meauxna

Jeez, can't you all take it to PM? Way to hijack the post of someone who really needs to read something other than this bitchfest.

reco1977

Thank you all for the advice! I thought a lot about what you said and I have booked a 2 week holiday in November.
The past couple of days have been terrible but today was excellent! I just hope tomorrow will be the same. I will keep you all posted on what’s happening.

SagenOnion

Seems to have worked though



Jesus H.

Floridared

I came to Florida in 2002, and never went back for nearly 5 years. I went back in November just like you are going to do. Haha, I quickly realised one damn good reason for not being there, the Winters!! It pissed down with rain for almost the entire 10 days, and I'd forgotten how short the days were.
Everything seemed cramped and I couldn't even park my car near my parents house, as people have 3 or 4 cars on housing estates that were built when most people could hardly afford one car. There are silly things I missed, like the pubs. After going back to a few, I realised I could easily do without them!! One thing sadly, I can't get over is football and rugby. I miss going to live games, but I've discovered gardening, haha!!

britvic

perfect.

rivit

Right on brother. This here is the good old US of A, love it or leave it

Five months is a long time to be somewhere where you are unhappy though, hope things get better for the OP.

Ozzidoc

Five months is a long time to be unhappy? Out of a lifetime lasting approximately 80 years? I disagree.

Of course, I do appreciate that when one is unhappy, a single day can feel like a lifetime...

surly

On the plus side life expectancy is lower in the US, so if you are unhappy you can get out sooner.

I don't get the hostility when advising someone not to stay if they are unhappy. There are far to many expats that say they would leave in a heartbeat if it wasn't for (fill in the blank).
Personally I get the impression the OP is going to be another one of them.
Strangely the most hostility comes from some of the people that most claim to be trapped in the US.
Tough it out, give it time, move to another State may not be the best advice.

Poppy girl

Think of it this way to the OP did you never have a bad day in the UK? and what made a bad day in the UK better or worse then a bad day in the US?............Only I could of thought that one up lol.

Sally Redux

Yes Grasshopper

ukintexas

Going back will definitely be a good thing for you. I've had trips back during my time here (Houston since 2005) and each one has given me something different including: a new found love of the things I took for granted in the UK, the realization that I feel at home in both places but in different ways, the chance to catch up with long term friends who know me more so than my new ones here, the fact I do miss the UK for multiple reasons, the fact I'm lucky to have had the chance to experience the adventure of relocation......the list in both directions can go on and on. Whatever the outcome of your trip, it will do you good one way or the other and I hope at least it makes you feel better for a while.

Poppy girl

This better work this time ...Kung Fo baby

Jerseygirl

If the baby had a ciggie in it's hand it would make a good avatar for Leslie.

Poppy girl

Yes indeed maybe one of the photo guru's could have a try at getting a fag in the littles ones mouth.

coopa_troopa

Let me try to help you understand. It's just not that easy to pack up and go home when you've set down some roots here (job, housing etc) and you have no home or job to go back to.

I've been here 3 years and can say hand on heart this is not home for me. I wake up most mornings with that dreaded feeling of "what the hell am I doing here?" but have to face the fact my life as I know it is here in the US, I have no life back home now.....no job, nowhere to live. Sure, all my family and friends are there in the UK, but how long would the novelty last for them if I returned? They'd soon carry on with their own lives, which have no doubt moved on since I left.

There are times I get so low about missing home that I would gladly go back, but I've trained myself to think of the pure logistics of it all and try not to let my heart rule my head. I do this by imagining arriving at Manchester airport with whatever worldy goods I could carry back, very little money, no job, no home......what then?

To the OP, don't be put off coming on here to vent and offload. There are many of us who understand your feelings. And as for your wife, tell her how you feel, don't let her brush it off. My husband loves it here and it took me a while to admit to him how miserable I sometimes feel, and although he thinks it would be a big mistake, he's said if I'm that unhappy we should at least make sensible future plans to return. His unselfishness about it keeps me grounded about how we should go about it, should we decide to leave here. It's made all the difference to me knowing he will support me, even though I know it's not what he really wants.

Talk to your wife. You need to both be on the same page.

And good luck. I hope things turn out OK for you.