Drumbeat Posted May 27, 2019 Share Posted May 27, 2019 6 hours ago, Home and Happy said: If I had kids I would never wish that sort of empty existence on them...stuck out there so far away from the really happening stuff.....gigs, festivals, nightlife, social life, pub scene.... Strange isn't it, I meet lots of young people through my volunteer work and they seem to have a great social life with plenty of interests. Have you ever considered that you were the one with the problem not the environment?? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwalker Posted May 27, 2019 Share Posted May 27, 2019 7 hours ago, Home and Happy said: If I had kids I would never wish that sort of empty existence on them...stuck out there so far away from the really happening stuff.....gigs, festivals, nightlife, social life, pub scene.... Don't know where you lived in Australia. But we do all those here . Plus better weather to enjoy them. All my 3 children came over when they were younger. They are independent adults now and are always out enjoying all the things you mentioned and more. Much more than you could do in the UK. A so much better lifestyle all year round. Unless you like pubs then yes the UK might be better. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toots Posted May 27, 2019 Share Posted May 27, 2019 1 hour ago, Drumbeat said: Strange isn't it, I meet lots of young people through my volunteer work and they seem to have a great social life with plenty of interests. Have you ever considered that you were the one with the problem not the environment?? We have had a fair few young people stay with us over the years from the UK and my sons had a fair few visits back to the UK - mainly to Edinburgh and London when they were older and SW Scotland and the north of England when they were younger. The whole lot of them seemed to be happy wherever they were. They found plenty of things to do and plenty of places to see. The thing is if you are unhappy wherever you live you will always be negative about it. I think we are very lucky that we can choose either country to live in. Same as my sons. No use sitting around moaning. Get out and see the world when you have the chance. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessica Berry Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 On 22/05/2019 at 20:12, Tricky said: All in all, I feel like I never went away for 8 years and it merely seems like a holiday, which is strange. I can relate to this comment, even though I am still in Adelaide! I always comment when we return to the UK for a visit and are seeing friends and family and going to the same places we used to when we lived there, how easy it would be to slot back into your old life and like you say above, almost feel like you never went away. Then I give it a bit more thought and realise all the reasons we emigrated and still there. The curse of the migrant I guess! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rammygirl Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 On 27/05/2019 at 04:36, Home and Happy said: If I had kids I would never wish that sort of empty existence on them...stuck out there so far away from the really happening stuff.....gigs, festivals, nightlife, social life, pub scene.... Do more of that here than I did in the UK. There are more and more micro breweries opening, often with live music at the weekend. I go to the fringe, WOMAD, theatre and loads of music gigs. Both my boys in their late twenties are doing the same. Life is what you make it, wherever you are. I do miss Europe, but I am enjoying exploring Asia. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinker78 Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 It's not a competition. Personally, after 10 years in Australia, I felt I had done everything that could be done. I'm in no way boring. But I am interested in the arts, culture, history, walking etc. All things which there's just more of here in the UK. If you're outdoors and love camping and all that sort of thing, Australia is great. Turns out I have a child who is also non sporty and loves nothing more than pottering around a national trust property or going to a castle for the day. It takes all sorts. We all like different things. Some people are happy with a backyard and bbq social life - that wasn't for me in the end. But great if you like it. Yes, the UK has its issues and I worry but I'd rather 'live' and do the things we like than feel empty. Which is what I felt there. Asia has no interest for me, but great if that floats your boat. Children do well wherever, if encouraged. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinbjulieb Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 5 hours ago, thinker78 said: It's not a competition. Personally, after 10 years in Australia, I felt I had done everything that could be done. I'm in no way boring. But I am interested in the arts, culture, history, walking etc. All things which there's just more of here in the UK. If you're outdoors and love camping and all that sort of thing, Australia is great. Turns out I have a child who is also non sporty and loves nothing more than pottering around a national trust property or going to a castle for the day. It takes all sorts. We all like different things. Some people are happy with a backyard and bbq social life - that wasn't for me in the end. But great if you like it. Yes, the UK has its issues and I worry but I'd rather 'live' and do the things we like than feel empty. Which is what I felt there. Asia has no interest for me, but great if that floats your boat. Children do well wherever, if encouraged. Well said! I totally agree! No one should have to justify their feelings to anyone anyway. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 On 27/05/2019 at 02:37, Drumbeat said: Strange isn't it, I meet lots of young people through my volunteer work and they seem to have a great social life with plenty of interests. Have you ever considered that you were the one with the problem not the environment?? There's a certain crowd that considers it a victory when a pom returns to the UK. I don't understand it. But it floats their boat. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 7 hours ago, thinker78 said: It's not a competition. Personally, after 10 years in Australia, I felt I had done everything that could be done. I'm in no way boring. But I am interested in the arts, culture, history, walking etc. All things which there's just more of here in the UK. If you're outdoors and love camping and all that sort of thing, Australia is great. Turns out I have a child who is also non sporty and loves nothing more than pottering around a national trust property or going to a castle for the day. It takes all sorts. We all like different things. Some people are happy with a backyard and bbq social life - that wasn't for me in the end. But great if you like it. Yes, the UK has its issues and I worry but I'd rather 'live' and do the things we like than feel empty. Which is what I felt there. Asia has no interest for me, but great if that floats your boat. Children do well wherever, if encouraged. I agree that it's not a competition, however, I think that's it's the gross generalisations that have people responding to counter some of the claims like there's nothing to do, children have an empty existence etc. If a backyard BBQ was the only social outlet we had then I might feel the same, but ours is so much more than that as I would imagine it is for many people who've settled in Aus and I'm sorry to hear that yours slipped into that. But as you say, that will float some peoples boats .. but that isn't wrong nor should it be indicative of 'life in Aus' for everyone. I think as you've rightly said everyone is different and I know that the life we lead won't be the same for others. Like you, we're none campers, I have a child who isn't sporty (and one who is) .. but we all equally find things to do here. I think it's about personal choice, our personalities and what we want out of life at particular moments. When we want something different and if it's achievable we should go for it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rammygirl Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 7 hours ago, thinker78 said: It's not a competition. Personally, after 10 years in Australia, I felt I had done everything that could be done. I'm in no way boring. But I am interested in the arts, culture, history, walking etc. All things which there's just more of here in the UK. If you're outdoors and love camping and all that sort of thing, Australia is great. Turns out I have a child who is also non sporty and loves nothing more than pottering around a national trust property or going to a castle for the day. It takes all sorts. We all like different things. Some people are happy with a backyard and bbq social life - that wasn't for me in the end. But great if you like it. Yes, the UK has its issues and I worry but I'd rather 'live' and do the things we like than feel empty. Which is what I felt there. Asia has no interest for me, but great if that floats your boat. Children do well wherever, if encouraged. Yes I agree. I just wanted to say there are things here. Sometimes you need to look harder. We used to go to the theatre in the UK and found it expensive here.....until we discovered a thriving and amazingly talented am dram circuit. Now we follow several rep companies and see some amazing performances for less than $30, usually with Aussie friends who never looked outside the state theatre before. We too are culture and arts people and love galleries and museums, we do have some interesting heritage properties in Aus and a National trust. We seek them out when touring. I know there are loads in the UK but we had soon seen all within a day trip range and the traffic on a nice weekend was awful. As you say, horses for courses.....I also know plenty of people in the UK who wouldn’t go to a Nat trust property or gallery. There are people everywhere that moan that there is nothing to do, even people who live in London! I think when you embrace somewhere and stop comparing it to your old life things do open up. It is not better than the UK it is different. As a ping ponger myself, I understand why people don’t settle and I am not judging. I may not be here myself in 10 years, who knows! I like that where I live has four seasons and the countryside is not unlike Lancashire where I grew up. I love the tropical north too. Not a lover of vast plains of brown and red dirt, though I know some find that alluring. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toots Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 32 minutes ago, rammygirl said: Yes I agree. I just wanted to say there are things here. Sometimes you need to look harder. We used to go to the theatre in the UK and found it expensive here.....until we discovered a thriving and amazingly talented am dram circuit. Now we follow several rep companies and see some amazing performances for less than $30, usually with Aussie friends who never looked outside the state theatre before. We too are culture and arts people and love galleries and museums, we do have some interesting heritage properties in Aus and a National trust. We seek them out when touring. I know there are loads in the UK but we had soon seen all within a day trip range and the traffic on a nice weekend was awful. As you say, horses for courses.....I also know plenty of people in the UK who wouldn’t go to a Nat trust property or gallery. There are people everywhere that moan that there is nothing to do, even people who live in London! I think when you embrace somewhere and stop comparing it to your old life things do open up. It is not better than the UK it is different. As a ping ponger myself, I understand why people don’t settle and I am not judging. I may not be here myself in 10 years, who knows! I like that where I live has four seasons and the countryside is not unlike Lancashire where I grew up. I love the tropical north too. Not a lover of vast plains of brown and red dirt, though I know some find that alluring. It all depends where you live in either country. There isn't that much for the younger people in the part of Tasmania where I live but there is nothing much for the younger people in the area of Scotland where I grew up. The young ones all move away to large towns and cities. Fair enough if you live near a happening town/city - there will be a huge choice of entertainment of one sort or another. Of course it's not a competition but there are one or two forum members who act all superior about their wonderful lifestyle and it's just human nature to bite back. This applies to folk both in the UK and Australia. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinker78 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 I have lived all over Australia so am well aware that there are things to do outside of camping and bbqs. However, overall, there is just not as much of it. And that's a fair point, as Australia does some things really well but are more limited in others - same goes here. I miss the wineries, festivals and free events, but I still feel that for me personally there is more to do here in line with what i love. I had a lovely time for some of my years there but even when I was younger and able to do whatever I wanted, when I wanted (see pre kids) I still had a feeling of 'is this it?'. I always wanted that feeling to go away, because I wanted Australia to be enough. I don't get that feeling here or in Europe as you can spend years in those countries gradually peeling back the layers and still not have enough time. I genuinely missed being stimulated by history and culture. I really tried to find that down under but as a new country, it's obviously going to lack certain things. Here just feels more connected to how I think - even the seasons are round the right way and that now seems to be important the older I get. If I ever went back, I would certainly choose somewhere with more vibrancy than where I left but simply could not imagine my twilight years there. But we are all different, and want different things. For many migrants, it becomes one of the biggest life lessons they go through - it clarifies what is important to them, and that in itself is an amazing lesson to have experienced. 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight7 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 I guess a lot depends on where you go and who you meet when you emigrate. We spent some tome living in Tasmania and though it was and is a stunningly beautiful place I felt I was slowly dying inside. Just me. Not the case here in Melbourne, I love it here. I felt that slow death in the UK ,too, once I had got beyond the pub and boozy stage of life. I think maybe we all have a place where we 'fit in' and feel 'right'. Just as well or it would be damned crowded in any particular place! My cousin in Yorkshire doesn't understand at all why we wouldn't want to live there- she has her 'place' and good for her. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 On Monday, May 27, 2019 at 03:06, Home and Happy said: If I had kids I would never wish that sort of empty existence on them...stuck out there so far away from the really happening stuff.....gigs, festivals, nightlife, social life, pub scene.... Jeez, where did you used to live? Sounds dreadful. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toots Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 16 minutes ago, starlight7 said: I guess a lot depends on where you go and who you meet when you emigrate. We spent some tome living in Tasmania and though it was and is a stunningly beautiful place I felt I was slowly dying inside. Just me. Not the case here in Melbourne, I love it here. I felt that slow death in the UK ,too, once I had got beyond the pub and boozy stage of life. I think maybe we all have a place where we 'fit in' and feel 'right'. Just as well or it would be damned crowded in any particular place! My cousin in Yorkshire doesn't understand at all why we wouldn't want to live there- she has her 'place' and good for her. Just goes to show how different we all are. I'm a country bumpkin at heart so I love it here. I wanted to live here in Tasmania for the last 20 odd years and here I am. I don't miss anything at all about Sydney but do enjoy going back for a visit to see friends. I am very happy that a good friend and her husband from NSW have decided to move here and buy a house nearby. My friend has been hoping they would move here for quite some time and luckily her OH feels the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rammygirl Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 I must admit I will never get used to cherries being in season at Christmas! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight7 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 The trouble with being brought up in London is that you never recover in some ways. You kind of expect certain things and if they are not there you feel a bit deprived Not that I could live there now, too old and Aussified. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bug family Posted June 2, 2019 Share Posted June 2, 2019 On 28/05/2019 at 22:24, thinker78 said: It's not a competition. Personally, after 10 years in Australia, I felt I had done everything that could be done. I'm in no way boring. But I am interested in the arts, culture, history, walking etc. All things which there's just more of here in the UK. If you're outdoors and love camping and all that sort of thing, Australia is great. Turns out I have a child who is also non sporty and loves nothing more than pottering around a national trust property or going to a castle for the day. It takes all sorts. We all like different things. Some people are happy with a backyard and bbq social life - that wasn't for me in the end. But great if you like it. Yes, the UK has its issues and I worry but I'd rather 'live' and do the things we like than feel empty. Which is what I felt there. Asia has no interest for me, but great if that floats your boat. Children do well wherever, if encouraged. Totally agree thinker78 and well said, I too have felt 'empty' here for a long time and also think that it is good for balance to see posts such as yours, as it is not all sunshine and rainbows here for everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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