Forgive me there is no particular point to this thread other than I am going back to the uk for 3 weeks soon and although I am so excited, I can hardly wait I am also really scared of how it will feel to be back.

I have purposely made myself wait this long before going back in order to feel like I had forged good links with Oz, and generally felt more settled. I do feel happier than I did being here but still struggle with homesickness quite regularly.

The plan is for me to spend 3 weeks in the uk with the kids visiting family and friends, and by the end of it feel like I have left my life in the Uk behind once and for all and that feel that Oz is where i really belong and want to be.
But what happens if thats not how I feel? What if being back feels so "right", and I don't want to get on that plane back to Oz? What then?

I have more or less promised my husband that we will stay in Oz and that I am committed to making it work for our futures (especially our childrens), they are all happy and although am not miserable its always been more of a struggle for me.

I guess I just want to discuss the "what ifs" and "buts" just to help me work through it.
Any thoughts?

Ladybird.

Ladybird - I'm totally with your thinking!

We're not in Oz yet but we've planned not to come back for a while ... that's been hard enough just saying to family and friends (especially older relatives who might not see us again!)

I think you'll be fine - weathers been great lately so probably won't be as green as you imagine! More like Adelaide really lol!!!

There's so many things going on which might make you happier in Oz - like water rationing - deathly bouncy castles - fuel prices, I could go on but won't!!

All those things probably won't effect you in the slightest compared to seeing all friends, family and familiar places!

Hi Ladybird

I though this may interest you....

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=386159

Good luck with trip home..take it for what it is. I am sure your feelings will sort themselves out, try not to worry and enjoy it.

P

Thanks for that Pants. It made interesting reading and I really hope I will be posting something similar.

Ladybird

Hi Ladybird

I am pretty certain you will be.....you have stayed 2 years already which is good.

Just out of interest what part of UK are you from?

Not sure when you are coming back but if its soon bring plenty of sun cream...!!Its only 9.40 am here and already it feels like those hot aussie days I remember.....Now pass me another ice-cube.!!!

It will help you prepare for living in South Australia then.

G

Banbury, Oxfordshire.

I wondered how you were getting on because there was a time when you posted on here when you seemed SO sad..I really used to feel for you, so glad you have cropped up again and that things have improoved for you.

I wondered, as before, you were so much on the brink of leaving OZ, are you glad now that you stayed?

I hope you let us all know how your UK holiday goes. Enjoy and best wishes
C xxx

You should be aware we'll be on a fairly large acerage with PLENTY of bore holes - water is really not an issue - electricity might be, and telephone lines but not water! lol!

We went back after 6 months and then again after 4 years. Both time xmas.

I could not wait to get back to Oz, it's funny how you remeber things better then they are. Take english fish and chips for example, I was looking forward to that, but when I had them I was nearly sick!

Anyway it might be different for you going back in summer, but winter really put me off the place.

I also found that all my friends where doing the same old thing, going to the same pubs.

Oh yes and what I really hated was smoke, went for a meal and the place was full of smoke.

I'm sure you will enjoy your time in England and will miss home. For me Home is wherever my house is.

Don't worry Ladybird. I'm sure you will realise what a good choice you made in moving. Especially if you lived near me Luckily you don't
J x

I moved away from the UK 5 years ago and I took my first trip back there after two years too. Well when I got back the air was so fresh and everything was better than it ever was. My negativity towards the UK was completely healed and it was a fantastic vacation. Shopping at Asda was a joy and I was shocked at how good quality the fruit and veg was. Curry Rice & Chips was a dream come true and a good old fish was incredible...my mouth is watering as I type. The history, buildings and countryside was breathtaking and the change in weather was so much more exciting. To actually hold family members again and share nights out with friends was also very humbling. made me realise what is important in life but then I have no kids etc. It's just me my wife and her family in California. All my emotional connections remain in England. I spent 25 years trying to cope with life in Liverpool and now after 5 years of the "high life" I'm hoping to return home, the new Bon Jovi song sums it up best...

I spent 25 years trying to get out of this place
I was looking for something I couldn't replace
I was running away from the only thing I've ever known
Like a blind dog without a bone
I was a gypsy lost in the twilight zone
I hijacked a rainbow and crashed into a pot of gold
I been there, done that and I ain't lookin' back on the seeds I've sown,
Saving dimes, spending too much time on the telephone

Who says you can't go home

Welcome to the forum. I've almost quoted that song on here recently, too. I sing it at the top of my voice every time it comes on the radio!

How does your wife feel about moving to the UK?

I hear you, since moving to NZ for nearly 3 years and now in the USA Ive taken 3 trips to UK and spent 1 year in UK between living in NZ and USA and as nice as it is to see old friends in the pub I couldnt help feeling glad that i wasnt in there all the time, somehow that immersed isolation of small town UK life is nice to view from the outside but not actually be part of, if you see what i mean. I'll admit though i never tire of being in the countryside there and visiting pubs i dont know for a quick pint.

yes, 'doing the same old things' rings painfully true, after leaving NZ and regretting it for a while (i did settle back into the UK) the US opportunity arose and we took it and I really like it here.

bugman.