Homesickness

OzProblem

I'm currently in Australia on a working holiday visa. Lately I've been feeling really homesick and just want to see my friends and family again. I came over with friends and we all share a house together but the rent is really high and we have inspections every month which is a hassle as one or 2 of the lads never clean a thing.

When we came over first it was the best thing ever. We all got work and went out and had fun but lately I'm just sick of everything. I had no work over Christmas and had to do commission work for a month where I was making nothing. I hadn't missed home at all until Christmas and since then I just want to get out of here. The homesickness is magnified when I'm hungover and I went out Friday night so all Saturday I was depressed and just wanted to be on a flight home. I wrote to my father and told him Sat night and he rang me just there to see what was up. He told me he tought I should stick it out as there's nothing at home but if I wanted to come home it was ok too and he understood. I was nearly in tears on the phone and I said I'd let him know tonight or tomorrow.

My worries if I go home are that after a week I'll want to be back here again straight away. I have 2 options really the way I look at it. Either go home or do my 3 months regional work. If I do my regional work, though, I'll be paying rent for the house I'm in now and also the hostel I'm in while I'm working so I'll be making no money really. Also it might make me more homesick as I'll be on my own doing it. I'm 80/20 on coming home but have that nagging feeling I should stay here.

Any advice welcome:)

Tokyo

OP,

from what you write, it sounds less like homesickness, and more like you are just worried, and down in general. That fact that you are in Australia just makes it easy to blame everything on being so far away from home. It sounds like at first everything was great, abroad with the mates, working all week, partying at the weekend, but now the gloss has worn off a bit. Living with the mates isn't all it's cracked up to be, work has become harder to get, and drinking just gets you down even more. However, by your own admission, you may very well feel the same way if you come home, and would be kicking yourself that you didn't stay in Australia, so obviously being in Australia isn't ALL bad....


Have you considered relocating within Australia and trying to find work somewhere else?? I'm not sure where you are currently, but there is always work on the big farms in Queensland this time of year, or work on the cattle stations in the NT, to give but two examples. Australia is a BIG place, and it's quite possible that all you need is a change of scenery, either with or without your friends, to gain your perspective again.

Cooperspale

You're in a rut. You've had your honeymoon period and now the reality of working and day to day living have set in. Australia is just like anywhere else as long as you have enough money to keep you going. It can be a very tough place with little cash.

Christmas is always a tough one because it's such a family time & in Oz the weather and atmsophere is so different to Ireland.It's very common to feel homesick at this time.
Get out and get your regional work done now. Also why would you have to pay rent in your current place if you're not going to be there? This seems like a silly idea. Plus having monthly house inspections sounds a bit OTT, was this part of the original rental agreement? There's a lot of unnecessary worry right there.

Having a job and a good place to stay are the essentials for most of us in this world so when they're out of kilter it can really throw you off.
Doing your regional work may broaden your horizons; meet some new people, living in a different place, extending your stay in Australia and after it allow you to visit Ireland if you like with the flexibility of still having that year left on your visa. How many new people that you could now call friends have you met since arriving in Australia? If it's a case of only really knowing your house mates and a few randoms down the pub then it is important for you to get out there and really broaden your horizons

Alcohol is no help if you're feeling under the weather either; It's known for its depressant side effects. You might feel like you're helping your homesickness by heading into whatever Irish bar to drink the misery away but that is a total con. Get out in the fresh air; hike somewhere, do some sport, join a club. It is such a shame to waste whatever time you have left in Australia either nursing a hangover or making one happen.

jacksie66

This post has been deleted.

OzProblem

Cooperspale wrote: »

You're in a rut. You've had your honeymoon period and now the reality of working and day to day living have set in. Australia is just like anywhere else as long as you have enough money to keep you going. It can be a very tough place with little cash.

Christmas is always a tough one because it's such a family time & in Oz the weather and atmsophere is so different to Ireland.It's very common to feel homesick at this time.
Get out and get your regional work done now. Also why would you have to pay rent in your current place if you're not going to be there? This seems like a silly idea. Plus having monthly house inspections sounds a bit OTT, was this part of the original rental agreement? There's a lot of unnecessary worry right there.

Having a job and a good place to stay are the essentials for most of us in this world so when they're out of kilter it can really throw you off.
Doing your regional work may broaden your horizons; meet some new people, living in a different place, extending your stay in Australia and after it allow you to visit Ireland if you like with the flexibility of still having that year left on your visa. How many new people that you could now call friends have you met since arriving in Australia? If it's a case of only really knowing your house mates and a few randoms down the pub then it is important for you to get out there and really broaden your horizons

Alcohol is no help if you're feeling under the weather either; It's known for its depressant side effects. You might feel like you're helping your homesickness by heading into whatever Irish bar to drink the misery away but that is a total con. Get out in the fresh air; hike somewhere, do some sport, join a club. It is such a shame to waste whatever time you have left in Australia either nursing a hangover or making one happen.

In regards the house inspections and paying rent, when we first came over here, 3 of our friends were already set up with the house. They let us stay rent free for a month until they got sorted and they all had good jobs so could afford it. Because of this, I don't want them left to pay my end of the rent again because I'm gone. I know it sounds stupid but they looked after me so I owe it to them to help out. The inspections are the most annoying thing ever. Nothing is ever right for the landlord and we do keep the house tidy but she is never happy. Really adds serious stress when we found out on the monday that we've an inspection on Thursday.

I've made a few good friends since I've been here to be fair. The only bad thing is that they move on so quickly. We stay in the one city where as everyone else is doing the right thing and travelling around. I should have probably done the same but, again, we have a house so I couldn't leave my friends in a hole.

Probably the only thing that would keep me here is playing soccer. I started with a local team in November doing pre season and that and really enjoyed it. The season only started on Sunday so I don't want to have put in the effort and not play the rest of the season. Its a big step up and if you're good they'll look after you. Its all Aussie's playing but they're good craic and we've gone out with a few of them a few times and I enjoyed it. That's the main reason I don't want to go which is a bit silly because there's so much I haven't done yet in the country.

Cooperspale

OzProblem wrote: »

In regards the house inspections and paying rent, when we first came over here, 3 of our friends were already set up with the house. They let us stay rent free for a month until they got sorted and they all had good jobs so could afford it. Because of this, I don't want them left to pay my end of the rent again because I'm gone. I know it sounds stupid but they looked after me so I owe it to them to help out. The inspections are the most annoying thing ever. Nothing is ever right for the landlord and we do keep the house tidy but she is never happy. Really adds serious stress when we found out on the monday that we've an inspection on Thursday.

I've made a few good friends since I've been here to be fair. The only bad thing is that they move on so quickly. We stay in the one city where as everyone else is doing the right thing and travelling around. I should have probably done the same but, again, we have a house so I couldn't leave my friends in a hole.

Probably the only thing that would keep me here is playing soccer. I started with a local team in November doing pre season and that and really enjoyed it. The season only started on Sunday so I don't want to have put in the effort and not play the rest of the season. Its a big step up and if you're good they'll look after you. Its all Aussie's playing but they're good craic and we've gone out with a few of them a few times and I enjoyed it. That's the main reason I don't want to go which is a bit silly because there's so much I haven't done yet in the country.

Okay, sounds like you really don't want to rock the boat with your house mates. Realistically, you only owe them a month at most (to cover that first month) There shouldn't be any problem getting someone else in while you're away, you've said yourself that the place is pretty transient with people moving on a lot. It's a common theme. Are these other people in the house on more permanent visas? Because you'd all have to move on after a years up if you haven't done your regional work. You're going to have to decide if you want to spend your time in Australia staying in the one city in the one house (and its inspection dramas) and not upset your mates by leaving them in the lurch. It's up to you, have you discussed any of this with them? Do they have any plans themselves? If you enjoy what you're at where you're at, that's fine but otherwise if you're trying to please everyone else, not so good.