4 mths in USA, now homesick for England?

Didn't think it could happen but I'm actually homesick for England. I miss the cold, sleeping with the windows open, talking a dog walk off lead for hours, and my step kids most of all.

Flying back Wednesday for a week visit and hoping that will settle me.

Anyone else been through similar feelings?

My husband is so laid back but I know he feels the same way too. He's not the type to dwell on feelings like I do.

Absolutely, you are not alone. I suppose we always want what we can't have... grass is always greener, that sort of thing. I get the oddest looks when I say I miss England. Especially from the expat Brits I meet. They can't understand why I'd give "all this" up.

We go back quite often for family visits which sometimes helps cure us of our rose tinted England specs, depending on the weather  .

Absolutely, you are not alone.

Thanks for the reply.  Nice to know I'm not alone.  Grass is always greener.  I just hope in a few months to years time, I won't still feel the same way cause moving back and forth is too expensive 

You are definitely not alone. I don't actually head back to the States until Monday and I am already feeling the 'missing England' blues. There are so many people, places and things I am going to miss. Hubby's visa hit a small snag, and he is going to have to be here another seven weeks. He's not pleased about having to stay here longer.

I find it most amusing that our UKC spouses miss it less than we do.

I think it was about 10 minutes after getting the rental car that I immediately regretted moving back to Los Angeles. Of course that might have been because of how busy and noisy this place is whereas I had just spent a month lounging in the lush rolling countryside of the east midlands. We've been back now for one month and it's getting easier not to miss it. Though with the recent jubilee, the euro (go England!) and then the olympics it feels like the UK is getting rubbed in my face! 

Tough life.

I just hope in a few months to years time, I won't still feel the same way cause moving back and forth is too expensive 

Oh yeah, moving countries twice in less than a year is enough for me, thanks! Though if the work is there and not here, we may not have a choice!

Today has been a weepy yet joyous day, saying goodbye to family here, knowing I will be saying goodbye to friends tomorrow. We are leaving soon for Manchester for a fun weekend, but I am sure there will be a tear or two shed during the festivities tonight. Monday morning there will be a flood, not only leaving my new home, but knowing I won't see hubby for seven weeks.

Funny how something that seems like it should be monumental, such as moving from one country to another, can sometimes be such a quiet thing, without fanfare or headlines of any sort.

I just flew back for a week to see my step son for his birthday.  My husband flew with me and is staying until the kids are out of school later this month.  As soon as I walked into our old place, which is one of his mum's homes, I immediately started crying and thinking what have I done.  Then after seeing my step kids, I really felt sick. 

I was suprised how much it felt like home there.  I seemed so convinced that I didn't fit in there and it didn't feel like home when I was there.  My husband said the saddest thing.  He said that there are things in England that make him well..."him" - like all his friends, his cycling, the countryside and his kids. It is not like that where we are living in South Georgia.  There is a small cycling community but they are not at the level that my husband is.  And if you don't hunt, fish or go to church, you don't have a lot to do here.  I don't want my husband to feel like he is loosing parts of him by living here - if that makes sense.

I am so conflicted and seriously thinking about a 2 year plan to go back to the UK.  When we decided to move here, it seemed like the right thing to do with my career.  And  I still had a house here that needed setting up and parents that needed me as well.  While my salary is nearly doubled here, what's the point if my husband is going to feel so disconnected and we are going to miss out on the his kids lives.  We are planning on visiting every 3-4 months but I am afraid that won't be enough. And even with the extra money coming in, with all the traveling it doesn't seem to stay in the bank account very long.

I am hoping these feeling will go away because it makes me feel so sick at times thinking about it all.  Sorry for venting but just feel like this might be the only place to do so and have someone understand what I am going through.

Two weeks and one day back, and I miss everything about England. Sure, I have been enjoying catching up with family and friends, and eating foods I didn't have there, but I don't feel settled, and feel like I should be headed back soon. Yesterday was hard. Because it is cheaper to get a round trip ticket than a one way, I had a ticket I could have and really wanted to use. It was especially hard since hubby is still there for five more weeks. Once he is here it will be a lot easier, but a part of me will always feel like I belong over there.

I am hoping these feeling will go away because it makes me feel so sick at times thinking about it all.  

Your story really resonated with me! I completely understand, and I'm sorry you feel this way.

I left my life in the UK well over eight years ago, and it will always be hard to figure out what's best.    Best of luck to you.

I just flew back for a week to see my step son for his birthday.  My husband flew with me and is staying until the kids are out of school later this month.  As soon as I walked into our old place, which is one of his mum's homes, I immediately started crying and thinking what have I done.  Then after seeing my step kids, I really felt sick. 

I was suprised how much it felt like home there.  I seemed so convinced that I didn't fit in there and it didn't feel like home when I was there.  My husband said the saddest thing.  He said that there are things in England that make him well..."him" - like all his friends, his cycling, the countryside and his kids. It is not like that where we are living in South Georgia.  There is a small cycling community but they are not at the level that my husband is.  And if you don't hunt, fish or go to church, you don't have a lot to do here.  I don't want my husband to feel like he is loosing parts of him by living here - if that makes sense.

I am so conflicted and seriously thinking about a 2 year plan to go back to the UK.  When we decided to move here, it seemed like the right thing to do with my career.  And  I still had a house here that needed setting up and parents that needed me as well.  While my salary is nearly doubled here, what's the point if my husband is going to feel so disconnected and we are going to miss out on the his kids lives.  We are planning on visiting every 3-4 months but I am afraid that won't be enough. And even with the extra money coming in, with all the traveling it doesn't seem to stay in the bank account very long.

I am hoping these feeling will go away because it makes me feel so sick at times thinking about it all.  Sorry for venting but just feel like this might be the only place to do so and have someone understand what I am going through.

I could have written this post. The feelings are so similar!

For us, the feelings never did resolve. We moved to the US in 2007 and were going to move back to the UK in 2010 (I had the visa in my hand), but then I got pregnant and my MIL passed away so we opted to stay put in the US for a bit longer. Even then, the feelings never resolved. Yes, we make good money in the US. Yes, we own a lovely, large home. The disconnected feelings still exist. I understand -- and I also understand about this being one of the only places where you can express these feelings to someone who might "get it".

DH received US citizenship a few months ago. We leave for the UK next week.

Not to be dramatic, but I daresay the feelings of missing the UK probably never go away, they just fade into our routines. For those of us who expatriate then repatriate, for whatever reason, I doubt we are ever truly at home in either place.

I dunno. Too deep for a Tuesday night?

I miss Scotland all the time, and a lot in the past few days. I miss my friends, going to Oran Mor for music and the Malt of the Month, taking the train to Edinburgh to have lunch and go to the museums, tea being an integral part of life, watching the BBC. *sigh*

I've been back for about 4 months as well, and while I've had really fantastic things happening in my life and being the happiest I've been in a while, it doesn't change the fact that I love Scotland and miss it.

What I would give to win the Mega Millions and get myself a wee flat in the West End of Glasgow again. Then I could have my cake and eat it, too! 

I could have written this post. The feelings are so similar!

So nice to hear that I am not alone.  I was beginning to think I was just a high maintenance wife who could not make up her mind and hoping my husband did not feel the same way.

Congrats on your move back.  If we feel the same way in a few years time, we will be doing the same.  After my DH gets citizenship would be a good time to go back.  I left before I got my ILR - we could not afford it at the time and I got a job offer back in the states.

So nice to hear others feel the same way, too.  It's a hard to describe feeling and unless you've done the same thing, you can't understand.  Having my husband kids still in the UK makes it even harder but as someone said in a previous post the feelings never go away but just fade into the background.

Anyway, thanks for sharing and I would love to hear how your transition back goes.

 

For those of us who expatriate then repatriate, for whatever reason, I doubt we are ever truly at home in either place.

I dunno. Too deep for a Tuesday night?

Deep but so true. 

Your story really resonated with me! I completely understand, and I'm sorry you feel this way.

thanks it's nice to know I'm not alone with these feelings that I have.