Seven year itch.

Well, i suppose it's like marriage - after the 7 year itch has subduded (going to America once a year seriously helps), u couldn't see living anywhere else.  I can see that being the case here.

What helps is NOT to think "Oh my God...I'm gonna be stuck in the UK forever" and replace it with "I'm comfortable living in the UK for now...it's so different & exciting!!"

Stuck in the UK forever?
Sounds GREAT to me!  

I dread having to go back to America to fulfil my daughterly obligations... ie: visit my parents!   I havent been back for 4 years, but will probably have to go next year.  :-/

Obviously Badger, you surpassed the '7 year itch' syndrome.  Just helping those still trying to get used to life here to maintain sanity  

Sorry, couldn't let this one go.  Merouby, it's my understanding that you haven't yet been here seven years, so I'm not quite sure what your point is.  Are you saying that if you really hate it here and are unhappy that after seven years you'll have lost heart so much that you don't care any more.  Or are you saying that people who've been here a long time are deluding themselves that they're happy.  Or perhaps you think that if you're unhappy then everyone else is too.  Well, in my opinion there is no seven year itch.  There definately are phases to being an expat and in my experience acceptance comes at about the three year mark, but if you're unhappy and really hate it then you probably always will, you're not going to be magically happy after seven years.  However-and it's a big however-there are alot of people who move here and are happy.  People who build their lives here.  People who fit in and live many happy years here.  
I personally don't think it's helpful to imply that it's not possible for that to happen.

Just helping those still trying to get used to life here to maintain sanity  

I dont really think you are 'helping' anybody by your constant complaints about living here.

Sorry, couldn't let this one go.  Merouby, it's my understanding that you haven't yet been here seven years, so I'm not quite sure what your point is.  Are you saying that if you really hate it here and are unhappy that after seven years you'll have lost heart so much that you don't care any more.  Or are you saying that people who've been here a long time are deluding themselves that they're happy.  Or perhaps you think that if you're unhappy then everyone else is too.  Well, in my opinion there is no seven year itch.  There definately are phases to being an expat and in my experience acceptance comes at about the three year mark, but if you're unhappy and really hate it then you probably always will, you're not going to be magically happy after seven years.  However-and it's a big however-there are alot of people who move here and are happy.  People who build their lives here.  People who fit in and live many happy years here.  
I personally don't think it's helpful to imply that it's not possible for that to happen.

I dont really think you are 'helping' anybody by your constant complaints about living here.

No pls dont read into this the wrong way.  What i'm trying to imply is homesickness.  People from America get homesick and say "that's it i'm going back".  I've seen it before.  That's what I did initially myself, but I came back then I decided to live here for over 3 years straight - i actually have been in Britian off & on since I married my wife in 1996.  That's 7 years!

All am saying is simple - a message to those who are homesick who find it hard to endure life in a foreign land what I DID to cope which is this:

* go back to America for a visit once a year
* and not to think "Oh my God...I'm gonna be stuck in the UK forever" and replace it with "I'm comfortable living in the UK for now...it's so different & exciting!!"

Before long, you'll be comfortable living in the UK forever!  

BTW, Mindy...this was NOT an offtopic reply to "Having lived here a long time - LOVE IT!!" - this was very much a related topic.  I guess you misunderstood and thought my post was a form of ridicule to those who've made the UK their new home, which it was obviously wasn't.  Why else would I say that 'UK is so different and exciting' and say 'after 7 years you couldnt see yourself living anywhere else (as in the UK)'  and give advice to help those make the transition?  To me the UK is the only other country in the world that I visited that I can call home.  I can say this having lived in Vienna Austria for seven years during the 80s when I went to high school there.  I didnt find myself at home in Austria.

We cool?  

I'm afraid you might be right....

I have owned 40 cars in the last 12 years (car hobby), lived in many cities (Vienna, N'awlins, Geneva, London, Cairo, Jeddah, Newcastle, NYC), visited many more and had more flings with women than i can count or admit.  It took me seven years to deal with this wife and for her to deal with me!  Yeah, maybe i'll never be satisfied?!  I hope you're wrong!

I'm thinking more the song by Lisa Mansfield "Been Around The World"...but substitute 'baby' with 'city'.