Australia doesn’t feel like home - from the UK
Posted by OveratedLama@reddit | expats | View on Reddit | 19 comments
Moved to Australia on a working holiday visa from the UK around a year and a half ago with my girlfriend.
She’s got a great career and I’m a recent graduate. Australia is great but it’s just not feeling like home. The job market is shocking for my industry, makes the UK’s actually look good…
I can’t get anything other than casual retail work it’s near impossible to get anything I actually want. Meanwhile my partner has a great job which pays so much more than it would at home, she thinks it’s perfect here and I just don’t feel at home whatsoever.
I feel like we’re sold so much about Australia back home and it just isn’t true if you’re not an essential worker. Really don’t see myself lasting longer than the end of the year here. I miss everything about the UK but I know my partner would want to stay here…
I know if I was by myself I’d have left months ago
AcousticMayo@reddit
Can you not tell us what field you're in and what your partner is in? Could potentially give advice
Intrepid-Rabbit5666@reddit
It's because you're on that type of visa but later you'll get a better position with a skilled/ permanent visa. That's how it is for everyone! Your partner is lucky. What did she study vs what did you study? You know, it takes time to get settled and get that dream job! You'll get it only if you persevere!!! Do not give up!
Livid_Importance_453@reddit
I get why this feels overwhelming. Practical answer: keep the old account open until the destination setup is done, and use transfer tools as rails, not as long-term storage. There are a few tools out there for this — Borderpilot is one of the less messy ones if you want to compare options properly. Do that first, then worry about optimisation.
C_EvansSanJose@reddit
Enjoy man...why...chill just enjoy
SpaceBetweenNL@reddit
As someone who lives in Europe and who knows a lot about th UK, I would advise you to stay in Australia no matter what. Even if you end up poor or divorced, it's still better than modern Britain...
When people have to steal MEDICINES at pharmacies, when there are not enough nurses, and when crime is on the rise, the country is not doing well.
Zealousideal_Rub6758@reddit
Australia and NZ are almost fetishised in the UK. Houses cost more and job wise it's really only true for certain industries. Public sector (healthcare, teachers, police) and trades pay more. Private sector (finance, tech) pay the same or less.
prancing_moose@reddit
I moved to New Zealand many years ago. I have the beach at the end of my street and beautiful hills to walk in at the other end of my property. And I commute to work by ferry. I’d hardly call that a dull prospect.
But that doesn’t mean it’s paradise down here. Life is very expensive, traveling anywhere is expensive, our access to goods is much more limited (we don’t have 28 different flavours of peanut butter in the shops), housing is insanely expensive (and of shockingly bad quality). We don’t get huge amounts of major bands playing here or huge festivals. We don’t have major amusement parks either.
I wouldn’t be very call NZ dull though.
Zealousideal_Rub6758@reddit
I'm not saying it's bad at all. For some that would be idyllic, but to me Aus/NZ life sometimes feels like a nice safe book that I've already read. I want more dynamism sometimes.
syddyke@reddit
It's true about the living situation. You need to earn a massive wage (over 200k) to buy anywhere near the city, and most of the coastal areas with amenities have shot up in price also. It's just another rat race with more sun, hot weather and humidity.
pencilbride2B@reddit
Of course it doesn’t feel like home, it takes time for somewhere to feel like home. Consider going back to the uk. Australia isn’t some fantasy place, there are good and bad things just like anywhere else.
East-Fun455@reddit
Mad naive to go somewhere else for 5 min and be like this isn't home
GypsyGirlinGi@reddit
I'm from Australia, moved to Europe. So many people why why I'm here if I could be in Australia. I mean yes it's great in some aspects, but certainly not all. At this point, I prefer Europe.
Edi-Iz@reddit
That sounds really tough, especially when you and your partner are having such different experiences. It makes sense you’d feel stuck being somewhere that doesn’t feel like home and struggling with work is a lot at once. Honestly, I think it’s important to be open with her about how you’re feeling. These things don’t usually fix themselves, and your happiness matters too. Hopefully you can find some kind of middle ground together
water5785@reddit
What is your partner industry in?
SeanBourne@reddit
Enjoy your WHV, but just head back at the end of it.
It’s not just you - the opportunities here hit a ceiling pretty quickly as it’s a small market. I’m currently working on my own business, but if that fails and I have to go back to career land, I’m leaving Australia for either the UK or the US - either will have far greater growth roles in my kind of work.
Plenty_Suspect_3446@reddit
Perhaps consider doing FIFO work. Try to see your time in Aussie as an adventure. But there is no shame in going home when things don't work out. I'd say to plan in well in advance, set a timeline and have a plan in place for where you will live and what you will do when you return. How you will break into your chosen industry in the UK. The job market in the UK is awful right now. Don't just do it on whim. It also sounds like a break up is on the horizon. I don't say that to be cruel and don't mean it to be harsh. But it happens a lot when couples move. Hopefully you can handle that parting amicably and without inflicting cruelty on your gf.
Neverland__@reddit
Man no one wants to hire anyone on that working holiday visa with those restrictions
Just enjoy the sunshine and whatever else and go home for real life when you’re done
Dizzy-Abroad323@reddit
It’s significantly better if you have full working rights/ permanent residency. Sadly the WHV limits you greatly in that respect. It’s a great place to be having moved here six months ago from the UK.
RangaRevival@reddit
You should realistically end your relationship so that you don’t even have to put her in the position of choice. Life is way way better here than the uk for most,obviously that isn’t the case for you but it would be unfair on both of you to take away what each of you want.
My wife (gf at the time) could not get any work here in her career and actually ended up changing completely and was in low paying work for years,whilst I was essential and earning nearly triple to what I was back in the uk. But she looked at it as a lifestyle change rather than a career change and because I was earning a lot more she had freedom to do what she wanted and now is a nanny and will never go back k to her old career (graphic design) because she can work on her terms and has a lot more time to enjoy life. Maybe try look at it like that if you do want to try and stay to make it work with your gf. You don’t have to have an amazing paying career,just something that makes you happy and gives you a good work life balance.
If not,then don’t make her go back with you