Really can't decide whether to move to OZ

[Curlybrunette]

Hi all,
Dh and I have fancied going to Australia for years, we went there on our honeymoon on a sussing out mission but decided that leaving our jobs and selling the house etc. was too big a risk. Roll on a few years and we now have 2 sons and have got itchy feet about it again. We are planning a months visit this Xmas but am wondering whether to make it year's visit, or possibly longer.
I don't really know what I'm asking here, have any of you made a permanent move, or have you done it just for a year? Again we are wondering whether it is worth doing for just a year. I aren't against going for longer in theory but the actual thought of leaving my family for longer than that is a v scary one. Dh has family around Brisbane so we wouldn't be totally alone out there,
I don't know, I think whilst the boys are so young it i now or never really.
x

my DH won't take me to Oz as I wouldn't come back and I've never even been there!
I would go if I were you, but then I've probably got an idealised view of it and the only thing that puts me off is the thought that my dog might get eaten by cros, sharks or bitten by something else poisonous as he isn't the most sensible creature.

made the move 2 1/2 years ago without ever having stepped in the country with my Hubby who although English grew up here and our 4 ds.

It was tough and took me a long time to settle but Im happy now. The only thing that kept me here in that first tough 2 years was how great it was for the kids.

What did you find tough cjamoo. [may have to consider Oz in the future].

Well It wasnt homesickness in the usual sense, I fully expected to miss family and friends so was prepared for that. I was not prepared for how much I would miss London the sights sounds smells everything.

Also I found it difficult getting to know people here Im really not sure why? All made worse by the fact Hubby had a ready made social circle and then a full on breakdown that really did not help.

Happy to say Hes better now I have a wide circle of friends and am content. Where I am is not very multicultural and I do still miss that about London.

I think if we were planning to go for good it would be easier in a way but the fact in my head I want to go for a year makes me think is it worth giving up my job, not sure if we'd have to sell the house, give up ds1's school place. I am happy to do the social thing and make a real effort to meet people so don't mind about that, oh I just don't know!

Thanks for your responses

IMO I don't think it's worth going for a year. You need to give it a proper chance. The first few years are really hard and it takes a good few years to build some proper friendships etc. And I agree in that you need to do it while your DCs are young... Don't underestimate the culture shock - you may have been there but things you can put up with and might have found endearing on holiday can really grate on you if you are living there for good! I love Australia, lived there for a good 5 years. Intention was to come to UK for two years for the experience and settle down in Australia. Met DH here and the rest is history. I still think of my time back in Oz with fondness but not sure I could go back to live for good now... :) Good luck!

Thanks Angel, I hadn't really thought of anything other than getting there and immediately settling, think I was sugar coating the whole idea a bit!

I think our problem is that we wonder whether in 40 years we'll look back and think we've spent our whole lives living near our home town and have never experienced other cultures but if i'm honest I am very happy where we live so if it isn't broke why fix it???

it's much harder than it looks so think hard... depends on age of kids, the younger the better imho. you could always rent yr house out for the yr though