A Scottish family who moved to Sydney less than two years ago have revealed they are packing up and returning home after struggling to adapt to Australian life.
Mother-of-two Kimberley Lucas has been candid about the financial and social challenges she and her family have faced since moving to Australia in early 2023.
In a recent video shared on TikTok, Ms Lucas further explained why the Australian lifestyle is not for them.
He explained that the family was surprised by the long hours expected of blue-collar workers.
“My husband works crazy hours here compared to the UK,” Lucas wrote in a montage.
‘He is in construction and works a minimum of 50 hours a week, sometimes more than 60 hours.
“He’s out before we wake up and usually comes home around the kids’ bedtime.”
“Their contract is 39 hours, but everyone works longer without doing overtime, which is crazy.”
Kimberley Lucas (pictured with her husband) and her family have decided to return to Scotland after spending just under two years in Australia.
Lucas and his partner have also struggled to keep up with the high childcare costs charged to non-permanent residents.
‘Childcare is very expensive. “We don’t have a permanent resident visa, so we don’t get help with the costs,” he said.
‘For us, public school costs $7,000 a year and daycare costs $23,700 a year for three days (a week).
‘In Scotland, education is free and we have 30 hours a week to pay for childcare costs.
“Permanent residency takes eight to ten months after applying, which means next year we would receive $31,000 just for childcare.”
Mrs Lucas was also concerned about the family bond her children would miss out on while living outside Scotland.
“It seems obvious, but I miss the family a lot,” he said.
‘I’m just going to have a coffee while the children are pampered at their grandparents’ house or sleep over at their aunts’.
‘Some of my best childhood memories were with my grandparents and I hate that my children can’t experience that.
“People visit us, but it feels so bittersweet because you know they’re leaving again and you won’t see them for a year.”
Lucas said his family had struggled to adapt to many things in Australia, including the cost of living, social life and the distance from his family in Scotland (file image)
The mother has struggled to “make friends” and maintain a close relationship with her husband while living abroad.
“People are happy to talk to you, but it seems that things are not going to go any further,” he wrote.
“A lot of moms seem to be a little older, which means I don’t have much in common. I may be a mom, but I love going out every now and then and letting my hair down.”
‘I miss quality time with my husband. Because he works crazy hours here, I’m very limited in spending time with him without both of us being tired and exhausted.
‘I see him a lot less here and without family support we are sacrificing a date night/going out or even booking a last minute city break in Europe.
“I felt like we were happier in our relationship when we had time for each other.”
Several social media users agreed with Ms Lucas that expat life is not always as good as it seems and applauded her for putting her family’s happiness first.
‘As a Kiwi living in Australia, I agree with the friends part. It’s so hard to make friends here!’ said one.
‘Life is not linear and when things no longer seem right to us, we must make changes. “I have no regrets, it’s just another chapter in your story,” wrote another.
“I can relate to the making friends part and this didn’t happen to me until the kids went to school,” wrote a third.
“I found that people already have friends and family, so they don’t need them.”
‘All the best darling, at least you tried!! We are from New Zealand and have been here for 11 years. The cost of living and work-life balance have definitely become difficult lately!’ another wrote.
In other posts, Lucas explained that while his family was “incredibly grateful” for the opportunity to live in Australia, it didn’t “feel like home.”
‘There is no doubt that it is a beautiful country. But there are many people who visit him and don’t feel the same ‘love’ for him as many others, and that’s okay,” he wrote.
“I always feel like I have to explain to people why I don’t feel the same way, when the reality is that it’s not my home.”