A content creator has opened up about her decision to leave Australia behind and return to the UK. Ellie McClean, from Birmingham, moved to Australia two-and-a-half years ago, spending time in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.
Why She's Leaving
While she says she feels "a lot safer" in Australia compared to the UK, the 28-year-old insists nothing can replace being near to family and friends. "I am excited to leave Australia, I feel like it's so not normalised for people to want to leave," she shared on her TikTok page. "When you tell people that you're wanting to leave, they're like, 'Why?'. You either have to pick the lifestyle and the weather or your friends and family and I just think there's no competition for me."
Realising What Matters
When Ellie initially relocated to Australia, she was convinced she'd remain there permanently. Yet after more than two years living abroad, she began yearning for the familiar comforts of home in Birmingham. "After two and a half years of living here, what I've realised since being here is that what means most to me is the little things. I've missed three years of birthdays, little celebrations, dog walks, cups of tea, Sunday roasts, you miss so much that you take for granted when you're at home. And you have to move away sometimes to realise what you've got."
Anticipating the Return
Discussing what she's most eagerly anticipating upon her return home, Ellie added: "I'm ready for England, I'm ready for the cold weather, I'm ready for the percy pigs, I'm ready for real fish and chips, actual chippy chips, English tele, to hear English accents." Yet, despite her enthusiasm about coming back to the UK following redundancy from her role as an influencer marketer, Ellie acknowledges it will be tough to say goodbye to numerous elements of life Down Under.
What She'll Miss
Australia continues to rank among the top choices for British expats, drawing thousands annually with its balmy climate, spectacular coastline, lively cities, robust healthcare infrastructure and employment prospects. For Ellie, one of the hardest things to leave behind will be living just moments from the beach. "I don't know what I'm going to do with my free time because I feel like I spend so much at it at the beach," she revealed. "And life in general, kangaroos, palm trees, Chemist (Australia's largest pharmacy retailer Chemist Warehouse), food courts in supermarket, Yo-Chi, coffee in Australia is [also] a million times better than in the UK."
Future Plans
Might she consider relocating to Australia again down the line? Ellie told us: "I'm travelling for six months before heading home indefinitely. I've got no plans to move back but I would 100 per cent recommend others to live there and try it out. It's been such an amazing experience living here but there's no place like home."
