RollTide

just spent an hour on FaceTime......it was my nephew's 18th and they all ( my family& friends) were celebrating (about 30 total).........my brother Facetimed me so that I would be part of the celebrations.

It was great to see everyone.....it's been about 18 months and I don't go but 6 or 7 days without face timing someone from my family........but it's just not the same as being there!

Countdown until I move back permanently.......my house is almost ready to put on the market......they want me home by Christmas......would love love that .....fingers crossed.

I've lived in the US for 25 years and growing older so appreciate my wonderful family back home.......material possessions can never replace family and close friends.....

feelbritish

[QUOTE=RollTide;11778783]just spent an hour on FaceTime......it was my nephew's 18th and they all ( my family& friends) were celebrating (about 30 total).........my brother Facetimed me so that I would be part of the celebrations.

It was great to see everyone.....it's been about 18 months and I don't go but 6 or 7 days without face timing someone from my family........but it's just not the same as being there!

Countdown until I move back permanently.......my house is almost ready to put on the market......they want me home by Christmas......would love love that .....fingers crossed.

I've lived in the US for 25 years and growing older so appreciate my wonderful family back home.......material possessions can never replace family

and close friends.....[/QUOTE

One of the main reasons we moved back. If I had no family at all would have stayed in Canada and just moved to a different area.

brits1

When Skype came out our family (in the UK) were saying "use it, use it" I was a bit loathed because I thought it might be harder after getting use to not seeing their faces everyday and just dealing with letters at first then emails kind of made it easier to "settle" in Aus, we tried Skype and it was lovely to see their faces and talk at the same time but it did make us feel like we were really missing out on "things", we stopped using Skype and carried on for a few years but we realised we really did just want to return home so we did.

Piff Poff

I had a moment today too, 2 birthdays and a big award ceremony this weekend.

Sparkleydiva

yes me too,so we are moving backin May next year and it can't come soone enough. Beengreat adventure but home and family mean so much more...

lexxus20

That's the exact reason why wwe are planning to move back next October....holidays, birthdays and special occasions are not the same without family here and us missing out over there. Didn't realize it would have been so hard 😢

Piff Poff

And then the video was posted and my eyes got leaky... Oh well.

LukeandJo

We are the same, can't afford anywhere in Auckland. Pull of family and a house back in the UK is getting stronger. Shame, New Zealand is a top place but you need a massive lump of cash to get settled.

agm1287

I definitely hear you and i am sure many more feel the same... i know i do..

I wish i could do the same... miss home a lot... been in the states now for 15 years... i think i have surprised myself that i have stayed here as long as i have.

I have 2 kids and a step son who to be honest has been nothing but a problem for a multitude of reasons. My son is 15 and daughter is 10 and the step son is 21. She wont go to the UK... which pees me off as i made it clear that at one point i want to go home. She also now wont leave her 21 year old son as he in generally incapable of looking after himself etc etc.... I feel i am stuck with no way out... Happy for you...

Sparkleydiva

I feel for you, your situation is much more complicated than ours. At least we are all on the same page about leaving NZ

durham_lad

I know just how you feel, and we are looking forward to moving back in May, being close to friends and relatives again after 28 years. Already we have been invited to a 50th wedding anniversary and my wife's brother's 50th birthday celebration in Spa, Belgium.

agm1287

You defintely do miss out... and it is hard sometimes to get others to understand the sacrifice you made without having to tell them (which you never want to do).

Over the next 4 months i have my SIL's 40th, my brothers 40th and my mothers 70th.... all friends, family etc will be there except me.

feelbritish

Be very careful that your expectations are not too great! Initially we saw our friends and family and they are still around, but we do not get that many calls as they have moved on with their own lives! Best to enjoy them when you do and make new friends and move on as well!

Piff Poff

IF we move back it won't be to the same place as we have already found that the 'friends' we had in the UK were not really friends as they drifted away with in the 1st 2 years and a lot of the important family have passed on, leaving just a few members we'd want to see occasionally

Snap Shot

It's not been that difficult for us, my sister's children are now 19 and 22. Making them 15 and 18 when we left the UK.

My widowed Dad in Britain is not getting any younger at the age of 73.

We see my husband's family quite regularly. His nieces are 10 years old, his nephew will turn 16 next week.

Not surprisingly, they are getting bored or already bored of all their relatives, uncle and aunt included.

His eighty year old mother, whilst not getting any younger, is in reasonably good nick health-wise, there's nothing substantively wrong. However, so was his Dad just before he died suddenly twenty one years ago.

We have no children so that's a complication we don't have should we actually work up the nerve to return to Britain.