Mad to leave without residency?

[Guest MonsterMunch]

If you are living right - in your head, you can live anywhere. I was living right before coming to Aus, but coming here knocked me to bits. It took a long time to get it all together again. Going back home seems right. It doesn't matter about weather, state of economy etc. if it feels right - it is right. Heaven or hell exists in your mind. Thats all that matters.

 

This is it... With hindsight, I wish we'd come to Australia when we were a bit younger in all honesty. We arrived about a month before I turned 30 and as soon a my birthday hit I was in a right state, wondering what we were doing running off to the other side of the world when we had a lovely life at home! I'm not sure I ever got over it to be honest... It's been great living here and we've managed to save a load of money here which we wouldn't have been able to do at home, so I pretty much believe that life doesn't always give you what you want, but gives you what you need. So - no regrets, but it's right to get back to the homeland!

[fluxsta]

Hi guys - sorry I've not been back on here, but have another update for you.... We've decided to go home.

 

Initially I was thinking "Sod it, let's stay, I can do it" and then I came home from work one night and sobbed my heart out knowing that I couldn't stay and that going home is the right thing to do. OH was a little upset at the thought of leaving Sydney 6 months before we were supposed to and eventually confessed he'd secretly hoped I would want to stay here for good. But we jointly decided that we should head back to the UK.

 

I turned down fancy new job before I even had the final offer as I didn't want the financial side of things to sway me. That felt like a huge weight off my mind and they were very understanding.

 

I'm 100% sure it's the 'right' thing to do and whilst it's not going to be easy, I'm pretty excited. We should've banked about $80k by the time we go home, so the fact that we'll have some cash behind us makes it a bit better. OH is ok about it too and whilst I think he's a little sad, he also knows it'll be great seeing everyone again.

 

My 12 week scan is on 31st May and (all being well) after that we'll start to tell people. I'm a bit nervous about telling my cow-bag boss as she has a distinct aversion for pregnant people, so I'm half expecting her to be a bit difficult about things, but we'll see.. I cannot wait to tell everyone else though - our parents will be delighted and so will our friends and knowing that makes it all the more worth going home. My best friend is expecting her 2nd baby in September, and I know she'll be so chuffed that our babies will be close in age.

 

Practically, once the scan is all done we're planning to pack up our flat and get our stuff shipped towards the end of June and then move into a furnished property (same place we first moved into when we got here) until end of August and then fly home. I've got some lovely colleagues in Singapore so we'll stop off there and say hi and bye to them. OH's parents go on holiday for 2 weeks early September so we're hoping we can stay there whilst we look for somewhere to rent (most likely a flat)... I'd always hoped we would have bought a house before having kids, and don't love the idea of having a baby in a flat, but if I've learnt anything recently it's that life doesn't go the way you plan it, so that won't be the end of the world... I do hope though that we can get a mortgage using my salary only (OH is self-employed) before my salary dips due to maternity pay. But if we can't, it's not going to kill us...

 

I'm so looking forward to going back to where I know, being walking distance to my mum's house, my dad's house, my friends' houses, being around for the Olympics, Wimbledon, not missing out on parties and weddings, having cheap access to Europe, decent TV, getting recommendations for baby stuff, seeing my baby with all the people I love, having a decent range of clothes shops... Some of that may sound fickle, but in short - I can't wait!

 

So yeah, in summary - the current plan is:

 

End of June - move out of current flat, into furnished place, ship bits home

End of August - fly home

Start of Sept - find lovely flat to rent for 6 months

Nov - apply for mortgage and buy beautiful house

Mid-Nov - finish up with work using annual leave

1 Dec - maternity leave officially starts

11 Dec - baby due

2012 - surrounded by lovely friends and family, move into lovely house which will coincide with 6 months rent being up

Jan 2013 - back to work

 

If all this goes to plan it will be a minor miracle! I may pop back in here once in a while to let you know how it's going if you're at all interested??

 

Thanks for listening (reading!) my waffle x

Bless you for following your heart. All of those things you listed made me think 'hang on, why are we leaving uk now?'. However, many of them don't apply to us, so we are going off into the unknown.

 

I was interested in your quote 'but if I've learnt anything recently it's that life doesn't go the way you plan it'. That is also our experience. We didn't bank on twins! Let alone taking them across the world. I think the main thing we have in life is acceptance, and following our inner voice. it seems from all your thought process, you cannot ignore the nagging feeling that won't go away, and for you that is a return to where you feel is best for you.......good luck!! Same really, we have sooooooo much baby stuff we are getting rid of before we go.

 

P.S. It is too cold here and things are......(kidding) enjoy life back in UK and hope pregnancy finds you well