Returning to Blighty after nearly 8 years in Queensland!!

[Drumbeat]

On 18/12/2017 at 06:16, Lady Tottington said:

Yes im an ODP,

Is this a fairly recent qualification? I trained and worked in the NHS in the 80's and it's not something I've ever heard of?

[Paul1Perth]

On Monday, August 07, 2017 at 21:17, bunbury61 said:

well at least you understand ...and it is bloody hard work .

They arrive in the u.k in a couple of weeks ...prepare for fireworks ?

The thing is quoll , I come across this all the time in my job ....talking over a cup of tea ...and out it comes

ALL THE TIME ...in every family there is always one ,who gets landed , and I keep meeting them ? .

 

 

 

 

Lets face it, they don't need to be in Aus to do nothing to help. They could be a mile down the road and be bone idle.

Makes me and the wife know how lucky we are. My sister and nieces/ nephews and their kids all lived close to my parents. 

They had to work on them for years to move to Melton Mowbray from Chesterfield but when they did they all spent lots of time with them.

My parents both died aged 93 and I  went back for both funerals. Whilst I could understand if there was a bit of ill feeling towards me as we've been in Aus for 26 years I've not experienced any.

My sister and family wanted to emigrate here too when they came on holiday but couldn't get in. My parents loved it and said it was the best move we could have made. 

It's all down to individual circumstances and some people seem to want to help the olds some don't. Some do it just because they feel guilty and hate doing it and blame other siblings or family members for not pulling their weight.

Like I say, my Sis and family have stepped up and not one complaint to me or the wife. Maybe it wouldn't have been any different if we had stayed in the UK as we lived near Manchester and only saw them infrequently any way.

That's life.

[Tulip1]

Whilst reading all these comments something has occurred to me. We all hear about the difficult choices people make when emigrating to Australia such as leaving parents, the guilt of taking the grandkids away etc but it's never mentioned that there's a reasonable chance you'll 'split' your actual family up too. There must be many people in the situation that after some years they wish to return to the uk but the now grown up kids are settled and wish to remain.  I think it's something people should really think about when moving as a family. If people think it's hard living without their parents it will be much harder living without your kids. Yes the kids may now be grown up but you're still living on the other side of the world to them if you return.  I am not in any way suggesting anyone is wrong as we are all different but I for one could never make the choice to move to the other side of the world and rarely see my grown up kids. My grown up kids however did move to Oz and I wouldn't change their happiness for anything but your kids deciding to move away is a world apart from the parent deciding to, for me it is and I appreciate not for everyone. Just makes me wonder how many families consider the heart-renching consequences of their family potentially being split up when making the move. You only have to see how many parent visas applications are submitted (at huge costs)  to know that so many parents follow their children to Oz because they miss them so much,  that tells us how hard living apart is for so many.  it must be so hard for the people posting on here in that situation.

[DukeNinja]

On 19/12/2017 at 14:55, Drumbeat said:

Is this a fairly recent qualification? I trained and worked in the NHS in the 80's and it's not something I've ever heard of?

Operating Department Practitioner. Essential member of the anaesthetic team. Has been around for decades, probably under a different name.

[bristolman]

On 19/12/2017 at 04:55, Drumbeat said:

Is this a fairly recent qualification? I trained and worked in the NHS in the 80's and it's not something I've ever heard of?

If you type into Google NHS ODP, it pops straight up. 

[Lady Tottington]

Is this a fairly recent qualification? I trained and worked in the NHS in the 80's and it's not something I've ever heard of?

Nope its been around for ever, I work in the theatres mainly in Anaesthetics but in Recovery, scrub, resus and also can work in ICU in some hospitals.

[Drumbeat]

5 hours ago, Lady Tottington said:

Nope its been around for ever, I work in the theatres mainly in Anaesthetics but in Recovery, scrub, resus and also can work in ICU in some hospitals.

Did it always require a degree? I vaguely remember there being some theatre technicians when I did my stint in OT.

[Lady Tottington]

Did it always require a degree? I vaguely remember there being some theatre technicians when I did my stint in OT.

Nope it didnt need a degree many years ago as it wasnt regulated by a governing body, but then Registration came in and all ODP's have to be on the register and are valid qualified members of the peri-operative team.

[Home and Happy]

On ‎04‎/‎08‎/‎2017 at 05:53, Phil & Vikki said:

We never thought of moving to Australia as a dream come true, we say it as an adventure and a break from our normal (what we thought was boring) lives. Only now we can look back and see that it was not boring and in fact we had it quite good there. 

Nobody realises just how good we have it at home until we go away out there looking for adventure only to find that it's the back of beyond, backwards in time to somewhere in the early 1990s again and live out several years of groundhog day in a stinking baking hot lifeless suburb.

When you get home, you will be like a kind of tourist rediscovering all the fun things you once took for granted.

If anything its worth the move home just so you don't have to watch the insular inward looking TV they have away out there.

And....no more gum trees & colour bond fences or having to water your garden twice a day to stop it from turning in to a desert

If you have the money to get out of that place and get your life back, then do it.

UK is THE place to be now !!!!

 

[jonnyraceway]

Nobody realises just how good we have it at home until we go away out there looking for adventure only to find that it's the back of beyond, backwards in time to somewhere in the early 1990s again and live out several years of groundhog day in a stinking baking hot lifeless suburb.
When you get home, you will be like a kind of tourist rediscovering all the fun things you once took for granted.
If anything its worth the move home just so you don't have to watch the insular inward looking TV they have away out there.
And....no more gum trees & colour bond fences or having to water your garden twice a day to stop it from turning in to a desert
If you have the money to get out of that place and get your life back, then do it.
UK is THE place to be now !!!!
 

Blimey what a post.

Home and Happy? Home and Bitter more like...

[Home and Happy]

19 minutes ago, jonnyraceway said:

 

Blimey what a post.

Home and Happy? Home and Bitter more like...

 

At least I don't have to do another Christmas & New Year in a suburb far from the family on the other side of the world. 

Did quite a few of those...oh my.... those were dull,  empty times.

UK is the place to be. You know it is.

 

 

 

 

[jonnyraceway]

Don’t blame you mate. I couldn’t live in Baldivis either, especially with all family back in the UK. What a crappy life.

Glad you’re back home now, for your own sanity if nothing else.

[Jay2016]

But you know in yourself where home is and Australia has left me a bit hollow in that respect, once the 'holiday' ended. Good luck with your move Lady T.

I hear alot or I perceive it anyway about how hollow Oz leaves people feeling.
This post is interesting to me as I'm mid 40s with a visa whose travel portion is soon to run out. Nothing particularly to leave the UK for and nothing particularly drawing me to Oz. Except no ties, you only have one life, I like the beach and sunbathing and water based activity (scuba, Kitesurfing) but equally like chill-laxing watching a box set. I look at Oz houses ask the time thinking wow the size!! But they all look HOLLOW. tiny rear gardens with tin fences HOLLOW.i do like the clean minimalist look though. Plus I like my own space so provided you can watch box sets and movies that would be the escape from terrible Oz TV.
I'm babbling now as not sure where my reply is going lol.

[Marisawright]

1 hour ago, Jay2016 said:

I hear alot or I perceive it anyway about how hollow Oz leaves people feeling.
 

Just remember that people are on these forums for a reason. 

People come to these forums to research before they move - but once they've moved, if things are going well, they probably don't visit again.   So you're not getting to hear from the happy, settled people - most of the people on these forums are people who are having problems and who need help.   It can give the impression that people are really unhappy in Australia - but then, at times you'll see a lot of posts from people like me, who tried going back to the UK and hated it, so it works both ways!

Edited February 4, 2018 by Marisawright

[Jay2016]

people like me, who tried going back to the UK and hated it, so it works both ways!

Curious now and grateful that you make the effort when you like there others happy in Oz don't need to bother.... But what is you're story?? If you have time! J

[Marisawright]

4 minutes ago, Jay2016 said:

Curious now and grateful that you make the effort when you like there others happy in Oz don't need to bother.... But what is you're story?? If you have time! J

My story - came to Australia over 30 years ago with my first husband.  He ran off with one of his students.  I remarried a few years later.   When my second husband's mother died, it meant we had no family left in Oz at all.   I have various sisters and nieces and nephews back in the UK (plus we love traveling in Europe), so we thought we'd look at retiring in the UK. Long story short, my husband loved it (and he's Australian!) and I didn't.

We're now living in Melbourne.   I work online and tend to drop into various forums when I feel like a break between tasks.  I like to feel useful.

[bristolman]

19 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

Just remember that people are on these forums for a reason. 

People come to these forums to research before they move - but once they've moved, if things are going well, they probably don't visit again.   So you're not getting to hear from the happy, settled people - most of the people on these forums are people who are having problems and who need help.   It can give the impression that people are really unhappy in Australia - but then, at times you'll see a lot of posts from people like me, who tried going back to the UK and hated it, so it works both ways!

Thats not even close to true I'm afraid, to say your not getting to hear from the happy settled people just isn't the case, the vast majority of posts are from people that appear to be happy and settled in Australia. As in any country there are of course plenty of people that 'are really unhappy in Australia'.  

[bristolman]

2 hours ago, Jay2016 said:

I hear alot or I perceive it anyway about how hollow Oz leaves people feeling.
This post is interesting to me as I'm mid 40s with a visa whose travel portion is soon to run out. Nothing particularly to leave the UK for and nothing particularly drawing me to Oz. Except no ties, you only have one life, I like the beach and sunbathing and water based activity (scuba, Kitesurfing) but equally like chill-laxing watching a box set. I look at Oz houses ask the time thinking wow the size!! But they all look HOLLOW. tiny rear gardens with tin fences HOLLOW.i do like the clean minimalist look though. Plus I like my own space so provided you can watch box sets and movies that would be the escape from terrible Oz TV.
I'm babbling now as not sure where my reply is going lol.

I think hollow is a good word and one I hear quite often. When I think about it our life seemed a bit hollow, it looked fine on the outside but had not a lot of substance to it. 

Yes, Oz TV is truly appalling

[jimmyinoz]

hi hope you get home ok ..im wondering if your taking your super with you [or are you youngsters ] as were looking at returning home in the next 5 or so yrs to retire and i need my super to buy a house ..good luck  i know how you feel bee here for 13 yrs and i cant put my finger on it but ..i know i miss my mountains in Scotland 

 

 

[Jay2016]

Considering us Brits moan about the weather, surely Oz weather is superior?(That said I did read someone's funny post, about the heat)  & NO ONE TELLS YOU ITS DARK BY 7PM!!! That amazes me! 

But at least there is 52weekends a year to enjoy warmth on your face outside and avoid the TV inside!

[bristolman]

25 minutes ago, Jay2016 said:

Considering us Brits moan about the weather, surely Oz weather is superior?(That said I did read someone's funny post, about the heat)  & NO ONE TELLS YOU ITS DARK BY 7PM!!! That amazes me! 

But at least there is 52weekends a year to enjoy warmth on your face outside and avoid the TV inside!

Haha, no not superior, different and believe me there is not 52 weekends to enjoy warmth on your face, there is still rain and cloud lol

Edited February 4, 2018 by bristolman

[simmo]

1 hour ago, Jay2016 said:

But at least there is 52weekends a year to enjoy warmth on your face outside and avoid the TV inside!

where?

[MelT]

Considering us Brits moan about the weather, surely Oz weather is superior?(That said I did read someone's funny post, about the heat)  & NO ONE TELLS YOU ITS DARK BY 7PM!!! That amazes me! 
But at least there is 52weekends a year to enjoy warmth on your face outside and avoid the TV inside!

Interesting, I have just come back from a planning visit to the uk (January)I was able to be more active (go for walks etc) more than I ever do here. Where it is too hot and too dangerous with the extreme UV's (already given me skin cancer). I look forward to the long light evenings in the uk in the summer which we never get here in SE Qld. We have also had days of unrelenting rain here in Qld last week (& storms) so Australia's weather is far from perfect and is very extreme and harsh and an unforgiving climate. The U.K. Is far more temperate.

[Jay2016]

Thanks MelT as it's QLD I'm interested in too. Sunshine coast or Brisbane. Hmmmm that bad eh. I do like a sunbath looks like it would have to be at 6am Lol. May I ask are you looking to retire to UK or have you the issues of finding work etc?

[MelT]

Thanks MelT as it's QLD I'm interested in too. Sunshine coast or Brisbane. Hmmmm that bad eh. I do like a sunbath looks like it would have to be at 6am Lol. May I ask are you looking to retire to UK or have you the issues of finding work etc?

We are moving back to the South East as this is where we lived prior moving to Australia. Our son has been accepted at a school and starts in September. Our son s so happy to be going back he said he felt accepted which he said he has never felt here in Australia (we have been here 13 years 6 in Vic more accepting than the last 7 years in Qld). So we will be working. Been in contact with good friends who I worked with in the UK and they said the job market is active in our area (finance). So it has all fallen into place so far.... Now just the house to sell and to secure a job for when we get back.. We currently live on acreage about 40 minutes south of Brisbane.