Jojo S

Hello!

I've just moved back to the UK after almost 20 years' in Sydney, Australia to be closer to my sister, nephew and extended family. I'm currently living in Surrey with my sister while we renovate our house and I look for work in or around London. I have 2-3 good friends here from when I lived here and would like to broaden my friendship circle and understand how others have found the transition.

I'm fairly outgoing, love the outdoors and will join a tennis club in spring but would appreciate any tips on how best to integrate back into British life and meet new people. Would also be great to hear from anyone in a similar situation and how they have experienced the transition.

Thanks,
Jo

quoll

I moved back to my home town after 43 years away, 32 of them in Australia and I just tested it like it was a new move to a new place. Being older and crap at tennis, my chosen interest was knitting and I've made some awesome friends through knitting groups! We also have quite a strong local community and I've been part of some things - wasnt easy with carer responsibilities though so not as committed add I could have been. I've found it far easier to make connections here than back in Canberra and I suspect it may have been easier had I been working. It takes work though, social networks don't just fall into your lap! Good luck!

Jojo S

Thanks for sharing your story and so good to hear you have made some awesome friends and are now part of a strong community - gives me hope!

durham_lad

When we moved back after 29 years in the USA my wife also joined a local knitting group and it has been a great enabler for her to meet and make new friends. This was last May and since then we have bought a house (completed the purchase less than 2 weeks ago). Her new friends have been a great resource for recommending local contractors for painting and decorating, tree removal, boiler inspections etc.

Jojo S

Thanks for sharing our story durham_lad - its good to hear it has all come together! The thread I'm getting here is to join a club or group with like minded people.

Exnorthumbrian

Did you move back to NE - or somewhere different? I have been in Melbourne since 1974 and thinking of come back to UK to retire. My wife is from Gateshead and me from Ponteland but cannot image going back to either.

Novocastrian

I was born in Westerhope but moved to Gosforth when I was about14. I effectively left Newcastle when I went to University in 1969 and left the UK in 1977, returning in mid-2015 after retirement to .... Newcastle.

Now I also never thought I'd do this and admittedly we were motivated in some part to live here because my father-in-law is very old (and now about to die) so we wanted to help him in his last years and days.

However, we are extremely pleased to have done this. Newcastle is not the place it was in the 60's and 70's. It's a thriving city with so many good things about it and the Geordies are as canny as ever.

Don't rule it out.

durham_lad

We moved back to Guisborough where we lived for 6 years and where our 2 children were born. It was always our favourite of the places we have lived and still have friends that are still here 31 years after we left.

Exnorthumbrian

Thanks Novocastrian. I guess the problem is I had so many relatives and connections with N/C - but they are either dead now and have scattered to other part of the U.K. I think it would be hard to go back there to live - too much has gone that is in my memories. I think I will need to visit a many more times before I ever decide to go back there. Of course Geordies are the best people (followed by Northumbrians of course).