I know I’ve mentioned once or twice on this blog about the fact that I’d quite like to emigrate to Australia. But I’ve never explained why.
That’s what I’m here to do today.
2009
I don’t know about you, but I’ve seen quite a few posts about emigrating after the whole Brexit debacle, and whilst I’ve facetiously joked that that was the final straw for me, this is something I’ve been thinking about for quite some time.
2006
It’s also not a decision I take lightly. Emigrating is a huge deal, I don’t need to tell anyone that. I’m worried about how much I’ll miss my family, and that I can’t just pop back and see them if anything happens; ditto my friends. There’s the small matter of visas being harder to get hold of than golden hen’s teeth. I have no idea how our finances would translate to the Australian economy or if we could even stay afloat. I would have to literally bathe in suncream for 11.5 months out of the year to avoid getting riddled with skin cancer, and have you seen how bad the traffic in Sydney gets?
So why do I want to go?
I’m healthier in Australia
Australia is definitely ahead of the UK in being able to cater for gluten free diets, although I have to say we’re definitely catching up. Good work, UK gluten free industry. Anyway, I find the focus on healthy living in Australia very conducive to me actually making my health and fitness more of a priority.
2015
I’ve had some amazing gluten free meals in Australia, for example this restaurant which we stumbled upon completely by accident.
And when you live close enough to this to take a walk or a swim after work, and the weather is actually nice enough to allow you to do that, why wouldn’t you?
2014
The beautiful scenery just makes me want to get up out and in it, all the time. Which is not the case in rainy grey England.
2015
I have family in Australia
I don’t just have my family here in the UK to think about, because I have a sister, brother-in-law, niece and nephew in Sydney as well.
2009
Obviously no branch of the family is more important than the rest, but it’s not as simple for me as family here / no family there.
2015
The memories
I first visited Australia when I was 10, as my uncle had moved there with his work. I spent a glorious fortnight building sandcastles with my cousins, came home and I didn’t think too much more about it. I was 10, after all. I just dug up a photo of me from that trip plus obligatory koala, but I’m not posting it here as it’s definitely not something I want immortalised on the internet. So follow me on Snapchat for that delight – the link’s in the sidebar.
2008
After my sister moved out there when I was about 18, my family and I tried to go out and see her every couple of years, including for her wedding which was one of my favourite days ever.
Then there’s the fact that S and I got engaged in the Sydney Botanic Gardens, another one of my favourite days ever.
2009
We spent 7 weeks there altogether, which I’ve written a little bit about here, but I think we both lost our hearts to the place on that trip.
2009
2015
I can’t really sum up all the happy memories I’ve made in Australia, there are too many and this post is long enough as it is already.
There are career opportunities
In my particular field of work, Australia is lagging behind the UK by about a decade. This is according to an ex-colleague who is now working in Brisbane, and says the opportunities are plentiful. Now, if only that would somehow translate into a visa… But like I said, golden hen’s teeth.
2009
I want a new adventure
So I have this problem: itchy feet. I love to travel and experience new places, but I’m not the kind of person to quit my job and travel the world. So I think that to emigrate to Australia would satisfy my wanderlust at just my speed.
2009
Not just living in a new culture – because Australian culture is actually quite different than English – but all the new travel opportunities that moving would afford. Not just the rest of Australia – Kakadu National Park? Lord Howe Island? The Nullarbor Plain? Tassie?
2009
But also those places relatively nearby, like New Zealand, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea (anywhere with a new in it, basically), Vanuatu, Fiji, French Polynesia…?
I’m happier in Australia
This is the coup de grâce. All those other reasons yeah, they’re all well and good. But this one is what really does it for me.
2012
I want to move to Australia because I am my best self there.
2009
What more can I say than that?
-Rachel
Note: some photos were taken by S. I can’t remember exactly which ones as my memory gets a bit hazy before, oh, yesterday; but assume all the best ones are his.
Linking up with Emma, Angie, Jessi and Polly.
![If we went for coffee… [March ’18]](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAlgAAAGQAQMAAABI+4zbAAAAA1BMVEUAAACnej3aAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAADRJREFUeNrtwQENAAAAwiD7p7bHBwwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgKQDdsAAAWZeCiIAAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
Some great reasons, especially the ones about your happiness level and health, to move to another country and it looks like you have already made up your mind. Best wishes, Rachel, for your move to Australia, the place that feels most like home to you.
Sometimes I wonder if I’m just being ridiculous but then I remember these reasons and I remember why I want to go. I think it’s important to pursue the things that matter. Thanks for your kind words Ahila! Watch this space…!
I can relate to this so much! My aunty and uncle live in Perth in Australia, and I’ve been visiting every year, sometimes twice a year since I was 7 years old. My family and I moved out there for 2 years when I was 16, and I honestly believe I’m my best self out there. I was healthier, happier, more active, and just led a much better lifestyle. I love London, but was heartbroken to move back to London for Uni, and continued to spend all the uni holidays out in Aus. I’m moving back in September for a year on a working holiday visa (fingers crossed I get sponsorship for a 457 – eek), and am DESPERATE to tell everyone, but only my family and close friends know at the moment haha! Gotta tell a few more people in real life before I can announce it on my blog etc :/
C x
Oh amazing! It sounds like we have so much in common! I totally empathise about being stuck in one place when you really want to be somewhere else. That’s so exciting that you’re taking matters into your own hands with the working holiday visa, I’ve got everything crossed that you manage to get sponsorship for it!
Good luck with all your preparations and telling your family. I’ll be following along to see how you go!
Loved reading this as it gives insight into what makes you, well, YOU! 🙂 Do what makes you happy! But yes, I’ve heard it’s so hard getting the right paperwork to move there. Fingers are crossed, thumbs are pressed for you!
Ahh thanks Katrina! Loving the German thumb pressing, I’ll need all the international luck I can muster to get this thing off the ground! Toi toi toi!
I think that the biggest thing that would stop me from moving somewhere half way around the world would definitely be not being near to my family. I would miss them so much, but it would definitely help out the wanderlust situation to move somewhere new! You have so many wonderful reasons that you want to move to Australia, and I’m sure that it would help you missing your family since you already have a sister that lives there! Are y’all looking into it more seriously than you have before or still just kind of toying with the idea?
Yes, it’s definitely the only thing that has stopped us from pursuing this any sooner. That and paperwork (!) – but if we didn’t have family here to miss then we’d have found a way around the paperwork a long time ago. I do have lots of reasons to go, but there are plenty of reasons to stay too and not all reasons are created equal, you know? We’re working through some things, but I’m being sheepy about it because I don’t want to jinx it!
Sounds like you’ve made an excellent case for pursuing a move! It definitely is a big deal, but it seems as though a piece of your heart is there. Big challenge! Big decision! I’ve always wanted to visit Australia. It’s on the list, but kind of at the bottom ONLY because of the huge time difference, how long it takes to travel there, and expense.
If I were a lawyer I think I’d have nailed it, ha! It’s a huge deal but it would totally be reversible if it turned out to be the worst decision ever. I hope you do manage to visit one day, as obviously I’m quite fond of the place. It is a long way from the US though, and mighty expensive especially when their dollar is strong. But if you make it out there that means you’ll have visited everywhere else on your list, which would be amazing, so I really hope it happens!
I hope that you get to make this happen – it seems like you really are healthier, happier, and your best self there. Plus you have some family! It sounds like it would be an incredible experience if you can make it happen.
When you started talking about how nice the weather is, how much healthier you feel, and how nice it is to walk around everywhere with good weather all the time, I instantly stated thinking about Hawaii. I lived there for 2 years with my husband who is in the US military and we are heading back for another 3-year stint, for many of those same reasons. We don’t have any family there which is the downside but everyone loves to visit Hawaii so it works out okay.
Can’t wait to see where life takes you!
Yes! I remember visiting your post about moving back to Hawaii and thinking it sounded rather familiar. I’d love to visit Hawaii one day, it sounds like it would be pretty similar to my experience of Australia! I’m so glad your husband’s career is taking you the places you want to go, and I’m looking forward to following your journey too 🙂
You have some gorgeous photos here and it sounds as though you have amazing memories to go with them. It’s a shame about your field of work being so far behind though as that would make it difficult.
I’m intrigued, what do you do?
Polly xx
I do! I have a whole bank of lovely memories that I can call on when life gets a bit much. I’m very lucky in that regard! I don’t tend to post about my work publicly because it’s a pretty small field and I like to keep this blog separate from my work, but I’ll send you an email because I’m super curious about people’s jobs too!
A really interesting read! And, so really good reasons too 🙂 The weather is a huge one for me as it adds so much to wellbeing. Totally agree that it’s a huge decision but of course, it wouldn’t have to be forever, which I think can make a decision less daunting. What does S think about Australia as a move?
Glad I’m not the only one whose overly motivated by weather! It sounds so pathetic but it genuinely makes a big difference for me. Definitely with you on the not-forever, if we do go it’ll be for a trial period and not forever. S is keen but terrified. To him, it’s either Australia or here, I don’t think he’d want to go anywhere else.
I totally get wanting a new adventure, and Australia would be an amazing place to live 🙂
That’s what I think! And if it all goes totally wrong, well then it was still an adventure. Just not a fun one, ha!
We are getting set to move to Australia next year having secured visas! Excited! Hope you are able to follow your dream!
Oh wow, how exciting! I’ll definitely be following along with your transition. Congrats on getting those elusive visas, that’s no mean feat. I hope I’m able to do the same!
As an Aussie, a lot of these reasons resonated with me, particularly making the most of the weather. But in saying that, I am also applying to return to Canada on a working holiday visa, because I felt the same in Vancouver – I was my happiest there, and I want that feeling back. Best of luck!
Oh Vancouver is beautiful, and I only visited briefly when I was a moody teenager. To me it felt fairly similar to Sydney – focus on healthy living, waterside, outdoorsy culture. I think Vancouver’s a bit more friendly, maybe? I don’t know, I really hope you get your visa though. Lots of luck back!
Move to Brissy! My sister who went to uni in the UK mentioned pretty much all of these things when she visited and is still trying to figure out how to move here. Another plus- better work/life balance!
Yes totally agree on the better work/life balance! I actually visited Brisbane when I came over last November, and met a lovely blogger called Mica. Anyway, she was very welcoming and totally won me over to the place – sounds like you and I should have met for a coffee, too! I have to say the one thing I found tough in Brissy was the heat. It didn’t help that I came straight from the deep dark depths of English winter, but I found the heat tough. I don’t know how you do it! And good luck to your sister, I really hope she makes it.
So we have something other than needing to eat gluten free in common; I also got engaged in Sydney, on the steps of the Sydney Opera House which had been the location of Mr D & I’s first date!
I totally agree with you about feeling so much healthier and happier in Australia. We went through the whole visa process, got a work anywhere/live anywhere in Oz visas, activated the permanent residency…..but in the end never made the move. Lots of reasons why but distance from family big factor. I think it’s an amazing place to live and that’s fantastic there are job opportunities for you. I really like Brisbane, I think it has a great atmosphere. Look forward to following this exciting step!
No way! That’s so cool! We have all the most important things in common 🙂 You must be really looking forward to your trip later in the year, have your kids ever been?
That’s huge that you went through the whole thing and then decided not to. I totally get the family thing. If we didn’t have any family there it would be much tougher of a proposition. The gluten free food though! Oh and I meant to ask, have you come across the Imperial Gluten Free Bakery in Sydney before? It’s fairly out of the way but so worth the trip for their cookies alone. Let me know if you want more details…
http://www.glutenfreeimperialbakery.com.au/
Loved this – fascinating insight 🙂 It sounds like there are a lot of very big, good, exciting reasons to go! Thanks for joining the Linkup!
Thanks for hosting! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂 there are all sorts of reasons, just got to nail down those practicalities now…
Definately some great reasons to just do it! I’ve always thought I will live in a Australia at some point and that it was just a matter of choosing a city.
Amazing! I’ll see you out there one day 🙂 There are so many great places to choose from, you’re really spoilt for choice on that one. My family are in Sydney, so that’s where I’d go. That said, I’ve never been to Melbourne which people rave about so…
Australia seems like the ideal place for you. It’s such a beautiful country. I know things like leaving your family behind is hard, but you soon get used to it. After all, you have family there too! I think you should try it, just to fulfil the burning desire to go, even if it is for a year.
Aftab
Fresh And Fearless
Thanks Aftab! It is gorgeous, isn’t it? I think you’re right, it’s definitely worth giving a go even for a short while. It would be far worse to never know what could have been than to go, have a terrible time, and come home again. Which hopefully won’t happen, but you never know! Homesickness is a tricky beast. Anyway, thanks for your encouraging words 🙂
great reasons!it makes you happy, then do it!:)
I agree! I’m generally more of a weigh up the options kinda gal, but I think with some things you just have to go with your gut. In my case, my coeliac gut says go where the good gluten free food is!
be the best you that you can be – sounds like Australia might be that!!
I think it might just be! Who knows, watch this space 🙂
Aussie is awesome, and I loved living there and in NZ, they are so totally different to the UK and both have their positives and negatives. Definitely worth a try though, you can always move back, not too hard!
I completely agree. We’d only do it on a trial basis anyway, just because you never know. It’s good to hear from someone who’s lived both sides of the story! I think it’s well worth giving a go, if we can make the logistics line up.
A wonderful read and so interesting to read a proper post of reasons as to why you want to go. It seems that so many people want to live in Australia but sometimes don’t know why, you sum it up so well!
Thanks Eppie! It helped me to sit down and condense my thoughts into proper reasons. I think with some things it’s hard to express quite why you want to do something, but if I’m going to be explaining myself to friends and family I’ll need to be a bit more clear about it!
I felt such a draw to Australia but in the end it was too far away fro my family.
Yeah, I totally get that. It’s an awfully long way, and not a cheap flight either. Not a decision to be made lightly!
I’ve had that issue too, somewhere that I feel I am my best self, but not able to get a visa to actually live there. It’s a struggle.
It sucks, doesn’t it? I hope things are better now… Where is it you wanted to live? I’m curious!
It’s so hard when you soul is calling you to another corner of this big, big world!
Yes! I think it’s easy to forget how big the world is, what with this whole globalisation thing, the internet, Facetime…
i think these are all wonderfully amazing reasons. especially that last one. you should totally do it girly!
xoxo cheshire kat
Thanks Kerri! We shall see… I’d be delighted if I could pull it off!
As an Aussie, it was interesting to read this! In terms of your sunscreen/skin cancer question – yes, pretty much the sun is that bad there! I grew up in QLD and have had 2 x melanomas removed… & I’m only 26! My husband and I have decided to make Australia our home, rather than staying in the UK where he is from & where we met.. we love the lifestyle that Aus has to offer.. the down side is, it so SO far away from everything else!
Oh nooo. That’s rough. My sister is a GP and my brother in law is a melanoma specialist so they are a very sun safe family! It’s amazing how quickly you get burned out there. I’ve had incidents with slapdash suncream application and it’s not at all fun. I think it just has to be part of your morning routine, like breakfast or cleaning your teeth. Anyway, I’m following along with your blog and looking forward to seeing how the move goes!
These sound like amazing reasons to me!!! I would do the same thing!
Thanks Jen! Glad I’m not being totally crazy about this!
Although I haven’t really done much travel outside of Brisbane and the capital cities and the job market is better in the UK for me than here in Australia, I definitely do see why you’d want to emigrate here. It’s a wonderful country, and the people are so friendly! I’m very lucky to live here and I hope you get the chance to move over – they change the visa conditions often so you never know!
Away From The Blue Blog
I’m keeping a firm eye on those visa conditions, but no joy yet! I do keep remembering your story about the accountant so I’ve not lost hope yet. I hope we do get the chance to move over, and then maybe I could return the coffee and cake favour at last 🙂
I adore Australia and would totally move there too if my family weren’t all in the UK. Although I’m not so sure I agree with the eating healthier thing…surely the weather would be cause for ice cream every day? 😉
Haha, totally. What’s that saying about a balanced diet being an ice cream in each hand?! I definitely eat my fill when I’m over there. It’s (usually) gluten free after all!
To be honest, I moved nearly four years ago and though it’s difficult, it’s a great decision. I think people take immigration a little too seriously, it is reversible after all, especially when you’re talking about countries like the UK and Australia. I think it’s easier to do the younger you are, so if you feel like it, I think you should do it! And I look forward to following your adventures 🙂
You’re so right. It is reversible! Also I don’t have kids, a mortgage, pets… So there’s no huge considerations on that front. Just a husband, and he’s quite keen really! Having just turned 30 (and done a 30 before 30) it’s helped put things into perspective, and whilst I’m not old by any means, the time window for doing this sort of thing before any of the above begin to become an issue is shrinking. So if I’m going to do it, I need to just get on with it really!
moving overseas is so freaking hard. i don’t envy your decision. no matter what, it’s hard. but it is of course amazing as all get out. i had a lot of the same fears, but there are the same pros and cons. my motto, even though it doesn’t necessarily make it easier, is that i’d always rather regret the things i did vs the things i didn’t do. i’d rather know and regret it vs not knowing and wondering.
i miss a lot of things about australia, the lifestyle, the food, my family. i do not miss the sun, the skin cancer rates or how far it is from everything haha. i do not miss how expensive things are, but i do miss how much money i made and how much US money I got for my AUS dollar, you know? it worked out in my favour. I could book a flight to KY on one pay cheque, and have money to spare. now I have to save for months to do the same thing from here. honestly though, i miss my family the most. i’d exchange everything in the world if i could smoosh my family and everything i love about the US together. and you have family there, and it sounds like your family is open to visiting? mine isn’t. it makes it harder.
anyway. good luck and keep me updated 🙂
Thanks Kristen, having an expats view is really helpful. I’m exactly the same as you with regrets – also if things go horribly wrong, at least it makes a good story… right?!
The exchange rate thing is definitely an issue. Especially with this whole Brexit thing sending the value of the pound down the drain… yay. Oh and rent is INSANE. We’d be paying about double for half the size of property – how does that even work!? I’m hoping our salaries would go up too otherwise it’s beans all around!
Omg, yes, that last thing – happiness. I was the happiest person alive while visiting Australia, and that’s the reason I’ll never be able to get it out of my head as well, I think. I wish visas wouldn’t be so complaicated to get.
Yeah I get all offended like, I’m a nice person, why wouldn’t they want me?! If only it were that easy! I’m glad I’m not the only person who fell head over heels for Australia. I hope you find a happy place, whether that’s Australia or not!
I could actually relate to a lot of these reasons–only the country I wanted to move to and settle down in was Malaysia. It was a little hard for our community in America to understand why we wanted to drop everything and move overseas and settle down in Malaysia–but I have family here, I have memories of the past here, I feel that my talents and skills are more ‘useful’ here (i.e. I almost never got to speak Chinese in Michigan–here, every week). I’m glad we made the decision to pick up and move two years ago. Visas are always the ‘picky’ thing about living in a country that you weren’t born into. I’m grateful for the need for English teachers in SE Asia, because teaching and languages is where my heart lies anyways! 🙂
I think the memories of the past thing is so significant. I think that’s a big part of why I love Australia so much – I do have those happy memories from when I was 10, however faint they are. I think it gives you a happy anchor to a place. Malaysia sounds like such an adventure, and I’m impressed you speak Chinese! I love learning new languages, so I kind of wish Australia spoke another language, too. I think that’s asking a bit much though 🙂
As an Aussie, it’s interesting to read your perspective about my country. I always take Australia for granted until I travel elsewhere. I could spend my whole life travelling but wouldn’t live anywhere else than here in Melbourne! I too find that I am my most healthiest when Im at home. When in Europe, I load up on carbs lol
I didn’t realise it was such an issue with visas and paperwork for anyone coming from the U.K? Interesting! Best of luck! 🙂
That’s good to hear, sometimes I feel like people are seldom happy with where they’re born and all we do is just one big game of musical chairs. Especially with Australia and the UK! Europe is definitely carb central. And we do them so well, that’s the trouble!
And thanks for the luck!
I agree! I’m living in Okinawa, Japan right now, but am desperate to get back to Melbourne. It’s definitely my favourite place. I miss living there everyday!
Wow, Okinawa? That’s so cool! Sorry to hear you’re so keen to leave, but as you can imagine I quite sympathise! I hope you make it back soon.
Loved reading this- I’m a brit who made the move as a skilled worker almost two years ago! I think my favourite thing is the closeness (I say that with a pinch of salt) to asia and the pacific- it’s crazy to me in WA that my nearest starbucks is in Bali haha.
We are Dannah | Australian lifestyle blog
I do understand you so well!!!
I’ve been in Australia last here & would really like to go back.
The nature is ridiculously beautiful & it’s true that it’s easier to live a healthier, balanced life there.
Good luck!
xx
Umberta
http://thesecretlifeofanactress.blogspot.com
Lovely read. It is really interesting to hear a new perspective on a country. Really enjoying your blog!
Reading this post has really helped me to appreciate how lucky I am to be an Aussie! I always see your posts about your travels and think it would be so lovely to live in the UK or somewhere in Europe because of all the travel opportunities, but you’ve made some really good points about other nearby places to visit! Having said that… I am from Perth so we are a little more isolated than Sydney! Hehe 😉
wishing you the best of luck if you do eventually take the plunge. It sounds like something you really want and although it’s a huge leap I just have this feeling that you will actually do it some day!
Xx
Thanks so much Lauren! Yes it’s definitely extremely different. I’ve really enjoyed seeing as much of Europe as I can this year, especially given the whole Brexit debacle I may not have the chance to travel freely for much longer…
I loved visiting Perth but it did feel very far away from everything! Sometimes that’s no bad thing though. Thanks for the encouragement, I really hope we do make it one day!
Such an honest post – you look so happy! I think Australia will suit you.
I think that much sun would do me the world of good too 🙂