How Long before you realised that Australia was or was not the place that you wanted to spend the rest of your days ?

[FirstWorldProblems]

4 hours ago, bug family said:

Thanks @tea4too, and that really is the question, if you look at some there is an instant belonging and that question is very easy to answer, they are never in doubt,  Australia is their forever home, and can work that out very quickly........as for others as @Marisawright points out that belonging is not felt here and never ever will be, which unfortunately tends to take a bit longer to work out, there is always that push to give it a bit longer to see if you can learn to love your life here, however if to much time and circumstance has gone by when realising this, then that can be very difficult and damaging to live with, I have sadly met some who are now in their late retirement years and they would give anything to go home, but realise that this will never happen...they realised to late that this was not home.

I do find it interesting that there is possibly a third 'type of person'  if you look at @Amber snowball for example from her posts, she seemed to love it in Australia for the first few years, was by all accounts not fussed either way for the following few years and for her final few years in Australia could not wait to leave, this shows that it is not such a clear love or hate response about this decision....maybe some can grow to love it just like some grow to hate it ....

A great analysis. One that recalls a previously point made that the question isn’t as simple as Australia vs U.K. - it’s where you live in each. 
 

Back visiting Sydney from the U.K. for the first time since pre-Covid and I know there is no way I can be happy in any of the places where the wife’s family lives.  Urban sprawl just isn’t for me.  At home we live at the edge of a large town and I spend 6 days a week out in the country running or riding.  That’s my happy place.  I can’t live in Ryde or Castle Hill where the wife’s family are.  I need to see green not red (fields not brick) and the traffic is horrendous.    But a few kms further out to Dural…..that might work for me.  
 

I couldn’t live in London and I couldn’t live in the dense suburbs of Sydney. 

[Marisawright]

1 minute ago, FirstWorldProblems said:

A great analysis. One that recalls a previously point made that the question isn’t as simple as Australia vs U.K. - it’s where you live in each. 
 

Back visiting Sydney from the U.K. for the first time since pre-Covid and I know there is no way I can be happy in any of the places where the wife’s family lives.  Urban sprawl just isn’t for me.  At home we live at the edge of a large town and I spend 6 days a week out in the country running or riding.  That’s my happy place.  I can’t live in Ryde or Castle Hill where the wife’s family are.  I need to see green not red (fields not brick) and the traffic is horrendous.    But a few kms further out to Dural…..that might work for me.  
 

I couldn’t live in London and I couldn’t live in the dense suburbs of Sydney. 

I’d be looking at the edges of Newcastle not the edges of Sydney. Still within easy reach of Sydney 

[FirstWorldProblems]

Just now, Marisawright said:

I’d be looking at the edges of Newcastle not the edges of Sydney. Still within easy reach of Sydney 

Would suit me just fine - but it’s that bit too far for the wife to drop in on her mum and siblings a couple times a week.  
 

A holiday lake house at Lake Macquarie would do me as an escape from the suburbs…….. just waiting for that NSW house price correction (yeah right) 

[Marisawright]

51 minutes ago, FirstWorldProblems said:

Would suit me just fine - but it’s that bit too far for the wife to drop in on her mum and siblings a couple times a week.  

I don't know about that.  I knew people who commuted from the suburbs of Newcastle to Sydney every day for work.  I went up to Newcastle on day trips for work quite frequently, too.  Reasonable rail service between the two cities.  Definitely doable for a once a week visit and I wouldn't have thought twice a week was out of the question.  All a question of how much she's willing to compromise to ensure you have a happy life too, I imagine.

Edited December 23, 2021 by Marisawright

[Bulya]

1 hour ago, Marisawright said:

I don't know about that.  I knew people who commuted from the suburbs of Newcastle to Sydney every day for work.  I went up to Newcastle on day trips for work quite frequently, too.  Reasonable rail service between the two cities.  Definitely doable for a once a week visit and I wouldn't have thought twice a week was out of the question.  All a question of how much she's willing to compromise to ensure you have a happy life too, I imagine.

The only place in Australia I’d live outside the ACT.  

[beketamun]

On 21/12/2021 at 10:23, Paul1Perth said:

We know some who still do the big Christmas Day Turkey, Ham etc on the day. We scrapped that after the first year.

We have a smoked turkey this year, just picked it up from the local smokehouse and it will go on the barbie tomorrow and get smoked again.   I will have it with proper homemade "American" potato salad, pickles and salad.  My other half is having goose fat roasters, stuffing, pigs in blankets, sprouts, gravy etc...I can't be doing with having to eat that sitting in the sunshine.  

[bug family]

Wishing you all a happy Christmas where ever you maybe in the world, take care and have fun

 

[proud preston]

@bug family Nice. I’ve been saying ‘ Happy Christmas’ to all and getting the response of ‘Merry Christmas’ A time of year that many British either love or hate here.  Like Marmite! My British friend in New York State posted a pic of snow, trees with no leaves and low winter sunlight. Bliss. 

[Parley]

11 hours ago, proud preston said:

@bug family Nice. I’ve been saying ‘ Happy Christmas’ to all and getting the response of ‘Merry Christmas’ A time of year that many British either love or hate here.  Like Marmite! My British friend in New York State posted a pic of snow, trees with no leaves and low winter sunlight. Bliss. 

I can't believe Harry and Meghan. Their official Christmas card has the Happy Holidays greeting.

Some people are getting so PC they afraid to say Happy Christmas for fear of causing offence.

It is catching on here too for formal/corporate settings. I would never say it.

I agree that in UK it was more so Happy Christmas whereas in Aus it is Merry Christmas.

Also when I was a child it was always Father Christmas but in Australia at least everyone says Santa.

 

[Quoll]

26 minutes ago, Parley said:

I can't believe Harry and Meghan. Their official Christmas card has the Happy Holidays greeting.

Some people are getting so PC they afraid to say Happy Christmas for fear of causing offence.

It is catching on here too for formal/corporate settings. I would never say it.

I agree that in UK it was more so Happy Christmas whereas in Aus it is Merry Christmas.

Also when I was a child it was always Father Christmas but in Australia at least everyone says Santa.

 

My granddaughter gave me a lecture on Christmas day - I said Happy Christmas (I usually interchange) but she told me in no uncertain terms it was  Merry Christmas! All the other events like birthdays, Easter, Halloween etc are  "Happy". So now I know.  But never ever "Happy Holidays"

[Parley]

Just now, Quoll said:

My granddaughter gave me a lecture on Christmas day - I said Happy Christmas (I usually interchange) but she told me in no uncertain terms it was  Merry Christmas! All the other events like birthdays, Easter, Halloween etc are  "Happy". So now I know.  But never ever "Happy Holidays"

Ask her what she got from Father Christmas and see if she gets confused.

[Quoll]

Just now, Parley said:

Ask her what she got from Father Christmas and see if she gets confused.

Nah, she's generally bilingual! She was very pleased with her haul and would happily acknowledge either! 

[Quoll]

And to add to the H&M debacle - I didn't list  all  the charities I had given money to on my Christmas cards this year  - is that now  the thing too? Especially when you give away money that other folk have given you (once you've taken out your 95% living expenses). Naff in the extreme. 

[Skani]

1 hour ago, Parley said:

I can't believe Harry and Meghan. Their official Christmas card has the Happy Holidays greeting.

What did you expect?   They are in the U.S.  and the term has been used there for yonks.  It's even the title of a Christmas song written for the film "Holiday Inn" - and that was in 1942.

[Rallyman]

On 23/12/2021 at 16:43, Marisawright said:

I’d be looking at the edges of Newcastle not the edges of Sydney. Still within easy reach of Sydney 

Don’t tell everyone or it will become like the rest

life is good up here one of the reasons why we moved out of sydney our biggest problem is dodging the Roo’s can watch them for hours 

[newjez]

1 hour ago, Parley said:

I can't believe Harry and Meghan. Their official Christmas card has the Happy Holidays greeting.

Some people are getting so PC they afraid to say Happy Christmas for fear of causing offence.

It is catching on here too for formal/corporate settings. I would never say it.

I agree that in UK it was more so Happy Christmas whereas in Aus it is Merry Christmas.

Also when I was a child it was always Father Christmas but in Australia at least everyone says Santa.

 

Happy holidays

Edited December 26, 2021 by newjez

[Rallyman]

1 hour ago, Quoll said:

And to add to the H&M debacle - I didn't list  all  the charities I had given money to on my Christmas cards this year  - is that now  the thing too? Especially when you give away money that other folk have given you (once you've taken out your 95% living expenses). Naff in the extreme. 

Thought they were pleading poverty after being cut off from the family funds

[Rallyman]

On 23/12/2021 at 16:47, FirstWorldProblems said:

Would suit me just fine - but it’s that bit too far for the wife to drop in on her mum and siblings a couple times a week.  
 

A holiday lake house at Lake Macquarie would do me as an escape from the suburbs…….. just waiting for that NSW house price correction (yeah right) 

Your currently living 12000 miles away but a 2hr train ride would be too far , priorities mate live your life. life is too short imho. 
Hate to think of cost of property in 26 when you plan to move over permanently. All the best in your choices. 

[DIG85]

1 hour ago, Quoll said:

My granddaughter gave me a lecture on Christmas day - I said Happy Christmas (I usually interchange) but she told me in no uncertain terms it was  Merry Christmas! All the other events like birthdays, Easter, Halloween etc are  "Happy". So now I know.  But never ever "Happy Holidays"

I thought it was Merry Xmas too, even in the UK.

"Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year" - just like the carol "We wish you a merry Xmas".

[Bulya]

On 23/12/2021 at 16:47, FirstWorldProblems said:

Would suit me just fine - but it’s that bit too far for the wife to drop in on her mum and siblings a couple times a week.  
 

A holiday lake house at Lake Macquarie would do me as an escape from the suburbs…….. just waiting for that NSW house price correction (yeah right) 

Spent an inordinate amount of time at Lake Macquarie in the 70’s, water skiing and scuba diving.  We’d ski from Toronto, a quick beer at Wangi RSL and then off to Warners Bay.  Daily life in Australia!

[bug family]

'happy' / 'merry'.....'tom-A-toe' / 'tom-ar-toe' ....which ever way makes you happy...............or merry

[MARYROSE02]

When I'm writing the few Xmas cards I still send (actually 1st Day of Issue post cards from Oz Post) I change "Merry" to "Happy" so it does not clash with "and a Happy New Covid" (sick) (sic).

The only people who are offended by "Christmas" are leftie wokes like Harry and Yoko (sic). People from other faiths have no such problems.

I saw some Pommie backpackers interviewed wearing Santa hats with their cozzies on Bondi Beach who were all naturally devastated that they were unable to go home for Christmas.

[Quoll]

7 hours ago, Rallyman said:

Thought they were pleading poverty after being cut off from the family funds

They were but all those poor little fans who pour their hard earned pennies into their coffers (so that up to 95% can be skimmed off to help pay their books) think they're doing a Good Thing and donating to charity! 

[FirstWorldProblems]

7 hours ago, Rallyman said:

Your currently living 12000 miles away but a 2hr train ride would be too far , priorities mate live your life. life is too short imho. 
Hate to think of cost of property in 26 when you plan to move over permanently. All the best in your choices. 

That’s not the life she’s looking for.  Close family.  “Dropping in” several times a week doesn’t align to a 2 hour train ride.  
 

[Bulya]

23 minutes ago, FirstWorldProblems said:

That’s not the life she’s looking for.  Close family.  “Dropping in” several times a week doesn’t align to a 2 hour train ride.  
 

Then you’re living in the wrong country…