mctraill

My husband is about to lose his job, the guy who owns the company he works for has decided that he doesnt want to expand any further in fact he wants to down size.

We just dont want to go home, so my husband is looking to see if he can find another company to take over his H1B visa before the guy finally lets him go.


I was wondering if you were forced to go home due to visa restrictions or job came to an end and you didnt want to go home, but when you arrived in the Uk were you really happy you did go home...

I am trying to look on the bright side, I would be going home to family, pubs, friends and more vacation time...LOL but I did wonder if you went home because you had to was it as bad as you thought....

Rose of the Shires

Hi McT
I'm not in the position that you were asking about....but just wanted to give my 2 pence worth from the other side of the coin, as it were.

We have been in the States for 10 years now, but when we had been here two and a half years, my DH's job was looking very rocky, and it was quite likely that he would be offered voluntary redundancy. At the time, we felt that we hadn't been here long enough (I had been very ill and in treatment for much of our 2nd year)- we didn't want to return to the UK yet. We have 3 children- the eldest was 10 at that point.

Fast forward to now..the honeymoon period lasted for about another year, then the rose tinted specs fell off. I have been so homesick for probably most of the last 4 years that it is like a physical ache. I KNOW that I will never be at home here-there's nothing wrong with where we live, in fact it's lovely- I will just never belong here. Our kids are in college/high school and settled in their lives here. My parents (in the UK) are getting older and more doddery, my kids have grown up essentially not knowing their grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles. I just don't think that whatever we have here is worth missing out on that. I don't know how I will be able to go back to the UK and find a way for us all to be together. I wish with all my heart that we had grabbed the opportunity to go home when we had it, when our kids were young.

Whenever I visit the UK (I've been back 5 times the last time at the start of this summer) it seems so ALIVE. Life in the UK seems so much more vibrant- the humour, the banter, the history,the culture, the nightlife, God help me...even the telly...just light years better than we have here. I also feel that we have our true friends(who GET us) there, and while we have met nice people here, only one or two would I call a friend.

Sorry for the long, slightly irrelevant rant...I suppose what I am saying is...don't look at moving back as a bad thing. I truly wish I was in your shoes, especially if you have small kids. The UK is a great place to be, despite all the ridiculous doom and gloom stories. Every country has places that I wouldn't want to touch with a barge pole, and if you weren't happy where you lived previously, maybe look at moving back to a different area?

Good luck- grab the chance while you have it!
Rose X

geeandtee

I went to Arizona in spring 2002 to work as a City planner for a small town. The City Manager anticipated a huge housing boom and wanted a planner who was used to dealing with the issues that come with explosive growth.

I went on an H1-B but, as the economy took off, the City sponsored me for an EB-3 Green Card. We went through the whole process, advertising job, getting approval from the Department of Labor, etc. etc.

Last summer, the application and subsequent appeal was denied on a technicality. Fortunately, someone knew someone who knew someone. Our case was reopened and everything was back on track. We were mentally prepared to return to the UK and, as relived as we were that the nightmare was over, I know that part of me wanted to return to the UK.

The City's budget took a nosedive and cuts had to be made. Unfortunately, my failure to kowtow to the Assistant City Manager in the past put me on the list. In spite of being told in April my position was safe, I was made redundant at the beginning of June.

Being as there was still no decision on our Adjustment of Status application and being as I'd only been given 2 months' salary (and that was only after I put management and the City Council on the spot in front of a packed Council Chamber), we decided we couldn't hang around in the US. We were tired of living in limbo and, although it meant leaving my parents and sister behind, we had no choice but to return to the UK.

We were living in a dying town, in a state run by yahoos and good old boys. The chances of me finding another job in planning were virtually zero. We'd had enough. I cashed in my State pension and we came home.

We've been lucky to have amazingly generous friends. We stayed with one for 2 weeks when we arrived and now we're staying in a flat that belongs to another friend. We've been back for 6 weeks, still unemployed and still looking. Our son is in a lovely little secondary school and we like where we're living (Beeston). So, we're looking for somewhere to rent and reckon we've as good a chance of finding jobs in Nottingham as anywhere else.

It feels bloody good to be back in the UK. We're enjoying those small things we took for granted in the past: sausages, Sunday roasts (oh, how I missed crackling ), Match of the Day, weather that changes from one day to the next, the onset of Autumn.

I have no earthly idea what the future holds for us, whether we'll find work and a place to live, but it just feels right to be here. We're back in a country where we have rights...where we belong.

Bloody hell, sorry for the long screed, must be the extra strong coffee

paranoidandroid

I didn't quote the whole message, but agree with everything you said there.
Sometimes it seems like you're damned if you do and damned if you don't.
I wonder just how many people that are over here feel just the same?
Sometimes you have to make a decision that makes you happy, and not try and please other people all your life.
My take on it is that you only live once, and there's no point in being miserable in a place where you don't belong.

mctraill

At first I was all about what I was going to lose, then panic left and sense kicked in...

Now all I can think about is what I will gain, seeing my grandson grow up in person not by video, being nothing more than half a day away from our family regardless of where we live...

Bacon sandwiches on lazy sunday mornings, bangers and mash, walks to the pub, OMG..a walk to the pub, fish and chip supper.

We have since talked about all the things we can start to do hill walking, cricket on sunny Sundays I could go on....

Rose of the shires, I didnt realise until now just how much I missed being at home, we have been told not to go home that the UK has gone to the dogs, I miss the seasons and knowing the rules...

GeeandTee I hope things come together for you, you give me hope that all things will turn out I see it as a new adventure for me and my husband at least I will have the support of family and friends and thats what counts...


Thank you all for your postings....

paranoidandroid

Yeah I know exactly how you feel.
Just one thing to remember... other states have seasons though, there's no need to jump countries if all you miss is the climate A move north would take care of that for you.

Either way, you sound like you're prepared for it if you have to go back, and not worried if it happens, which has to be a good thing!