her partner is also working full time. Our salaries are lower than Oz but it seems to be working out ok as cost of living is lower. EDUCATION: Our son went to a private school in Sydney which we hoped would provide the extra help he needed as he has dyslexia. The school was ineffective and offered no extra help at all other than a weekly homework club. Two weeks into his new school here (an Academy Trust) he had been tested and extra measures put into place. Student support, a learning mentor, scribe for exams and extra time. The campus isn't as pleasant as his private school and the kids are not as privileged as his old school friends but he has the opportunity to learn properly. ENTERTAINMENT: We may be out in the countryside but have everything and more we could need. Gym 5 minutes in the car, tennis club 15 minutes down the motorway. Dancing lessons, film nights, gardening clubs, pilates, yoga, bands, theatres, astronomy club, youth club, WI, history club, art groups all thriving in the the various villages and local towns. Nearest pub is 5 minutes in the car, welcomes the dog and serves a cracking roast for nine pounds The nearest (decent) beach is just over an hour away in the car. WHAT DO I MISS: Mostly it's the friends I made, the large salary made us feel successful, coupled with blue skies pretty much every day, just helps a person feel "YES" !!! If our salary increased dramatically here, there was a tad more of the blue skies but without the blistering heat and one friend in particular then I would be pretty much in heaven. WHAT DON'T I MISS: Mosquitoes, humidity, spiky grass, gum trees, the suburbs, colorbond fencing, endless NSW bureaucracy, flies, conversations about Super and house prices and shopping malls!! So thats us in a nutshell .... not too shabby really Good luck to all returning or moving here for the first time. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Sounds like things have worked out pretty well. Well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 SoSends like you've made a happy landing! I got my first mozzie bite within 12 hours of landing in Australia yesterday - 3 of them actually! I was only outside for a few minutes waving the granddaughters off! And I am sunburned despite sunscreen on my walk early in the day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Sounds as though it's all worked out well, most of your comments apply equally to us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JockinTas Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 SoSends like you've made a happy landing! I got my first mozzie bite within 12 hours of landing in Australia yesterday - 3 of them actually! I was only outside for a few minutes waving the granddaughters off! And I am sunburned despite sunscreen on my walk early in the day Bloody mozzies! I've been here over 3 decades and never been sunburnt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perthbum Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Bloody mozzies! I've been here over 3 decades and never been sunburnt. only stupid people get sunburnt jock, brits in oz and on holiday abroad...thre locals treat the sun with the respect it deserves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 only stupid people get sunburnt jock, brits in oz and on holiday abroad...thre locals treat the sun with the respect it deserves You just open your mouth and stupid stuff falls out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perthbum Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 (edited) You just open your mouth and stupid stuff falls out.yep and you are the stupid that I regurgitate.Go to Spain, Italy, Greece, you never see the locals sunburnt....just the Brits, Edited March 12, 2017 by Perthbum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted March 13, 2017 Share Posted March 13, 2017 yep and you are the stupid that I regurgitate. That makes no sense whatsoever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunbury61 Posted March 13, 2017 Share Posted March 13, 2017 Hi allWe have been back home for 2 years now after 7 years in Sydney, so thought I would give a little update that may reassure others making the move to the green and pleasant land. HOUSING: While in Sydney we rented and had to move 3 times for various reasons. Lived in the burbs (which I hated). In the UK we sold our house in Devon and bought in Somerset. We have an amazing home (barn conversion) which is large and open plan and fits all the furniture in which we bought back with us. We are in a lovely little village, good community, surrounded by fields and sheep. We even have our own allotment EMPLOYMENT: OH had a job offer made whilst still in Oz which was great to come straight into, I took a little longer to find work as our son was diagnosed with diabetes and I had to re-think a lot of choices. I now work part time within the NHS and I love the job. Our daughter is a teacher and her partner is also working full time. Our salaries are lower than Oz but it seems to be working out ok as cost of living is lower. EDUCATION: Our son went to a private school in Sydney which we hoped would provide the extra help he needed as he has dyslexia. The school was ineffective and offered no extra help at all other than a weekly homework club. Two weeks into his new school here (an Academy Trust) he had been tested and extra measures put into place. Student support, a learning mentor, scribe for exams and extra time. The campus isn't as pleasant as his private school and the kids are not as privileged as his old school friends but he has the opportunity to learn properly. ENTERTAINMENT: We may be out in the countryside but have everything and more we could need. Gym 5 minutes in the car, tennis club 15 minutes down the motorway. Dancing lessons, film nights, gardening clubs, pilates, yoga, bands, theatres, astronomy club, youth club, WI, history club, art groups all thriving in the the various villages and local towns. Nearest pub is 5 minutes in the car, welcomes the dog and serves a cracking roast for nine pounds The nearest (decent) beach is just over an hour away in the car. WHAT DO I MISS: Mostly it's the friends I made, the large salary made us feel successful, coupled with blue skies pretty much every day, just helps a person feel "YES" !!! If our salary increased dramatically here, there was a tad more of the blue skies but without the blistering heat and one friend in particular then I would be pretty much in heaven. WHAT DON'T I MISS: Mosquitoes, humidity, spiky grass, gum trees, the suburbs, colorbond fencing, endless NSW bureaucracy, flies, conversations about Super and house prices and shopping malls!! So thats us in a nutshell .... not too shabby really Good luck to all returning or moving here for the first time. Well done Blondie , glad the path has been flat and with the wind at your back . Mine has not been so easy iam afraid . If someone had told me how events would unfold , I wouldn't have believed them . Lets call it a roller coaster ,that could have come off the track at any time ...but it hasn't . Iam so mentally strong now , not a shred of self doubt ,but it has been hard earned. Here we are in the u.k ...iam debt free ...virtually stress free....and my decisions have proved correct . Not was though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunbury61 Posted March 13, 2017 Share Posted March 13, 2017 SoSends like you've made a happy landing! I got my first mozzie bite within 12 hours of landing in Australia yesterday - 3 of them actually! I was only outside for a few minutes waving the granddaughters off! And I am sunburned despite sunscreen on my walk early in the day Genuinely interested quoll ...how do you find it , when you spend time back there . I always read your posts and replies with interest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 Genuinely interested quoll ...how do you find it , when you spend time back there .I always read your posts and replies with interestIt’s better when I go back with the DH but generally I can feel the cloak of depression slipping over my shoulders when I walk the same paths that haven’t changed at all in 30 years. It’s sort of harsh where I prefer mellow. It doesn’t take long for that to happen and I have to give myself a boot to stop it getting to me (I hate the bush) but generally I feel flat, one dimensional.All sorts of little things irritate me - things like struggling to get cream with my coffee, the dawn cacophony, possums landing on the roof, the lack of driver courtesy, the superficiality of friendships, the poor selection of yarn, getting bitten by mozzies, flies aiming for every orifice. I hate the blue skies - daft, I know, but when you’ve been through a 7 year drought, waking up to the harsh blue sky every bloody day gets you just as “down” as the grey skies that people seem to remember of U.K. Having been through one bushfire, worked on the recovery process of two, had a son who lost everything in one, I have to say that they scare me witless. I hate bushfire days with a passion.But, I would like to be in our home with just my husband. I want to finish renovating it. I want to enjoy our grandkids - travel to get to spend time with all of them, here and there. I’m looking forward to getting a new car and not being responsible for lives other than our own. It’s the responsibility that is really getting me down here and sitting around waiting for someone to die, not being able to leave him alone so DH and I haven’t been out together alone for nearly a year now.I would happily relocate back here permanently and visit Australia but I’ve promised to go and I should be able to cope. I will have to actively fight the depression and boredom but I’m a big girl and life there will him will be a whole lot better than life here without him.I guess there is no magic in Australia for me. There was once but then the gloss wore off. I’m all about adventures though so if I reframe when I get back I should have a bit of a new lease on life there again for a while at least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 Oops just realized that was an ages old post - sorry! It popped up on my Tapatalk!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted November 30, 2017 Share Posted November 30, 2017 14 hours ago, Quoll said: Oops just realized that was an ages old post - sorry! It popped up on my Tapatalk!!! HaHa , i nearly replied too because you had bumped it back up again. Sounds like the OP as settled well and i totally agree with the mossies, lol although its wayyyy to wet for mossies here today,lol Cal x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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