British Expatriate Network

since I landed. Surely this is enough for any Englishman to bear. Let me out!!!

Welcome to the Hotel California, la la la la la lol

...you can check out anytime you like, but you can NEVER leave...

That's the one. If you don't hang out around San Fran in no time at all you'll find yourself wearing thick wooly sweaters when it's 70F. and complaining about the cold.
You'll be limited to the warm zones of the world. Not that bad really. I mean London gets up there these days. wink

7.5 years next Sunday... and ditto...

Eight years plus here.

I'm tentatively looking at perhaps moving back in two years, so that would be ten years. It's not too bad here but I figure that if you aren't having a great time or making small fortune, then better to just trade it all in for something a bit closer to home. My low rate mortgage will make a jump around that time so I was planning on selling up in any case. I've put some feelers out for work back there.

I know some folks have settled well here and done well but I'm not one of them and I question why I'm living quietly here when I could be having a better time where I came from.

Back to the green grass regards..... wink

often think about moving back, just have to wait to the kids leave school here lol.

Quote from my parents, when I was last home "You thought of moving back"?

ME "Crosses my mind, just need to sort stuff out here, yea know"

Them " You must be a f*cking idiot to want to move back here" lol

I just got back from a trip to the UK and I agree with your quiet life theory. Being back I was definitely more energetic and seemed to be living in the moment rather than constantly reflecting, judging and translating. It gets tiring always being the outsider.

I’ve been back two days and just got over the jet lag but have already booked another flight back in a week's time.

Just a question or 3 for those who are considering moving back to the UK when the kids are out of school.

When do you consider them out of school, high school (18-19) or college (20-25+)?

Do you intend them to go with you when you move?

Will you be happier in the UK without your kids(if they stay here) but with all your other family and friends?

I have been wondering that myself. For me it's a no-brainer, my three still all live within a 35 minute drive. For them, going to the UK would be emigrating because they have only visited, they haven't lived there.

For that matter it would be re-emigrating for me too, my roots were in London, but all my relatives have moved away.

It's been on my mind a lot recently.

We always said we would stay here if our kids settled here. Well one has and is married to an American so this is her home now. The other is moving back ( cry ) the beginning of next year. We have become very involved in all his plans for his move and in a way it has made me feel quite homesick although I really can't see myself living in the UK again as it's been too long.

I guess this is a bit how my mum felt when we told her we were moving here. I'm encouraging him but ...well you know he's my baby even if he is 27 now roll So it's very possible we will have one child on the West Coast here and one in the UK and we probably will have to stay in Texas for a while until we retire now as we're getting too old to keep swapping and changing jobs. Life is getting to complicated for my poor brain these days..... roll

I'm not married and I don't have any kids so it would be easy for me.

If I stay here, it's all about how many toys I can accumulate. That's not much of a life really. If I had family here, I'd stay but I don't. I might get citizenship before I go though, in case I have any kids back in UK at some late stage - at least there will be something to show for the past decade and pass on to them if they want it.

Pilgrim, for the price of citizenship, youmay as well have it and kepp your choices open and easy,if you do move back.

It's a no-brainer for me, my oldest was born in Spain and the youngest here. Most of my family live in Spain, my one brother in London hates it there and is getting desperate to leave.
Most of my cousins are already overseas, in South Africa and Australia.

My fiance is always talking of up and moving to Spain or England but he really doesn't have a clue as he only visited Spain for a week and London/Kent for a week and a half.
I did feel I could live in Kent, beautiful, but I don't think we could ever afford to.

Icouldn't leave my kids to go back there, I like it here a lot.

i ve been here 29 years last month .

im kinda settled at peace with myself , content and happy sharing life with my american wife gratefull for the few material things i have .

I have dual citizenship and am deeply involved in my local community .

I have childen back in uk who have never shown any arge to folow me here and a son in another state who has a good job and owns his home . the childrn in UK an my don in VA have never meet .

I dont have a urge at this present time to go home , left a lot to come here and gained a lot when i arrived .

My only advice is if you're even entertaining the thought of moving back here but you own pets, go get them micro-chipped as soon as you can. It takes 6 months since you get the chip planted until you can bring your pets (or they get quarantined) and if you just do it ahead of time it makes it all alot easier. And make sure you know what the vet is supposed to fill out - I've spoken to a few people who thought they had all the stuff done but upon landing were told they hadn't.

As for coming back - I'm ecstatic to be back. Didn't know I'd be this happy. But then I'm very aware that this is just where I want to be for a while then I'd like to go somewhere else. Of course, things can change. 2 years ago I was very happy in Buffalo and thought moving back here was ludicrous.