Those little things

[Guest loopylisa]

I was out and about today and I saw an international removalists lorry, which made me wonder where those people were moving to, was it oz? Anyway it gave me a little yeah im going to oz soon kinda feeling and I just wondered what little things give people those moments where it kinda of hits you that you are moving across the world and leaving your friends and family...

[ajford]

I would say for us there has been a few and still is-we fly out this saturday, small things like ordering the money and then looking at it thinking yep,its really happing,

Getting emails back from potenial employers and replying see you in a week or 2. Using up the last few things in the cupboards and thinking we dont need to buy any more of that, cancelling direct debits and sending out notice letters-these a a few i can think of?

[Guest leeannekays]

I watched Wanted Down Under today, Its a repeat and when I watched it before I would dream of having our Visa. When I watched it today, I suddenly though OMG we are definatley going!! and feel so excited. xx

 

 

Leeanne x

[snifter]

I try not to think about stuff like that (though I'd love to be close enough to our move to do so. I will nearer the time but as we are going to be in the UK for a while longer I don't see it will help any me mooching around :daydreaming:

 

Once its all closer and more a reality then I'll allow myself to enjoy those thoughts I know I don't have any regrets or worries per se about us going. Its my hubby's home and we want to be there. I'm looking forward to packing up, sorting stuff out and getting everything ready to go. Just seems such a long time till we will be there for good. Ah well.

[Guest loopylisa]

Yeah I have to start cancelling direct debits and such like. Its a little over a month till I fly out so I will be cancelling them in the next week or so. Thanks for that reminder

 

Seeing aeroplanes tends to do it as well. They seem to fly quite low in Exeter sometimes. Watching Relocation down under used to make it hit me really hard

[Guest leeannekays]

When are you planning to go snifter?

 

Another moment, My neighbour knocked the door today with a package of ours that the postman had delivered to her and not bothered to put a note through our door. She said im not sure what it is, and i told her its our passports with our visa init and were moving next year, this was quite a big thing for me as I havent told anyone so for me to say it felt good and real.

[snifter]

When are you planning to go snifter?

 

Depends. Its only me needs to apply for a visa as both hubby and son are Aussie citizens. So won't apply yet for mine as we are not planning on going in the next 9-12 months now. Trying again for another baby so hopefully it'll work out this time and I'll be pregnant in the not too distant future and we can go soon after that. We may decide to go beforehand but we both want to be here if having another baby and then head back to Aus afterwards.

[Diane]

On our recent visit back to the UK, we spent an evening with my absolute best friend and her new man. When I called her after we got back she said she'd spent the whole day afterwards in tears as it brought it all back how much she missed us. That made me realise how we rush ahead with our own plans and the excitement of it all, often not realising (or choosing not to think about too much) the devastating effect it has on our nearest and dearest

[Lazy Cow]

That made me realise how we rush ahead with our own plans and the excitement of it all, often not realising (or choosing not to think about too much) the devastating effect it has on our nearest and dearest

 

This post really made me think. It was very true for us and has made me think about the way I have dealt with it all. Like Diane, we have just come back from a trip to England. It was wonderful to see everyone, but I realised how I had fallen into the trap Diane mentioned.

 

We were so full of excitment and were so positive that we were emigrating for all the right reasons (don't get me wrong, we were) that I think we failed to recognise how much our absence would affect our nearest and dearest.

 

One of my daughter's friends actually fell into a depression and had to get help from her doctor. I think leaving is a kind of bereavement to those who we leave behind - that might sound flippant, but I mean it because we are no longer part of daily lfe, cannot easily be seen and people pretty much have to talk of you mostly as a memory.

 

As for what reminds me what we have done.... I guess it would be when I hear English accents in airports. If that makes sense!

LC

[Diane]

I'm so glad it's not just me! Thanks for posting LC.

[Guest loopylisa]

I have started to worry how it might affect my parents recently and keep checking that they are ok. But they say that they are. Not looking forward to the tears at heathrow though *choke*

[snifter]

I have started to worry how it might affect my parents recently and keep checking that they are ok. But they say that they are. Not looking forward to the tears at heathrow though *choke*

 

Maybe consider not doing the whole airport goodbye thing? It really is an emotional wrench and I purposely avoid it at all costs, even if they want to come, I ask them not to. I tend to do my goodbyes a few days or day before, stop by the house, spend an hour or two or have a meal out somewhere nice or some such where the mood is a bit more upbeat. Waiting round an airport after an emotional goodbye is miserable. You want to be looking forward, feeling positive, not sad and upset because you've left people in tears. I leave and get to the airport and actually don't feel like crap then, and can look forward to the journey rather than spending the wait to board and so on looking like crap with puffy eyes.

 

So yeah, I'd always say head out for a meal the night before with your nearest and dearest and say your goodbyes then. The actual leaving day, go to the airport on your own and don't let them come see you off.

[jtct]

I have started to worry how it might affect my parents recently and keep checking that they are ok. But they say that they are. Not looking forward to the tears at heathrow though *choke*

 

I will be hard for both of you. I assured our daughter we were fine about it but inside I was churning, cried myself to sleep most nights and suffered all sorts of stress related complaints until well after they left! There was no way i was going to ruin their dream. But, after visiting them all settled in their new home/country i relaxed a bit and now ........ 6 years on we have our visas and will be moving nearer to them by Christmas

 

The airport run was horrible so when we leave we'll get a taxi to Heathrow - I'm leaving a son behind, hoping he may too decide join us all one day. Just make sure they have access to SKYPE and have a webcam - it makes a huge difference and really kept me going in those early days.

[Guest loopylisa]

Im going to be saying goodbye to my brother and his family the day before I think but my parents are going to be the ones driving me to the airport because by this time I will have taken the insurance off my car and I wont be able to drive. We live about 3.5 hours from heathrow and its really difficult to do by train or bus and I guess by bus or train it could take 5-6( i think it took about that to get the coach to gatwick) and im not keen to add 6 hours travelling ontop of my long trip to oz. Plus my parents are quite insistent on doing 'all they can' for me before I go. Anyone would think they want to get rid of me? lol I tend to go through the security gate quite early, a good few hours before my flight so I think this will give me a good time to settle down.

[HEAPS GOOD !!!]

I left a little boy back in the UK he is 13 now....felt like the worst dad in the world at the time feel a little bit easier now but there isnt a day goes by when i dnt think about him....

 

Am still a little broken hearted and get upset when i hear certain songs on the radio and all that....

 

Its hard very hard....A little off topic but just though i had to write it as it does feel like a bit of bereavement....

 

 

HG

[jtct]

Im going to be saying goodbye to my brother and his family the day before I think but my parents are going to be the ones driving me to the airport because by this time I will have taken the insurance off my car and I wont be able to drive. We live about 3.5 hours from heathrow and its really difficult to do by train or bus and I guess by bus or train it could take 5-6( i think it took about that to get the coach to gatwick) and im not keen to add 6 hours travelling ontop of my long trip to oz. Plus my parents are quite insistent on doing 'all they can' for me before I go. Anyone would think they want to get rid of me? lol I tend to go through the security gate quite early, a good few hours before my flight so I think this will give me a good time to settle down.

 

I'm sure they know what they are doing and have your best interests at heart - they sound very special. Good idea to have a fairly quick drop off too

[Lazy Cow]

I'm so glad it's not just me! Thanks for posting LC.

 

No, thank you Diane! I meant it when I said your post had made me think. We were across the same time-ish as you and I haven't yet contacted, or even Facebooked, the people I love over there...my own weird way of coping I guess.

 

It's strange to visit though. It was like we'd never been away but at the same time, so much has changed. I guess love and friendship carry on regardless and how lucky is that?

 

:wubclub:LC

[Lazy Cow]

I have started to worry how it might affect my parents recently and keep checking that they are ok. But they say that they are.

 

I would think your parents would totally understand, after all you are really only following their footsteps lol!

 

I sometimes wonder whether my kids will roam and even the idea of not having them near me fills me with panic. That said, I hope that we have helped them to be independant, intelligent individuals who will follow their hearts (whilst engaging their brains of course!) wherever that might be. I only have your posts to go on but it sounds like your parents were pretty successful with you.

 

As for the farewells at Heathrow, have you considered getting the lift (and farewells!) the day before and staying at a hotel overnight?

 

I'm sure it will all come good. Love can do that you know.

LC

[Lazy Cow]

I left a little boy back in the UK ... little off topic but just though i had to write it as it does feel like a bit of bereavement....

 

I don't know how any parent could cope with leaving their young child behind. It must be the toughest thing. Ever.

Please don't think I'm judging you for a second, because I'm not. I'm sure you had grood reasons for coming here without him and I'm sure your son will understand that you love him every bit as much as your other kids. And one day he might come over and join you

LC