Guest klangton Posted March 20, 2010 Share Posted March 20, 2010 Hi everyone!!! :cool: First of all, apologies to those who replied to my last post. I'm afraid we got here and forgot all about POI with all the kerfuffle of moving etc. Naughty I know! It has been a very interesting time since arriving in Brisbane in January of 2008. Where do I start?! Well, like lots on here, there are good and bad things about living in Australia and I'm afraid that I have decided that Australia is not for me anymore. The most predominant problem for me is missing my family in England. I said it would not bother me! The first year was okay, it was all new and exciting! The second year I went back for a visit. Instead of feeling happy that I had seen everyone, it made a flood of feelings start once I got back to Brisbane. Since then I have been very unsettled and have decided to go back. It has been a very difficult decision to make as my husband is staying on for a year or so with work. It is not just missing family though, Australia is a very different place to be and not for everyone. Other reasons that helped me decide are: The heat - 5 months of heat over 30 degrees and humidity that makes you feel crap. Holidaying in it is fine, working and living in this is so tiring and miserable. Expense - things really are sooooo expensive over here. Rent, food, medical bills, school, etc etc. I was ill in October last year and went into hospital. The gap payment was over $1000 even though we had medibank private! Little things - although they might not seem important, when all added up they do not help - drivers are extremely ignorant and idiotic. cane toads, mosquitos :mad: Saying all this, there are some great things about Australia too. For me it has been a wonderful experience and we are very glad we came. I just want to go home now!!! :jiggy: This must all sound a bit confusing, sorry! I think that it was an opportunity that we took and dont regret but discovered that a bit like Dick Whittington, the streets of Australia are not paved with gold!!! We have had a removal guy round to give a quote on taking our stuff back and he said that lots of expats are moving back at the moment. I have been working for the last 18 months and got some really good experience for when we go back and my hubbie has also done really well at work so we do have some good things to take back. As well as some great photos! The wildlife here is amazing. Still not seen a snake yet or a redback!! You do get used to the strange creatures here. Saying that, I miss all the british wildlife and the seasons, wind (we dont seem to have any here!) snow, frosty mornings, wearing winter clothes, taking the dog for a walk without needing a shower afterwards, british shops, countryside (not a lot of varation in Oz), certain foods (like REAL cadbury chocolate) it just does not taste the same here! etc. etc. I am now really looking forward to going back. It is almost a relief that we have now booked air tickets and I have a date to aim towards. Hope to still enjoy the remainder of our time here. We are off down to Adelaide for a visit next week. Hubbie will be visiting us in the uk as often as possible and his work have been great in allowing this. We are even hoping to come over next July August for a visit!! The winter here is the best time for me. Anyway, thats about all I can think of for now! To anyone who feels guilty about wanting to go back DONT. Its always better to have tried something than have "what ifs?" Karen xxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted March 20, 2010 Share Posted March 20, 2010 Hi Karen What a great post and a truthful one. I would like to wish you all the best for your life back in the UK and hope that you find your happiness there. Good luck Kate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest30038 Posted March 20, 2010 Share Posted March 20, 2010 Hi KarenWhat a great post and a truthful one. I would like to wish you all the best for your life back in the UK and hope that you find your happiness there. Good luck Kate Ditto that. Good luck Karen. Forgive the thread hi-jack but I think this is relevant for anyone reading who is coming here and my be worried re hospital medical fees. To anyone reading who wonders about the $1000 gap payment for the medical treatment...........there is no payment under the public system. Hospital treatment is free unless you have private health cover. I've had a hernia fix, prostectomy, throat polyps removed, and a quadruple by-pass and all operations were a minimal wait with no expense at all to be found. kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pozz Posted March 20, 2010 Share Posted March 20, 2010 Thank you for posting. I have been interested in what makes people want to come back to the UK. Apart from the healthcare, the reasons you give, are the reasons I want to move for. I understand your sentiments but it helps to reinforce why I want to try life down under... and who's to say I wont be in a similar predicament in years to come. Good luck :biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 I hope you are happy on your return to the UK I appreciate what you are saying about summer in QLD that is why I live in Melbourne. Good for a holiday. Also as the op said you do not pay any gap if you are a public patient without insurance. Hence we do not have insurance. Just have to pay the gov levy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gary12 Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 Ditto that. Good luck Karen. Forgive the thread hi-jack but I think this is relevant for anyone reading who is coming here and my be worried re hospital medical fees. To anyone reading who wonders about the $1000 gap payment for the medical treatment...........there is no payment under the public system. Hospital treatment is free unless you have private health cover. I've had a hernia fix, prostectomy, throat polyps removed, and a quadruple by-pass and all operations were a minimal wait with no expense at all to be found. kev Geez Kev, you sound like the bionic man! :biglaugh: good luck to the people going back. regards Michelle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest30038 Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 Geez Kev, you sound like the bionic man! :biglaugh: good luck to the people going back. regards Michelle 8 tablets a day helps prevent the rust :biglaugh: kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olly Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 8 tablets a day helps prevent the rust :biglaugh: kev Eating the right sausages prevents rust too Kev:biggrin: And what Petals said - Queensland is nice for a holiday for some of us, but like Melbourne to live (however, due to the recent humidity here which has kept me awake at night, I might have to retract that statement at some stage!). A nice cool breeze today though, thankfully. Good luck to all who go back, but a good adventure has been had I'm sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mr Happy Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 Qld OK for a holiday but no way we could live there. Suits some though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chris955 Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 That's the strange thing about people, I grew up in Victoria but wouldn't live there again for anything and I'm not keen on NSW so it's Queensland for us at least for the time being. :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest36187 Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 Each to their own, QLD only place that I feel settled. I love to visit everyplace but here is right.....dontknow why! Just right! (We`re diverting!!) To the OP It takes a brave person to emigrate but a braver one to say `hey this isnt for me`. Good on ya for standing up there and not being afraid to say so! GOod Luck and let us know how you go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest klangton Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 Thanks everyone for your words of support. This is a decision that has taken me ages to make but I'm glad I have finally come to make it! My hubbie is also being very supportive and at the end of the day, as long as we are both happy and the children are too, that is all that matters. I agree with the home is where the heart is comment on other posts and mine is in England. Saying that, Australia will always have a special place in my heart too!! However, Australia will be here forever, my mum and dad wont!! I must say, having somewhere to write my thoughts down is really helpful and its nice to know that others feel the same way. We are taking our Aussie doggie, Charlie, back to the UK so he will find quite a few differences there, like snow!!! It will be good to show him the English countryside and I'm sure he will love all the new smells and sounds! We were originally bringing our dog over from England but is was not well enough. He was 10 when we left and went to live with my parents. He had a wonderful two years with them but passed away before Christmas last year :-( Will make sure I visit PIO more often as it helps to see how others are dealing with living in such a different country. Bye for now Karen xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest johanna Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 Hi i was just wondering if your kids are school age as i am going back and have looked into schools and just have to go on a waiting list and hope that we get a good one. We have 3 boys and so they could be hard to place. The oz school is great but not much else is going right for us. We are very homesick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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