What would you do?

[Pommy99]

Hi, we (family of 4) have been here almost 4 years now and it has beeen up and down as we anticipated. I am not earning nearly as much as I did in the UK (about half in fact) and my husband can't find work at all as his skills are very specialised and not needed in SA. Both my kids are at school (one very good school on very average). If we hang on another 6 months we will get citizenship, so if we go back to the UK we can always return here in years to come if we wish.

So given all that why haven't we left? Well Adelaide is a nice city, the weather is mostly great and traffic is pretty easy compared to Manchester. However, I think it's a pretty backward and non progressive backwater where bright kids leaving school have no future. Australia is on the whole unsophisticated with way too many racist attitudes, and I don't want my kids to grow up like that.

So whay am I still here?.....................because I'm worried that in the 4 years since we left Britain has become an even more overcrowded violent lawless cess pit where religious minorities are taking over. Brown's Britain seems a very worrying place with bleak years to come.

Should we ...

1. Go home?
2. Wait for citizenship then go home?
3. Stay ad consider moving interstate in the hope that it's more with the times?

Its a big problem because I think Adelaide is going nowhere, but Britain is going backwards but is still streaks ahead of SA. in some ways.

What would you do? Serious answers only please.

Thanks for reading my post.:)

[Squareman]

Although I've never lived in Adelaide, I find it strange to read comments like this. With a population of over a million people (more than double that of Manchester) and some of the world's biggest brands represented in Adelaide, how can kids have no future?

[hel&sam]

we're on our way over there in three weeks, well two weeks on wednesday but i'm not counting honest! from a personal point of view i would say that the uk has worsened considerably in the last four years, certainly my bit of it, (manchester) no one can tell you whats right for you but i would definitely say get your citizenship at least you've given yourselves and your kids one more option then. Why dont you come back for a holiday but not to the nice bits like devon, come to manchester and get a grip on the outlooks here, theres a lot of miserable buggers here!!!

[Drumms]

Gosh, asking alot from folk on here!

If it were me (and I can only answer this based from the UK where we still are till later in the year) I would wait and get your citizenship. As you point out, at least you are free to come back if you found the UK not as you remember it.

As for the UK being overcrowded, yes - it's drives me insane. Sooo many cars on the road, bursting at the seams traffic jams and we seem to be a country that is one massive road work. Public transport is crammed and expensive. However, I still love the UK, gorgeous coastline, amazing forests and woodlands, TV's at it's best, no snakes (yikes) - I could go on. But for us we want a fresh start, and I need good weather. Plus our best friends moved to Adelaide last year and we are joining them and my family live in Semaphore and Grange. At this moment in time, very happy to be leaving the UK!

Best of luck with whatever you and the family choose!

[JoTanCalOwen]

Hello there,

What a dilema

It seems that you have only recently joined PIA, I have not been on here long, but long enough to realise that there is a community out there, should you want to be a part of it in Adelaide. Money although not everything is important I realise this too.

Questions to ask yourself and I am sure you have

Are you happy with the life your living (apart from the money)?
Do you foresee the most danger for your family where you are, or in the UK?
Do you think the reasons you moved to Adelaide in the first place outweigh the reasons to return?

No one can tell you what to do and I am sure you already appreciate that but others opinions may well help your decision.

We are waiting to get to Adelaide, whilst I know everywhere has its problems, I am convinced Oz is going to be better for my children and us a family overall, and as for work I will hopefully get a job doing anything if not in my preferred profession, that’s a risk both hubby and I are willing to take.

We live in Liverpool as I said everywhere has its troubles but if Oz is as slow you as you say then I would take it as a blessing, we are trying to escape the rat race that consumes the UK, the too busy people and attitudes that seem to be consuming everything, if its not for personal gain then its not worth anything to so many individuals.

I must say the weather will be a plus as I feel our summers here are numbered and with winters getting worse we do not have much to lose on that front.

I hope you find the answers you are looking for, inter state is an option if you like Australia. Coming back for a holiday if you can, would be an eye opener, and possibly the decision maker. If by getting citizenship you are free to move between UK and Oz that can only benefit you in the long term but I do realise how much will depend on cost.

Good luck with this and any decisions you and your family make,

Tanya

[Rammygirl]

Deffo stay the short extra time you need for citizenship - you may regret not doing so as it gives you AND your kids the chance of moving back to Oz at any stage.

If you can afford it why not go back and visit the UK before returning (if you are seriously considering this) just to get it into perspective.

The UK really isn't that bad! I have lived in the Adelaide Hills and now back in the UK - to be honest I would be happy in either place, they both have their pros and cons!

You can't assume you would walk into a job here though as things are tight at the moment, and though house prices have dropped recently they are probably higher than when you left and mortgages are harder to come by................................. then again you get more £ to your $.

[Messua]

What would I do? I think I would get citizenship and then look at the overall picture here and ask myself a few questions:
Are we happy here?
Do we have friends/a support network here or do we still yearn for family and friends in the UK?
Would our friends welcome our return?
Would the children cope at school after 3 years away from the more rigid British education system?
Have we been healthier here or would it make no difference to return to the damper climate with less space?
Would Hubby and I get jobs and would they pay what we were earning before we emigrated?
Would we afford the standard of house we would like?
Would we blend in and settle in the UK or would we yearn for Australia.


Coincidentally, we had been here 3 years when we returned to the UK for a “holiday”. Even at my parents' house, which I had always thought of as being fairly big, I felt claustrophobic. I'd also forgotten some of their customs and it was very hard to conform. Friends, I found, had moved on. They were lovely, don't get me wrong, but we were very much “the visitors from Australia” and had been replaced by a new crowd. We were asked several times whether we would come back and my tactful answer was that we would never rule it out, but in fact, it would be like emigrating again for us, as the life we had there no longer existed. By the end of the 3 week visit, we were exhausted, having been silly enough to travel to see people who would not meet us halfway and homesick for the life we had built in Adelaide.


I hope this helps. Good luck.

[moonraker1959]

Well if I were you I would hang on for the 6mths to get the citizenship.I know if you are living in Australia,you watch the news,and all they probably show is the doom and gloom happening here.Yes we've had the recession,some area's of the UK hit worse than others.I live in Wiltshire and do not know anyone out of work.I don't know anyone who has been a victim of crime,and havent seen any gangs patrolling the streets!I truly believe it does depend where you live in the UK.I spent 30 years in SA(grew up there)and can vouch there are area's where I would'nt choose to live,just like the UK.Its a very personal choice where to live and only you can make that decision and hopefully it'll be the right one for you.My two aussie kids returned to the UK with me(Dad is an aussie who I later divorced before moving back to the UK)and are both doing exceptionally well.One is a theatre nurse,the other is studying law.

[thekings]

For my pennies worth, get citizenship, then look at areas/states outside of Adelaide, worse case scenaria back to UK with citizenship in your pocket. Keep your options open. Grass is not always greener but unless you have a look you wont know. Or as a friend once said to me "it sometimes only takes a good garden to grow the very best of plants" :)

[seekingsunshine]

Hi Pommy99

wow sounds like you havent been able to settle 100 %!

has your husband not worked at all during last 4 years!?! i'd possibly look at where in Australia he could get work and look at moving there!what does he do?

definately get citizenship. even if you never come back to australia you will be giving your children the option of leaving the Uk and coming here (and any future grandchildren)

we've only been here six months but i lived in Brisbane when I was little and my parents obtained citizenship for me when i was little. personnally i wouldnt even consider moving back to uk, and i think my brothers are mad to stay there (all have citizenship) manchester might be a bit of a shock as well after adelaide!! could you go back on holiday?look at houses you could afford and schools etc...

how old are your kids? i'd be reluctant to return if they are high school age....

maybe post on poms in oz and ask for people to tell you about their city (as long as they dont slate Adelaide lol)

Adelaide is mocked by the rest of Oz as being backward (we love it!and dont agree!) so for me i would get citizenship and then head somewhere else in australia where my hubby could find work in his field which would hopefully be in a city which has what you're looking for :)

racism is pretty much everywhere, you experience a lot of it in the uk too in the big cities (and everywhere) i wouldnt worry too much about that as long as your kids know right from wrong!

best of luck to you all, it is horrible feeling unsettled and being in limbo...good luck!