Can I ask a couple of very honest questions of those who have moved to Australia?

[woosam]

I hope nobody is offended by my post, Im being honest to get the best advice possible as this is such a huge decision.

DH has been offered an excellent job in Melbourne. We need to make a decision by next Friday (have had a while)and we'd be going in October.

After reading everything I possibly can on just about every expat forum, there's something that is still holding me back and I'm not sure what it is.

Everything I read seems to say what a better standard of living it is. How the kids love it and how it's so much more of a family outdoorsy life. I'm wondering if this is true across the board? I mean, we have 3 kids, 2 in indie school, the other to follow. Six figure income, nearly an acre garden with tree house etc, lots of hols each year including an adventure/outdoor type one each year. We try to expose them to as much as possible regardless of the weather (yes, Im sure they'd rather watch tv one weekend).

I guess what I'm trying to ask is, is it going to be a better standard of living for us? I can see it is if you're living on a concrete estate, both working long hours to pay for it and you have a good trade qualification which means you can have a lovely house outside the commuting belts of either Sydney or Melbourne.

But I worry that other than the weather, we won't see much of an improvement in our standard of living yet we'll have uprooted the older two out of school (very difficult to get into in the first place)away from their friends etc.

I'm sorry if this sounds rude or blunt or self-absorbed. It's just that we only have a few days left to make an enormous decision and I owe it to my kids to make it the right one. Thank you.

Oh and if you disagree with me and know something I don't please, please tell me as I want to be as informed as possible.

woosam I don't know where we'll be. Somewhere commutable to CBD that ha snice housing and good schools (have two primary school aged DS's). How long are you going to be staying for?

Anyway, I would love to hear of your experiences/advice once you've been there a while. If you want to email I'll post mine.

Two friends of mine have stated that they want to move back to England desperately.

Reason 1: loss of family/friends/support network

Reason 2: the Australians themselves

Let me explain Nr. 2: they both said independantly from one another that the Aussies they met abroad (expats in London, Paris, NY, Singapore, HK...) are a very different kettle of fish compared to those you find back home and that the majority of the country while being laid back was just bereft of culture as they know it from Europe and full of a beach bummer attitude and they didn't like it. Not trying to offend anyone but rather giving you a frank answer to your frank question.

I have been to Oz and liked it for a hols but could not live there. The long flight, the loss of European culture, the draught and intensity of the sun... No thanks.

Good luck with whatever decision you make!

Not such a helpful post Kitty.

Congratulations on your decision Woosam. Remember that even if it is bloody awful (which it won't be) you're only going to be here for a relatively short time.

Will you keep your house in the UK?

Personally I think you will have the best of all worlds - a long enough time here (in Oz) to really experience the place, but still with the feeling that you are eventually going home - so, hopefully avoiding too many of the homesickness problems.

Australia is a wonderful country - not perfect, but then where is? Fabulous to experience and explore. I think you'll all have an amazing time.

Congrats on your decision Woosam, you'll have a great time.

Do you know, I get so bored with the "lack of European culture" argument that gets dragged out again and again like everyone in Europe spends their days earnestly discussing existentialiam and their nights at art gallery openings. It is DIFFERENT, different is not bad. There is art, music, theatre, cinema, comedy, etc. etc. There are also dull people everywhere who haven't got the imagination to make the most of what's around them.

Woosam, I'm almost sorry I didn't find your thread earlier but no doubt you've found posts by me on previous threads anyway.

The biggest piece of advice I would give you is:
Keep your house in the UK. Rent it out - even if you decide to stay on in Oz after the 3 years, you can sell it then (or later still) but don't burn your bridges there.

You might not experience any improvement in lifestyle but it will be different - and you'll never have the "If only?" type regrets. Even if it's not for you, at least you've given it a go.

Good luck with it all!

I am really pleased that you made a decision. Even if you are out there for just a couple of years and then return, you will have had a really different and enjoyable experience.
Will hopefully see you at limoncello in sandringham next year.

Thank you everyone for all your POV. They really did help me make a decision.

Here's to October and our little family adventure!