USAGypsies

I was just thinking the other day how different our lives will be when we return to the UK than when we left.

Some things have naturally changed and some things we have deliberately made different.

We are going home with 2 children that were born in the US and a much older son. We now have a dog that we didn't have. We have a home business that we didn't have. We're also older (and I'm feeling it!). We have also chosen to move to West Sussex and are not returning to Herts.

When you returned were things different the '2nd' time and why? or if you are planning to return, will things be different?

aasmith1957

We are going back to Scotland this year,when house eventually sells Been in Western Australia for 18 years.Our kids were 14,12 when we emigrated.

We are heading back on our own,in our early 50s and are grandparents of 3, 4th due in 5 weeks time.(kids now accepted this is what we are doing).

I haven't lived in Scotland for at least 32 years (since we married), but part of the condition to go back to UK was for me to go home,not back to living in South Yorkshire where his family are (get on very well with in laws,always have).

We will be morgage free and have time to enjoy travelling.Looking forward to being able to pop into one sisters and have coffee etc and my mum and other sister will only be an hour away

Dh may work part time instead of all hours god sends.Me i retired from nursing 2 years ago (working full time) but may go back to doing casual shifts if iam inclined,on the other hand might be far tooo busy shopping and having fun!! (the 1st time for a long while)!!!!!!

bramblebush

we returned after 4 years in France and it was exactly the same. We had visited a lot whilst we were away though so therefore we were not faced with any surprises.

Good luck

Bevm

We're returning to an area new to us, which sometimes gives me the collywobbles, but then I remind myself that we were living in Nottingham when we emigrated to Canada. We'd been there a couple of years and had some casual friends, but no strong ties.

We do worry a bit about fitting into a new community when neither of us is going out to work anymore, because that's the easiest way to make new friends. And we know that after 33 years here, we'll not be 100% English anymore.

But we're thinking of it as an adventure. If we stick with the safe and familiar, it's pretty boring, isn't it?

Mind you, that's what got us all into this situation in the first place, isn't it?

Bev

Baby75

well before we left to move to Australia we lived beside my parents in a lovely log cabin, which we sold before we left. we had a boxer which went to my in laws and we went with our 3 boys to stay with friend.

When I came home I had a new baby daughter, minus friend's we stayed with, moved an hour away from my parents and closer to my in laws.

How has it been great my boys are thriving having their doting Nana's again especially my youngest boy who is 3 ( every woman similar in age to my mother and MIL in Australia he use to call Nana) we don't have the dog the in laws wont give her back but we have a cute kitten and plan to get a dog when the baby is older.

I guess I'm a stronger person and so is my husband we take no crap, we don't mind the rain so much yet!! its great having that family support back and being there for my family as well.

TraceyW

Totally different.

Instead of looking at the negatives (and there are a few!) we always look at the positives.

We see the UK countryside, history, architecture etc through fresh eyes having lived in the most bland place on earth (IMHO before the Perth lovers launch in)

Didn't move back to where we left and now love living in possibly the most lovely part of the UK

Appreciate family a whole lot more.

We realise the grass is no greener on the other side, so instead of searching for something better, we'd better get on with making a good life for us all where we are

Fleaflyfloflum

We are living in a completely different place to where we left and also living a very different lifestyle. We used to live close to London with all the buzz of city life. Now we live in the countryside with a laid back existence, although we are still only an hours train ride to centre of London.
I love it!!
In one sense we have a lot sof familiarity back and access to the things we loved about UK before we left, yet on the flip side of this, we are discovering a whole new area and lifestyle we did not have before. I feel rejuvenated and excited by it all.

For those who left UK because they were not happy with it, then i would advise coming back to a completely different area. This is one of the great things about Britain. You can have umpteen different lifestyles within the same country.

fulwood

fleaflyfloflum..good advice and what I intend to do whenever I can move back for good. plan on living in Scotland - not Preston..my brother and I have been in US for over 25 years each and we like to watch BBC America - shows like Hotel Inspector. We only seemed to realize in past few months that there is more to England than just Preston. We love Preston but do not wish to live there for remainder of our lives..