Do we or Don't we?

[Guest stu4668]

I appreciate everyone has their own reasons why they want to migrate to OZ however my wife and I are finding it hard to make the decision. We have two children ages 13 and 12 in a reputable secondary school, both have good reasonably well paid jobs and have our own detached house with a relatively small mortgage. part of me wants to give it a go, better lifestyle, outdoor living, different culture however I think about what I am giving up. If I do decide to take go I would definately rent my house out in the UK then if it did fail I have something to come back to. how easy is it to find employment in Adelaide? My wife is a specialist nurse practioner in pallative care and I am involved in adult training in the electrical industry. Are the state schools any good and will my kids get a good education? Probably the main question I want answering is DO I or DON'T I go for it? any advice or information would be greatly appreciated.

[Guest PEZ]

In my opinion go for it. If you try it and hate it you can come back to uk and say "yes we tried it but it was not for us", if you dont try you will forever be saying "oh if only we had tried OZ things could be so different" I also think if you can afford to keep house on in uk this is a massive plus point. The only negative i can think of is if you start the process now and it takes a year or may be longer, then this would be the worst time to change your childrens schooling,meaning exams etc. We so wish we had done it years ago, lifes not a dress rehearsal, go on go for it. Pez.

[Ranger]

Having been in the same situation as you and been through it I would say definately NO, but then again if you don't you will always wander what if

[laura girling]

Having been in the same situation as you and been through it I would say definately NO, but then again if you don't you will always wander what if

 

 

I agree and say don't do it, you have to be really positive about it.

only for the reason of money. You definatly will not have as much money here.

 

But if its for lifestyle.....man you can't beat it here.

We have tried, can't really find a well paid job, lost a lot of money.

I would do it all again.

Lauraxxx

[Guest Blackcat]

Although people can give you advice only you can make the decision. I would say go with your gut feeling and to have doubts if you are doing the right thing is only natural. We did and I still think some days my god I actually live on the other side of the world! We too had a nice life in the UK, good jobs, nice house, good schools etc, but we wanted a different sort of life and we certainly don't regret coming. Good luck it is a massive decision and would advise to do as much researh as possible

[Guest PEZ]

Having been in the same situation as you and been through it I would say definately NO, but then again if you don't you will always wander what if

 

Can i ask please why you are so against it?

[Guest Medindie Delight]

I'm not sure it's something anyone can answer. Don't follow the Give it a go brigade, the decision is too big, and you can lose so much, maybe even putting you back towards the bottom of the housing ladder of the UK if you go back...

 

There are some stats on this site showing approx 50% people return to the UK so there is an even chance of migrants returning.

 

Just read everything you can and if possible come out and see what it's like, research as much as you can and see if Adelaide lends itself to what you enjoy doing.

 

Money seems to be a contentious issue, i've read some stories where people cannot get a decent salary to live on, and life is more expensive here, so I can only imagine how hard it is for some families. For my company though due to the shortage of skilled people here we pay our Engineers and Professional staff upto 30% more than our site in Birmingham, and we still struggle for staff retention due to employees wanting to move overseas or interstate.

 

I'm quite lucky, i have a house with a pool and tennis court, a short stroll from the city, and i get to go to the UK for upto 8 weeks per year, but i find life here quite bland, and fly to the gold coast or Sydney quite often with friends just for something to do.

[ianb]

I appreciate everyone has their own reasons why they want to migrate to OZ however my wife and I are finding it hard to make the decision. We have two children ages 13 and 12 in a reputable secondary school, both have good reasonably well paid jobs and have our own detached house with a relatively small mortgage. part of me wants to give it a go, better lifestyle, outdoor living, different culture however I think about what I am giving up. If I do decide to take go I would definately rent my house out in the UK then if it did fail I have something to come back to. how easy is it to find employment in Adelaide? My wife is a specialist nurse practioner in pallative care and I am involved in adult training in the electrical industry. Are the state schools any good and will my kids get a good education? Probably the main question I want answering is DO I or DON'T I go for it? any advice or information would be greatly appreciated.

 

Im afraid there is only person who can answer that question for you, and that's you.

To make it work here you have to be 110% certain it is what you want to do. You have to research as much as possible and have a lot of luck along the way.

To be honest i think the only way you can answer the question is to come on a reccie as there appears to be maybe a slight doubt in your mind. A couple of thousand now, while still a lot, is a lot better than the heart break and expense later.

 

Its so hard to make that the decision. But once you commit to it give it 110%

[Guest cazzie]

Im afraid there is only person who can answer that question for you, and that's you.

To make it work here you have to be 110% certain it is what you want to do. You have to research as much as possible and have a lot of luck along the way.

To be honest i think the only way you can answer the question is to come on a reccie as there appears to be maybe a slight doubt in your mind. A couple of thousand now, while still a lot, is a lot better than the heart break and expense later.

 

Its so hard to make that the decision. But once you commit to it give it 110%

 

Stu,

I have to agree with Ian, IF you decide to make the move, you really need to be absolutely certain that it's what you want to do and then commit yourself to it 110 per cent. If it doesn't work out, then it's not the end of the world. At least you have tried.

I have found it extremely difficut emotionally (been here 2.5 weeks) as I miss my family so much, BUT even I can see the benefits of living here. The beach/outdoor lifestlye/weather/scenery and laid back feel are all worth striving for. It seems much less stressful here and already I am thinking that if/when I go back to England, I just might not like it!

Research as much as possible, come for a holiday and go with your instincts.

Good luck!

[The Monaghans]

I'd have to say don't come unless you're all 100% in favour of the move. It's just too big a move to make unless you're fully committed to the idea. I also think that if you come over without selling your house, then it's as though you've already decided that you probably won't stay although I appreciate this is different for people who are unable to sell their house rather than unwilling. Reading your post gives me the impression that there is too much doubt in your mind. Why not come for a holiday first and see how you feel?

[Guest LOOBYLOO]

We are selling up everything. We have sold our business and our house is on the market. We are moving over and Oz will be our home 100% You have to come over with the right attitude...to make it work. I know it's going to be tough with the family issues but why did you want to go in the first place?

[Rachiegarlo]

If you could secure a job you could think of it as a working holiday and then you might actually like it and end up staying. At 12 - 13 your kids would benefit from living in another culture. I know the English education system differs from the Aus one with your SATs and GCSEs and then As if they stay on, but in the big scheme of things formal education is only one part of life's education. Some of my sibs went to Pakistani schools in Saudi for a while and then moved schools around the UK. Two of my sibs moved to Aus when they were 14 and 16. They did ok in the schools here and both have been to Uni, one later in life and then going on to become a teacher. The other has done a doctorate. I guess what I'm trying to say is see if you can take unpaid leave from your jobs there, come for a year or two and then see. If you go back well you have seen what it is all about and experienced life elsewhere. Plenty of people get sent to other countries as part of their work for a year or two and their kids cope well. Some friends of ours have moved back to the UK after a couple of years here and their daughter has really benefited from her time in school here. She has a much more confident approach to her learning and the way she interacts with teachers. She was 14 when they went back and has slotted back into the UK system well, although initially had to work a bit to catch up cos the school year had started in Sep and they arrived in Jan. Anyways do a bit more research. There are certainly jobs for nurses.

[cribber]

Be under no illusion you will have to make some seriously big sacrifices in moving here. Family, friends and financial being the biggest.

 

I totally agree with those who move here to give a better life for their kids but it's not just them it's the whole family, so if you the parents that are not happy it can be very difficult. In the long run your kids will thank you for moving here though.

 

You just need to ask yourselves over and over again why you want to make the move and when the positives for the move outweigh the negatives then make your decision. You must be 100% sure.

 

I thinks it's now generally accepted that wages here in Adelaide are lower than the UK and other States in Australia, but there are exceptions. The cost of living is only marginal now between Australia and the UK in my opinion. Adelaide doesn't have the attractions of the Gold Coast, it is a little behind the times and suffers from water restrictions.

But you know what, i love the place because it's shortcomings are far outweighed by the beautiful sights, better climate and wonderful people. You and your children will have new and exciting opportunities in all aspects of your life. For my family we have taken a big step forward coming here, and we both had good reasonably paid jobs, a nice house in a nice area with excellent schools and very close family back in the UK.

 

Come do a reccie, it's worth the financial sacrifice and one hell of a lot cheaper than moving and not liking it.

 

Whatever you choose good luck!

[Guest sarahsmartiepants]

I agree with the posters that say you have to be 100% sure to come here!

You also have to make your mind up yourself, its not something we here can advise you on.

Having said that your kids are that bit older, and you have a comfortable life there, so maybe you need to think hard about it first. We were probably like you, apart from good schooling.

Nursing is the best proffession to have when you come here as most of the nurses have jobs lined up, so there is none of that "got to get a job quick" also from what I have learnt from nurses I have met they are on better money and conditions than in the UK, so maybe you would be able to take a back seat form your wife???

[Guest dale_jo@]

I appreciate everyone has their own reasons why they want to migrate to OZ however my wife and I are finding it hard to make the decision. We have two children ages 13 and 12 in a reputable secondary school, both have good reasonably well paid jobs and have our own detached house with a relatively small mortgage. part of me wants to give it a go, better lifestyle, outdoor living, different culture however I think about what I am giving up. If I do decide to take go I would definately rent my house out in the UK then if it did fail I have something to come back to. how easy is it to find employment in Adelaide? My wife is a specialist nurse practioner in pallative care and I am involved in adult training in the electrical industry. Are the state schools any good and will my kids get a good education? Probably the main question I want answering is DO I or DON'T I go for it? any advice or information would be greatly appreciated.

 

My saying is i don`t want to die WONDERING WHAT IF !!!!!

[Guest warren1832]

My wife and i are feeling the same, we are worried about lack of work and not having much money. But the way i look at it things are only going to get worse in the UK, and we both feel if we didnt give it a try we would regret it. I think the main reason for us wanting to go is for a better lifestyle.

 

Mike

[Guest stu4668]

Thanks everyone for the responses, I appreciate no one can decide for us but it is good to hear other peoples views and opinions. It is a big life changing decision we have to make and like the majority of replies, I am thinking if we don't try I will be ever questioning myself - What If?

 

I have never really been a big risk taker since having the responsibilities of children and a mortgage, you tend to settle for what you know best, feel comfortable with and offers security.

 

all I need now is a kick up the backside to start the ball rolling.

[Guest lynne]

My wife is a specialist nurse practioner in pallative care

 

Stu you and your wife needs to think about the nursing situation here. Specialist nurses are very skilled and well respected nurses in UK. However, in Adelaide this does not exist and hence it can be very frustrating.

If you ask your wife to remember what nursing was like 20 years ago than you have an idea of what nursing is like in Adelaide. Nurses are second class and not payed to use there brains. They are just there to take orders.

 

You could always come over for a months trial and take it from there.

[Rachiegarlo]

Well I can recommend The Paeds ICU in the WCH, where we work very closely with our consultants and registrars who always ask our opinions, take time to sort out our queries and are pretty sociable while they do it! Outside of our unit, the cardiac , palliative, diabetes etc specialist nurses also have a close and good working relationship with their respective teams. So like anywhere it just depends where and who you work with.

[Guest Aussie pat]

I think you need to be honest with yourselves about how much you are prepared to compromise on if you move. Especially with regard to employment. You may both be lucky in getting comparable jobs in SA, but then you may not. I am a specialist nurse in another field and have found that these roles are different over there and sometimes not as well developed or autonomous. I have accepted that I will not get the same job I have in the UK and am prepared to live with that. Only you know whether you are happy to reinvent yourselves in your professional roles. I had to do the same thing when I first came to the UK and it was quite a humbling experience but it was worth it in the long run and I'm prepared to do it again but not everyone can cope with it. It is best for you to consider this upfront when you are making your decision.

[Guest corners]

I disagree with those who say to come out on a trial to see what it is like.

 

We have been over in Australia for coming up 3 years. We initially moved to central qld. Loved it, but could never see it as being 'home'.

 

We considered moving back to the uk, then decided to try out Adelaide. We have been here for over a year and love it. So glad that we decided to on here rather than return to the uk.

 

The point that I want to to make is that if you come out then be prepared that you might not like the place that you first land, you might need to go through a couple of jobs before getting the right job. Be prepared that initially you might need to take a lower job, take the lower job and then prove that you can do the higher job.

 

If you think of it as being a trial for a few months, then odds on you will return back to the uk, as it is the first few months that can be the hardest and most stressful.

[Guest stu4668]

My wife is a specialist nurse practioner in pallative care

 

Stu you and your wife needs to think about the nursing situation here. Specialist nurses are very skilled and well respected nurses in UK. However, in Adelaide this does not exist and hence it can be very frustrating.

If you ask your wife to remember what nursing was like 20 years ago than you have an idea of what nursing is like in Adelaide. Nurses are second class and not payed to use there brains. They are just there to take orders.

 

You could always come over for a months trial and take it from there.

 

Hi Lyn,

 

where do you work in the UK?

[Guest CHORLEY GIRL]

Can i ask, all the people on this thread or many i have read all seem to be saying they are considerably worse of financially. Is this because many of you are on a temp Visas and are not entitled to all the benefits Health, Family tax credits etc. I know of people with PR husbands working with their wife at home with 5 children getting nearly £900 per mnth in benefits plus husbands wage. I understand that the jobs do not pay quite as much as in the UK but as people have pointed out activities are cheaper, outdoor lifestyle etc and from what i have been told rent, and bills are marginally cheaper.

 

Jobs i have looked into for my OT seem to be similar salaries to the UK obviously i know occupations will differ. I am just interested to know as my friend will be moving out to Perth in the next few weeks and hopefully fingers crossed myself and OT in the near future. My friend has budgeted carefully down to the penny as she has 4 children and believes she will be considerably better of financially, however she will have PR. So in a nutshell am curious to know if many of you will be better of once you gain PR and this is just a temp difficult period financially?

 

Thanks Jo x

[Guest skellysgirl]

Posts like this drive me round the bend, i know i probably sound harsh here but...

 

Can you seriously be considering a decision like this on the advice of others, people who you have never met. Yes it works for some, and not for others, some love it, some don't

 

The reason for this is because everyone is different and just because someone else can afford and enjoy it no matter how similar their circumstance, yours will be entirely different because they are not you. Everyone has different priorities and attitudes to life.

 

As with all aspects of your life trust your instinct

If you have doubts its probably not for you

 

Finally i think listening to others will only make both sides of your argument even bigger, it wont solve it.

[andy and lindsey]

Hi thought I would add my two penneth into the discussion - from a nursing perspective I know that my hubby and I are certainly financially better off here than in the UK (I am a midwife and hubby is ICU nurse). We came to Australia with some equity from our Uk house sale but we weren't rich by any stretch of the imagination, and have manged to buy cars, partly furnish a house and put a deposit down some land, which we have subsequently started building on. We have no credit cards, no debt and manage to save a decent amount each month. All that said - we have a much bigger mortgage than we had in the UK (and I thought it was big there ). But taking into consideration our salaries it is affordable. Nurse here (IMO) are paid extremely well and working conditions are much better than they were a year ago in the UK. My hubby loves his job and says that his role is not disimilar to what he did in the UK - certainly as regards autonomy. I on the other hand find that what I am doing here only barely resembles the job I did in the UK and as for autonomy - well there isn't any. Part of this may be my own doing as I am working in a private hospital, and as I was recently told by one of my colleagues 'you are not paid to have an opinion or think!!!' I guess that is something that I will have to learn to tolerate or I will look for another job (of which there are plenty!).

 

My children are thriving here and we all embrace the lifestyle that Australia allows us to have. My children are much younger than yours though, but here I think they are allowed to be children and are experiencing a childhood like the one that I remember - (they are not growing up too fast). We spend more quality time together as a family and have a great social life - much better than the one we had in the UK, and we had a babysitter there!

 

Although I have whinged about the job situation, would I swap and go back to the UK - No, not at this moment in time (although I am very careful never to say never, as it may come back to bite me on the bum!), but realistically I cant imagine that happening.

 

As others have said there is only you that can make the 'do we don't we' decision, maybe come for a holiday first (although I appreciate that a holiday isn't living here but it may help answer some of your questions).

 

Hope this helps

 

 

Lindsey