Thoughts on moving back to the UK
 

Has anyone made the move back to the UK? We've been in Canada for 13 years and are considering moving back with our 11 and 9 year olds. It's a difficult decision as I'm not sure we're doing the right thing but our hearts seemed pulled. Any thoughts?

Re: Thoughts on moving back to the UK
 

Lots have, I'll move your thread to the Moving Back to the UK forum where they tend to hang out, and hopefully they can give you some good advice.

Best of luck.

Re: Thoughts on moving back to the UK
 

If you don't move within a year or two you will create an increasingly complex conundrum regarding the education of your children as they transition from primary to secondary education and the educational program becomes more "distinctively national". They should be able to adjust quickly at the moment, but once the older one becomes a teenager it will become more challenging for them.

Re: Thoughts on moving back to the UK
 

If I were you, I'd make a list of pros and cons. If it's just that you have a "feeling" about going back to the UK, it might not be best to go with your gut. Sit together and make a couple of lists and discuss all the options. Why do you want to move back? What do your children think?

Pulaski makes a very good point about the school. The longer you leave it and the more they settle into a middle school, the more difficult it will be to make the decision, but still not impossible.

Re: Thoughts on moving back to the UK
 

Totally write a list as suggested. And be honest and have each person do their own list!

We are just a couple and started discussing this last October and finally made a decision in January.

Family & long term friends getting older, new family members we haven't met yet, parents health and age concerns were the key things for us. But also lifestyle, ease & cost of travel within Europe, pubs!, history, green fields 10 months of the year!

We've been here 8 years, came across with a company at age 40 so never really became a true Canadian (Hockey lover / snow lover) - though we did get our citizenship 3 years ago. I think the less time you've been here the easier it is to go back.

I hope so, its an adventure, and its all started. It can take you 6months to be organised - it certainly won't be done in a very short time.

My biggest concern is re-establishing credit history - we'll buy a small house mortgage free to help there.

Re: Thoughts on moving back to the UK
 

geegeegee67

We moved back to the UK after 8.5 years in Canada. Our sons were 10 and 12 years old. Both were treated really well in their new English schools. Both boys are now studying MSc's in Science/Engineering at top UK universities. We believe living in Canada(Alberta/Ontario) helped them become very adaptable and both wanted to move to the UK. Within 18 months they become very English and lost all traces of their Canadian accent. My youngest nickname at Uni is "Moose", just because he lived in Canada.
We have no regrets moving them back to the UK.
They both have better job opportunities in the UK, especially being part of the EEC. Our eldest son already has been approached for graduate jobs in £40-50K range, so I believe they both do well in the UK.

hudd

Re: Thoughts on moving back to the UK
 

As Pulaski mentioned, the longer you wait the tougher it will get. Heart is one thing, but you need to make a living too. As long as you have work and know what to expect, there are plenty of opportunities in the UK (including Rep of Ireland).

Re: Thoughts on moving back to the UK
 

We've recently moved back after me being in the USA for 26 years. I had tried to do it previously but always got put off by the seemingly mountainous task ahead. But honestly it's really not that bad. We have two small kids (4 and 6) and the older one has integrated into the British school amazingly well and quickly. Plus she basically skipped a year due to the differing age cutoffs and she's already caught up with her reading. We're so proud of her (it's been a lot of extra reading work for all of us but well worth it). My smallest kid has had a few more bugs and sicknesses than the rest of us thanks to the fluid-sharing four year olds in nursery school. But all in all they're doing great. As for us, we're loving life. The cost of living is way less for us here. My wife has a good job based in London but she telecommutes the majority of the time thanks to a fibre-based internet connection :) I am focused on finding a local part time gig but i'm not in a huge rush. I'm enjoying walking everywhere; local shops including butchers, greengrocers and bakers; great public transport; the NHS has been brilliant so far; and all the things I was worried about like getting banking, mobile phones, and other admin sorted ended up being non-issues. It's really been easy enough and much less stressful than I thought. And to top it all, we used upakweship for a 20 foot container and they were far better than brilliant. Everything arrived in perfect shape, on time, and it was honestly affordable when comparing to absolutely any other option. Feel free to message me with any questions. Good luck!!

Re: Thoughts on moving back to the UK
 

Oh my goodness! You're so brave.
I really want to move home and have a less reservations than my husband does. I may have to wait until the exchange rate goes a little more our way though as the dollar and dived and the pound soared in the last little while. It's so hard to move back after 13 years so I applaud you for doing it after so long and am so pleased it's worked out for you.
Did your wife go back for a job or did she find one once you returned home? That's our biggest worry as we don't want to start our careers over again in our 40's.
Thanks, I really appreciate your point of view.

Re: Thoughts on moving back to the UK
 

You're so right. Being so close to Europe is a big plus. I'm sure if I just stopped worrying about all the things that can go wrong I could get my act together and return to the UK. I'll start by getting my pros and cons list done but who am I kidding, the move back is inevitable. I just have to be brave. Thanks for your point of view. It was really helpful.

Re: Thoughts on moving back to the UK
 

Pros and cons mean nothing if you know you want to go.

My husband did have a job lined up though.

Re: Thoughts on moving back to the UK
 

I just read your post MrMuffin on moving back to the UK we have been in the US since 2002 and have decided to move back to the UK next year, we will only be taking personel belongings back with us so I was interested in the upackweship company any info would be appreciated, we have retired and going back makes sense for us, so anymore helpful hints we would appreciate.regards

Re: Thoughts on moving back to the UK
 

I'm in Canada, we did it in 2012 and move back 5 months later, (it was expensive trip lol and my house contents loved floating on water). Feel free to ask me any questions.

Re: Thoughts on moving back to the UK
 

My American hubby has loved exploring Europe and nearby countries since he moved here in 2000. The best part is that I hadn't done much travelling myself so we were able to explore together.

We are no way well off but have been to the following places, some more than once:

Paris, Nice, Cannes, Calais, Monaco, San Remo, Venice, Barcelona, Mallorca, Dublin, Cork, Amsterdam, Brussels, Antwerp, Gothenburg, Prague, Split, Lubljiana, Tunis, Marrakech, lots of UK cities including York, Lincoln, Liverpool, Oxford, Norwich, Ipswich, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Canterbury, Windsor and even more US cities DH hadn't been to like Chicago and Miami.

This year we plan to visit Iceland, Jersey (Channel Islands) and Lille on Eurostar.

Very educational for kids is travel!

Re: Thoughts on moving back to the UK
 

I defo miss travelling, its become very limited since being in Canada due costs and lack of destinations at out local airport.;)