I am 31, and considering moving to Australia…

[WhereamIgoing25]

So, as the title says: I am 31 years old, currently living in London, single (actually just been dumped by someone I was dating for a few months!), no dependents and a bit fed up with life here / in the UK… and thinking of moving to Aus for a year or so.

Don’t get me wrong - I have a pretty active social life, and I am close to my family and friends - but apart from that I don’t feel like anything is keeping me here. Especially not my job / career! It wouldn’t be a permanent move (I don’t think) but I am ready for a change.

Thought I would turn to MN for some advice! I’ve never been to Aus / NZ but I’ve always had it in the back of my mind to visit / move there.

Pros? Cons? Did you do it? Would you do it if you could? Best cities to move to? Are there really spiders and snakes everywhere?

Another pro - Aussies don't give a shit about which class you're from.

Except for the 60,000 years of Indigenous history. What you really mean is lack of WHITE History.

Absolutely give it a go!
I emigrated to Perth and I couldn't be happier- the people are wonderfully welcoming, the lifestyle doesn't even compare to the UK- high salaries, a big safe and clean city, healthy lifestyle, beautifully fresh (and cheaper than UK) food. There is so much to see and do, and so many activities are free of charge.

We have very distinct seasons here and I'm very cozy right now watching the rain and reading my book as we come into winter.

Ignore those coming on to give the usual spiel 'it's racist, backwards, uncultured' 🙄 I suspect a certain level of jealousy as well as ignorance in these posts!!!

You've really got nothing to lose, go for it!

My mum took early retirement and went there at 49. She had a brother and his family an hours drive away and went with her partner, so had some local family support, here's a few things she used to say ..
It was years ago now, she's dead bow, but I'd say to consider:

Cities aren't the same, small in comparison to London or UK cities
Villages and countryside - very different - not really desirable IMO just remotel
Lack of culture you'd expect to get in the UK, it's all very different
Spiders - snakes etc are huge/deadly or both
The heat can be incessant, not just a few days or weeks like the UK
It can feel very remote for some people

Absolutely visit for an extended holiday and recce too to see what would be good
Check out the rental or buying market, I believe Sydney is horrific but other cities may be better
Really do your research as it's very different to the UK, which maybe good !

What amazes me is how Australia is declared racist and lacking in culture by mn. When they themselves are ignoring Australia’s indigenous culture. Almost like they are being the racist that they are accusing Australians of being.
Ironic. 🤷🏻‍♀️. funnily enough the only country I’ve ever experienced unpleasant behaviour was in England. “Oh you’re from Aus -tra - lia are you” as if it were a particularly nasty thing.

Exactly. Saying Australia is racist, then in the very next breath saying we have no (white) history or culture! It really is irritating.

Plenty of British racist’s .

I find it more incredible that it is people from the colonising country saying Australia has no culture.

Also, to flip the narrative on its head, my DH had to go to England from Australia on business. He hadn’t been before. He came back and said he hated it - there were too many people, the houses were cookie-cutter and went as far as the eye could see, and the weather was miserable. It just seemed grim to him.

Lack of culture you'd expect to get in the UK, it's all very different

Who on earth would travel to a country on the other side of the world expecting it to be just like the UK? I’m genuinely embarrassed for posters who write things like this. You really can’t see how ignorant this is?

I'm all for big moves. Have done lots of them, the first was to Canada at 27. Just keep in mind how big the culture shock can be even in cultures that seem "similar" (because they aren't really even if they speak the same language) and it can take quite a long time to start liking it. That doesn't mean you never will.

I do know what someone above meant about old buildings but that's just a question of acclimatisation. I don't think it's trivial, in the UK when I was feeling down or needed inspiration or to feel calm there were buildings I would visit to feel better, I think a lot of us do that. In Canada I was in Vancouver and there aren't as many but 1) the modern architecture and the planning are really cool 2) the city has so much nature right inside it that's even better.
I think a lot of these examples are like that, apparent downsides of a place, but you don't know what you'll like or not till you get there. To hear some people talk the UK is the absolute pits of hell but we do have some nice things!

In a different place you have to learn to live a different way and that can be hard, even if you are well travelled but have never completely relocated before. But that's nothing like it for expanding your worldview.

And on a personal note, which is kind of a generalisation, every Aussie I've ever met has been awesome 😁

@mumofoneAlonebutokay solo travel with a little one can be so stressful but in so many countries (that aren't the UK lol) people are so welcoming of little kids and will go out of their way to help you. Italy and Nepal are especially good for this.

@JessaWoo that's not flipping the narrative on its head, it's just more ignorance. the houses were cookie-cutter and went as far as the eye could see yeah not in my bit. God I would never talk like this about someone else's country, you sound as silly as the posters you are (rightly) slating.

Of all the weird reasons for OP not to spend a year in Australia

There really are some miseries on this thread (as usual). One can't help but feel envy is behind a lot of it.

I say go for it OP. You will have a wonderful time - and if you don't you can always go back home.

Do it!

I was lucky enough to circumnavigate Australia and NZ last year. Funnily enough it was always NZ that'd I'd wanted to visit, and I wasn't too fussed about Australia because of all the negative stereotypes I'd heard - no culture, everything's out to kill you etc.

While New Zealand was gorgeous, I was surprised at how much I loved Australia. Sydney and Melbourne were just fantastic cities, but Perth and especially Adelaide were also really enjoyable.

Yes, parts of it were hotter than the Sun, I got cloudburned pretty hard and it's not the cheapest place, but I could certainly see myself living there and enjoying the outdoor lifestyle. Great coffee, too!

I say take the chance while you can. You won't regret it!

Oh come on. You might live in paradise, but we've all seen English TV programmes and have seen those houses - they do exist, and lots of them!

This is why I am puzzled so many are saying go West. I lived there for 25 years and without a shadow of doubt if I ever returned would live in Melbourne or Sydney. Are you aware of the White Australia Policy OP. The indigenous people Do not integrate into society in Western Australia. At all. Their life expectancy is mid 50s last time I looked. If that doesn't bother you by all means go ahead. WA is very mineral rich so has a high standard of living. China owns many parts of Australia schools, farms, harbours, mines you name it. Have you read abput the Turn Back the Boats policy in the early 2000's. An effective way of stopping illegal immigration I suppose. Look into where Australia holds people trying to enter illegally Narou. A Pacific island. They don't allow visitors, but from investigations it seems pretty dire. I lived in a very wealthy area in WA. The local police station got into trouble for using electic cattle prods. Begins with a C the police station if anyone if familiar with the area.

Moving countries does bring up some interesting difficulties. I moved to NYC 11yrs ago, recently moved South coast US.

Really miss English culture, humor etc. Cost of living is astronomical. Wish I had come for a year first to "try it out" as I would have had my eyes opened a little more.

What do you mean indigenous Australians (Aborigines?) do not integrate with WA? What would that look like? Am not being snarky but that phrase seems at odds with what you acknowledge , the White Policy.
Indigenous people do not have to integrate (abandon their ways in favour of white ways). But the playing field needs to be leveled. Heck it's their country so really it should be incomers integrating

At op, go. Being single gives you even more freedom. If you don't like it you can try another country or come back. I wish I had the advantage of your age and relationship status ( am late 40s, married with young kids so currently it's all very limiting)

I hear what you are saying but that comment makes me quite sad. Our First Nations people have one the oldest continuous living cultures in the world, over 65,000 years. Their history, culture and ways of knowing are so interesting and precious. It's true as a country we don't have old buildings, but we certainly do have a comprehensive and important history.

Yes do it if you’re not tied down to anything. Life is for living!

Nope. This is such an old narrative. And not unique to NZ. There are so many industries crying out for good workers in both Aus and NZ. They are beautiful, amazing, safe countries to travel in, rich with culture.

It's a massive change, but do it OP! Keep an open mind, know that they will be different to the UK and embrace those differences. Dont compare. Worst thing, you don't like it, you go home. But either way, you'll have plenty of brilliant stories to tell!

An Aussie here! If you want a colder climate, go Melbourne or Tasmania (Tassie is much quieter and less big city) if you want a hotter climate look at Sydney or Queensland. My personal preference is Sydney. As far as spiders and snakes go, the more bush you go the more you get them. But suburbs have them. Big cities don’t, but suburbs do, spiders I find are more of a problem. Huntsmans love to find their way inside 😭 I’m terrified of them but still manage lol

My relatives live in Sydney (moved in the 50s) and I loved visiting them there. They’re originally from the UK and while they visit every few years, they much prefer living down there.

I’m 33 now, but intended to move there myself before I met my partner and ended up moving to Denmark instead - I still deeply regret not moving to Australia instead! I love the culture of getting up early, great coffee scene, sporty and outdoors focused, high wages, and more family-focused.

There are definitely issues - especially with housing and rentals, but nothing any worse than younger people face in the U.K.

For what it’s worth, in the 6 years I’ve been away from England, I’ve visited once in the first year only, and have never found myself missing it. Being homesick is not inevitable at all.

Moving to Aus for a fresh start? Classic post-breakup main character energy. Just wait until your first huntsman spider drops from the ceiling mid-shower, that’ll really kick off your healing journey