Going Back

[The Monaghans]

Evening all!

 

Those of you who have been members for a few years will remember us as regular posters about 3 or 4 years back. We have been in Adelaide since July 2007 and have loved pretty much every single minute here. We've made the most fabulous friends we could wish for, we live in a lovely little house, in a quiet, leafy area with our own pool and we've spent many an evening down at Port Noarlunga beach eating delicious fish and chips and watching the most perfect sunsets.

 

But. There's always a but isn't there? The but here is that we've decided that financially and emotionally, our future lies back in the UK, not here in Australia. I don't want to get into a long, heated debate about where's better, I'm not interested in hearing "But you haven't been here long enough!" or "You must be mad, I wouldn't go back if you paid me!". The fact is, we badly underestimated two things, how much we would need to earn to live comfortably and how much we would miss our family and friends back in the UK.

 

We both work, Richie full time and me part time. We get by, but that's all we do. There's nothing left over to put to one side for a rainy day. Holidays, except for camping around SA or the occasional trip to Perth to see family, are completely out of the question. We would never be able to save enough to have a holiday in the UK, we'd have to take out a bank loan. If ever we got a phone call to say one of our parents was ill, we'd be absolutely banjaxed, we simply don't have the money. I skype my mum every Sunday and it shocks me to see how much she's ageing. She's a widow and I'm an only child, she's completely alone and I took her only two grandchildren to the other side of the world when they were just babies. That's a hard thing to live with, trust me.

 

So. We've talked and talked and talked, and this is the decision that we've made. I would never, never badmouth Adelaide. We truly have loved living here, for families with children it's the best place in the world to live, I honestly believe that. But (there's that word again) we've decided we want our children to know their grandparents and we want to be in a financial position to give them the occasional foreign holiday and the odd trip to TGI's. We are both lucky that we have jobs to go back to and we've managed to sort a house out as well. If we can sell our house reasonably quickly, we expect to be back in the UK by July or thereabouts.

 

For those about to come over, don't hesitate. Adelaide is a beautiful city with so much to offer. For those of you already here, enjoy every single moment of it because you are truly very, very lucky!

 

Thanks for listening.

[Diane]

I think you're very brave and I'm sure you are making the right decision. You've given it a try, given your family a great adventure to look back on, and I really do think from the sounds of it you're doing the right thing. All the very best, enjoy the time with your Mum, and give my love to Europe!

Diane

[Guest happy feet]

OMG, well never thought i would read a post about going back from u....I have been here 13 months and have read many of you post's most before i got here...I really admire you all for the decision you have made has got to be harder than the decision to come here, and also the fact you not in the "hate in bridgade". I completley understand how you feel,we are in the same situation and are struggling with the stay or go feelin,mainly due to being worst off, and not being able to enjoying what Oz has to offer due to money!!!!

Well done for being brave enough to make such a hard decision, and Good luck with your journey home

All the best

Cara xxx

[Guest nurse sue]

good on you for making the decision to go back for family - we put off our plans to emigrate back in 2006 due to my mum falling ill. although it scuppered us both financially and in the visa process itself, i have no regrets. when i posted that my mum died, all the pms on the other forums i go on all said the same thing; they wish they had been with parents when they died, but had been stuck in aus.

family input into kids lives is so important, and you have given your kids an amazing experience in the 2+ years you have been there.

enjoy life back in the uk

[Guest SA Great]

Great post guys and I wish you all the best for your return to the UK. You can have a good life here and a good life there. Give yourselves a big pat on the back for giving it a go.

[Guest Trakki]

well that certainly was a shock to read but you seem to have come to a decision that suits you as a family which is the most important thing. It is a very big decision and we wish you lots of luck for the future. Good luck to you all and hope to catch you at the school before you leave.

[Guest the4hopes]

Hi Liz, You have given your best, it must be so hard for everyone with young children, it's such a fantastic place here to bring them up, although they are away from grandparents, I am finding it hard enough with 2 teenage girls away from my mum and dad, I really don't think I could have done it when they were younger, so I would like to say a big well done to everyone who has small children, you are amazing! Whether you stay here or go back to the UK!

[scooterdan]

Hey!

 

Yeah...shock to read!!

 

But you have done it...lived it and enjoyed it!!

 

Good luck for the future and nice one for making such a tough choice!

 

Dan

[Guest Guest75]

Ouch!!!!!

 

Reading your post I am truly and genuinely saddened but appreciate where you are coming from.

 

You HAVE been here long enough.

 

You are rational and sane - no irrational "I'm missing Coronation St" or any S%@$e like that.

 

 

As you are a long term poster here + a friend I am shocked but at the same time respect you hugely for your post and honesty.

 

Obviously Birmingham invented everything/is the centre of the cultural world/ Is a Utopia and makes Adelaide pale in existence .

 

( Tell which part I'm kidding with)

 

Best of luck Loves to You and Yours ;):notworthy:

 

A genuinely upset but understanding Tyke

[Guest katsmajic]

Good Luck Liz & family

 

your posts are always good - and were helpful a few years ago when we were setting out on our adventure.

[Guest Messua]

Within the first few years of being here, Hubby lost both his parents and his brother. He couldn't make it back for any of the funerals, which was not received well by the rest of the family. Only a year or so ago, my father had a stroke and I was over here, phoning the hospital and my mother at all hours of the day and night and I'm not convinced they were honest with me about his condition. I could have flown back, but as I am disabled, I would have just been a further burden on my mother. We came over here for Hubby's career and we have found ourselves better off in many ways, and certain no worse off in others, but we know that's not been the case for everyone. I admire your decision and wish you a safe trip back to Blighty and a long and happy life with your family.

[Guest mOZzy]

what a tough choice! but reading your post i know you made the right one!

 

good luck on your journey back and don't forget us

[Guest Lulujim]

Wow! Hi Liz, I am surprised to read this from you, but think you are obviously making the right decision for your family - and it must be a harder decision to go back to the UK then to come here.

Good luck with everything, you will be missed on here!

[Pommy99]

Thats a real shame. You love Adelaide and despite both working have to go back for financial reasons. The Aussie govt should think about this.

[Guest sarahsmartiepants]

Wow! Liz! Good post, yo have made a choice based on all the right reasons, good luck x x

[ozzieclare2be]

All the best to you all Liz and family these decisions are never easy to come by. I wish you all well on the next chapter of your lives xx

[Mini2005]

Evening all!

 

Those of you who have been members for a few years will remember us as regular posters about 3 or 4 years back. We have been in Adelaide since July 2007 and have loved pretty much every single minute here. We've made the most fabulous friends we could wish for, we live in a lovely little house, in a quiet, leafy area with our own pool and we've spent many an evening down at Port Noarlunga beach eating delicious fish and chips and watching the most perfect sunsets.

 

But. There's always a but isn't there? The but here is that we've decided that financially and emotionally, our future lies back in the UK, not here in Australia. I don't want to get into a long, heated debate about where's better, I'm not interested in hearing "But you haven't been here long enough!" or "You must be mad, I wouldn't go back if you paid me!". The fact is, we badly underestimated two things, how much we would need to earn to live comfortably and how much we would miss our family and friends back in the UK.

 

We both work, Richie full time and me part time. We get by, but that's all we do. There's nothing left over to put to one side for a rainy day. Holidays, except for camping around SA or the occasional trip to Perth to see family, are completely out of the question. We would never be able to save enough to have a holiday in the UK, we'd have to take out a bank loan. If ever we got a phone call to say one of our parents was ill, we'd be absolutely banjaxed, we simply don't have the money. I skype my mum every Sunday and it shocks me to see how much she's ageing. She's a widow and I'm an only child, she's completely alone and I took her only two grandchildren to the other side of the world when they were just babies. That's a hard thing to live with, trust me.

 

So. We've talked and talked and talked, and this is the decision that we've made. I would never, never badmouth Adelaide. We truly have loved living here, for families with children it's the best place in the world to live, I honestly believe that. But (there's that word again) we've decided we want our children to know their grandparents and we want to be in a financial position to give them the occasional foreign holiday and the odd trip to TGI's. We are both lucky that we have jobs to go back to and we've managed to sort a house out as well. If we can sell our house reasonably quickly, we expect to be back in the UK by July or thereabouts.

 

For those about to come over, don't hesitate. Adelaide is a beautiful city with so much to offer. For those of you already here, enjoy every single moment of it because you are truly very, very lucky!

 

Thanks for listening.

 

You seem to have been having all the same conversations as myself and my husband. We have been here since September 2005 and have citizenship. We have also made the decision to sell up and return to the UK for many of the same reasons as you.

 

Adelaide is indeed a beautiful place but it's not for us. Our hearts lie in the UK - it may be grey and gloomy but sunshine isn't everything!

 

Good luck with everything.

 

Val

[andy and lindsey]

Wow Liz I am shocked and saddened but know that this decision probably hasnt been reached with LOTS and lots of soul searching. At the end of the day you have to do whats right for you and yours - and what an adventure you've had - eh? I know that you have been here since July 07 - does that mean that you are citizens??? The door will then always be open for your return - is it something to consider?

 

Best of Luck to you as you start an amazing new chapter in your lives

 

Lindsey

[Shanners1]

Liz,

 

Can Rich do a fly-in/fly-out on a Tuesday night for 5 aside soccer?

 

Chris

[The Monaghans]

Liz,

 

Can Rich do a fly-in/fly-out on a Tuesday night for 5 aside soccer?

 

Chris

 

 

Lol Chris! I daren't ask him that, I don't think he's even realised yet that he'll have to give up his Tuesday football and a pint!

 

Seriously, thank you to everyone for the kind words and warm wishes. It really means a lot to us. One of the hardest things having made the decision, was to tell all our friends here. I spent pretty much a whole week making people cry and sobbing uncontrollably myself! I truly hope that the friendships we've made here can be sustained after our return and you'd better believe that we'll be back here in a few years time for a holiday!

 

One last thing, if any of you are at all "wobbly" about the stay/go situation - for God's sake don't get a pet!! It's costing more to send Trevor back than the four of us put together!!! If it wasn't for the fact that the kids would never forgive us, he'd be packing his little suitcase right now ready for the long walk to the RSPCA! Only kidding, wouldn't leave him behind for the world but will be starting a PIA whipround for his fare!

[minkyme29]

Well Liz - you sure know how to bring a tear to a girl's eye first thing in the morning! :arghh:I am shocked to read your news but have to say that I empathise with your situation particularly in regard to your relationship with your Mother as I too am an only child of a single parent.

I think you've made the right decision and The Thornton family wish you all the very best for your return to England...I only wish I'd got to know you better before now...but then I'd be bawling for days too wouldn't I?

 

Thanks for sharing your news and for giving Adelaide top points - it really is a cracking place to be.

[Diane]

One last thing, if any of you are at all "wobbly" about the stay/go situation - for God's sake don't get a pet!! It's costing more to send Trevor back than the four of us put together!!! If it wasn't for the fact that the kids would never forgive us, he'd be packing his little suitcase right now ready for the long walk to the RSPCA! Only kidding, wouldn't leave him behind for the world but will be starting a PIA whipround for his fare!

 

I think subconsciously that's the very reason we got our cat and dog - to make it harder for us to change our mind! Wouldn't leave the cat behind now, but the dog....hmmmmmm..... tempting......!!

[Guest thebaddeleys]

I salute you for making the decision, as many have already said it does seem a harder decision deciding whether to go home. I think its all the excitement that makes it easier to decide to come out here in the first place!

 

I wish you all the luck in the world, I know you must feel like the clouds have lifted now you have made the decision. We've nearly made our decision, our clouds are nearly lifted, ha ha!

 

Takecare and enjoy your friends and family when you get back home :-)

 

ps. I'd love to hear how your getting on once you have been for home for a few months as I'm yet to hear a happy ending about people that go home, but I have a feeling yours could be the first one I hear! x x x

[andy and lindsey]

I think subconsciously that's the very reason we got our cat and dog - to make it harder for us to change our mind! Wouldn't leave the cat behind now, but the dog....hmmmmmm..... tempting......!!

 

I think our dogs may be related - I have the exact same feelings LOL

[Guest nishman]

OMG - I'm dumbstruck. That'll teach me for missing the post match pints.

Mind you, I reckon the real reason is Richie's had a call from Alex asking him if he wants to swap the white shirt for a blue one Don't let him have his usual pre-match dinner and beer for the next two weeks, and we'll see if we can send him off with a winners medal this season.

Good luck to you all - will be sorry to see you go...