Lived in the UK as a child, thinking about moving back
Posted by greeny2709@reddit | expats | View on Reddit | 11 comments
So I was born and llived in Essex until I was 9 when my parents moved us to Sydney. I've been living in Japan for a couple of years now and I'm thinking about my next move.
I'm looking forward to going back to Sydney from Japan but also dreading the same old. Sydney just doesn't excite me at all. It's great if you like beaches but the nightlife is almost non-existent, public transport is rubbish, most people are focused on saving for the property market, and just generally nothing fun or interesting happens there. Not to mention if you want to travel there's nothing nearby.
Also, it might be a common thing for people who got uprooted while young but I've always been confused about my identity, whether I'm English or Australian. I somehow never lost my Essex accent and when I meet new people in Japan they're always surprised when I tell them I'm Australian so I've just started saying I'm British sometimes now. Even in Sydney people always assume I'm British until I tell them. Another thing I've realised is that when it comes to hanging with other expats, by far I click most with British people. Australians are nice too but I guess there's something about the British outlook on life and humour.
Anyways, enough about that. I'd be going solo as a 29 year old male British citizen. I used to work as a nurse so I'm sure I could find a job in a hospital as a receptionist as a starter. I'm wondering if people would recommend Essex or is it really that undesirable of a place to live? I'm interested in other suggestions for places. I'm open to just about any city in the UK that has friendly people/easy to make friends, has nightlife and a music scene, relatively safe, and is affordable on a single average income.
tl;dr moved from Essex to Sydney as a child, always felt identity confusion. Looking to move back as an adult and rediscover my roots. Is Essex a good place to be or should I look elsewhere
Schopenhauer-420@reddit
Just be aware that the UK is in a bit of a state at present. Also, the NHS is an absolute wreck at the moment which is also worth keeping in mind.
greeny2709@reddit (OP)
How do you mean? And NHS should be fine, not planning on having health problems any time soon
Schopenhauer-420@reddit
The UK has become a wreck recently due to a convergence of long-term structural issues and short-term political failures: austerity hollowed out public services, Brexit damaged the economy and international standing, and years of unstable, populist leadership have eroded trust in institutions. Combined with a housing crisis, inequality, and a stagnant economy, the country feels rudderless and exhausted and I don't see it improving any time soon.
PlatformSalty1065@reddit
Nobody really plans on having health problems 😅
Moist-Ninja-6338@reddit
I would go back and visit before deciding. Same thing happened to me. Except my parents moved us back and forth to the UK 4 times. Never did adapt the identity of the new country and missed the UK. However went back after 20 years and I was in shock. Not the same place and the weather….omg. I have since moved to Latin America and am much happier. I can relate to what you feel as my identity is hard to define.
greeny2709@reddit (OP)
Yeah the weather is one of the biggest things I see get brought up. Might be naive of me to say but I really don't think I'd be that fussed. Does my head in when people cancel plans because of a bit of rain whereas my attitude is just grab an umbrella and go lol
EnoughYesterday2340@reddit
I think the bigger thing that is an issue in the UK isn't that it rains. It's that there's very little sunlight at all in the winter, and very little warmth in the summer.
Definitely come visit in January or February and see how you feel.
johnniehuman@reddit
Have you got family still in Essex? I'm from there too and don't think I'd recommend anyone move here unless you had a great job in London. It's not as bad as everyone says as a place, but wages are still very poor and the NHS is very broken. I get leaving Aus, but think there are probably other places to start again in that are better than here.
greeny2709@reddit (OP)
Some family yeah. I'd probably just do my own thing mostly though. Is there anywhere you'd like to move to over Essex?
BionicBrainLab@reddit
Just go. Your worst case scenario is ending up back in Sydney. So explore the UK. There’s no reason not to if it’s what you want.
theveganalmond@reddit
I’ve lived in Essex, it’s fine just depends where. South and North are really different just depends if you want to be closer to London or more countryside in north. I got on fine in north Essex being commutable to London, living near a small city, countryside and sea. I just found it a bit boring at times coming from London, but I was also in a sleepy village. Apparently it’s the driest part of the UK! I’ve found British outlook on life too negative but I’m also not British so it tracks lol.