Captain Cheesestick

No. If I went back (haven't in three years this time and didn't for four years before that) I'd seriously debate whether letting any family know purely because of the fact the people I would want to see don't live anywhere near them.

dbark

I do miss them. Both of my sisters have been over to visit once in the 8 years I've been over here, my brother has not. Back in England I would see them all two to three times a year. Despite my best efforts, none of them will use skype. My daughters both live there too (although one has been travelling for 10 months and is not there), it is they that I miss the most. One I skype with from time to time, and both of them I chat with on the phone a couple of times a week. Although I would like to have grandchildren, I know that will be very hard to be apart from them too. But I will cross that bridge when I come to it.

Wifey

Talked with my ex-pat husband a little about that. We did do the visit when his mum died last year... He doesn't really want to visit his brother if we visit the "Old Country" in the future... But will give in to a maybe "let him in on one week" of our three-plus week visit.

ohwottodo

It so good to hear that im "normal" for feeling that way ahhhhh
i also find it very stressful when going back home to fit everyone in, everyone wants us to visit them and stay for longer and if you miss anyone out you get talked about
its funny that people dont realise that as a family of 5 we spend thousands to get over to the uk to visit and have a limited amount of time when we are there.. hey come over to my dads and see us, but no, we have to trapse all over the country to please everyone

cosmicjunkie

No, I don't miss any of my family! The only members that really mattered are dead leaving the dysfunctional nutters behind. I am far better off being thousands of miles away from them...

keaki80

I'm with you. I miss my family so much it hurts. I guess it depends on the relationships you had before you moved over. I have one son, 3 sisters, 4 nieces and a bucket load of great-nieces/nephews. I was close to them all - and even though people try to make me feel better by saying I get "quality time" now with my son - i.e. blocks of two weeks every 5-6 months rather than a weekend every month or so; I'd take the latter all the way.
I miss knowing I can see any of them whenever I want. Whether or not I choose to see them, the knowledge I could see any of them within an hour or two, makes a huge difference to me.
My sisters all visit, one annually, one every other year - and one just once in six years; but my son visits twice a year generally... but it still isn't enough. I watch Americans here in the malls and in restaurants with their families and on big family outings and it really hurts.

As for my husbands family, I like them all, very much; especially his sisters; but I know should anything happen and I return to England alone, we would probably not keep in touch for long. I don't have any illusions about that one.

SultanOfSwing

I knew I wasn't the only one

keaki80

i also find it very stressful when going back home to fit everyone in, everyone wants us to visit them and stay for longer and if you miss anyone out you get talked about
its funny that people dont realise that as a family of 5 we spend thousands to get over to the uk to visit and have a limited amount of time when we are there.. hey come over to my dads and see us, but no, we have to trapse all over the country to please everyone [/QUOTE]

This must be a very common thing. I'm off back home in a few hours and planning my itinerary for visits becomes like a military operation. Might also explain why I come back ill all the time, I think I try to do too much!

SultanOfSwing

The benefits of having a small family - we stay with my mum when we visit, my dad comes by to see us and we get to go off and do our own thing. My mum has the rest of the family round for a big do one of the nights and everyone's happy.

Now, getting to see all my mates again would be a different undertaking ...

frrussre

Yes I do every day of the week. Even when they pee me off.

Frank R.

elliep

I'm also with you!! I've only been here 4.5 years but the last few months I've been missing everything about my family and being back home. I have a 2 year old niece (who I've only seen 3 times) and another one due next month, and I hate being so far away from them and missing them grow up etc. Seriously considering a move back to somewhere closer to home within the next 12-18 months, especially as my visa is up in November and I'll be landlocked for at least a year if I stay

cindyabs

I think my DH would miss my Mom, he does like her and she him.

However, this is all supposition because we wouldn't move to the UK, at best do a six months here, six months there and only then, IF we won the lottery.

rallybug

Sort of, I suppose you could say.

I lived on the Isle of Man for 12 years with family in Somerset and Devon, so only saw them maybe once a year, and spoke on the phone to my parents on a Sunday. Then I moved back in with them for a couple years before moving out here.

Even with that, I speak to may parents via Skype maybe once a week, my brother a little less on average, but that's about it.

We're over there in April for the UK celebration of our wedding (older relatives etc couldn't make it to Utah in September), but that'll be it for this year probably, unless they come here (we're off to Hong Kong hopefully for a honeymoon, to stay with my best man).

I've always been pretty independent, so I don't need the amount of contact that some other people do - we're all different, I suppose.

arran29

I agree that having FB and email is great now and no I only miss my mum as she is getting on in age and has the begging stages of dementia. I did go back to live in her house when my dad died, I sold my flat and husband took a job back in US while we waited (oh so patiently !) for the visa, so I am close to her. Both sisters live in England (mum in Glasgow where we were brought up) so we only communicate via email with mum's neighbour. The neighbour pops in on mum and updates with any concerns. Apart from that no, don't miss family.

IloveAlaska

We've been here in the States for 5 years now, and I have to say that skype has changed my life, from when we lived in San Diego (11 years ago), with only phone calls. I get to see my mum and sister occasionally via skype. But I speak with my best friend back in Yorkshire every few weeks on skype. We joke that it feels almost like we are sat across the table from each other! It has really helped me with home sickness, just because I can see them all!

I have an elderly Uncle, who doesn't have a computer, so I speak with him on the phone, but like my mum, his health is failing fast, and our telephone calls are always so sad.

The thought of going back to England for a visit, kind of depresses me, because I know everything will have changed, and I would find it incredibly hard to see my mum and uncle looking so frail. But worse still, you end up having to say your "good byes" again. I am a big sissy, and just end up blubbering my head off. When my mum visited us back in September it was lovely to have her here, but to wave her off at the airport was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, I just couldn't stop crying!

I suppose I am rather selfish, that I don't want to go back for a visit because it will make me sad