any one return down under after a few months at home?

iguana2005

home nearyl 2 years in eire and am a little bit settled(not hugely..still renting, crap job)...and my nz residents visa is up in August this year. The thought of packing everything again, flying over, looking for flat, new job etc.. is absolutely KILLING me..just bite the bullet?

Delorian

Aaah! You've made me worried now, my residency application has just gone in and I was thinking, if it's approved, of going home for a few months to a year. So now wondering could I be in the same boat, I'm a pretty settled kinda guy, like to get into my routines.

I guess it all depends on how much you loved it the first time. There's no shame in not coming back, just a loss of money and opportunity, but then if you're happy where you are, that may compensate. However, I would say go through a little pain now for having the residency and then being free to make decision once you have it.

Also, NZ are in the World Cup, so the atmosphere should be good here, the Rugby World Cup is here, so the place is going to go off... I think the next 2 years will be a good time to be here.

Quick question though, and don't want to derail the thread, how do you mean your res visa is up in August? Have you done your two 6 months post acceptance to get permanent residency? If so, you can't lose that, can you??? Or do you still have to do a few months to get it?

jank

I miss NZ already and I am only across the Tasman!

pclancy

Bite that bullet and get back to NZ. The logistics of moving suck but the lifestyle here is unbeatable. It will take me 5 mins to get home, 5 mins to get changed and then i'll be on the beach for a few hours this evening enjoying the sunshine. I couldnt do that in Ireland.

iguana2005

Yeah have my residents return visa and was lucky enough to get another year from it via LONDON!! Lived and worked Auckland for 4 years...

Yeah its biting the bullet...was very homesick the last year...but some stuff had happened too which made things worse...

Your right about the rugby...and yachting too every January is huge..lots of work for me too in the media industry

Will probably go for it being honest..ireland is CRAP at the moment..working a full time job, earning €400 a week, rent €125 a week...SHOCKING....hate to say it but I feel Ireland is getting worse and am very snug that I have my visa...

will keep you updated..

CabanSail

I moved to Dublin for a year in May 2006, so my time is almost up now!

I too am dreading the move back, getting everything out of storage & setting up the house etc. Giving myself a month to do that before returning to work in July.

These decisions are very hard as I will miss a lot about being here but at the same time am missing home too. Looks like I will be making trips back quite often, so will be earning some air miles.

There is a lot linking Ireland with Australia/NZ. It is just a pity the distance between them is so vast.

iguana2005

by the by...what age are you guys? Couples or singles?
Reason?...(no im not trying to pick ye up)

Going it alone(arrived in 2005 to Auckland not knowing anyone either) and am now 35...will be 36 this year...
I really cant see me every getting savings together for the future with all my travelling..

similar worries for other travellers? i actually dont know anyone like me which is kinda scary...

iguana2005

sorry im a GIRL!!

Delorian

iguana2005 wrote: »

sorry im a GIRL!!

Don't be sorry, girls are good too! Apart from the cooties that is!

I'm a 28 year old guy living in Wellington, so if you do come back and are coming to this neck of the woods at some stage, feel free to PM me or get in contact some way.

I know what you mean about savings, settling down and travelling. But I think you just have to go with what feels good and right at the time, and hope the future will look after itself. Packing up, flying long distances, getting settled again, sure, they're a pain in the arse, but they're very temporary moves in the grand scheme of things. And if you approach it as an exciting change, think of the opportunities, you may feel more positive about the whole thing. As someone said to me recently, I've never regretted doing something, only not doing something. I'm not sure I agree with that, but I like the idea.

I'd be inclined to say go with your heart, your head, and when you make your decision, that's that, go for it with confidence. Jeez I'm getting very philosophical!

pclancy

Lots of people I know are mortgaged and babied up to the nines back in Ireland. Fair enough they own houses and stuff but right now I feel richer then they are. I rent and the only thing I really own is a 1995 Toyota Levin and my computer :d I dont care at all though because the experience of being here and the lifestyle that goes with it is worth far more to me then any material stuff. Im 28 and my g/f is 30, we dont have much savings to speak of either but who cares...travelling is deadly. I know if I went home and settled I'd be depressed very quickly. Don't worry about conforming to anyones ideas of success or monetary worth, if you want to travel and enjoy life then investing in yourself is the best option, not some bricks and mortar that the bank owns for most of your life.

iguana2005

pclancy wrote: »

Lots of people I know are mortgaged and babied up to the nines back in Ireland. Fair enough they own houses and stuff but right now I feel richer then they are. I rent and the only thing I really own is a 1995 Toyota Levin and my computer :d I dont care at all though because the experience of being here and the lifestyle that goes with it is worth far more to me then any material stuff. Im 28 and my g/f is 30, we dont have much savings to speak of either but who cares...travelling is deadly. I know if I went home and settled I'd be depressed very quickly. Don't worry about conforming to anyones ideas of success or monetary worth, if you want to travel and enjoy life then investing in yourself is the best option, not some bricks and mortar that the bank owns for most of your life.

well said - its true - in hindsight i should have stayed in new zealand as was on a good paying job but was terrbly depressed and alone. Ireland is really in the **** - employment figures rocketed again in January. Great being back with family again. Wil be hard to up and move again.

iguana2005

delorian - personal question...do you prefer Wellington or Auckland?...when i visited Wellington i loved the place - great vibe..reminded me of Galway...Auckland is just ended up getting work in...

Delorian

iguana2005 wrote: »

delorian - personal question...do you prefer Wellington or Auckland?...when i visited Wellington i loved the place - great vibe..reminded me of Galway...Auckland is just ended up getting work in...

Well, I feel myself desperately trying not to go off on a rant now! Basically I don't have much experience with the various cities in NZ. I have only lived in Wellington and have only visited Auckland and Christchurch twice each, each time for about 1 day. However, I came her for the first time about a year ago and fell in love with both the country and Wellington.

Like you say, Wellington is very similar to Galway. It has an amazing party and friendly atmosphere and everything is so convenient. It's small with excellent public transport. Close by there is a lovely waterfront, mountain biking, kayaking, rock climbing, scuba diving, etc.

And we have the Sevens!

To convince you more, have a look at the comments at the bottom of this article:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/sevens/3301732/Support-builds-for-sevens-in-capital

And the pictures from here:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/sevens/3299047/Lets-kiss-and-makeup-at-Sevens

pclancy

Yeah that is the killer for a lot of people is being alone and having to start from scratch with making friends. We've been here nearly two years and only haev a handfull of friends to speak of. It takes ages and Kiwis, whilst not unfriendly or anything, can be hard to get to know and get in with. They're just often quite happy with the friends they have i think and don't feel the need to make new ones. Friends and family are all I really miss from home, i would kill to have a big bunch of mates to enjoy life with here. I'm sure in time it will get better though, I was broke for 6 months after an emergency trip home that cleaned me out but i'm doing better again now and ready to get stuck into some friend-making hobbies.

iguana2005

pclancy wrote: »

Yeah that is the killer for a lot of people is being alone and having to start from scratch with making friends. We've been here nearly two years and only haev a handfull of friends to speak of. It takes ages and Kiwis, whilst not unfriendly or anything, can be hard to get to know and get in with. They're just often quite happy with the friends they have i think and don't feel the need to make new ones. Friends and family are all I really miss from home, i would kill to have a big bunch of mates to enjoy life with here. I'm sure in time it will get better though, I was broke for 6 months after an emergency trip home that cleaned me out but i'm doing better again now and ready to get stuck into some friend-making hobbies.

its true about the kiwis - lived in auckland for 3 years and was only getting a social circle then really..i'd talk to the wall and am very well known and liked in my hometown..auckland nearly killed me as you can get physically sick being alone and homesick - there were weekends when i didnt speak to a soul despite numerous visits to coffee shops, gym etc..yes it would be great to have your mates in NZ and family - it would be the icing on the cake - agree big time there with you...finding it impossible to save in ireland at the mo - might have to move home for a few weeks(living at home at 36 cringe..)..

Zambia

It is very hard to make friends here in Oz but I would say no harder than a Aussie living in Dublin.I cant comment on the Kiwis.

By moving you lose all the activity's you do with family and friends and really have to start from scratch again. As if you recall most of your irish friends you met them via other friends. The link is harder as its all you. The best advice i can give is tell people if someone asks what are you at this weekend just say "Im am going to be bored out of my tiny mind"

However on the flip side as you get older you tend to retract. As pclancy said your friends start having kids and getting mortgages all restricting factors. You cant ring them and say, right who's up for a pint tonight. You can book stuff in the future but not to far from their house or yours. In your 30's the people you see most are the ones close/near to you.

So you wont see as much of your friends even if you stay in Ireland. Thats why weddings become such good craic simply because its like the yearly meet up of the old crew. Sometimes in the daily difference in my life I found moving to Oz no less isolating than moving an hours drive away from my home city.

I watched "The butterfly effect" last night so maybe I am reading far to much into life choices.

iguana I remember the few months I spent in Oz without my/any mates and it was hard. The time off with nothing to do or people to see is very hard even in good weather. However its not impossible but it takes time. In the meantime buy a dog. Just to give the dog a home and to get you out of the house.

iguana2005

District_9 wrote: »

It is very hard to make friends here in Oz but I would say no harder than a Aussie living in Dublin.I cant comment on the Kiwis.

By moving you lose all the activity's you do with family and friends and really have to start from scratch again. As if you recall most of your irish friends you met them via other friends. The link is harder as its all you. The best advice i can give is tell people if someone asks what are you at this weekend just say "Im am going to be bored out of my tiny mind"

However on the flip side as you get older you tend to retract. As pclancy said your friends start having kids and getting mortgages all restricting factors. You cant ring them and say, right who's up for a pint tonight. You can book stuff in the future but not to far from their house or yours. In your 30's the people you see most are the ones close/near to you.

So you wont see as much of your friends even if you stay in Ireland. Thats why weddings become such good craic simply because its like the yearly meet up of the old crew. Sometimes in the daily difference in my life I found moving to Oz no less isolating than moving an hours drive away from my home city.

I watched "The butterfly effect" last night so maybe I am reading far to much into life choices.

iguana I remember the few months I spent in Oz without my/any mates and it was hard. The time off with nothing to do or people to see is very hard even in good weather. However its not impossible but it takes time. In the meantime buy a dog. Just to give the dog a home and to get you out of the house.

What a great reply - touched a chord. Thanks for that

maninasia

It's the same for emigrants all over the world. Be thankful that you can speak the same language and share similar hobbies and customs..it could be a lot more difficult.


Well written posts, I have had very similiar experiences, it is hard to meet people when you are older, settling down. People fall back on the old friends they have, close off a little bit.
But you can make friends, just need to put in more effort.

Getting a pet is a good idea, in lieu of that kids will do Seriously, I have heard having kids help in integrating into your host society.