So. Came back. And...

[hopalong]

So. After 6 years in Oz and getting our citizenship after four of those years, we decided to come back to SA. We packed up all our stuff, and shipped it here.

Been here now for 8 months. And it feels like the worst choice we could have ever made. I won't go into all the detail, but it's basically the same reasons we left, and are the same reasons most people leave.

I'll save you from the "everything is worse than it was 6 years ago in SA" spiel. This is not what this post is about.

The thing is that I am petrified of going back to Oz. Went into depression the first time we moved there. Took me 7 months to find a job. Even though I am highly qualified and experienced with an Aussie masters degree in business, and a decade of management experience.

I experienced so much damn xenophobia and bullying in the workplace that I thought maybe I'm the problem. Maybe I need to just "become more Aussie". But on closer analysis, almost every foreigner in there was treated like crap and bullied. Tried another two companies. And it was pretty much the same thing. I clearly don't have the thick skin that some of my more successful expat acquaintances have who have experienced the same thing but are able to move on quickly.

Even as an Aussie citizen, things didn't change. Being bullied and being front of line for retrenchment.

Hence my trepidation of going back to Melbourne.

I love what Aus gave to us. A sense of safety from crime and the chance to earn good money and bring our children up in a great environment. But I hate what it did to me personally. Taking a few hits on the chin is one thing. But to take them day in and day out kills your spirit and your will to go on. Thank God for my children and wife.

Have any of you ever left and gone back? Did you find it different the second time around?

We do have an option to go to the UK. I love the brits. So easy to get along with and I can identify with them. But starting again with a family in a new country is freaking me out. I guess six years of being broken down will do that to you.

Edited September 17, 2013 by hopalong

[Donovan83]

You got slapped?! At work?!

I hope you gave her a snot klap back!

[Riekie]

You got slapped?! At work?!

I hope you gave her a snot klap back!

Unbelievable, isn't it?....

Their in-house lawyer made it go away... obviously...

[RYLC]

and if the worst came to the worst, they could buy their way to safety.

I always find this to be a strange exit strategy. The "price of poker" changes all the time with a declining currency (even the average Zimbabwian is a multi millionaire in their currency), and with a world wide ageing population countries will clamp down on age in the next 15+ years

[Donovan83]

Unbelievable, isn't it?....

Their in-house lawyer made it go away... obviously...

Oh my word! I don't know what I'd do if someone slapped me at work.

Probably punch them in the balls or t!ts!

[heidim]

Sorry that you have to deal with this again RosFam and that things didn't work out first time round. Thanks for posting and sharing your experience, I know it can't be easy.

Good luck!

AND KEEP SAFE!!!!

Edited March 21, 2014 by heidim

[AndreaL]

Oh my word! I don't know what I'd do if someone slapped me at work.

Probably punch them in the balls or t!ts!

No you wouldn't.................you'd be hoping there were witnesses, you would report it immediately. That is serious misconduct and should be a stackable offence......................I bet in Riekie's case the person involved was able to claim some sort of emotional state that resulted in out of character behaviour......................surely she was moved on Riekie, encouraged to resign or face sacking?

Donovan, if you hit back, you'd most likely find yourself and the other person being counselled and put on a behaviour management plan.

[JH6410]

To Riekie:

Sorry to hear about your ordeal and this is just not acceptable in any workplace and I agree with AndreaL, there is a process that protects you and gives you the right to speak. You may be earmarked for redundancy / retrenchment after that but then you have a legal leg to stand on.

I read an article in a HR mag some time ago (yes a hard copy and not electronic ), can't remember which one, that listed Australia as number 3 in Workplace bulling in the world (USA first on the list) and NSW being the state with the most complaints followed by VIC, then WA. The article attributed this to the large number on international HQ's in Sydney and Melbourne and the mining industry in Perth, all fighting for a piece of the financial pie forgetting that their staff actually create their wealth. I will have a look and see if I can locate the article again but was interesting reading.

By the way, France was number 2.

PS: Riekie, we are also from Centurion

Good luck to all within Aus or RSA

Edited March 23, 2014 by JH6410