How do I fill the time waiting to go home?
 

My hubby and I have finally decided to head home to UK after 7 years in NZ. For financial reasons we are delaying our departure til the start of next year. Unfortunately I now find myself constantly thinking about home, the move and it's logistics. I can't seem to concentrate on being here.

Any suggestions to distract me from UK thoughts or any suggestions about getting organised to go? All ideas greatly appreciated. :)

Re: How do I fill the time waiting to go home?
 

If you have the time and the money then visit all the great places in NZ that you've never been to. You may never be back there again.

Re: How do I fill the time waiting to go home?
 

I am in a similar position to you with our return planned for this summer. I have had to dig deep and this is what has helped me. The only thing we are guaranteed is right now. Tomorrow, next week and next month are not a certainty. Despite my sometimes intense homesickness I refuse to wish my life away. I go out walking for an hour each morning on my own. I stay in the moment admiring every tree, the birds singing, the cacti, the flowers, say “good morning” to every person I pass and am grateful for being alive. Each day I also go swimming and it’s the same thing - I’m doing my best to live in the moment with each lap of the pool. Best wishes to you.

Re: How do I fill the time waiting to go home?
 

+1

We were retired so took the year before we returned to go on a very long driving trip (5 months, 8,500 miles) of the USA and Canada, including a cruise to Alaska for the first and probably last time (we parked the car at Vancouver airport for 2 weeks).

Re: How do I fill the time waiting to go home?
 

Travel the world is your oyster as they say.

Re: How do I fill the time waiting to go home?
 

We lived in Hong Kong for 4 years in the late nineties. When we decided to come home we thought it would just be too weird to get in a plane in the tropics and then get out again 14 hours later in a cold UK. So as a buffer we went backpacking round the southern states of India for two months. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I'm glad we didn't head straight home after years away. Maybe you could think of using some of your time to take a slower route home and have some adventures on the way.

Re: How do I fill the time waiting to go home?
 

We’re in the same boat! We’re leaving for Scotland next year as well. Having said that, we have so much to do in advance that we’ll probably not spend too much time being bored and antsy!

For one thing, I’m pregnant and due in August with another little girl. We’ve also just finished selling property in preparation for the move, and will be looking at houses in Scotland this May. If successful, we’ll be tied up in the purchase process for a couple of months at least.

Then we have some repairs to do on the house here before we hand it off to my husband’s two older sons (my lover stepsons, who are now fine young men!). We also have to figure out what we will ship to England and what we’ll leave here: there are a few items my husband inherited from his parents that we certainly won’t leave behind, and he is an artist, so there are quite a lot of paintings and art materials that we need to take with us.

We also want to drive up to Canada in the fall to see hubby’s brother and his wife. The baby will be highly portable at that stage!

Of course, in less than a year, we’ll begin the visa process for my husband’s family visa!

I have a feeling that next year will be here sooner than we both think! On the one hand, a year seems like a long time, but on the other, it can go by quickly if there are things to prepare!

Re: How do I fill the time waiting to go home?
 

That’s such an interesting idea! If hubby and I didn’t have a clutch of small children, we might do the same thing!

I spent a summer in northern India in 1999, but didn’t go much further south than Jaipur/Agra (whichever one is further south—not currently looking at a map!). Such a beautiful country!

Re: How do I fill the time waiting to go home?
 

Hi - we're in the same boat. Heading back to the UK in 2.5 months after nearly 13 years in NZ. At the moment I'm just filling in the time with planning house removal, dog transport, flight bookings, admin and tidying things up at work!! I'm planning to finish work a few weeks before we go and do things I've been meaning to do for ages like walk up Rangitoto etc. Whereabouts are you in NZ?

Re: How do I fill the time waiting to go home?
 

This is such a timely thread for us. As my lovely wife said above, we have scores of tasks to accomplish before next year’s move. On the other hand, each day I find my mind wandering about emigration (from here from the US where I’ve always lived)—the people and land I’ll miss, the politics and increasingly dystopian culture I won’t miss, and trying to constantly guess what my new life will be like. It’s hard to fully express the feeling of already having one foot in two canoes and trying to keep focused on daily tasks.

Re: How do I fill the time waiting to go home?
 

Make a list and stick to it.

Re: How do I fill the time waiting to go home?
 

We are in Auckland, and have been here sincell end of 2011. You?