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Re: Thinking of moving back to the UK from the US
Originally Posted by sallysimmons
(Post 9688280)
What's the alternative?
If you love your pets, you can't leave them behind, Yes, it will be harder to find a place to rent, but not impossible. The alternative is to wait until they pass on, which could be years from now, and miss out on life just to avoid a bit of hassle finding a place to live. |
Re: Thinking of moving back to the UK from the US
I travel on the QM2 and the best website I`ve found for fares is
www.vacationstogo.com They offer some really good bargains. The QM2 is a great experience, they spoil you rotten. The library is one of my favouritest places in the world. |
Re: Thinking of moving back to the UK from the US
Originally Posted by Wat2doo
(Post 9685871)
Hi Everyone!
Well long story short, been here in the US for 10 years now came over to marry my wife who is a USC and still happily married. Currently reside in the Chicagoland area in a very nice, safe and boring suburb, but make the most of the city at weekends. Things have gone really well for me here since I arrived, bought a house have a rewarding and high paying job that I enjoy and have made some good friends and generally immersed myself in the US way of life……….however……â� ��¦â€¦for the last 6 months or so I have been incredibly homesick, more than any other time that I have been here. In the past it has been short and passes quickly but this time it won’t go away. It all started , or I noticed it at least, when my wife and I went to see Paul McCartney in concert in the summer, the following week I felt like I was about to burst into tears at any moment, which is not like me at all. The riots quelled the felling a little but then it rose back up until I went back for a visit 3 weeks ago. Went back for 2 weeks with the wife (for the first time together, I have been back twice on my own but was glad to get back to the US on those two occasions) and had a real vacation, North Wales, Edinburgh, Cambridge, London got to spend time alone as well as visit family and friends. Since coming back I know I want to return don’t really mind where to be honest but there are a few things I have to consider.
My wife is surprisingly open to the idea of going over there but is concerned about how much less she will make in her field (veterinarian) compared to the US and the anti US feeling bothers her a bit too. It’s such a big decision and so much to consider, any advice from anyone would be greatly appreciated or some feedback on others who have done it and regretted it or are glad they moved back. Thanks Wat2doo Again. like you, I have a great standard of living and fabulous weather in South Florida (live on a lake with a pool) but I just miss being back in Britain so much. My situation's slightly different though as I'm currently married but unfortunately I'll be looking to go back on my own :(. We have dogs as well and it'll kill me to leave them but it's not fair to separate them and remove them from the only home they've ever known I guess I'm nuts to be doing this :unsure: . I left Britain because the weather was lousy, taxes were too bleedin high and people whinge too much :eek:(not just about the weather ;) ) . No place like home :D Wat2doo, why don't you do what other people here said. Go back on the QM2 or some other cruise to take your dogs back the leisurely way!! Royal Caribbean to repositioning cruises to Barcelona and Southampton I think in the spring and you could use a train from there home also if needed. The scary thing is are we making the right choice? There's only one way you're gonna know! Why not do a checklist of Pros and cons but remember your heart is a hard thing to checklist!! |
Re: Thinking of moving back to the UK from the US
Originally Posted by MIAman
(Post 9690381)
Well I've more or less just made the decision to go back to the UK. I've been here over 15 years and after the first few years was never really homesick but the last 1 or 2 yrs it started and a short weekend trip back last weekend cemented it for me. I'm looking to move sometime in the New Year once events unfold on this side of the pond.
Again. like you, I have a great standard of living and fabulous weather in South Florida (live on a lake with a pool) but I just miss being back in Britain so much. My situation's slightly different though as I'm currently married but unfortunately I'll be looking to go back on my own :(. We have dogs as well and it'll kill me to leave them but it's not fair to separate them and remove them from the only home they've ever known I guess I'm nuts to be doing this :unsure: . I left Britain because the weather was lousy, taxes were too bleedin high and people whinge too much :eek:(not just about the weather ;) ) . No place like home :D Wat2doo, why don't you do what other people here said. Go back on the QM2 or some other cruise to take your dogs back the leisurely way!! Royal Caribbean to repositioning cruises to Barcelona and Southampton I think in the spring and you could use a train from there home also if needed. The scary thing is are we making the right choice? There's only one way you're gonna know! Why not do a checklist of Pros and cons but remember your heart is a hard thing to checklist!! Having thought this through and talked about it with my wife I think I might ride out the animals lives here and make the most of the disposable income we have by saving it for a move in approx 5 years or so. In that time I should have a net worth of about $2MM once the house sells. This will give us little cushion not to worry about having to find a job right away and in honesty one of the reasons of the move it to get out of the rat race before it kills us! I think I should be OK finding a job still given as I will be in my mid 40's, not sure if the UK still has you put your birthdate on your CV? but my work history is very solid. Wife can then take her time to find something she likes, she has talked about going back to University to do a pathology residency and not sure if this route to get her in might be better than a spouse visa? So I feel good we have a (tentative) plan to return and gives me some time to research area's for jobs etc. etc. Now is there anything I can start to do now in anticipation of the move......NI contributions, collecting a pension in the UK, registering with a doctor, start sending money over to easy tax implications for when I move etc. I have been a USC for a while so I can check that off the list. All my family are still over in the UK so have plenty of addresses I can use as a UK base to do things, I still have a checking account over there and my drivers licence and passport are all current. Also with respect to money I assume contributing to our 401k and IRA's are still a wise idea and we can still collect them over in the UK once they are eligable for dispursements? Again thanks for everyones advice and I am sure I'll be posing more as time goes on, I know 5 years or so seems long but I feel good that I have that (distant) finish line in sight, and plan on making the most the US has to offer before then. All the best. Wat2doo |
Re: Thinking of moving back to the UK from the US
Originally Posted by Wat2doo
(Post 9690845)
I think I should be OK finding a job still given as I will be in my mid 40's, not sure if the UK still has you put your birthdate on your CV? Regarding living out the pet's lives - we thought about this too, our cats are 11 and 12 - but then we discovered that many cats live to be 18, 19, even 20+ and we decided we just can't wait that long! |
Re: Thinking of moving back to the UK from the US
Originally Posted by sallysimmons
(Post 9690929)
Regarding living out the pet's lives - we thought about this too, our cats are 11 and 12 - but then we discovered that many cats live to be 18, 19, even 20+ and we decided we just can't wait that long! Good luck to you. W2d |
Re: Thinking of moving back to the UK from the US
Originally Posted by sallysimmons
(Post 9690929)
No, this has faded out as a practice and most recruiting agencies will now encourage you to leave your date of birth off your CV, just like here in the US.
Regarding living out the pet's lives - we thought about this too, our cats are 11 and 12 - but then we discovered that many cats live to be 18, 19, even 20+ and we decided we just can't wait that long! |
Re: Thinking of moving back to the UK from the US
Originally Posted by keaki80
(Post 9688088)
I typed homesick in the search and came up with this post. My sister has just gone back to UK after 3 weeks of holiday here and each time I say goodbye to someone close it has me questioning how much longer I can do this.
I am married to an American and although he first said he would move back to the UK when he retired, now he is a grand-dad I know that will never happen. Homesickness is incredibly hard and I have no solution but get stuck back into normality here and deal with my life as best I can. As to the poster of this, I have hijacked your post with my feelings as I don't want to be accused of bringing up a subject that has been discussed many times. I will say, however, I was never of the impression that UK was anti-American. Whenever we visit my husband can't go anywhere without people asking him questions and telling him of their visits to USA and where they stayed, etc. I don't think that would be a down to going back home at all. I think you are lucky your wife is willing to go. I have found when I holiday back home on my own, I am always ready to come back, but when my husband is with me, I don't want to leave. I love this country and all it has to offer. I love the quality of life - and the people are friendly, but it isn't "home" and never will be. Family aren't here and I miss them so much it hurts. Sorry to hijack your post, but I needed to say this somewhere so that maybe I'll feel better. Good luck on your move - and I wish that was me. No need to apologise . Perhaps you should pop over to the 'Over 50's Moving back to the UK' Forum..... Many of us on that forum have been in the US for many years lots of us over 30 years. I married an American and I also love this country and I children and Grandchilden. Many years ago my husband promised he would take me home when we retired. I am sure he hoped I would change my mind. But like you this is not my home. Perhaps you need to talk to him and remind him of his promise after all you should come first. Grandchildren are wonderful but they do end up with their own busy lives. I find lots of people I know become built in babysitters and dont really have a life of their own. Thats fine if thats all you want but I want to do all the things I didnt do when I was home in the UK. I want to visit the museums and visit places I never got to go to.I dont know how badly you want to go home but homesickness tends to get worse as we get older. When are children are young we are too busy to think about it but as we get older and they leave home it does come back. Perhaps you could fill us in on the other forum. Don't want to hi-jack this one. :) |
Re: Thinking of moving back to the UK from the US
When we first decided we were going home we had 3 mutts we had fitted with chips and in the process of having all the paperwork done. Unfortunately during the time we waited for the house to sell (over 3 years) they all died. They are not something you can just turn off your feelings for many of us they are members of our family. Mine were getting on when we decided on the move but we never thought to leave any of them behind. One was a real ugly mutt that no one else could possibly love but we adored him and he us.
We now have one new scottie over a year old. She is in the process of getting her paperwork done. When I called an estate agent in the Uk regarding rentals with animals he told me always inquire about a property even though it might say no animals owners can change their minds. As with the one we are renting here in the US the right up said 'No Animals' but we asked and they said yes. We told them we have her cage trained and thats were she stayed. |
Re: Thinking of moving back to the UK from the US
Originally Posted by keaki80
(Post 9688088)
I love this country and all it has to offer. I love the quality of life - and the people are friendly, but it isn't "home" and never will be. Family aren't here and I miss them so much it hurts. Sorry to hijack your post, but I needed to say this somewhere so that maybe I'll feel better. Good luck on your move - and I wish that was me. Still it is always worse right after having to say goodbye to visiting friends/family. Hopefully it will feel less acute in a couple of weeks. We can all relate so please don't feel like you hijacked the thread and you can always vent here about missing home. Best wishes :) |
Re: Thinking of moving back to the UK from the US
Originally Posted by Wat2doo
(Post 9685871)
My wife is surprisingly open to the idea of going over there but is concerned about how much less she will make in her field (veterinarian) compared to the US and the anti US feeling bothers her a bit too.
It’s such a big decision and so much to consider, any advice from anyone would be greatly appreciated or some feedback on others who have done it and regretted it or are glad they moved back.
Originally Posted by Wat2doo
(Post 9685871)
Getting a job before we move, I am not being sponsored to go back so need to find a job on my own, how difficult is getting a job whilst still being in the US, very I would think given the current 17 year high unemployment I was hearing about while I was over there.
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Re: Thinking of moving back to the UK from the US
Originally Posted by HumphreyC
(Post 9693315)
Hi there. This is purely anecdotal but I did meet up with a mate from unit the other day who moved out to here recently (here being central MA) with his US wife. They used to live in Leeds and she works as a vet. Vets seem to get paid significantly less in the UK than they do in the US - it was a bone of contention and a big reason for them moving over.
I'm not surprised to hear that I'm paying these ridiculous fees so the vet can live a nice lifestyle, but I look forward to not funding that in the future :lol: |
Re: Thinking of moving back to the UK from the US
Originally Posted by NiHao
(Post 9691572)
I just wanted to say I'm sorry your having a bad time with the homesickness right now, it is really hard and it does feel like physical pain sometimes :(
Still it is always worse right after having to say goodbye to visiting friends/family. Hopefully it will feel less acute in a couple of weeks. We can all relate so please don't feel like you hijacked the thread and you can always vent here about missing home. Best wishes :) |
Re: Thinking of moving back to the UK from the US
Originally Posted by HumphreyC
(Post 9693315)
Hi there. This is purely anecdotal but I did meet up with a mate from unit the other day who moved out to here recently (here being central MA) with his US wife. They used to live in Leeds and she works as a vet. Vets seem to get paid significantly less in the UK than they do in the US - it was a bone of contention and a big reason for them moving over. Anti-american prejudice - yeah it exists but none of the yanks I know who live in the UK had trouble getting a job because of it. Most of it is banter and the odd nasty comment.
Right now the UK is suffering due to a weak recovery, the austerity cuts and exposure to the Eurozone crisis - it is not impossible the country might go into recession - i.e two quarters of negative growth but much of that depends on what happens in Brussels with the rescue package. If you have to move now and can't wait another year the best prospects are in the south east where the unemployment rate is fairly low and there is job growth. (EDIT - just saw you are moving in 5 years so ignore the above) I know that vets in the UK did make quite a bit less, my wife knows too but in reality how will taking that affect us mentally? We have talked about it and some of that has a bearing on why we are going to wait. We are not really materialistic and having made the decision to wait then we can save and go over with a bit of a cushion so it's not quite a bad, if we have no debt all you need to earn is what you need to live I guess. The economy over there is another factor, and in all honesty I know I want to go back but it's not hell over here, I can stick it out a while, in fact since I made the decision and have a plan I feel a lot better, I feel better than I have for quite a few month. Someone actully commented on it in work today did'nt feel like saying ".......well I look happier becasuse I have a plan to leave", that would really set the poo flying towards the fan! Really the key is making sure my wife will be happy there, she may make a lot less, but if we don't need that money to pay for a house, car etc. there will be less pressure on her to feel she has to make that much, or she can go back and do a masters or something enjoyable. Anyone see my thinking here or am I talking crap!? Thanks for the reply though. PS. Those vet bills are paying for me to go home so shut it! :) Please let's knot turn this into a vets are a rip off over here thread. Do you think I should start another thread for some of the planning ahead questions I posed as I think most answers are to my original post and now I want to put my plan together? Thanks W2d |
Re: Thinking of moving back to the UK from the US
Originally Posted by sallysimmons
(Post 9693377)
On the flip side, pet owners don't get gouged in the UK the way they do here. If I have to take my cats to the vet, I never get away with a bill of less than $200 and if they actually have a serious problem it can run into the thousands.
I'm not surprised to hear that I'm paying these ridiculous fees so the vet can live a nice lifestyle, but I look forward to not funding that in the future :lol: |
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