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

1 2 3 4 5 6 ··· 10 11

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

Living overseas

Ok lets widen the search all antipodeon mums living in the UK

263 replies

quokka · 09/02/2007 10:57

Lets have a new thread the other was getting a bit long!

All expats are welcome, I come from Perth WA and have been here for 8 years, married a pom and live in West London with my ds1 2yrs and ds2 1yr. No plans to move back to Oz but we are thinking of moving to Singapore for a couple of years. Well the weathers got to be better than here, and it will be further away from the inlaws

OP posts:

Report

sunshinefairy · 14/02/2007 14:59

im not advertising by the way I just found it and thought I'd ask I hope that is ok

quokka · 14/02/2007 15:02

Cori, I think it'll be great. Very close to my family in Perth and it would be for 2-3yrs so we'd rent this place out

Sunshine I'll check it out later, sounds good

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sunshinefairy · 14/02/2007 15:09

perth to singapore thats close, I really like singapore it is so clean

superloopy · 14/02/2007 15:20

Just inhaled the Cherry Ripe and a packet of Twisties....... have lovely orange fingers now!! Feel so happy.

Hey cori did you get married on the Australia Day long weekend too? It's great as long as you are in Oz you get a public holiday for your anniversary!!

quokka · 14/02/2007 15:33

I want some twisties!!!!!!

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cori · 14/02/2007 17:16

I woul could really do with some Twisties right now. THere is an Australia shop in Acton (or there was) might take a drive tomorrow.
Quokka, sounds like a good move, Exciting as well.
Thanks for that link sunshine fairy will check it out. I been doing a bit of research on the experience of aussie expats when they go home, and what its like for British immigrants etc I found this article from The Age, you guys might find interesting.

I thought the last line was quite pertinent.
here

quokka · 14/02/2007 17:33

Cori, that shops closed! Its was just down the rd from me

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sunshinefairy · 14/02/2007 18:30

Cori that article is so true, When I went home it was for good I only lasted a year. it was so hard... job wise, shop wise, friends wise. My first shop in australia: I was in coles for over 2 hours just could not find what I wanted.. I missed waitrose and m&s and ready meals and I could go on. Work wise because I had been out of the loop for 10 years my experience was not relevant. Just like the article. But I have to say I am now longing to go back, I have realised my priorities are not the same anymore food and clothes aren't that important and anyways there is always ebay.
Itruely believe it takes a minimum of 2 years to settle and feel like home and be comfortable.

KaybeeandZak · 14/02/2007 19:27

Wow Quokka, that's really exciting about Singapore

cori · 14/02/2007 19:46

Sunshinefairy, you lasted longer than me, We only stayed for 6 months before we came back. But that was before we had kids, and your right priorities change and I have only just realised that since DS 2 was born. The attraction of London has always been the variety of things to do and see and of course the proximity of europe. But hey I've been here a long time, and i think the sunshine is calling.
Have just been looking at the essenitalbaby website. Somebody was suggesting a meetup at Macca's, can you imagine we suggested that on here. We'd be lynched.

sunshinefairy · 14/02/2007 19:50

cori were not bogans now are we, claridges is more like it opps that;s just a dream maybe starbucks but yes definately not maccas.

Mellin · 14/02/2007 20:35

Interesting reading Cori, I know quite a few friends who have gone back and struggled to readjust (the grass is always greener....). Maybe it is due to the fact that you keep all the good memories of the homeland and not the bad and when you return after living overseas you actually have something to compare Aussie life to.

The only time in the last 6 years that I have thought about going back is since dd has arrived. But it's not Australia itself that I miss, it's family. I would like her to grow-up part of a big extended family and she won't have that over here. Oh and the odd trip to the beach would be nice too!

eidsvold · 14/02/2007 21:10

cori in looking at the report - insufficient data to make 'acceptable' judgements.

use the link I posted - aussie shop in covent garden delivers !!!

eidsvold · 14/02/2007 21:16

dh and I have had a fab time since we returned and our dd1 especially has come so far since leaving the UK - she has special needs and her needs were really not being met - so much of it was a struggle - and sure we have had struggles here but not like we had in the UK - no access to speech therapy for 2 years in the UK!!!

Our dd2 was born here and we can just see them blossoming. They both have dual citizenship as do I so we could return to the UK but tbh - would rather be here. Having said that I loved the 4 years I lived in the UK and of course met dh and dd1 whilst there so can't have been that bad. I just always knew I wanted to raise my kids in Australia - felt it was more laid back and offered more opportunities, quality of life was better for us - able to be a SAHM and had no sacrifice in our lifestyle - whereas to live where we wanted to in the uk - both of us would have had to work and the dds in nursery - made more and more difficult as dd1 got older and needed access to other services.

cinnamontam · 14/02/2007 22:44

I gotta be honest and say I can't wait to go home. I've found it hard to settle here and i really miss my friends and family. I miss the space and the coffee and Triple J and....must stop moaning. Sorry guys, Dh is away for work this week and I'm feeling a bit homesick and crap. It's been a dream pregnancy so far but every now and then the hormones get me

quokka · 15/02/2007 09:54

cinamon tam listen to JJJ here

We bought our own coffee machine, so we can make good coffee, and we live next to a big park for space. Seriously cinamontam, you go throught ups and downs here. You'll feel better when dh is back . As far as hormones go there is only one rememdy - chocolate !

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cinnamontam · 15/02/2007 10:10

I'm going through some serious chocolate.

I do listen to JJJ online as well whenever I remember. The time difference is a pain though isn't it.

Feeling better this morning and DH always brings me back little pressies so looking forward to that. I just won a Hugabub sling on E-bay from someone in South Australia so looking forward to that arriving soon.

cinnamontam · 15/02/2007 10:11

Thank you Quokka

quokka · 15/02/2007 10:13

you can listen to shows - they keep them online for a week .

Thats one good thing about them (dh) going away, I like the pressies too! I also find that my work load goes down, less cooking, cleaning, washing, ect. Its almost a holiday for me

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kiwinat · 15/02/2007 15:09

cinnamontam we get passionfruit in asda every week. they're in packs of 4, i don't look at the price, just buy and enjoy.

i'm from nz, originally hawkes bay, but also lived in thames, near pukekohe, invercargill and wellington. Have lived in Oz in Brisvegas, Gladstone and Newcastle. Then moved on to Bahrain, Montreal and Norway 100km south of Arctic Circle. Been in North-east, near Middlesbrough, for 16mths now. Married to a "Monkey Hanger" for 2years. Can't say it's the most interesting/beautiful/exciting place to be, but it's "home" for now.

Can't imagine moving back to NZ, feels a bit small, but would like Oz or Canada.

quokka · 15/02/2007 15:15

Hi kiwinat whats a monkey hanger? Sounds like you've been all over. We might be moving to Singapore soon - excited and nervous

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kiwinat · 15/02/2007 15:19

oh yeah, and expecting first child in June, a boy, and have a dsd, 7yo. Oops!

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kiwinat · 15/02/2007 15:22

Hi quokka,
A monkey hanger is from Hartlepool. Apparently way back in the day, a monkey was found washed up on the beach, and the locals thought it was a french spy, so hung it. Must have been all the hair . They've never lived it down.

It's exciting moving somewhere new, I hope you enjoy it.

quokka · 16/02/2007 08:58

Should I have known that? People from Perth are called sandgropers - not sure if that is still the case, but I seem to remember they sold them as little soft toys when there was an appealathon on. Looked like a cross between a caterpiller and teddy bear????

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Astrophe · 16/02/2007 13:05

T'was an interesting article. Must confess I am keen to get home too...but then Derby is hardly London is it?!

That said, there are lots of good things here - the Peaks are wonderful, and we have made some good friends, and there is no traffic here, and DH gets home at 5.15pm...Its just not home though, and theres no space, and all the houses are the same.... In know I will miss Derby though, and it will be harder to re-adjust to Sydney than it was to adjust to being here I expect. And no matter where I go now, there will always be people on the otherside of the world who I love and miss

What are othr people's experiences of getting to know English people? As I said, we've made some great friends, but on the whole we've found it harder to form deep relationships with people. The people in Derby are really friendly and kind, but just not open in the same way many antipodeans are, we've found. It gets me down sometimes. Maybe its just a matter of time, but I seemed to 'click' with popele much more quickly in Aust than here. Anyone else?

Flip

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