I emigrated to Australia from the UK, AMA!

[AjasLipstick]

As it says....ask me anything about emigrating to Australia from the UK, if you like.

What’s the best thing and the worst thing about Australian life?

Do you have a swimming pool?

What’s the best thing and the worst thing about Australian life?

Best thing is the beautiful area I live in and the size of my house and garden. Worst thing is the lack of good clothing and household decor! It's seriously bad :D

Do you have a swimming pool No but I live 5 minutes' walk from the sea.

My husband and I are planning on emigrating in the next 2-5 years.
Do you have any hints or tips? Maybe looking at living around Melbourne. We are coming to have a "first look" in February next year with our son who will be around 6 months old when we come over.

What do you miss most?

(Sorry for asking more than one question)

Sugar Melbourne is beautiful but definitely more expensive than where I live (South Australia). It's not as fashionable here in the South but it's very unspoilt and there's a lot going on here.

If you're coming so far I do recommend that you look at more than Melbourne. Visit Adelaide. It's only a little flight away...8 hours drive mind you! But a fast flight.

Apart from family and friends, I do miss a nice, damp English country lane...the flora and fauna here takes some getting used to as it's so different to England. But you adjust and begin to love the trees and flowers as you get to know them.

Do you get lots of spiders?

I wouldn't move there if you paid me. Is there anything you can tell me about Australia to change my mind?

On 'Wanted Down Under' they always say they want to move "for the opportunities ".

Ess this a factor for you? And what are they? Are there really more opportunities?

I would love to live in Australia but I am way too old for a visa now!

Thank you for answering my questions! I think he has only looked at job prospects in the big cities.
I must admit I am a little more apprehensive about moving than my husband, I am very close to my family. He did actually live in one of the Sydney suburbs when he was a teenager but his family moved back to the UK after only 6 months I think it was. We were planning on travelling further afield when there but didn't know all the logistics with having such a small baby with us.
This thread is perfect so I apologise if I take over and ask you a million questions (it won't be that many)
How did you find the whole emigrating process? Is it incredibly long winded or fairly simple?

Heatwave yes. Massive ones.

Silvery If you've been and hated it, there's probably nothing I could tell you to change your mind! If you've never been then it's tricky because I expect a lot of your opinions have been formed from what you've seen on tv.

The only thing I can say is that here, I do feel as though there's more opportunity for people who are from a working class background. In the UK, the field I was interested in working in, was very "old boy's club" and so it was hard to break in.

Even when I DID break in, it was still harder than it should have been. Here, there's no class issue. People don't hear my Northern accent and judge me for it or place me in a box of their own design.

Ooooh following this excitedly as we are emigrating at the end of August. Just sent all our stuff in a container last Wednesday and now camping on borrowed furniture etc until then! We're moving to the adelaide hills, and I've got a job sorted. We were over in feb/March and were blown away by adelaide, having lived/worked in Victoria when we were there on a working travel visa 6 years ago (pre kids).

I have so so many questions but my mind is strangely blank, might come back to you!

How often do you fly back to the UK? I'm a British immigrant as well but I only moved about a 3-hour flight away with no time difference (or just one hour during BST) so it's not too hard to keep up with family and friends. I've been to Australia and the flight and jet lag was a killer. I can't imagine doing that several times a year - do you just not bother?

How long have you been there, are you eligible for citizenship and have you got it / do you intend to get it?

Did you emigrate for a job, a romantic partner, a sense of adventure or some other reason?

Love Yes, there are more opportunities. Since arriving here 3 years ago, I've moved on professionally much faster than I had in 10 years in the UK.

To be honest, my CV here is more impressive than it would be in the UK because it's a much smaller pond.

Sugar be very careful because if you come with your husband and move here and then you change your mind, he could stop you from leaving due to the Hague Convention rules.

You'd be made to stay even if you didn't want to then.

The process of Visas can be expensive and tricky but we managed it without help. DH is Australian though so it was simpler but not THAT simple.

Coffee how exciting! The Adelaide Hills are beautiful...but I suppose you know that!

Svan I've been back twice in 3 years. It's expensive and yes, long! We also have to have a decent amount of time to make it worth it. My family are coming to me next.

I'm about to get citizenship....DH is Australian so a bit simpler than for most.

The reason I came was after ten years in the UK, we were struggling financially and had a crappy flat in a pretty crappy area despite working very hard. Australia seemed to be a better bet and so far it has been.

We do have a better lifestyle, better food and social life...kids are very happy too.

So you're an economic migrant . Nice!

Do you ever see yourself moving back or do you think you are there for life? Of course we cannot completely predict the future but just how you currently imagine your life panning out.

Is there much prejudice against English people? My sil's lived there for over 20 years and still gets called a Pom.

I would love to move there but my husband is very fair and blonde and I think he would melt in the heat. How do you cope?

How did you find your job? Was it hard applying and getting one?

Svan No...I don't see myself moving back now. Here for life so far...as you say though, who knows what the future holds? I thought about it as this "How would I feel if DH died? Would I stay here or want to go back to England?" and I realised that I'd want to stay here.

Tea I haven't encountered any at all. I've had no trouble making friends or getting work. If people call anyone a Pom it's just in fun.

Half I did have some trouble adjusting as South Australia is VERY hot at times but you learn how to cope. And with air conditioning, it's fine.

I was self-employed when I arrived and carried on with that...continues working for my regular clients who are in the UK, USA and China.

Then I got bored and found a part time job in an arts centre here. I still freelance though. It wasn't hard for me to find work but I wasn't looking for a career. My freelance work is my "real job"...I just wanted to meet people and get out a bit.

We are moving back to Aus after 10 years in the UK. It's nice to read such positive comments OP!

We will be going to Melbourne and we are preparing for a bit of a slog (we have a good level of living in London by pure chance, no way to replicate that in Aus unfortunately)

Lego What's made you decide to return if you have a good level of living in London? Is it family?

How are you adjusting to the cultural differences? Most brits I knew living in australis really did t get the whole not relying on the state for everything thing.

How are you coli g with living in adelaide? It's a very small city, I used to hate it for that reason, it felt like there was no anonimity there. Gave you reached the point yet where you can't go out with seeing someone you know?

Have you adopted any Australianisms? Which ones?

My sympathies re lack of decent clothing. Leona Edminston is pretty cool though. And review occasionally do a nice dress every few years.

Do you plan on staying put forever or are you going to return to England eventually?

Ajas yes, the pull to spend more time with my family has just got a lot stronger.

Plus I feel fear if we don't go before Brexit we could be trapped here for a long time for personal reasons (I don't mean the State will hold us here against our will )

Race It was an odd feeling at first...paying for healthcare! But some children's services are subsidised. You get used to it. For me the biggest cultural difference has been the way in which children are treated here.

They're told to be quiet a LOT less and they seem to be given much more freedom in general.

It's true that there's no anonymity here. It's VERY small. If you're in a certain "scene" then you know everyone very quickly and you do feel that you need to behave yourself a bit. Fall out with the wrong person and you might cause trouble.

But the flip side of that is that you feel supported and safe. Living in a small town, it's lovely to know my kids could go to multiple houses nearby and find a friend if there was an emergency.

Australianisms...not really! I do say "Op Shop" instead of Charity shop now!

I plan on staying here forever. I can't imagine living in the UK now but never say never! Who knows what the future holds?

AJ Going back to OZ with English DH. About to apply for the partner visa.

Regarding proof of relationship, roughly how many photos, greeting cards etc, did you submit. What will I need to show them?

• How long did it take to get your visa ?

• Did you wait until after your got it before you went over? I want to move this year, so thinking we will apply, go over this year regardless lol

Lego well you can't fight that if it's strong. Do you have children?