I moved to Australia just under a year ago with my boyfriend. We met in England and had been together for six years before making the move. He’s originally from Australia and had always been clear that he wanted to return home one day. At the time, I was genuinely excited about the move. We’d visited Australia together a couple of years earlier so I could meet his family and friends properly and get a feel for where he grew up.

Since we arrived, he has settled straight back into life here. He’s surrounded by his friends and family again, has picked up new hobbies, and has a good job. He seems to have built a very full and vibrant life. What has been difficult for me is that some of the things we used to enjoy together in the UK, such as going out, listening to live music, and having spontaneous weekends away, no longer seem to interest him. These days, I’m lucky if he stays awake past 9pm on a Saturday night.

For me, the experience has been very different. Although I have been lucky enough to find a good job that I enjoy, I’ve really struggled to make friends and settle into life here. I miss almost everything about the UK – the scenery, my friends and family, the food, the shops, the pubs, the music, and the culture. I feel sad most days, and I find it difficult seeing my friends’ lives continuing back home through social media. I’ve become quite withdrawn because I feel like I have very little going on in my own life, and I’m embarrassed to admit to people back home that moving here may have been a mistake.

The truth is that I feel ready to come home. However, shortly after moving, I dislocated my jaw and was advised by orthodontists that I needed braces to correct issues with my bite, otherwise the dislocations were likely to continue. I started treatment two months ago, and it isn’t due to finish until October 2027.

As a result, I feel trapped. I don’t know how I’m going to cope with another year and a half of feeling this homesick, but I also don’t want to abandon treatment that could have a significant impact on my long-term health.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, whether it’s on coping with homesickness, navigating a relationship where one partner feels settled and the other doesn’t, or understanding what options I might have regarding my orthodontic treatment.