Hello

Forgive me, maybe I should have posted in the moving back to Uk section. After living in Italy coming up for 8 years this year. I do not know If I have developed a 7 yearish itch ? Has anyone else felt or feels the same way ?
I do like it here, but just lately I have a feeling that I should return. We have no work in Uk, or home, and we rent here and do small amounts of work to get by. My husband gets a small pension too. I have sister and friends in Uk, my parents have passed away.
I am going back to Uk in a few weeks time for a fortnight, to try and put these feelings to rest. I know UK has its problems like anywhere else, I am just feeling a draw to go back. My family think I am crazy, as does my Husband, who does not want to go back. Any opinions would be most welcome. I wondered if anyone else had experienced these feelings, after a few years abroad.
Thanks

I've lived here for 7 years and went back to London for a week to see family it was a nice change but I was soooooooooooo glad to get back to the beautiful scenery dark skies at night and peace and quiet of abruzzo. guess you have to look at what you really want and why.

I'm coming up to my 8th year here and do still have an urge to go back to the UK at times. Once I'm there for a week or so I have an even greater urge to get 'home' to Italy.

I was even offered a 3 month work contract in the UK, which I was certain I would take, but when the deadline loomed, I backed out. I remembered the wet, cold Monday mornings up and down the M5 and M4, the stress, the pressure etc.

It is so easy to only remember the good things about the UK, decent beer, customer service, efficient councils, cheap car insurance etc. etc., but here in Italy (for me anyway) the good out weighs the bad every time.

I cannot speak for all, but I'm sure from time to time many have the feelings you have at the mo.

Stay, stay, stay. Good luck

C. K

I am sure we have all experienced/are experiencing these feelings. It gets worse the older you get, too - I think you realise that time is running out and you have to decide where you want to spend the rest of your life. A lot of people living abroad start wanting to return to their roots because they are not happy with their overseas' life anymore. You have to weigh up what you stand to gain and lose. What happens when the novelty of being back in the old country wears off (the reasons why you left in the first place) .... are you going to be any happier? There is also the fact that this is a very depressing time of the year, but being a seasonal factor no consolation because it's your reality.

hi Guys.

Thank you for your responses. Cornish Knocker, I probably would be like you, and back out if I got offered work.......and Pugliese I agree that as you get older you think more deeply about things . There is of course the saying, be careful what you wish for, you just might get it. By that I am refering to moving here in the first place.
I think because from my view point, its the age thing, I do seem to worry an awful lot more about things now..... Maybe when I go back to Uk in a couple of weeks for a while, it will make my mind up.................or not................
I know something for sure, though anyone who returns home after a stint abroad should not see it as a failing, more a failing for not attempting it in the first place.

There is nothing wrong with living amongst your folk, laughing at the same jokes, sharing the same culture, being close to your love ones, living with services and judicial system that work and being happy. Not everyone in the UK commutes on the M25, lives and works with stress and hates the cooler weather.

If your husband does not want to go, then what do you do? Forget what your family is saying, many people think that the grass is greener elsewhere. Have a read on the going back to the UK forum how many expats from all over the world want to return and many have never regretted doing that.
Spend long periods in the UK and then decide. You are absolutely not failing if you return home. Do what makes you happy.

Oh blimey Isakat, you've made me homesick now

I've sent you a PM.

hi Sancho

I have replied Pm. Thank You

For me i had no intention of living here full time, it just happened as I REALLY hate the cold.

I went back late feb 3 years ago now.. MINUS 7!!!!

2 years ago, was back AUGUST 10th.. Edinburgh had not had 20c THAT YEAR!

It is already 20c here and 25c is actually forecast for one day next week!

My original plan of 6 months of winter in Sicily then 6 months of so called Summer in Scotland has altered, I could not go from lets say 22c average next week to Grey, Cold, Wet.. my last trip to edinburgh I arrived at 940am and my flight left for Milan at 240pm same day!

Do what makes you happy, normally a trip to the UK quickly clears up any doubts

I go back to the UK when Global Warming makes the UK a Sunshine State...

Nice thread.

I'd had enough of the constant heat and sweating and don't mind the UK weather at all.
I think it does depend on the point of life you're at.
Coming back for a while is a good idea, but you have to be careful about confusing a holiday with living here. My OH and I went to Italy recently and it was gorgeous as we were on holiday but we knew not to confuse it with "real life".

It must be tough if one of you wants to stay and the other wants to go.

try and have the best of both worlds, live in one country and have lovely hols in there other.

I have the best of both worlds now. We live in Italy and get summer sun and wine and other stuff and we buy cheap meds and clothes and pens in the UK. It still doesn't stop me getting an itch every now and then. Is it really the best of both worlds or just cheaper shopping? I get an itch every time a really shit thing happens to me in Italy like the possibility of my son being kept down at school and I think: "not like that in the UK, that wouldn't happen in the UK." And then I think, are my kids really better off in the UK at this age? What about all the binge drinking and bullying and other shite? Who really is better off? It's not all the crap in the newspapers. It can't be. But my dad has a lot to say. Does it depend on where you live? Swings and roundabouts. Swings and roundabouts.

I completely agree with the last two posts. Especially in a time of easy, cheap travel, it's possible, depending on your circumstances, to have a bit of both. To some extent you probably already have - you've got a UK passport, friends and family in the UK, etc, but also somewhere to live, friends maybe, in Italy. You are a bit of both, but mainly Brit. I also agree that I couldn't really give a stuff about the weather. The best time of all in the UK is midsummer, with the long, long days - esp. in the far north of Scotland - and thank God it's never too hot. Moving may be a bit traumatic, particularly if you've spent too long a time abroad and/or you have children, but again cheap, easy travel and communications should soften the impact.

hi Guys

Just to give you an update. I have recently returned from 2 weeks in the Uk. I really enjoyed it, I know its not like living there full time. However a situation for me to move back for a couple of months in June has arisen. Basically an elderly relative with a nice house, has a few issues., healthwise. She does have carers help to give her dinner, company etc. I mentioned that i would like to come to Uk for a bit longer to help me decide if a permanent move is for me and hubs and dog. She said i could stay there in return for shopping, and helping her out. I said just a temporary thing............if it works for both of us. My husband who does not really want to go back, has agreed it could be a way for me to decide, he wants me to be happy. There is always a chance that i could commute back and forth aswell. I know its not an ideal solution but it is some sort of solution. Thanks to all who replied to me .