Jerseygirl

I used to go to Hillborough baths...my school was in Hillsborough.

usbrit2015

USBrit here...
I leave tomorrow, Sun, July 19th. Wow, it's finally here...it's been rough though, and I don't envy you feelbritish. You'll be leaving in a couple of days, too. Sooooooo exciting!

I will look at this website again once I get a chance after getting there....wish me all the best...and thanks for all your helpful and encouraging comments....bye for the time being. Yeah!!!

Jerseygirl

I hope it all goes smoothly...please don't forget to update us. Good luck.

Fish n Chips 56

Good for you, stay positive and I hope it all works out for you, its amazing how quickly your plans have come together, Enjoy your flight and the good old UK.

feelbritish

Hi Fish, no not me from Sheffield, I had to get my visa from them. Think Jerseygirl said she was from there! You got no plans to go back at this stage?

Fish n Chips 56

Sorry crossed lines there...

My plan is to work and save so we can afford to buy a small bungalow when we return, its a very slow work in progress...

I had planed to return to the UK after my Mum passed away, she had dimentia, we stuck around to help out and Mum lasted years longer than most do in that situation, that might sound cold but I don't know how to say it any other way.

With our savings and the equity in our home we had enough money to buy a home in the UK and get us on our feet, My poor old Mum passed in 09, by that time home prices had plummeted here plus they were not selling, I expected the economy to rebound, it didn't turn around for year.

That has left us stuck here, we are self employed our earnings went below 40% for years, there was nowhere to go we had to sit it out and live off savings, its put us way back, I have no idea when we will return, I wish it was yesterday, I think about it everyday.

I just know I don't want to stay here forever, No disrespect but I love the old country, of course I always did, I came here as a teen, not my decesion.

Things seem to be coming together nicely for you, of course you are stressed but selling up and moving across the world is never an easy task.

Good Luck to you...

BTW Canada faired much better in 08/09 as their banks didnt play the stupid games, they were much smarter and Canada did well.

Perth

We are also self employed, Fish, and took the same hit as you did. Just as we were beginning to surface from it, an unscrupulous relative cleaned out our savings, so I went out and got an outside job just so I could pay for my health insurance. OH is on medicare already. I thought our dreams of returning were shot forever, but it is all coming together. Hang in there, Fish. You will get there too. Where there's a will there's a way

Mummy in the foothills

You should be here by now. I hope the flight went well. Welcome home.

Fish n Chips 56

Thanks Perth, I do agree with your positive thoughts...

Wow theft from a family member, thats a tough one to swallow, Good Luck to you..

feelbritish

Good luck to you too! We are staying on a bit longer over at a neighbour's housesitting until end September as our house in England is not available until 1st October. This way we get to relax and hubby gets to work a bit more and we take this whole moving thing in stages. It has been very stressful as you know but exciting too!

feelbritish

sorry to hear about your situation but it is bound to change for the better again! Our house price was way below what we could have got in 2009 and by not leaving last year we lost a lot of money on exchange rates as since we planned all this the Canadian dollar has tanked! However we were just saying this morning yesterday is gone, tomorrow is ahead and we are not going to sweat the pounds we have lost or could have made. We will just deal with what we have available and cut our cloth accordingly. We will both retire and like you have been saving for this moment for the last 7 years. I never thought this day would come either, but it did eventually and for all those out there who are dreaming of going home hold on to that dream because in the end it will happen!

Fish n Chips 56

I totally agree, looking back is full of what ifs, its a bit depressing, we have to be positive and look forward, thats what Im doing... Fingers crossed as they say, and as always Good Luck...

jasper123

Hi feelbritish,

You laid it all out in those few words in your post above, I think we all have regrets through life, so many what ifs!!!! its human nature, our past cant be changed, but our future is still in our hands at this point,
your so right that its really important for everybody to keep the dream alive,

its so easy though for most of us to just slip back in our minds and remember all the things we wish we did differently over the years,

It worked out good for you didn't it that you are able to stay over there a couple of months more so you can take your time taking care of all the details before you leave, its really exciting isn't it I remember it all so well,

feelbritish

Hi Rodney, yes it has worked out very well despite changing our money yesterday into pounds and the Canadian dollar was at its lowest in 11 years! Now hubby has gone back to work and I can plan the rest of the move. Luckily it is to our own house and I will be liaising with the agents to get it painted before we even move in. Friends nearby will be putting us up again and collecting us from airport. We will research cars, caravans and even paint colours here online. It is exciting. Now I also have to concentrate on my weight which has ballooned out of control since all this happened! We have two months to get used to the idea of moving.

michali

Several of us seem to have similar situations! I try not to look back though with the what ifs though, even though it would have been so much easier in some ways if we had stayed here in 2000 but we really did not have the money to last us for life so we had no choice. We are in a better position now. Our flat here was rented out and the timing of our visa was perfect! We could bring the tenancy to an end, have the place painted and our son came in a day or two before our arrival and bought the basics for us as a welcome home present. It was so lovely to come into our own home right away, even though it is a humble dwelling!

And, feelbritish, if you have put on weight BEFORE you arrive, watch it when you get here! I have put on more than ten pounds and everyday I am going on a diet that never happens. Too many lovely things I have missed!