scot47

Just after two years since I retired. Working on it, I have managed to carve out a niche for myself on my Scottish island. hard work. I feel insettled in many ways but medical problems mean that I have to give up travelling, bite the bullet, and accept reality !

I hope to make a visit to Mecklenburg and Saxony in Summer 2014, but...............................

aries

Goodness, you have gone well away from where most of us live, how do you manage with your medical problems?

I had to give up travelling late last year because of serious illnesses, but despite ongoing medical issues I have fitted in some travelling this year. It can be daunting at times, and the cost of pre-existing medical insurance is very high, but I am not looking forward to when it is not possible any more. But as you say . . . reality!

I have always liked major railway stations and airports, they have an air of excitement and adventure, Singapore's Changi Airport being my favourite.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01k8x4g

brits1

I agree, after migrating I got on with my life in Aus and so did my family and friends in the UK, I did not think it would be the same as before as nothing in life stays the same (I have slightly changed from my experiences as well), I treated life back in the UK as something different and try and take what comes with small steps. Memories can be great and making new ones can be even better.

DebzinUS

I think that having threads like this are so beneficial. I have made one failed attempt to move back in the late 90's. I lasted about 6 months. If/when I do go back, I will be a lot wiser, and with very different expectations.

dunroving

I managed 12 months first time (2000), so far 7+ years this time.

DebzinUS

So glad to know I am not alone

Perth

A year for me in 1988. I wonder why so many of us ping-pong? Moving back in 2015. Determined to not return, come hell or high water

sallysimmons

I think this is an unhelpful statement, to be honest, because it implies that those who are happy are lying.

Life is rosy here for some us. And especially so for those of us who spent many years being unhappy and lonely while living abroad.

But everyone's circumstances are different. I didn't leave England because I thought there was anything wrong with it, and I didn't think the places I went were better. Not only that, but I found it hard to relate to the locals, and never really forged any friendships. In addition, I lost my ability to create art, which it turns out is very important to my well-being and seems to be intimately tied to my environment.

For me, returning home was like being reborn. I count my blessings every day and if I died tomorrow, I'd go happy.

BUT, I totally empathise with Aries and others in a similar situation. Her circumstances are different. She did much better than I did in her adopted country. She has been gone much longer. And the bad things that I barely even notice about Britain are obviously weighing very heavy on her. I think we need to all respect each other's experiences and opinions and know that no-one is right or wrong - we're just all living our own lives and dealing with our own stuff.

I wish you the very best Aries and hope you find the right answer for yourself.

sallysimmons

I have found that, 18 months in, most of my friendships are getting back to where they were, but it's taken a lot of work from me, and there's one that still is a struggle. Not because we haven't been able to reconnect emotionally, but because my friend has just built an exceptionally busy life while I've been away and it's hard to fit into it. I just keep being really flexible and slotting in where I can. I'm the one who buggered off after all. He owes me nothing just because I decided enough was enough and came home.

brits1

"I think this is an unhelpful statement, to be honest"

I thought so as well, anybody can "dress" things up for whatever reason, you just have to take what advice you can that might help you and makes you feel better at the time. When I was in Aus and I use to read the threads on this site I always found them to be quite open and with different view points which helped me, being in Aus at the time, we are on here to help if we can and I certainly found help when I needed it through Expats.

dunroving

To give the benefit of the doubt, the person who posted that might have been referring to the element of competition or denial that has crept into MBTTUK at times (from both sides of the fence). It seems some people simply can't accept the idea that others have a different perspective.

I find it interesting to hear about people's positive experiences and to see the support people get when things aren't going so well. Having had my own share of difficulties, especially early on, I think it's really important that people have a forum for airing negative experiences.

I enjoy reading posts from people like SallySimmons and Quoll, because they give insight into the how and the why things worked out for them. I find extreme points of view quite tiresome, and I don't understand why the good/bad discussion has to be some sort of competition for people.

treasuredr

Thank you Dunroving for your post. It was exactly what I was referring to.

sallysimmons

To add some balance to my usual positivity, today I went to pick up a second-hand 4x4 that we bought for the winters up here in the hills. It was a wet cold morning and I had to go to Burnley. Trust me, that's a grim place in this weather. All Poundlands, tattoo parlors, betting shops and grimy looking pubs with little clusters of weathered-looking men standing outside smoking. In the town centre I passed two women pushing prams who looked as though they'd knife you as soon as look at you, and lots of people who looked like they hadn't eaten a nutritious meal in years.

If I lived in Burnley, I'd have a very different impression of being back here, that's for sure.

DebzinUS

When I moved back in 1997, I made the huge mistake of choosing north London as a landing point. I lasted six months. I am now much more aware of the challenges I will face because of the positive and negative viewpoints posted on this forum.

dunroving

Interesting - Burnley was being touted in the Sunday Times Home section a few weeks back as a good place to buy a house.