Shawlands

So it's finally kicked in - fancy dinners in olaya, huge suites in various hotels, being chauffered around - I couldn't care less, I just want to go home where it's cold n wet and lovely.

littlejimmy

Weird. I was just thinking the words, "you and me both," and a chap on the TV said it.

Although I am not having fancy dinners. 4 days to go!

norsk

If I was in Riyadh I would be homesick as well....but fortunately I'm not and I don't miss anything in the UK except my friends!

hnd

Agree with Norsk to a point ... but when do you decide to cut your losses? For how many years do you have to instigate contact (either by email or phone) to stay in touch with people who have been 'friends' for 20 years or more? 'Friends' who suddenly get in touch after an absence of 2 or more years (ie not replying to emails etc) and say how much they've missed you and they suddenly find they've got a week free sometime between November and February?

I guess one reason is that they can't understand the reason why we've moved to Dubai when they thought we were happy where we were in the UK. Perhaps they felt that we've turned our backs on them? Not the case at all, and we really hoped that we'd explained this to them before we left the UK. We were happy in the UK, but we'd gone straight from school into jobs, didn't end up with children (no regrets) and thought, when the opportunity occured, we'd take the chance and move to somewhere we'd had fabulous holidays for 10 years, made some good friends (who are still good friends) and have an adventure.

We're still enjoying the adventure (much to the bemusement of family and the small number of friends which whom we remain in contact). The next stage of our 'gap' retirement entails a move to Oman sometime next year. We expect an influx of emails from 'friends' we haven't heard from for quite a while but who have been in regular contact with those friends with whom we email and speak frequently.

commander

if it makes you feel any better, ill be having a pint in the Granary in 4 days time...

lionheart

Ramadamadingdong...

kittycat1

It does get easier with time, but sucks when your feeling really homesick. My way of coping is to do my bank balance and remember I've already paid off all of my credit cards and will soon be in the black! Focus on why you're here, give yourself a mope day and then try to get out and do something, if you have any friends here have a moan and get it all off your chest, if you haven't got any friends yet, just find someone who looks english and start balling! It works! It makes a big difference to do it with friends here as they know exactly what you are going through, friends at home will just tell you to come home.

Also try and remember all the things that suck about home, you probably aren't missing THAT much, it just feels like it. Stay off the alcohol as its a depressant so won't help you get over being homesick it'll just make it worse!

Ethos83

It is August. It is hot. It is dusty. It is ugly. I get homesick at this time of the year especially as I always go back to UK/Europe in the summer months and after a few weeks of cheap beer, cool weather, green grass and general civilisation, returning to the sandpit is depressing.

But come November I wouldn't trade the UAE for the British winters.

I second the above sentiments. You learn a lot who your real friends are when you move away. It can be depressing to realise that people you genuinely liked and called friends can't be bothered to maintain regular contact with you.

Ronnie Biggs

People can be weird though....some are jealous, some feel hurt that you've "abandoned them," some are going through tough times themselves and think you won't relate to them any more.

This false perception that we live in palaces, have servants on hand and money coming out of our ears - that's one step away already from being thought of as an asshole.....

norsk

Real friends will always stay in touch, even if it is only occasional! I left Norway 10 years ago to move to the UK and some of my friends (and family) asked me regularly when I was coming home. I always told them the same thing - maybe never..

I am still in touch with a few of the people I grew up with, but most of them I hadn't spoken to in many years even before I left the cold north. I've acquired new friends along the way so I don't feel like I have lost out to be honest.

I spent about 9 years in the UK and during that time I got myself a family and loads of friends who I expect will still be my friends in 20 years time regardless of where I live. I may not speak to them every day, but when we speak it is like we have been in constant touch!

As an example one of my best friends in the UK moved to LA about 4 years ago and he just told me the other week that he's getting married and that if I don't come to his wedding he will hunt me down and kick my ar*e!

Come to think of it I have met people here in the gulf that I consider to be good friends and that I will probably stay in touch with even long after we have all left the desert..

commander

its in Shawlands glasgow....

Millhouse

If I ever feel homesick, I just call home. Within 30 seconds, I remember exactly why I left and the homesickness goes.

RubberMan

Agree with all the points made by Kittycat.

Remember its always there to go back to.

Ronnie Biggs

What is it about the UK you don't like? I just spent a few months back there and have to say I think it's a great place - far more beautiful than I remembered and things actually work...people actually do what they say they're going to do. In the UAE I found the opposite to be true. It's a barren landscape with a few (figurative) fake plastic trees, the locals just want your money (and to have you by the balls) the Lebanese play both sides of the coin between you and the locals while the Indians, Filipinos etc just get it in the shorts from all sides. Compared to that, the UK is heaven......

Millhouse

You are right that the UK is beautiful - I still say (and believe) that the UK in the summer is one of the nicest places in the world. We have fantastic infrastructure and you are also right that it is not perfect here by any stretch - I do miss real greenery. But, what I don't like about the UK:

Mostly it is just the people: They are aggressive, miserable and always moaning - half of them don't know how good they have got it, the other half are just scumbags.

The Culture: work long hours, go home and just sit in front of the TV for 6 hours at night eating shite and watching drivel and wasting their lives.

The weather: I don't like the cold, this winter was particularly harsh and all you heard was moaning.

The politics: daily mail readers and how this view is so entrenched in society.

Political correctness for political correctness sake - the fact that as a Brit, I am subordinated in my own country.

Middle aged PMT women working in banks being difficult just because they have a hot flush.

Queues at Primark.

Pub food that is microwaved when it claims to have been cooked fresh.

but on the flip side:

* When the Sun does come out, so do all those lovely legs.

* Walking to the shops.

* Walking the dog over the woods.

* Sleeping with the windows open.

* Cold water when brushing your teeth.