Considering making the big move

[Haggis]

Hello, I know this thread is just over a year old but i’d really love to hear how Ballaratburd got on moving back to Scotland with her family? I’m going through the exact same battle with myself daily on ‘the best’ thing to do. I’m also Scottish living in Ballarat (been here just over 5 years). 

Be really good to hear your experience leaving and settling back home.

 

Thanks!

[Ballaratburd]

On 28/07/2021 at 18:29, Haggis said:

Hello, I know this thread is just over a year old but i’d really love to hear how Ballaratburd got on moving back to Scotland with her family? I’m going through the exact same battle with myself daily on ‘the best’ thing to do. I’m also Scottish living in Ballarat (been here just over 5 years). 

Be really good to hear your experience leaving and settling back home.

 

Thanks!

Hi Haggis,

I was pleasantly surprised when I got the email notification about this reply to my old post as I haven’t logged into this forum for ages.

 

We moved back in September 2020 and I can’t believe I have been home for almost a year. It was an extremely stressful experience and almost nothing went as planned initially when we moved home however slowly but surely we have managed to rebuild our lives after so many years. Perfectly happy to answer any specific questions. Also im quite active on a Facebook group  which I found really helpful when making the decision to move back and I really recommend joining for good info. I also ended up being interviewed for a podcast on the subject. I’ll post the link below in case you are interested.

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/britstralian/id1562466988?i=1000519675970

 

Where do you live and work in Ballarat? I’m quite open about the fact that moving to Ballarat from Melbourne was definitely the beginning of the end of my “Australian journey” but in all honesty I think I would have needed up coming home regardless where I ended up living. I could never 100% rule out a move back to Australia in the future but I doubt that I will, despite all the difficulties since returning and the disappointment of realising there was a reason I moved away from quite a few family members in the first place (!) I’m really glad to be back home and raising my kids in the country I feel we all belong.

Good Luck, any questions just ask.

Pam

 

[Quoll]

6 hours ago, Ballaratburd said:

Hi Haggis,

I was pleasantly surprised when I got the email notification about this reply to my old post as I haven’t logged into this forum for ages.

 

We moved back in September 2020 and I can’t believe I have been home for almost a year. It was an extremely stressful experience and almost nothing went as planned initially when we moved home however slowly but surely we have managed to rebuild our lives after so many years. Perfectly happy to answer any specific questions. Also im quite active on a Facebook groups which I found really helpful when making the decision to move back and I really recommend joining for good info. I also ended up being interviewed for a podcast on the subject. I’ll post the link below in case you are interested.

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/britstralian/id1562466988?i=1000519675970

 

Where do you live and work in Ballarat? I’m quite open about the fact that moving to Ballarat from Melbourne was definitely the beginning of the end of my “Australian journey” but in all honesty I think I would have needed up coming home regardless where I ended up living. I could never 100% rule out a move back to Australia in the future but I doubt that I will, despite all the difficulties since returning and the disappointment of realising there was a reason I moved away from quite a few family members in the first place (!) I’m really glad to be back home and raising my kids in the country I feel we all belong.

Good Luck, any questions just ask.

Pam

 

Good to hear that is all falling into place for you and you are where you belong!  Even my Ballarat born husband doesn't think he "belongs" in  Ballarat LOL! 

[Haggis]

Hi Ballaratburd (Pam),

Thank you for replying, I was so chuffed there when I saw you had responded to my message.  I couldn’t believe the similarities when I came across your post after frantically googling my dilemma! 

Im so glad to hear yourself and your family are finally feeling settled.  I imagine the process to get there would have been very stressful though and not smooth sailing. I’ll defiantly check out your link now, will be good to hear your experience, the good and bad. Ta for popping it up. 

My daughter and I live in Golden Point and before that Ballymannus up Alfredton before. It’s so central to everything which is great and my work is on Mair Street so it’s walkable but like you, no family and very very small group of close good friends. My daughter is 2 so we’ve spent most of our time missing her baby/toddler classes due to lockdowns limiting meeting other mums. Where abouts did you live? I saw you are a nurse, did you work up at the Base? 

 

Thanks again, Lacey x

 

 

[Marisawright]

8 hours ago, Haggis said:

Im so glad to hear yourself and your family are finally feeling settled.  I imagine the process to get there would have been very stressful though and not smooth sailing.

 

If you can remember what it was like moving out to Australia, then moving back isn't going to be as hard as that.  This time you'll be moving to somewhere you already know, you know the ropes, and you'll have family there to give you a hand. 

[GJ1443]

Hi Ballaratburd,

Reading your post was a perfect description of where I have been the last couple of years, almost exactly to the T, having 2 small boys now 7 and 3 myself.

 

I've found the link to the podcast you did and ill listen to that tonight :) I was wondering if you could share the Facebook group you mentioned? The FB groups i find are all about people moving to Australia,  not back from AU to UK...

I am scared for the upheaval of moving my eldest in school because all I hear is how awful the school and health system is at home :( 

We are hoping to be able to buy a home outright so feel that the financial burdon is somewhat reduced. Its more of the upheaval of our children that is causing my delay. 

Would love any further help or resources you could recommend!

Hope you are all doing well,

Thank you! G

[Marisawright]

@GJ1443, if you wait till your eldest has finished school you’ll open a whole new can of worms. 

The education system in the UK is as good as if not better than Australia. We’ve had confirmation of that recently from a couple of teachers who’ve taught in both systems. Don’t let the alarmists frighten you off

[GJ1443]

Hi @Ballaratburd,

Reading your post was a perfect description of where I have been the last couple of years, almost exactly to the T, having 2 small boys now 7 and 3 myself.

I've found the link to the podcast you did and ill listen to that tonight I was wondering if you could share the Facebook group you mentioned? The FB groups i find are all about people moving to Australia,  not back from AU to UK...

I am scared for the upheaval of moving my eldest in school because all I hear is how awful the school and health system is at home

We are hoping to be able to buy a home outright so feel that the financial burdon is somewhat reduced. Its more of the upheaval of our children that is causing my delay. 

Would love any further help or resources you could recommend!

Hope you are all doing well,

Thank you! G

[GJ1443]

1 hour ago, Marisawright said:

@GJ1443, if you wait till your eldest has finished school you’ll open a whole new can of worms. 

The education system in the UK is as good as if not better than Australia. We’ve had confirmation of that recently from a couple of teachers who’ve taught in both systems. Don’t let the alarmists frighten you off

@Marisawright thats very true, my youngest is about to start prep here and would be going to nursery there in the next 12 months.

Its not so much alarmists, its family and friends who can't believe we would give up such a life in Oz for the UK.... thing is there isn't anything we do here  we can't do at home, we don't live that perceived Aussie lifestyle so it's completely different for us. 

Am comforted knowing we have our citizenship so should we decide to, we could return.

Ill see if u can find some of those school related posts

[Marisawright]

1 minute ago, GJ1443 said:

@Marisawright thats very true, my youngest is about to start prep here and would be going to nursery there in the next 12 months.

Its not so much alarmists, its family and friends who can't believe we would give up such a life in Oz for the UK.... thing is there isn't anything we do here  we can't do at home, we don't live that perceived Aussie lifestyle so it's completely different for us. 

Am comforted knowing we have our citizenship so should we decide to, we could return.

Ill see if u can find some of those school related posts

It’s normal for people back home to imagine Australia as some kind of Home and Away paradise so pay no attention when they make comparisons. They are comparing reality in the UK to an illusion of Australia.

[Ballaratburd]

On 07/08/2021 at 14:56, Haggis said:

Hi Ballaratburd (Pam),

Thank you for replying, I was so chuffed there when I saw you had responded to my message.  I couldn’t believe the similarities when I came across your post after frantically googling my dilemma! 

Im so glad to hear yourself and your family are finally feeling settled.  I imagine the process to get there would have been very stressful though and not smooth sailing. I’ll defiantly check out your link now, will be good to hear your experience, the good and bad. Ta for popping it up. 

My daughter and I live in Golden Point and before that Ballymannus up Alfredton before. It’s so central to everything which is great and my work is on Mair Street so it’s walkable but like you, no family and very very small group of close good friends. My daughter is 2 so we’ve spent most of our time missing her baby/toddler classes due to lockdowns limiting meeting other mums. Where abouts did you live? I saw you are a nurse, did you work up at the Base? 

 

Thanks again, Lacey x

 

 

Hi Lacey, 

 

Sorry for late reply. 
 

Initially we bought a house on Howitt street near to the show grounds, we then sold that with the intention of building near to ballymanus and rented in Alfredton on Elaine avenue however we then made the decision to move home. 
 

I was working at the base part time whilst still on maternity leave from my main job at The Alfred in Melbourne, the base was nice enough and I got on well with the staff there but usual story, lots of acquaintances, no real friends, as is always the case with aussies. I met a few girls from mums group and I’m still vaguely in touch with one of them now but I’ll be honest and say I don’t miss Ballarat in the slightest (bar a big bowl of chips and glass of wine at the Lake View then a nice stroll around the lake haha)  the reality of living there compared to our expectations when moving from Melbourne was  vastly different. 
 

Where are you from in Scotland? Have you given anymore thought to a move home? 

[Ballaratburd]

25 minutes ago, GJ1443 said:

Hi @Ballaratburd,

Reading your post was a perfect description of where I have been the last couple of years, almost exactly to the T, having 2 small boys now 7 and 3 myself.

I've found the link to the podcast you did and ill listen to that tonight I was wondering if you could share the Facebook group you mentioned? The FB groups i find are all about people moving to Australia,  not back from AU to UK...

I am scared for the upheaval of moving my eldest in school because all I hear is how awful the school and health system is at home

We are hoping to be able to buy a home outright so feel that the financial burdon is somewhat reduced. Its more of the upheaval of our children that is causing my delay. 

Would love any further help or resources you could recommend!

Hope you are all doing well,

Thank you! G

Hi G,

The group is called Ping Pong Poms and it will hopefully give you some insight from other people who have made the move. It’s a huge decision to make but I know in my heart of hearts it was the right one. I can’t comprehend what it must be like to still live in Australia with the current state of affairs, particularly Melbourne or Sydney. 
 

I can’t comment much on the school systems as my boys are both still nursery age but I have heard from fellow poms that the UK fairs betters overall, however I do like the fact they start school later in Oz, personally I feel that the more involved and invested parents are in their children’s educations the better the outcomes but of course the school culture has a massive impact. 
 

I have to be frank and say that the NHS is probably in a far worse state than even most people are aware of. Despite not missing Australia I find myself in the middle of the night  pining for the hospitals and work culture I left behind in Victoria. The current state of affairs in Scotland is an absolute disgrace and I have started looking into private health insurance (which is very uncommon to do here) but I’m so appalled by what I see on shift every day, never mind the fact that you cannot see a GP for love nor money and some nights I’m being told a blue light ambulance will take 4-5 hours to transfer my patients to a bigger centre.