Would you live in Australia for the rest of your life if you could?

Pisco Sour

A general question for Irish expats in Australia.

Obviously the vast majority of people who have moved out here are loving life in Australia and happy to be away from the doom and gloom of home for awhile, but could you live here for the rest of your life? Suppose you met a significant other out here for example, would you be willing to commit to a long term future (house, kids etc) in Australia, or would being so far removed from family and home be too much?

Nick Diamond

This is something I've been thinking about. i guess its about weighing up your options.

I love Australia, I think it's an all round winner - sights, scenary, activities, babes etc..

But, I think there is a calling to go home at some stage, I think I would overall prefer to settle at home so that if I have kids/a family they would be Irish rather than Irish-Australian. I just think the overall culture at home is something I miss and would prefer to bring people up in and finish my life in

I think... but that being said who knows what'll happen

Doc

Sure why not.

Xavi6

Easily, though it's a pain in the arse travelling so far to get home and only being able to afford it every two years.

Great country imo.

Jumpy

I wouldnt live in Ireland again if you paid me.

CiaranC

Nah, its too far away from the rest of the western world and while Oz has its good points, theres nothing so spectacular about it to make up for that. I can get work in Europe so theres no reason for me to exile myself in the south pacific forever. I can see why 'doom and gloom' merchants might think differently.

Cooperspale

I left before any doom and gloom and am happy with that decision. And that was 6 years after doing a WHV. Now with ozi passport, mortgage and spouse I guess I'm fairly committed.
It's a big question and the doom gloom thing is obviously forcing people out who would never have considered leaving otherwise; these are the ones who will miss family and home the most.
Yes you obviously have days when you miss stuff, but I made the decision to come here, so that's my cross to bear.

jank

Possibly. I intend going back to Ireland some day. Although would like to live in the US or Canada for a bit as well. It all really depends.

Wintergreen

Id agree with CiaranC its a bit too far from the rest of the western world for my liking. Obviously great though for popping into Asia for breaks! At the end of the day its another English speaking country once you settle in any of the major cities but its awfully far from the friends and family you've left at home.

Im leaving next week and while I would never rule out not returning (thankfully thats an option!) I think Australia is too similar to North America (the cities anyway) to justify being so far away. I wish the US would introduce a more practical visa system, until then Canada will remain top of my list for places id like to work in next.

Still really enjoyed my time here, got some great work and life experiences here! As I said above I may yet find myself back here in the future if things dont work out! Maybe you'll all find me longing to return next week lol.

MaureenMac

Short answer is "No". Been here 16 years and heading back to Ireland later this year. Husband is Australian but also excited (maybe nervous) about the move. Great country but I have had enough time away from "home" and have had enough of the summer heat in WA. Of course there are things I will miss about Australia but I miss people in Ireland more. Hopefully it will be a great adventure!!!!!!

Charlie Haughy

No personally I wouldn't. I miss the Irish culture and family a lot, and while the weather is nice sand the coasts are nice, I just can't see myself living here my whole life. As many have said, its too cut off from the rest of the English speaking world for ny liking, and the time differences is a pain.

I will probably return to Ireland in a few years once I've saved up enough and leave this accountancy job, and spend maybe 6 months in Ireland, and hopefully travel to Canada and get work there.

I've been to both,and Canada is head and shoulders above oz in the majority of ways imo. People are far nicer, not too hot all the time, close to home, more culture there also.

I also dread getting a call one day saying a family member has passed and having to do the 40 hour trek home while grieving.
That would be awful imo.

Wedgie

Planning on it!

Heading to Perth next month with (Aussie) wife and two young kids.

catbear

I don't think it need be a case of either or. If returning to Ireland feels like a definite in the future, at least hang on long enough for OZ citizenship. Best of both worlds if Irelands insists upon another dose of economic suicide.

_Lady_

No. We were there for 2.5 years and came home. Maybe it would have been different if we were working in proper jobs in our chosen careers but we figured we could work lesser jobs at home than what we were trained for and be surrounded by all of the family and friends that we missed from home. We might have to leave again now though, who knows. But if we had to choose, it would be NZ over Australia, by a mile.

pclancy

I hate being so far away from family but Skype is great and one day I'll be able to go home a lot more regularly. I'm not getting rich in NZ but i'm building a great career so it feels like a great place to ride out the recession and gloom for the next 10-15 years then revaulate things. Hopefully i'll meet an amazing Kiwi chick along the way.

I'm also really spoilt now. I couldnt live in a house without a nice view of the sea or countryside. Its a ten minute drive to work and no real traffic jams. Gorgeous scenery and views everywhere. Nature and outdoor sports combined with empty beaches and endless countryside. Pies. Oh my god how I love pies.

But forever...hard to say. There are other great places to live. South America or Asia have options.

I think we all hate the distance thing the most, theres no doubt that OZ or NZ are fantastic places to live but if they were as close to Ireland as say Canada, we'd think a lot differently about staying forever.

6ix

pclancy wrote: »

I think we all hate the distance thing the most, theres no doubt that OZ or NZ are fantastic places to live but if they were as close to Ireland as say Canada, we'd think a lot differently about staying forever.

I'd agree with this. I'm enjoying it now - I have good opportunities and it's good to travel and work abroad. However long term I definitely wouldn't stay here. It's not just distance from family and friends, it's also the complete isolation from the rest of the world.

There's a lot more of the world to see and living in Europe or North America gives you more opportunities to do that IMO.

mandrake04

I definitely am going back at some stage to live in Ireland, I am lucky because my Aussie wife has more cousins living in Dublin than family in Australia and she would love to live there. Although we have talked about it it is unlikely to happen in the next few years, I still own property over there so we would have a home over our heads but it would be likely I would have to make a considerable career change to earn a few shillings and due to the economic situation I don't fancy my chances. The pull to spend a bit more time with the old folks is the main factor plus doing a bit of shooting with my brother etc ......but the offset is the mess of the country, household tax etc, ridiculous price of road tax, fuel & insurance and crap health service and all the begrudging. In the mean time I am now working for a company that does its training in Germany, I am getting home at least once or twice a year anyway.

On the other hand I have plenty of good roots in Australia, I now feel like I belong here just as much as Ireland and not just an outsider. We have a couple of house's and are pretty much settled and all my in-laws live near by plus I like the outdoor life and rarely drink anymore. The weather when its not freaking unusual makes a big difference, I don't mind a bit of rain now and then but really detest the cold. I don't seem to suffer from the same negative issues most people mention on boards, also most of my Irish friends have been here 6+ years and they all seem happy enough as most are now citizens and visa's are no longer a hassle making good coin and generally having still having a good time.

markymark21

No don't think so

And its strange, My life is as good at the moment as its ever been; and I'm certainly happier now in Melbourne than I would be if I was back home. However, I think life is far too short to be away from the family for any time longer then 2 years.

I would also like to think that when my time in Oz is up I'll have enough money saved to put a deposit down on a house and enough experience built up to walk into a good job when I get home..

Gregsor

I would like to think i will spend the majority of my life here in Australia,especially the the later years.
I gave it up after 2 years and returned home only to realise it was totally the wrong decision and to move back over again.
Roots dug in now as my kid has started High School so out goes the flexibilty of calling it quits and hey what better place to settle down in for a few more years.
Just be a whole lot easier if one could get some family to do the same.
I have no time limit on my stay here and my Fiancee is Australian,i myself hope to have citizenship by early next year.
I want to get back for @ 1 month every two years,just it gets hard as the olde folks get on.
There can be some guilt there too for some people,leaving family,grandkids leaving grandparents,brothers leaving brothers etc,without the moral struggle one would be having a party

al28283

Australia, not chance. New Zealand definatley

wicklori

Hi guys,
Really surious to hear the replies here as I will probably be in this situation. My OH has quite a specfic job and he will run out of work in Ireland in next few years and we will most likely move to his homeland.
It's a long way from home for us Irish but I think it might be the best option? We have so many representatives over there now, isn't a bit like home from home? Maybe the fact that we have family over there now makes it easier? I wouldn't have been as positive about it previously as I am now.

I'll continue reading-hopefully no one puts me off!!!

supernova84

No to Australia but yes to Canada. Australia is just too far away from the western world. Irish people are becoming like sheep and following their friends over to Australia.

Coileach dearg

I plan to settle in Australia. The other half is Aussie and we have a mortgage now too but since I got my PR I have come to realise that this is where I will settle.

Don't understand why people are reluctant because it's so far away from the Western world, what do people expect when it's 20,000ks away from home? I, for one take comfort that's it's far away from the Western world.
There's so many different cultures to sample here and I have Aussie, Asian, Middle Eastern and Pacific Islander friends who make it a pleasure to live out here.
This may be a bit of a generalisation but some people who come out here from home haven't really thought everything through and then end up getting homesick and drinking themselves silly to try and numb the pain.
At the end of the day, Ireland is only a plane journey (or two) away to get back and see family. When I lived and worked in Dublin, I would only make it back home (in the west) every three months or so anyway so I console myself with that fact every now and again.
At the same time, you won't know what it is like out here until you've sampled it and that's what life is all about.

Pisco Sour

markymark21 wrote: »

And its strange, My life is as good at the moment as its ever been; and I'm certainly happier now in Melbourne than I would be if I was back home. However, I think life is far too short to be away from the family for any time longer then 2 years.

Wow, it’s like I’m reading my own mind. This is exactly how I am feeling right now. I left Ireland 18 months ago and it has been the best 18 months of my life, by a long long way. Seen so many great places around the World, and have met lots of brilliant likeminded people. I’m very happy in Melbourne and have some great friends here now (although most are not Aussie). I’m happy out in Australia at the moment and being away from the recession and doom and gloom back home for the moment. However I have recently found an Aussie girlfriend, and since then I have done what I hadn’t done before: imagine what it would be like to live out here permanently, and to be honest it freaks me out. I don’t like the idea of it at all. I’m close with my family, and friends back home, am very patriotic (not in a “Brits Out” sort of way of course), I miss the sport (not the GAA and Premier League football though) and have really fallen out of touch with a lot of stuff that goes on back home, particularly the rugby. I’m ok with this for a few years, but long term, staying here, would feel basically like abandoning everything that is apart of who I am. Even my really good friends out here are Irish and English, so even though they are here on PR and sponsored visas, they will inevitably be back home in a few years.

I adore travelling and had planned on coming to Australia long before the recession. I’m certainly not one of those people who reluctantly came over and followed others like sheep. Australia has long been at the top of my travel list, but now that I have seen the Outback, the West Coast, the Top End, to an extent I could have the whole idea of travelling Australia out of my system. Once that excitement is gone, it becomes just another country really, except in this case, a light year and a fortune from everywhere else.

In any case, I’ll be home for a month during the Olympics, so who knows having been home, my thoughts on this may change.