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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think that BIL and SIL would be mad to move to London from Australia right now?

4 replies

LavenderHills · 13/02/2021 00:08

BIL and SIL are both Australian, in their early 30s, no kids yet, living very nice lives in Sydney.

They have never lived abroad and have been talking for the last year or so about moving to the UK for a few years. They are both in the fortunate position of working for large companies who will support their transfers to London, sponsor visas, etc. This would all be lovely in non-COVID times, but they want to go in the next few months are and actively seeking transfers right now!

AIBU to be horrified and try to talk them out of it? Life is pretty normal in Sydney. You have to wear masks on public transport and use a checkin app when you go to restaurants, but there have been no COVID cases in weeks and the health system isn't under any strain (touch wood.) I don't think they quite realise that they'd be moving to a place where they have a much higher chance of contracting COVID and they can only go out to the supermarket? Not to mention the fact that if anything were to happen to one of their parents etc, they would have a very difficult time getting back to Australia? There are Australians who have been stranded overseas for a year now; flights are extremely restricted and expensive and subject to random cancellations.

I understand the desire to live in Europe and have that experience etc, but surely they should wait a year or so?

OP posts:
bluetongue · 13/02/2021 00:45

YANBU. I’m Australian but have always wanted to live in the UK or Europe, at least for a while. Right now I’m very happy to be living in Australia.

Obviously reading the news and Mumsnet is very different to actually being there but I but feel the exhaustion and anxiety just from reading posts in here.

No doubt if something happened to a family member they’d join the queue of those wanting to use the Australian quarantine system and would probably end up as a sad face story somewhere about how mean Australia are not to let them back straight away.

Maverick101 · 13/02/2021 01:07

I'm Australian -- lived in London for a decade but back home for a long time now. Still lots of contacts in the UK.

Your BIL and SIL have rocks in their heads if they think moving to London during Covid is a good idea.

LavenderHills · 13/02/2021 06:41

Honestly, I don't think they have any idea what they're doing. They say "Oh, we'll have a nice flat in a nice area; we'll just have to work from home for a few months and that will be fine." But who knows how long this will go on for? And what if one of them gets sick or has an accident and needs to go to hospital, etc?

OP posts:
LavenderHills · 13/02/2021 06:45

Also, I just don't see the point of being in London if you can't go to galleries, museums, shows, out to dinner etc. If they're going to have to stay home all the time they may as well stay in Sydney where at least it's warm!

OP posts:
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