Hi to everyone who left the UK and have returned, I Just have a couple of questions and would like honest answers.

Why did you leave in the first place?
Where did you go to and why did you pick that place?
Why did you return?
Are you truly happy back in the UK or are you too stubborn to admit you were wrong moving back?

Just a thought

It was the furthest place away from an ex girlfriend.

Oz first because it was there, then US for work, Colombia because nobody goes and it sounded nice (which it was) and Korea because of Mrs TB, back to Oz. .

Because England is my Mother and like all good boys when my Mother needs me, I'm there.

Yep, totally happy. Met plenty of people overseas who were too stubborn to move back, despite it not working there for them. Won't be here forever I'm sure as I've only seen 23 countries and want to see more but will never return to Oz (unless work says I have to go for a short trip, and trust me, it'll be short ).

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take". So no regrets (well maybe that ex girlfriend and my ex wife, but apart from that ....)

Why did you leave in the first place?

I was out of work and saw no prospects in Northern Ireland, heard about all the great things Canada had to offer. So my partner and I set off for a new adventure.

Where did you go to and why did you pick that place?

We moved to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, it wasn't our choice really as it happened to be the place my other half got a job offer.

Why did you return?

I was depressed and homesick for months, lost my job and that was the final deciding factor for me. My working visa was only for one year anyway. I guess it took moving to make me realise I had everything I wanted back home. No regrets though as I have a much better outlook and appreciation for my life here in NI now.

Are you truly happy back in the UK or are you too stubborn to admit you were wrong moving back?

I would say I am as I got myself a very good job within a couple of months of coming back, my social life is alot more active and I get on better with my family and friends. The only down factor for me is the fact my other half is still out in Canada seeing out his work Visa and I miss him lots.

Why did you leave in the first place?
I got married to someone who wasn't living in the UK
Seemed like a good idea at the time

Where did you go to and why did you pick that place?
Went to California where the Dh was living and had a decent job.

Why did you return?
Still trying, home is always UK, even Dh is from UK so I live in hope.

To get married (my partner was studying in Melbourne and wanted to complete them.}
Melbourne -OZ. That's where my partner was studying.
Haven't returned yet but will in July 2010.
I bloody hope so. As I've got older I've realised that the only truly important things in life are friends and family and mine are all in the UK.
The only stubborness so far has been a refusal to admit to myself just how unhappy I've been in Oz.

[From my Profile]:
1983: Worcester to Nassau (no teaching jobs in the UK)
1990: Nassau to Springfield, MA, USA (to start a masters)
1992: Springfield to Athens, GA, USA (to start a PhD)
1996: Athens to Murfreesboro, TN, USA (that's where the good job was)
2000: Murfreesboro to Glasgow (don't ask me why, I don't know, dumb, dumb, dumb decision)
2001: Glasgow to Greenville, NC, USA (that's where the great job was)
2006: Greenville to Caerphilly and then Glasgow (don't ask me why, I have even less of an idea, was an even dumber decision)
Future: Who knows, but hopefully back to the southeast USA. Watch this space. But don't hold your breath.

Hey D, where have you been? You seemed to go AWOL at the same time as Jules. Hey just a minute, can you speak Spanish?

Sometimes coming on here does my head in.

I recently interviewed for a job in the States and didn't get it, and at times like that it doesn't always help to spend time reading about how happy people are after moving back to the UK.

Plus, I've just been too busy to spend much time on t'internet.

What have you done with Jules though?

Jules? Qui? Je ne sais rien.

Hi, Lorry1.

I have lived in Atlanta, Georgia for over 5 years now and for just about 4 of those years, I have felt the tug of going back home. Whilst I haven't done it yet, I Googled this: "expat wants to return to the UK" and one of the links led me to this forum and to your other post which outlined your situation.

Why I left in the first place: I met an American and we decided to set up home on his side of the ocean since he had a great job and lots of family and great grandparents that he deeply cares about.

Where did I go and why: Atlanta, Georgia because that is where my husband's job, family and home is.

Why did I return: I haven't yet but I constantly return to the possibility, which is particularly strong in the summer months and now is so tangible that I wonder that I haven't packed up and bought the ticket and should be typing this from the airport! Really!!!

Would I be happy in the UK: I know I have changed your original question but this is one of the sticking points. I have several:

1) I feel completely torn. If my husband wasn't here due to some disaster, there would be zero issue. I would return home, put this down to an extended break, smile that I had done that, got the t shirt but "Phew, I'm home now!", and grin all the way.

2) Due to the depressed feelings I have experienced whilst being here, I don't want to drag my American husband away from a life he is really happy in only to have him feel what I am feeling so there is huge reluctance to do that which in turn is beginning to make me feel resentful.

3) The things I enjoy about living here are all to do with quality of life: larger houses, great food, more space, no swearing in the street, general polite nature of people who are less aggressive on the whole. I worry that I have been spoilt to some extent and that if I go back I may find myself wondering why I left a more uplifted atmosphere. If I could have the gift of turning back time, knowing what I know now, I would turn the clock back 5 years and make a different decision. Now, I have to go through so much to retrace myself and in living here I have changed and the UK probably has in the time I have been away. What would I be returning to?

4) The visa and green card process took years, beginning a year and a half prior to me leaving England. I only received my permanent green card last year and if I return and want to move back, I would have to go through all the form filling, interviewing, documentation filing and expense and stress so that is a consideration. Perhaps I shall apply for my citizenship and then move back to the UK with my husband, who can apply for his UK citizenship. That way, we will be free of any red tape restrictions if we want to return to the US at any point in the future.

I guess, when we can't follow through on decisions based on emotions then we have to be practical. My husband, being a teacher, gets almost 3 months off in the summer so this would be a good time to return to the UK for a long holiday, look at some property and see how we feel. I like how someone else described their reason for returning to the UK, as if returning home to his Mother when she was in trouble. The UK economy is in a bad way, we live in small, cramped houses, pay is poor and we pay through the nose for everything but it's home and it's what we are used to and sometimes something as simple as receiving text messages from your friends throughout the day that make you smile is actually better than looking out of your window and seeing a sunny day shining on a sea of trees with a glass of iced tea in your hand and wondering if the pool is open yet...

Ow, my eyes ...

Hi LemOnice,

That certainly is a tough situation to be in!
I really feel for you and I can see how you are starting to feel resentful.
You are probably right tho, if you both went back to the UK, he would feel how you are now if he is so close to his family, and that would be difficult to repair.

My hubby and I are both British, I think I want to return but I know he definately doesn't. I fear I may feel resentment in years to come?

I am the same whereby I do love it here...the wide open spaces, more freedom, less traffic and far less people, we have a big house with loads of space, and we both have jobs which we love!

So why aren't I happy?

we moved from the UK to Spain after I retired, we enjoyed our time there, BUT, with the changing exchange rate of the pound against the Euro, after 4 years, and with yearly pension increases, the money we were getting was 40% LESS than we were getting when we moved out, so the main reason to move back was financial, and at least we were in a position to do so as we had no property to sell in Spain. We are thoroughly enjoying being back.

We are the same, we have a rented house (that although wouldn't be our bought choice) its nice enough. My husband is building up a business that he couldn't have done in the UK. The kids are always out playing in the sun with neighbours (except today which reminds me of the endless rainy days in the UK)

I love the spring weather and the endless blue skies. I love the convenience of everything, being able to have so many choices of everything.

Despite all this, i have really down days where i just wanna be back, back amongst people who i find exciting/real/alive and not just talk about the latest garden equipment they got on sale from Canadian Tyre!
Being able to have a bit of banter with strangers and they give it back not just look at me like i'm daft!!

My kids made me a mothers day card today at nursery and there was a tea bag inside, so i said, shame you couldn't have fitted a glass of wine in there too! The nursery teachers then starting explaining that that wouldn't be appropriate in this setting !! I was kidding (ok it wasn't hillarious) but i miss being able to say anything like that without a blank expression given back.

Maybe thats it, a need to be amongst people that understand us, good and bad. Maybe its just too different a culture from our own.

I like Canadians (my mum is one), and if had been born here i can understand why people would question why would you want to leave it, its a great place to live, but i'm not Canadian, have been brought up British and its just not my great place to live.

I don't know its a crazy world of emmigrating, wherever we end up there will always be something we miss about the other place, but hey ho!!