Westy Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 Well after just over ten years of living in Australia we are moving back to the UK.Flights booked for July (one way), removal company come at the end of May to empty most of the things in our flat. My partner and I are both taking one year career breaks in our jobs just in case things don't work out in the UK( be silly not to, nothing to lose ). We have a 6 year old and basically like a lot of the people on this site we miss family and friends. Feel like our daughter is missing out on grand parents, Uncles, Aunts, cousins etc. We rented, so no house to sell , only our car. Mixed emotions about the whole thing. Had to make a decision after over one year going around in circles with the pros and cons. After one year will make a decision to stay or come back. 3 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber Snowball Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 5 hours ago, Westy said: Well after just over ten years of living in Australia we are moving back to the UK.Flights booked for July (one way), removal company come at the end of May to empty most of the things in our flat. My partner and I are both taking one year career breaks in our jobs just in case things don't work out in the UK( be silly not to, nothing to lose ). We have a 6 year old and basically like a lot of the people on this site we miss family and friends. Feel like our daughter is missing out on grand parents, Uncles, Aunts, cousins etc. We rented, so no house to sell , only our car. Mixed emotions about the whole thing. Had to make a decision after over one year going around in circles with the pros and cons. After one year will make a decision to stay or come back. Good for you and very sensible with the career break. I returned last June, it has flown by. Still getting back into things, after 13 years away it’s like migrating to a new country again! Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 Good idea about the career break - how long is it for? Good luck with the move. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westy Posted April 26, 2019 Author Share Posted April 26, 2019 It''s a one year career break. Any advice Amber once i get back to UK. Are you enjoying being back ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber Snowball Posted April 26, 2019 Share Posted April 26, 2019 17 hours ago, Westy said: It''s a one year career break. Any advice Amber once i get back to UK. Are you enjoying being back ? Hi, yes it’s ok. I work for the NHS, so that is a challenge but I am enjoying it for the most part. I live in Frodsham which is great, not sure if that is too far from Manchester for you. Has a train station, don’t know what the schools are like. The UK has changed and the evidence of austerity is obvious in a lot of areas of public life. I’m not from up here but have found people to be friendly and welcoming. I love the countryside and lots of choice of food and clothes! Did you keep a bank account in the UK? I found the Halifax happy to open a current and savings account for me as soon as I arrived and with my job offer letter they offered me a mortgage straight off as well! I can’t remember if they asked for id with a uk address on it but I still had my UK licence with my aunts address on so used that for everything even though I wasn’t living there. If you don’t have any paperwork with a uk address, marisawright on here always tells people to change the address on your aussie bank account to a family members address in the uk and then request a posted statement which you can then collect and use when you land. Seems like a good idea. I like driving here, people seem much less aggro than driving in Melbourne. Only been tooted once and to be fair I was being random! House buying process is a pain in the arriss. You need to drive the conveyancers incessantly. Having said that my last sale in Australia wasn’t a barrel of laughs either but the process is much better defined over there. If you think of anything else ask away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westy Posted April 27, 2019 Author Share Posted April 27, 2019 Thanks Amber for the information. Such a big decision moving back, excited and nervous. Will see what happens over the next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber Snowball Posted April 27, 2019 Share Posted April 27, 2019 1 hour ago, Westy said: Thanks Amber for the information. Such a big decision moving back, excited and nervous. Will see what happens over the next year. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunbury61 Posted April 27, 2019 Share Posted April 27, 2019 On 25/04/2019 at 11:58, Westy said: Well after just over ten years of living in Australia we are moving back to the UK.Flights booked for July (one way), removal company come at the end of May to empty most of the things in our flat. My partner and I are both taking one year career breaks in our jobs just in case things don't work out in the UK( be silly not to, nothing to lose ). We have a 6 year old and basically like a lot of the people on this site we miss family and friends. Feel like our daughter is missing out on grand parents, Uncles, Aunts, cousins etc. We rented, so no house to sell , only our car. Mixed emotions about the whole thing. Had to make a decision after over one year going around in circles with the pros and cons. After one year will make a decision to stay or come back. Great news , at least you are keeping your options open - sensible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chooklady Posted May 4, 2019 Share Posted May 4, 2019 Hi Westy WIshing you lots of luck with the move. I lived in Adelaide for 6 1/2yrs (from age 26 - 32) and decided to come back to the UK in 2012, so I have been back just as long as I was out there I moved back mainly because I missed the UK and the greenery and the grey weather, strange as it sounds, the UK is home to me and the familiarity and feeling of belonging was really important. Although I have a big family who I am close to, they weren't the main reason. I don't have any children of my own, so I can't comment on that side of things. The UK defintely feels more gritty and less 'Perfect' than Australia, but to be honest I got fed up of living in 'The Truman Show'. Everything perfect, even the weather....but maybe that says more about me! I never moved there for the lifestyle, it was because i was adventurous and met an Aussie man (I could have ended up in South America, if that's where he was from!) Anyway, I agree with alot of what Amber said. The driving is better here, more polite and people let you out!! The diversity, culture is richer and more interesting, less americanised. Also you can come back to decent mayonnaise, decent gravy, proper bacon, hula hoops and not a sausage sizzle in sight! (Although there are a couple of Bunnings around) Welcome back to proper wit, sarcasm, the british obsession with the weather and people sitting out in the sun! Hurrah! I love it! Chooklady x 8 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westy Posted May 4, 2019 Author Share Posted May 4, 2019 Thanks Chooklady for your reply. I like the comment about the Trueman Show and and can understand what you mean. All our family and friends in the UK think we are crazy for coming back and when i say everybody i mean everybody. My response is, What's life like in Australian. What do you mean, i've never been, they say. I rest my case. Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brummygirl Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 Your situation is similar to mine. My husband and 1 year old daughter have been back in Birmingham for 3 weeks - Leaving my parents and brother in Melbourne! The reason for our move back was due to my husband missing his family, despite 1-2 trips back to the UK every year. The UK has definitely changed from when we left in 2009 & I am finding it extremly difficault to slot back into life after 10 years in Melbourne. Finding a car, renting a house, buying furniture again is very stressful and you feel like you are bleeding pounds! lol We also kept our jobs open in Melbourne and said to each other we will allow 12 months and see how we go. In my situation, I wish 12 months would be over so we could just go back to Melbourne - my husband, however is loving life reconnecting with his family while I grieve leaving mine. finding out I was pregnant 1 week before we left also did not help with the emotional side of the move, baby is due December and I dread what will happen in 12 months if we can't agree on which country we want to raise our children up in.... the move will be challenging emotionally and financially, its great you both have your families for support - I wish you well with the move and hope you find what you feel is missing. x 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westy Posted May 6, 2019 Author Share Posted May 6, 2019 Hi Brummygirl If you are anything like me you will hate change. Three weeks is very early to hate or love something . We are treating our 12 months as a chance to try something new. A friend told me the other day, We are blessed with choices. That is very true. 12 months will go fast and for us we will sit down as a family and decide what is the best thing to do next. As with all the comments on this forum you never really know the full situation in peoples lives, just the surface.Humans are designed to look on the negative side of things in the main. That is me. It won't work, is this the right decision, etc etc. Try and turn that around, you are back in the UK go and see places you have not seen before, I've more of Australian than the UK. Enjoy what is happening now and in 12 months time make the next step. As i said before all our family think we are mad to come back to the UK. Maybe they are right and maybe not Take care Westy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber Snowball Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 I must be honest 12 months is nothing, still feel like I have just arrived. I have been back just over 10 months and still feel like I’m just getting settled in. Not sure I could make a decision to move again in that time. It was the same when I moved to Australia. During that first year my emotions flip flopped all over the place and I’m glad I didn’t knee jerk into anything as I did settle there and feel I am settling here as well. Obviously my personal situation is completely different to any of yours and my decision making process will have been influenced by different factors as well, but I would be panicking now if I had to make a decision to stay or leave in the next 2 months. Having said that if you are either completely joyous or totally depressed I suppose it would be an easy call! Not really sure what point I’m trying to make here if any point at all(!) but to say it is a leap of faith in either direction and always carries an element of risk, but we need to do what we need to do and I wish everyone well whatever they decide. @Westy get used to the disbelief at your decision, 10 months in and still get the gaping mouth response. Just tell them that I was Australia’d out and it’s the same s#it shinier bucket and then question why they think it’s better. Most people now shrug and say fair enough. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 On Thursday, April 25, 2019 at 18:58, Westy said: Well after just over ten years of living in Australia we are moving back to the UK.Flights booked for July (one way), removal company come at the end of May to empty most of the things in our flat. My partner and I are both taking one year career breaks in our jobs just in case things don't work out in the UK( be silly not to, nothing to lose ). We have a 6 year old and basically like a lot of the people on this site we miss family and friends. Feel like our daughter is missing out on grand parents, Uncles, Aunts, cousins etc. We rented, so no house to sell , only our car. Mixed emotions about the whole thing. Had to make a decision after over one year going around in circles with the pros and cons. After one year will make a decision to stay or come back. You must have a bit put by to have a year off. Couldn't have considered that at your age. In fact I'm 65 now and wondering when I can call it quits. Gone down to 3 days a week work and liking that but will have another check when the Aussie pension kicks in. Good luck with your trip and take time to assess where you want to settle. It'll all be a bit false if you're not working though. I would chew through a lot more cash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber Snowball Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 1 hour ago, Paul1Perth said: You must have a bit put by to have a year off. Couldn't have considered that at your age. In fact I'm 65 now and wondering when I can call it quits. Gone down to 3 days a week work and liking that but will have another check when the Aussie pension kicks in. Good luck with your trip and take time to assess where you want to settle. It'll all be a bit false if you're not working though. I would chew through a lot more cash. I read it as they are intending to work in the UK but keeping their positions in Aus in case they return. I agree Paul, I think I’ll be working forever, just die on the job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliQ Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 On 25/04/2019 at 20:58, Westy said: Well after just over ten years of living in Australia we are moving back to the UK.Flights booked for July (one way), removal company come at the end of May to empty most of the things in our flat. My partner and I are both taking one year career breaks in our jobs just in case things don't work out in the UK( be silly not to, nothing to lose ). We have a 6 year old and basically like a lot of the people on this site we miss family and friends. Feel like our daughter is missing out on grand parents, Uncles, Aunts, cousins etc. We rented, so no house to sell , only our car. Mixed emotions about the whole thing. Had to make a decision after over one year going around in circles with the pros and cons. After one year will make a decision to stay or come back. Hi Westy, We also have decided to go back to the UK and will fly within two or three weeks. Our recent six month stint in the UK, followed by a return here to Australia, albeit only a few weeks ! has really cemented our decision to go back to the UK. I was not keen to return here anyway, but my husband wanted to “try” another state, but realised very quickly it is not for us anymore. Luckily for us , our cat and goods are not yet shipped (we had both on hold in the UK) so they will be there as soon as we land back. We’ve had a great 28 years here, but as you get older, life changes, and you just want different things in life after a while. Hope your move goes well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brummygirl Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 On 06/05/2019 at 07:43, Westy said: Hi Brummygirl If you are anything like me you will hate change. Three weeks is very early to hate or love something . We are treating our 12 months as a chance to try something new. A friend told me the other day, We are blessed with choices. That is very true. 12 months will go fast and for us we will sit down as a family and decide what is the best thing to do next. As with all the comments on this forum you never really know the full situation in peoples lives, just the surface.Humans are designed to look on the negative side of things in the main. That is me. It won't work, is this the right decision, etc etc. Try and turn that around, you are back in the UK go and see places you have not seen before, I've more of Australian than the UK. Enjoy what is happening now and in 12 months time make the next step. As i said before all our family think we are mad to come back to the UK. Maybe they are right and maybe not Take care Westy Yep I really hate change I think thats probably the most scary part! I also always see the negative side of a situation, and you are right you never know until you give it a try which is what my hubby keeps saying to me. everyone we meet or speak to also think we are mad for returning to "shitty Birmingham" is most peoples quote, however these people have never actually left the UK, never mind lived in a completely different country, so I try and take their opinions with a grain of salt! Please keep us posted on your adventure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bug family Posted May 10, 2019 Share Posted May 10, 2019 On 04/05/2019 at 17:00, chooklady said: The diversity, culture is richer and more interesting, less americanised. Totally agree chooklady, there is an obsession here with calling everything 'AWESOME' ......your top is 'AWESOME'.....my car is 'AWESOME'.....this area is 'AWESOME'....so americanised (i am not against america by the way) australia is in danger of losing its own identity 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Home and Happy Posted May 10, 2019 Share Posted May 10, 2019 On 04/05/2019 at 10:00, chooklady said: Hi Westy WIshing you lots of luck with the move. I lived in Adelaide for 6 1/2yrs (from age 26 - 32) and decided to come back to the UK in 2012, so I have been back just as long as I was out there I moved back mainly because I missed the UK and the greenery and the grey weather, strange as it sounds, the UK is home to me and the familiarity and feeling of belonging was really important. Although I have a big family who I am close to, they weren't the main reason. I don't have any children of my own, so I can't comment on that side of things. The UK defintely feels more gritty and less 'Perfect' than Australia, but to be honest I got fed up of living in 'The Truman Show'. Everything perfect, even the weather....but maybe that says more about me! I never moved there for the lifestyle, it was because i was adventurous and met an Aussie man (I could have ended up in South America, if that's where he was from!) Anyway, I agree with alot of what Amber said. The driving is better here, more polite and people let you out!! The diversity, culture is richer and more interesting, less americanised. Also you can come back to decent mayonnaise, decent gravy, proper bacon, hula hoops and not a sausage sizzle in sight! (Although there are a couple of Bunnings around) Welcome back to proper wit, sarcasm, the british obsession with the weather and people sitting out in the sun! Hurrah! I love it! Chooklady x It’s great here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliQ Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 On 25/04/2019 at 20:58, Westy said: Well after just over ten years of living in Australia we are moving back to the UK.Flights booked for July (one way), removal company come at the end of May to empty most of the things in our flat. My partner and I are both taking one year career breaks in our jobs just in case things don't work out in the UK( be silly not to, nothing to lose ). We have a 6 year old and basically like a lot of the people on this site we miss family and friends. Feel like our daughter is missing out on grand parents, Uncles, Aunts, cousins etc. We rented, so no house to sell , only our car. Mixed emotions about the whole thing. Had to make a decision after over one year going around in circles with the pros and cons. After one year will make a decision to stay or come back. Booked our flights yesterday, we fly back July 2nd 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IrishDigger Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 Interesting to read the comments on how the UK has changed after being absent for 10 years. I have been in Australia for 55 years and so I reckon there would have been a few changes since I left under the £10 Assisted Passage Scheme. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliQ Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 12 hours ago, IrishDigger said: Interesting to read the comments on how the UK has changed after being absent for 10 years. I have been in Australia for 55 years and so I reckon there would have been a few changes since I left under the £10 Assisted Passage Scheme. Hi IrishDigger, If you went back now, you would fall off your chair ! My husband said he would never never go back to the UK, ever, full stop. Well, after our six month stint there recently he was amazed at the changes. For us, the UK it is after 28 years here, we’re also looking forward to the opportunity to re visit Europe again. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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