Back at 'home' but not sure I want to stay!

[RainbowLoom]

We moved back to the UK this year, after being away, coming back, going away again and coming back.

But although it is lovely to be here, and I do value my old friendships, I just don't know if I can settle here forever.

I like being away and being officially 'different' to the majority...I love working out (or not!) other ways of life.

Would probably like to settle in the US... we love Aus and NZ but too far for elderly parents to travel, and that is a factor right now.

Is this just a phase? Will I get used to it all? I know if we do go away again I would like it to be for at least 10 years to give the kids some sense of permanence...

You're not alone! Wish i knew...

Ha! Started signing up with New York area estate agents.....!

How old are kids? High school age (or secondary GCSE/A level) is trickier to flip flop, tbh. Up until that point it makes no difference. You can be as selfish as you like with no consequences to getting them set up for their own lives. Once they are that age you need a harder look at where they are likely to want to go to uni/ whether you want them to study in the UK (or elsewhere) and are prepared to pay international fees for that, etc etc.

I'm guessing your kids are quite young though. They do sometimes end up with their own opinions about frequent moving and losing their friends every year or two, but not always.

If you think you might end up in the US for their further study, I would suggest starting some savings plans now for uni fees.

If you think you might end up in the US for their further study, I would suggest starting some savings plans now for uni fees.

I second that. My son is looking at colleges this year and the fees range from $20K per year (for 4 years) for state school up to $60k per year (for 4 years) for private colleges - the ivy leagues, the good liberal arts colleges etc are all private.

If you are in NYC you may end up looking a private primary/secondary schools too (kind of the same fees, catholic schools are the best value, after that can go up to 30-40 thousand a year)

I think it takes as long to get used to being home as it does to get used to being in a new place. I'd give it a year before deciding to move on again if I were you.

We have two years until our eldest needs to be settled for high school, the right amount of time i think to decide where to settle.

Yes DH keeps on about US college fees...I need to balance that against paying overseas fees to a UK uni. I also need to ask US friends what there plans are.

In UK we pay school fees, so if we did PS in US then that would have an impact.

I think my heart is set on US. Three of my kids would be fine. Just not sure about the eldest!

There's a current possibility of Florida, but I don't think I'd want to settle there?

Right back to Century21 website ;-)

I went back to the UK to retain.. Found nothing there to make me want to stay. I have great friends, but they are still my friends and to be honest just not enough to counteract the downsides for me.
Kids are happier in aus. Hubby can see the ip sides. My mum will come on a parent visa when she's a bit older

Chloe have you researched the parent visa? I'd love my folks to move over here but I'm not sure if they're eligible. Do you know what the criteria is, ie how much $$$ they need and what the rules are in terms of other children in the UK etc???

I started looking but found it tricky to get a clear answer. Actually I got bored