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Living overseas

Whether you're considering emigrating or an expat abroad, you'll find likeminds on this forum.

Original poster

I'm having a homesickness and culture shock day today (it's bran btw)

18 replies

bran · 21/09/2010 13:13

I know that strictly speaking it's not really 'living overseas' as I have technically moved back to my homeland, but there isn't a specific topic for spoilt, self-centred people who have moved home after a full and interesting life abroad and are finding it not as bad as feared but are still whinging anyway. Wink

I think I didn't get enough sleep last night which is why all the little stuff is niggling today.

OP posts:
BriocheDoree · 21/09/2010 13:19

I'm scared of going back...which is why I'm still over here!!

Original poster
bran · 21/09/2010 13:29

Well, if you ever do come back don't get your broadband through Eircom. After 5 days of having about 40 mins of broadband a day in 10 min doses I've had to go out and get myself a mobile dongle. Hmm

OP posts:
foxinsocks · 21/09/2010 13:31

I didn't know you'd gone back!

foxinsocks · 21/09/2010 13:32

not that I should have known Wink. Not sure whether to say congratulations or not lol!

Is strange adjusting, especially when it's a place that feels like old hat.

motherinferior · 21/09/2010 13:33

Where are you ?

Original poster
bran · 21/09/2010 13:35

I think my new house is still on my profile foxinsocks, there was a self-obsessed moving angst thread before I moved. It's in the process of being entirely redecorated (which isn't improving my mood as the paint fumes knacker my sinuses) so I must do some after photos in a few weeks.

OP posts:
Original poster
bran · 21/09/2010 13:36

I'm in Dublin MI, back after 20 years away. And I miss Waitrose London.

OP posts:
motherinferior · 21/09/2010 13:43

Ah. The booze is nice though . Nice place. But small. Compared to London.

foxinsocks · 21/09/2010 14:16

omg look at that house! gorgeous, and what a beautiful garden and view!

SatinandTat · 21/09/2010 14:50

I just googled Dublin Michigan and the first thing that comes up is the Dublin General Store which sells over 50 varieties of jerky. Lovely. I am sort of across the lake from you so hello! You are fairly close to Saugatuck and not too far from Mackinac island - two lovely places. I may be wrong and you are actually living in Dublin Ireland and the MI was just a typo.

scaryteacher · 21/09/2010 14:52

MI = Motherinferior?

SatinandTat · 21/09/2010 15:19

OK ignore me! Dublin Ireland is gorgeous. What a lovely place - way nicer than Dublin Michigan.

Original poster
bran · 21/09/2010 16:04

Sorry, went off to pick the DC up. They are loving it here. DS misses his school friends a little, but is really loving school over here with more activity and shorter days.

OP posts:
sunnydelight · 23/09/2010 07:39

Wow, that must be very strange as Dublin has changed so much over the years. It's 21 years since I've lived there - it's where I grew up and my sister is still there - and we moved from the UK to Australia three years ago so I know I will never go back now. Glad it's working out well - have a pint of guinness for me!

thumbwitch · 23/09/2010 07:47

Wow bran - that is a long time away. I think it's a case of changing your expectations and thinking - because you have gone back there, you might be expecting it to feel familiar and homely etc. - but for the last 20 years it hasn't been home, and it will have changed a LOT in that time (and some bits won't have changed at all!). So instead of looking at it as though you have gone back, look at it as though you have moved somewhere new again - that might help?

thumbwitch · 23/09/2010 07:49

oh and btw - I miss Waitrose (and Tesco) like blazes too, having moved to Oz last August. But when I was in England a few weeks ago, there were things I missed about Oz too - primarily decent beef sausages! And I'd actually forgotten about the bloody wasps...

Original poster
bran · 23/09/2010 13:46

That's true about changing my expectations thumbwitch. In many ways it's much better than I expected, the feeling of space after London is great. DS loves his new school which has a vast playground, a short day (he finishes at 1.10pm) and a delightfully casual attitude to things that UK schools are picky about. There is much less govt control generally, so DD is able to go to a little Montessori school which is one woman and her assistant in the woman's home which wouldn't exist with all the hoops to be jumped through in the UK. This afternoon DS has a playdate with a classmate who lives on a farm, a farm Envy, it has enough space for a half-size football pitch and a tennis court [more] Envy.

I find it's the little things that irritate me, for instance yesterday I used a cash machine and pressed the button for a receipt with my balance, but it couldn't give it to me as it wasn't one of my bank's machines. I can't find a washing powder that I like as much as Waitrose own brand, similarly all the humous I've tried has been a pale imitation of the Waitrose one with bits in. I don't know where to start looking for a hairdresser who I will love as much as my London one, and I need to sort out my exercise as I'm really feeling the lack of it now.

OP posts:
thumbwitch · 23/09/2010 14:12

Ahhhh don't get me started on the Waitrose-love - my most-missed items are the Waitrose fruit fools, no one does them quite as well; and their own brand organic jams (ditto).

Re. the hairdresser - can't you ask some of the mums at the school? or do you not like their hair that much? Or you could try emailing Marian Keyes via her website and ask her Wink

Exercise is a problem I have too although I do have the 30-day Shred DVD (Jillian Michaels) purely because there is a support thread on here for it - I did it for a couple of weeks before I went to the UK but haven't got back into it yet Blush. And I soooooo need to BlushBlush

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