British Expats - Are we crazy?

British Expats (https://britishexpats.com/forum/)

- Moving back or to the UK (https://britishexpats.com/forum/moving-back-uk-61/)

- - Are we crazy? (https://britishexpats.com/forum/moving-back-uk-61/we-crazy-839857/)

Re: Are we crazy?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tirytory (Post 11353040)

I haven't been gone that long, only January. I remember exactly the way things are. The UK isn't broke, it's just an argument used by people who want to patronise another persons decision which they don't agree with although I find the UKIP thing a bit worrying admittedly.

I don't think the education system is as good here as back home, I don't think the potential for future employment where we live is as good here as back home, it doesn't seem that advanced to me. All countries finances are cyclical. You only have to look at the exchange rate to show that the UK is bouncing back. I find the part of Canada where I live ever so slightly racist if I'm honest and that bothers me, it's so very white here. There's a lot of poverty here just as back in the UK, and the health system isn't as good as the NHS.

It's blinkered to assume that the UK is all bad. We happened to have the chance of a good life here due to my husbands job. That would apply anywhere pretty much.

Edited to add... I think the weather is the only thing I agree with. We would miss the weather and what you can do with it.

I'm so glad you werent suckered into the 'UK is broke going nowhere' nonsense. Believe me we would not have bought our young kids back here if it was even a tenth as bad as some would have us believe. It is a wonderful place to live with many opportunities. UKIP are ablip, they pop up every now and then only to disappear back down the hole.
You seem as though you have your head screwed on and not taken in by the nonsense spouted by a few.

Re: Are we crazy?

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRuss87 (Post 11353081)

The UK is definitely not broke, in fact, the general consensus from my family that live there is that the economy is surging. The UK has the fastest growing economy of any developed country, faster than Canada, U.S. and Germany. Recently a friend of mine moved from the GTA where he had searched for work for months in his field to no avail, he applied to a position in Edinburgh whilst still in Canada and received a job offer and relocation package.

Now granted his situation may be the exception of the rule, but I definitely would not write off the UK, Canada's economy is stalling, and people in my generation are having a terrible time making a living around here.

:goodpost: All true, it does suit the agenda of some to believe this nonsense though.

Re: Are we crazy?

Just skimmed through the thread - sorry to hear that you haven't managed to feel settled here yet. I don't have close family back in the UK - but I had a fantastic nursing job that I loved. We moved here in 2012 - in fact 2 years ago tomorrow!!!!! I found it extremely difficult to fit in. My main frustration was work - as we have discussed before, you know what it has taken for me to get some recognition for my nursing degree and 23 years of experience from the UK. I am only now starting to feel like I fit in - and a lot of that is to do with me being able to work doing what I love.

You would probably see things differently if you had got here, been able to sit your CRNE and worked - even if it was casual part time work. Nursing is a vocation, and to me it is a part of who I am - I don't know what I would do if I could not be a nurse.

I enjoyed having time off when we first got here - was great getting my girls settled, but then I needed adult company, and something to keep me stimulated.

Have you heard back from CNO about your application at all? Congrats on the pregnancy too :)

Re: Are we crazy?

Thanks Caleo... No nothing as yet. I know a friend of a friend who's still waiting nearly 18months later for just RPN evaluation. I think it's the combination of knowing that I live nowhere near a major city to find the type of environment that I'm used to working in, that an RPN will only frustrate me as I won't be able to work at the level I'm used to... And to get to an RN here, 3 yrs and 10,000 dollars later, and a 2 hr drive. I can't do it. My job is waiting for me back home, as well as my family and friends.. There isn't anything here for us that is so much better than back home.

Instinctively I know this is the right move. The kids are elated. Friends over the moon. I just want to go home now.

Re: Are we crazy?

Well, at least you tried :) - hope all goes well with your return! :)

Re: Are we crazy?

Quote:

Originally Posted by caleo (Post 11362006)

Well, at least you tried :) - hope all goes well with your return! :)

:goodpost:

Tirytory - there is nothing worth more than knowing you tried, being without that "what if" feeling. Cos if you didn't try coming to Canada, you would have wondered "well what if we acted on that dream to go to Canada?" for the rest of your life. At least you got that out of it. Good luck on your return to the UK :thumbsup:

Re: Are we crazy?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tirytory (Post 11362005)

Instinctively I know this is the right move. The kids are elated. Friends over the moon. I just want to go home now.

Sounds good.

Re: Are we crazy?

Argh just when I though we had it all figured out. My husbands work has thrown us a curve ball. It's because they are such thoroughly nice people, which is my husband wanted to go back to them rather than locum. Anyway I digress, they feel he's under pressure to make a decision to go back by end of December, and they want him to come back fully committed. So if the locum who's covering him at moment agrees, they've offered him another six months. Such nice people!

Is it the no brainer I think it is? Financially it makes a heap of sense. This job pays well, gives us time to accumulate more and sell the house! My heart says go, but even I can see that they've offered us something special.

My job is for three yrs, and registration requirements don't need to be met until June 2016 so plenty of time.

Cat. Pigeons.

Re: Are we crazy?

Wow, well at least you are still going back but with more time now to sell and relax and enjoy your months here in Canada. We had a similar story because our tenants who have been in our house (in England) for last 7 years have asked to renew the lease for another year from October. I think also will give us time to sell this house and then make some more money because that rent is pure profit into the bank! If we sell suddenly we will then rent until next year September!

Spend the time now just enjoying your surroundings knowing you will have more money in the bank ;)

Re: Are we crazy?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tirytory (Post 11352861)

Hi all,

We moved to Canada in January this year, we always went with muddled expections of how long we were staying, we prepared for long term (sold our house) while keeping our jobs on sabbatical. To be honest, I didn't really want to take the risk with our comfortable lives but we had gone so far down the line, I though we'd always regret it if we didn't do it.

I had terrible homesickness to start with, got better, got worse again spring time, and then life got really good here. My husband enjoys his work, lifestyle is great here, we're far better off etc etc. On this positive note, needing to be out of our rental house and lack of suitable renting options, we bought a house (fools you cry and I would completely agree). So far so good...

Untill now, terrible homesickness strikes again. We have lovely friends, but I miss our old friends more. I miss my job (I was a nurse) and nowhere near conversion here, and there's no other jobs here. I miss the area I used to live in even though it's so urban compared to the beautiful place we live in now. I miss my annual holiday to Europe. Logically everything is right here, money, friends, things to do, etc etc. But I can't shake the feeling of missing the bones of my old life... If I think about it too much I feel suffocated. How can everything be so right here and feel so wrong?

I've expressed my feelings to my husband and although he loves it here, he misses home too and doesn't want me to be miserable. Understands how I feel about my job etc. Crazy- most people would love not to work. Even my 3 yr old seven months in still wants to go home. My son has struggled to find the right fit of friends, he loves the outside stuff though. To add to complication, we found out number three is on the way and instead of thinking about staying, it makes me want to go home even more.

We still have our jobs, just, my husband actually gave verbal notice to his partnership, although not written, and they'll probably be ecstatic if he changes his mind. My job is the nhs, but to go back to my dept, I need to get a wriggle on.

So we're actually contemplating going home for the start of a new year, we're heartsick at the complication of what to do with a house, a lovely amazing house, in an area which sells badly and realtors ask crazy fees, and also the costs of coming and going.

Are we being stupid? Should we ride this homesickness out? We can't wait til we sell the house as husband will breach his sabbatical agreement. We would have to send money back and keep our fingers crossed. Is this just a stupid idea and we should stay? We're here on a twp til oct 2016, we were going to start PR soon. I don't how to decide based on feelings that fluctuate so much but I know I won't regret going back to our lives.

I appreciate it if you're still reading and any advice would be gratefully received..
:(

I am not in Canada I must first of all say that. I live in New Zealand. I came her about 24 years ago, not, because I wanted to leave the UK, but, because Siblings came here, followed by my parents, this left me alone in England. I came and settled here. I too saw the beautiful place that NZ is,I saw a place that there is space to grow, lovely weather and apparently everything is perfect. But, Like you, it does not feel right and did not from day one. I coped with things for years , never feeling at home. then My father died, this made me feel more homesick, but I struggled on and coped. Then in 2008 my mother also passed away. This has made me really long to go home However having married whilst here and having 3 children at school, I feel very suffocated. I feel I would go home tomorrow. If my wife would agree to it. He parents are aged and live near here . My wife said she would consider going when her parents eventually pass on. But I am in my 60s I fear that the day will not arrive where I can go home. My advice , if you are not feeling settled is to go home. Life loses some meaning when you are not living in the place you love. My dad said to me before he died that I was silly selling up my home in the UK. He was right ( in my case) There are people who do say that they are happy here and that they would never go home. Well I am not one of them.