kiwibrit101

It's D day, it has been a long road to get here and we have not left yet!
Conroys are doing the move and our wee dog is off to Southern Comfort (airpets) and we fly out Monday. Even though we have holidayed back in the UK often in the last 20 years, this is a very emotional time for me and my partner. We did not anticipate this at all. I think I mentioned last time when we came here we just jumped on a plane in our early 30s without a glance back.......But there is really a sense of going home. Will keep you posted on arrival and finding our feet.......we still have no idea where we will end up......One thing I have learnt in the process so far....... I am never hanging on to stuff it don't need again!

Spacecake799

Kiwibrit good luck! We used Southern comfort for our dog and they were excellent. I have been back 18mnths and I love it every day. We came to a totally new area and have really enjoyed getting to know somewhere new.
I hope everything works out well for you

feelbritish

Kiwibrit goodluck from me too! I just get emotional reading your post! Looking forward to your updates

windsong

I got rid of gobs of stuff about eight months ago when I moved within the USA. I just didn't want to pay to move it and, besides, I wasn't going to take it to the UK anyway. Eight months later, I still miss some of it but what I miss more than anything is having a place to call home and a feeling of being settled in my own place. I won't have that until I get to the UK but it is okay. It's worth it. It's still a grieving process, though. Sometimes I catch myself saying to a friend, "I have one of those . . . " but I don't "anymore". I knew I would be living in limbo this year - en route to the UK - but it does get tiresome very quickly and is not easy at times. Even though it is only "stuff", it is part of what formed "our home". and I think it is the sense of "home" that we grieve, not the stuff itself. For me, it is also part of grieving the USA - and I think you do grieve it even if you don't like the place. It is because it is "familiar".

The few items that I am taking to the UK are already all boxed up!

BEVS

All the very best to you kiwibrit with this next stage of your lives.
Wish you nothing but good luck with this new settling process and hope that all goes as smoothly as it possibly can.

kiwibrit101

6pm and they are still packing and loading.
Thank You for your kind words !

BEVS

Still packing after a de-clutter

Hope your stress levels are not in the red zone.

A story:


We have some pals that returned to the UK after 10 years here . They are in their 50's. The pull was to their adult kids who would be embarking on families of their own. Those offspring thought NZ lovely but ,overall, dull and had no intention of doing more than visiting when they could . After having a family of their own that would have been realistically impossible. So our pals thought about being 'snowbirds'. But that was not really feasible as NZ is so very, very far away --- innit --- & it's not like you pop for a few weeks and pop back, especially if you are not retired with $$.
Popping to the UK is, in itself, a good few days or more.

So. They left secure jobs. A wonderful house. This area of NZ which probably offers the best climate in NZ. Their friends. Their routine. Their NZ lives, which was fine enough and headed back to the UK with a rough plan in place.

Actually, quite a good plan in place. Some offer of work and an area to live. Except that did not work out and so they moved from one area to another where he secured a short term contract .
They looked for a house but the floods came and that house was re-assigned as in peril.

The Pits!

or not

After one whole year back in the UK, he has landed - in his 50's - a good, long term, full time job in Wiltshire. Not too far from the adult kids. They are looking for a house in that area.

I suppose I am saying to you that there may be ups and downs ( which you will already know) but it will get there in the end. It has for them. It will for you and if we choose to take that step, it will for us.

kiwibrit101

Phew!

Deley

Good luck Kiwibrit, sounds like it has been a long day but exciting times ahead.

TheLonestarBrit

Thanks for this post! You captured how i'm feeling right now! It really is a grief period in limbo! I move in 5 weeks and it's starting to hit home that this is a major decision (and a good one) but i'm having some difficult days with giref for the life I've had in America. Not going to change my mind, but it's comforting to know what I'm feeling is perfectly normal

kiwibrit101

2,30 am...PING...wake up....strange bed for a couple of days before we fly out. The house not quite finished they have some white ware and othe bits to pack and load. Ihave a morning of work to wrap things up, a good thing for me stops the mind spiking. Nervously watching xchange rate dip....praying for a surge in the next coming days.....first time in my life I'm nervous about getting on a plane....we are flying eastward.
Where did I put those sleeping tabLets the doc gave for the plane? Why does the dog need out for a wee at 2.45 in the morning ? He ever usually does......Will this be financial suiscide?......Can you still buy plugs for all theses kiwi appliance?, would it be so bad if the whole container fell off the ship? It's well insured ....just go shopping.....is David Cameron really a jerk? Who cares anyways.......
Just rambling of a crazy lad at an early hour......while partner sleeps like a baby.......which ids great!

JRuss87

All the best, I'm sure these will be some of the same concerns I'll have, though I won't have to worry about a container, just two suitcases for me. But I'm sure it'll be great.

Good luck !

windsong

Yes, I do believe it is normal.

If you were to decide not to go home, you would begin to grieve the UK, no matter how long it is since you visited. If you decide to move forwards and go to the UK, you will grieve the country you leave. It is a mixed bag of emotions, no matter how you look at it.