So who HAS returned to the UK & been happy?

[Guest Aldo]

i can understand the train ride debate-----if you get a train from sandgate to brisbane ( northside of brisbane) it shows you a different side of queensland--one that does not appear in the dream---- this is only a personnel view--- but the only reference ive got to it is district 6 in cape town--a good experience for anyone who does not live there.

 

Cant be worse than the beenleigh / brisbane line...

I feel safer getting the night bus home via peckham:elvis:

[Bod]

Cant be worse than the beenleigh / brisbane line...

I feel safer getting the night bus home via peckham:elvis:

 

 

You are joking Aldo ?????????????????????

[Guest Aldo]

You are joking Aldo ?????????????????????

 

Its on par....

[Guest joannaplus4]

My In-laws have been in Sydney for 40 years and would return tomorrow but for 2 of their children and now 4 grandchildren are obviously estalished and resident in Australia. Its funny cause when I hear them talk its the same as what people say here "Australia is not what is was, its no good, too much drugs, crime etc. mother in law has been mugged getting off the train twice now etc... brother in law burgled and all live in good suburbs (north shore). I totally agree with andyhus and the others. Follow your heart and gut instinct.

[Bod]

Its on par....

 

 

Nevr been to beenleigh so can't sat really. is it near Waco?

[BUSIMOLL]

Iam new to this site so sorry if iam not doing this right. I came to Oz when i was 10 yrs old back in 1974. I never felt i belonged here and have been back 3 times but its been 25 years since the last time. Iam now in a position to return home, buy a home and have money left over GREAT. My parents dont want to go back, my 2 kids 16yrs and 5yrs have never been and dont seem keen to go. Is there anybody like me who still longs for the feeling of belonging, its so hard to explain but iam not at peace here i have all ways had a feeling of iam just waiting for some thing, iam empty here Iam also worried i will be displaced back home as i have been away so long. My parents are crancking up the guilt factor claiming iam going to split my kids up and its cruel to inflict this on them when they have a life here, that life in the uk would be unbearable for them. Is it ever the right time ??? When i have been home in the past i loose all memory of oz, its like i have never been here....would be grateful for any help with this, iam 45 now and i feel its now or never to get a life happening in the uk. Iam originally from The Wirral in Mersyside and would move back there.

Hiya! I'm about to leave Roby (other side of Liverpool) and I'm sad to go back, after 16 happy years here, and the hubby from here, so he's upset but happy to give it a go. It's a real wrench, but I love Gayton where friends live, and if we moved that side, prob would stay here. We're keeping the house so if we want to come back that's ok too. Tho prob wouldn't be same location. I am really finding the move 'back' hard, as my folks have taken over and set up our rental, as if to say that now your back, you're back for good, and I cant wholeheartedly say that Sydney is where I want to be 'forever'. It may have changed since I left at 21, but I felt it was toxic living, and money earning more money earning, and people assessed you on that. So I'd give it a go. If you are unhappy where you are, and the kids are happy to go back with you, that's good. I feel the big guilt trip that my kids are upset to leave, but also happy to go as they kknow people there already.

Never an easy decision. I know people who'd kill to get out there, and others who went, hated it, came back, hated it here more, and can't get back there. Can you stay for a good long spell here boefore you make the permanent move, just to see that its right for you?

[ezzie]

I know just how Janeico feels...that feeling of 'waiting'. Also have older teens who just LOVE it here in Oz. We have a pretty good life here, lovely friends, nice house, good jobs, nice area - it's a safe and easy life. But so, so empty. I wish I could feel like others and go 'fabulous life, wouldn't ever go back to the UK' but instead I spend each day yearning for it. When I'm back, I love it. I love the sound of the birds, the green fields, the banter down the shops. But I hate all the kids hanging around the streets and the negative attitudes...sigh! We had the chance to return but dh blew-it. Now I think it's too late and I feel more trapped than ever.

[Guest johanna]

I have only been here a couple of months and so people would argue its early but i am missing England so much. I just look at everyone having family bbq's and realise i have no history here. I do love the beaches though.

[Guest woods99]

I have only been here a couple of months and so people would argue its early but i am missing England so much. I just look at everyone having family bbq's and realise i have no history here. I do love the beaches though.

 

It would be very surprising if you didn't miss England. And, as time passes, you will remember the good things about living there with great fondness - again, it would be surprising if you didn't. That is one of the problems of moving around, we always remember the good things about the place or places we have lived before.

 

There are good and bad things about living just about anywhere - the challenge is to make the most of the decisions and choices that we have made. No place on earth is the perfect home, but home can be just about anywhere you want it to be, and make it to be.

 

Decide what is important to you, make your choices, and then got on with life and living. Don't look back.

[ezzie]

Certainly a lot of truth in this, but I also think it's important to recognise when being away has allowed you to appreciate what you left. If you continue to be unhappy....make your plans and go back home. I'm now stuck here in Oz because we left it way too long. I see SO many women who are in our clinic with depression because they did the same thing and now their stuck and bored in retirement regretting every day that they didn't move back sooner.

 

I think it's about setting a deadline then evaluating where you'll be happiest - and act on it.

 

Decide what is important to you, make your choices, and then got on with life and living. Don't look back.

[mrsindecision]

I have spent the last hour reading through all of these posts and am not sure how I feel overall.

 

Here's my thougths for what theyre worth.

 

Australia like UK is a beautiful country in so many ways. It also has its areas that are less appealing and are run down. It has many pluses and negatives which have all been stated to death on here. For me it is about opportunity - where we live in regional aus there are far less. We came 2 half years ago for all the reasons stated by many better life, less stress more opportunity for the kids. What we have found is less opportunity career wise ( taken big step backward) - school just adequate - uni very disappointing.

 

So as we are in our late 40s early 50s and our kids are relying on thier education for their future we are going back - ready to battle over international fees, but secure in the knowledge that our kids are going to really good universities - on courses with high employment rates and strong industry links. Whether they use that to get work in UK or Australia or elsewhere in the world is up to them but at least they will have improved opportunity as a result.

 

We seriously considered moving to Sydney or Melbourne as we have found them to be interesting and vibrant cities - but realistically we couldnt afford to live in the beautiful eastern suburbs of Sydney or the leafy streets of South Yarra - so a life in the suburbs would have been facing us - much like we have here - but less safe, more expensive and no friends - so overall not worth it really when we can go back to the UK for more vibrancy and have all of the culture you can want close to one of the most amazing cities in the world (London) with close friends nearby.

 

I must admit I feel dreadful about moving the kids about - fortunately they are older and have seen all their friends move on to uni in UK and have managed to keep in touch with them through facebook etc. so they dont seem fazed about doing the same with their ozzie friends.

 

We feel like we're the odd ones out where we live as we do care about our jobs and believe in investing in our childrens education - many of our friends talk about thier kids as if they have no infleunce or control over them and therefore if they drop out , there's nothing they can do.

 

I know I will miss Australia in many ways - particularly the beaches and the simplicity of life - but as UK stress monkeys we really appreciate simplicity when it contrasts with something more demanding - when simple and quiet is all there is that's when boredom and depression sets in. If we were 15 years older and retied on a pot of money it would be perfect. Timing is everything.

 

If you have kids think clearly about what you want for their future and talk to families who live in the area you're planning to move to. My view about the Sunshine Coast is that if you dont have money and are happy to live a simple life on an ordinary wage then it is a great place to raise kids between the ages of 4 and 14. After that the lack of opportunity and the high drug/alcohol use becomes an issue. I know there are similar problems in UK but there are a lot more alternatives. When they are younger than this they also get to play lots of sports but at 14/15 can soon start to lose interest.

 

I am really worried about going back and settling again even thoguth everything is waiting for us there ( and we will live in a nice part of uk) but know that as a family we're in it together and believe that happiness lies with us not where we live. And you never know we might come back.

[Guest kebab]

Hi there I have lived in Perth for 4 years now and moaned and moaned and yawned about it being boring, no travel unless we go to Margaret River and then we applied for PR..... My partner loves it here, my daughter loves it here and then we get told that we might not be able to stay ahhhhh!!! After all the winging I have done I am now terrified of going back to UK.... why??? I miss the shops, I miss the social life, I miss the daft sense of humour and most of all I miss my family. The thought of going back hit me like a brick wall...... its the thought that in 2 years time (my daughter is 12) that she will be doing all the things I did when I was 14 but with the added bells of drugs, swearing, alcohol and all the negatives of the UK today.

 

I go home every couple of years for a visit and love it but do I want to live there or am I being a spoilt brat????? We have a lovely home here, a pool, good jobs and my daughter loves horse riding, swimming, her dogs and life for her is good. What a dilema!

 

help!:confused:

[Guest boa]

No offense but unless Perth is VERY different to the rest of this country I think you will find that "drugs, swearing, alcohol and all the negatives of the UK today." are actually the negatives of Australia today.

[Proview220]

No offense but unless Perth is VERY different to the rest of this country I think you will find that "drugs, swearing, alcohol and all the negatives of the UK today." are actually the negatives of Australia today.

 

can not be any worse than the uk, when was the last time you seen the uk, i see you are in Brisbane whats it like there??

 

proview

[heyyu]

i always had faith and trust in my kids, drugs and alcohol are everywhere unfortunately it is another hazard,they have to be educated about,after that its trust.

[Guest treesea]

We came back with primary school aged children, who went to a private school in Australia but to a state school here. State schools in Scotland, especially the high schools, seem really well funded even compared to England, let alone Australia. Indoor swimming pool, anyone? How about a fully equipped pottery room? Or a home ec. room that looks like it has been fitted out for the Sheraton?

 

What I would say though, is that children in the UK seem to grow up a lot faster than their Australian counterparts. Here, 13 year olds go to college an afternoon a week. And not the kids they are trying to weed out of the education system either. And then there's Jet. On this program, which kicks in at S4 (year 10) it's school 3.5 days a week, college half a day, then a full day of work on Fridays. Unpaid, mind you. At my daughter's school, which is a fairly good school, as schools in Edinburgh go, that program is well over subscribed. Then there are the fights. That takes some getting used to after the relatively cloistered atmosphere of the Australian private school education system. They're not at all spontaneous. Arranged, sometimes days in advance. The first time I saw one, via a mobile phone video clip, I couldn't believe my eyes. Where are the teachers? Not there, because at lunch time, children don't have to stay within the confines of the school. They get to wander off, to the nearby parks and down to the nearby sea.

 

The choice over who gets a higher education in the UK can be arbitrary. In Australia access seems to be on merit, governed by your results at the end of year 12. Here, higher education is underfunded. There aren't enough places for those who qualify for a place, so who ever can pay full fees, e.g. overseas students, gets a place. Nowadays, state school students stand a better chance of getting a place than privately educated students, regardless of their results. Which is good news for those who can't afford to send their children to private school here.

 

There are some good things though. You can start sitting highers as early as S4 (year 10), so some students go onto university at the age of 16 rather than 18. All very Montessori in their approach. The same programme that spnsors Jet also sponsors S4 students to uni for a day a week, especially ones doing well in the science and language streams. And a lot of the children seem very well travelled for their ages. Presumably because it is still so expensive, comparatively, to holiday within Britain.

[Guest sundance]

Hi All,

 

My family and I have recently returned to UK and its the best thing we have ever done, kids settled back into old school, me and OH back in full time work we are all so happy and appreciate the UK far more now we've been away. Financially it will take us a while to get on our feet properly but we are prepared for that we had to go with our hearts - and for us thats what counts - there is no place like home.

[Proview220]

Hi All,

 

My family and I have recently returned to UK and its the best thing we have ever done, kids settled back into old school, me and OH back in full time work we are all so happy and appreciate the UK far more now we've been away. Financially it will take us a while to get on our feet properly but we are prepared for that we had to go with our hearts - and for us thats what counts - there is no place like home.

 

May i ask how long you stayed in oz and what part?

 

Proview

[heyyu]

not long

[Bod]

 

I'm still Happy! "

 

 

 

well most of the time I am."

 

 

 

 

Works a bit sh!t at the Mo.

 

 

 

 

Looking for new house

 

 

 

It's a bit tough going when not much money is coming in

 

But I love this country

 

 

[Guest Guest37175]

I'm still Happy! "

 

 

 

well most of the time I am."

 

 

 

 

Works a bit sh!t at the Mo.

 

 

 

 

Looking for new house

 

 

 

It's a bit tough going when not much money is coming in

 

But I love this country

 

 

 

Thanks Essex for keeping it real for those of us coming home. No nonsense, just a realisation that Oz wasn't for us and respect intact for the place. I must admit I'm dreading the move. The missus (an Aussie) is less than keen but has consented and I'm just grateful to get home, but the cost and the hassles that go with the move are something I fear. But God I miss home, no matter how crappy it can sometimes be. Fingers crossed!

 

All the best

 

Oz

[2tigers]

I am very happy to be home, I lived in Aus for about 4yrs. I tried hard to settle but it just wasnt for me.

 

I came home with my children last year, its been great. I knew from the minute we arrived that I made the right choice. I have never loved my home country so much! I totally respect everything at home now, even this winter weather didnt faze me, we loved the snow, in fact its almost spring and I feel the winter has gone by pretty quickly, I think I was expecting and had prepared myself for worse!

 

I feel the cost of living is on par to Australia, apart from the fuel which is a killer!

 

I prefer the people here, I prefer where we live here. I feel safe and I am much happier bringing my children up here.

 

I was fortunate to have kept my house, needed a fair bit doing to it when we got home but we are nearly there now. Its a home, unlike Australia - that never was. We have family and friends around us now, they enjoy the children and can watch them grow.

 

I made the right choice, I find life here is so much better! I am so much happier. I tried it, it didnt work and I wont be doing it again!

[Guest lifeinmono]

Australia can't be for everyone - it's a shame that people who love it have to make out like you are mental if you want to go back to the UK.

 

There are plenty of disadvantages about living in Australia - it's a shame that people have to suggest that it's all gain, gain, gain. The weather obviously matters A LOT to some people.

 

Some people (like me) kind of know from virtually day one that it's not for them. You just get a feeling that something isn't right about it for you.

[Guest woods99]

Australia can't be for everyone - it's a shame that people who love it have to make out like you are mental if you want to go back to the UK.

 

There are plenty of disadvantages about living in Australia - it's a shame that people have to suggest that it's all gain, gain, gain. The weather obviously matters A LOT to some people.

 

Some people (like me) kind of know from virtually day one that it's not for them. You just get a feeling that something isn't right about it for you.

 

 

Of course there are disadvantages and advantages in living in just about any country. However, with the greatest of respect, if you really "know from day one that it is not for you", you probably should have known better than to migrate in the first place. Surely you must have had some idea about the place, the culture, the people, the things that you would be giving up, etc etc. These days we have all the access we need to information about just about everything - all we need to add is a bit of imagination and we know what other places are like.

 

Anybody who decides in less than six months that any new place is "not for them" is wasting their time and money in coming here, frankly. I suspect that some people who come here and don't like it on first sight were looking for something that doesn't exist this side of heaven.:hug:

[Guest lifeinmono]

Of course there are disadvantages and advantages in living in just about any country. However, with the greatest of respect, if you really "know from day one that it is not for you", you probably should have known better than to migrate in the first place. Surely you must have had some idea about the place, the culture, the people, the things that you would be giving up, etc etc. These days we have all the access we need to information about just about everything - all we need to add is a bit of imagination and we know what other places are like.

 

Anybody who decides in less than six months that any new place is "not for them" is wasting their time and money in coming here, frankly. I suspect that some people who come here and don't like it on first sight were looking for something that doesn't exist this side of heaven.:hug:

 

Lots of plain stupid assumptions in there.

 

You cannot research what the ACTUAL EXPERIENCE of LIVING somewhere will ACTUALLY FEEL like.

 

All you can find out in advance is some dry stats and stories on paper. It's not real life though - only actually doing something is real life.

 

And also whilst you might have a feeling from the outset that you are not going to like it you tend to feel that you should ''give it a fair go''. It's hard to know whether your gut feeling is correct or whether it's just nerves/teething problems that will pass once you settle in.