Originally Posted by ImHere

*Sigh*

All those pictures......

I can empathise with every one on this thread...we've only been in the states for 3 months and the homesickness comes in waves. One day Im fine and lovin' it here the next I spend the entire day just wanting to go back home.

One thing moving here has done is put the "downsides" of life in Blighty back into persepective. We spent a long time just wanting to get out of Britain. Everyday was spent complaining about how bad everything was...we'd become caught up in all the media BS about how bad Britain is. Now we can see it for what it really is. A load of baloney! Sure Britain has its darkside as does everywhere - but now we can also see the good things Britain has to offer.

I used to post on another forum for brits coming to Florida, and I despaired at the "Stars in your Eyes" attitude of Brits still in Britain wanting to emigrate to the states - in particular Florida. We had those same stars in your eyes attitudes until we got here and woke up to a few realities.

Of course, we shall make a life here (hopefully) and plug on. But I cant see the pangs of missing Britian ever really going. Not completely.

I miss the usual odd food products and bits of everyday life but most of all I miss the pace of life in Britain. The slowness if you want it. Going up into the moors and just chilling out. The easygoing pace. The feeling that it (what ever "it" is) doesnt need to be done today, right now. I also miss the fact that the police were friendly and would smile and say hello (most of em). Here I feel like a criminal everytime a copper looks at me. Perhaps its just the "Alieness" of it and it will subside. Although speaking to Americans here they feel the same, so perhaps not. Infact, on an American Expats forum one of the members said how shocked they were when a British bobby smiled and said hello in passing...in 30 odd years in the States that never happened to them!

I miss walking - oh how i miss walking! Drive up ATMs? Gimme a break! I make a point of parking as far from the damn ATM as I can and walking to it...at least its better than nothing.

I miss driving down winding country lanes, with trees forming an arch overhead and a little brook running alongside, then stopping to wander over to say hello to some horses by a gate, feed them a handful of grass and just take in the country sights and smells.

I miss a countryside that doesnt try to kill you or eat you alive just by stepping out of your car.

I havent - as yet - missed the weather. Its been pleasantly warm all winter here. Perhaps I will, in a couple of years, yearn for a real Winter. Or Spring. Or Autumn.

Home, they say, is where your heart is. Right now my heart is shooting back and forth across several thousand miles of ocean.

Originally Posted by woodsey

That was me a few months ago but honestly it does get better..
I missed all the things I never even realised I liked until I couldn't have them anymore but once you become more familiar with your surroundings it will begin to feel like home..
The trouble is you don't know where to go to find the horse to feed over the gate, which road to drive down to see trees forming an archway, they will be there but just a bit different..
When I arrived I hated everything, it was too hot, the supermarket didn't sell anything I liked, the parks were crap, the roads were too big, everyone was too fat or too thin, everyone had a stupid accent, no eastenders, chocolate tasted of cheese, god I could go on forever but now I don't even notice whats different..
Why this has happened I cannot explain, I'm a yorkshire girl, never lived more than 2 miles from my mum, well actually my entire family, when I knew I was leaving I wanted to run away with them all and hide forever, I could not even imagine not being able to go Cannon Hall farm with my son, sister, niece, grandparents every week for a cup of tea and a scone but I don't and I'm still happy. The homesickness hasn't gone away, its just become a part of who I am. The only way I can explain it is that I've accepted the difference in my life now so I can actually enjoy all the new experiences I'm having, feeding horses over a gate is good but going to see alligators in the everglades is spectatular..

Originally Posted by ImHere

Cheers Woodsey. We are slowly adjusting. Even since i wrote that things have improved. Everyday at the moment sees a gradual but perceptable change in how we see life here. I still miss stuff, but Im coping better now. The things I do miss dont seem so important anymore. And im learning to think American. We are getting more of chance to explore the area and life here now that we've got over most of the beaurocracy and dont have to spend all our spare time just fathoming out how to get things done. Some days are even being spent almost on autopilot now, which, to me, means im settling in. Of course taking part in the madness that is BE helps. Actually I really mean that. Being able to blow off and just be insane with other like minded indivduals that have all either been through or are going through the same mill really does help.

Originally Posted by woodsey

Glad to hear its getting better..
BE has helped me too, being at home all day with a two year old is hard enough without being in a strange place so having somewhere to come and have a laugh has been wonderful..