Metoo Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 Hi, we are currently tossing up what to do. I am Australian, my husband is English (raised in Oz) and after living in the UK for 6 years we decided to move our kids back to Australia last year due to family guilt. The kids are now aged 15, 12, 10. A year back and we miss the UK. The big question is what to do about the eldest and school if we do go back to the UK. We still have a house over there, as it wouldn't sell and that seems to help in the decision making process. But any help in the schooling thing would be great. He is an August baby which meant he finished year 9 in the UK and went back into year 8 here. If we went back, how does that affect pathway choices? Any help would be good. In regards to one side of the world or the other. Coming home has made us realise even more that England is only a day away, which when we get in the car and drive north to my mum's on the North Coast of NSW is about the same time it takes to see her now. There is of course another view on this, if you have both lived in Australia for many years then of course you know the deal. Also 6 years in the UK is long enough to 'get it' in this country. If you and your kids are absolutely convinced that the UK is for you then go for it. The only thing that you must consider is that depending on what you do for a living, you may find it hard to get back into work. Assuming you gave up your job/s to make the move then you have not really experienced being unemployed in the UK today. You will read many posts on this site saying that there are loads of jobs available, well maybe there are if you want to sell double glazing, even for your ideal position the competition will be fierce. In the not too distant past you may have been one of maybe 6 applicants but today you may be one in 200 (no joke). Getting an interview is very difficult and if you get down to a second interview you may still be competing with 6 others. I wish you the very best in whatever you decide but please make sure that you can earn a living here once you arrive. As for schooling, which is what you asked, 15 is not a great time to move, you need to get him in the last year of GCSE level or the last 2 years if that is possible, my best suggestion is to speak to your local County Council who control the schooling and seek their advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest nenniwren Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 Hi, thanks for the reply. Quick question have you moved back to the UK or do you want to move to oz. The reason I ask is that your profile says of all places Leicester, we lived near Blaby and have a house over there still. In relation to work, we know only too well what the employment is like there and would not even consider the move without a job in place before hand. The schooling thing is the killer for us and I have already started an email to county hall regarding not only schools but the pathway choices. Again thanks, it is good to hear from someone there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metoo Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 Hi, thanks for the reply. Quick question have you moved back to the UK or do you want to move to oz. The reason I ask is that your profile says of all places Leicester, we lived near Blaby and have a house over there still. In relation to work, we know only too well what the employment is like there and would not even consider the move without a job in place before hand. The schooling thing is the killer for us and I have already started an email to county hall regarding not only schools but the pathway choices. Again thanks, it is good to hear from someone there. I have moved a couple of times so know what its like with the upheaval, but now I can go back to Oz, I am, and my GF is coming too, in fact she is more excited than me as I am going back to what I already done. County Hall is the place to go to, they run the education for the whole of Leicestershire out of there, it is not in the hands of the schools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chris955 Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 Why is that ? A great many people seem to do it and not come to that conclusion. Make the most and forget about the UK, its a fair bet that you will realise you have made a costly mistake if you go back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrisj67 Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 Blimey...what a game of ping pong this thread is! Not sure if it's going to help the OP. Most of you guys have lived in both places and know that both offer different things and both are great in their own right. I love Australia; the climate, the countryside, the beaches, wide open roads...etc...etc... However, other threads have mentioned the notion of culture (not in the sense that Aussies do not have culture, which obviously they do) and a sense of belonging. This concept does exist and for many of us it runs deep and it is not a case of "suck it up and stop whinging!". Most of us had good reasons for coming over to Australia, but life changes and you have no way of predicting how you feel when these changes take hold. To those who are fortunate enough to be able to live in either country, where you want to live is a balance. I am looking forward to returning to the UK in the not too distant future. I do not regret in any way the 7 years I have lived here and, no doubt, will miss aspects of my Australian life. The important thing is to remember why you returned and relish in those aspects. How I miss: - good yarns and heated discussions with my brothers over a pint of bitter; - seeing family face-to-face rather than through a Skype window or the PS3; - talking to my father who is going deaf and find it really hard to have conversations over the telephone; - skiing/snow boarding in France (where the skiers actually know how to queue up at lifts...a 6 seater lift is supposed to seat 6 people rather than one at a time!!!); - being able to travel a few 100 km and be in a new country! - seeing old pommy friends at the weekend; - seeing friends in New York; Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Working to fish Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 Why is that ? A great many people seem to do it and not come to that conclusion. If your happy back in the uk ,you have come to the right conclusioin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chris955 Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 Exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conniebygaslight Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 We have no family to miss in the UK-we just miss England-we have family here in Australia but we don't like it here...end of. Just over 2 weeks..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsindecision Posted August 10, 2010 Author Share Posted August 10, 2010 We have no family to miss in the UK-we just miss England-we have family here in Australia but we don't like it here...end of. Just over 2 weeks..... update thanks for all the replies - still adapting to the change and figure it will take some time to settle properly as too many things up in the air - my eldest, house still in oz, job etc. Spent weekend with family had a great time but couldn't get over some of the housing and poor maintenance of homes ( how superficial I have become in three short years). Drove back to our rental which is in a lovely area and felt relief to be back. Then had our closest, oldest friends join us for a few days and have not belly laughed so much in years - it has been a complete tonic. Aus is beautiful - but there is depth and contrast here which I realise is what we were missing now all of our friends and family are within a three hour radius it's amazing. it's raining here today that light summer drizzle that makes all the trees and grass smell - lovely. :yes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chris955 Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 It will take sometime to adapt back to 'normality'. Whenever I arrive back in the UK I am immediately hit by the differences, good and bad but within a short time things start to sort themselves out and make more sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gail.crease Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 Aus is beautiful - but there is depth and contrast here which I realise is what we were missing now all of our friends and family are within a three hour radius it's amazing. it's raining here today that light summer drizzle that makes all the trees and grass smell - lovely. :yes: That sums it up for us too. It's the people not the place. When we were back on holiday in April we had the best laugh with our oldest friends and it all felt so comfortable. Rain here just doesn't have the same effect here. I used to like how the rain made the summer flowers appear so much brighter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted August 11, 2010 Share Posted August 11, 2010 Well, I went back to England for twelve years so I'm not going to criticize anyone for going back themselves. Once my parents passed away I felt there was nothing to hold me there any more and i have a brother here in Sydney. I am very happy to be back in Sydney and all my friends are Aussies too. I don't miss anything about England BUT I do love to watch Doc Martin and The Secret Milionaire and I read The Daily Mail and The Sun every day on line and I cannot wait for the start of the new EPL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chris955 Posted August 11, 2010 Share Posted August 11, 2010 That's such a shame that after being back in the UK for 12 years you don't miss anything, I know I will miss lots of things about this country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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