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Living overseas

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Moving back to the UK or somewhere else...at some point

2 replies

Dizzyhedgehog · 26/07/2021 20:59

We moved abroad about three years ago. DH wanted to get out of the UK after the initial Brexit vote to avoid "getting stuck". We've got a lovely house here, big garden, live close to a major city but still quite rural,
we both have good jobs and earn more than we did in the UK, have more family time and much less pressure. Medical care is better and DS has the chance to grow up bilingual, attending a private school all the way to university entrance, if needed. I have family here, too, while DHs family are back in the UK. It's quite lovely, really.
However, I still miss the UK and still don't feel settled here. I'm sure Covid didn't help with trying to make friends in the area. I get on well with my colleagues but I don't really know any of our neighbours or know anyone in our town. I just feel out of place here, which is really odd because I should feel much more "at home" (I spent most of my childhood here).
I was initially hoping that this move wouldn't be permanent, that we'd move back to to the UK eventually. However, with Brexit actually having gone through, chances for that are looking less likely. So, where else could we move...in the next five to ten years? I miss the beach we used to live near. We had brilliant neighbours and a lovely little village community around us. I miss that.
I was thinking perhaps Scotland would be an option (I know, also the UK)? But perhaps somewhere else, too? We are both free to live and work anywhere in the EU.

OP posts:
parietal · 26/07/2021 21:06

It can take a long time to settle in a new place. Do you have hobbies and opportunities to make friends & be part of your new community?

If you move elsewhere, you might find just the same situation arising again.

Dizzyhedgehog · 27/07/2021 05:39

There isn't really a lot available round here, to be honest. I like to go swimming but the pools have only just reopened, and was looking for things like hockey or tennis clubs but the only ones in the area are further away and don't cater for people just wanting to play for fun.
It's taken me a year to get DS enrolled in a swimming class (he's been on the waiting list for that long) and any activities for children seem to be in the early afternoon during the week. I know lots of mums here don't work or work a few hours part time but that doesn't help me when I work full time and we don't get home until 6pm.

It might not be different when we move but I didn't really have those issues back in the UK, so it just feels really weird to me. I know I should be happy about being here (everyone tells me I should be and it's the general expectation that I'm happy to be "home") but I'm just not.

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