ladylisa

Hi everyone this is my first opportunity to post since I arrived back in the UK in October. Well what can I say...I am loving being home!!! I cannot believe I spent months trying to make a decision on where I wanted to be, all those endless conversations I had with my husband, you know the ones! We both feel a sense of relief to be home, we are making plans galore for anything and everything which is something we just stopped doing in the US because we felt paralysed about our future. We never intended making the US our permanent home from the start however when we got there my husbands company lawyers kept offering us to apply for our green cards, and I think we went for it without thinking about whether it was really what we wanted. Everyone knows how hard it is to get a green card so you feel flattered that you may be able to have one. The irony now is that our green card arrived the week after we left.

The trip home went very smoothly, we planned everything to the last detail...lists and lists. We went through the pet travel scheme with our dog which was the most stressful part of it. But I have to say BA were brilliant. No less than 3 BA staff called us over to say our dog was on the flight and was well. As we were boarding the animal handler met us on the boarding ramp and said he had put her on the flight himself and she had been given a drink. We were advised that could have a wait of up to 5 hours for our dog at the animal reception centre in Heathrow. Well she was processed and out of the reception centre within an hour! What a relief. The sad thing was there was a couple waiting for there dog which couldn't be released because their vet had missed off the name of the tick treatment and the time it was administered on their paperwork. It was 7am when I spoke to them they had to wait until the afternoon when their vet would be available in the States.

Anyway let me tell you about life here, well did I say its great by the way! The people generally are so friendly and I,m just loving being back around British banter again, its definitely more gritty here than the US but it feels so alive. I feel alive. Our neighbours had a welcome home dinner in our honour and invited all the other neighbours, who we socialised with alot before we left. It was so wonderful and we had such a good laugh, lots of piss taking and just great! People do interact here more and I love being in the newsagents and hearing the lady there calling everyone my love..just love it!The TV and radio is so superior and I love having less commercials. The main thing I now realise how much I have missed out on is my family, my nephew is 14 and I've basically missed out on the last 4 years of his life. He cuddles me all the time and I know he is happy to have me around again. He keeps coming over to the house to help us with decorating. God I love that kid.

Luckily we kept our home and rented it while we were away so we had a place to come back to. We have completely redecorated from top to bottom and even replaced all the carpets, our furniture arrived on Thursday, everything was intact, thankfully.

Anyway as you can tell I am very happy. And its not a novelty thing, I feel like I've never been away but I do feel a different person, a more appreciative person for what I have and the relationships in my life which on balance is what life is all about.

louise4

So happy for you ladylisa. It really is something else when you come home isn't it. Just that feeling of belonging. You sure can't buy that. I hope everything continues to go smoothly for you and the best bit is your back for the xmas madness


Louise

whisky

So pleased to read that you are back and settled.
Everything seems to be going very well for you, and i hope it continues.

I have to say the Brits do have a good sense of humour and are more genuinly caring.

I have made many friends in Oz, but somehow my British friends know me better, maybe because of our warped sense od humour.

Good luck with your new life.
Reading your post makes me want my time to hurry so that i can too be settling back into UK life.

Whisky

chance to be

thats great
you've made my day! whare in uk are you?
all the best for the future
c xxx

ShozInOz

Well done you. There is nothing quite like the feeling of home, wherever that is.

toandfro

well I must reflect the opinion of the other posters with the added I'm jealous as .. good luck enjoy Xmas and good luck with the future

BigDavyG

Good to hear from you Lisa.
Glad its going well so far - long may it continue.

Lord Lionheart

Good job LL. Don't forget to keep us updated after you settle in

Elvira

Hiya - I was wondering how you were getting on - thanks for the update!

So glad to hear that everything is working out. I will admit I feel jealolus, and I can identify with what you said about not making plans because you "felt paralysed about your future".

I hope you won't become a stranger (like other recent returnees who shall be nameless ), but hopefully you'll also post in the USA forum, as I'm not sure how many of us read the Return to UK forum

Old William

The UK is the greatest nation on earth. Welcome home.

Elvira

Hello "Old William"!

I don't believe we have met - care to introduce yourself?

britvic

What a lovely post to read thanks LL I'm keeping my fingers crossed I to will be able to write this sort of post next year. Best wishes to you and yours.

Old William

Hello.
And just call me Bill.

FlyergirlUK

Welcome home!!!!

Glad to hear that everything's working out so great for you!

It is good to be home isn't it?!

Old William

It certainly is.