Have you ever considered packing up your life and moving interstate/overseas?

[Drakescoffeecake]

I'm sure there's been a thread about it before but can't find it...

Seriously considering it at this stage in my life, and have been for 4-5 months, to the point where I've recently been looking at apartments and applying for positions interstate. Not enjoying life where I am right now and if it wasn't for my partner (and family I guess) i'm pretty sure I wouldn't be living where I am now.

So have you? Have you done it before? Was it spontaneous or planned? How much money did you manage to do it on? Stories plz!

 

[Impunity!]

Yes I did.

Got offered a job in the UK. Had about 6 months' notice to move.

New job paid for it all, which totalled about GBP27K, including tickets, furniture etc.

Stayed 2.5 yrs, then got offered another job back here.

New new job paid for it all to come back, which was similar (though in AUD).

Was a great experience, if the UK economy (compared to AUS) wasn't so crap, I may well have stayed.

 

[Lensen]

Yeah, my job up here got made redundant in 2009 and got offered a job (and relocation costs) to Melbourne so took it. Spent the first month in an apartment on the concourse for Etihad Stadium, came in handy with the AFL membership

Was an enormous learning experience - before the move I was still living at Mum's so very quickly had to learn a lot of things and was really taken out of my comfort zone, but was completely worth it. Stuck it out about 20 months (originally committed to 12) and then got a job back up here after seeing the Pies win a flag

How old are you? For reference I was 23 when I moved

 

[Smoooothy]

Moved from Adelaide to Melbourne 4 months ago. Similar circumstances to reepy above but not offered to a midget.

My work paid for most things. I had to pay for a car to be transported. Got reimbursed for a lot of things too like petrol and food on moving day. From memory the move cost around 10k. Removalist was most of that. (Also who the hell would want to do this as a profession!)

Had about 3 months notice. Was also very very lucky to have a rental property effectively fall in our laps in Altona. My kids love it here and th e wife is slowly warming to it. I love it too and wish it'd happened years ago.

 

[Gasometer]

Where is Busan?

 

[Messenger]

Did it twice:

* Moved to Tasmania in 1999 to start a new unit in the public health care sector. We did agonise over it but it was a great experience. Hobart is a great town to live in and a welcoming community to be part of.

* The next move was more spontaneous; Mrs was getting itchy feet so in 2001 we chucked it in and moved to the UK for two years. Worked agency in the NHS but the payoff was travelling and getting back in contact with family over there. My wife emigrated from the UK as a child, so she had grandparents, cousins, etc. And with the dollar worth about 33p as it was then we cleaned up. Sent home a house deposit and travelled for four months at the end.

If you're young, just do it. Once you get to marriage and family this stuff becomes far more difficult to do.

 

[dbcrow]

Also done it twice.

First time, I was 24, just left a long term relationship, and thought "why not". So I packed up and moved to Melbourne. Met my wife within 2 months of moving there (who was also from Adelaide), and we got married 2 years later. Loved Melbourne, but all our family is from Adelaide, so 3 years after moving to Melbourne, we moved back and had a family.

Now I have two children, aged 9 and 5.

We are likely to up and move again this year, but this time to Canberra. I'm in a fairly specialised area in IT, and there is little to no work in Adelaide, so I'll take the plunge and go contracting for a while I reckon.

Messenger was right - if you're young and single - do it, and do it now. You'll regret not doing it sooner. I regretted it, and somebody else here said the same thing. When you get married and have kids etc, there's much much more to consider. It's not impossible, but there's a lot more to think about.

 

[Leper]

Done it over half a dozen times now (4 or 5 moves between countries; a few between states) and don't regret a single one of these decisions. The first of which was kind of forced on me ie. "dear Leper, we're sending you to Tassie for your work experience for 6 months", which (as a 19yo student) was scary at the time but taught me a lot. (as an aside, I still remember driving around Launceston on a dark Friday night listening to North kick about 13 goals in the 1st quarter against Richmond and feeling like s**t).

I would strongly advise anyone thinking about it not to hesitate. Don't be put off by things like "sounds fun, but we've got young kids" or "we'll miss our friends and family and the footy". We moved from Aus to Thailand when our eldest daughter (now 13) was only 10 months old. She's now lived in 4 countries; her younger siblings were born in Thailand and Indonesia. Obviously it all helps when your employer is picking up the tab for things like relocation costs; housing and schooling. But even if not, don't let that stop you if you have the means. Or failing that, just wing it.

The relationships you form; places you see; experiences you have and so on beat the hell out of (IMHO) spending your life living in some crappy suburb driving an hour or more each day to/from some s**t 9 to 5 job you hate and then dying.

PS - Busan is in South Korea.

 

[Smoooothy]

also, if you're going to do it with kids, i wouldn't recommend doing it with kids that are of high school age.

 

[Dont be a lemon]

Moved to Melbourne when I was 21 having grown up south of Perth (and lived in Perth for a couple years after I finished school). Three and a half years later now and it's been a worthwhile and mostly enjoyable experience. Melbourne's a better place to live than Perth that's for sure though I've changed a fair bit too.

Hopefully I'll be living overseas in not too many years. I like Melbourne but the idea of only living here for the rest of my life sounds a bit depressing and sort of dull.

Don't expect I'll move back to WA unless I think my parents aren't going to be around for much longer...

 

[Bunk Moreland]

I’m considering moving overseas right now, probably just the UK or something. Though if I do I’ll be doing it alone, I mean I won’t know a single person there. I’ve travelled plenty and am pretty familiar with the UK, but never lived there. Anyone done that type of thing alone? Experiences?

 

[Gasometer]

Moved to Melbourne when I was 21 having grown up south of Perth (and lived in Perth for a couple years after I finished school). Three and a half years later now and it's been a worthwhile and mostly enjoyable experience. Melbourne's a better place to live than Perth that's for sure though I've changed a fair bit too.

Hopefully I'll be living overseas in not too many years. I like Melbourne but the idea of only living here for the rest of my life sounds a bit depressing and sort of dull.

Don't expect I'll move back to WA unless I think my parents aren't going to be around for much longer...

Begs the question as to why the Dons AA?

 

[Dont be a lemon]

Nice colours, cool nickname, other child reasons.

Fremantle were a bit of a loser club and West Coast were a w***ers club.

Edit: W a n k e r s is censored now? My gods...

 

[Silent Alarm]

I grew up in country WA. I moved to Perth last year, but that four hour move was akin to changing suburbs – been there, done there. Half my family are Fremantle through and through, so it was never a real challenge at all. It's basically the normal and inevitable thing for young people.

This year, I moved to Melbourne. Always liked coming over. I've been here a fair bit and do have a single relative here. I'll be a lot poorer considering my parents aren't paying half my rent this time around, but I mean, why not? This is a great city. I love living here. It offers things I couldn't get in WA.

The main thing is, being 19, I reckon I'll look back on it as a bit of a challenge. I have a few mates over here and everything, but I was pretty homesick in the first week I moved here. I'm thinking about it a lot less, but I thought I could handle it better than I really was. It kind of derailed my ambitions to move to England, Europe, or the US... but I am feeling a lot better, and once I finish uni, maybe I'll be up for another challenge and trip in maturity and responsibility. I don't know.

EDIT: It's good that someone made this thread. I kind of contemplated making something similar when I moved. It's a huge cliche, and my old man said the same thing when he travelled, but you do appreciate where you come from. I miss hanging out in Freo. I realise how close my old high school mates were, and how it'll be good fun when they make the inevitable move to Victoria. Even my hometown, the beaches and things like that... I really miss just walking down the beach and having a swim with the old man. But these things are peripheral, and living it up over here is just something I've always kind of dreamt of doing.

Like someone else said – and my olds – do it when you're young and single. I want to try and fill in my life and experience as many things as I can. It's still Australia, but I think this thread has made me realise 19 is a young age for the trip.

 

[davo99]

I’m considering moving overseas right now, probably just the UK or something. Though if I do I’ll be doing it alone, I mean I won’t know a single person there. I’ve travelled plenty and am pretty familiar with the UK, but never lived there. Anyone done that type of thing alone? Experiences?

Yer im looking to do that aswell, depending on finding job, house etc in uk is pretty hard

 

[blueboy25]

I’m considering moving overseas right now, probably just the UK or something. Though if I do I’ll be doing it alone, I mean I won’t know a single person there. I’ve travelled plenty and am pretty familiar with the UK, but never lived there. Anyone done that type of thing alone? Experiences?

Just do it mate, make sure you enough cash to survive for 3 months and a return ticket just in case things don't work out. Finding a room to rent isn't that hard and would be a good way to meet new people. Check the gumtree for rooms to rent to get an idea on what you would be looking at $$$ wise.

I would also recommend doing a contiki tour or similar when you first get there, it doesn't have to be a big 45 day all of europe tour but its a good way to meet fellow travellers who will most likely be able to give you guidance on where to live, job opportunities and other tips.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Just do it mate, make sure you enough cash to survive for 3 months and a return ticket just in case things don't work out. Finding a room to rent isn't that hard and would be a good way to meet new people. Check the gumtree for rooms to rent to get an idea on what you would be looking at $$$ wise.

I would also recommend doing a contiki tour or similar when you first get there, it doesn't have to be a big 45 day all of europe tour but its a good way to meet fellow travellers who will most likely be able to give you guidance on where to live, job opportunities and other tips.

Yeah seriously thinking about just doing it. I can rent my place here out and sell my car which will cover my mortgage for a couple of years, so I'd just have to support myself over there which should be ok.

Prob give the contiki a miss, not really my scene these days... Gettin old haha... I've been to the UK a few times so kinda know my way around and am pretty comfortable there. I guess it's just the social side I'm a bit iffy about, not really knowing anyone etc. Guess I'd be right.

 

[Affidavit]

Yeah seriously thinking about just doing it. I can rent my place here out and sell my car which will cover my mortgage for a couple of years, so I'd just have to support myself over there which should be ok.

Prob give the contiki a miss, not really my scene these days... Gettin old haha... I've been to the UK a few times so kinda know my way around and am pretty comfortable there. I guess it's just the social side I'm a bit iffy about, not really knowing anyone etc. Guess I'd be right.

That's the point that always worries me as well as being away from my family which I'm so close with. I just wouldn't know what to do when it came to making new friends in a new country. This situation may arise for me in the next few years so it's something that I've been thinking about.

 

[crownie]

thinking about doing it more and more.

i dont have a job which could offer moving interstate so i would have to get a new one and then move.

would like to hear move from people who have done it this way, did you get the job first then find a place? ect.

 

[Troubadour]

Have moved interstate 3 times for work with job coming before move.

I was 21 first time and boarded with a family in country Vic.

Second time was Tas to Sydney at age 26 and work used a relocation company to find me and the future ex Mrs Nightrain somewhere to live. Stayed 6 years.

Most recent time was Tas to Melbourne -got the job first (no relocation assistance) and stayed with a friend while looking for a place to live. Have been here nearly 2 years.

The new environment is invigorating, particularly big cities. I'd do it again in a heartbeat to experience something new. you always meet people through work

 

[Silent Alarm]

Aussies are really attached to their friends. In England the US, you go to a completely new city to uni – one you might've never even been to before. In Australia, the absolute majority of people stay in the same place, and quite often stay with mum and dad. Most Australians seem content with their mates from high school.

We're probably quite socially *ed. People afraid of not making friends? It's not that hard. Go to uni, go to work, talk to your housemates... it's far from difficult to find three or four good mates. You branch out from there.

 

[Colin D'Cops]

Currently like it in VIC, but wouldn't mind the more consistent warmer weather in QLD.

After Uni finishes, might make the move up. See what happens. I go on average once every two years to QLD, love it every time.

 

[Drakescoffeecake]

thinking about doing it more and more.

i dont have a job which could offer moving interstate so i would have to get a new one and then move.

would like to hear move from people who have done it this way, did you get the job first then find a place? ect.

That's my only worry. I couldn't be transferred, so would need to secure something before taking the plunge and to be honest I dont think i'd care if its some shitkickers job at first to get me going so at least I'm earning something, then can look more aggressively in my field once settled. But employment is definitely the one barrier for me, closely followed by my partner.

 

[Leper]

also, if you're going to do it with kids, i wouldn't recommend doing it with kids that are of high school age.

Aussies are really attached to their friends. In England the US, you go to a completely new city to uni – one you might've never even been to before. In Australia, the absolute majority of people stay in the same place, and quite often stay with mum and dad. Most Australians seem content with their mates from high school.

We're probably quite socially *ed. People afraid of not making friends? It's not that hard. Go to uni, go to work, talk to your housemates... it's far from difficult to find three or four good mates. You branch out from there.

As an experienced campaigner on this subject I tend to agree with both of these statements. The first point is primarily why we now base ourselves back in Aus after a decade offshore (ie, kids getting older). But that doesn't mean it "can't or absolutely shouldn't" be done.

Regarding friends from high school, it's easy to get a little high and mighty and question why people you've known for 30 years are still living in the same suburb 200 metres from where they went to school. I've learnt to accept people make this choice... "each to their own". One of the things you find is some of the best friendships you make are with others who inevitably end up end up scattered all over the world, and you may only see then once every year or 2. Similar story with work relationships / networks (which is more a positive than a negative for a whole bunch of reasons).

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Aussies are really attached to their friends. In England the US, you go to a completely new city to uni – one you might've never even been to before. In Australia, the absolute majority of people stay in the same place, and quite often stay with mum and dad. Most Australians seem content with their mates from high school.

We're probably quite socially *ed. People afraid of not making friends? It's not that hard. Go to uni, go to work, talk to your housemates... it's far from difficult to find three or four good mates. You branch out from there.

Yeah probably fair points. I dunno, interstate or whatever wouldn't really bother me, I've done placements interstate before for months at a time, doesn't really bother me, you're so close to home anyway. And I think something like college or uni is a bit easier cos most people are in the same boat. Dunno, just being on the other side of the world with no links to anyone, would just be a bit different.