Guest LongwayDown Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 Id like to start a little thread/survey here if you dont mind. Since being on this forumn ive noticed a lot of people heading/thinking about going back to UK and obviously a plethora heading in the other direction to Australia. Now this has always been a contentious issue. When i arrived in Oz a decade ago, the first month i was here i bumped into a scottish barman who was serving me beer. I got chatting and he informed me that after several years hed had a gut full of Australia and was going home that week. Myself and several colleagues laughed in his face and couldnt understand what his gripe was. After all being English we were experiencing a strange orange ball in the sky for the first time, werent working, exchanging $3 to our pound and drinking ourselves to oblivion. What a great place! However the pinnacle of that first year has never returned. Now i have no axe to grind with either country so i like to think im quite neutral but i do wonder if its a bit of a conveyor belt. One family arrives very excited and raving about the palce, one goes home. Also is their any connection with the contrasting opinions relevant to the duration of time you spend here?? ie a honeymoon period. Does the novelty demise and then homesickness and reality kick in??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest17301 Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 Great point. We've been here for 15 months and the 'novelty' is still going strong. I often wonder if it ever will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackboots Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 ive been here 13 months and the novelty points just kicked in ! i wonder how many go back and stick there and not move on to other places abroad etc .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackboots Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 also i woner if certain age groups settle better /less ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 It will be 4 years for us later this year and i think after about 2 yrs you do lose some of the novelty and some things start to frustrate you just like they did back in the UK. However for us,,life is still better here and thankfully our 'up' days are still massively outweighing the 'downs'. I have personally found that its the people with very close family connections who seem to struggle the most, some plod on ,some return. What suits one doesnt another but at least they wont spend their lives thinking 'what if ?' Cal x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conniebygaslight Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 also i woner if certain age groups settle better /less ? I wonder if it's to do with the life you had back in the UK and the place you lived-people are always advised to give it 2 years but for some that's just too long. We came here for family (Aussie husband) but don't think it's enough to keep us here- we had a lovely happy life in UK in a beautiful village with many friends. Made new friends here and live in a lovely place but the Aussie culture just doesn't seem us at all. My hubby feels less Australian than ever- been away too long - I would hate to be like him but reversed I.E returning to the UK after 20 years and not feel like I belong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackboots Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 I wonder if it's to do with the life you had back in the UK and the place you lived-people are always advised to give it 2 years but for some that's just too long. We came here for family (Aussie husband) but don't think it's enough to keep us here- we had a lovely happy life in UK in a beautiful village with many friends. Made new friends here and live in a lovely place but the Aussie culture just doesn't seem us at all. My hubby feels less Australian than ever- been away too long - I would hate to be like him but reversed I.E returning to the UK after 20 years and not feel like I belong. exactly the same we had a good lifestyle think we were having a midlife crisis lol , no i meant ME personaly .. i wonder if id have found it easier being younger than i am now , or if when your older you yearn for the life style over there ( by this i mean retirement age ) i wonder how hard it is here with all the travelling etc , strange thoughts ill shut up now ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sykestykes Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 We've been here 15 months and I never had the chance to enjoy the novelty period that the OH and kids had (severe homesickness, I won't bang on about it here but have mentioned it on loads of threads before) so this is the time when I can look around and have that "Oooh I live here" time now. We did have a period of going to the beach at every available opportunity but that has kind of slackened off a bit now that real life has got in the way, but in no way do we take for granted what we have here. We feel lucky to have this opportunity to live here. Sue x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conniebygaslight Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 We've been here 15 months and I never had the chance to enjoy the novelty period that the OH and kids had (severe homesickness, I won't bang on about it here but have mentioned it on loads of threads before) so this is the time when I can look around and have that "Oooh I live here" time now. We did have a period of going to the beach at every available opportunity but that has kind of slackened off a bit now that real life has got in the way, but in no way do we take for granted what we have here. We feel lucky to have this opportunity to live here. Sue x Wherabouts in Yorkshire are you from Sue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest17301 Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 I wonder if it's when people are ill in the UK. We have more than our fair share of illness in the family at the moment and it does make me wish we could just go back for a bit, but soooo not possible. I imagine other people feel the same and when the illness is prolonged makes you feel like you shouldn't be here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sykestykes Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 Wherabouts in Yorkshire are you from Sue? I'm from the outskirts of Leeds Corina :cute: Sue x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sykestykes Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 I wonder if it's when people are ill in the UK. We have more than our fair share of illness in the family at the moment and it does make me wish we could just go back for a bit, but soooo not possible. I imagine other people feel the same and when the illness is prolonged makes you feel like you shouldn't be here? That must be exceptionally hard Fiona, I beat myself up for not being there for my parents (my dad had a stroke some years ago) ...if only it was cheaper to just go back and check on everyone, eh? Sue x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LongwayDown Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 Corina Mac has got a valid point. If your lifestyle has improved over here, ie better job house etc obviously weather then maybe this novelty period is extended. However if you lived in a nice area and have accidentally downgraded not through choice, is there any novelty period whatsoever??? In my experience people who have had nothing going for themselves in the mother land are very eager to dissuade yourself from returning and never have any positive things to say. Its almost like they blame the mother land itself for their own failings. Conversely people who fail here say the same thing whilst packing their bags. That said even with things clockwork i think most people would experience homesickness eventually. The proper means of increasing the love we bear our native country is to reside some time in a foreign one William Shenstone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scousers Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 Well after 22 years here, i have struggled with the last 3! All my immediate family, mum and dad, brother, sister in law and nephew are here and have been for 15 years. I now feel trapped as i really would love to go back. We would go back with enough money to buy a reasonable house, and money left over, but do have concerns about our aussie daughter and how she would settle in. I feel as you get older you get over it, i just feel like i want to go home! I think we have been very successful in OZ and have gripes with it outher than the no nightlife which has been discussed before. So really dont know the answer, it just how you feel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siblin! Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 Hand on heart, i can say there never was a novelty period for me . It just never wowed me . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest17301 Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 Hand on heart, i can say there never was a novelty period for me . It just never wowed me . and I'm sorry that was your experience Jo but I honestly feel that people who feel the way you do are the ones who experience homesickness the most and are most likely to return. Its obvious really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siblin! Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 and I'm sorry that was your experience Jo but I honestly feel that people who feel the way you do are the ones who experience homesickness the most and are most likely to return. Its obvious really. Well it stands to reason that we will experience homesickness the most , seeing as we don't like it here...you don't have to be a scientist to work that one out ...lol! I just find it very samey . Can't wait to get back home where i belong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest17301 Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 I really didnt mean anything by it Jo, I meant what you posted. I really sympathise with you and hope you get back home soon x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purple Princess Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 We've only been here just over 4 months, so I don't think my comments will really be taken on board, however, we came here with no pre conceived ideas of Australia, and spent the first few months settling into a new routine. We certainly have had no 'honeymoon period' either. As long as OH and daughter are happy (which they are) home is where they are. We are lucky as we have left no family in the UK, just friends, but there is e-mail and good old fashioned snail mail!!!! We really love our new and different life in Australia, but I think it helps that we as a family are all on the 'same page' I don't know what would happen if that changed..... Steph xxxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arlene Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 We settled very quickly into living in Perth 5 years ago, everything was working our really well but then all sorts of problems with family and their health. My MIL died and my husband went home when her condition got worse but then returned to Oz then she died, he didn't return for the funeral whch was hard. My dad was ill with cardiac problems and my sister was diagnosed with renal failure, all these problems make the distance feel huge and made us realise just how important family are. We were also very close to our families before we moved, my mum saw our children at least 3 times a week and takes a big role in their lives. We really swithered but after a year decided that we would move bavck to the Uk before our children were at high school age. It has been fine being home and I do really appreciate more about the Uk than I did before but we miss Australia alot. My dad then died suddenly and it felt really good being able to be with him when he died. After saying all this we then decided to return to Perth but couldn't sell our house due to the credit crunch. We do have our 175 visa and validated it last year so the option is still there but financially it looks very difficult to return. So now I feel in two minds, like living in the Uk but also love Australia, there are pros and cons to both and you have only one life so we just have to get on with it!:cute: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest17301 Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 Arlene, It's really not simple is it. I'm only just beginning to realise. We have 3 sick family members. I really dont want to return to the UK for anything other than a holiday but phone calls just dont cut it when illness is involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arlene Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 Arlene, It's really not simple is it. I'm only just beginning to realise. We have 3 sick family members. I really dont want to return to the UK for anything other than a holiday but phone calls just dont cut it when illness is involved. Exactly Fiona, it is really difficult. If all the family problems hadn't happened to us we were going to stay but at the same time I don't regret coming back here. Reading your posts feels very familiar to me because you obviously love Perth as we do and our year there went along the same lines as yours! We seemed to land on our feet and everything worked out great. I'm a nurse as well so we also didn't have alot of money but that didn't matter. Anyway if we don't come back in the next few years I'm trying to convince one of our children to emigrate and then we can live in their granny flat for 6 months of the year!!:biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rayman1 Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 The novelty period lasted 3 weeks! Lasted 5 months in Brisbane before returning home. The fact we had a very good life in the UK didn't help. Both in our 40's and kids teenagers and I couldn't see Australia offering anything better than the UK did and we would be financially alot better off in the UK. Everyone has a different angle on it and glad we did it to appreciate how good we had ( and have got back) life in Yorkshire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arlene Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 The novelty period lasted 3 weeks! Lasted 5 months in Brisbane before returning home. The fact we had a very good life in the UK didn't help. Both in our 40's and kids teenagers and I couldn't see Australia offering anything better than the UK did and we would be financially alot better off in the UK. Everyone has a different angle on it and glad we did it to appreciate how good we had ( and have got back) life in Yorkshire. I really appreciate the uk more after living in Oz despite the fact we really liked Oz, we spent a weekend in Yorkshire recently and i thought it was really lovely. the uk is not all doom and gloom and there are some lovely areas here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conniebygaslight Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 Corina Mac has got a valid point. If your lifestyle has improved over here, ie better job house etc obviously weather then maybe this novelty period is extended. However if you lived in a nice area and have accidentally downgraded not through choice, is there any novelty period whatsoever???In my experience people who have had nothing going for themselves in the mother land are very eager to dissuade yourself from returning and never have any positive things to say. Its almost like they blame the mother land itself for their own failings. Conversely people who fail here say the same thing whilst packing their bags. That said even with things clockwork i think most people would experience homesickness eventually. The proper means of increasing the love we bear our native country is to reside some time in a foreign one William Shenstone We met a couple last weekend who have moved here from South Africa and they were saying how wonderful it is (which is really great for them)- but they couldn't understand why we weren't all gung hoh as they were-although we are not doom and gloom. (we rarely moan to anyone as it was our choice- but if you are not flying the Aussie flag you are classed as a strange breed here)-We explained that we had a left a really beautiful place with a lovely house great friends etc- I was trying to say that we didn't come here to get away from England (we came for the family aspect). The South African couple said that they too had left a lovely house and nice friends -but really were in fear for their lives. I asked them the question if the unrest in South Africa hadn't existed would they still have moved- they said of course not South Africa is their home-I said that's how we feel about the UK and there isn't the trouble there. They looked at us with utter surprise and said but it rains there!!!! :arghh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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