Adapting back to UK life

[SouthernHippyChick]

Any stories/tips? Or anyone in same boat? Feel weirdly out of place in some ways, at home in others. Got back last month and slowly settling in with school age dds Not yet working but probably planning to get au pair in Sept.

I realise this not strictly living overseas but thought would find like-minded souls here!

Where have you come from ? Where are you living now ?

Takes a while to get some sort of routine and familiarity established. I would see a car in a car park and think it was x, but of course x was 1000s miles away! We moved back to same house/area so it felt the same but different, as if time had stopped - very odd

Lizs, funny i do that too! A few dopplegangers around.. Keep making "local" references- "oh you know when x happened" or "remember when dd did Y" . And they don't because that was in previous life. Sigh. Sure it gets easier.

Don't want to out self re exact location as very identifying but suffice to say was from southern hemisphere to southern UK (hence my name, partly)

It takes time. I was away for a few years. Been back 18 months. I'm over people saying "Why have you come back?", and I've more or less fitted back in again. I have changed, though, more confident, and have found new interests and am trying to build a different life.

It will take time.
There will be times you are pleased to be back and times you will hate it.

MN is probably a good place to moan as its anonymous.

Do try to join things, do things just as if you were in a brand new country. Do ask questions as little things are bound to have changed.

Ibwas away for 11 years but regularly visited the UK so wasn't expecting to have any difficulty settling back. In reality it was much tougher than I expected. Took me a long time to remember where to shop... whenever I needed to buy something I would first think of the shops I was used to then have to think hard to remember what the equivalent shop was here. I missed so many things and found so much had changed back here. But after the first year it got much easier.

I lived abroad for 6 years but that was in the states so I think the transition wasn't so hard due to the language and cultural similarities.

I still miss it though, years later!

I've been bloody delighted to be back and missed not a thing about Brussels since the moment I left. I have been helped by how happy both DS are at school/nursery, and have parents very nearby so the dream of that cup of tea just down the road is realised! I guess in my case I just knew it was time to come home. I had been abroad for 10 years.

Rushing are you saying you didn't even miss the nice Speculoos biscuit on the side of your coffee in a cafe at least?!

I'm in New Zealand. Been here since 2011. It's currently autumn when it should be spring, well it is in Britain anyway.

Anyway, I'd like to return to Britain in a couple of years time.

Jayne, nope not even the Speculoos. I find the free little shortbread with my free coffee in Waitrose a very adequate substitute. It's odd because there's lots I really love about Brussels but almost nothing I actually "miss" if that makes sense. But I can name one thing straight off. The twice weekly bin collection. Having my wheely bin practically composting next to the back door for 2 weeks is not something I am enjoying!

I was away for 8 years and found the return really easy - like I'd never gone except I no longer worked. We moved to a brand ne location in the UK which meant I didn't keep comparing it to life before leaving.

However, I do miss it, especially the weather but we knew it was the right time to come home.

rushingrachel my Waitrose doesn't offer free shortbreads with coffee - not fair. I do love Waitrose though