Originally Posted by USAGypsies

Yes. We returned to the UK on boxing day last year with the intention of remaining for good. I think it was around day 6 that my huz sat bolt upright in bed at 3am and announced that we needed to have an emergency meeting, right there and then. We were back in the USA first week of January.
The most ridiculous, hardest, physically exhausting, expensive, emotionally disturbing and fastest ping-pong I have ever heard of and unfortunately, it was ours.

Originally Posted by Beedubya

I have been back almost 12 months now and don't regret it at all.

I would sooner be cold and get wrapped up to get warm, than to be stinkin' hot with no way of cooling down. Hopping from your a/c car to the a/c supermarket, give me the cold any day!!

And as for Jeremy Kyle, well just don't watch it!! I don't (well only sometimes LOL!!) No different to Jerry Springer, Maury, Ricki Lake et al and I am sure if Australia or NZ had the equivalent show there would be just as many chavs coming out of the woodwork.

Funnily enough, unlike the above poster, I find England much gentler than the harshness of Australia!! Everybody has their own perspective.........

Originally Posted by 3 go mad in Adelaide

This may shock a few people (those who remember me anyhow!), but I deeply regret my decision to come back to the UK. We were in Australia for a year and honestly think we didn't give it long enough. At the time I swore that it wasn't just homesickness and that we had weighed things up and decided that we preferred our lives in the UK. When people said to me, 'it's only homesickness, give it longer, you'll get through it' I felt thoroughly patronised - but guess what? They were right.

Eight months back in England and I now realise that I came home for other people, not for me. The irony is that several of my closest relationships are now in tatters since being home. My one of my very best friends let me down very badly and hurt me deeply and I have almost no relationship with my Dad now. I don't know if it was them that changed or me, being away from my (rather oppressive) family actually felt quite liberating for me and I made friends in Aus who accepted me for being me. I never had to compete, no-one cared how much my husband earns or what clothes I wear, or what gym I go to (I don't go to any anymore!). I think what has really changed about me though is that I am just not prepared to take people's shit anymore.

I have always (in my husbands words) been a bit of a mug when it comes to F&F and now that I actually stand up for myself when they treat me without respect, they don't like it! I have been deeply hurt that certain relationships are now distant or have ended completely and I wonder everyday why I bothered coming back for these people.

Now I think every day about how different things could be if we'd just stuck it out a while. Don't get me wrong, we are trying really hard to build a new life back in England, but whereas my husband sees it as 'well, that's that done, door closed, get on with it', I still seem to be struggling to adapt. I notice everything - the litter here is disgusting (sounds trivial, but it actually really gets me down), I am usually the only English speaking person I can hear in the Supermarket and the UK seems to be breeding it's own underclass at a rate of knots! Jeremy Kyle need never be out of a job!

Don't get me wrong, there are still things and people I love in the UK, but in hindsight (oh, what a wonderful thing!) I think a holiday home would have put a lot of thing into perspective for me. So for all those still contemplating coming home after a short while - please think long and hard, it's a painful process and you may well have changed while being away - and others may not be able to cope with that........

Originally Posted by whitesand

SueB, really enjoyed reading your post - very inspiring! Yes, ping-ponging is expensive. Have done it many times. Went back to the UK for a holiday last year and initially thought it great - even having arrived with no luggage as the airline had left mine in Dubai, and was freezing in my T-shirt on a January afternoon. Then, after a few weeks I began to appreciate NZ and the softer approach to things there. The UK seemed much harder than before. Yes, Jeremy Kyle makes you want to give up right there and then!

Although, the UK has many lovely places, and we've lived in some of the best, it didn't seem to gel with us any more. I guess we've just moved on. It's deceptively enticing, and that's why we've gone back before. However, everything does change.

Originally Posted by 3 go mad in Adelaide

This may shock a few people (those who remember me anyhow!), but I deeply regret my decision to come back to the UK. We were in Australia for a year and honestly think we didn't give it long enough. At the time I swore that it wasn't just homesickness and that we had weighed things up and decided that we preferred our lives in the UK. When people said to me, 'it's only homesickness, give it longer, you'll get through it' I felt thoroughly patronised - but guess what? They were right.

Eight months back in England and I now realise that I came home for other people, not for me. The irony is that several of my closest relationships are now in tatters since being home. My one of my very best friends let me down very badly and hurt me deeply and I have almost no relationship with my Dad now. I don't know if it was them that changed or me, being away from my (rather oppressive) family actually felt quite liberating for me and I made friends in Aus who accepted me for being me. I never had to compete, no-one cared how much my husband earns or what clothes I wear, or what gym I go to (I don't go to any anymore!). I think what has really changed about me though is that I am just not prepared to take people's shit anymore.

I have always (in my husbands words) been a bit of a mug when it comes to F&F and now that I actually stand up for myself when they treat me without respect, they don't like it! I have been deeply hurt that certain relationships are now distant or have ended completely and I wonder everyday why I bothered coming back for these people.

Now I think every day about how different things could be if we'd just stuck it out a while. Don't get me wrong, we are trying really hard to build a new life back in England, but whereas my husband sees it as 'well, that's that done, door closed, get on with it', I still seem to be struggling to adapt. I notice everything - the litter here is disgusting (sounds trivial, but it actually really gets me down), I am usually the only English speaking person I can hear in the Supermarket and the UK seems to be breeding it's own underclass at a rate of knots! Jeremy Kyle need never be out of a job!

Don't get me wrong, there are still things and people I love in the UK, but in hindsight (oh, what a wonderful thing!) I think a holiday home would have put a lot of thing into perspective for me. So for all those still contemplating coming home after a short while - please think long and hard, it's a painful process and you may well have changed while being away - and others may not be able to cope with that........

Originally Posted by quoll

So sorry to hear that you are finding it hard to get back on your feet in UK - I remember how very unhappy you were in Adelaide and how much you were looking forward to returning. I think that you probably have a touch of the Curse of the Expat - destined never to be completely happy anywhere for whatever reason. You may well never have got over the "homesick" phase, you may think you might have but you may not have done so and would have spent the past year being miserable in Adelaide as you were before you left. It's a really uncomfortable position to be in.

Have you thought about moving somewhere else in UK? Away from the deadly rellies may give you a new lease on life and bring back a little of the sense of adventure that you may be looking for.

A holiday home may not have solved your problems either - I come home every year and leaving UK gets harder and harder each time so you may have loved it for your holiday. I have absolutely no idea how I would feel if we were to move here - I am pretty sure that I would be in 7th heaven and it would be the best thing we could do but I havent done it and with DH the way he is, am not likely to do it. I know that I would have no problem finding a place to settle here - anywhere between Lands End and John O'Groats would do it really! (Apart from Bradford, I couldnt stomach that!)

One hesitates to say give it time but do give it time and remember why you left Aus!

Originally Posted by bobbarker12345

the main problem with the UK right now is the economy. there are very few decent jobs going. even temp jobs have 200 to 500 applicants per position, 90 percent of them being unemployed. there is even too much competition for volunteer positions.

Originally Posted by jonfrank123

Is that going on your personal experience?, I'm interested to know. Tonnes of jobs in these parts. My business also seems to be expanding rapidly. Maybe it's down to what area you live in?

Originally Posted by jonfrank123

Is that going on your personal experience?, I'm interested to know. Tonnes of jobs in these parts. My business also seems to be expanding rapidly. Maybe it's down to what area you live in?

Originally Posted by quoll

Drove up north yesterday through a couple of snow storms to a somewhat chilly but still quite bright Durham (today) now sitting in the Maccas at Catterick waiting for DS to appear. Thank goodness for free wifi huh. Spent the morning visiting rellies and cuddling the newest arrival. It's all good! Got my Damart thermals on though I confess!

Sorry to go off topic there but I am still in fan-bloody-tastic! mode!!