JANEY1

When we move to a new country, we sometimes run the risk of going back and forth from the new country back to the country of birth. This is what I am having a big problem with now.

I originally went to Florida - lived there for a few years, and then decided that UK was really for me....so I moved back to the UK. After a year in the UK - I was bored, I realised that there was soo much more to do in Florida...so.....I moved back to Florida It doesnt stop there...it gets worse.

After two years of being back in Florida, unhappy with my job, I missed home and family and realised that, UK is where I want to grow old and retire. After all, when you are older - you want to be close to family dont you?,.....I moved back to the UK.

I have been back in the UK for only six months and Im wondering if I have done the right thing. It pains me soo much to say, that I may have made a mistake again. Im bored, family and friends are doing their own thing - never see them! Problems that I had with immediate family are coming to the surface again. I cant participate in the hobbies that I love ...hiking & the outdoors. Im sure that the fact that I am still looking for work is exaggarating the "grass is greener" problem. But..oh my, I cant believe im wanting to move back again - and that again, I have made a mistake.

Mummy in the foothills

Why can't you go hiking in UK? Theres so many places to walk, I have lots of friends who are avid hikers They even go on holiday to Europe to hike other places.
As for Ping ponging ( that word makes me giggle a bit) only you can decide. Make a big list, UK and Florida, and see what comes up. At some point you will end up stuck in one, all that moving costs a lot of money.

dunroving

If you use the Search function ... Advanced, and search for my past posts (or threads started by me) you'll be able to read some of my experiences from being in the exact same situation (see my profile too for timeline of pings and pongs). I'll try to post a bit more detailed reply later (just taking a break from work) but basically, I can sympathise completely with the Am I crazy? situation .. in the meantime, here's a thread I started after being back in the UK for maybe 3 months:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...ight=box+frogs

dunroving

Must say the one thing I can do much more easily in the UK than I could in the US is go hiking, so this surprised me, also.

Funky Monkey

It must be awful to be a sreial ping ponger.

I do feel that people that move back and forth are maybe looking for something that does not actually exist. I am not wishing to sound harsh and I may be one of those very people that have to eat their words.
I have heard of people going back and forth 3 or 4 times, well I am sorry I think that is down to the person more than the place.

I think you have to really look at the scales and see which way they are tipping and go in that favour otherwise you are unlikely to ever be happy.

I hope you can work it out.

Elvira

http://www.ramblers.org.uk/areas_groups/

king kong

The secret is especially if your single is not to look at anywhere permanent , i have been in aussie 20 years so time for a change ,so im going to europe and the uk . But who cares , if you are single go back to the states afterall who are you hurting ? no one . Thinking about where your going to grow old and stuff is ridiculous , who cares .

dunroving

Buggers don't allow dogs. :curse:

JANEY1

I know what you mean about the word "ponger/ponging" its like I am trying to say I have some kind of body odor problem or something

I think I have to eat my words on the hiking aspect of the UK. I guess what I am having difficulty finding is large open parks where I can power walk/hike for hours and still be around other people. When its a busy hiking path/park I dont have to rely on having to hike as part of a group and can hike when I want. It sounds quite simple, but its just one of the things that I used to really enjoy in the US. The hiking opportunities which I would enjoy in the UK, wouldnt feel safe to me hiking alone. Eg. the Hills of the lake district - Love that area, but wouldnt feel safe as a female hiking alone there. Does that makes sense?

king kong

i reckon pinging and ponging is the only way to be honest , why be unhappy anywhere , just dont buy houses and expensive cars and fall into the trap of materialism and u have nothing to give up . Just go where the wind takes u

JANEY1

No, I dont think your being harsh. There is obviously some other factors there, otherwise I would have made the right decision in the first place. I will have to just figure out if that is really the case, and/or where is my permanent home.

This song kind of reminds me of me....This is too all the "Pongers"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PINxfouNQFw

dunroving

If you are referring to mountain safety when hiking alone, I agree. Even if you have a cell phone or GPS, you can potentially come unstuck on the mountains and if you're alone/injured with no phone signal, this spells trouble.

If you are referring to the risk of assault (I noticed you specified being a female hiking alone), I don't think there are any data to support the idea that women hiking alone in the UK are prone to being assaulted ... the weather's so crap I can't see why anyone would go up a mountain or lurk in the woods waiting to assault someone - seems that sort of thing happens more in urban parks and trails, places like that.

king kong

the only issue i see with pinging and ponging is the fact a ''rolling stone gathers no moss'' , that could be interpreted in many ways either to financial wealth , friendships , etc . The more you move the more rootless you become , the people you know change and they change towards you because they dont expect you to stick around before you have a ''moment'' and get on the plane again .
They are infact jealous to a certain degree because they cant do it for what ever reason , they wish they could .

JANEY1

Thank you! I love your reply and that is how I have been living for the past four or so years. Prior to that, I made the mistake of "getting the condo" the car and other stuff, and it was a nightmare to get out of - felt so tied down. Im scared of doing that again. The only thing about what you said, and how I have been living, is just that its not accepted by the average joe - especially for someone of my age....almost forty!

JANEY1

Dunroving - thank you for your replies. I read the thread that you suggested and there was lots of helpful advice on there...thanks.

In regards to what you said about hiking alone in the UK - I guess you have a point. After all, one of the places that I used to hike at in Florida had an incident of assault. So, again...I eat my words