dkvl

Well I have finally decided I will return to the UK next year - to be there by August. I don't think my husband will be going, but it is likely that at least one of my children will be returning to go to University there, possibly both.

Each day I realise more and more that there is nothing to keep me here, and some recent incidents have just highlighted that I do not belong. Anyone who tells you that Maritimers are the friendliest people are misleading you - it is a surface friendliness, and doesn't go any deeper or stand any challenges. I am staying to see my children finish High School, and hopefully I can weather any difficulties knowing it is finite.

I know there will be challenges (financial, work, accommodation) but it is good to be taking charge and start putting things in place for an anticipated move. It is time to be somewhere I want to be, feeling a sense of belonging, and returning to being the strong independent person I know I can be.

Rosie Lee

Well done to you, for being strong and standing up for what you want to do, and where you want to be. I do understand what you mean about friends. In UK friends are made slowly, and cautiously, relationships grow in depth as time goes on. Here people are extremely friendly and open from the first hello, however despite having some lovely canadian friends, I know that the relationship I have with them is never going to be anymore then it was on the first day I met them. No matter how long I know them, it's never going to be anything more than it is now!
Im sure this isn't everyone's experience, and maybe it matters where you are, but in know someone who's been here for 6 years, and is beginning to doubt many of her friendships!

cityboys1911

hi DKVI
my wife and I are doing the same as you after 12 years in the US we are making arrangements to move back to the UK next August just before winter sets in that's if we can sell the house, the US as been good to us but its time to be nearer our children and grandchildren although we are leaving one child and grandchild here in the US we think its time for us to go back home life here is now difficult for us we both just retired, we live in a rural area not many friends now when you finish work they forget about you, it is very rural here no public transport so we have to drive everywhere but there are more reasons we are returning home but that would take too long, so good luck to you keep me updated as to how you are doing

jaysangha

Good on you OP. We've been here 7 years and although it is a friendly country, its not the same type of friendliness,very superficial in some senses.

We're heading back for family reasons and part of me is actually looking forward to it. I won't miss the high prices for food, clothing etc, the severe winters and not having any family here. I will miss the openness, efficient public transport and not having to pay to park everywhere in the suburbs!!

Wishing you the best of luck!

Lorry1

Hi, just wanted to pop in to wish you the best of luck with your return. How long have you been in Halifax? Where abouts do you live?
We were there for 6 very long years and I felt exactly the same as you do.
My husband didn't want to leave there either but thank fully he agreed to for me and so we all returned last summer.
Do you think husband will join you if it came to the crunch?

dkvl

Thank you all for the support. I have been in Fall River for just under 9 years. Probably feeling an increasing need to be back in Scotland for about the last 3 years. Now at the point of feeling I can't maintain the effort to try and belong - certainly not through lack of involvement in the earlier years. Maybe it's also an age thing - you reach the point when you realize the need to decide what is important to you and to change the priorities.
I don't think my husband will make the move, at least initially. He has his own things to sort out.
I know there are going to be challenges ahead, but it is a relief to have made some decisions

brits1

Good luck with your move, we stayed in Aus for just over 12 years and while never feeling homesick we just never felt like we were at home in Aus for similar reasons to yours. We have been back home now for 4 years now and our eldest has just started his teaching certificate at Uni and our youngest is in his 2nd year at Uni and have settled in just fine and are happy as we all are here. Good luck again and take care.

Lorry1

Aah yes....Fall River AKA Little Britain! Newbies drive 10 minutes from the airport and buy a house. It is a beautiful place and we looked at a few houses there but at the time there was no transport links downtown and hubby needed to get a bus to work as we only had 1 car for the first 4 years! I also felt like I would be stuck up there with no shops or really nothing to do. There is beauty but not much else.

Well, I really hope your husband realises you are serious about returning and will follow on soon after. Its always sad when marriages and families separate due to wanting to live in different Countries. People don't think of this when first starting the immigration process

Good luck!

dkvl

I don't necessarily agree fully about Fall River, although I know that there has been a bit of a "little Britain" in some areas. We live in an area which has few expats. I have always been a great proposer of getting involved in the local community and not staying in a little "clique". It has to be said, that I can also see why it is good to have friends more on the same wavelength as yourself.
Fall River is a great location really, with all the basic amenities locally, but easy access to the city. Certainly more of a community than some other areas. Certainly agree with the need to have transport - I think something that is common to a lot of areas unless you want to live in the city or it's outskirts. (There is now a bus link between the airport and Dartmouth/Halifax via Fall River)
It is going to be a time of change indeed. Children going away to college, multiplied!