Trial in UK: The Search for "Feeling Settled"

[Alexandra]

After 10 years in Sydney, buying a house, completing training in work and having two small children, we are now moving back to the UK for 6 months as a trial. My husband has long service leave and so will not lose his job here. We will rent our house out so again another vital piece in our life secure. 

I'm excited about "going home" and feel better now that a new job and UK rental house secured (we're actually using Air BnB to keep things as hassle free for 6 months). The problem now is that I'm not sure the UK is now "home." My first 8 years in Oz were spent pining for England, more so after children. Whilst I yearn for my family, and the regular contact for the kids, over the past 2 years I have really started to settle in Oz. We have opportunities here that excite me, and I can really see a future for us as a family. I feel Australia is such a great place to bring up kids, and I'm just not sure the UK can compete any more.

Any word of advice from people who have moved back to the UK and stayed? Or conversely settled in Australia?

Thanks.

[Quoll]

Never think you can go back to what you had before - always view a move as a move forwards because the hole that you will have left in the lives of others will have been healed over, often with scar tissue.  Personally I have infinitely more opportunities for doing what I enjoy here in UK but everyone is different and what floats my boat may well not float anyone else's.

Looking at what my grandson enjoys here in UK, there isnt that much difference with what my Aussie granddaughters have except the grandson has more holidays away/overseas, a more rigorous education experience and access to a wider range of experiences (historical, cultural, social).  Some of that may well be because my UK son has a great career and my Aussie son doesnt (his choice).  Both are first world countries offering kids amazing opportunities. 

[ali]

I agree with Quoll - don't think of it as going back but going forward or a 6 month adventure.  When I moved town in the UK, I used to go back regularly to see friends/colleagues for nights out .. after a while, I realised that I wasn't part of the everyday things they were talking about and that we'd all moved on.