Shortest/longest time in Australia before returning to the UK

[Jessica Berry]

I was reading on another forum about a migrant who is considering returning to the UK after living in Australia for 20 years and it got me thinking.

 

What is the shortest and longest time you know of migrants staying here, once they arrived in Australia or Adelaide, before they returned PERMANENTLY to the UK?

 

 

Shortest - 3 months

 

Longest - 6 years

[Keith & Linda]

I was reading on another forum about a migrant who is considering returning to the UK after living in Australia for 20 years and it got me thinking.

 

What is the shortest and longest time you know of migrants staying here, once they arrived in Australia or Adelaide, before they returned PERMANENTLY to the UK?

 

 

Shortest - 3 months

 

Longest - 6 years

 

Surely the shortest was that family who came to Adelaide from Hull who could not get Robinsons juice for their kids.... 3 or 4 weeks I think.

[bill]

Surely the shortest was that family who came to Adelaide from Hull who could not get Robinsons juice for their kids.... 3 or 4 weeks I think.

Well, I read a story a few years ago about a family who landed in Perth in winter, didn't like the fact that it was raining, and booked flights straight back. Apocryphal maybe, but it would be the winner if true!

[Mr Technical]

I know of some ping pong poms that came and only lasted 4 months then went back to the UK and then they came back to Aus for a year only to go back to the UK permanently.

[Rachiegarlo]

That lady in "Ten Pound Poms" went back cos Aus birds don't say tweet. She came here as a child with her family and went back as an old lady.

[Guest dingding66]

The couple on the road next to me lasted 3 months they shipped everything here then shipped every-thing back the wife took both children back furniture and kids and left Hubby behind to fend for himself....could not be apart from my family but I guess some can....it's a massive journey for everyone for sure

 

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[Guest Claire-n-tel]

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Pardon??

[Lazy Cow]

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Pardon??

 

 

Oh, c'mon...you know it makes sense!

 

LC

[Keith & Linda]

 

 

 

 

Oh, c'mon...you know it makes sense!

 

LC

 

About as much sense as poking a pointed stick in your eye!!

[Guest loublack]

A family from my home town lasted Two weeks, Went back to uk for two years, decided to try again, and lasted two weeks again. Not even really long enough for a decent jetlag free holiday!

[Tamara (Homes Down Under)]

I had a family stay a few weeks and then send their container back when it arrived. A real shame as such nice people.

 

A really good thread would be one about the massive phychological stress that people are under when they make the move. If you think about it, you tick every major stress box there is...house, job, family etc. I see many people that are suffering from "depression wobbles" and it's amazing how different things are with a little time to settle.

Many people do ping pong backwards and forwards.

Maybe people should set themselves a minimum time frame?

Just a thought.

 

Tamara

[Rachiegarlo]

It used to be easier with the assisted migrants. They had to stay 2 years or pay the government back the money for the fares. When we were coming out on the ship, there used to be talks about what to expect. One of the things my mother remembers is the announcement that the men would probably be ok, they would meet people at work etc, but the women may feel very isolated stuck in the suburbs with no family, the children etc and it would probably be hardest for them ( this was the 70s, when OSHC and large scale childcare didn't exist here). Children were encouraged to attend the school which opened while the ship crossed the Indian Ocean towards Perth, where they were taught some typical school songs, what the money was like and various banks held colouring competitons to win a bank account with $2 or $5 in it. This is how I got my first australian bank account

[Guest Husky]

I know a bloke who stayed 3 nights! He was in the old sa on arrival accomadation. His dog hadn't even reached Dubai on his way here!

[Admin]

Can't beat 3 nights, but knew a family who moved to Melbourne and lasted just under a week before returning back to the UK.

[Ktee]

It used to be easier with the assisted migrants. They had to stay 2 years or pay the government back the money for the fares. When we were coming out on the ship, there used to be talks about what to expect. One of the things my mother remembers is the announcement that the men would probably be ok, they would meet people at work etc, but the women may feel very isolated stuck in the suburbs with no family, the children etc and it would probably be hardest for them ( this was the 70s, when OSHC and large scale childcare didn't exist here). Children were encouraged to attend the school which opened while the ship crossed the Indian Ocean towards Perth, where they were taught some typical school songs, what the money was like and various banks held colouring competitons to win a bank account with $2 or $5 in it. This is how I got my first australian bank account

maybe they should do something similar now. Can you remember when you would go in holiday to Spain etc and they had a welcome meeting, something like that would be a great idea.

[Ktee]

Pardon??

Maybe using his phone and opera

[Jessica Berry]

I know a bloke who stayed 3 nights! He was in the old sa on arrival accomadation. His dog hadn't even reached Dubai on his way here!

 

 

That did make me smile. We stayed in the on arrival accommodation for a short period and yes it wasn't the greatest and not in a very good location, but it was very very cheap, served a purpose and we were grateful to be offered it. I always say that peoples attitude and approach to migrating has a lot to do with making it work. The bloke above probably thought 'this is rubbish, I want to go home and went' (we were told by our meeter and greeter that they had taken people to the on arrival accommodation and they had took one look at it and flatly refused to stay!!). We took a different approach, we thought this will do us temporarily while we get our bearings and also we wouldn't be paying out lots of money on rent while we were not working, but we were motivated to move on to a better place, my OH got a job offer within a week of us arriving and as soon as it was confirmed we moved on to a rental. The rest as they say is history.

Edited January 16, 2014 by Jessica Berry

[coolerking]

I know one family who bought a house before they arrived - yes really. They went back three months later, just I hope they are happy now.

 

Cooler

[clarkes]

I know that this is slightly off subject but I was talking to a bloke at the club the other night and he just flew to KL and stayed for 5 hours and then got on a plane and flew back again so that he could stay here another 3 months. He should be on border security in a private room bent over a desk!!!!

[Guest Claire-n-tel]

I know that this is slightly off subject but I was talking to a bloke at the club the other night and he just flew to KL and stayed for 5 hours and then got on a plane and flew back again so that he could stay here another 3 months. He should be on border security in a private room bent over a desk!!!!

 

Nope!......that is perfectly legal, a 3 month visa is valid for 12 months but you may only stay for 3 months before getting an exit stamp in you passport, there is No minimum time you must fly out for, you could go to NZ and get straight back on the plane and be back the same day and that is fine.

[Guest Guest75]

We have seen guests turn around in under two weeks!!!

 

One family returned because the husband was a cabinet maker and did not realize he had to have a trade license and refused to spend the money and time to get it.

 

 

Another family arrived and stayed with us in Winter. To be fair it was the worst few weeks of the year. I had warned them it was winter and to pack some woolies and stuff. They arrived in shorts / singlets. Think they lasted 3 weeks I did keep saying that that they had come at the worst of our weather and it only get's a lot better. It still astounds me that people do not think it get's cold here!!!

 

 

You can see there is link between the two..................... the "old" " Research,research,research"

[The Monaghans]

There used to be someone called Judi on PIA who had a couple of rentals. She had a family who arrived on a Friday and booked their tickets back again the following Monday! I kid you not!

[zealander]

For some it takes longer for the inevitable to happen, maybe some see the light quicker than others.

Maybe some have made a big hoo ha about going to Oz and the shame of returning is keeping them out here.

maybe others have nothing in the UK to go back to and stay.

maybe some realise that it was a huge mistake as soon as they got off the plane and after seeing Brighton road they think WTF it's time to leave cut our losses and beat a retreat back to blighty.

maybe some have an offer in the UK they cannot refuse.

 

every ones journey is different so who are we to judge or make comment, it's not a bad thing to return to blighty I would say its a brave thing to do, good on em.

Edited February 8, 2014 by zealander

[Lazy Cow]

every ones journey is different so who are we to judge or make comment, it's not a bad thing to return to blighty I would say its a brave thing to do, good on em.

 

Yes, I agree with zealander, it shouldn't be such a big deal if people decide to go back to wherever they came from and if that's what makes them happy, good on them!

 

South Australia - or even Australia - is a big place but if it doesn't feel right then why sweat it? Go somewhere else, go back, as long as you are happy. Life's too short to be miserable.

 

That said, I know some people can't afford to return, that some people perhaps should've given it longer etc etc but obviously I am making some generalisations here lol!

 

This thread is, I think, just a bit of fun and is interesting. I don't think anyone is / should imply a short stay equates to a stupid decision.

 

LC

 

PS And FWIW, I don't think the 'research, research, research' thing works for all things. It can seem different when you actually arrive and you simply cannot research or even guess how you might feel when you actually try living here.

Edited February 8, 2014 by Lazy Cow

[Jessica Berry]

This topic has come up as a new thread over on Poms in Oz, so thought I would revive this thread I started a couple of years ago on here in case anyone is interested or wants to add anything.