Update: back one year
 

We've now been back for a year after seventeen years away.

What has been great:

DD is enjoying uni at Bristol and is scoring a "first" in marked assessments
We decided to live near our best friends (halfway between my work and DD's university) so spending time with them has been really brilliant
Back on the cask-conditioned beer
UK Christmas with all the old Christmas number ones and TV shows
The simple routine of setting the woodburner up for the evening, keeping it going, watching the flames when the TV gets boring...
The Hargreaves Lansdown on line ISA and a bit of fun buying and selling a few shares (profitably!!) Something I've always dabbled in.
Radio 5 Live, especially Kermode and Mayo's Film review

What has not been great:

Working about two hours from home so away during the week, missing my OH
TV interviewers constantly interrupting and simply disagreeing for the sake of it
Next door neighbour complaining about being able to see our satellite dish
The weather!!! Garden still soaking...need to look at land drains or something
Paying uni fees as a foreigner (had to mention it but have got used to it now!)
Missing the routine of going to the cinema with DD most weeks
Yo Sushi doesn't really cut it as far as Japanese food goes, in fact it is &*?!

Overall I feel extremely fortunate in having a good (tough) job, friends and family in good health, a bit of "spare" money to have some fun with, and when all else fails there is Deuchars IPA or a similar cask beer to assist.

Good Luck to all who are still thinking about or planning the route home!

Re: Update: back one year
 

Thanks for the update, always nice to hear peoples stories about how they feel being back, wether good or bad, it gives me a better perspective on life bak inUK

Re: Update: back one year
 

Good to hear that things are going well. Like you I am enjoying the simple things and love sitting by the fire watching the telly. My only complaint at the moment is the snow! Will it ever end?:)

Re: Update: back one year
 

I can't believe the UK has had so much snow this last week. It's been dreadful!

Re: Update: back one year
 

I love reading all the posts by those who have moved back and are thoroughly enjoying life back home.
It gives me great comfort at the moment especially as I'll be doing it this year too. Secretly I'm sh*tting myself at the thought of it all, but know once I'm back and settled I too will be posting how great everything is in life :)

Re: Update: back one year
 

:amen: to that one ! I know EXACTLY how you feel. I'm at the stage now where I'm getting the 'what if' disease...what if I don't get a job, what if I don't find somewhere to stay, what if my money runs out....LOL. But I wouldn't miss this opportunity for the world, because if I didn't go then I would end up saying in a couple of years 'what if I had gone afterall?'

Re: Update: back one year
 

Okay, a snow question... I know here in the US if they get snow, sometimes a 'Snow Day' is announced and certain school districts get the day off, certain jobs get the day off and they tell you not to drive if you dont have to, that sort of thing. But what's it like in the UK??? Do they recognise a snow day, or do employers just expect you to turn up no matter how bad the weather?? LOL

Re: Update: back one year
 

Thank you for your update and I'm glad to hear that it is all working out well for you and your family. Being away from your OH during the week is not so good, but there seem to be plenty of positives to balance it out.


It sounds like your daughter is doing well - the transition to uni life can sometimes be a bit tricky (whichever country you are in), so it is fantastic that she is enjoying life and getting such good grades.

There's always a period of adjustment when kids go off to uni - my middle child has just gone to uni and with two away I only have the youngest left at home, which means that lots of things have changed. I know that there'll be new activities and routines to fill in the gaps, but for now the house seems very quiet!

Thank you for thinking of those of us who are still dreaming of a return. However, I think my journey home has been delayed again. The window that opened when our middle child finished school looks like it has been firmly shut. Despite offers from two highly ranked UK medical schools she has taken up a place (and a scholarship) here in Australia. I blame those international fees! So it is likely to be a few more years yet before I'm homeward bound.

All the best for the future and, if you can find the time, please continue to post the occasional update.

Re: Update: back one year
 

Great to know that moving back has been a positive experience for you. I've lived in Australia for 9 years now and am surprisingly, increasingly homesick. It's been a topic of discussion between my husband (Australian) and i for the last couple of years now. Fearful of making a 'wrong' and costly decision to move back to the UK, but i've realised that i'm so far away from the people i love the most, and being older and a little wiser, i know that money doesn't buy happiness. So even having a high-paying job in Australia doesn't ease the pain of not being able to give a loved one a hug, or enjoy a cup of tea with someone.

Re: Update: back one year
 

There are a couple of Lancashire lasses on here. My home town is Preston..

Re: Update: back one year
 

Born in Wigan and grew up in Orrell, Skelmersdale and Upholland :). Am sure I have an Aunt in Preston lol. Small world :)

Re: Update: back one year
 

That is so true. All the money in the world won't make us happy. How would your hubby like the idea of moving to the UK?? I've learned from experience that we start off where we want to be and end up where we are meant to be :). It might be a costly decision but you don't want to be homesick for another 9 years and wonder 'what if' go where you know you will be happy.

I wish you nothing but the best no matter where you are. As a Lancashire lass myself I know exactly what you are feeling. :) Follow your heart.

Re: Update: back one year
 

Thank you for your kind words! Yes, my hubby has said he'd move over to the UK, which is great. Part of me worries about the potential detrimental impacts it would have on our marriage if he didn't enjoy living in the UK. It's all in my head though, we have a strong foundation based on communication. What i've realised is that my mind has been jumping to all these "what ifs"? which compound to a point where i start to think that it's just easier to stay with the status quo. The mind...as a wise friend once said, "A battle is either lost or won in the mind". Good advice to follow my heart, thank you X

Re: Update: back one year
 

No they give snow days too for schools and businesses. In fact my brother works for Barclays and during on really bad snowstorm he spent 3 hours trying to get there (it's a new job and he wanted to impress). When he arrived the whole place was closed - turns out they have a phone line employees can call in to and this had announced the office was closed due to the storm. So he had to turn round and get back home again!

Lots of schools were closed because of the bad weather last weekend.

Re: Update: back one year
 

OMG your poor brother. :( I must admit I would probably have done the same thing and I don't think it would have looked too good to ask 'do you close when it snows' when it comes to a new job.. LOL, although you would think they might have told him about the phone line when he was hired :)

I guess it all depends on what the companies consider 'bad enough' weather snow wise in order to close.