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Living overseas

Whether you're considering emigrating or an expat abroad, you'll find likeminds on this forum.

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Original poster

Olive's dh is doing his yearly "this country is rubbish lets go to Australia" speach - am being swayed

183 replies

oliveoil · 05/09/2006 11:04

His brother lives in Perth and loves loves loves it there, has been in Australia for about 4 years or so.

Dh is always going on about emigrating there, espeacially when the weather is crap here (ie most of August ).

I am scared thinking that by the time immigration is sorted, I will be nearing 40 and it is a big move to make - am 36 now, girls are nearly 4 and 2.

Pros and cons please from those that have done it and those that thought about it and didn't.

Thank you!

OP posts:

suzywong · 05/09/2006 13:50

there is a Lush and a Body Shop 5 minutes from me.

True, one has to push all thoughts of shopping at H&M, Principles and Hobbs etc out of one's mind, but waterskiing after work or the like does make up for it.

DaddyCool · 05/09/2006 13:51

PS: rhubarb chews choda.

Rhubarb · 05/09/2006 13:53

I didn't miss any high street shops, what I gained where local markets and neighbourhood community. If I wanted shops I went into the city. Be a bit shite OO if you stayed just for Boots!

(DC sniffs flanges)

Original poster

oliveoil · 05/09/2006 13:53

Thanks for your imput folks, have been dragged back to reality and have to go and do some work, will be back after.

OP posts:

DaddyCool · 05/09/2006 13:55

see now, that's what i keep telling DW, rhubarb. if she wants really nice things and great shopping, drive into toronto. you sacrifice these things on your doorstep for a nicer community.

SydSnow · 05/09/2006 13:58

Hi OO,
I've done both. Borninin the UK, moved to Sydney when I was 5 and now back in London.
I would say it's really hard to commpare the 2 countries as what is good about one is not what's good about the other. Also, everyone's epereinces in each would be totally different 9depends on your suburb, job, education, interests etc etc)
Form my experience, Aus has much better weather, state education, hospitals, general standard of living especially if you're not completely loaded and better fresher food, cleaner healthier environment. Much more insects and things that will sting you or just freak you out, you need to wear suncream ALL the time, areas outside of Sydney and Melbourne are rather lacking in cutural attractions (syd and melb have a v active art/opera/theatre scene)
UK has wonderful access to Europe, wonderful sense of history, higher wages (but higher cost of living as well), better shopping, an abundance of cultural attractions (in the main cities at least), a pretty greeness that you do miss in Aus. Rotten weather, a culture of poor diet, much higher alchol consumption (most of our Australian friends were shocked when they first got here), less active lifestyle, high cost of living, crime.
But remember my exereinces of both countries would have been v dif if I had lived in differnt areas, had a higher/lower income etc etc.

Tinker · 05/09/2006 13:59

I can see the appeal of Canada but not Australia, tbh.

suzywong · 05/09/2006 14:01

very good points, Sydnow

However, we were driving through WA 250 north of Perth today and at some points I could have sworn it was Dorset.

Apart from the rigormortis roos dotted along the roadsides

nailpolish · 05/09/2006 14:03

SUZY! rofl

Original poster

oliveoil · 05/09/2006 14:05

they stink don't they when you drive past???

whoaaaaaa SHUT THE WINDOWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For about 5 mins before and after

Don't get that in Manchester

OP posts:

SydSnow · 05/09/2006 14:07

The lack of rotting Kangaroo carcasses is a real plus here in England!

suzywong · 05/09/2006 14:07

we did a 500mile round trip and thought nothing of it, the distances between very little are vast

So Olive, what kind of visa would you need to come over? Would you do it on the strenght of your jobs?

katierocket · 05/09/2006 14:07

OO - we're currently going through this dilema. My sister emigrated 6 years ago to Melbourne and is now an Australian citizen so it would appear we'd have enough points to go. We went on holiday there in February and utterly fell in love with the place BUT I just don't know if I can do it because of my mum. She's the only reason to hold us back. She herself would tell us to go with her blessing but I know it would break her heart (already having one daughter over there plus my oldest brother lives in US). And I think about what will happen when she is a lot older and can't come and visit etc.

It's such a hard decision and I do think that if we decide not to go we'll regret it but it is also so far away. I know that's stating the obvious but it's not even like being in US or similar where you're only 8 hours away. But..the lifestyle...especially for children....

I do honestly think this country is going down the toilet too.

expatinscotland · 05/09/2006 14:09

No one says you have to stay there forever if you hate it.

So why not go for it and see how it goes?

I've always been of the mind that if it's something I'll later regret not doing, then it's worth a try.

katierocket · 05/09/2006 14:10

But if you're close to family over here expat, it's such a difficult decision to leave.

suzywong · 05/09/2006 14:11

if your mum has two out of three kids in Australia who could pay her pension for her then she could move out with you once you get settled and providing she has enough savings

expatinscotland · 05/09/2006 14:11

Well, of course, katie. I'm an expat myself .

You have to weigh up the pros and cons but again, it's NOT a life-long prison sentence.

No one forces a person to go or to stay.

The door is open to come back.

Original poster

oliveoil · 05/09/2006 14:13

I know I can come back, I have done before, but this time we will have 2 children to uproot.

For us it was just a case of booking a flight, no schools to think of etc

I have to go and do some work now...
x

OP posts:

katierocket · 05/09/2006 14:14

Oh Suzywong - we'd love her to do that and in fact tried to hatch a plot to that effect but she wasn't having any of it. She's going out mid nov for 4 months to stay with sis but swears she wouldn't move out there. So that's fine while she's ok to travel but what happens when she's not.

I Do so love melbourne though...

I know expat, I know..it's a constant conversation in my head at the moment!

katierocket · 05/09/2006 14:15

Kids would be fine OO - they're still very young.

My sister's best friend out there moved from UK with her parents, when she was 11. She had no problems.

expatinscotland · 05/09/2006 14:16

Make up a realistic list of pros and cons to help you decide, OO. That's really worth it.

You and your husband may find a particular pro or con carries a lot of weight or even swings it.

But it doesn't cost anything to give it some serious thought and go from there.

DaddyCool · 05/09/2006 14:19

Tinker - though i'm going back to canada, i would actually prefer oz but i can't convince DW.

DaddyCool · 05/09/2006 14:20

PS: a saw a woman the other day in the gym sniffing the seats of the exercise bikes. I think it was rhubarb.

suzywong · 05/09/2006 14:23

stop that now you two, this is a nice clean thread

Tinker · 05/09/2006 14:31

Sensible wife DC. Canada doable for travel, Australia toooo far. And always sunny, yeuch. At least you get a winter in Canada

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