Moving to Australia is now looking unlikely. Help me look on the bright side?

[Heatherbell1978]

It’s now looking highly unlikely that DH will get invited to apply for a visa (Skilled 189) before he turns 40, at which point he doesn’t have enough points and we’re out of the game. There aren’t any other visas we could apply for. In hindsight we left it too late to apply but we stupidly wanted to wait until DD was born incase we got an invite too soon and before we were ready to leave. DD is now 7 months and DS is 3. We assumed we’d migrate next year. Our plan was Perth where we have friends and we’ve visited a few times.
In one way we’re slightly relieved as there are numerous reasons to stay here (we have quite a comfortable life) but we’ve been daydreaming about this for 5 years and always said we’d go after we got married and kids were born in the UK. Now we have to prepare not to go and especially coming into winter in Scotland it’s going to play on my mind when the days are cold and dark.

I guess I’m just looking for some light hearted banter on why this is a good thing that we probably can’t go?!

I should add that we’ve been in the queue for a year now with 65 points and they’re only really processing people with 70+ points in DHs profession...and we’re on a ticking clock until his 40th...

The racism and homophobia should be enough. But on a ridiculously superficial note, the weather is so aging and damaging, have you ever met an Australian with good skin? they always look so wrinkly, sun-damaged and ancient

The internet is slower!

(And spiders and snakes and whatever)

Ffs this thread.

Reppin that is just a fucking arsehole comment.

Reppin that is fucking nasty.

You are more bothered by being told you have bad skin than that you are racist and homophobic?

No rappen I’m angry at my country for letting down it’s people so badly. I’m angry that jingoism has become so popular, I’m svared for my kids for the hate they will face.

But I’m not personally attacking how people look based on thier politicsirs bullshit and mean

And I love the lines on the faces of rural and regional woman in Australia. The faces of those woman have provided me with friendship, support, guidance, those faces have fought for maternity rights and equal pay, they’ve sandbagged flood plains and fought fires. May I grow old enough to have the wrinkles too

No Reppin if you'd read the thread you'd see I called out other posters on their bullshit racist comments.

But your comment was nasty and would be like me saying lots of Brits don't like Australia because their fat and unfit and our outdoor lifestyle doesn't suit their slothy one.

See? Anyone can do arsehole comments just most people don't.

I am not quite sure what your last sentence says but you are right, I should not have been so rude or flippant. OP, the racism, sexism and homophobia is enough to make you thankful you don't have to live there.

I have family on both sides, and there are members on both sides desperate to live in the other country!

Australia has many, many wonderful aspects, but it is kind of isolated from the world stage in many ways. Everything tends to be a long way from everything else and most places are very car dependent. You don't get the wonderful old buildings that you get here. The cost of living is high and the education system is not fantastic and seems to be getting weaker all the time. Typically, parents who use private schools in Oz find that their kids' attainment level is below that of the average state school in the UK, from what I have heard.

I am a "lifer" expat in a country a long way from the UK and it is a hard way to live in many ways.

I know a few families that have moved over there and moved back- one there nearly 10 years they just didn't like it tried to make it work but it just wasnt when they did come home struggled to get back on property ladder to have a similar standard home.
Others that have stayed it has caused resentment from them towards their families as family not able to visit as much as promised etc lots of falling out such a shame as they were very close knit beforehand.
Another one who went last year have said theyve been able to make friends and have a decent social life but relying on DH for staying in with kids and him viseversa so made friends for themselves but not couple friends iyswim.

Reppin You mean the same sort of racism that the Brits propagated when they came to Australia and pursued a program of extermination, sterilisation and the forced removal of children? You know, those programs which were developed on the belief that the Indigenous peoples were an inferior race and destined to die out so we might as well speed up the process

That wasn't that long ago, and something tells me that not all Brits have evolved beyond their racist inclinations. But by all means, carry on suggesting that the UK doesn't have similar problems to Australia.

I am not sure what you are saying superbeagle? Are you an indigenous Australian?

I am not sure what you are saying superbeagle? Are you an indigenous Australian?

Does it make a difference one way or the other? Are you denying that the Brits did all of those things when they came here?

She's saying that the British who colonised Australia were the worst racists ever and people like you conveniently forget who introduced racism to Australia

From the other side, I have family who moved out there and I miss them so much. Skype and FaceTime aren’t the same and time difference can make phone calls tricky. My children have a cousin they’ve only met once (their other cousins are their best friends). Flights are expensive and tiring- it is so, so far to move if you still have close family in the U.K.

I’m so happy they have this great lifestyle there and are on an amazing adventure, but selfishly I wish they still lived here.

She's saying that the British who colonised Australia were the worst racists ever and people like you conveniently forget who introduced racism to Australia

Not at all. I'm saying that it's absurd to suggest that racism is "worse" in Australia than it is in the UK considering the atrocities things that the Brits have done in the past.

Of course Australia has a problem with racism. All countries do.

Child care from birth to school age is immensely expensive and only partially reimbursed. Talking about 150-200$ / day in Sydney.
Cinema is expensive as well. All outings actually. We go to the opera only once per year and pay 1.000$ for the 4 of us (and the kids pay children rate).

OP< put it like this. Closing the Australian door just opened 20 doors for you in as many countries.

Now I want to apologise to all the Aussies. I have highlighted the tricky aspects of Australia to console the OP. Australia has many positive things. The landscape is breath taking in so many ways and I feel the safest I have ever been.... expect for the bloody snakes but the beautiful birds give me a warning whenever I have one in the garden.

Australia definitely has a bigger racism problem than the UK does now. It's pretty obvious once you have lived in both countries.

It's true I've only lived in Australia, and only visited the UK, but geez. The racism, transphobia and refugee hatred I've witnessed on this site... You can't suggest it's not something that's prolific in the UK.

And as others have indicated, the white Australian racism definitely originated from the invading Brits.

That is such a lovely post, ICJump.

Subtle (or not so subtle) rudeness about British people/culture.

I think I just heard the irony klaxon.

Oh absolutely the racism originated from the British, but that doesn't say much. It was a while ago and I suppose British culture has moved further forward with tolerance. My husband and children aren't white, they never experience racism in the UK. Not that it isn't still a general problem, I'm sure it is, but there is an everyday racism in Australia that shocked us and was quite grinding.

If you run out of wine at 10pm here, you can go out and buy more! Not so in Aus.

Huntsman spiders. I’m not sure if you’ve had one run at you... spiders should not move that fast.

Perth is ridiculously windy. The only thing that’s useful for is drying washing.

Food is stupid expensive out there.

Their chocolate is horrid and British chocolate is incredibly expensive.

Health care was a pain

Internet was very slow and expensive