fish.01 Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Compleely agree with this it was the same for us in Qld....not a soul out & about. It's funny when you see the 'Wanted down under' on TV you will notice there is never anyone about in the streets when they go looking for houses...it's a really eerie feeling we thought. We are loving life back in good old blighty x From memory didn't you live beyond the black stump out in the country somewhere Connie...surprised you even had cars on the road out where you lived :wink: You do pay a price for low density housing. In general the street are quieter and for some this can be a hard adjustment. In saying that though you do generally have a choice. If quiet isn't for you move to a more active suburb. I didn't like it so I moved to a suburb in Brisbane where there are shoppers on the streets, people out jogging, prams, playing etc. For others they prefer the quiet suburbs. I think immigrants should think long and hard about what would suit them...or rent a while and try it out. It is people making ill fitting town/city/suburb/location choices that sometimes makes more difference than the country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clark Posted March 4, 2012 Author Share Posted March 4, 2012 I returned back to the UK 2 weeks ago after living in Perth for 6 months, and I couldn't be happier, we could have stayed longer but children were at a difficult age with high schooling, and since we decided to go we then found out that if we weren't in the UK for 3 years before they apply for uni we'd have to pay international fees....so although we could have stayed longer this factor helped our decision to come home sooner.....some things about day to day living you take for granted...it wasn't till we came back I realised how great it was to open windows without stupid flyscreens have lovely fresh air blowing in the windows, have freezing cold water from the cold tap, feel the cool refreshing air on your face/hair etc, instead of the heat, which makes you so sweaty and uncomfortable.....f eel much cleaner since coming back( able to wear make up.....in Perth it would have run off your face.....forget about having nice hair, within half an hour of being outside you look like a frazzled wreck........ buy a full weeks shopping in the supermarket for one third of the cost of Perth supermarkets better tv, radio stations without crude sexual undertones, great choice of newspapers, media coverage much better of world events, felt really dumbed down in Perth, is there a political agenda going on over there...I used to call the news happy news over there.. living in Perth for all of us was an uncomfortable experience compared to living in the UK....living in the suburbs in Perth was such a souless place, no one walks about due to the heat, kids don't play outside in their neighbourhoods as much due to the heat, compare this to the UK, OMG you do forget what its like seeing people.....and they are walking here everywhere in the UK!!!! the other day I walked out to the local shops about a quarter of a mile from where we live and I know I am sad....lol I counted more than 50 people walking, jogging , pushing prams, waiting at bus stops etc, the only time I ever saw more than 5 people walking in Perth was when you go into the city or Northbridge, Kings Park etc, when you are born and live in the UK I must admit I found it quite a culture shock moving to Perth and seeing no -one, even the neighbours seem non exisiting.....everyone drives home into their remote control garages and disappear into their houses!! compared to the UK on an everyday sense without making an effort you can speak to more people here in than you ever will in Perth, and it is the small things that really count that you don't think about till they aren't there anymore xx tahnx very much im feeling the same at the moment im 41 yrs and here on my own as not married or gf/kids. i feel lonely with out fam around, fortunately im renting with a buddy and his bro iv known for a long time, if i didnt know these guys i would of rtnd to uk by now. i ve got a job in blighty lined up if i go back but im working here in joondalup, which is ok but not my 'dream' job, but how many get the chance to get there dream job, although id be happier with the job in the uk, am i a odd bod for thinking maybe aus isnt for me, after the trials and tribulations ovr the years of trying to get here in aus i am going to different place s as much as poss and there are great opps to see, big name artists, going to future music festival later today at joondalup, as i need things to keep my mind of the fam in uk:confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clark Posted March 4, 2012 Author Share Posted March 4, 2012 In answer to the OP's question...not for me. I've been here five years and heading back home to the UK later this year. Can't wait. Australia has been good to me and my family but ultimately it isn't home. Not having family and close friends around is a very lonely experience to say the very least. yea cheers crimsonpetal, completly agree that its not home but trying to make things happen for me in oz. but i think at the end of the day (wat a cliche football quote) ill always miss the fam bak home , parents sister bro in law, cousins aunts uncles, god children, etc. got this job in uk in sept if i want it so quite confused at the mo, having good days and bad etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clark Posted March 4, 2012 Author Share Posted March 4, 2012 i did actually wake up for work just b4 sunrise and thought this is the same as the uk and i wont gain anything if i stay in oz, confused confused Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorkiegirl Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 tahnx very much im feeling the same at the moment im 41 yrs and here on my own as not married or gf/kids. i feel lonely with out fam around, fortunately im renting with a buddy and his bro iv known for a long time, if i didnt know these guys i would of rtnd to uk by now. i ve got a job in blighty lined up if i go back but im working here in joondalup, which is ok but not my 'dream' job, but how many get the chance to get there dream job, although id be happier with the job in the uk, am i a odd bod for thinking maybe aus isnt for me, after the trials and tribulations ovr the years of trying to get here in ausi am going to different place s as much as poss and there are great opps to see, big name artists, going to future music festival later today at joondalup, as i need things to keep my mind of the fam in uk:confused: No you aren't an odd bod, Australia isn't for everyone. Some people "love it" before they even get out of the airport, others never really settle. I've been here 20 years, it was all fine to start with for the first few years, and I've had some great times & experiences but I don't really feel as though I belong here. We're off back to the UK as soon as our house sells, missing family is something you can't really prepare for. It doesn't bother some people but I suppose everyone has different relationships with their families and it affects different people in different ways. Only you know how you feel, it must be extra difficult to be here by yourself. Don't feel as though there's something wrong with you though for wanting to go back because there isn't. It's easy to look from the other side of the world and say it's all going to be great and the best thing since sliced bread like some people seem to think, but the reality can be very different and you never know if it's going to work for you until you actually start living here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johndoe Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 i did actually wake up for work just b4 sunrise and thought this is the same as the uk and i wont gain anything if i stay in oz, confused confused If it's the same, will you gain by going back? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harpodom Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 From memory didn't you live beyond the black stump out in the country somewhere Connie...surprised you even had cars on the road out where you lived :wink: You do pay a price for low density housing. In general the street are quieter and for some this can be a hard adjustment. In saying that though you do generally have a choice. If quiet isn't for you move to a more active suburb. I didn't like it so I moved to a suburb in Brisbane where there are shoppers on the streets, people out jogging, prams, playing etc. For others they prefer the quiet suburbs. I think immigrants should think long and hard about what would suit them...or rent a while and try it out. It is people making ill fitting town/city/suburb/location choices that sometimes makes more difference than the country. i agree with you up to a point about the vibe of a place being determined by whether it's inner city or outer suburb, but I do think this is one of the cultural differences between aussies and brits that some find hard to adjust to. From what i've seen, there is more of a driving culture here, and often people don't appear to think twice about driving 500m down the road to the milk bar, or the corner shop, or the school run. people seem to turn in earlier here (in geelong at least) and cafes and restaurants shut bang on 5pm, which i find truly bizarre. there are less pubs around, meaning people often drive to the pub instead of walking. and there is the remote control garage phenomenon, something of a rarity in the uk. we've lived our current house a bit over a year, and i'm still not entirely sure what the neighbours on one side look like, or how many there are in the house. i'm not complaining, in fact that suits me just fine. overall it means less people out and about. i agree it can feel a bit eery, but tbh we've got little kids and rarely venture out after dark, so it makes little difference! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest66881 Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Mate your here alone and your living it, so what if you want to go back home to blighty, head held high mate either way. Way better than just sitting in blighty moaning about how **** it is or being here and moaning the same things, hey you have lived and done it so you more than most can make that choice proudly. And yeah who does have the dream job anymore, unless your the pool guy at the ladies club lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorkiegirl Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Not surprised it's eerie where you live if that's your house on your avatar Harpodom!! Didn't realise Geelong was near Royston Vasey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest17301 Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 It is for me and my family (all its cracked up to be) Im sat out in my gorgeous garden on the PC, that in itself (for me) makes the mundane less so.... I can remember entire weekends cooped up inside the house except for an hour at the country park with the dog.... Yes the heat sucks but its not hot all of the time! We stay in the shade or indoors when its super hot, do a bit of shopping (used to have a day out to the shops in the UK because nothing better to do when pishing it down) now we go to escape the sun! Even on the hottest days the ability to head down to the beach in the late afternoon is fantastic... Spring and Autumn, perfect....days out, walks, beaches, parks, bbqs, picnics, exploring, driving, mooching.....whats not to love.... Im not into organised entertainment as such so whiling the day away at the beach with a book and a swim/walk thrown in suits me just fine (and the kids) I realise all that outdoor stuff isnt everyones cuppa tea though..... As for never seeing anyone, yeah the streets are quieter....go to the many parks though within the burbs, people walking their dogs...we've got a few regulars who we have a chinwag with on the daily walk...neighbours...cant fault em, often stop for a chat while watering the garden etc etc...OH often has a beer and a chat with younger neighbour across the road..... I feel safe, didnt feel unsafe in Uk though either....certainly less 'yobbos' walking past at night and waking me up (no fireworks either!) Love the outdoor eating, meals al fresco whenever I feel like it... Wintertime....can get cosy and whinge about the cold once the suns gone down, PJs, bedsocks etc....all bases covered in Perth for us..... As for exploring/holidays etc...have not even touched the tip of the iceberg......still to do...rest of WA/rest of Aus!/Singapore/Maylasia/another trip to Bali......and thats all within 3 or 4 hours.......... I like it.alot.com. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest66881 Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Yeah no fireworks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambethlad Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 The only thing I don't like about Oz is the dodgy lifeguards. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDMMRKk_l-Y&feature=channel_video_title Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKC Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 It suits us, but I can see why it might not suit everyone. For those who go back, good on them. At least they gave it a try. There are many people who I know back in the UK, who spend all of their time moaning about their lives, but never actually get on and live life and make the changes that they need to. We came out here three years ago, and wild horses couldn't drag us back to the UK. We both felt crowded and suffocated, whereas here we feel happy. It hasn't been easy, but it suits us. At the end of the day, we are all different, and it wouldn't do for us all to like the same things in life. It is funny that even though we are in Sydney, we are in a quiet suburb, but there are always people out jogging, walking, pushing their prams, walking their dogs etc. We see our neighbours to say "Hello" to, we don't socialise with them except for the annual Christmas get together, but that is because they all have grown up children, whereas we have small children so our lives are in different places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brit Girl Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Hi Clark, I came out here to Perth on my own in Feb 2010 and it's been tough going. I've had some good days when I'm enjoying Oz and bad days when I've been very homesick. There are a lot of positives about being here, but also some negatives. I had done lots of research about coming over here but hadn't factored in homesickness! I won't be here for ever but in the next few years plan to get my citizenship and do lots of travel within Oz and NZ. I'll see my folks this xmas for a holiday, which will help things a bit.If you want to email or PM me for a chat you are very welcome:smile: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 What's the big deal with not having people "out and about"? Do you say "Hiya" to every one of them and stop for a nice cosy chat or do you just walk on by? There were plenty of people "out and about" where I lived in the UK and most of them were just looking for empty houses to burgle. The peace I've gained from the streets being empty here is immeasurable....................I don't have to jump up and look out the window every time I hear a noise outside my front or back fence. Just because there's nobody "out and about" doesn't mean that my life is less tolerable................just the opposite..................I can sit out with friends in the garden and not have to dread some yobbos passing by and taking the plss. On the other hand being the only one on the street can at times make you the target of any nutter looking for trouble and that includes passing cars. I would say it depends where you lived in UK. I agree living in Central London there are a lot of sirens and alarms around but the street life around made the place alive and to my mind far safer. Folk moving from such an enviroment may well get the feling of isolation and lifelessnes out in the burbs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NeilanGemz Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 As far as i know there's a stat out with the number of yo yo migrants from the UK. It appears the grass is always greener, whether you've seen the grass already is irrelevant it would appear, lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish.01 Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 i agree with you up to a point about the vibe of a place being determined by whether it's inner city or outer suburb, but I do think this is one of the cultural differences between aussies and brits that some find hard to adjust to. From what i've seen, there is more of a driving culture here, and often people don't appear to think twice about driving 500m down the road to the milk bar, or the corner shop, or the school run. people seem to turn in earlier here (in geelong at least) and cafes and restaurants shut bang on 5pm, which i find truly bizarre. there are less pubs around, meaning people often drive to the pub instead of walking. and there is the remote control garage phenomenon, something of a rarity in the uk. we've lived our current house a bit over a year, and i'm still not entirely sure what the neighbours on one side look like, or how many there are in the house. i'm not complaining, in fact that suits me just fine. overall it means less people out and about. i agree it can feel a bit eery, but tbh we've got little kids and rarely venture out after dark, so it makes little difference! Yeah, I only agree with me up to a point as well. Given the large houses, much lower density housing and large new build areas you can get a lot of places that suffer the remote garage door, nothing close enough to walk to issue. This can lead to a far more self contained, re-create the world inside your own house and plot lifestyle. Imo that's why people should strongly consider getting a smaller house closer to the action if they are the sort of person who needs active streets. I just rode my pushy back from a mates house past lots of people out on a sunday night swimming, promenading, in crowded pubs, cafes, restaurants etc. I get a real buzz from it but others wouldn't. People from very urban british cities should consider whether they are suited to quiet suburbs even if they really want that large new build house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Homer Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 It can be...... Just remember that Australia has largely the same problems and issues that you dislike about the UK. It has some plus points over the UK and vice versa. It's not Utopia and if you are trying to escape anything you will more than likely be bringing that with you. I have had an absolute roller coaster ride filled with drama and mishap since arriving, nothing to do with Australia I might add. I prefer it here and have no intentions of returning to the UK. You will have to deal with the same basic crap here that you experience in the UK. Yes it is sunny a lot but very often that is as prohibitive to life as teeming rain and working manually here can be exhausting, whilst office work will dry out your skin with aircon, if they have it! Look for "pull" reasons for coming because the"push" alternative just doesn't work, you will end up disappointed. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Surely that is true of everywhere??? Every minute of every day cant be an adventure. Oz is not the allmighty solution to everyones problems. The bills still need to get paid, you still need a good salary to get get the nice house with the pool. Why would the average salary you get paid in the UK make you rich when you move to Oz. Life is what YOU make of it, if you have a good job/relationship/house etc in London or anywhere else in the UK but are still miserable - chances are you will be miserable in the sun in OZ. Some people are never happy and add to that the fact that most people will miss family and friends, it will make it tough. I think the problem with a lot of people who move, think that its going to be nirvana and it might well be if you make a go of it. But if you have not travelled a lot or when you do travel all you do is complain about it not being the same as the UK, then you are not ready to embrace different cultures or to move to a new country. Recently friends of ours went to Mexico for 2 weeks and refused to try Mexican food or go to the sites or street markets (and I dont mean mexico city) - WTF did you go for if you didnt want to experiance local things. Actually it's not. With regards to having alternative options in places then the great distances involved do make WA rather unique. In time these options do exhaust themselves,although you may need to be here a few years to arrive atthat conclusion. As I noted there is some great nature and to my mind that is largely what Australia is about. A number do look on Australia perhaps with the view of solving issues or problems and to e honest at this point in history a lot in the material sense would appear to have never had it so good. I am of the belief that change of enviroment can certainly benefit folk so don't really agree that if a person is unhappy where ever they lived that this will continue elsewhere. It well may but the opposite can be equally true. I not sure when it comes to relationships though. Two couples inside about three and a half years that were going through a rocky patch thought a move to Australia may be a new start, but to no avail. One did prolong it almost two years though. Who knows it may well work for others. Folk who haven't travelled and seeking out nirvana as you say, may have a difficult time confronting homesickness issues but others with little too loose may strike gold equally. One thing with us fragile humans is what is bliss for one may turn into a nightmare for another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine111 Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 hi all just wondering if anyone thought aus was all it cracked up to be or would you rtn to uk if poss.ive been here in perth for 6 months and you guessed it, same @#$% different country, i came out with hopes that id love the wall to wall sun, easier work enviroment, im a chippy so outside work in the frazzeling sun, thought id love the beach life, but only been handful of times and not that up on the beach and surfing anyway, obviously prices of everything are extashonet, but cant help that as the wages are more which in turn makes all else expensive. politics are worse than in the uk, the constant back stabbing of each other a lot worse, didnt think that would be the case, public transport is fantastic in perth, and perth cbd is great and kings park is amazing, great walks along the coast and in along the river, and country, great golf courses and bike paths, :confused:so its not all doom and gloom, yes ive been very very homesick since xmas, but i think im over that, but i do think what if i stay or rtn, does anyone else feel the sameor offer any advice, cheers clark Hi Clark, Depends on where you are & your situation. Do you have kids or are you just on your own/in a couple? If the later, I would say get out & explore the rest of the country. It is a wonderful place for an adventure. When hubby & I backpacked 10 yrs or more a go, we lurved it. Were on a holiday works visa. Worked in Sydney & travelled all around Oz on a mccafferty bus. Met great people & saw some amazing landscapes. Out of all the places I have lived, Perth is in actual fact my least favourite. It is like a country of itself, is so isolated & far removed from the rest of Oz, that after living 5 yrs there I found it very insular & attitudes alot to be desired. When we were leaving a couple of different people said to me it didnt used to be like that, that the mining boom had caused a great deal of greed. Not sure how true that is... cost of living never used to be that high & cost of buying a house used to one of the cheaper cities. Part of the reason we moved there. We arrived & had our kids there & to be honest got bored of the place after about 2-3yrs. Novelty wore off & with nothing keeping us there, re family connections was time to move on.... So long as you aren't commiting the rest of your life to the place & have a plan for what you want to achieve & places you want to see when you are there, you'll be fine. Met so many people that got stuck (for want of a better word) in Perth, either been there for a long time e.g 3-40yrs & time ran away with them & quite bitter or had kids, who had made friends etc..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pamela123 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Hi when I read that post that I had written again it sounded very rude, it wasn't meant to come across that way, I guess after we were "invaded" as the police called it....it did open our eyes to other things ....such as the riots...the bashings....the murders....out in the open drug dealing etc....we never paid any attention to any of this until after we were burgled, these things happen in every country, but Perth seems to be a really quiet place it is quite shocking the amount of violence that does take place there, ..the police and forensic officers advised us to lock doors even during the day....living in the UK we always lock doors at nightime but have never felt the need to lock the door during the day....when I asked why they said certain groups of people go around walking into houses to taking whatever they want....I have lived in 3 large cities in the UK and have never felt the need to lock the door during the day if I was in....I wouldn't stay somewhere I didn't feel safe,,,,,one of the reasons for moving back to the UK....feels safer living here.....and I wouldn't have said that before I went and experienced it for myself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clark Posted March 5, 2012 Author Share Posted March 5, 2012 No you aren't an odd bod, Australia isn't for everyone. Some people "love it" before they even get out of the airport, others never really settle. I've been here 20 years, it was all fine to start with for the first few years, and I've had some great times & experiences but I don't really feel as though I belong here. We're off back to the UK as soon as our house sells, missing family is something you can't really prepare for. It doesn't bother some people but I suppose everyone has different relationships with their families and it affects different people in different ways. Only you know how you feel, it must be extra difficult to be here by yourself. Don't feel as though there's something wrong with you though for wanting to go back because there isn't. It's easy to look from the other side of the world and say it's all going to be great and the best thing since sliced bread like some people seem to think, but the reality can be very different and you never know if it's going to work for you until you actually start living here. thanks yorkiegirl, im just trying to think of why i came to aus for now, youve hit the nail on the head. i also have had some great times and experiences ,even in 6 months and yes iv got that feeling of 'i dont belong' cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clark Posted March 5, 2012 Author Share Posted March 5, 2012 Mate your here alone and your living it, so what if you want to go back home to blighty, head held high mate either way.Way better than just sitting in blighty moaning about how **** it is or being here and moaning the same things, hey you have lived and done it so you more than most can make that choice proudly. And yeah who does have the dream job anymore, unless your the pool guy at the ladies club lol. cheers paulanddeb just the positive response i was looking for, and im slowly tyhinking to myself 'no it dosent matter if i go back to blighty' and 'yes ive actually done what i set out to do' a lot of people dont have a dream and i acheaved my dream by getting my pr and coming over to aus, cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clark Posted March 5, 2012 Author Share Posted March 5, 2012 hi debbieg, thanks for the advice, ive given u a pm, hope u dont mind, if you dont get it u can can u pm me cheers clark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clark Posted March 6, 2012 Author Share Posted March 6, 2012 I returned back to the UK 2 weeks ago after living in Perth for 6 months, and I couldn't be happier, we could have stayed longer but children were at a difficult age with high schooling, and since we decided to go we then found out that if we weren't in the UK for 3 years before they apply for uni we'd have to pay international fees....so although we could have stayed longer this factor helped our decision to come home sooner.....some things about day to day living you take for granted...it wasn't till we came back I realised how great it was to open windows without stupid flyscreens have lovely fresh air blowing in the windows, have freezing cold water from the cold tap, feel the cool refreshing air on your face/hair etc, instead of the heat, which makes you so sweaty and uncomfortable.....f eel much cleaner since coming back( able to wear make up.....in Perth it would have run off your face.....forget about having nice hair, within half an hour of being outside you look like a frazzled wreck........ buy a full weeks shopping in the supermarket for one third of the cost of Perth supermarkets better tv, radio stations without crude sexual undertones, great choice of newspapers, media coverage much better of world events, felt really dumbed down in Perth, is there a political agenda going on over there...I used to call the news happy news over there.. living in Perth for all of us was an uncomfortable experience compared to living in the UK....living in the suburbs in Perth was such a souless place, no one walks about due to the heat, kids don't play outside in their neighbourhoods as much due to the heat, compare this to the UK, OMG you do forget what its like seeing people.....and they are walking here everywhere in the UK!!!! the other day I walked out to the local shops about a quarter of a mile from where we live and I know I am sad....lol I counted more than 50 people walking, jogging , pushing prams, waiting at bus stops etc, the only time I ever saw more than 5 people walking in Perth was when you go into the city or Northbridge, Kings Park etc, when you are born and live in the UK I must admit I found it quite a culture shock moving to Perth and seeing no -one, even the neighbours seem non exisiting.....everyone drives home into their remote control garages and disappear into their houses!! compared to the UK on an everyday sense without making an effort you can speak to more people here in than you ever will in Perth, and it is the small things that really count that you don't think about till they aren't there anymore xx hi pamela 123 like your post agree very much, and nice to cee you gave it a shot , i feel very simular to you after 6 months also, boy its 38c today, its cruel to be working outside as i have been today, very hot week, like someone left the oven door open or got the hairdryer constantly in your face. thanks clark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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