VicPom Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 I just wanted to say thank you to everyone involved with Poms. The creators, the moderators and all the people who post their stories, personal feelings and opinions. I moved (by myself) to Australia in 2004 and at times felt different, isolated and out of place, but all your posts with such honesty have given me comfort that I'm not the only person who feels this way. I'm contemplating a move back to the UK when my Australian son finishes school and interestingly my Australian husband is the main driver for this to happen. I've not been back for 7 yrs so overdue a trip to visit family and see how things have changed over there. I thought after following this site for so long i should actually get involved 8 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 Judging by the recent rise in people posting here, saying they're desperate to get out of the UK, you'll find things are not what they were. However, I'm sure you also realise that's not the point. Some people are nomads. Anywhere they choose to live can be 'home'. It's not a rational thing, it's just the way they're made. And it never really changes. Other people are deeply attached to their homeland. It's not a rational, logical thing, it's just the way they're made. And it never really changes. If you're that second kind of person, Australia could be a paradise and your homeland an absolute dump, and you'll still be happier in your homeland. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Manna Posted April 5 Share Posted April 5 8 hours ago, Marisawright said: Judging by the recent rise in people posting here, saying they're desperate to get out of the UK, you'll find things are not what they were. However, I'm sure you also realise that's not the point. Some people are nomads. Anywhere they choose to live can be 'home'. It's not a rational thing, it's just the way they're made. And it never really changes. Other people are deeply attached to their homeland. It's not a rational, logical thing, it's just the way they're made. And it never really changes. If you're that second kind of person, Australia could be a paradise and your homeland an absolute dump, and you'll still be happier in your homeland. I once read something about a migrant bringing Union jack doormats and the like, and they were adamant they were going to retain their Britishness despite moving to Australia. I always wonder how they got on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VicPom Posted April 5 Author Share Posted April 5 Blue Manna..... I've noticed that the people who never really settle here and fully commit to Australia are the ones phoning home weekly and use their annual leave taking trips back. This leads to restlessness. I came out to Australia on a working holiday visa and i just never felt ready to go back. I knew it was a great place to succeed and I'm a better person for it. I will say the moment my son was born though helped, and I felt more Australian than British from then on. Good point Marisawright , i'm not sure the UK is the place i left 20 yrs ago, I've probably watched too many episodes of escape to the country and thought that if i convert my Aus$ into GBP it will go much further but that aside, the truth is when my partner and I are long gone (in heaven or hell ) my son will have no family here and we have decided that this is a reason to plan a relocation in the future. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemesis Posted April 5 Share Posted April 5 32 minutes ago, VicPom said: Blue Manna..... I've noticed that the people who never really settle here and fully commit to Australia are the ones phoning home weekly and use their annual leave taking trips back. This leads to restlessness. I came out to Australia on a working holiday visa and i just never felt ready to go back. I knew it was a great place to succeed and I'm a better person for it. I will say the moment my son was born though helped, and I felt more Australian than British from then on I never settled in Australia, but equally I never phoned home, rarely sent emails (this was in the days before smartphones. The family refused to spend time doing phone calls, or Facetime etc when that became popular, so in between visits home I had so little contact with my family that it would take a couple of days to catch up on the major events when I did get to visit. It wasn't restlessness that drove me to spend my holidays back in the UK, it was the fact I didn't like living in Australia, that simple, and my escapes to the UK were the only way I could stay sane, with a failing marriage and nothing else going on except work. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluequay Posted April 5 Share Posted April 5 3 hours ago, VicPom said: the truth is when my partner and I are long gone (in heaven or hell ) my son will have no family here and we have decided that this is a reason to plan a relocation in the future. Will your pretty much adult by then Australian son want to stay in the UK? He would have to pay to go to University and be treated as a non-resident so it would cost more (not capped as 3 years residency required). He would also be leaving all of his friends and way of life behind. Just be prepared that after a couple of months in the UK he may very well be on plane back to Australia. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulip1 Posted April 5 Share Posted April 5 9 hours ago, VicPom said: Blue Manna..... I've noticed that the people who never really settle here and fully commit to Australia are the ones phoning home weekly and use their annual leave taking trips back. This leads to restlessness. I came out to Australia on a working holiday visa and i just never felt ready to go back. I knew it was a great place to succeed and I'm a better person for it. I will say the moment my son was born though helped, and I felt more Australian than British from then on. Good point Marisawright , i'm not sure the UK is the place i left 20 yrs ago, I've probably watched too many episodes of escape to the country and thought that if i convert my Aus$ into GBP it will go much further but that aside, the truth is when my partner and I are long gone (in heaven or hell ) my son will have no family here and we have decided that this is a reason to plan a relocation in the future. Does the ‘we’ that’s decided include your son? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulip1 Posted April 5 Share Posted April 5 9 hours ago, VicPom said: Blue Manna..... I've noticed that the people who never really settle here and fully commit to Australia are the ones phoning home weekly and use their annual leave taking trips back. This leads to restlessness. I came out to Australia on a working holiday visa and i just never felt ready to go back. I knew it was a great place to succeed and I'm a better person for it. I will say the moment my son was born though helped, and I felt more Australian than British from then on. Good point Marisawright , i'm not sure the UK is the place i left 20 yrs ago, I've probably watched too many episodes of escape to the country and thought that if i convert my Aus$ into GBP it will go much further but that aside, the truth is when my partner and I are long gone (in heaven or hell ) my son will have no family here and we have decided that this is a reason to plan a relocation in the future. It’s very likely your son will have the most important family close to him (his own family) by the time you are no longer alive. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted April 5 Share Posted April 5 10 hours ago, Nemesis said: I never settled in Australia, but equally I never phoned home, rarely sent emails (this was in the days before smartphones. The family refused to spend time doing phone calls, or Facetime etc when that became popular, so in between visits home I had so little contact with my family that it would take a couple of days to catch up on the major events when I did get to visit. It wasn't restlessness that drove me to spend my holidays back in the UK, it was the fact I didn't like living in Australia, that simple, and my escapes to the UK were the only way I could stay sane, with a failing marriage and nothing else going on except work. Absolutely!!! When we moved, phone calls cost £1 a minute, aerogrammes took a week or more. Trips back involved 2 refuelling stops and fares cost a lot, we didn't wallow in the "missing stuff" just got on with it. My head said Australia was home but my heart screamed NO! No real reason except I don't like it, I just don't belong, the colours are all wrong, I dislike the superficiality of it, I don't get the humour and constant blue cloudless skies have exactly the same SAD effect on me as grey skies do on others. I can imagine that with a failing marriage it would have been an isolated nightmare. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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