I feel like my heart is breaking, come and give me your best tips for dealing with change.

[putyourhatonsweetie]

hi

we moved from the UK to small town queensland about 6 months ago and am really struggling with homesickness. It has taken me by surprise a bit really, I'm resourceful, used to change and have plenty of experience behind me...but in truth am just not coping well at all.

Have done my best to get out and about and experience what is on offer - taking the dc to various activities etc so I can meet people, and I have .... but am so bloody lonely I could sit and cry.

so come on, please, help me pull my socks up, I just know I can't live like this any longer.

Thanks

lovely photos, sweetie!

Have you been on the British Expats website? I made some good friends through their meet ups when I arrived and they were a real lifeline. Having people to meet for coffee or lunch got me out of the house and some of the practical advice I got from people who had been here a few years really helped.

As Thumb has said the Aussies can be very "we must meet up" without anything ever happening which has made more than a few expats a bit paranoid!

thanks sunny, will have a look x

Will just say, I had a go on BritishExpats as well but apart from one tentative meet up that didn't come off because of the pouring rain (ha!) nothing ever came of it. I think it's probably far better in city areas than smaller towns - but certainly give it a go!

mmm there doesn't seem to be anything our way...but we are in tiny town

Oh wow! Just seen your photos. :) Haven't got anything to compete with that.

it is pretty bloody beautiful. dc and I were the only people on the beach this afternoon - which was gorgeous, but also meant noone to nose at! is there an emoticon for spoiled brat?!

Sympathies. We have been here (Adelaide) almost 6 yrs. I love it here but when I experience it, the homesickness is crushing.

I never used to suffer, but the last 2 years it has been really hard at Christmas. And it is really only ever Christmas.

I didn't really find anyone at playgroup/kids activities, I made one good friend who sadly wanted to commender too much of my time & sadly, we are no longer friends. Another I was thrown together with after dd1 & her dd made friends in Kindy. They are still best friends, 4yrs on.

My saving grace has been the volunteer work I do for a local historical building, I have only been there a few months, but already met some lovely people. I am also on the Gov Council at Dd1's school & again, through running an on site shop & working on the canteen I have met some lovely people. Both of these have given me purpose outside the house, stopped me getting into the SAHM trap of just doing housework & school runs.

My dh was helplessly homesick for years, still is but he has come to terms with life here, and does his best. He says he still wants to leave, but it isn't as urgent as it used to be.

Good luck! There is usually someone around to chat to over here, and I'd say most, if not all of us have been where you are.

diff, have you considered going back for Christmas one year? I'd love to but it's so expensive - still, I'm going to do it one year, and I'm going to take DS to Lapland as well when we go. Not sure which one though! Next year we have to go in October because it will be my Dad's 80th birthday - should coincide with the school holidays (just).
I'll have to start saving though!

Thumb, hoping to do that this year, if funds allow.

Diff and Thumb, I'd love to go back for a proper cold Christmas. My dds are desperately jealous of the snow in England at the moment. I guess it's appeal would wear off pretty swiftly if we were living in it but it's sooooo pretty.

Diff is there a chance that you would move back? Being somewhere 6 years is a long time if you're still missing home so much (for your dh I mean).

Putyourhatonsweetie - your photos are AWESOME! It looks amazing.

ClaudiaSchiffer

That is our long term plan. Part of the holiday back there at Christmas is too see if that is what we really want, if so we will put plans into action.

diff, fingers crossed for you then that funds do allow - whether it makes you decide to return permanently or stay here after all. I think at the moment job prospects are probably better here but that probably depends on the industry.

My DS has seen snow, the first two winters he was around; and a mild sprinkling when we went back in January 2010 but nothing like this year (or last, for that matter! Still can't believe that the last 3 UK winters, since we've been over here, have all had decent snow! )
Am half-hoping and half-fearful that it will snow in March when we get there...