Caught between a rock and hard place!

[boboff]

Yeah I think that sums up the issue for me.

For me he would be the ONLY issue, if he is happy and you want to do it, being blunt, crack on love.

[diggernotdreamer]

My only advice would be don't buy property, at least if you are renting you can leave if it doesn't suit you, we wish we had done that when moving here, at least we could have up sticks and gone back to England with a bit of money.

[Keaniebean]

I think that what has already been said is very sensible advice If you stay here then you give up your chance of ever being able to return to Oz, but if you move to Oz you still have the chance to move back. If your mother is declining in health then I think that if you didn't spend time with her while you have the opportunity, it may be something that you later regret and it has the potential to cause a rift between you and your children.

Your children are young and strong and if you only get to see them a few times a year anyway, I'm pretty sure they would rather see you when you are happy. So if it's Oz that makes you happy then like MKG said book those tickets.

[Thomzo]

My only advice would be don't buy property, at least if you are renting you can leave if it doesn't suit you, we wish we had done that when moving here, at least we could have up sticks and gone back to England with a bit of money.

I'm not trying to contradict you here, but I have a friend who has dual citizenship Aus/England. For a long time he owned a house in both countries (that was back in the days when you could get 100% mortgages). When he got bored living in one, he'd rent that house out and move to the other. Six months or a year later he'd swap. He worked temporary contracts in both countries as he wanted. Then, for some reason, he sold the house in Aus. Now it's much more difficult for him to go back and he really struggles to settle down when he's in the UK as he knows it's going to be really difficult to go back to Aus if he wants to. It's hard to rent a house if you don't already have a job and it gets expensive living in a hotel while you hunt for a job. Nowadays, of course, you need to have enough savings to pay the deposits so it's tough to buy one house, let alone two, but if you can stretch to it, it does give you security.

Zoe

[happyhippy]

Thomzo my OH suggested this to me last weekend, but the reality is,we're not getting any younger so sooner or later it will become harder for us to find jobs in either country but your mate sounds like he had a great life while he was able to do it.I also don't think I'd look forward to the headache of finding rentals every 6 mths with furniture and what not?

[Thomzo]

HH - yes, that's what my friend is finding. Now that he's over 50, contracts are much more difficult to come by and the current economic situation doesn't help. I have another friend who was half Kiwi and she spent most of her 20's and 30's doing the same thing but living in shared student houses rather than buying her own. Great when you're young but she's since settled down in NZ.

You can rent out properties fully furnished. Easier to do if they're flats rather than houses. Just don't bother buying expensive furniture that you'd worry about.

Good luck with whatever you chose to do.

Zoe

[happyhippy]

Thankyou to all who replied.I've been on holiday (staycation)this week so had some time to think.We've decided to go back to Australia. I'm going alone to start with,will give my notice in next week and am looking at end of Feb/early March.I'm going to stay with my twin sister (Adelaide where I grew up)to begin with and go from there.I just can't get my head around losing my visa and then my aussie kids go back to Oz and I'm stuck here.I love this country soooo much,and know I will miss it alot.Thankyou for your input and it really did help me make a firm decision so thankyou and xxxxxxxxxxxx

[oldjerry]

Best Wishes,remember,if you don't sometimes doubt your decision,you didn't think about it enough!! I wish you all the best,stay with us, and enjoy!!

If I was younger,I'd do the same.....best Wishes,safe journey..OJ.

[happyhippy]

Thankyou OJ!xx

[Thomzo]

How exciting - have a great time. Good luck and I hope it works out for you.

Zoe

[happyhippy]

Thankyou Thomzo.xx