I can’t believe I’m looking forward to leaving Australia

[Skye909]

I moved to Queensland last year - well, I got a year long working holiday visa as a trial. I am living with a friend and I am working on a farm and my time is up in March.

I feel so guilty because I built it up as a time of a lifetime, I thought I’d end up staying and so many people would kill to be in my position. Plus there’s so much doom and gloom in the UK.

And yet… I’m looking forward to going home in March. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve enjoyed it and had some amazing trips.

But there’s so much about home I miss. Being able to walk to places, the fast delivery of things (Amazon prime!), my friends and family, the food, even the tap water - just familiarity I guess.
All the bugs get me down, I’ve also noticed culture is different here. I tried a new hobby and the boys in particular weren’t very welcoming (apparently it’s just how they are).

I just thought a girl of my age (24) should have absolutely loved it. Become a beach girl, and do lots of adventures. I absolutely LONGED for this lifestyle at home and now the novelty has worn off. I burn quickly, it’s too hot, I have too much sand all over me etc.

Maybe I’m just not cut out to be happy? Maybe I’m too negative? I don’t know. I just feel so so so so so bad for not enjoying it. Plus I know so many other girls who moved out here who appear to be having the time of their lives and love it.

Am I entitled or silly?

Sometimes you just don't gel with a place.

YANBU. The grass isn't always greener. Expecting to have a holiday-type lifestyle as your everyday life probably isn't realistic. I'd have hated it even at 24 and even more so now (in my early 50s). Very hot weather doesn't suit me at all, apart from anything else.

It's ok not to like it you've still had an adventure. We live and learn it's all about having experiences, well done for trying it!

I couldnt wait to leave either and have never regretted coming home. It is for some and not for others. Do not beat yourself up.

See it as a positive, you've had an adventure, tried something different, let it help you to appreciate things at home

It would be deeply weird if working on a farm in Queensland was literally every 24 year old’s idea of bliss. Why not go and try somewhere else entirely? It’s not as if Aus. or the UK are your only options.

I totally understand I've lived in several countries and missed the UK. Its relatively open-minded here, less racist than Australia. I missed our seasons, lovelyy pubs, the size of the place.

I'm not surprised you don't love working on a farm in rural Queensland.

Living in Sydney or Melbourne is an entirely different experience.

I lived in New Zealand for 18 months. Loved it. Was still delighted when I got home.

Some of us are just homebodies. I love travelling far and wide, and I’m lucky I get to with my work, but I always love coming home.

Do you have to wait it out until March to return to the UK?

Honestly, if you're over Aus already can you cut your losses now and just come back now @Skye909 ?

I don't know why you are sad about this. Sounds like you realise you love the UK. So come back home and enjoy it!

What made you think that working on a farm in Queensland would be amazing? Social media?

I can't think of many things I'd want to do less tbh!

Maybe you've been misled on how many people actually love this experience! I think the vast majority of people don't want to work on a farm in Queensland. You're not ungrateful or in a small minority, you're just one of the masses of people who wouldn't enjoy this. The only different is you've been made to believe that you would like it/it's an amazing adventure/everyone wants to do it.

Well I’m living on the Sunshine Coast which is so lovely, I’m only working on a farm part time to get a bit of money! I just thought I’d love the lifestyle but I’m a bit bored of the beaches and there’s so much I miss about home - but I hated the UK when I was there so I’m worried I just never be happy 😂

You need to leave the farm and go to one of the many cities Australia has to offer.
Did you travel the east coast? Whereabouts in Queensland are you?
To be honest, being on a farm doesn't sound like you gave australia a chance

It’s fine to realize you prefer home, it’s probably a good thing to learn the grass isn’t always greener. And maybe it’ll make you realize what you like about your life in the uk. Better to know now than spend years wondering.

Working on a farm in Queensland is not representative of Australian life. Why not try moving down to somewhere like Melbourne and maybe work part time as a Barista?

I lived in New Zealand for a year on a working holiday. I absolutely loved it. Clean air, lovely people and the place itself was just gorgeous. However, I was home sick. Missed my family and friends so much, so I know what you mean. It's great to have the experience though and that's something you can take with you 🙂

I had a year long working visa to Australia once. I managed one day working on a farm in Queensland before I decided it wasn't for me and moved on, further up the coast and ended up waitressing in Cairns for a while, until I got bored and moved to Darwin, and so on and so on.

Have you spent your entire year in the same place? Or have you travelled and seen the rest of the country?

I'm not surprised you're bored and missing home if you've been doing the same thing for a year though. Just come home, it's great that you tried a new lifestyle, but you've discovered it's not your dream and that's fine, at least you tried, most people don't!

I’ve lived all over the world and Australia is the only country that made me feel homesick.

I think, for me, it was so similar to the UK in terms of language and culture that I really, really noticed the small, petty differences such as standing on the wrong side of the escalator, expecting food to look or taste one way (the British way) and being disappointed when it was ever so slightly off (even if it were possibly an improvement).

It is ok if Australia isn’t for you but don’t let it put you off travel in the future. Perhaps you, like me, would prefer a totally alien culture and language.

It’s depressing me slightly how many people are saying ‘Ah, well, you’ve tried abroad — off you go back to the UL and your real life’. There’s a whole world out there!

Absolutely agree. The fast delivery and being able to walk everywhere can be done in the right places.
I'd feel the same about the Sunshine Coast and I live in Australia..

You've just had a dose of perspective that's all. Sometimes you don't appreciate what you've got until you've tried something else.
I did a year going round Australia including working and beach stuff, and parts of it were ace and I missed them when I got back. Parts of it were not ace and I was glad to get home for better.
But mostly I think it's people that make you happy... If you feel you belong socially, connect with others on a level that works for you and would be missed if you weren't there... that's more important than lifestyle and weather etc.

So if you get back and it still feels like there's something missing, search for that.

What did you ‘hate’ about the UK?

YANBU, this is just the reality of real life vs instagram! The “beach lifestyle” is great in theory but the reality is far less glamorous. You are not entitled, you probably just had unrealistic expectations.

How many of those people claiming to love it out there are being honest about the downsides as well as the positives? Probably some of them would like to go home but just can’t admit it!

I didn't like it either op. But you still had an adventure and did something that lots of people dream of doing. You had a trial run and thank goodness you did, because you learnt that it isn't for you. Maybe you will have new appreciation for things that bothered you, or things you took for granted, when you come back to the UK. And don't compare yourself to others - you have no idea if they really love it or are putting on a brave face like I did.