cricket1again

I will appreciate everything!

Fleaflyfloflum

Well, as i have had two temporary attempts at it in the last year, I know exactly how i will live differently.

Get out and see more of the country i love on a regular basis. I revelled in it on last stints there.

Completely avoid newspapers peddling doom and gloom. I would be happy as larry having a lovely day until i went in the newsagents and glimpsed the headlines. Enough to ruin your day!!

Make it my mission to pull up anyone blindly slagging off blighty and irritate the arse off them by pointing out the bullshit they speak

Finally and most importasnt of all, dedicating the rest of my life to giving my grandchildren a good role model and guiding them in the right direction.

USAGypsies

New location for us in the UK.
New, smaller house.
No longer living in fear everytime a medical bill arrives.
New job for Hubby. Starting a new business for me.
Smaller cars.
Remembering not to say 'Hello' and smiling at complete strangers that I encounter when out for a stroll. Would look like a looney doing that in UK but perfectly normal in US suburbia.
Remember to reply when someone asks 'How ya doin?' and try not to drop my jawlike I'm catching flies when I realise that they actually want to know how I'm doing!
Collecting the mail, completely naked if I so wish! Give me a letter box anyday
Friends again.... real friends... oooooh I feel all warm and fuzzy!
Not spending Christmas etc... at my sisters anymore like we always used to as her and her huz of 30 odd years have seperated. Big time bummer.
Will be bringing 2 Americans back with us (had 2 babies since leaving).
Will be bringing back a 'Taco' from Texas... our dog
Getting used to not having my Mum anymore. She passed in 2005 but think I may still have some grieving left to do when I get home and it seems more real (if that makes sense), like when we visit old places with memories, drive past her house etc.... at least I'll be able to go to her grave with flowers when we're home.
I will try to do the things that I missed more than I used to, with a new found appreciation... and I will try to keep that momentum going for more than the first fortnight!!

meljor

I've been bored, been reading some stats, so I can help you there hon.

Gun crime per capita Australia is 27th in the hit parade higher than guess what!
The UK which only comes in at 32nd.

Knife crime per capita
Australia 31st sadly the UK does not have enough to rank

For anyone who doesn't believe check out Nationmaster.com

backagen

I'm still not at the point where I can make a definite decision to go back, but if and when I do, here's what I will probably do differently.

1. As others have said, I will certainly make a point of exploring my own country and appreciating all the good things it offers.

2. I will have more realistic expectations compared to last time I moved back there with my rose tinted glasses on.

3. I will have a much broader awareness of what is good and not so good about the place, and a much better understanding of all those factors and the reasons behind them.

4. I will miss certain things about Australia to be honest, and will seek to find as many similar things in Britain as possible. If there's anything I can't find there that I miss I might even try to introduce it to Britain myself.

cricket1again

Here's a very recent, today in fact, crime stats report. It is encouraging.

http://www.crimeinfo.org.uk/servlet/...ory=factsheets

Merseygirl

I will appreciate the really good things about the UK and never take anything for granted.
I won't allow myself to get dragged in to "Britain has gone to the dogs" attitude of the media and some of the locals.
I will extol the virtues of this lovely country to the whinging locals

islandergirl

So true, will enjoy and appreciate it much more.

Day to day life will be not so different, will still be an accountant wearing a pinstripe suit, living in a house and driving a car.

But life will be enhanced by being able to spend time with family and friends doing bog ordinary stuff which I never appreciated properly when I lived there.

And not having to spend one and bit years worth of leave every two years to go back to the UK will be a massive lifestyle bonus, can go to lovely places on holiday like Switzerland, Italy, etc etc.

Merseygirl

'And not having to spend one and bit years worth of leave every two years to go back to the UK will be a massive lifestyle bonus, can go to lovely places on holiday like Switzerland, Italy, etc etc.'

Yes, would definitely make the most of having Europe on the doorstep, without it costing an arm and a leg to get there!

backagen

God yes. It would be great to be able to take holidays somewhere nice and somewhere different each year. For the last 20 years all my holidays have been visits home.

Very enjoyable in their own way, but it is extremely expensive and does mean taking all your annual leave in one hit.

rabsody

I will eat more pickled onion monster munch

cricket1again

I know I will be far happier just being 'at home' and 'where I belong' in my head and heart. I will feel grounded and solid again. I think I can give much more and will want to be included in things that once perhaps I didn't have the time for.
Although I never took certain things for granted like the UK countryside. This was always special to me because I grew up in the Lake District so I never grew tired of it or failed to appreciate it.
If anything, it's this memory that has not allowed me to appreciate or accept australia's lanscape.
Yep, I will treasure everything, savour every moment and say thankyou for all the blessings.

backagen

I will eat lots of scampi and lemon crisps!

rabsody

I was going to put that but then I thought some of the troublemakers on here might refer to another recent thread!

Fleaflyfloflum