To think the people on Wanted Down Under have unrealistic expectations?

[CatherineOfAragonsPrayerBook]

Just watching this morning, as have a late shift. It's a 'revisted' episode so idea when it first aired. Mum has a small budget of £150,000 but wants a 'dream home' in Australia. First apartment too small, as is the second. You only have a budget of £150,000!! Eventually last house hits all the right notes, but is £60,000 overbudget. So she'll just work harder.

Planning to do Social Work, so goes to an experience day. The SW's are dealing with the case of an indigenous Aboriginal family. They work with a lot of indigenous families and their customs. Does she know anything about the Aboriginal people? No. Not done any research So what view of Australia does she have?

Everytime I watch this program the participants seem to have massive unrealistic expectations. AIBU to think they should at least know something about the Aboriginal people if they plan to move there?

I agree breathing and I was the child of one such couple. There's nothing shittier being caught in the middle of endless arguments due to the resentment and having no other family around, with the resentful parent refusing to integrate.

Oh the one where the wife wanted to move to Australia and the DH was unsure. They were from Newcastle I think.

They did a follow up episode and it turned out in preparation for the big move to Oz, they had moved down south to live with her parents. She then told him she no longer wanted to move to Oz and the DH was so upset as he felt like he had been tricked into moving in with his in laws and miles away from family and friends. It was awful to watch.

What some of them don't get is how much they will miss their friends and community.
I live away from 'home' and spent years making friends in my community . I would never move anywhere.
My extended family are actually less important to me that my community.

I saw one recently with a young couple from the Shetland Isles. She ran a horse and stables related business that she had built up herself, he was an engineer of some sort but hated his job. She adored horses and wouldn’t contemplate moving unless she could replicate the set up she had built up, over 50 acres of land. All they could afford in aus was a bit of a scruffy house, in a couple of acres about 50 miles from the beach and city.
He would have had to work more hours than in the UK and she would have had to get a job, not start her own horse business, just to cover basic bills, but he still favoured Australia because of some belief it was a ‘better life’.

On the ‘lifestyle ‘ bit they went for a walk in a country park with their daughter.. they live in the Shetland isles! Why on earth they couldn’t do that back home I will never know.

In the end he admitted the finances just didn’t stack up, they would have been thousands worse off, but still was ‘undecided’ on the final vote. His wife looked really upset.

At the risk of being recognised a relative of mine emigrated to Australia when he didn't want to go but did or his wife would have divorced him. Several years on and he's really unhappy.

I used to work with somebody whose sister was stuck in Australia because she'd moved with her boyfriend, couple of years, see how things go, sort of thing, and they'd had a baby there. Her ex wanted to stay. She wanted to come back to the UK but couldn't unless she left her child in Australia.

I always think of how easy a family could end up split, especially with children old enough to have their own opinion on where they live, when they're saying the YOLO, we can always come back, you only regret the things you don't do, stuff.

Was it poor Brendon isit?

I watched that one @GoGoGoGoGo. He could barely keep his resentment under wraps from the TV crew. Awful.

@HicDraconis Can I ask why you didn't it was fairly important to know anything about Maori culture before emigrating to NZ? Not trying to be goady or imply racism or anything - just wondering if you saw it as 'Britain with sunshine and pretty surroundings' as pp suggested? Maori culture receives quite a bit of media attention.

I just can't see myself moving to - South Africa say, or any country, Poland or Hungary- without doing some research on the culture of that country.

Is there a bit of post colonial presumptions we still tend to make as Brits I wonder?

Or do these places actually really truly just feel like Britain away from home?

think

I love watching Wanted Down Under because it reminds me of all the reasons why I LEFT Australia for the UK

No, not poor Brendan. Poor somebody else!

That sounds bloody tough Woofbloodywoof What did they gain if they dont even have a relationship with their child and GC?

Also I still don't understand why it's assumed you will work less hours if you go to Australia?

Do they really want us downunder though 😂

I feel sad for the parents on the he video. Some are just breaking their hearts.
Australia is such a blooming long way
I’m in my late 60s and I couldn’t make that journey

I remember that one tadpole

I never understand the ones that go and leave an older child behind. I've seen quite a few where there's a DC around 16-18 who clearly doesn't want to go, and that for me would be a massive deal breaker.

We bought our current house from a couple with two DCs, both teenagers. The 14 year old was going with them (middle of GCSEs as far as I can tell) and the 19 year old was enrolled in a university that's just a few miles away so had been living at home. That DC carried on living at home while we exchanged and completed (so we still get their post). I accept they are an adult but it seemed really poorly timed for the DCs.

The husband was head hunted (or just applied for a senior post that was advertised worldwide, not sure which, but it wasn't an emigration) so it wasn't like it was necessarily their lifelong dream or something the'd been planning for over a number of years. Seemed really disruptive. Though

There was another poor 'Brendon' person?

We moved to NZ some years ago (did our research!). There was a government scheme where all newcomers were given lots of books, videos etc about NZ and Maori culture. Thought it was a great idea. Back in the UK now but still have some of those lovely books!

Don’t people just do this for a free two week holiday in Australia?

@edgeofheaven - you said “Find it hilarious that they all think their Aussie house must have a pool! Even when they’re hairdressers or carpenters or some similar job not extremely high earners. We have friends living in Sydney, they are professionals and their kids swim at the community pool like everyone else does!”

There are suburbs where every home has a pool - from minimum wage earners to CEO’s. Having a pool is not just for the wealthy in Australia.

We moved here over ten years ago, but found (and still find) the cost of living extortionate. We were both earning 6 figures upon arrival, and had made brilliant money on sale of our UK property, so were fortunate to be able to purchase in an affluent area (and purchase several more properties). Our lifestyle is good - we live on a lake, surrounded by parks, playgrounds, trails etc, 10 minutes walk to shops, restaurants, cafe etc, weather is decent enough to enjoy being outside most of the time. We have an awesome entertaining area including pool and spa which we use all year round (though I will only go outside in the winter if my husband has lit the fire pit).

We struggled with fitting in (the Aussies just didn’t “get” us) and so socialise mainly with ex-pats. I missed my family a lot, but my parents and then my brother, all moved out to Australia and now live within 5 minutes walk of my house. Had they not moved over I would have wanted to move back to Scotland.

No matter how much research you do, you will never know if you will like it until you are living and working there. I thought I’d love it, I don’t, but it’s ok and I love the area and community we live in.

We didn’t know anything about the history of Aboriginal people before moving, but don’t feel that’s necessary unless you are going to be working in an area in which that information is relevant.

Funny I came across this thread - I had just recorded an episode of WDU today, as I’ve not seen it in ages.

This is the best country in the world...we just need it rain a bit less and sun shine a bit more.

Lots of these episodes seem to follow the same pattern .One wants go one doesnt ,Cost of living always a shock!.Cant believe the price of the homes, and always seem to think they can work less than in UK for a better lifestyle! There are about half of the people who emigrate, return home !.Grass isnt always Greener?!

We didn’t know anything about the history of Aboriginal people before moving, but don’t feel that’s necessary unless you are going to be working in an area in which that information is relevant.

ScotsinOz Why not though? Is it that Aboriginal culture doesn't have to be engaged with and has little impact? Or it's a secondary culture subsumed within the wider 'Australian culture' or that it still essentially feels like UK with a minority culture that happens to be there? I find that hard to believe since there are many Italians, Greeks, Chinese etc there.

Everything sounds idylic where you are with family nearby so why don't you love it what's missing (if anything is)

To be fair, the first British Visitors to Australia didn't consider Aboriginal culture much either.

Also I still don't understand why it's assumed you will work less hours if you go to Australia?

Yeah I never understand this. My uncle lives in Australia and he works longer hours than we do as does his partner. He has a gorgeous house but it's miles from everything and whilst he likes to talk it up like his lifestyle is amazing the reality is that it's no different from what he did over here but it's sunny there.

Or do these places actually really truly just feel like Britain away from home?

I now know a few people who went to live in Oz for anything on average from 3-10 years but are now back in the SE of England. I only found this out when I had a trip over there to a couple of places where I found out these people had actually lived.

They all tended to come back due to finding them stuck with just their ex-partner/ex-spouse and having a lack of family and friends. The biggest complaint was having to drive miles to do anything.

The people I know who have emigrated to NZ haven't come back after over 20 years. I actually felt more at home in NZ when I visited.