The next chapter

Being in an international relationship is a really wonderful thing. Two people from opposites sides of world happen to meet and connect. They realise that although their life experiences are different, they’ve got a huge amount in common and a shared outlook on what they want in the future.  Sometimes I feel like I was destined to meet Adam.  Small decisions from years gone past, triumphs and tribulations were all part of the process that was leading me towards that initial ‘hello’.

International relationships are also hard – thankfully for Adam and I it didn’t involve long-distance dating – but there are generally visas, extended family, friends, and work -life balance to consider.

For most of 2017 Adam and I have been trying to work out what we want over the next few years, and over the next few weeks we’re about to embark on the next chapter in our adventure…

In December we’ll be moving back to Australia. It’s with heavy hearts that we’ll bid Worcestershire and England goodbye, but for us it feels like it’s the right decision.

As you probably gathered from my post last week, I love living in the UK. It’s presented me with so many eye-opening life experiences and I’m a better person for taking a break from my career and packing up my life and moving to the northern hemisphere.  Adam and I believe we’d be happy in either of our home countries and we do suspect we’ll return to live in England at some stage.  For the moment though Australia has some opportunities we’d like to seize.

I have a job waiting for me and I’m ever so thankful my employer allowed me to take 15 months off. I feel refreshed and I’m looking forward to returning to journalism with a new outlook and approach. The contacts Adam forged while in Australia have also presented him with the chance to expand within his industry.

We own a house and very much want to return to being owners rather than renters and  can’t wait to turn it into our little sanctuary – a place we can make truly ours, a haven from the outside world, with space to accommodate family and friends and maybe even a pet.

Adam fell in love with Australia when he arrived in 2014 and quickly realised he felt very at home and at ease with life in the southern hemisphere. We’ve been able to secure him a visa to return long-term, which all going to plan, will lead to permanent residency. (I’ll be sharing more on this process soon)  He can’t wait to get back and I’m so very happy he has as much affection for my home country as I do.  We’ve loved our England adventure but for now it’s time to move on.

Our goal while we live in Australia is to return back to the UK at least once a year. We already have our first visitors from England booked in and I’m looking forward to sharing Wagga Wagga with Adam’s family, as they have shared Malvern with me.

I’m trying not to think about the tearful goodbyes we’ll have, rather the excitement of this next stage in our lives.

For now we’re savouring the time we’ve got left in the UK and trying to squeeze in as much travel as we possibly can, in between trying to sort out another international move.

So…Wagga Wagga to Worcestershire and back again – let’s do this!