British Expats

British Expats (https://britishexpats.com/forum/)
-   Moving back or to the UK (https://britishexpats.com/forum/moving-back-uk-61/)
-   -   Fluctuating Homesickness (https://britishexpats.com/forum/moving-back-uk-61/fluctuating-homesickness-840290/)

Orangepants Aug 6th 2014 5:45 am

Re: Fluctuating Homesickness
 

Originally Posted by lgabriel73 (Post 11360558)
As feelbritish pointed out you can spend so much time thinking about the future and forget to live each day. While its your goal to move focus on the here and now. Get your education, enjoy the time your are spending in Canada. Allowing yourself to feel happy and make the most of Canada doesn't mean you will end up staying. You can't predict the future and there's the possibility you may change your mind in a few years where you want to be. so dont stress and live in the moment!

:goodpost:

When I was 16 I wanted to live in France
When I was 18 I wanted to live in Spain
When I was 20 I wanted to live in Australia etc etc..

What I did was go through Uni and get qualified, ended living in several countries, settling in the Caribbean for a while, now in the US . It is probably not homesickness you are feeling, just wanting to get on with your life - but you do seem to just be wishing your life away. Education is the best way forward - I loved school and learning!

Gozit Aug 6th 2014 8:07 am

Re: Fluctuating Homesickness
 

Originally Posted by lgabriel73 (Post 11360558)
As feelbritish pointed out you can spend so much time thinking about the future and forget to live each day. While its your goal to move focus on the here and now. Get your education, enjoy the time your are spending in Canada. Allowing yourself to feel happy and make the most of Canada doesn't mean you will end up staying. You can't predict the future and there's the possibility you may change your mind in a few years where you want to be. so dont stress and live in the moment!

:)


Originally Posted by Orangepants (Post 11360597)
:goodpost:

When I was 16 I wanted to live in France
When I was 18 I wanted to live in Spain
When I was 20 I wanted to live in Australia etc etc..

What I did was go through Uni and get qualified, ended living in several countries, settling in the Caribbean for a while, now in the US . It is probably not homesickness you are feeling, just wanting to get on with your life - but you do seem to just be wishing your life away. Education is the best way forward - I loved school and learning!

Well I can't say I agree on the loving school part-its the bane of my existence from Sept-June! :eek: And to be honest, more so than not being able to live where I want, school is my hindrance to "being happy" as you guys put it. But oh well. We survive, we get on. Just makes me grateful for the hols! :lol:

But everything else, yes!! Although I can't say theres anywhere I want to live besides Malta, mainly because of the climate. I want somewhere warm... The UK doesn't fit that, neither does France, most of Italy, or Germany or Switzerland. Greece and Spain do fit it, but are so similar to Malta I may as well live there because economically Malta is better off, and my family are there... I'd never live in the US for various reasons, Aus/NZ are too far from Europe and Canada, so that pretty well leaves Europe for me to live in :lol:

Out of curiosity, what did you do when you were in the Caribbean?

Sally Redux Aug 6th 2014 5:00 pm

Re: Fluctuating Homesickness
 
You shouldn't be wishing your life away. Finish school and uni. Uni is usually much more interesting than school and you'll have a lot of fun too. Then you are well set-up for a move elsewhere if you still want to.

TheLonestarBrit Aug 7th 2014 1:03 am

Re: Fluctuating Homesickness
 
I agree with everyone, don't wish your life away. Finish school, then go travel and work abroad. Education will open doors.

I have a degree from Britain and a degree from America, and I'm sure I'll end up back in school again someday for further education. I've lived in the US for 8.5 years, moving back to Britain in 3 weeks. However I know I'm not going to stay put, not sure where I'll end up because you can't predict the future, but I'm just embracing life and the adventure as it unfolds.

Gozit Aug 7th 2014 3:02 am

Re: Fluctuating Homesickness
 

Originally Posted by Sally Redux (Post 11361012)
You shouldn't be wishing your life away. Finish school and uni. Uni is usually much more interesting than school and you'll have a lot of fun too. Then you are well set-up for a move elsewhere if you still want to.

I know, I know.... I'll quite likely stick it out through uni then go. There is always holidays. And agh, those last five words, of course I'll still want to ;)


Originally Posted by TheLonestarBrit (Post 11361388)
I agree with everyone, don't wish your life away. Finish school, then go travel and work abroad. Education will open doors.

I have a degree from Britain and a degree from America, and I'm sure I'll end up back in school again someday for further education. I've lived in the US for 8.5 years, moving back to Britain in 3 weeks. However I know I'm not going to stay put, not sure where I'll end up because you can't predict the future, but I'm just embracing life and the adventure as it unfolds.

:)

Orangepants Aug 7th 2014 7:23 am

Re: Fluctuating Homesickness
 

Originally Posted by Gozit (Post 11360741)
:)
Well I can't say I agree on the loving school part-its the bane of my existence from Sept-June! :eek: And to be honest, more so than not being able to live where I want, school is my hindrance to "being happy" as you guys put it. But oh well. We survive, we get on. Just makes me grateful for the hols! :lol:


Out of curiosity, what did you do when you were in the Caribbean?

You never know where life will take you so you are blocking off opportunities by being so singled minded about one place. The world is huge and you haven't seen but 1% of it!

I worked in Jamaica and Antigua for 6 months each and then the company I worked for sent me to the Caymans for another 6 month contract. Loved it and stayed and then went into alternative investments as a career. By being open you'll have way more fun.

You may regret not making more of your student years when you are older! (here's my mother coming out in me:eek:)

Gozit Aug 7th 2014 7:58 am

Re: Fluctuating Homesickness
 

Originally Posted by Orangepants (Post 11361762)
You never know where life will take you so you are blocking off opportunities by being so singled minded about one place. The world is huge and you haven't seen but 1% of it!

Which place am I being single minded about again?:unsure:


I worked in Jamaica and Antigua for 6 months each and then the company I worked for sent me to the Caymans for another 6 month contract. Loved it and stayed and then went into alternative investments as a career. By being open you'll have way more fun.
:) Sounds lovely


You may regret not making more of your student years when you are older! (here's my mother coming out in me:eek:)
Ahh I beg to differ but you never know :o

Jerseygirl Aug 7th 2014 5:43 pm

Re: Fluctuating Homesickness
 

Originally Posted by Gozit (Post 11359135)
Do any of you get this? Some days (or weeks) I feel like i'm content, happy where I am, why would I want to go back home? I can stay here and be near my family, etc etc, look at all the fun stuff we are doing etc. Other days I want to get on the next plane out. I know long term I do want to go back to Malta, but my thoughts fluctuate very often on how long I can "tolerate" staying here in Canada before I bite the bullet and go. Do I go as soon as i'm out of high school, which is as soon as I can, with no plan, little money, etc, etc, just because I want to? Or do I do the sensible thing and stay for 4 years of university? Will I even be able to tolerate 4 more years of "education" , whether it is in Canada or abroad? (Given my current thoughts on school and the education system in general and the way it is administered)

My mum gets really mad at me when i'm looking at uni programs/schedules and programs like where you work during the holidays as an apprentice of some sort and get paid etc , and my main concern is how much time and money there will be left for a holiday back home! :lol:

Anyway the tl;dr of this post - do you guys have fluctuating thoughts on how long you need/want to spend in your current country of residence before heading home? Some days that are good, some bad.....

The thing is I know in a months time i'll be moaning cos i'm back in school, summers over, its already cooling down and gearing up for winter, etc. That's the "Want to get on the next plane out" mode, and it usually lasts from Sept till about the end of April/beginning of May. :eek:


You've never actually lived in Malta have you? I don't understand how you can be homesick for somewhere you've never lived. As most expats know visiting somewhere is nothing like living there.

LauraNotts Aug 7th 2014 11:44 pm

Re: Fluctuating Homesickness
 
I was going to ask what Jerseygirl asked and would be interested in your answer.

I am originally from the UK and living in NZ. I love it here and feel very fortunate that I have had the oppurtunities that I've had (mostly as a result of 4 years nose to grindstone on a Master's degree) but I still get homesick for the UK.

I find though more often than not that I am not actually homesick for what it's really like. I am homesick for what I think it's like. I get moments of NEEDING to feel at home in a proper celtic landscape with ancient churches all around me and for the seasons to be at the right time. The stars are different here and I find that unsettling. All in all thought my homesickness is more a romantic longing than anything else so I am careful to distinguish it from the realities of what life in the UK would really be like if I went back.

You sound like you're at the stage of life where you're preparing to fly free and take your first steps of independence, it can be very easy to confuse the frustration of being under your parents thumb at an age where you're beginning to fight against that (quite naturally) with the longing to be far away and in a different place.

I have to say from reading your posts that I think going to Malta might be good for you, I'd predict you'll certainly appreciate Canada with all it's familiarity for you far more for being away from it in a strange place.

Gozit Aug 8th 2014 6:09 am

Re: Fluctuating Homesickness
 

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl (Post 11362188)
You've never actually lived in Malta have you? I don't understand how you can be homesick for somewhere you've never lived. As most expats know visiting somewhere is nothing like living there.

No, but when I visit, it isn't in a hotel / all inclusive resort. I do things locals do, shop where they shop, know the ins and outs of daily life there. I don't spend the whole time sunning on the beach :D , etc. The only thing I haven't experienced is working there (which is apparently a shitty feat:eek:) , and I don't hope to experience that to be honest. I want to get a job with a European company that has me going around Europe, mostly for the excitement of traveling for work, and getting paid a proper salary. (which is the major problem with Malta, they don't pay proper salaries compared to the UK, US, Canada, etc.)



Originally Posted by LauraNotts (Post 11362505)
I was going to ask what Jerseygirl asked and would be interested in your answer.

I am originally from the UK and living in NZ. I love it here and feel very fortunate that I have had the oppurtunities that I've had (mostly as a result of 4 years nose to grindstone on a Master's degree) but I still get homesick for the UK.

I find though more often than not that I am not actually homesick for what it's really like. I am homesick for what I think it's like. I get moments of NEEDING to feel at home in a proper celtic landscape with ancient churches all around me and for the seasons to be at the right time. The stars are different here and I find that unsettling. All in all thought my homesickness is more a romantic longing than anything else so I am careful to distinguish it from the realities of what life in the UK would really be like if I went back.

I know what you mean on some of the things, although the stars are the same here as they are in Malta :lol:
I love being around the people, they are laid back and less uptight and conservative than here in Canada, I love love love being in the sun almost year round, very little rain, no snow, etc.


You sound like you're at the stage of life where you're preparing to fly free and take your first steps of independence, it can be very easy to confuse the frustration of being under your parents thumb at an age where you're beginning to fight against that (quite naturally) with the longing to be far away and in a different place.
Ooh, you're a good detective. This resonates well with me.:nod:

BUT, I've always "not liked" living here in the winter time. Always hated the weather here. If I could do a 6 months and 6 months thing, and have certain aspects of Canada and certain ones of Malta it would be great, but that's not really a realistic option, except in retirement.



I have to say from reading your posts that I think going to Malta might be good for you, I'd predict you'll certainly appreciate Canada with all it's familiarity for you far more for being away from it in a strange place.
This is true. There are certain very frustrating things about living in Malta. For one, things like cars, electronics, basically anything that isn't your basic necessities is taxed through the roof, making it very expensive. I've recently found out you can't lease cars like you can in Canada. That's not the worst, but since my family has always been a change the car every few years family, we lease, and i'd like to continue that habit. Unfortunately you can only "lease" from rental car companies, and its rather expensive compared to here, and there is less options as to what car you can lease. A less terrible example but still one indeed.

lgabriel73 Aug 9th 2014 6:19 am

Re: Fluctuating Homesickness
 
But you've also never been an independent adult there with all the responsibilities that come with it. Keep your mind open and enjoy your life right now.


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