Going back .. should we do it?

[Diane]

Me again! Boy, has this opened up a can of worms or what!

 

I started reading through some of the posts on here yesterday and had to stop because some of them were making me angry and I didn't want to post off topic when I saw the original poster had considered the situation and decided to give it a bit longer to make up their mind - bet they're even more confused than they started now!

 

Having read through to the end today though when I'd got a bit less defensive about the place I now call home, I'd like to comment that it gives me a warm glow of British pride when I see how well some people have got on with their lives and "fitted in" out here, despite a lot of hardships, and even those who haven't got there yet, the majority seem determined to give it their best shot, so hey, well done to us all!

 

Perhaps those that haven't come here yet should look at the comments of the seriously unhappy and consider the option of putting some "untouchable" money into an account before they come, so if the sh*t really hits the fan, they have enough for their air fares back to the UK - I imagine if you're miserable, the feeling of being "trapped" here makes it ten times worse!

 

Oh, and I spent some time last year with a family who had moved to Perth, and had had all sorts of problems there - such as paedophiles being moved in next door to them and not being able to afford to move - so it's not all perfect there either and anyone that moves there expecting the grass to be greener may end up just being disappointed again!

 

Finally I bet anyone that forgot to click "Do not Subscribe" at the end of their post here has had their computer crash with the number of Post Notifications!

 

(Happy here in Adelaide despite current challenges, but off to listen to the Now Show on Radio 4 through Listenagain now - one thing I haven't found is a station as good as Radio 4!)

[Guest weesp]

i said i wouldn't do this, but...................................

 

Perth..............is there no crime there then? Have they turned into Stepford people?

You are a little niaive to think that the situation there is any better than the murder capital of Australia.

Unless i am mistaken, and i am sure many will correct me, isnt Australias most highly secure prison just outside of Perth???? Curious that.

 

Sadly, crime is a fact of life, dear;

 

I repeat again!! Please stop compounding the misery with your horror stories, and tales of woe; some have posted helpful, hope filled responses to this, if anyone had noticed, and thank you for this. Adelaide is not nirvana; we will all find that when we're DEAD; as this little debate should be.

 

 

 

I'm not niave about Perth, I have lots of friends there already and absolutely LOVE IT!! I would do a recci there before I move Im not silly! If Perth doesnt suit us then we will try another state. We have made a great effort to make this work but when you're consistently getting kicked in the face, it kinda kills all the fun out of our adventure!

 

Lynn

[HEAPS GOOD !!!]

OK, let's kill it with an old one but a good one:

Q: How do you know that a planeload of poms has landed at Sydney Airport?

A: When the engines stop, the whining goes on!

 

Boom Boom (thank you Basil!)

 

Eh !!!

 

Dnt tar us all with the same brush........

 

We have been kicked just about all over our body and we are still here, its the knocks and how you deal witht them what make you the person that you are.

 

We too have the attitude of if it doesnt work out here in SA then we will look at elsswhere, but so far even after all the sh1t we have had we have not even started looking.

[Guest weesp]

Actually when i say local that means born and bred in Adelaide so i trumps you there and know more about Adelaide, S.A. and Australia than you ever will!

 

I moved to the UK 8 years ago for the same experience you are all having. I went with $20,000 which gave me about £8,000, this lasted all of 4 months so i know about money worries. I had all the same problems you had but not once did i slag off the UK and its people, i intergrated, changed my ways and fitted in regardless of all the brick walls.

 

In the 8 years not once have i ever socialised with the UK Australian community and all my friends are Brits or European. Fair enough i have met a lot of tossers along the way you just learn to brush them off.

 

i was lucky enough to meet a lovely ladie and she will be coming back to live in Adelaide also, she is scared but looking forward to it. I have a lot of pressure to make it work for both of us. I had always planned to return and since my time away i have lost 3 grandparents. missed out on a lot of my neices and nephews growing up and lost one 18 year old nephew that was very close to me in a car crash. so i have also suffered, thats why its our time to come home.

 

So now you know a little about me!

 

When we were out in November i did a lot of comparison with living costs and noticed a rise in a lot of areas but wages have also doubled so its evens out. The State is a lot more afflluent and the 12 month since i was last there you can see the money everywhere, new houses, new cars redevopment etc.

 

The whole racist thing i find a bit strange as Australia was colonised by the British, mainly Prisoners of Her Majesty (POMS) you are not a different race, colour or language we are the same. The word is grossly overused and misrepresented. Our only persecutsion would be the treatment of the Aborigines and you were involved in that also!

 

Drivers in Aus are'nt bad they just wont let you out, they never have or never will. Having driven a lot in the UK this is a very nice trait but this is mainly due to the lower speeds caused by consistent conjestion which is vertually non existant in Adelaide and because it is well designed there is always a way round it.

 

I also remenber years ago we had a referendum to loose the British Monarchy and the people voted to retain it so you cant say we are anti British as a nation.

 

Adelaide and its people are generally very welcoming but we definately dont like whingers thats the way we are. I am glad to see that this good old British trait hasn't died and will live on through you! MAy you find hapiness in Perth where i believe they will shower you in rose petals carry your shopping and fall at your feet.

 

 

Regards

 

BB

 

 

Well, as you are now probably aware then the UK is a great place and yes I miss my home terribly and always will. I don't miss the tossers and PC brigade there but miss my history and all I have known for 43 years. So to say that I am wingeing about being here is not fair. I think I am very brave changing my life and my kids life to try it as lots would love to try it but aint got the Balls! No, Adelaide's not for us, but should we be slagged off for that, no, we've tried it, it's not for us, so we will move on. Good on people for actually trying it, dont condemn people for having the guts to change their life.

 

We have integrated with aussies some are ok some are bloody arrogant I sent invites for drinks to meet my neighbours, did they turn up, NO! Who's got the problem then! We said from the start that we would not treat this as the UK and would change and fit in, so we'ved tried!

 

I'm not saying that Perth is going to be greener, but we can only try, you can't kick down a man for trying!

 

Lynn

[whaleys]

Hi Lynne,

Why don't you host an Arbonne party for everyone that replied to this thread???

PS Didn't you once mention that you fancied NSW.............................

[Guest Django]

Can I just say to everyone that has got off their backside and gone through the whole process and made the big trip over here rather than whinge and moan about their lives in the UK. I don't care what anyone says, you can come on a dozen reckies/holidays here but until you come here to live will you know if its for you. I'm sure for everyone that has had 'the balls' to post on this thread how unhappy they are here there is at least another 20 that have stayed silent.

Its not just the thing about liking the place, the people, the lifestyle, etc but also if you can make a living here. Having a PR visa does without doubt make it easier. Without it we would be struggling. However, having the PR won't solve everything.

For all those that have or haven't posted their struggles have nothing but my respect for giving it a go. You have even more respect for trying somewhere else (like Perth) rather than going back to the UK where you know you don't want to be, else you wouldn't have left.

Whether you go and try somewhere else or stay and make it work I wish you nothing but good luck. You certainly won't get any slating from me.

 

Pete

[Guest jill wright]

[

I came here with my husband for the better life. Unfortunately we split 5 months later, after 13 years together, I wont go into details, but you can imagine the turmoil that caused me and my family all insisted I should return home to the UK. I go back every year to see my parents as they are elderly and each year the place looks the same, the people are doing the same thing....oh and you can of course guarantee rain! I miss my family at times but I have no desire to return to the UK and I do think Australia is a much better place to bring up children with the vast open spaces, sense of freedom and numerous activities they can do.

 

Hi All

 

Sorry to those who remember me that I havent been on here for a while I do pop on now and again to see how you all are doing. I cant believe how many of those that I chatted to last year are actually there now. Well done to you all and good luck.

 

I have not read all this thread as it is quite long but the above stuck out to me with interest. I was sorry to read that after five months in Australia and having had 13 years together this couple split as unfortunately five weeks before Christmas myself and Phil seperated after fourteen years together . I think one of the reasons was Phils lack of interest in going to Australia this caused a void as I really felt the need to change our lives and have always wanted to emigrate from an early age. Then I think were we strong enough as a couple to go in the first place and perhaps were looking to go in a hope it would solve all our problems. However I like to think that after fourteen years having Phil work 6 permanent nights as a baker which affected family life greatly it was a chance to change our lives in a way I dont think we had the opportunity to here and was a once in a lifetime oppurtunity that I would have taken no matter what. Any how perhaps it wasnt meant to be after all but never the less espeicially after watching Alexis (who I remember chatting to on here) on a place in the sun last night it does make me sad that we never made it there because one never knows until you give it a go .

 

So to all those who have good luck to you all I think you are all very brave and you never day maybe one day ...........

 

Take care Jill x

[Guest Guest75]

 

Hi All

 

Sorry to those who remember me that I havent been on here for a while I do pop on now and again to see how you all are doing. I cant believe how many of those that I chatted to last year are actually there now. Well done to you all and good luck.

 

I have not read all this thread as it is quite long but the above stuck out to me with interest. I was sorry to read that after five months in Australia and having had 13 years together this couple split as unfortunately five weeks before Christmas myself and Phil seperated after fourteen years together . I think one of the reasons was Phils lack of interest in going to Australia this caused a void as I really felt the need to change our lives and have always wanted to emigrate from an early age. Then I think were we strong enough as a couple to go in the first place and perhaps were looking to go in a hope it would solve all our problems. However I like to think that after fourteen years having Phil work 6 permanent nights as a baker which affected family life greatly it was a chance to change our lives in a way I dont think we had the opportunity to here and was a once in a lifetime oppurtunity that I would have taken no matter what. Any how perhaps it wasnt meant to be after all but never the less espeicially after watching Alexis (who I remember chatting to on here) on a place in the sun last night it does make me sad that we never made it there because one never knows until you give it a go .

 

So to all those who have good luck to you all I think you are all very brave and you never day maybe one day ...........

 

Take care Jill x

 

Hi Jill

 

This post more than any other in this thread has affected me.

 

Blimey love I had forgotten about you.

 

A poignant post indeed - and a flippin' brave one.

 

Take note ya whingers!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Nuff said.

 

Onya Jill

[Guest guest569]

[

I came here with my husband for the better life. Unfortunately we split 5 months later, after 13 years together, I wont go into details, but you can imagine the turmoil that caused me and my family all insisted I should return home to the UK. I go back every year to see my parents as they are elderly and each year the place looks the same, the people are doing the same thing....oh and you can of course guarantee rain! I miss my family at times but I have no desire to return to the UK and I do think Australia is a much better place to bring up children with the vast open spaces, sense of freedom and numerous activities they can do.

 

Hi All

 

Sorry to those who remember me that I havent been on here for a while I do pop on now and again to see how you all are doing. I cant believe how many of those that I chatted to last year are actually there now. Well done to you all and good luck.

 

I have not read all this thread as it is quite long but the above stuck out to me with interest. I was sorry to read that after five months in Australia and having had 13 years together this couple split as unfortunately five weeks before Christmas myself and Phil seperated after fourteen years together . I think one of the reasons was Phils lack of interest in going to Australia this caused a void as I really felt the need to change our lives and have always wanted to emigrate from an early age. Then I think were we strong enough as a couple to go in the first place and perhaps were looking to go in a hope it would solve all our problems. However I like to think that after fourteen years having Phil work 6 permanent nights as a baker which affected family life greatly it was a chance to change our lives in a way I dont think we had the opportunity to here and was a once in a lifetime oppurtunity that I would have taken no matter what. Any how perhaps it wasnt meant to be after all but never the less espeicially after watching Alexis (who I remember chatting to on here) on a place in the sun last night it does make me sad that we never made it there because one never knows until you give it a go .

 

So to all those who have good luck to you all I think you are all very brave and you never day maybe one day ...........

 

Take care Jill x

 

[Guest Django]

Surely, saying you are struggling to the point that you are going to either return to the UK or try somewhere else is hardly whinging. Isn't it a statement of fact? If I try a new shop and don't like it, next time I would return to the shop I used before or again try a different one. This hardly makes me a whinger. Or does it? If you take this arguement through to its conclusion, does this mean that everyone (like myself) that are happy with all Adelaide has to offer are 'gloating'? To me Gloating is a far worse than whinging.

 

Pete

 

**having lit the touch paper, Pete retires to watch the fireworks.**

[Guest Guest75]

Surely, saying you are struggling to the point that you are going to either return to the UK or try somewhere else is hardly whinging. Isn't it a statement of fact? If I try a new shop and don't like it, next time I would return to the shop I used before or again try a different one. This hardly makes me a whinger. Or does it? If you take this arguement through to its conclusion, does this mean that everyone (like myself) that are happy with all Adelaide has to offer are 'gloating'? To me Gloating is a far worse than whinging.

 

Pete

 

**having lit the touch paper, Pete retires to watch the fireworks.**

 

Ooooh - I can smell the burning gunpowder now.

 

I guess a lot of people are just so flippin' happy that it worked out that they have to share?

 

There are those I'm sure that say they are "loving it & living it" - but covering up some deep unhappiness.

 

I've tried a lot of shops in my time - and worked in loads.

 

I'll keep my custom in Adelaide for now:)

 

Those who have met me know how happy we are here!

[Guest happy feet]

Bloody hell it's taken me three days to read this post from scratch...

 

i am flying out in three weeks, never been to Oz, don't know anyone (except some lovely people i have meet on here) and when i first started reading this thread i thought OMG what am i doing...this is putting me right off, maybe i am doing the wrong thing. However reading on i have to agree with certain people.. I am coming from blackpool for god sake, nothing can be worse than here, i am, and my hubby our prepared to work our arse's off to give our kids a better quality of life, and for me the sunshine definatley help's. Am i scared, YES, petrified, but also very excited about us having a great new out door life. We have had alot of up's and down's regarding renting/selling house and this has scared me finanically as i am the one going to work on a temp visa so not entiled to anything, but i am gonna give it a bloody good try. I am sorry for the people who our not happy, but it won't suit all, but if coming back to the UK is not an option, get on with thing's and make the best of things.

Good luck to everyone going over soon, can't wait to meet you all. Anyone flying from Manchester 3rd Feb?

 

 

Hey Pete have i made p.20....he he

 

cara xxx don't worry be happy!!!!!

[Guest Guest75]

Bloody hell it's taken me three days to read this post from scratch...

 

 

 

Hey Pete have i made p.20....he he

 

cara xxx don't worry be happy!!!!!

 

 

No ya didn't!!!!

[Guest happy feet]

No ya didn't!!!!

 

Maybe with this one...

[Guest Guest75]

Maybe with this one...

 

Nope............

[Guest happy feet]

Nope............

 

 

ok tyke don't want to waste any more on this thread.... maybe...!!!!!!

[Guest happy feet]

ok tyke don't want to waste any more on this thread.... maybe...!!!!!!

 

 

 

way hay... did it sorry tyke.... How sad am i:jiggy:

[Guest Guest75]

way hay... did it sorry tyke.... How sad am i:jiggy:

 

Congrats - from another saddo.

 

Let's hope this thread now ends in a little joviality!

[Guest happy feet]

Congrats - from another saddo.

 

Let's hope this thread now ends in a little joviality!

 

 

here here

[Guest Django]

Russell I know your happy and with your life here I would surprised if you weren't. My point is that just because people aren't happy it doesn't make them whingers. I, like you, love the place. The people, the city, the suburbs, the beaches and the whole package. I see Adelaide the same as you. Others, for whatever reason, don't see it in the same light. I wasn't suggesting that the likes of us were gloaters because we like the gaff. I was more trying to make the point that by not liking it and/or struggling it doesn't make you a whinger either.

 

Pete

[sduffy]

Django,think you have made a very relevant point,there is a world of differance between constructive criticism and just being a whinger.

 

In addition if my husband had been told the reality of the job situation here before we came, we would not have in a million yrs given up well paid jobs,with security and benefits,which we had worked long and hard to acheive over the last twenty years.

 

In my 20s i had nothing to lose ,in your 40s is a very different matter.

 

We have stayed to try, but circumstances of crappy jobs and health problems have meant that sadly we have failed.

 

So whilst Adelaide has lots of good points, for us i will always wish we had never left what we had, because for us, it has meant a lot of loss and not a lot of gain.

 

My cousin came here 10 yrs ago and has done brilliantly, but readily admits that he believes if he came now it would be a very different story.

 

So good point,if it has worked out, good for you,but dont condemn those trying to enlighten people with the rosy specs that it doesnt always, as a bunch of whingers.

 

Sue

[Guest koalainUK]

Hi from a newbie. I've read all of this (very long) thread with considerable interest as I too am originally from Adelaide (born and bred) and moved to the UK in 1996. I went back to Adelaide in 2000, absolutely hated it and returned to the UK 12 months later. Now 8 years on, I am seriously considering going back, particularly as all my family live there.

 

I have residency in the UK because of my Mum - one of the original 60s £10 immigrants to Adelaide - and 40 years on she still says every day she wants to come back to the UK. For that reason I grew up always hearing her saying how wonderful the UK was and it was the reason I came here. I have however noticed a big difference in the UK in the past few years, for all of the reasons that many of you have mentioned.

 

I do think that I may well have considered staying in South Australia back in 2000 if I'd given it longer than 12 months, or perhaps if I'd gone back to the Eastern States of Australia first. London to rural South Australia is just too big a move (even for a South Aussie). If you've lived anywhere near one of the UK's big cities, you may well find it hard to adjust to South Australia.

 

I recently went to one of London's Australian migration expos and left very p'd off. All of the companies, and the governments, exhibiting at them do stand to make a profit out of those that go - yes, Australian governments do make a lot of money out of migrants through visa, education (international students) and money into the healthcare system (from those that have to bring enough funds to pay for healthcare in the initial years. I listened to all the seminars and went to all the stands, and no where was the other side of migration mentioned - ie the cons of moving. Any decision on moving yourself, and your family, to the other side of the world needs an honest view of the pros and cons. A reccie trip is essential and not just viewing it as a holiday trip. As I mentioned, I am considering returning home, but only after I take a trip home to see for myself how things are over there before I pay moving costs (thankfully visa costs are not necessary). Hopefully I won't see any Huntsmans as I really hate them and that would put me off!

 

Anyway, a few tips I have (some from experience) for those Brits in Adelaide:

 

1) This is going to sound strange, but try and tag along with an Aussie housewife/househusband when she/he does the grocery shopping - when I went back in 2000, I shopped the same way I did here and was averaging a till bill of in excess of $100 at Coles a fortnight (very high for a single girl) - when my sister (never left Adelaide) came with me she was mortified! I have no idea why my shopping was so different, but I do wonder if it was because I was eating the same types of foods as in Britain (which is more expensive) or whether I was doing the mental comparison of pounds to dollars each time and buying more expensive brands as a result. Also I seem to remember fast less pre-prepared food in Australia. Oh, and I never understood why, particularly as it's a UK institution, but fish & chips are always considerably cheaper at your local chippie in Australia - and generally better!

 

2) In Year 1, it's highly likely your electricity bill will be astronomical - particularly as you'll have the air-conditioning on 24/7. You will start to use it less and less (saving it for the really hot days). Follow the example of Aussies in your street - if you see them opening up their windows (make sure you have mozzie screens) and screen doors - do the same, they will know when the breezes are coming in. If you have a pool, go for a pre-bed swim (wear a swim cap if worried about chlorine hair) - it will cool you down considerably and you'll sleep great without air-conditioning (unless of course it is 40C+). Do the same with the kids - when I was growing up, if we got hot in the night, it wasn't uncommon for my mum or dad to take us out to the pool for 5 mins at 3am!

 

3) State school education is very good. I was in state school for all of primary. I then went to a private girls school from Years 8-10 which was girls only. It gave me a good opportunity to learn science, maths etc in a girls only environment. If you can afford to send your children private for Years 11 & 12 (equiv to A Levels) then that's good, but the state school system is just as good at that level, particularly as by that stage, those trouble-makers have left the school at age 15/16 or been expelled, and only those that want to learn are still there - that's what I did.

 

4) Choose your suburb wisely to live in. Many straight away choose the most expensive beach suburbs for the novelty of being by the beach. Don't pay above the odds for a rental property long-term. Likewise if you are used to living in an area in Britain with lots of cafes etc - make sure you choose a similar area. Many people who immigrated 10 years ago or so had the opportunity to choose house/land packages in areas like Golden Grove, where as now it's mostly buying new courtyard homes or larger established homes.

 

5) Don't think it's just migrants that have a tough time with jobs. South Australia has an 'interesting' work culture, that if I was being pessimistic, I would refer to 'nepotism is rife!'. While Australians are friendly, when it comes to getting work, many are fiercely competitive. I know if I go back I will struggle to get a good job, despite some seriously well-regarded qualifications. So I know how the poster on here who is a lawyer feels. Many of my South Australian friends are in exactly the same predicament. A lot of South Australia works on who you know - and it doesn't matter if you are an Aussie or a Pom - becoming friendly with people will always open more doors professionally and socially.

 

6) One thing I've noticed over here when you socialise is that often if you are invited to someone's house for dinner, you take wine and flowers. The host supplies the rest. The norm in Australia is quite often BYO, or Bring Something! At a BBQ, typically someone would bring the bread, everyone brought their own drinks, someone salad, someone dessert - and often everyone would chip into the bulk meat pack. It was usually the fight to get the potato salad option - huge back of potatoes, jar of mayo and some parsley flakes!

 

7) Get your wine direct from wineries. There are less margins and you can try different wines before you buy - it's also a great thing to do.

 

8) Get the kids to save up pocket money for Adelaide's annual Royal Show - it's an institution. Yes it's expensive for ticket etc, but it's a full day out and most kids will enjoy doing the Yellow Brick Road showbag. Set them a budget (or get them to save) for showbags, and they'll spend many hours reading the showbag guide printed in The Advertiser the week before the show.

 

9) Find all the free things to do that don't involve just the beach. Drive through the Adelaide hills, walk through the Parklands, go to the National Parks for a picnic or just relax at home.

 

10) Regarding clothes - why not arrange second-hand clothes sales through this website - particularly as your children grow out of their UK clothes? You might be able to pick up 2nd hand UK clothes for the children as they get bigger. You'll also need less clothes in Australia - and the kids certainly will need less. The great thing about Australia is stuff drives so quick - so you can wash out their favourite clothes while they are at school (if you work, stick it on the quick wash when they go to bed, hang it out in morn and it dry when they get home). They won't care and it's fairly typical Australian attribute! Many people assume we are just unhygienic wearing the same stuff day in and day out - but because we can wash & dry so quick - we can wear the same stuff!

 

This has been a very long post, but just to finish - so many of my friends who left Adelaide to live elsewhere in the world - or in the Eastern states - are returning to Adelaide once they have families, which I guess proves that Adelaide must have some positives for families. Many are giving up good careers for work in Adelaide.

 

Best of luck to you all (oh and please exterminate all huntsman that you come across so that just maybe they might all be gone for when I get back!)

 

Mel

[Ashby Dicko]

Just a quick post to put you in the picture of the cost of living here back in the UK

Fuel costs have risen, as a result our Gas and Electric Bill DD have BOTH been increased to £90 per month as estimated for the next 12 months!!!!!

I'm now on basic hours. lots of unemployment all since you left in October

 

Will hope to be out there next year ABW.

Please give it a chance, nobody said it would be easy!!!

 

we are worried about missing friends and especialy Family.

we plan to make GOOD new life long friends once out there.

 

start small and build up!!

[Anne B]

Hi from a newbie. I've read all of this (very long) thread with considerable interest as I too am originally from Adelaide (born and bred) and moved to the UK in 1996. I went back to Adelaide in 2000, absolutely hated it and returned to the UK 12 months later. Now 8 years on, I am seriously considering going back, particularly as all my family live there.

 

..................................deleted as very long.......................

Best of luck to you all (oh and please exterminate all huntsman that you come across so that just maybe they might all be gone for when I get back!)

 

Mel

 

Hi Mel,

Just to say I think you've written a really informative post, with some useful information. My husband too is from Adelaide, we have been living here since 1997 and for a long while he had no desire to go back and live there. After two bad summers the last two years he is now desperate to go back!! We went over at Easter to finally make up our minds, and came back to the economy falling to bits and house prices crashing all around us (so are still here). I know what you mean about the SA economy being a bit weird and unpredictable, we moved back to England mainly because job prospects were so much better here. I also know what you mean about late night dips in the pool - we didn't have any air-con so when it was really hot I used to go and have a cold shower in the middle of the night, and when the mattress got too hot (and was radiating heat) I slept on the blow up bed in the lounge with the front door open (and the screen door locked) just to get the sea breezes. I can see that going from London back to Adelaide will be a big change. Good luck.

[Guest Django]

Hi Mel,

 

Great first post. Welcome to PIA. Some good points well made. One issue though, I come from London itself but have found myself loving it here. Mind you you did say 'may' so I'll let you off.

 

Pete