Sarah

Last night I went on an American Expats forum, for yanks who live in Britain.
I was really suprised to read on a thread entitled "Are you going to stay in the UK" that the overwhelming majority of Americans absolutely loved life in the UK and couldn't imagine going back to live in the USA.
Most of the American ex-pats enthused about the NHS, BBC TV, 20+ days a year off work etc etc.
So are all/any of the British expats on here quite so passionate about staying in the USA? Do you feel completely accustomed to life over here now and could never dream of going back? Or does the thought of never living in the UK again for the rest of your life make you feel sad?

adeshell

I'd probably be off home if, God forbid, anything happened to Michelle. Might change after we have kids.

Manc

The more and more I am here, the more I wanna go back
yet, the more and more settled I become here.

It makes no sense I know.

Sarah

I know exactly what you mean. I constantly look at the UK with my rose tints specs on.
I was in a Borders bookstore at the weekend though and they had a copy of OK! magazine I flipped through it and felt a massive relief that I wasn't living in the UK anymore.
Today though, if I could go back to my old job and flat for a while, I think I probably would.

NC Penguin

Could've been worse. You might have been flicking through the Daily Mail!




NC Penguin

AdobePinon

I'm thinking 'retire in continental Europe'.

Englishmum

I certainly don't want to stay in New Jersey until I die! I can't bear the long, bitterly cold winters here in the North East but on the other hand, it might be nice to live in southern California or perhaps even Hawaii - which I guess is too expensive to even contemplate...

We left the UK purely because my husband was offered an overseas posting; this is our second, we were in South East Asia before our arrival in the States and I would go back like a shot.

I love going 'home' to England and I miss my family dreadfully (feeling a bit 'down' today as my visiting cousins flew home to Blighty last night and my husband flew to London and he will be overseas for a month). I'd love to go on another expat posting - anywhere in the world - and eventually retire to the UK.

Sarah

Yeah I know what you mean, the winters around the NE are a bit much. I keep saying theres no point in emigrating if you don't get better weather!
I would like to go to California too, there is also a small chance that we may spend a year in Germany because of my husband degree course and I'm pretty happy at the thought of going to Europe and experiencing life in another country.
Is your husband a broker? Only my friends partner is a broker and he went to Singapore and then came over here for a bit and is now back in London.

Dimsie

After spending a few days in the UK last week, I felt very sad to leave it, and hate the thought of never going back permanently. However, I came here with my US husband because he has family here and I have none in the UK, so I hope that time will change the way I currently feel about the USA !

robskatie

I hate the thought of never living in the U.K again, but strangely have no great desire to go back right now, although my hubby (the USC) would go back in a heartbeat, he loved living there. I'm having difficulty feeling "settled" right now, not sure if that's because hubbys tour here is just for another 2 years, maybe i'm too scared of putting down roots because I know we will have to move again

ladyofthelake

Me too, can't imagine living here forever. The thought of retiring here is scary. The problem is I'm quite happy being here for now, but the longer we stay the more the US becomes a forever home for our kids, and then what do we do?

ImHere

I could stay I could go back. No big deal really either way as long as my family were with me. We havent seen everything we want to in the US so it'd be a shame to go before that but then theres plenty to see in the rest of the world yet as well.

Englishmum

No, he heads up all the global IT projects for his company...but his clients are all the major investment banks. We spent a few years in Singapore ourselves before my husband took his current job in NYC.

I just don't want to grow old in the States....don't want to be like those old ladies driving huge Oldsmobiles and can't drive or park the damn things and worry about the price of prescriptions.

Pimpbot

At the moment I see no reason to move back to the UK at any point. I love my life here and although I miss my family back home, I have had no desire to visit in the almost two years since I left. I honestly believe that I would feel homesick towards the US should I take a visit "home".

Ray

Well thats one worry less ..They no longer make Oldsmobiles....