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Living overseas

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

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!

xx

OP posts:
suzywong · 05/09/2006 14:32

ahem
it was cloudy and windy for some of today

DaddyCool · 05/09/2006 14:33

yeah, and you can always go to melbourne if you don't like the constant sun.

wonderful wonderful city.

Sandcastles · 05/09/2006 14:35

peeing it down here at mo...

nailpolish · 05/09/2006 14:36

anyone watch kath and kim?

where is that? she wears a lot of jumpers and pyjamas, cant be too hot where that is filmed

cardy · 05/09/2006 14:37

A very interesting debate and something I often think about. I spent a year in Sydney (temporary posting with work) and have often thought about going back. I think the family thing is a biggie...I would find it almost impossible to leave my family.

My SIL and BIL lived in Oz and NZ for about 8 years and had two children while they were there but in the end they came back because of SIL's parents. Although they saw them every year one way or another, they knew as they got older this couldn't continue. The biggest things for them was their children not having any grandparents close by and how distraught everybody was when it was time to say goodbye.

I don't especailly like this country particulary the weather however I have been fortunate enough to work overseas a number of times and I have to say that it isn't until you are living and working overseas that you can see the positive aspects of the UK.

Having said that I would still like to experience a life overseas again.

I

Original poster
oliveoil · 05/09/2006 14:37
OP posts:
suzywong · 05/09/2006 14:38

but OO
a) you got one apostrophe right
b) you are northern

DaddyCool · 05/09/2006 14:46

kath and kim is melbourne.

Astrophe · 05/09/2006 15:01

go for it oliveo. we are here (uk) temporarily, and although we like it here, there is ABOLUTELY NO WAY we will stay forever. No way., the lifestyle in oz is just wonderful, especially for kids. I feel very sad for english children actually, especially in winter.

as for oz having 'no culture' well..! HUMPH! we moved from sydney to deby, and we think that england has no culture (well, we did see a wiggles concert...)...but i know london does. its capital cities vs living in the sticks i think.

DO IT. your kids will be forever grateful.

Astrophe · 05/09/2006 15:02

deby = derby

katierocket · 05/09/2006 15:04

Agree that Derby is not really a cultural hotbed! LOL

Ooooo, why you've put me all in a bother about it all again OO.

"Speach" makes you sound like you come from Texas

SydSnow · 05/09/2006 15:07

What makes you think it's always sunny? It gets cold (down to zero celcius in Sydney, colder in Melbourne, Tasmania etc), you would need jumpers and a coat it Winter unless you move up North. It snowed in Sydney a few weeks ago for goodness sake!
You think they ski in hot weather!?

lazycow · 05/09/2006 15:28

I think you should really think about what you want from the move. I now have several friends who have moved abroad

F1 - Moved to HK year ago when young and single -still there and happy

F2 - emigrated to OZ in hr late 20's, then moved to Singapore and now lives in NZ- very happy at the moment

F2 - Moved to U.S (California) with husband and kids (older kids 14, 12 and 10). Came home after 2 years as the kids absolutely hated it and were very unhappy.

F3 - moved to Oz with dh and baby - came home after 2 years as she missed her family too much and her dh missed his family and friends. They loved the experience but wanted to come home as it wasn't what they had expected.

F4 - Moved to NZ last year with dh and 4 young children. Her brother already lives there and her mother has now gone out too so all the family is there now. From her phone calls she seems fine but is missing her friends. That is to be expected though and I think she will be fine - the kids love it apparently.

I on the other hand spent 6 months living in Atlanta in the U.S and much as I enjoyed the experience you couldn't pay me enough to to live in the U.S permanently. I might consider Oz or NZ but am getting old for that now.

DaddyCool · 05/09/2006 15:28

and here's one.

Do you ever notice (and I am generalising here) that people in countries other than the UK don't have these big 'should i stay or should i go' discussions.

I mean, this is a big topic on mumsnet. you don't go a day without seeing it. there must be a reason for such itchy feet in the UK.

lazycow · 05/09/2006 15:29

oops can't count - should be 5 friends in total (is there some reason all my friends move abroad do you think ?? )

Astrophe · 05/09/2006 15:31

hmm, yes exactly daddycool...people in aust say 'shall i go to europe for a year?' but they always come back.

cardy · 05/09/2006 15:34

Why are there so many people from other countries living inthis country then? Can't be all bad.

Astrophe · 05/09/2006 15:35

no, its not all bad

DaddyCool · 05/09/2006 15:40

no. it's not all bad.

wages are big and juicy and it's quite an active country. i must admit, other countries can be a little dull but it all depends on what you're looking for. we didn't even consider going back before ds was born but of course, as you all know, things change after having children and we are different people now.

hannahsaunt · 05/09/2006 15:57

Haven't read the replies and we're just back from a year in Oz. As we keep telling people, we absolutely LOVED it but WOULD NOT emigrate for all the tea in China . It is seriously good - so many advantages but ... it is a long way from anywhere. It's not all perfect sun, sea and sand. Not enough time to analyse it all now but essentially we would love to go back, to go for longer (2-3 years) but never forever.

nailpolish · 05/09/2006 17:18

kinda, daddycool, although in edinburgh about half of all 20-somethings are from oz

1/3 of nurses are irish, another 1/3 are from oz

nailpolish · 05/09/2006 17:18

at a guess

lucycat · 05/09/2006 17:30

Perhaps it's the colonialist in us DC.

Britannia ruling the waves and all that! - or not anymore!

Rhubarb · 05/09/2006 20:24

So OO goes, spends a couple of years there, put her profit from the sale of the house into shares or one of those really high interest saving bond thingies, she has a great experience and if she decides to come back she has this wad of money that she can use as a deposit on a nice house that is NOT in Oldham!

I don't see how she can lose really!

GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO!

eidsvold · 05/09/2006 22:43

and you ar enot doing it because?!?!?

Dh moved here to Aus at 42, I was 36. Dd1 was almost 2 and I was 20 weeks pregnant with dd2.

A little difference - I was coming home but still.

DH walked away from a fabulous job, and our dd1 has sn - so we walked away from that support network hoping we would do better in Aus.

Dh got a fab job he loves - I am able to be a SAHM to our two kids - dd1 has mroe support and access to therapy than she did in the UK.

To see how far dd1 has come since being here and having access to regular therapy - makes a world of difference.

It is a little easier as I have family here - however we are all over the place and I do not have regular childcare etc.....

The lifestyle we have here is so much better than we could ever have in the UK.

I live on the East Coast - Brisbane...... and despite enjoying my time in the UK - no way would I bring my kids up there when I see what they can have here.
Parks, beach, rainforest, bush, healthy outdoors lifestyle - I did not bust out my heavy coat once this winter......in fact a few weeks ago whilst still winter it was 27 degrees.... sunny lovely.

We are able to do more as a family on l;ess income than we were able to do in the UK.

THe only downside is dh's family - I miss them and know they miss us - the girls are their only grandchildren - they have never met dd2. And dh's father was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer - BUT we always agreed that if needed - dh would go back at any 'emergency' and so he flew back to spend time with his father and will go back for the funeral.

His parents whilst missing us and the girl's dreadfully can see that this is the best for us.

I think you have to look at what is keeping you in the UK and what can you have in Aus - and where do you think your children would have the best opportunities and quality of life - as well as you and dh.