Moved to back to my native country (In Europe) five months ago with my partner and our two children (2 and 4). Lived in Lonodn for eight years, and in the UK as a whole for 15 years.
I MISS THE UK SO MUCH!
And I especially miss London. We struggled over the decission whether to try our luck in my home country for years (partner is from another European country), but eventually the (usual) list of reasons made us decide to move: 1) Couldn't afford to buy near the centre, and both had jobs in central London, so would've had to move further out and both commute to our jobs, making picking up children difficult and commuting of course is not great. Were living in a rented flat which was in a lovely location but not great condition 2) I was stuck in my job, hated it but could not see any other options which would allow me to pick up the kids in time, as my partner could never get out of work before 6-7 (media industry, impossible) 3) not happy w the local schools and not in catchment for the good ones, hard to find decent housing in a reasonable price range near the good schools 4) generally long working hours and stress and exhaustion 5) missing my family and wanting my children to be close to their grandparents and cousins. &) wanted a garden.
But since leaving, life has not been easy. My partner has a job, but I am still unemployed, we are in not great temporary accommoddation, and I feel we have not settled properly at all. Kids are loving their childminder/kindergarden, but even that hurts me, because I think we will have to move to another city for me to get work, so will have to uproot them again.
And I miss London SO MUCH!
I miss, first and foremost, all my amazing, supportive and fun friends, Biriths and international alike. And hanging with them spontanously and frequently.
I miss the city itself, the buzz, the people from all over the world, the shops from everywhere, the culture, the museums, the theatres, even miss the bloody busses and the tube which I used to hate. I miss being able to be one of a big crowd, people not knowing you, and also, people knowing you in your local area, bumping into friends and knowing the local shops.
I miss feeling part of a metropolits and centre of the world.
I miss British humour and your politeness and even shit bread and I miss Sainsburys. I miss the Guardian and I miss BBC, I miss Grazia and I miss Waterstones and Waitrose and even Tesco.
I miss the NHS and cheese straws.
I have to stop because the list is too long adn illogi al, guess I just feel homesick for a country that became my home over so many years that I now no longer feel at home in my own country.
All I'm looking for is someone to tell me how they got over homesickness for the UK and/or London, or if they didn't did you go back? Or tell me that actually living in London with children is really shite, unless you're quite well-off. Or just be honest and tell me how lovely London still is, and that we should just hurry back before Brexit slams the door in our faces.