Longing to get back to the U.S.?

One of the reasons for the "Expat Life" section of the forum is "missing the USA"...

Is anyone here really wanting to return home but...

1. Because of finance, or job (of you or your partner), you can't.

2. Your partner doesn't want to make the move?

...or any other reasons why you want to go home but can't?

Thank yoo 

My marriage to my English husband split up after a mere 2 years together. I suppose I could have gone home then, but the thought of having to pack up and start over from scratch with job hunting, house hunting, and acclimating back into CALIF lifestyle was more than I could bear. So I stayed.

Now it's much further down the road and I have yet again, split up from my partner, but this time with 2 sons.  I would not dream of going back and taking them away from their father (even if he thoroughly doesn't deserve it!) and honestly feel that after 10 years here, I would be a stranger in a strange land.

I'd love to be going home, but can't due to visa reasons.  (With the bombings on my tube lines and around my home, can i be truthful if i say 'i wouldn't have left if i could have'......doubtful)

my husband has some debts we have to keep paying off, and can't even think about paying those off in dollars, would take almost twice as long!

One of the reasons for the "Expat Life" section of the forum is "missing the USA"...

It is?  I thought it was just to share experiences as expats.

Oh, well, for me, this IS home.  Have no desire to ever live in the US again and don't miss much that I can find here.  

Oh good lord no.  I've been here much too long to contemplate moving back and being American.  And plus I've got older kids who are nearly ready to go to Uni. 

It is?  I thought it was just to share experiences as expats.

Hi Expat - yep it's what got me thinking...

(from the main menu)
Expat Life
Expat life in the UK, coping with changes, missing the USA, and general discussion / questions.


For those with children, do you think your children will eventually leave UK to make home in US?

Thanks

For those with children, do you think your children will eventually leave UK to make home in US?

Thanks

It's nice that they can if they want to.  Don't know if they will.  It's certainly a possibility.  They're fairly open-minded and adventurous so they'd be fine if they did decide to.  I'd hate it though, I'd really miss them.   

Seems to me that lately there's been a pretty even mix of people here who say they miss it terribly and would go back if they could vs. people who love it and can't imagine going back. I'm firmly in the latter camp - dh would love to "try" California for a while, but like Mindy says, I really can't imagine being American again. (And before anyone even starts, spare me the pedantics - I know I'm American and not British. Stop nitpicking - you know what I mean.  )

I've been here much too long to contemplate moving back and being American

I really can't imagine being American again

When you say "being American", you mean as in cultural differences / lifestyle?  What adjustments would you have to make to "be American" again?

It's nice that they can if they want to.  Don't know if they will.  It's certainly a possibility.  They're fairly open-minded and adventurous so they'd be fine if they did decide to.  I'd hate it though, I'd really miss them.   

Hi Mindy.... Do you think your children would prefer life in U.S.?

I swing back and forth but in all honesty, don't LONG to go back. My grandparents aren't well and I've had some health concerns that have made me miss having my family close by. That said, DH's family isn't close by either.

DH is interested in living there for a bit... more for the adventure than anything. So we shall see.

Oh, well, for me, this IS home.  Have no desire to ever live in the US again and don't miss much that I can find here.  

Yes I feel exactly the same way. I am home and have absolutely no desire to go back to the USA. Even when I HAVE to go back I get stressed out and try to make my USA visit as short as possible. I have to go back in late Jan and Im already stressing about it! I dont want to go!

I'm sure alot of people feel the same way you do MI_Friend, except they aren't voicing their opinions on this particular forum or don't speak much on here to begin with. You're not alone. Not everyone finds they fit in 100% to life in the UK, and some people are dying to go back -- it's just the ones who don't want to go back are the ones who tend to post the most on here I've found. Not that that's a problem, it's just an observation.  Believe me, it's not 100% easy for all of us!

When you say "being American", you mean as in cultural differences / lifestyle?  What adjustments would you have to make to "be American" again?

I think I've changed quite a lot since moving here. I've adapted to all of the little tiny day-to-day things that are different, and found that the vast majority of them I prefer. What specifically? Just endless little things. I like the pub culture. I like that I dried all of my washing on the line this weekend (where I'm from that would be considered tacky....) I like that I can't go out shopping at midnight, nor do I ever feel the need to. I like that I can get around just fine without getting in the car. I like that, while they're friendly and say hello, the local shopkeepers don't expect me to tell them all about my life when I come in and don't tell me all about theirs. I like that we get so much holiday time and don't feel guilty about using it. I like travel being no big deal - it's easy and affordable. I like football better than football   I prefer the Guardian to the NY Times. I like that the music I like is on the radio and not considered obscure. I just feel quite at home here and quite... odd when I'm visiting the US. It would be an enormous adjustment to go back....

I feel the same way as Pebbles - it sort of stresses me out to go back now.

So, I know I'm new here and may possibly ruffle a few feathers or maybe not, but I am currently in the US and can't wait to get the hell out! I am so happy to hear of so many people who are so thrilled with life in the UK. I'm sure some are reading and thinking it is easy for me to say, as I have not yet lived there, but I have been to the UK 20 or so times overs the years and was raised by my very Scottish grandparents and am actually the first generation in my family to be born any place other than the UK.  Even as a child I remeber noticing differences between the UK and the US. Seems to me that the US is on one big hampster wheel. Get up, go to work, seek raise, get home late, go to sleep, not sleep well, because of all the work you didn't get done, get up and do the whole thing over again. I sure hope that hampster wheel is well oiled ! There is so much more to life than working and buying big cars and big houses and making more money. This is what I am gladly looking to leave behind.