Chocky

Hi folks. I've not been on here for ages. However wondered if I could ask some advice from those that live in Georgia, Savannah/Pooler?

Basically, OH is American, we live in Derbyshire UK, having moved back to the UK in 1992. We lived in Utah previously but due to my dire homesickness we came back to the UK. Our kids were small and have grown up in the UK. England is not the country it once was and well, to cut a long story short, OH has a job opportunity in Savannah, GA.

I am torn between a better life for us all and my roots. We do struggle here in the UK financially and petrol is so dear plus housing. Don't get me started on non pc issues like immigration in the UK and taxes etc etc!!!!

I'm scared if we move I'll be miserable again - we won't be able to afford to move back to the UK again. Does anyone have any advice, especially about living in Pooler/Savannah?

Thanks in advance!

TruBrit

hello chocky...why not rent your place in the uk and give it another try in the usa....just keep all doors open in blighty including £££ for the return flight.

Deedee13

Hmmmm, this one is close to my heart! A couple of years ago I came over to the USA for 6 months. I had planned it so that in the middle I would go back home, and come back for the remaining 6 months. I kept my appartment, and the kids kept their places in school but were excused for the time absent. I am not going to lie. I HATED IT. I thought the people were strange, i still do by the way. I thought the housing was disasterous, ummm still do. after three months I knew I was leaving!! Nothing and I mean nothing was keeping me here. I went back home and resumed my previous life and realised that I had made it in my mind to something it wasnt. The time away had made me look at my familiar surroundings with an objective eye. It wasnt the gold pot at the end of the rainbow - the only thing it had going for it was it was SAFE!!!! I knew everyone, knew the currency, knew when the fish van was going to be in town, knew the kids friends since babies..

Well needless to say, last year we got married and here I sit. Not going to tell u its sunshine everyday. But it was worth taking the risk. And ur right UK aint what it used to be. The whole of Europe aint what it used to be, America probably aint what it used to be in 1992. Sometimes the risk tho is worth taking.

I agree with true brit, keep ur foot in the door for short visits to the UK, but open ur mind to broader horizons. Dont think about wot u lost but think about what u can see and do. Its going to be a tough one to call on, but as u said UK aint what it used to be!!

Chocky

Hi, no can't do that cos all our money for paying off our debts is wrapped up in our house. Couldn't do it unless we sold..

TruBrit

my usc hubs lived for 18yrs in blighty before moving back here 5 yrs ago and this place aint what it used to be either, not by a long chalk.

so you've got to put your thinking caps on then and write down the pros and cons....good luck.

britvic

My USC Hub's will shout that comment from the roof top's, lived in England 8 years and he cant wait to get back.

Chocky

Sorry, deedee13, I was replying to truebrit re renting our house. I think there's truth to what you're saying. When I lived in the US before I was late teens with a young child, couldn't drive, didn't work and was very isolated. ALL that has changed and I'm a lot more independant now.

Hmmmmm..... what to do!

Brync

Hi there,

I can appreciate your dilema. I moved over here last year with my better half, and I agree totally with your comments about England. Just one thought though which may effect the timing of any possible move; how old are your kids? If they are in senior school it may be as well to put off any move until after they have done their GCSE's etc.

All the best

Brync

Deedee13

I know i go on and on sometimes (grins) The world is changing at such a speed that its hard to keep up with it sometimes. I realise we all have roots, and I love England. I love tesco shopping - but there are parts of Engish that I dont like. My dad just got his hand operated on he has been waiting 7 YEARS! His job pays him today in 2007 the same it paid him in 1992. The cost of living has increased but there just isnt any more money to pay him. He would get a second job, if he could! He is a long distance driver, he is competing with all the new workers from the new EU countries saturating English soil. And working for a lot less than does.
I know its tough in England but its HOME! America is different. I have never in my life seen so many OLD people still working! But isnt England and the rest of Europe going down the same path. Who from us will have a decent pension or even any pension when were that far? My sister just brought a house, before she moved in the mortgage went up! Frightening stuff. I am not saying America is Better, I am just saying I look at it with different eyes now i tried both twice in the past 3 years. I have a racoon that comes and visits in the garden, in Europe the most I saw was stray dogs. The world is changing, who can say what is better, whats worse. Its up to the individual. If u say ur finding it tough in the UK, is it going to get worse for u financially, and better in the usa financially? Money is the root of all evils. And without it ur buggered. Will u be able to sell the house, renting it brings in money too. The dollar is shite next to the pound at the moment. Coming from the uk to here u will think ur rich, going on holiday to the uk costs a damn fortune. 2 - 1.Are the kids coming with u, or old enough to stay there? Are career prospects better there for the kids, or here? I know that at 41 I was living in fear of losing my job because its a well known fact in Germany over the age of 40 u had no hope in hells chance of getting another job!!! At least here I got wal markt. (smirk).

u got to get a piece of paper write the pros and cons, and u probably need to get over here to visit and look at the area ur interested in, and the firm hubby is interested in. Is it a solid firm.

TruBrit

i remember when i was young and living at home it was quite common to hear mum and folks saying that the uk is not like it used to be and that goes for everywhere, nothing stays the same it's forever changing, that's life.

unless i could be guaranteed a good income and way of life in the usa then for sure the uk is the place to be between the two. peeps moan about the good old nhs, that's laugh, it costs an arm and a leg to see the quack here for a consultation and we are not talking about surgery. luckily we are ok and have medical etc but i see and hear the poor peeps asking personal medical questions to the pharmacist in the chemists here and yes that's something i have done in blighty but not to the depth i've witnessed here.

poverty is big time here, so many homeless so pls do check into your finances seriously before you head across the pond.

Chocky

Thanks for all the replies. We have a 19 year old daughter and nearly 17 year old son. Our eldest won't be parted from her boyfriend-going-on-fiance so we'd have to say goodbye to her Youngest is keen to go the States anyway and has been for sometime but could be a case of the grass is greener.

The firm is JCB and yes it's secure, has a medical plan and so on. We haven't got many details as far as if they'd help us move etc but hope to get them soon. We are struggling due to our own choices and mistakes.... this house we're in is our 1st (we've been married 21 years on Thursday) but OH was in the US forces, hence our delay in house buying. We've not been able to advance up the property ladder at all due to the current climate and doubt we'll ever be able to. Yep, we've a lot of debts, partly due to the relocation in 1992 and having to replace things etc etc, some is just plain dumbness, but you learn!!!!

OH gets homesick but seems stronger than me in that regard. Plus my Dad has an untreatable condition and although he's well right now, that could change at any time. So much to consider, didn't mean to go on!

Texas Mom

[QUOTE=Chocky;4484970]Thanks for all the replies. We have a 19 year old daughter and nearly 17 year old son. Our eldest won't be parted from her boyfriend-going-on-fiance so we'd have to say goodbye to her Youngest is keen to go the States anyway and has been for sometime but could be a case of the grass is greener.

The firm is JCB and yes it's secure, has a medical plan and so on. We haven't got many details as far as if they'd help us move etc but hope to get them soon. We are struggling due to our own choices and mistakes.... this house we're in is our 1st (we've been married 21 years on Thursday) but OH was in the US forces, hence our delay in house buying. We've not been able to advance up the property ladder at all due to the current climate and doubt we'll ever be able to. Yep, we've a lot of debts, partly due to the relocation in 1992 and having to replace things etc etc, some is just plain dumbness, but you learn!!!!

OH gets homesick but seems stronger than me in that regard. Plus my Dad has an untreatable condition and although he's well right now, that could change at any time. So much to consider, didn't mean to go on![/QUOTE

Hi Chocky, would it not be possible to use any money obtained from renting the house in the UK to help with some of the debts you have?? I know you mentioned earlier in the thread that you would need to sell but I suppose it depends on how much you would get for renting it out/area and other considerations.

Sorry to hear about your dad, I can totally understand where you are coming from. My Grandpa has cancer. This time last year I sat in my mums kitchen and poured my heart out about leaving and she gave me a much needed kick up the behind and told me that he wouldn't want me sitting round waiting for him to die.

We've been here eight months now and we love it. We have a four year old who has taken to the American way like a duck to water. Yes I have my days when I am home sick so much so that I can't be bothered even to get dressed but I don't have any regrets, I made my bed and I'll happily lie in it.

I got news last week that my Grandpa has been taken into hospital so am in a downer this week but my life must go on. I was lucky enough to get home in January and spend some quality time with him and whatever will happen will happen I can't control that. I don't say that lightly he means the world to me but I am lucky to have the love of a good man who gives me all the support and comfort I need and a close family support by way of MSN messenger, thank God for MSN and BE!

Good luck in making your decision, I know it won't be easy but life's too short to have any regrets!

Bob

Welcome to BE

Those issues you talk about aren't isolated to the UK though, so they shouldn't be your primary reasons for another big move...

And your kids, how old are they? Uni costs here are expensive, and to get the local cheap rates in the UK, you need to be resident for 3 years prior to entering, so that's something to think about if your kids are nearing uni age.

Can't help about GA though, but check the sticked thread in the US section, there's a few people in and around that might be able to help.