vagabonding

Just wanted to see on average how many times a year do expats living in Canada make the trip back to visit the UK?
Does anyone try to go back as much as possible, and use all their holiday time? Also do you find going back often actually can make homesickness worse?
Thanks,

dbd33

Once a year or so. I used to go more often but everyone's dead now. I wouldn't say that it makes homesickness worse but going there does make me wonder why I emigrated.

AmyDavid

Zero times in the 3.5 years I have been here.

dentaltech

first time in september after 4 years , glad i live in canada , england is my home but i love it here , my family i miss but i have a new life here.

Minstrels87

This is an interesting question for me. We have been in Canada for 23 years. In the early years is was very difficult to afford to go home so your ? about how many times a year made me smile, that would have been unthinkable when we first emigrated. There was a period of time when we didn't go back for 6 whole years when our kids were very little, a time that would have been magical to go, it was just impossible financially,

Flash forward to middle age and I have been "home" more in the last four years than in the previous 19, on average twice a year, a factor of ageing parents and being able to afford to go. However, I have found that going "home" frequently is a double edged sword in that after all these years it seems to be making me more homesick! I wonder how I would have felt in the early years being able to go "home" whenever I wanted.....may have had a different outcome for our success in Canada and becoming Canadians.

In my ideal world I would like to go back 2 x a year for 10 days each. Enough time for family and an almighty shopping spree! Oh for the days of huge luggage allowances, now I can take advantage of them they have gone.

Atlantic Xpat

First couple of years, twice a year by dint of managing to make a business trip home as well as a personal trip. Then once a year, then not at all for a couple of years. Now perhaps more often as my job encompasses responsibilities for Europe and places that one might route via LHR and get a stop over for a weekend. This summers big (2.5 week) trip home made me very homesick. It passes. Mostly.

Lemonfish

Twice a year on average.

Usually for a couple of weeks at Xmas, then a couple of days stopover at some other point in the year on the way to somewhere else for a holiday.

I find coming back in January tough. Spend Xmas seeing family and friends all over the place, so get back to Ottawa tired and freezing my arse off. Bit of a culture shock.

And there's usually two feet of hard-packed snow to shovel too.

I couldn't get the ice of my windscreen last year - after over an hour of trying, my neighbour took pity on me and let me put my car in his garage overnight.

ann m

Emigrated May 2007. Went back with kids Feb 08, and then whole family in Aug 08. Also went back Dec 09.

No visits this year and none planned next year.

Cash, vacation allowance, visits from friends and family and/or the need to see somewhere else in the world with your time are all taken into consideration

Didn't make me homesick necessarily, but it is a bit unsettling, and with hindsight I'd probably say don't go back in the first year or two.

Unless, of course, you are making yourself ill by being totally miserable and homesick, in which case go back and it either confirms you made a big mistake, or it confirms you perhaps don't want to live there afterall. What does IainK call it? The $800 cure.

jericho

We've been here 2 years and 3 months, and are going back for the first time this Christmas.
Dont expect to have another trip back for another couple of years. Flights alone have cost $4000 and for that we could probably have 10/14 days all inclusive in Mexico or something...
We've been fortunate to have had family visit us a couple of times, but the reality is we cant afford to do it very often. Besides, it's only recently that I've actually wanted to go back. For the first 18 months or so I was quite happy to never see the place again, but I look back on England a little more nostalgically now.

Piff Poff

Moved here in 2005.

2 visits 6 months apart in 2008 the entire family.

1 visit 2010 - just myself.

Will probably go again next year, not sure how many of will go.

Cookie

Just returned from my 2nd trip in 4 years - both trips I went for 8 days on my own. Never been homesick and really enjoy catching up with everyone. Love the shopping and dining out with friends but the trip is non-stop and is far from relaxing.

Have to say that my latest trip was not overwhelming like the first one and I put it down to being kept 'in the loop' with friends and rellies though Facebook.

I have other places to visit in the next couple of years so don't plan to go back to Scotland before then. If I had oodles of cash and lots of vacation time I would maybe go back 1-2 times a year

fledermaus

Every other year. Or to be more precise I go one year and Flederman goes the next.

ann m

I would be more than happy to visit if it didn't eat into limited vacation time and/or limited finances. Life eh? It gets in the way sometimes

Atlantic Xpat

Yes indeed. If I won the lotto, I think I'd split my time between my pile in Newfoundland and somewhere rather nice in coastal suffolk. plus the yacht in the caribbean of course......

magnumpi

Once in two years, once is enough. Going Caribbean next year .