[cheers]

Originally Posted by jasper123 Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha thats funny (: ------------- well for those who have been in America for 30 plus years then you would probably have lost a great big chunk of your sense of humor, and not to mention the personality change, especially if you had NO British friends there, But once back home you will find it all comes back quite naturally over time, The longer your over here and the more you truly get into the British life style, and the more strangers you bump into and chat to, the more of your old British personality comes back, you find the old you!!!! you know that charming person that you were way back in your youth before you left these lovely British Shores to seek (what you thought then ----- a better life, Some of the older posters on this thread will remember that Wonderful lady her name was Anna, she left the U.S. after over 30 years there, and although her home is England and where all her family is ----- she decided to first try Malta to see if she liked living there, well she posted for about a year from Malta, and then her posts suddenly stopped so I dont know if shes still there or back in England, but all her posts as soon as she started living in Malta were sooooo uplifting to all us living in the States waiting to come home, I remember the excitement in her words, they just jumped out at you, every day was an adventure for her, and she told us on a daily basis all the many things she was doing, she loved life there, but the biggest thing that I took away from her posts was that she often would say how wonderful it is this feeling of compleat and total freedom and Joy, and the sheer happiness of waking up each morning where everyone around was so helpful and made her feel like she belonged there, And she said her personality had come back, and she was smiling more and laughing more, and all the stress from her old life in U.S. had completely gone away, I myself am feeling all these emotions being home in England, it took me a while but I really feel that I belong here now Rodney.

Rod, Do you still have a Yank accent?
How is Don doing?

[jemima55]

Originally Posted by jemima55 Oh, god, you mean I`ve got to find my sense of humour. I know I`ve put it somewhere...............

Sile, I can tell you that for years in England the "mustn`t miss" tv programmes on a Friday night were Frasier and Friends, all very sophisticated stuff and we loved it!

[Whatshername]

Originally Posted by cheers Rod, Do you still have a Yank accent? How is Don doing?

Anna is a friend of mine, and we skype periodically, I will send her your best wishes. She is still in Malta and still loving it. I knew her when she lived in the US, and she is so much happier now. She inspired me to move back to England, we are leaving July 27th. We have been in the US over thirty years and are so looking forward to "our great adventure" - 92 more days, but who's counting !!!!

[Beedubya]

Originally Posted by Whatshername Anna is a friend of mine, and we skype periodically, I will send her your best wishes. She is still in Malta and still loving it. I knew her when she lived in the US, and she is so much happier now. She inspired me to move back to England, we are leaving July 27th. We have been in the US over thirty years and are so looking forward to "our great adventure" - 92 more days, but who's counting !!!!

Anna inspired me too!! I wish she would get back on here for an update.

Please let her know I send her my regards and best wishes and a big thank you for helping me to take the plunge.

[Whatshername]

How long have you been back in the UK, and how long did you live in the US? I am from Plymouth and we are heading back to Devon. Can't wait.

[jasper123]

Originally Posted by Whatshername Anna is a friend of mine, and we skype periodically, I will send her your best wishes. She is still in Malta and still loving it. I knew her when she lived in the US, and she is so much happier now. She inspired me to move back to England, we are leaving July 27th. We have been in the US over thirty years and are so looking forward to "our great adventure" - 92 more days, but who's counting !!!!

Whatshername, welcome to this thread, Yes Anna was a real inspiration for me, she was one of the people that I admire a lot, and her many stories from Malta were always so interesting and at times quite funny, she has a good British sense of humor, I think I remember her being from the North of England originally,
She offered to knit me a scarf for the chilly days when I got baCK HOME, could you please tell her when you speak to her again that Im still waiting for it
And can you also ask her to please get back on the over 50,s & 60,s thread of British Expats and give us a nice long update of all her adventures to date,
Rodney.
PS good on ya, and good luck on your trip home shortly, Ive been home for 16 months after 36 years in America and I love it !!!!

[lf1]

Over the past few days we have been sorting and get rid of stuff so that we can list our home. I am a woman on a mission, but hubby not so much. Today we have been cleaning out our bookcases, unfortunately hubby has been spending more time reading than sorting books. I bit my tongue and then I discovered him going through a pile of old magazines that I had put in the recycling pile. Apparently, he had to have a read at those too. I'll give him a break on that as they are magazines about Britain.

Anyway, my patience is wearing a bit thin, so if you hear, on tonights news "there's been a murderrrrrr in the BE Forum today and DCI Taggart has been assigned to the case" chances are he will be trying to track me down. LOL

[Almo]

I hope I might be able to slip in and pull up a chair in this thread?

OH and I have been in Australia for just short of 5 years and I am hoping to move back home this Christmas, with OH coming for a holiday then moving back permanently in Feb 2013. We have to be back in December anyway and we're tied to our rental here until Feb 2013 so we've pretty much agreed that it makes sense for me to stay on in the UK to start sorting out a rental etc, and for him to come back and pack up.

I want to move back more than OH, although he is still keen. We're worried about the economy and finding jobs and I'm worried that OH will decide he wants to delay the move as we get closer.

Anyway, that's a bit of my back story, didn't want to rabbit on (more than I have) on my first visit!

[jasper123]

Originally Posted by Almo I hope I might be able to slip in and pull up a chair in this thread? OH and I have been in Australia for just short of 5 years and I am hoping to move back home this Christmas, with OH coming for a holiday then moving back permanently in Feb 2013. We have to be back in December anyway and we're tied to our rental here until Feb 2013 so we've pretty much agreed that it makes sense for me to stay on in the UK to start sorting out a rental etc, and for him to come back and pack up. I want to move back more than OH, although he is still keen. We're worried about the economy and finding jobs and I'm worried that OH will decide he wants to delay the move as we get closer. Anyway, that's a bit of my back story, didn't want to rabbit on (more than I have) on my first visit!

Welcome to our thread Almo, how old are you? so in just 5 years you have had enough of Ozz Huh? is your Hubby the Australian and you the British subject? we all try to help and inspire each other, some have already made the big move home, some are waiting until there time is right, others have a date to leave and are busy packing and sorting, and some are still just thinking about moving back home,
One things for sure you will get a nice warm welcome here as will all newbies, and lurkers, but its up to all of you to keep posting and bit by bit keep giving us more info about yourself and situation, and then you will get replies and help and encouragement,
I could not have made my big move home 16 months ago without all the inspiration/support/understanding and help that I received from all posters on here, sadly though so so many of the old posters going back 3 years have gradually droped off,
Rodney.

[lf1]

Rodney,

now that you have been back for a while, are there any things that you miss about living in the US. if so, were these things that you knew you would miss before you left or did they come as a surprise to you?

I think I have identified what I will miss, but I am sure there are things that I take for granted.

[lf1]

Almo, welcome to BE. I have been a long time lurker and have only recently started to post a bit more, but I have found this site very helpful. It really does help to know that you are not alone in your desire to move back. good luck with your move.

[Fish n Chips 56]

I miss Anna's posts too, she was a very big part of this thread when I joined, I think she was the one that had a garage sale and someone stole her camera, I too hope she will give us an update...

[Fish n Chips 56]

Originally Posted by Almo I hope I might be able to slip in and pull up a chair in this thread? OH and I have been in Australia for just short of 5 years and I am hoping to move back home this Christmas, with OH coming for a holiday then moving back permanently in Feb 2013. We have to be back in December anyway and we're tied to our rental here until Feb 2013 so we've pretty much agreed that it makes sense for me to stay on in the UK to start sorting out a rental etc, and for him to come back and pack up. I want to move back more than OH, although he is still keen. We're worried about the economy and finding jobs and I'm worried that OH will decide he wants to delay the move as we get closer. Anyway, that's a bit of my back story, didn't want to rabbit on (more than I have) on my first visit!

Welcome Almo...

You are here now you might as well tell us whats on your mind, you've made a good start with your comments about your husbands concern about jobs and possibly wanting to delay your return, Weve seen it many times where one half is more positive than the other, sometimes one half has fallen in love with their new home and doenst really want to leave, thats happens...

I dont think there is ever a perfect time to go back, so to me now is better than waiting, in essence now is the perfect time.

Jobs are always a major concern, it all depends what kind of job you are looking for, there are people on here who may be able to shine a light on that for you, I know some who have struggled to get work and others that have gotten a fantastic job within a month of returning...

Where in the UK will you be going...

[jemima55]

Originally Posted by lf1 Over the past few days we have been sorting and get rid of stuff so that we can list our home. I am a woman on a mission, but hubby not so much. Today we have been cleaning out our bookcases, unfortunately hubby has been spending more time reading than sorting books. I bit my tongue and then I discovered him going through a pile of old magazines that I had put in the recycling pile. Apparently, he had to have a read at those too. I'll give him a break on that as they are magazines about Britain. Anyway, my patience is wearing a bit thin, so if you hear, on tonights news "there's been a murderrrrrr in the BE Forum today and DCI Taggart has been assigned to the case" chances are he will be trying to track me down. LOL

Ha ha! I know how you feel, sometimes I`m the only one willing to get my hands dirty in this household! That said, I`ve just had the luxury of a gangload of hired men cleaning up the yard, bliss!

[jemima55]

(Later) Me `n `im just spent the afternoon clearing out the basement, chucking out stuff, I may be returning as a minimalist!