WVDreamer

I miss my small family terribly, particularly my parents who are getting on in age. It's so expensive to fly back to Wales and see them I wish I could afford to go over there and surprise my mother, it would make her face light up to see my wife and I visit.

This year we are really going to try to save up and visit. I worry so much about what would happen if one of them gets sick, at the moment I simply cannot afford to visit but hopefully this year.

Englishmum

What visa are you on?

Will you be adjusting status to apply for a green card?

In some categories it is possible to apply for 'Advanced Parole' so you can travel overseas - but it has to be done prior to leaving the US.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id...adv_parole.xml

elliep

I'm on an F1 which expires in Nov this year. I have a year of OPT which will start around June and the company I'll be working for have said they will sponsor me for an H1B if I'd like them to, I just don't think I'll get it based on my experience (or lack of!) etc. Even if I can adjust status to H1B, it doesn't solve the lack of visa in the short term unfortunately!

cluedweasel

Are we related? I keep in loose touch with my brother, but haven't spoken to the rest of them for years.

Squirrel

Slightly OT, but for those who've never done it, surprise visits rock! We had always planned to one day do a surprise visit to DH's family in Boston, but for DH's 40th in 2009, a couple of weeks beforehand, his mom told me her & his sister were coming to London. We decided not to tell DH and he was sooo surprised when he walked in from work and there they were!

The next year, DH & I planned a sneaky surprise visit to his parents in Boston. It was hilarious, his dad was washing his hair at the kitchen sink and saw DH sneaking through the garden with his finger at his lips going 'shhush' to me. He said it was like a cartoon sequence. His mom arrived later and we hid in the 'sun' room and his dad told her 'I want to show you something' then we jumped out. She was nearly in tears! Brilliant!

Bob

I had a mate do that, went home to surprise his folks, coming in from HK after not seeing them for a couple of years.

They'd buggered off to Greece or somewhere last minute on a cheap holiday deal...he had to go get a hotel because he didn't even have the new house key after they had to replace the locks for something or other the previous year

Squirrel

Bit like 'Friends' where Ross goes to London at the same time as Emily goes to NYC!

SultanOfSwing

We're thinking about doing a suprise visit on our next trip, though we'll have my sister in on it so we can be sure my mum's around when we get there.

I thought it'd be funny if we could get her out of the house and then let ourselves in, so we're there when she gets back. The downside of that is, being in her late 60s, it might do her in

robin1234

My son lived in Paris for a year (junior year abroad) so decided to take the train over to Kent to check up on his dear old grandma. He had to get the ladder out of the garden shed and climb in the bathroom window because she had locked all the doors from the inside and lost the keys. The next day he just barely prevented her from burning the house down, when she decided to put the electric kettle on the gas stove...

SultanOfSwing

Bloody hell - bet he was glad he took that trip!

Similar thing happened to us, we decided to drop in on my granny on our way home from a trip into town, and managed to save her from burning the house down with a chip pan

VivDee

Funny really or sad whatever way you think about it.

I missed my family to some degree but not like I should have.

Rather sad really for those of us who have kids,bet they will be saying the same about us.

Makes you wonder what it is all about.

VivDee

Thought someone would respond to my comment but I suppose it all leaves you

thinking about yourselves.

Gabgoeshome

You alright?

anabella

For me it comes and goes. I left home 16 years ago. The first 8 I was very homesick and missed my family terribly, although I got to see them twice or three times a year... Then I started to feel very disconnected from my culture (not my family) and felt that if I moved back I wouldn't be able to settle, so my attitude regarding living abroad changed from then on.

I've been fine most of the time since then but lately I'm having health issues (that I won't discuss and that my parents know nothing about) and I just ache to be with them at times. There is something so comforting and so healing about having your family around and feeling loved and protected! Don't get me wrong, I'm very independent. Losing your health is very interesting, it sure gives you different perspective on life... I'm even considering moving back!

Karrie72

That sounds like a lonely place to be Anabella...maybe a move back would be helpful and even improve your health as you'd feel more support and lovenfrom family.

I find it very interesting that most people have said they don't miss their family and I wonder if that's a defensive technique to help with homesickness.

I know I have saiid the same thing about my family, that I don't miss them, they're all bonkers and I'm better off away from the lot of them. I really feel that attitude helped me get through some long, lonely years here. Yes there is a shred of truth in that but I still miss them warts and all.