I went through a time last year where I was saying to DH "I want to go home." We agreed that DD and I would spend the summer holidays in the U.S., with DH coming to join us for the last two weeks. The plan was for me to see how I felt about it, how well I fit back into the U.S. lifestyle, and if I missed U.K. After five weeks, I was ready to come back to the U.K.
Things weren't how I remembered it. The neighbourhood had changed. The cars were so big! We had to drive everywhere, there was virtually NOTHING within walking distance. It got so bad that one day DD said to me "Mum, I'm sick of being in this car." The cost of food floored me, it seemed so expensive in comparison to the U.K. Relatives phoned but didn't visit, because they didn't have enough time off work. Hearing my mom and her friends talk about their (lack of) proper healthcare really upset me. Please don't even get me started on the zealous patriotism and flag-flying. Everywhere I looked there were flags. It was like a fashion statement - or indoctrination. There was also an atmosphere of fear, which I put down to the government creating mass hysteria. But all that is for another thread!
Anyway, I realised that what I missed was the nostaglia of my childhood. I'm not a child anymore. I've changed, and so has the U.S. I'm glad I went back for those five weeks, because I realised that this is my home now. I won't say never - no one knows what's going to happen in 5, 10, 20 years time. But right now, the U.K. is where I need to be, and I wouldn't return to the U.S. for all the money in the world.
Just my 2p...
