Good for you! Please consider yourself a welcome collywobbler.

FWIW I'm going back and I'm pretty sure I won't fit in, and I don't give a stuff, going to have fun anyway. Not having lived a "normal" boring life means I'll never fit in anywhere, but that's OK

Do you know which area you're going to head to yet? And what flavour of pooch do you have?

Ha haaa. Thanks!

Funny you should mention the normal, boring life. I've started to feel that that is what mine has become so I'm dragging myself out of it Part of me wishes I could be satisfied with the comfortable life I've built for myself but......

My family is in Colchester, Essex so I shall start there. I still have friends in the area but I'm going to travel about a bit and see what fits. Being independently wealthy would help but I'm not so I shall have to figure out some sort of work. Bit of a Jill of all trades, mistress of none.

How about you? Where are you going?

My dog is actually my son's dog. He upped sticks and went back to England as soon as he graduated High School. She's a bitsa. I'm a bit worried about her because she was on death's door just before Christmas. Turned out she has kidney disease so the vet did fluid therapy and she's been like a new dog ever since. I've been giving her Azodyl which is supposed to help, and she's been on a special diet. The vet thought she had months left rather than years but she seems fine and isn't showing signs of being ill again. I was going to wait until she wasn't with us anymore but I have a feeling she might be with us for some time yet and I don't want to be sitting here waiting for the dog to die! I might get resentful of her living and she's been such a good family pet and companion to me since my boys left home, that I think she deserves the best I can do for her.

Aww, bless, I'm glad she's rallied. Perhaps you could talk to the vet about her flying? It's not as hard on them as we fear, as long as they aren't snub-nosed. Is she small enough to fit under the seat so she could travel in the cabin with you?

Mine's a bitsa too, half dog half waste disposal system, very cute and rather disobedient but I love him dearly of course. I reckon if he could weigh it up in his little doggy brain he'd say the flight was worth it for all the footpaths, being allowed in the pub, and the cheese

Where am I going? Peak District, or thereabouts - near family but not too near Same situation as you with work - have done lots of things, prepared to have a bash at anything, just hope I can find something interesting.

I think this is very wise. When I moved, I knew 100% that I wanted to be here and knew I would fit in. I had never fit in America and had nothing I was sad to leave behind (11 months later I still have not missed one thing about America!)

The transition was easy for me - it was as if I had just gone away on a holiday that lasted way too long and now I was finally home and could put my feet up and relax.

But whenever I read about people who are unsure, or who have a happy life surrounded by friends in their new country, I worry about their transition back to the UK. It's very hard to settle back in if you feel you have left a good life behind. And if you have changed to fit in with another culture, it's very hard to then change back and fit in with the UK.

If you go back and give it a try, you've lost nothing. You may find Britain fits you like a glove, but if it doesn't, you can go back having had an interesting adventure.

Good luck!

hope it goes well Happyglow safe flight, hope you have some warm clothes its bitter here! bring the sun with you please

I am sure you will fit in, but after you've made a life for yourself in another country, England might not fit into place for you. Holidays are very different to reality, and 18 months back I am struggling to accept life here after 52 years away.

Hope your doing well Aries. I have followed your story (as posted) and you certainly have had some trials and tribulations to deal with. I did not realize it was 52 years that is a long time and I think 17 years is going to be tough!

That is a long time.... a totally different country!

I'm glad it's going to be different - would be totally boring if it was just the same! Must be sad if that's what someone is hoping for though

Stomps in kicking another colly out of the way... begone foul wobbler!

That's my shipping gone then - drove it to the airport today in a huge Uhaul van. "Cargo van" is less like a ford tranny and more like a bus!

Handed over to nice chappy at the shipping company - I hope he's nice, since I didn't get a receipt or any paperwork - Dane, if you're reading this, look after my stuff!

Three people coming tonight for bits of furniture then that's about it. Time to set to and get all these photos scanned in, I'm not carrying the buggers! Oh, and there's a quarter of a bottle of gorgeous single malt that cannot possibly be allowed to go to waste

(Also the fridge is full of cake, no kidding, you've never seen comfort eating like this! )

Sorry to hear that - it is a long time - what is it you're struggling with, if you don't mind sharing? Oh, and have a <<<HUG>>>

52 years - wow! I've been away for 22. I've gone back at least once a year every year but I realize it's not the same visiting as it is living. Can I ask - where did you move from and what are you finding difficult to accept there?

I haven't 'lived' back in the UK since 1970, so thats what......43 years? I've been back for holidays and naturally things have changed a lot, but that doesn't worry me, because I personally am not going back with the expectations that things will be the same as what they were. I'm going back because it feels more like home! I'm looking forward to being a 'local' rather than a tourist...LOL Plus enjoying that moment knowing I don't have to get on the plane to leave, which is what happened when I left back in December. Many tears at Heathrow that day I can tell you. lol

Thank you. I've been following your blog and sometimes I can hardly stand to look at it because I want to be there!

I don't know if I can even remember what it was like to live there and I want to know. I remember events with friends and family more than anything and that's what I miss and want a lot more of. Last time I left in September, I wasn't sure if I was actually going to make it onto the plane. If I hadn't owned my house, I would have called my son and told him to put everything in storage. Every little bit of me wanted to stay.

Undoubtedly what you remember will be different to what you will find (pre September that is..lol) But that's the fun part...going back...starting again and creating new memories. That's what I'm looking forward to...getting off that plane, breathing a sigh of relief, trying not to cry and saying 'I'm home'