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Living overseas

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

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Original poster

Would you move back to the UK?

75 replies

PetiteRaleuse · 15/01/2014 12:54

I've been living in France for almost all my adult life, have two children (toddlers) here and a French husband. My husband wants to leave France, which is something I have never really considered. One of the places on his list is the UK, probably Scotland (I grew up in England).

I was a little at first but am now starting to come round to the idea as a sort of medium term goal ie within 3-5 years. I've done my living abroad thing, and I get his desire to live abroad, and the UK would be abroad for him.

Would you move or have you moved back home? If not why not? If so why? Something is bugging me about the idea and I can't put my finger on it other than I feel at home here in France.

OP posts:

SquinkiesRule · 15/01/2014 13:12

We just did, after being in US fr many years. It was time to come home for us. Got here in time for the youngest to start school in year 4 last September.
Dh wasn't as keen, he'd been there longer than me. But it was time.

Middleagedmotheroftwo · 15/01/2014 13:15

I wouldn't move to Scotland though - you might find you're not living in teh UK after all.

calamityjane · 15/01/2014 13:20

We moved back 2 years ago and like SquinkieRule, it was time for us to come home, although we moved back to a new area. We had been away for 10 yrs and moved back in time for ds to start yr 7.

We are actually loving being back, it's not been easy and cost us more than we thought but it has been worth it.

Good luck with decision

Original poster

PetiteRaleuse · 15/01/2014 13:46

Good point, I'd wait til after the referendum :o

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kreecherlivesupstairs · 15/01/2014 13:58

We moved back five months ago after 13 years out of England.
So far, it's been great. DD is loving her new school and feels much more settled and happy. TBF, that wouldn't have been difficult. Six countries, six schools....
The cost of living is a nice surprise too.

Original poster

PetiteRaleuse · 15/01/2014 14:02

The cost of living would normally be an arguement against but in France the cost of living has gone up so much in the last few years I need to do a proper comparison in Wanted down under style :)

OP posts:

madchocolatemum48 · 15/01/2014 14:12

Would the UK still be called the UK if Scotland gets independence ?

Umlauf · 15/01/2014 14:18

I don't think we can afford to until ds starts school. Even with the pay rise DH would get in the uk the childcare is 4x what we pay, plus I'd need to retrain and pay for that. I hope we do someday though, the uk is home.

Original poster

PetiteRaleuse · 15/01/2014 15:50

Yes the cost of childcare is an issue for us. We wouldn't earn more in the UK, there would be quite a pay cut in fact.

OP posts:

AphraBane · 15/01/2014 15:53

I've been out of the UK for virtually all my adult life too. It's more complex for us because DH comes from a different country again and has made it clear that he would never want to live in the UK (for reasons I totally appreciate). And I would certainly never want to live in his country (although I enjoy visiting). That basically means we stay the rest of our lives in Germany or some other European country. It's a weird idea.

Middleagedmotheroftwo · 15/01/2014 17:41

Yes the UK would still be the UK if Scotland fuck off. There are three other countries involved - up to the Scots if they want to leave the party.

Personally I don't think they will, but you never know....

Original poster

PetiteRaleuse · 15/01/2014 17:43

I don't think they will either but that's a whole other thread.

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DolomitesDonkey · 15/01/2014 17:45

I've been away 20 years and we're coming back next month. It suddenly hit us in the summer that we felt homesick and so we started making plans.

We are actually going to Scotland and don't give a monkey's which way the referendum goes - actually for our requirements would prefer a yes vote.

AmericasTorturedBrow · 15/01/2014 17:47

We came toLA thinking we'd be home within 3-4yrs, and we're coming up to 2 years next month. Our plan is still to get to 3.5yrs (which takes DS to end of kindergarten) and have a chat about it then. I know I don't want to stay here forever, but I'm not in a rush to head back to the UK either. Our quality of life is much better here and DH gets paid much more but I can't work yet (green card in process) and all my friends and family are in the UK.

I think I want to be back there by the time DS is approaching secondary school but I compare the weather to here and to be honest can't bear the thought of moving back!!

Original poster

PetiteRaleuse · 15/01/2014 17:51

Schooling is one of the positives for moving back to the uk. But French schooling is Ok too.

OP posts:

pupsiecola · 15/01/2014 17:56

Having just been diagnosed with a vitamin D deficiency I don't blame you Tortured!! Trying to get any sunlight to the skin in this weather is nigh on impossible. I used to think climate was unimportant (in that the UK is not extreme in either direction, has definite seasons etc). But the last couple of years I can defo see the benefits of being in a San Fran type of a climate!)

fussychica · 15/01/2014 18:38

Came back to the UK 2 years ago after 8years in Spain. Like others we felt the time was right to return and happen to coincide with DS starting Uni in UK, though he is currently in France!

We moved to a new area and are very happy with our choice. It did mean downsizing and that, along with the bloody horrible weather here at times, have been the biggest downsides to coming back.

We sometimes get itchy feet though and wouldn't rule out spending 6 months abroad every year once our cats are no longer around, possibly somewhere different to Spain. We are fortunate enough to be early retired so don't have to think about work issues.

AmericasTorturedBrow · 15/01/2014 19:15

Pupsiecola hell no to SF, it's alright during the height of summer during the day but otherwise pretty cold and foggy and drizzly!!

I'm in Southern California....in my garden in 26degrees of sunshine....

No, don't think I'll move back

pupsiecola · 15/01/2014 22:59

Gosh. I seem to be very misinformed lol.

AmericasTorturedBrow · 15/01/2014 23:06

Hehe sorry! I was just disappointed when we visited in September and it was cold and drizzly - then my friends said it was like that all the time which wasn't what is expected at all (and put a stop to my envy!)

AnnieOnAMapleLeaf · 15/01/2014 23:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

PetiteRaleuse · 16/01/2014 03:59

You see that is what I was saying until a couple of months ago.

OP posts:

butterfliesinmytummy · 16/01/2014 04:27

Never. I left in 1995 and returned (to Scotland) in 2003. Stayed 5 years and left again in 2008. It was OK but (bear in mind this is grey-tinted hindsight and compared to Paris, where we relocated from) the weather was rubbish a lot of the time, healthcare was not great despite the efforts of most of the people working in the sector (could never get to see a doctor), nothing seemed to work efficiently. I found the town centres depressing with shops boarded up, out of town shopping just as bad, memories of litter everywhere (well, we did move to Singapore so not an entirely fair comparison), teenagers drinking in parks during school holidays, dark mornings, expensive fuel, high taxes and substandard public services (2 weekly refuse collection, run down sports centres, dirty public toilets, train stations with no-one on duty... don't get me started on the airports)

I like going back to the uk (England and Scotland) in the summer and love catching up with family of course but don't want to live there again, neither does dh. We're currently in Texas which I appreciate has its own downsides but suits us for now and the foreseeable future.

Gottalottaquestions · 16/01/2014 04:37

No. I already moved back once and realized that here in Vancouver is a much better place. Of course I miss some things like beer gardens SOH and London and mostly friends and family. But I'm done with moving around. It's beautiful here although a tad expensive.

kreecherlivesupstairs · 16/01/2014 05:20

One thing to consider regarding the child care costs - and bear in mind I could be wrong, but, since you've presumably been paying tax in an EU country you may qualify for help.
We are in a different situatiion entirely, since DH paid his taxes in Malaysia.

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