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

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!

Full speed ahead! Just pm'ed you freckle003

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.

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

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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