Expats in Oz - So what is it that you really miss about England

[pickupthismess]

We are really very seriously considering a move to Melbourne. I read a thread on the city with interest but I wondered what it is (other than family) that Australia really can't deliver that the UK can? I am trying to weigh our options up before we get too embedded in the visa process.

[bunnygirl80]

Just hijacking to say if any of you are in Sydney and fancy meeting up come and look at this thread

[VFemme]

Thanks for the Book Depository tip, ninedragons. The "watch people shop" section is great!

[pickupthismess]

Am a bit to hear that people work just as hard in Finance as they do here (which is very bloody hard).

I would hate to go half way across the world to find we are in just the same predicament, DH is just as stressed but with a lower salary and all our friends have been left behind. Am very very .

I really want to do something different and I have lived in Asia, Europe and Australia so am definitely not a little Englander but I will break my parents' hearts if I move to Oz and so have to be 110% sure of this move and now I'm only 70%.

Pleased to see there is a shop selling pickle though!

[savoycabbage]

Me too.

[brightongirldownunder]

I know savoy - I'm a regular customer of their online shop now!! Just miss walking into the store..

[savoycabbage]

Topshop deliver for seven pounds.

[brightongirldownunder]

Oh and I always support my local butcher...he's gorgeous!
(I don't eat meat but always leave with a large bag of sausages).

[brightongirldownunder]

Childrens books are ridiculously priced over here. I'm working with an australian publisher at the moment. Even though some amazing books are being produced over here they are way more expensive than in the UK. I buy nearly all DD's books on amazon, or get them from charity shops. I'd love to support local shops, but the markup is crazy. Sad for the industry as Aussie childrens book publishers are up there with the UK and US now in my opinion....



I miss Topshop and H & M. The clothes over here are either far too expensive or badly made, though Rozelle markets have some excellent second hand stalls.

[newtouk]

Most Aussies are aware of "food miles" ie how far food had travelled from the country of orgin and most supermarkets and all fruit/veges shops only sell produce in the correct season. So unlike the UK you cannot get strawberries year round.

I was quite shocked to find strawberries year round and from all over the world. Ausssies are very loyal and always try to buy Australian produced.

Anyway life is not all about shopping for clothes and food. If you are an expat (which I am in the UK) I always think once you have moved to another country you can always return home, at least you know then what you love about your country.

[bloss]

Message withdrawn

[savoycabbage]

We have got rid of our Foxtel and have bought an apple tv now. We can download programmes from America and from the UK - and no adverts! You pay for each programme or series that you download from the apple store but for us it is working out cheaper than foxtel.

[sunnydelight]

Oh yes, book depositry is fab!

Whereabouts are you Rhubarb? I don't mean to be rude, but I'm totally puzzled by some of the info on Sydney - must be a different city to the one I'm living in! You might be better off doing links to domain or realestate to give a more accurate idea of property prices. I was also ROFL at hearing that Sydney has mild Winters - I really wish someone had told me just how cold I would be here in Winter before I left my Winter woolies behind. So many houses here have no insulation and very little heating the reality is that most expats I know here freeze their bums off in July and August.

[ninedragons]

Book Depository is cheaper than Amazon, delivery is free and books generally arrive within a week.

Distance actually has nothing to do with the obscene price of books - the publishers act as a cartel, and the government has considered intervening but has decided against it. The publishers all say that the high prices enable them to nurture new Australian talent. This seems to me absolute bollocks, so I buy the same books online and have them flown from the UK, often for less than half Australian RRP.

I haven't set foot inside Dymock's since I found Book Depository - it's FANTASTIC.

I've been wondering where you were, brighty!

[Gmarksthespot]

they might have some stuff you miss

[ben5]

Perth is a fab city. we live about 50km south near Rockingham. living in Western Australia is very laid back and very family freindly. we are also alot closer to places like Bali and Singapore. the beaches are great and generally very clean. We like the fact that the car parks are generally free and theres lots of spaces!!!
It's also full of people from the UK here. haven't meet many people who have parents who were born in Oz!! Perth is very much cut of from the rest of Australia and people who live on the East coast don't even know theres a west coast. find this very much like the UK though, when we were living in Plymouth. The west country for most people was Bristol!!!!
Coles and Woolworths aren't to bad you just have to look for offers and buy meat from the delhi. We have a Spud Shed here which is great and fruit,veg and meat is alot cheaper than Coles or Woolies. Clothes are more expensive so thats what i miss about UK.
I also miss UK news. BBC world service and Sky news are ok but nothing like the BBC in the morning to have your breakfast with.( Also being on West coast everything is recorded from east coast so it's 3 hours behind!!! evening news is however from perth!)
Skype is great and we can keep in touch with family.
Weather is very hot at the moment and we've not had much rain(whats rain??!) all summer. we have just headed for pools $12 for the family for all day at the outdoor pool. very safe for young kids.
would i go back to the uk. NO. far to busy. i love the laid back way of life and spending time with family and friends

[thumbwitch]

What Claudia said. There's no point painting the roseate picture - that's what everyone in the UK seems to have anyway - the OP was asking about the "downsides", if you like, which is why we've stated them.

[ClaudiaSchiffer]

FFS G, the thread is asking what we miss about the UK.

Now I could go on ad nauseam about what I like about being here, but that doesn't seem to be what the op was asking.

I like it here actually but it's not 100% great, and it's worth coming out here knowing that some things are fabulous and other things aren't.

[Gmarksthespot]

I find this thread depressing.

You didn't really move halfway around the world to find "little Britain" did you?

I assume the move to Australia was for an improved life for yourself and your dc which would be a lower population/crime rates/better school choices and the weather.

I can understand missing aspects of "home" like favourite supermarkets and television programs etc but the general consensus on this thread seems to be that you want everything UK brought over here. I don't get it???

I live in a suburb of Brisbane where a majority of UK immigrants choose to settle. I have some lovely friends who miss aspects of the UK but love their new life here. The one who didn't moved back after two years and is happier than ever in the UK.

As soon as you stop comparing Australia to the UK you might not feel so disappointed. You have chosen to live in a new country. It means change.

I do agree with you about M&S. Only the food though as I thought the clothes were expensive and crap.

The quality of most food in the Uk was superior to Australia. Except fruit.

I don't agree with alcohol in supermarkets. Access does not need to be made easier for people to consume even more of the stuff.

The huge distance to Australia and within the country is a contributing factor to the expense of items such as books.

fwiw I am desperate to move to the UK but dh refuses.

[thumbwitch]

Rhubarb I have looked at your website now and take issue with some of the points on the Sydney page:
1)It is not the capital of Australia, it is the capital of NSW. Canberra is the capital of Australia
2) peak temperature of 25.8 deg? are you having a larf? More like 35.8. DH says it gets colder than 8 deg in winter as well but maybe it just feels it. Winter here can still be pretty cold in NSW - we do even occasionally get frost, although admittedly not in Sydney itself.

Overall the main pages that I read seem to read to me like rehashed tourist brochures. Has a lot of in-depth research gone into it? Because it doesn't appear that way to me, it just seems to be trotting out the same old stuff on the top pages, some of which isn't really true (e.g. cost of living being lower in Australia)

Sorry if that sounds harsh but you did ask for feedback!

[newtouk]

My husband thinks the work culture in Banking and Finance is about the same in Europe/UK/Australia. If you work work work hard put in the long stupid hours you might get promoted, have a great wage and enjoy your weekends.

In Australia most professionals in the Business/Banking world who I know (35-45) who earn a good wage do work very long hours and rarely work 9-5, In Sydney its a very competitive workforce (Influenced by Asian culture) and a real dog-eat-dog attitiude.

You can work 9-5 but you will be overlooked for new roles and if your happy just doing the hours, getting an OK wage then no one will complain.

I think the sterotype of an Australian who surfs before work and leaves the office at 3pm is only a fantasy, unless they want to earn 45k a year !!!.

When we went to Sydney at Christmas we were very surprised at the cost of everything, although we live in Wimbledon so this is not exactly cheap here too.

[pickupthismess]

Can't believe how little some thing shave improved since 1984 when I lived in Oz (Perth though )

DH is just as against Sydney as he would be to London - doesn't like cities and crowds. He has never even stepped foot in Australia. He will be pleased to hear you can watch the Premiership though.

I am surprised to hear it is expensive in Oz, I thought it was cheap so that has opened my eyes especially in the light of low(er) wages.

Is it really true that the culture is not work work work like it is in business here or is that a stereotype?

[TheYearOfTheCat]

I am putting this thread on watch. I visited Melbourne for about 4 months, 10 years ago. I adored it (although I found the heat, mossies and crap TV hard to cope with).

My best memories:
Cycling for miles and miles through connected green spaces.
Buying ridiculously cheap fruit at Victoria market.
Going to the outdoor cinema at the botanic gardens
Drinking (far too much) sparkling red wine. Yum
Going to see really off the wall comedy acts at the local pub
No-one once asking what I do for a living - everyone was focussed on enjoying their time off.
Really friendly people.

I'd love to go back, and would seriously consider moving there.

My DH says that the 2 economies which are going to do well over the next 10 years are Australia & Canada (and he really knows what he's talking about)

[esselle]

School fees for my DD are $250/year which includes books/pencils etc.

Plus we spent about $250 on uniform, school bag and other bits.

The government then gave us a $300 grant towards the costs as she was starting in prep. Everyone gets this.

[brightongirldownunder]

Ninedragons - youhoo! I'm going to text you...

I bought Boursin from the Balmain Woolies, not that long ago....or at least I think I did

[thumbwitch]

oh yes, esselle - I'd forgotten about the books, which is mad because I've just ordered 2 on amazon.co.uk?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21 to be delivered to my Dad who will then post them on to me - costs about half what it would to buy them here

I was talking to DH today about the comparative cost of living between here and the UK - and we came to the conclusion that the only things that are cheaper here are fuel and possibly houses, depending on where you want to live. (We're not into school fees yet but I'm sure they're cheaper here than the UK!) Everything else is more expensive here - are we right, though? Bearing in mind we've only been here 6m so have a limited view on it.

ninedragons - thanks again.