teejay65

I dont really have any questions per se, but having lurked here for the last few weeks, i thought it would be nice to contribute my story.
I left the Uk in March 87 to go back pack and have a look around. I had no formal education and had no plans to stay away indefinitely. I ended up getting a job on a sailboat and that became my career for the next 17 years, taking me happily all over the world, though for the last 7 years i was based in New England though travelled extensively. Ten years ago, burnt out on that industry, i moved to Costa Rica in order to develop and build a photography business, which i did. Between that and 2-3 months a year of marine engineering, i did just fine. I stayed out of England because of my passion for travel and for many years i swore i would never move back. I made solid money over the years though never put it into anything and so in recent years, as my income remained the same and costs have risen around me as it has for many, making me begin to reassess. When my father had a stroke 4 years ago, i started to make a bigger effort to spend more time in the UK and then my father passed two and half years ago. In recent years, i realised that the only reason i was in Costa Rica, was because i wasn't anywhere else and finally this year i realized it was time to go home. There were quite a few other reasons for this;
My mother is getting older as are my brother and sisters.
I have never had legal residency anywhere for the whole 27 years and this lifestyle is becoming much more difficult and expensive.
Reintegrating in the UK is increasingly becoming more difficult and will not get easier.
I have no significant savings or investments and obviously need to think what i will do in my later years.
I realized that i am getting lonely and i do not want to be here in ten years time. I have many friends, some very good ones, but they too move around.
Recently, here in my town, several older expats have had health problems and some have died suddenly. It isnt pretty and is certainly not glamorous. Dont want to be them. There are also several my age who have no plans moving forward, and i see potential problems in that lack of action.
But one of the most interesting things was that as i told people of my plans, i was amazed by how many people live in this tropical paradise simply because they do not know how they would go back or what they would do. Many yearn for it though keep a smile on their faces. They are all very happy for me and encouraging. Enlightening.
I am fortunate that i will go back to a job paying low 20,000 pounds to start. I will live with my mother for the first several months. This was her idea and we get on very well and there is plenty of room in her house. I will be going back to Liverpool where i was born. I have had a bank account for 3-4 years and i always kept my driving license current. I have a few friends but i have developed the skills needed to make friends quickly qiven my jobs in the last 27 years and i have developed many useful skills which will carry me through (i think). Basically i am pretty excited and very ready to make this move and settle down...finally. I am working on a one year trial period to make sure it is not disastrous. I think i will be able to approach life in the UK with wide open eyes and a new perspective
This has all happened in the last month.
so sorry for the ramble, but i have found the views here useful and what i have taken away is a lot of it is upto my attitude.
Please feel free to comment or ask questions

morayeel

Looks like you have thought things through.you have plans and good you and your mum get along so well.I think its well worth trying. You mentioned you also have a job when you return so all looks good.I certainly wish you well. I want to return also. I have 2 dogs and they are both 8 years old. I have the funds to fly them back with me and a small amount saved up until I find employment but finding a place that will accept 2 dogs is going to be an issue from what family back home in Scotland have told me. I say GO FOR IT...

Bnet36

Glad you are taking the leap. You are right it's all about attitude. I know that life won't be without its challenges when I get back but I will do my best to maintain a positive attitude.

Best of luck!

BEVS

Welcome to Be teejay65.

A very interesting story and life from the sounds of it.

All the best with your move to the UK.

Please do keep us updated.

In the meantime , have a mooch around BE and a post where the fancy takes you.

WEBlue

Welcome Teejay! Sounds like you are truly ready to return, and have the means (good job) and the accommodation to make a good go of it. The fact that you've lived a peripatetic lifestyle for at least some of your expat years may help too. That is, you've become used to many landscapes, cultures, and way of doing things--not just one--over all your years away from the UK.

The one thing I would warn you about is that for some who are used to lots of regular (or irregular) travel for business or pleasure or whatever, the return can be bumpy if you don't plan some getaways.

I have family members who are in this category of expat, and they found they needed to integrate many small trips & excursions into their first years back "home" or else they became quite unhappy and restless. They really missed the changes in scenery and people that their years abroad had got them used to....

Good luck and do keep us updated with how things go for you.

teejay65

Thanks for all the encouragement and comments.

I agree about the side trips and i have already planned a few including long awaited weekends away to latvia/estonia/lithuania and a spring/summer trip to Georgia and Armenia. One of the attractions of relocating is a fresh orientation from a travel point of view. I have been based in Latin America for the last ten years and have thoroughly explored the Americas (still missing Venezuela and the Guianas).

I have continued chatting with people here in Central America and have really come to realise that many here are here for the lifestyle but most are indeed struggling to get ahead with much invested in various businesses and properties reaffirming that it is tough everywhere right now.

Still looking forward to the move. I leave Costa Rica tomorrow for three weeks in the states before i go for my trial month in the UK. we decided to do this just to make sure there are no unbearable or unsolvable problems so i will get a nice pre christmas visit back here to close things down permanently.
I will keep everyone update as in hit the ground.