from an older migrant

[Guest taylorrka]

hi all just a word from someone who emigrated here to adelaide in 1971 as an 11 year old with my parents so ive been here for 41 years for the first 5 years i hated this place i was taken away from my family in wales espeacially my grandfather who i was close too

then it just becomes your home but you will never lose that homesick feeling my parents still call wales home

and i must add that australia is not the place it used to be 20 years ago we are having the same problems as the uk i have been fortunate that ive done ok and have been back to wales several times over the years and was lucky enough to buy a house there last year so we can visit as i get to retirement the thing is it only cost me 80000 dollars you cant even buy a ****ty block of land for that even though its not a fancy house its what everyone lives in im worried for my kids as they will struggle to buy a house hence why ive discovered this site as i would think of moving back even after all this time australia has a lack of community the place in wales has a viilage atmosphere and its close to europe australia is so far away which some could argue is a good thing uk weather is crap ive been there in summer and it rained all the time you could argue till the cows come home which is better my sugestion follow your heart my relatives in wales are no where near as well off as me but i truely believe they are as happy if not happier with their lives

[Guest bigal]

I love Wales especially the valleys

[spanners]

I love Wales when its the other side of the planet! I read your bit with real interest and actually found it a bit sad. I've been here close to 2 years and still really enjoy it. No, its not the 'lucky' island that it may have been 20 years ago but I find it has a much greater sense of community and locality than where I lived previously in the UK (rural Somerset). Sure SA has some real drawbacks but all in all I'm pleased I and my young family moved here - maybe the Barossa is different to the Adelaide surburbs. Now I couldn't give two hoots about the weather or the beach (maybe thats from spending my childhood summers in Tenby and Porthcawl!) and l'd really like to think that in 20 years time, I'm still enjoying SA.

Without sounding like some kind of hippy, I hope you find somewhere that you feel part of.

[Guest bigal]

There is more to Wales than Porthcawl and Tenby,however what area do you call rural Somerset

[spanners]

Before moving here I lived in Mark which is between Cheddar and Glastonbury. It was a good village but one where you were either a local (small gene pool) or a newcomer (large gene pool). The comment regarding Wales was just a flipant comment - I actually quite liked Wales and spent a lot of time trail riding in the Brecon Beacons / Black Mountains and mountain biking in Afan, Cwm Carn and Coed Brenin. I was really aiming my comments on the sense of belonging and that if I lived here for 20 odd years I'd expect to be able and indeed want to call the Barossa home.

[Guest Squareman]

I was in Wales less than 18 months ago. Like most parts of the uk, it has gone downhill. Just like Adelaide, its not the place it was 20 years ago. Jobs are hard to come by and the state of the youth is shocking. Drugs, delinquency, vandalism rule the day. Dont know how many beautiful old churches we passed, that were covered in graffiti. Very sad

[Guest bigal]

Sure point taken,I realise your comment was a flippant remark,also realised my comment might have been taken the wrong way,I have travelled all across Scotland England and Wales and Northern Ireland,I just like Wales.

I was born in Bath and lived my first 45 years there before emmigrating in '97

Cheers

[phil&Sue]

hi taylorrka, i understand where u r coming from, been here nearly 21 months, i do quite like the uk, the proximity of europe etc and considering moving bck.... v difficult one when u av a youngster, but if i go with my heart, think it is prob. what my heart is telling me what to do,,,,, worried i will always agonise over it!!!!! cheers