ble

Quite possibly.

Mind you - we really swapped like for like, in terms of scernery and house size etc. Scottish mountains for Southern alps.

We both have a lot of friends (from uni mostly) that are living in other countries and will probably not be back to either NZ or UK (substitute country for me and him - lol). So we are both used to carrying on friendhsips from afar.
But I certainly found a village and a niche in that village in Scotland for the children and I. And that hasn't been replaced out here. No matter how hard I tried. I had a support network (that wan'st just family) that I could tap into, and that is missing.

And Family, well, to be fair - we have strong ties in both countries and so don't (and couldn't) count that in our decision process.


But to be honest, and I ahve just realised this. I spent my teenage and Uni years thinking that I was missing out on something in life. Things to see, concerts to go to, castles and history to explore rather than just read about. Ease of Travel, exploring the world (well some parts of it) with my children and not having to take out a third mortgage to do it.
Always thinking that there was somethign missing.

And I am back to that.
There are so many places, just within the UK that I still want to go too, some I want to go back too, some I want to take the kids too (like the 100 aker woods seeing as I have a couple of Pooh fans while they still believe in the magic of fairy tales). And there is not much here.
A couple more things and that is our NZ list pretty much done and dusted.
And I am not saying that to put NZ down, just that it doens't suit me. And I wouldn't have realised that unless I had lived here as an adult.

And I am glad that I have discovered that now, and we are making right that decision sometime in the near future.
It is my greatest fear that I will accept the daily grind here and one day wake up and discover that I am well and truly stuck. There is no going back and that my dreams and hopes are floating down the river. And that is my sole driving force.

We can always come back out here to retire in the future.

Kentish Lass

Sunday morning here in NZ and I am SO bored. OH has gone out fishing with his mate. Son has gone out with his mates and Daughter still in her bedroom after being grounded for life, and having a teenage sulk.
Well...what did you do on Sundays back home? I hear you ask.
Typically, we would have a cooked brekkie, take our dogs out either on the beach or into the woods or across farmland. Then we go for a lunchtime drink at our local and catch up with the local goss. Home for a late afternoon dinner. Finishing off the day with Quiz Night either at our pub or travelling to another in our league. I'm still proud of the plaque I won one year.I left it up on the wall of the Prince of Wales for all to remember me by. Yes, this is BC (Before Children) and I had mine late.But when the kids were young they used to walk the dogs with us and with another couple with similiar aged chidren, we used to visit different country pubs and have lunch there.

Try and live like it here? Nowhere decent to walk our dog and pubs are empty,except for a few men in their stubbies playing pool.

Kentish Lass

Forgot to add that now my two are 16 and 14, we could go back and Life could be as it were. Reading back it sounds as though I'm a heavy drinker always in the pub. No..a couple of largers does me fine but I miss the social side. Being in a village meant that the pub was the hub of what went on. We had bike rides, charity nights, quiz nights etc. Anyone with something to celebrate did so in the bar and any important football,boxing match was loudly watched and enjoyed. I'm afraid the World Cup came and went here like a damp squib. Christmas time and New Year were fantastic.

lilybilly101

Ah Kentish Lass, you're making me all weepy. I am also a heaving drinking couple of laers gal (more when persuaded) but the pub was so much fun. There was always something to laugh and gossip about no matter how often I saw friends, here I run out of chat in minutes. I'm so bloody bored too I can hardly stand it. Beautiful place, dull as dish water.......sad but true. My face is fixed in a brow furrow most of the time these days. I don't need botox, I need laughter!!!

Any escape for you in the future?

lilybilly101

There are so many places I want to visit too. I want my hubby and kids to see all the lovely places the UK has to offer and the occasional trip to France or elsewhere. I'm so tired of everyone looking at me pitifully that I'm going back. You would think I was leaving for Beirut the way some go on. God forbid I should try to defend the place.....miserable weather, too many people, too many cars, too expensive (BC is dirt cheap apprently), people are rude, children are on the streets raping and pillaging, and it is covered in litter, no you can't see the English countryside for garbage bags of litter. GIVE ME A BLOODY BREAK. I could hit someone so rather than go to a friend's this evening and punch her insensitive wind bag of a husband in the gob, I'll stay home with mine, drink a glass or two, cuddle up and watch Heroes or Battlestar. Sad but true!

Aug31st we're out of here......residency card allowing!

Thank you for my vent.

Desire

Kentish Lass what part of Kent were you originally from?
Me.....Maidstone

killerhales

I'm a Kentish lad too, born in Bexley. Depending on if you were born North or South of the Medway, you are either a Man Of Kent, or a Kentish Man, but I can't remember which is which any more!

For the first part of my working life I worked for a company in Faversham, which is a lovely market town, if struggling a bit economically. Some great Fremlins and Shepherd Neame pubs in the local area.

Loved going to Canterbury and met my wife in a local pub!

ble

My family don't really understand why we want to go back.
But in saying that they do love visiting the UK. And did visit regularily and enjoy it. So they often contridict (sp?) themselves a bit there.

But Lillybilly and Kentish Lass,
I don't even think that I could hold a conversation now that would be of any interest to anyone. I have forgotten how.

I am just hoping that the skill will come back to me - a bit like a bicycle ... never forgotten.

And I do miss the village and the local pub.

Kentish Lass

[QUOTE=ble;8727984]
But Lillybilly and Kentish Lass,
I don't even think that I could hold a conversation now that would be of any interest to anyone. I have forgotten how.

I am just hoping that the skill will come back to me - a bit like a bicycle ... never forgotten. END qUOTE


I just hope that when I go back for my trip in Oct., I don't make up for lost time and develop verbal diarreaha and drive everyone crazy! Once I start I may not be able to stop.

Originally from South London.Then moved out to Bromley Kent at 13yrs. Stayed there till I got married then moved out to cheaper property in Rochester. After a short time there went over to Surrey,West Byfleet,also for a short time, then down to the Romney Marsh. Lived for over 20 very happy years in New Romney.

charleygirl

Aw you all sound so much like me.....bored, miss the pub, love Kent, family in Hythe.......moved to NH 13 years ago today I think
Two years ago I finally made friends.....took me that long to even want to.
Sense of humour is sorely missed here, well British I mean......we are unique.
Good luck everyone in our pursuit of happiness.

lilybilly101

You'll be great ble but I know that you mean. I went back for a visit two years ago and the conversation and banter was so fast my wee brain couldn't keep up. At times I felt totally lost but just sat back and listened to it all happen and quickly got back into it or at least I thought I did! Maybe I was as dull as dish water!

I was chatting with a girlfriend the other day who had just been for drinks with friends from work. She didn't realise how alien that whole concept was here. I was distracted listening to her story as I was trying to picture that and remembered that's what people do there, you make good friends at work too. It's the most social place on earth in that respect. I spent over a year at a school here and never, ever went out after work, it just isn't done. In fact going to the pub is considered a lower class thing to do it seems. I think the pubs are there just for the bikers and the red necks so they're not much fun.

Ah well, I will continue to try and enjoy what this place has and that's unbelievable natural beauty. We're trying to do all the places we wanted to go and never did before we leave so life is quite nice right now. My hubby is currently on a hiking trip with our 4 yeard old boy up a mountain somewhere. Cute.

So yes, looking forward to a pub lunch on a Sunday, drinks after work on a Friday (kids allowing) and generally a much more socially connected time. FUN!!!

Bye for now!

Mummy in the foothills

Same here, I remember going home after work and thinking "thats it??"

killerhales

Killerhales 17 month update (heading back to UK Jan 2012):

Well, it's virtually the end of July so 17 months to go, time for an update. The house we bought in the UK has now got tenants. They would like to stay for the next year and a half, so everything looked rosy on that front.

When they moved in they found that there was no TV aerial (there is a satellite dish so we can only assume that the previous owners subscribed to SKY). They asked the agent if we could get one fitted. I asked the agent to get a quote with the full intention to pay for the aerial.

Low and behold the agent came back last night and said that the tenants had gone ahead anyway and had got an aerial fitted! Whose house is this, I can hear you asking!

Not a good start and I'm minded not to pay for the thing now, otherwise they will think they can get away with other stuff.

On the home front, work is a struggle motivation-wise and I am beginning to wonder how I can keep going for another 17 months! Another, interesting job with my present company may come up soon, but that would leave me with a moral dilemma, as the guy hiring for that role would have a reasonable expectation of a 3-4 year commitment.

We are doing bits and pieces with the house, some new taps, looking at a new shower screen; things that are not too expensive but make a real difference to the look and feel of the place. Any tips from anyone on that front?

My daughter is still going well at school; got an excellent half year report. As she won't be starting UK Uni until Autumn 2012 she doesn't have to start the UCAS application process for a long time yet. In fact, she will know her IB results ahead of any Uni offers so will have some certainty in that regard.

I'm (walking) the City to Surf on Sunday week, not up to running it, but really enjoyed walking it with my brother last year and we will do the same again this time.

Good luck to all of you who know you are heading back, but not for a while yet! (And those who would like to, but are not sure how).

lilybilly101

It's so weird isn't it? I'm so looking forward to the social side of life again. My Canadian husband remembers often being in the pub in London with a friend and leaving with a totally different group of people. He loved how friendly and out going people were compared to here. We laugh a great deal when on holiday in the UK and realise we rarely laugh here in social groups. We have a few friends who are great but it's a very small social circle.

Kentish Lass

Yep...Just miss having a bloody good laugh! I used to laugh till I nearly cried with my mates back home. Don't do much of it here.

And 'special' occasions eg Birthdays,Christmas just seem to come and go. Nzers don't 'do' cards. Back home I sent/gave out loads of Chrissie cards. All the neighbours, everyone at work and got loads back. The house full of lovely cards. Here not many shops even sell cards and there is very little choice. The best cards have been imported ftrom the UK (which I send all the way back..well travelled cards!) You'd be hard pushed to even know Christmas was happening. With going back Oct. till Nov. at least I'll get a taste of Christmas and the build up before I fly back.