What will you do first?
 

Like some others here who have made the decision to go I am starting to having a few doubts about moving back 'home'. So I have been making 'pros and cons lists' in my head (which TBH is getting me nowhere).
I know there is another thread about 'what you miss' etc but I just wanted to know what will be one of the first things you will do when you get home (apart from obvious stuff like hugging family and opening bank accounts etc).

Being a classy girl with an educated palate I will be straight down to Greggs for a cheese and onion pastie. :thumbsup:

Re: What will you do first?
 

fish and chips scraps and mushy peas for this yorkshire lass. Then a nice walk with the dog in the dales to make room for a sunday cavery LOL.

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Straight to my local Indian. :thumbup: Although I may too stop in Greggs for a sausage roll on the way. :sneaky:

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Haha, when I read your post my mind flicked back to this time last year. I left NZ on the 26th with my daughter who was just going for a holiday. I had all the same doubts as everyone plus I knew I was leaving my daughter which hurt like hell.
Anyhow we get to Manchester airport, step off the plane, greet hubby and daughter spots Gregg's, straight there for a cheese and onion pasty!
Home for fish n chips!

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Take away curry probably but maybe a pork pie on the way.....

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Two things for me:

A pint of hand drawn ale.

Another pint of hand drawn ale. :)

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What's Greggs? (Show's how long I've been gone I guess.)

I've been going away and coming back to this thread because this question is a lot tougher than it seems... for me anyway. I've been gone for 25 years. And coming home to live is going to be so different than coming home for a week or two on holiday. When I'm back on holiday for a short stay I have always tried to cram in as much stuff as possible. But last time I was over was last year in October and because I was already in the mode of trying to figure how to come back, I was already in that mindset. I found myself wanting to walk and walk and walk. I wanted to look around and just take it all in. I wanted to smell the smells and try in some way to re-connect. I wanted to see milk bottles outside front doors, hear people chatting, watch the seagulls (I was on the coast), and just 'be.' It was fantastic.

So to answer your question, after the 'obvious' stuff like welcome home hugs from my Mum and dealing with the crazy kids settling in, I'll probably take myself out for a walk... a good one. If I end up at a pub then all the better!! Can't wait.

Re: What will you do first?
 

Greggs is a bakery, like Bakers Oven. They do mean pasties....

Food and beer seem to be featuring quite highly on people's lists so far!! I know my OH will be down the local pub first night for a pint of Hooker and a Guiness.

I've only been away 8 years Mr Muffin so I can imagine it might be harder coming back after 25. But I havent been home once in that time whereas you have had some trips back, so perhaps it will be more of a shock for me than you!

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Walk around a big supermarket, up and down each aisle, looking at all the goodies. Best not to do it on an empty stomach though.

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Mine was to visit a true olde worlde country pub and pub lunch...we did (still do lol) and it was fab.....

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Yes another vote for old pub and fantastic pub grub and a pint...or two. Next was some fish and chips.

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It's just nice to be able to walk into a pub, go up to the bar, and order a pint. As opposed to the American experience; wait to be seated, be seated, wait for waitperson, listen to waitperson's introductory spiel, order a drink, wait fifteen minutes, finally be served your pint.

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Yes it sounds like a lovely experience :lol:
In Australia it was similar to here in so far as there was a building with a bar but then the similarity stops.

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Totally agree. And to add to that... walk up and get another drink if you want it rather than the waitperson 'hovering' and asking you if you want another yet after you've had two sips. Then when you do want another one, they're on a break.

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Keeping with the food theme, 10 packets of different flavoured crisps - and a bowl of Shreddies!

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SLEEP then a full English then some sky tv relax chill out then start looking for jobs again when i return.

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Hi MrMuffin - It's not often I find anyone living in the USA that's been here as long as we have and who's thinking of going home! We have been in NY since 1987, live in Westchester, but all my family live in the Channel Islands UK, husbands are in Liverpool, and after our usual summer visit this year I am very homesick for them and the British way of life. We have our own business in NY that won't work in the UK so we would be giving up everything to start again. Jersey, CI is very expensive, a 2 bedroom house would cost approx. $600k US & with house prices plummeting in the USA our 3 bedroom home is only worth about $400k! I'm so torn as NY has been good to us for the most part but with all the gun violence in this country I worry about raising our daughter here. I'm heading home next month for a visit so will see how I feel after that. : )

I'm curious to know if you are having any doubts? Or are you going full speed ahead to a return in 2015.
Thanks!

Re: What will you do first?
 

Full speed ahead! Just pm'ed you freckle003

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I've been in the US over 18 years and planning to head back next year. I have my doubts every other day. I'm giving up everything, my own home, car, high paying job etc, but these are material things that hopefully can be replaced.

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Tried to access message but all I got was - The administrator has restricted use of the private message system to members with more than 3 posts. - So I guess this is post #2

Re: What will you do first?
 

I'm going to give it another year and if I still feel the same start making plans to return. I agree it's all material stuff.

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I am heading the opposite way, moving to florida in January and I already have the wobbles, but reading through these posts it seems a theme is emerging, that there is more choice here in the UK?

Thats not right is it?

Re: What will you do first?
 

I think it all depends where you are in your life and what you are looking for. The US in general has a lot of problems right now and is not as strong as it used to be. When they say America is the land of the free its just a sales pitch and not true at all.

Re: What will you do first?
 

It is the same with New Zealand. England advertises NZ as being the place to go if you want a great life style and a cleaner place to live. I'm not too sure. There are downfalls with every country. Some of us just find out where we are or were better off.

Re: What will you do first?
 

A lot of it is subjective. In my case I'm older, retired, 63 years old. I'm ready to go back to my own country, a place which I feel is freer, more liberal, more laid back. This is going to sound very negative about America, sorry ... but I feel it is very Stalinist, in the sense that people are afraid to act as individuals, conformity is the safest choice. Keep your nose clean and don't make waves.

Plus the food in Britain is better. Especially the bacon.

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And the same in Australia, it is advertised as clean, safe, bbq's, beaches, etc. Of course you can find or have all those things just like here in the UK. The whole point of an immigration campaign is that they want you to think you are stepping up in life, the truth is for some you will, for others no difference and for others a step down.

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Cry with absolute relief - and then kiss the ground - upon landing back in the UK! No matter what it's my country.

Re immigration, though, I think immigrants need to be very careful. The UK is a very small country and I don't believe it has the economic power to withstand all these immigrants from foreign countries. It certainly doesn't have the space or the housing capacity.

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Not necessarily in this order:

have a large coffee and cookie and ponder the reality

Go and do a 'big shop' and fill the freezer

Fill the car with petrol

Buy a TV guide and put circles round all of the programmes I am going to watch (but probably not watch any of them anyway).

On the first Sunday, have a Sunday lunch at home and invite anyone and everyone

Do lots of thinking..... and then ..... hopefully... lots of sleep ready to start again, properly

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Ditto. I underscore all of this.

I think the USA is a lot less "free" than the UK - and I don't mean as regards money.

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I do welcome immigrants but we really are full to overflowing now and need to put that sign in the window asap

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Still love opening a bag of Walkers Cheese and Onion crisps and I cannot walk past Morrisons liquorice comfits....good job I keep active lol

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Hopefully things will balance out eventually in Europe. Having a lot of their young people working in other countries is detrimental to the home countries.

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Yet the US isn't plagued with CCTV cameras, nor can a US resident be prosecuted for stating their opinion, unlike in the UK.

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In the US you have no decision making power, everything is decided for you and controlled, not freedom at all. I was amazed at all the rules in the US when I first came here that restrict individual freedom. I dont care about CCTV as it doesnt actually restrict you unless you are planning to break the law.

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People don't seem to abide by half the rules here in my experience, plus there's a real difference between the US and the UK in how the law is enforced (cops here have a LOT more discretion, as you're aware).

Of course, and if you aren't breaking the 'law' you have nothing to hide, right? And all that other bullshit statements that Brits have been led to believe? You know the NKVD used to say the same thing re nothing to hide? Have a think about that.

Re: What will you do first?
 

its not what I have led to believe its what I chose to believe and what I feel. Plus its not like the US doesnt do its own spying on people its just the UK is more honest about it.
Cops having discretion is not a good thing in my opinion!!
Having lived in the UK and the US I can say that I had much more freedom in the UK and personally dont give a crap if you think differently!!!

Re: What will you do first?
 

Are you joking? The majority of the US is outraged at the actions of the Federal government in the level of spying conducted on them. In stark contrast, the overwhelming majority of the UK couldn't give a hoot. The UK isn't _remotely_ honest about the spying it conducts; FOI requests are blocked, the OSA is routinely deployed and there is NO right to freedom of speech to protect the press in exposing government spying.

Just look at the reaction of the British gvt towards the Guardian - walking in with sledgehammers to destroy the material.

It's pretty clear you have zero clue what you're talking about in this area.

You have more freedom in the US, I assure you. Guaranteed by the Constitution. Unlike in the UK where draconian laws can be implemented without any reference to the freedoms of citizens.

Re: What will you do first?
 

Hungry horace you are either american or have become too americanised otherwise you would accept that other people are entitled to their own opinion and just because it doesnt agree with yours doesnt make it wrong! For me personally the US is not free compared to the UK and the consititution is a piece of crap that people bring up when they have no real argument. Now if you dont mind stop being so arrogant in your responses and stick to the topic which is what you would do first!

Re: What will you do first?
 

Is that the same Constitution that allowed slavery?

I love the US but there is no way it is more "free" than the UK.

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The Constitution just seems to be a millstone preventing the US from modernising.