Merlot

I missed all those things and sure if I left tomorrow would miss them again but the novelty does wear thin and like everywhere you can live in the world, the surrounds always become familar.

I have no regrets about coming back to the UK and have realised that apart from my family, there is not much else that would keep me here. It has changed a lot and I don't feel as if I belong, even after 12 months back. Of course there are some wonderful and enjoyable parts too.

BUT everyone is different and happiness is the key.

Best of luck
Merlot

yorkiebar99

well seacreature........if your idea of bliss is a "chilly windswept day in November" along Whitby harbour....maybe you do belong in Britain!!! We always use to look forward to a visit to whitby and the coast but i can tell you that the excitement lasted 2 minutes before we were ready to leave and get back to our home. I'm afraid the climate just doesn't cut it for us over there. I can understand though how you miss that terribly.

but the truth is you are here with your wife, right? yes, you miss yorkshire terribly...but haven't you moved here to be happy with your wife?
do you want to feel like this all the time?
if not, i say you just have to get a grip and force yourself to think about the things you like about Canada. Not what it isn't. even if you only like 1 thing about living here just think about that all the time. make a point of doing things with other people(even if you don't like the activity or the person) and i tell you good things will start to happen and you will eventually start meeting better people and start making a life for yourself.

gillmahoney

hello all, I have only just encountered this forum unfortunatly!!!
I have really gone through the mill with both culture shock and homesickness, and for a long time my family - hubby son and daughter were in complete oposition. I cant imagine amore untenable position to be in. My welfare rested on going back to Cornwall whilst thier depended on staying here in Italy - what do you do? I was extremly ill with it. And frankly although we have been here over a year and a half I still feel the same.
WE have run into terrible troubles here on every level which has reinforced my feelings and also the rest of family are now feeling restless.
WE are justnow trapped because the house purchase hasnt yet finalised and we have also run out of money waitinf ro our permission di sogiono, we bought two other little stone houses very ceap thinking the mone would be safe to retrieve if needed but have now found we cant get aloan on the strnegth of even selling them.
Even despite the troubles my family wont go back to Cornwall they have bad memories there too so it will still have to be somehwere else.
Italy is exceedingly beautiful and getsinto yourblood but very harfd to live in unless y ou have lots of money and rbing your livelhood from england. I am afriad that even italy will have got into my blood now and I will again go through terrible shock on moving. also we have animals to transport. what a headache! I am writing 'the book' which is the only consolation I get being in this plight. anyother people who have moved to europe and feel the same? Gill

kiwichild

Good Luck Gill, sounds a tough situation. I wish you well. I've run out of karma or I'd send you some. If I remember I'll send you some when I get it reloaded.

kiwichild

It's been reloaded have sent you some karma

Bangers&Mash

After 20 years of living in Connecticut I'm heading home to Blighty soon.
Problem I'm having is that many potential employers won't even give my CV a second glance because I'm still living here. Many have said to contact them when I'm back, unfortunalely I can't go back until I have a secure job, Need that & a letter to get a Spouse Visa for my American Wife.

SteveHarris

Nicely summed up. I remember my first trip back to the UK about 2.5 yrs ago - getting of the plane in Gatwick - generally grubby compared to Vancouver airport and slightly unwelcoming (did like the hustle and bustle though). Came back to Canada and a security guard welcomed us back home (nice contrast).

Good advice - take a trip back to the UK sna you'll probably be surprised...

Good luck all.

Cheers - Steve

dingbat

And yet...I had the opposite experience of sobbing like a big girl's blouse at Heathrow, after two wonderful weeks back home because I was sick to my stomach at the thought of coming back to Boring BC. I nearly missed the flight, and had I not left a couple of kids in Canada, I am not sure I would have left the UK. I have no illusions about Blighty, it has many faults and is overcrowded. I hate the boozy yobs, I detest the spongers. BC has, however, many more faults, almost all the same and then some, (substitute booze for drugs). The faults are just better hidden by the amazing scenery.

iaink

In which case you need to start planning your escape as you now know rather than think you know where you would rather be. Its all very well talking about how its for the kids future or whatever, but the best thing in my opinion for the kids future is a happy parent. IIRC though you have major legal problems with their Dad dont you and cant even move out of BC without a major league legal drama? That sucks, fortunately most arentin that unenviable position, but there must be someway out somehow. You have to keep chasing happyness, so dont give up, and I hope you have good luck with it.

dingbat

I have resigned myself to being here now and it's almost becoming liveable these days! I have four kids with my ex. I work with too many damaged kids to let adult b.s. concern them, so I will just have to lump it for a while yet. I am happy that I have what I have - I am by no means on the breadline anymore, although I was for a while while I re-trained after my marriage tanked. There is no legal way out of my particular mess. My eldest graduates in two years - the same year that my youngest starts kindergarten - so I have a way to go yet. It'll all be fine, at least I can plan my escape looking at the mountains. There are far worse off than me.

gillmahoney

Phew! thank goodness I didnt go there, sense of humour very imprtant, Italians have one but I cant understand Italian, I miss J paxman too, I admit I miss rimaging around car boots and cahrit shops ( of which ther are none here) for books mostly. I miss the arts review too!! no yorkshire accents where we came from just Cornish ones and I miss those, but very tough people really especailly when we got in a needy position!! GIll

gillmahoney

Ta! your a pal!! I send you some back !! its harsh isnt it? especially when you have to fight your own family about it!!!! its sorta you can go home if you like but we are staying!! That was the pits) now daughter is saying she is fed up because she cant get work she wants, and her fiance wants to move outof Italy even though he is Italian- so in a sense there is some hope- but I knowmy health wont like mving north which is the down side- non of them want to move back to Cornwall or even england they say they will move to Ireland, I have never even been there, though hubby has a big family there. Life sure can get hard. Hope things improve for you Gillmahoney

Calgal

[QUOTE=seacreature]Personally, I think a lot of the reason I'm not enjoying living in Canada isn't work related. I just miss Britain, terribly.
QUOTE]

Awwwwww,

I came to this thread to see if I could change your mind - see if maybe you haven't been here long enough yet, but instead, you did such a great job with your description of home - you MADE ME HOMESICK!! ..lol

Seriously though, I'm really sorry you feel that way, and I DO miss all the things you describe. But when I went back two years ago for a visit, the reality of everyday living set in - the dismal grey weather, the miserable people, the over crowding and the yobs on the street, the vandalism, the high cost of living, etc etc etc! I couldn't wait to come 'home' again, where I know my kids are safe and will get many more opportunities in life than I could have dreamed of at their age. Where I am not squeezed so closely between neighbours that it's clostrophobic, where there are plenty of parks for the kids to play, where I can have some income left to enjoy, not just make ends meet.

Have you tried Alberta? Lovely here

Calgal

There's always "BBC Canada" get some good old British comedies on there

As for serious people - you should definitely try Alberta! Lovely people here!

julius smith

hi, guys! just been reading the latest here...you know, its 6 of one and half a dozen of the other really with emigrating. you either dont do it, and if you DO do it, then forget about going back where you came from! reason being, having seen the other side as it were, you will immediately start comparing things in your mind, and then up will pop the old friend, DOUBT! i agree with most things said here---the things that hit you the most soon as you get off the plane are the filthy streets, general down-at-heelness, of course the uncontrolled hooliganism sector ( i call it a sector as it seems as if it has become some kind of an establishment now--something that is acknowledged to exist and is accepted as a necessary evil....like the political extreme right or left!), surly, moody people, and the worst thing, the way the government is geared to screwing the little man to get as much off as him/her as possible, while ignoring all the major lawlessness thats going around under their very noses! ok, you will say, so what am i doing here then if its so bad? well, i made a mistake and at present am in 2 minds now, to go back or not to go, that is the question!! i had a reasonable job in ontario which i jacked in, and now i must suffer the consequences here for a while! oh, suffering muskrats....