LindseyAnn

I moved here on a work visa in 1994, (1) went back to the UK in 1997 (2), came back in 1999 (3) returned to the UK in 2011 (4) and came back here 2014 (5). Is this the expat curse, because this time I am very homesick for the UK and want to go back again, - oh dear,

SarahG

Came to US as exchange student 1994, returned to UK 1995, returned back to US on a H visa 2009, and have stayed, zero intention to ping, or pong back. I hope your homesickness either goes away/subsides or you get to return to the UK again.

Pulaski

I have pinged. I have never ponged.

username.exe

I've probably spent around seven years outside of the UK, visiting only a couple of times.

I always thought the homesickness would kick in at some point... it just never did.

Sometimes I'd feel some nostalgia, but then I'd realise that those were simply memories... friends, circumstances... those things have moved on anyway.

Maybe one day it will hit me.

TimFountain

Over 120 times. I have been working for the same US company since 1988... I did 14 times in one year 1999.... Most year have been a more reasonable 5-8 times.

MMcD

You're obviously an inveterate player

Given your predictable pattern - maybe you should try "playing your game" on a smaller table - ie pinging somewhere closer.

That way ponging would be less of an upheaval when you get the urge to return to the UK for a couple of years....

indigogirl1976

First came to the states in 1999 on a 4 month j-1 visa....came back in 2000 on a 4 month j-1 visa....came back again in 2004 on a j-1...stayed a year and went home....came back in 2007 on a spousal visa....stayed 18 months and FINALLY came back in 2010 and here I stay. I was desperately homesick from 2010-2013 but I settled in. Having children helped me. I developed a tight knit social circle of other mums and my kids have friends and love their schools. I wouldn't go back now and am even considering taking US citizenship which I NEVER thought I would do. Life is funny.

Steve_

By "move" I assume the meaning was at least to the point of moving your principle residency. You've moved your principal residence 120 times?

kins

6 months on a J1 visa in 1990.

A year on a K1 visa in 1999-2000 - moved back so my husband could train to be a teacher in the UK, but as it turned out it was good timing as we moved just as a recession killed both of our US jobs.

Moved to the US in 2007 on an IR1 visa and been here ever since with no plans to move back.

So 3 pings and 2 pongs :-)

TimFountain

I have no idea what you are talking about, I never even mentioned "move" in my reply.

Pulaski

Er, that is what the whole thread is about!

A ping-pong is a move, of your home across the Atlantic and back again. The expression was first coined in respect of Brits who went to Australia, decided they didn't like it, and went home again. They were dubbed "ping pong poms" by the Aussies. It is a fairly common phenomenon that when they get back to Blighty they discover they don't like it there either, so emigrate to Australia a second time.

You seem to have misinterpreted the thread as merely making transatlantic flights.

TimFountain

Yes, I did misinterpret the title, apologies to all an sundry.

However in my defense I would say that the thread title was confusing. I "ping pong" between Europe, US and Asia all the time.

edward222

I didnt "ping pong" between Us and Asia,
I "tennis" between these two.

Rose tea

Edit: misunderstood the thread.

I haven't ping ponged at all and never would.

Yorkieabroad

No pings, no pongs.
I came here across the Pacific
While I do harbour this nagging desire to retire in the UK (would that be a ping or a pong?), I think the chances are slim - the only thing that brought me here was to be closer to family, so to move away from my kids in retirement wouldn't really make sense.