Home Thoughts from Abroad

Everyone who migrates to Australia from the UK has a different story. People often say they made the move for 'lifestyle' reasons but, when you think about it, what does that really mean?  What makes life in one of these politically stable, affluent countries, with access to free healthcare, education and social security, better or more meaningful than another? 

We've just returned from a wonderful trip back to England, which caused me to reflect on this question. We really enjoyed spending time with family and old friends, travelling around the lovely countryside and visiting truly amazing museums and historical places.  Do I feel homesick? Not really, as we've made a new home here in Australia. But there are things about England, its people and culture that I miss. I also feel guilty about denying our children the opportunity to grow up with their cousins.

Our reasons for moving to Australia in 2007 are complex and individual.  After many years of hard work, my husband had completed advanced training as an emergency doctor and was ready to apply for his first consultant post in a UK hospital.  We'd spent our 20's and 30's studying, working, travelling and generally not thinking about the future.  With two very young children and without even a toehold on the property ladder, our most sensible option was to move close to my family in North West England.  In many ways, that would have been a good choice and was something we seriously considered... but I think we wanted one more adventure before finally entering the grown up world of mortgages and school runs.

We'd spent a working holiday in Melbourne ten years previously and had loved everything about it. The glorious feeling of independence; living among the birds and towering gum trees in Dandenong Ranges National Park; weekends spent bushwalking and camping in Wilsons Promontory National Park and other spectacular wilderness areas around Victoria; the Great Ocean Road;  metropolitan Melbourne's museums, cafes and independent cinemas. 

We couldn't have stayed at that time, as Australia wasn't recruiting doctors.  Fast forward ten years, however, the situation had changed. Health workers, along with plumbers and hairdressers, were in demand. We decided to move to Brisbane, where it was possible to live in a city but still work in an area of need.  After three years, a job opportunity arose to work alongside the brilliant emergency team at Gold Coast Hospital. The time had come for us to decide between making a life for ourselves in Australia and returning to the UK.

 

On reflection, our time in Brisbane had been quite difficult.  When you have young children, it's good to be surrounded by family and close friends.  Independence can start to feel like isolation and adventures - particularly those involving camping - can quickly turn into nightmares. If our families, particularly my parents, hadn't made the effort to visit us in Australia for extended periods, it probably would have been too hard to stay. 

Once you've decided to call a place home, however, I think your attitude towards it changes. We now live on a one acre bushland property in the Gold Coast Hinterland, where we enjoy the wildlife and subtropical climate. In our free time, we love spending time at the beach, walking in the rainforest and visiting the Museum and art galleries in Brisbane.  The children are happily settled into school and we've all made solid, lasting friendships. 

Making a new life in another country can be hard going, though, and we still spend a lot of time doing things on our own.  I think it's made our nuclear family very close but it does sometimes feel lonely.  Visits from family members and trips back to England are always significant events for our children; times to reconnect, have adventures together and, unfortunately, experience the pain of separation.

So, how do you decide whether Australia or England offers the better lifestyle? The answer is that it all depends on individual preferences and personal circumstances.  They're both wonderful countries - but so different.  If you have the choice, just make a decision and appreciate how incredibly lucky you are.