Dan725

Whilst I think there is a bit of "Grass is always greener" in that statement, I do generally agree with you, although I think a lot of it has to do where you live in the US. On weather, I'm in the same sort of boat as you living in Florida as you are in California - BUT my house might get damaged by a hurricane, and you are potentially in danger of dropping off the face of the earth from a variety of causes!

In FL, property is a lot cheaper than UK, but thats not all over the US, last time I looked, CA was comparatively very expensive, I thought Orange County etc is very pricey and on a par with some areas in UK. Downside of living in FL, wages are generally lower than some other parts of the USA.

VAT and Tax - Agree with you on that one, pretty much everything is cheaper in USA, wherever you are I think, than UK. Exceptions being insurance (of all kinds, seems to me the financial institutions in the USA are far worse "fast buck" merchants than in the UK, they hide behind masses of paperwork and legal bullshit), Medical cover (You still pay Social Security here - what for I don't know, National Insurance pissed me off in UK, but at least you got some sort of medical cover via NHS, here, you pay for nothing!)

Traffic jams daily? You are going to live in CA?! Nowhere near LA or the other main cities I hope.......same deal for parking charges (try NYC to compare with London, there are some SCARY 30 minute parking charges!)

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't want to move back to UK, I do miss my friends and family to some extent (but I'm used to that having lived all over the world), I've got a lovely house and a great quality of life, lovely weather, great outdoor hobbies like boating that you can do year round etc etc etc, but it isn't quite so rosy as a lot of folk reckon!

The Undecided Scot

Thanks to both for your tthoughts. Now that we have been back in the UK for a year, and we have had a few weeks to chew over the job offer, we seem to be coming round to the idea that we have 'moved on a little' and there is life beyond the UK coastline !

What is a relief to my wife and I, is that we do not seem to be alone in missing family/friends/(some) aspects of UK culture, etc. When we were living in the US first time round, we thought we were the only ones that felt this way...

Also, we have been thinking lately that perhaps we should have looked at living in the US a little bit differently i.e. as you say 'nothing need be forever'. And also, maybe we should not consider the move back to the US as emigrating (although I have some concerns that I am wearing rose-coloured glasses if I think this way).

In short, we are coming round to the thought of moving back to the US, but there seems to be something stopping us from making the 100% commitment (but we can't really work out what it is - probably fear..).

Any further thoughts would be appreciated.

woodsey

i don't think you can ever make a 100% commitment I know I didn't and strangely enough I still havn't. I just didn't want to get to 80 years old still sitting in the same house in England wondering about all the things that could have been, life should be an adventure so go for it, you are absolutely not alone in wishing for things back at home and you will miss everyone desperately as you did before but you only live once.
I know what you mean about the rose tinted glasses thing but if it helps you cope with it better as it does with me then does it really matter. One thing we have had which some people may say is it a bit arty farty is culture training, my husbands company sorted it out for us and i have to say i was really sceptical at first but it was really good, they also did a day with my daughter which was fantastic, if you want the details let me know although I know its quite expensive but it does make you realise that you are not alone in feeling how you do and that culture shock is a very real thing. I would also try not to take too long in making your decision because the longer you have the more you will talk yourself out of it, we only had one week to make up our minds and looking back i'm glad that happened the way it did. How old are you kids by the way, did they like it before?

ladylisa

I wonder if its because your worried about feeling like you may want to go home again. The easiest way to settle into the US is to stop comparing it to the UK and accept all the differences as challenges, however I think it takes time to do that.

The Undecided Scot

Our kids are aged 5 and 3 (3 year old was born in US). They were young enough - so seemed to enjoy themselves. Don't think if we did return to US it would be a problem, as girls are still very young (think their parents will find it harder to adjust than the kids...).

I think the comment about feeling that we might want to come home again is spot on. We struggled first time round, and wonder how it could be any better second time round. This is our real fear.

Lothianlad

I reckon you people over there in Yankeeland would not like the UK right now....it's been blowing a gale all day here in Scotland and p*****g down at the same time. Not so bad here in Edinburgh but up in the Islands it's a hurricane tonight. Down over the border Carlisle has had very bad floods. I reckon at the minute you are better off where you are so must nae miss us too much.

Cheers for now.



PS: Guid new year

Franklin

Not so sure ... I could take to living in Glasgow, even with 100 mph gusts! Oh, its kph now. Either way, one of those gusts pushing a slate would "be you" if it hit yer. Give me a bridie or give me death.