Chapdawg

After 23 years of being gone (only been back about 3 times) my parents reaching that age in Britain, a few other long lost niggles left back there, and me hitting 50 soon, I can't say that I directly get 'Homesick' but I get depression about every 3 -6 months for about 3-7 days....I feel lost sometimes, and get all stirred up about Britain, do a bit of blubbering and suck a few back etc....then I'm all good for a while.

Anybody else go through this constant repetitive phase?

themadpooper

Nope, perhaps you should move somewhere else. Nebraska is pretty depressing

The UK is crap and whenever I think about it it makes me glad I moved to the States. The little England mentality that all Brits seem to have. Bizarre obsession with the NHS and social class. Self entitlement, where everyone thinks the government should run their lives for them The shit weather. The rip off cost of living. Overcrowded public transport. The sarcasm, which Brits use to hide a deep rooted nastiness. No thanks

mikelincs

Where is that Britain? it's certainly not the one I, and millions of others, live in..

robin1234

I was living in the U.S. for about 25 years, now that I'm retired we have a little flat in Norfolk and I'm more or less dividing my time between the two countries. My parents grew aged and both died during this time, but, realistically, I'm not sure how much I could have done for them, if I was living & working in Devon and them in suburban Kent.

I certainly was persistently homesick, but not in a really emotional way. I felt I was missing out on the things I liked about England; mild weather year round, public footpaths, good public transport, visiting National Trust properties and so forth.

I made a point of visiting almost every year, sometimes twice a year, for a week at least. You've said you've only been able to go over a few times, maybe that's an important difference. For several years, my visit was billed as trying to get my mother to sign the power of attorney forms (etc. etc.) But I always made sure I went out walking, enjoyed the countryside, visited medieval churches and stately homes.

Mind you, first we lived close to Logan Airport, then handy for Ottawa, Ontario - both places you fly easily and cheaply to London from. Maybe your flight would be more of a trek...

Nutek

SO why, having escaped all of that (well done btw, you rock), are you posting on a board largely populated by "those" people?

Anian

Is there such a thing a poop-tinted lenses, because I think you're wearing them.

Shit weather? If you were somewhere near the south on the coast I could understand, but you live in Chicago!

markcst

Actually I don't think it is "populated by those people" from evidence I have seen. Like everywhere a melting pot of human kind.


And the self entitlement I agree with. That's called politics.

Nutmegger

That obviously includes you, then.

Chapdawg

Thanks all good replies.....Here's a little more history for you;

1) I lived on the road for 10 years in America and traveled a 27 state area repetitively before i settled down and chose Nebraska, (i am very very well traveled) it is a very lovely place, low population, minimal crime, where a mans word is still a mans word, and you are accountable for your actions, not many places anymore where you can leave cars and houses unlocked..... Anyway i'm not going to offend anybody by bashing on their location of choice but i can assure you, it is better than many many american locations, especially for raising a child and owning a small business and being in a very very friendly enviroment...We'll keep the seasonal tornado's, you keep the year long crime.

2) It's not that i get 'Homesick' or i have 'Regret's' it's a SADNESS/depression that hits me, i'm not wanting to leave and go back, but leaving as an adult of 26 at the time, i'm sure England won't ever leave me totally.

3) It dosen't sound like this is a very common feeling from us expats, it's probably just a 'me' thing, but i have been wondering for many many years, if other expats get a bit of depression once or twice a year, and get an earthy unsettled feeling.

rbackhouse

I think you have it the wrong way round. I think it is a very common feeling among expats. I can certainly say that there are times when I feel like you do. Luckily they don't last long for me.

Pulaski

I don't get depressed or sad, but I still get flashes of "WTF am I doing here?" In a "my life prior to getting married in no way prepared me for some of the things that I now consider completely normal" kinda way.

Nutek

Nascar?

I don't think it is that unusual either by the way.

Pulaski

I used to watch it on Eurosport from the mid-90's onwards. That was about the most useful preparation I got for life in The South.

Nutek

Dukes of Hazzard were my main inspiration.

Pulaski

Ah yes, an early inspiration for me too, but probably not too relevant for life in Connecticut?