"Why Australia"

[Guest Southend boy]

Hi all PIA,

This may be a silly question, but can you guys tell me why you have come to Australia, (top 3 reasons) and for those that have been here a few years (like me) has it meet your expectations? and would you go back?

 

thanks for a great read.

Stuart.

[Guest Libby1971]

1. Because my husband thought it would offer our family a better way of life.

2. because I thought there would be opportunities for my children and that I could provide for them better.

3. Because having lived abroad as a child, I thought it would be good for my children to have a life abroad

 

Once we started everything I also thought it would be a good lesson for my children that sometimes you have to really work at something to get it. And hat even if it doesn't work out, you gave it your best and had a really good try.

 

Has it met my expactations? Well I haven't been here a few years yet, only 18 months but so far my family have a better way of life. So yes, target 1 was acheived. Target 2 is a work in progress but initial indications are good. I will know about target 3 in a few more years but they seem to like it here.

 

Would I go back? No. We have nothing to go back for except family and friends. And to be honest, brutally honest, some of the older ones have their own children to worry about, I am working on a way to get my sister out here, and friends will come and see us form the UK. I have some really amazing friends here, ones I am truly fortunate to have.

 

If I was going to go anywhere, it would be France. My ideal spot on Earth...

[Guest SA Great]

Good Question!!!

 

1. More Space

2. Better Weather

3. Less snobbery

 

They are the 3 main reasons why I came here and has it met my expectations?? Well on all 3 of the main reasons why I came here...yes to all 3!! We have a house that you just couldn't afford in the UK, the weather is heaps better (although the winters are a lot colder than I imagined!!) and the aussies are so unsnobbish that you sometimes wished they were more stuck up!!!!

 

If my other half ever wanted to live back in the UK then I would give it a go BUT I would try and talk her out of it first! Speedway and Music are the main things I miss (apart from family). But there are a lot of things you can do here that you can't where I came from. Snorkelling, water skiing, beach, a massive variety of restaurants, concerts where you just park around the corner and stroll in, the list goes on!

 

I have been disappointed with the lack of opportunity here. You have to have a degree or know someone to get on in a lot of circumstances. There are certainly things that are better in the UK but overall for me I would live here for the rest of my life and be very happy. It is definitely a summer place and when the sun is shining and it's hot there would be very few other places I would rather be.

 

How about yourself Southend Boy??

[Guest marty]

Hi all PIA,

This may be a silly question, but can you guys tell me why you have come to Australia, (top 3 reasons) and for those that have been here a few years (like me) has it meet your expectations? and would you go back?

 

thanks for a great read.

Stuart.

Hi,

 

#1 Married an Aussie

#2 Was sick and tired of the UK and the cold

#3 Wanted to try something new

 

Well that was 30 years ago, Adelaide is home, I have been back a few times in fact off there again at the end of the month, the last time I went back in 2006 I met so many peeps who either were trying to come to Aus or who were on they way I dont think there can be many poms left there.

No I would not go back to live under any circumstances and I dont regret one day of living in Aus.

[Guest Southend boy]

Good Question!!!

 

1. More Space

2. Better Weather

3. Less snobbery

 

They are the 3 main reasons why I came here and has it met my expectations?? Well on all 3 of the main reasons why I came here...yes to all 3!! We have a house that you just couldn't afford in the UK, the weather is heaps better (although the winters are a lot colder than I imagined!!) and the aussies are so unsnobbish that you sometimes wished they were more stuck up!!!!

 

If my other half ever wanted to live back in the UK then I would give it a go BUT I would try and talk her out of it first! Speedway and Music are the main things I miss (apart from family). But there are a lot of things you can do here that you can't where I came from. Snorkelling, water skiing, beach, a massive variety of restaurants, concerts where you just park around the corner and stroll in, the list goes on!

 

I have been disappointed with the lack of opportunity here. You have to have a degree or know someone to get on in a lot of circumstances. There are certainly things that are better in the UK but overall for me I would live here for the rest of my life and be very happy. It is definitely a summer place and when the sun is shining and it's hot there would be very few other places I would rather be.

 

How about yourself Southend Boy??

 

 

 

For me,

1) I came out to see an old girl freind (who is now my wife)

2) better life style

3) sunshine

 

We got back together, so I went home and started the paper work off and 3 months later I was back.

 

I have a better life style than I had in the U.K, and I love the sunshine, but if I had 2 wishes it would be to have more English style pubs & Indian restaurants that stay open to midnight.

 

But as I said in another thread, we go back every 2 years at Christmas time and its great, there is still a draw to go back, family, friends or is it just the old home land

Iam not sure?

[Rachiegarlo]

1) Deported as a juvenile for bad collar crime in the 70s

 

2) More opportunities for the kids and me in the 90s

 

3) Already had a perm res visa and didn't want to lose it cos too valuable and too hard to get again as an adult

 

Yep Australia has been good to me and mine both times. We have all had opportunities to do different things and the kids have grown up with a confident view of their place in the world and what is available. The kids have had a much more relaxed childhood than if we had stayed in London.

[minkyme29]

Great question and very thought provoking...

 

1. Wanted to fulfill the dream of living abroad in an English speaking country.

2. Wanted us all to live in a place where we could sample a bit of hope and wonder.

3. Wanted to enjoy a more 'outdoors' lifestyle.

 

Did we make the right choice? Well for me, in life there are no mistakes, it is your path whatever happens and life is what you make it. We knew it would be tough sometimes and it has been. But I would not change a thing...and yes we made the right choice.

 

Will we stay? Yes, despite missing so many English things...family (so much it hurts), friends, culture, history, familiar stuff. The only thing that would make us go back I reckon is a family disaster where we would have to take on the responsibility of caring for others.

 

Still early days for us I know but after 8 months I reckon we're doing pretty well and life is good.

 

Dette

[Guest Southend boy]

Great question and very thought provoking...

 

1. Wanted to fulfill the dream of living abroad in an English speaking country.

2. Wanted us all to live in a place where we could sample a bit of hope and wonder.

3. Wanted to enjoy a more 'outdoors' lifestyle.

 

Did we make the right choice? Well for me, in life there are no mistakes, it is your path whatever happens and life is what you make it. We knew it would be tough sometimes and it has been. But I would not change a thing...and yes we made the right choice.

 

Will we stay? Yes, despite missing so many English things...family (so much it hurts), friends, culture, history, familiar stuff. The only thing that would make us go back I reckon is a family disaster where we would have to take on the responsibility of caring for others.

 

Still early days for us I know but after 8 months I reckon we're doing pretty well and life is good.

 

Dette

 

Thanks for your top 3 reasons, all seem to have a lot in common, I would think most Brits waiting to come over have the same reasons?

 

Again thanks for being honest.

 

Stuart.

[Guest SA Great]

Hi Guys. This is a great post by Southend Boy. I am really surprised more people haven't commented on it, I think it would make really interesting reading especially people who are about to emigrate. What is it they are expecting in Australia? Come on guys lets get this one going!!!!!

[Guest Ellie]

Our reasons are endless so really hard to pick 3.

1. Husband is sick of working in the rain and then health and safety sending them home (this doesn't pay the bills). We are sick of spending our well earned holidays in the rain too!

2.Hopefully better work prospects for OH. But who knows for sure?

3.Better quality of life for our daughter and the chance to spend more valuable time with her before she is all grown up! It's near impossible here, work 24/7 just to make ends meet then someone moves the ends

 

We want to at least try as we don't want to say in a few years time that we wished we had done it or what if. We will miss family and friends but they are all really supportive. I'm nervous but also excited. It will be an adventure and if it doesn't work out we will have at least lived a little. At the moment here I can't see a way forward.

[Guest sarahsmartiepants]

i cant put my finger fully on 3 reasons so here goes...............

 

1..was able to emigrate here, so why not it is an adventure and chance to do something different

 

2..IMO,(others would disagree), far better education prospects,especially for my oldest as he wants to learn, youngest goes to school for the social side of it

 

3..The weather is better.

 

Sorry thats the best I can do, you all know me:biglaugh:.

I cant say I am loving it in SA as I still have to work:arghh:, but then I would get bored if I didnt!!! I guess I would get bored too in Utopia (if there is such place).

 

Just so my post doesnt look too negative...

 

If given the chance to go back to UK, would I? NOPE.

Do I wish I had come here years ago ..DEFINATLY

I think the kids especially the younger one (who was good at sport in the UK) would have thrived here and she might have been standing on the podium in the London Olympics getting a medal for something or other:sad:

sarah

[Diane]

1. The weather - in the UK I just wanted to hibernate for half of the year, and my fingers went blue and got ulcerated. Here they still go blue in the winter, but the skies are much brighter and you don't get that SAD thing quite as much

 

2. The chance to realise some of the equity in our house in the UK and spend the money as a family, rather than working all the hours there are and only having time to enjoy the fruits of your labours when you retire, and your kids have flown the nest.

 

3. Australia because I was born here, so it was relatively easy to move here - just wish it wasn't quite so far away from the UK (can someone please do a bit of continent shifting?)...

 

4. Workwise for my other half, Australia is maybe five years behind UK and Europe in terms of the car industry - whereas things there were heading swiftly down the pan, here they are heading slightly more slowly!

 

Oops that's four reasons, sorry! Have to say we didn't really think it through, just got carried away on the roller coaster - I still miss the house I had in the UK and the friends, and not sure if, given the chance to do it all again, we'd make the same decisions. For the kids, I think certainly a better choice and standard of education is available here - in Essex where we used to live, even the very brightest children were lucky if they passed the 11+ and were able to get a place at a grammar school, and then they would have quite a travel to and from school, often (during the winter) in the dark. If your children have any talents or excel at anything, it's also easier to be a 'big fish in a small pond' here, although that 'small pond' thing may be a bit limiting when they are older.

 

Having heard on the news about all the US banking collapses, and the UK going into recession, I must admit living here you do feel a little sheltered from it all - after all, Australia is not a huge world power (even if it thinks it is) and this particular part of Australia has the buffer of being rich in natural resources, and the need for more workers, as opposed to less. The terrorism threat also (rightly or wrongly) feels more remote here - after all, if someone wanted to attack Australia, they would most likely choose somewhere like Sydney rather than sleepy Adelaide - I remember my other half being quite concerned every time I went up to London sometimes (although being a head-in-the-sand person, I have to admit I never felt at risk there!)

 

So Australia it is for better or worse - it's not utopia in any way, and I still feel very foreign here quite often (particularly during the Olymmpics!) but hey, when the sun shines, and the Kookaburras are calling, it's hard not to smile!

 

D

[Guest theforrests]

1. Better education and future for my children.

2. More space - and a good sized house.

3. Better weather.

 

Would we go back? I don't think so - we've been here for 9 months now, are settling well and the girls are flourishing. Having said that I do miss the familiarity of the UK - although I think I may be looking at it through rose-tinted glasses now. OH was a landscaper in the UK and even though I was working all the hours god-sent .... we would have been struggling this year had we still been in the UK. I know it was the right decision to come here.

[Guest smit]

1) cos they speak english..............yeah right:goofy:

 

2) so I could buy a V8 vauxhall omega

 

3) so I could grow strange facial hair and no one look at me strangely

 

4) so I could eat half a cow every week instead of once a year

 

5) so I could spend $100 on a pair of flip flops that opens my beer bottles.

 

6) so I can get a refund on all my beer bottles, encouraging me to drink more because its a bargain:biglaugh:

[Guest Southend boy]

1) cos they speak english..............yeah right:goofy:

 

2) so I could buy a V8 vauxhall omega

 

3) so I could grow strange facial hair and no one look at me strangely

 

4) so I could eat half a cow every week instead of once a year

 

5) so I could spend $100 on a pair of flip flops that opens my beer bottles.

 

6) so I can get a refund on all my beer bottles, encouraging me to drink more because its a bargain:biglaugh:

 

I love your reply Smit, you have come for all the right reasons

[Guest thecollinsbunch]

Hi my name is julie(hairdresser)from Chelmsford my husband Matthew(scaffolder)and we have 3 children 12,10 and 8.We are just starting out with the whole emigrating journey.Just found agent and have a long way to go.We really need to be sure this is what we want before we go any further.My only concern is my mum we are so close and it will break her heart.But i know it will be better for my family.My poor husband works seven days a week getting up at 4:45am and not getting home until 7:30pm(thats non life)and what future is there for our children here?.Icant tell you how helpful pia has been to me all the things that go around my tiny brain(well i am blond after all)seem to be answered so thanks so much.Has anyone really struggled with missing family.My children all say they dont want to go,but at their age should i consider their veiws.They dont really know whats best for them do they?.Iam really excited about the prospect of moving to Adelaide!!!HELP!!!!!!!!!!!(sorry going on a bit) RIGHT QUESTIONS 1.is there a lot of construction work in a Adelaide.2.How far is beach from Adelaide hills (mount barker area).Thank you julie

[Guest Southend boy]

Hi Julie, I can understand your problem, family can be hard to leave, we have been here for 18 years, we love the way of life here, nice house, good jobs, nice cars BUT, we still go back every two years at Christmas to see family & friends. For us there is still that need to return every other year. But don't let that put you off, its a great life here. To answer your questions, we are north of the city and is only 20 mins to the sea, construction if you mean house building, yep fair bit, north or south of the city. Some people are lucky enough to come out to Adelaide and have a look first,

or rent their house out in the UK and try it here for a couple of years, its up to you, but its up to you.

Any other question let me know.

P.S we were in Chemlsford at Christmas, that bloody bridge, why is it not two way by now??????

 

Stuart (Southend Boy)

[Diane]

P.S we were in Chemlsford at Christmas, that bloody bridge, why is it not two way by now??????

 

Stuart (Southend Boy)

 

Surely you can't live in Adelaide with its infamous one-way freeway and ask a question like that?!

 

The flyover over the Army and Navy must have been preparing me, if only I'd known it......!!

 

Diane

[Guest 2much2type]

I've read with interest some of the posts here, and do get a little excited in the process of reading them, and butterflies in the stomach too !

One thing that really bothers me about leaving the UK is the 'immigrant' problem.

I knew a youngish couple who left for New Zealand a couple of years ago, mainly because they hated the influx of immigrants coming to the UK.

This is where my big hang up is...If I moved to Australia, it would really be playing on my mind that I am now the 'immigrant', and part of the influx, and that would make me feel slightly hypocritical in a way, cos that's part of the reason why I would be wanting to leave the UK (amongst other reasons too).

I mentioned in an earlier post about asking oneself what one would be running from, if indeed one could see it as running ? I think my earlier post was unclear to be honest and not thought through.

Oh, I don't know. I would be interested in people's thought about becoming the 'immigrant' and do they really feel settled ? Does it really feel like 'home' ? Or is there a little corner of your heart that is forever (pining) for England ? (or wherever you came from).

[Rachiegarlo]

Well I left the UK first time when I was 10 see sig for rest..... Even now there is a part of me that will ALWAYS be English. It is my heritage, just as others here are of Greek, Italian, Vietnamese, Chinese origin. My children 2 of whom were born here regard themselves as Australian, even the one who came here when she was one, but they know their heritage is English. 2nd/3rd generation Italians or Greeks or whatever still describe themselves as Italians etc. Asian kids who are 2nd/3rd generation Australians still identify with their Asian cultures but they all know they are Australian by birth/outlook or whatever. I think the problem in Uk is that people think that the gov allows people to come and impose their own views / rules on the English, thus allowing what it is to be English/ Welsh or whatever to become less important. I don't feel that is the case here. Australia has always had a history of influxes of migrants but has managed the situation better by being firm about what is Australian.

[Guest 2much2type]

Thanks Rachiegarlo for the insight.

Some very interesting comments !

 

 

Dec

[julie-ruth]

Hi we quite honestly would not have come over if we hadn't been offered a Job, and the company organised our visa's we just filled in the paper work as it came over and medical checks etc, hubby was in an redundancy pool and has a friend over here who said he could probably get him a job which he did we were lucky. We had never been to Adelaide before and didn't really know what to expect so we spent the year researching as the visa was being sorted out, at the moment I still feel like we are on holiday with exotic wildlife in the garden, and lots and lots of sunshine, we are trying new things all the time its very exciting we have only been here 4 months but on the other hand I really miss my family in England and so does the children, we are already trying to work out how to afford a trip home but I don't think its going to be this year.

 

Julie

[Guest parko]

Hi All

1) Better life for our three boys ages 13,11,10

2) Hopefully better job prospests Have a job to go to.

3) Spend more quality time with family out doors.

We came to Adelaide December 2005 for five weeks and we had a great time,I stayed with my sister and brother in law in Mylor they have a fab property I must say the brother in law works his socks off if any of you have just seen on TV he has designed a fire bunker and it was shown on ABC news.

When we were out there we did not treat it as to much of a hoilday as we wanted to see what every day life is like,We are in the process of emigratting as i type this so hopefully we be there one day.

 

Dean Liverpool