Back to the UK next week to decide whether to move back, decision being filmed for ITV' "no place like home" - what have I done????

[debinaustria]

Hi

A while back when we started considering moving back to the UK, dh applied for the tv programme - no place like home, about expats moving back. We just thought - great, free trip to UK, chance to visit schools , look at property etc... reality is a little different.

Last weekend they came to film us here and we did 3, 12 hour days of filming (not easy with an 8 year old, 6 year old, and a 3 month old baby), it was quite exciting but so tiring , being asked the same questions in lots of different locations, plus having to keep the house tidy!!

Then on Sunday we fly to the UK for 7 days of filming, and the worst bit - we have to make our final decision to stay or go - in front of all our friends and family!

So, now we're in a real dilemma, at the beginning dh and I wanted to go back , but at the weekend we did lovely things - skiing, spa, walks in the mountains, gorgeous weather, etc... and we're waivering, just don't know which way we're going to go and it's scary.ds1 is also undecided - he wants to live in both places, ds2 is more in favour of staying here because he doesn't remember too much about the uk, ds3 - much too young to have a say!!

Anyone else moved back to the UK?

are you doign more asutrian thingsebcause the film crew were there?

No, but I live in hope! I contacted them about that prog and they contacted me, but I bottled it at last minute!
Good luck with yours though!
What do you think you'll decide? Are you allowed to say?

notcod - we wouldn't normally do all those things on the same weekend but they are all things we do.

Bucharest - shame you bottled it - we could have compared notes.

At the weekend I wanted to stay here, then this week I've been on the phone to lots of old friends to arrange for them to be there when we get to UK for the filming and today I want to move back!

Ask me tomorrow and I'll have changed my mind again.

Worst case if you're still wavering is to say your decision is to stay in Austria, better that than to say you want to return then change your mind and give your family heartbreak and make them think you were just doing it for the cameras! You are in control of your lives, not a tv show

Anyway, I moved back to the UK from the US. I was a student when I left to go and get married. There were good bits and bad bits of being in the US and I loved the last year and we considered staying. Except I probably could only enjoy it because I knew we were leaving.

Back in the UK I found it hard to settle. I hadn't left because I had any issues with the UK and when I returned I found lots I didn't like in comparison. Definitely suffered from reverse culture shock! We nearly moved back to the US but didn't in the end and I'm so glad. We are extremely happy and settled here, but it did take a lot of getting used to... and ignoring the papers and looking at what was actually happening where I lived instead of all the scaremongering. And I really didn't want to be a ping-pong pom!

You don't actually have to do what you say in front of friends/family, do you?

Can you warn them that what you say might not be your definitive decision, to have more time?

No, our decision isn't legally binding

Interesting to hear about reverse culture shock.

absolutely debinaustria - I'm sure your mind will change several times as you go through this process. I do completely agree that it can be difficult to settle back in to your "home" country after living away and having exciting adventures.

I'm looking forward to hearing your decision / seeing your show! I love these dilemmas .

We returned to the UK in May after 5.5 years in Austria, albeit in Vienna so a little different. We returned at the end of DHs contract and it tied in with DS1 starting school.
I will be absolutley honest and say that we would go back to Austria tomorrow given the chance. I'm not saying we're desperately unhappy here but you really can't compare the quality of life issue between the 2 countries.
We had a house to come back to so that made the logistics easier.
Not a great time to be coming back, unless you have cash for a house in which case I'd hang on for another few months and get a good deal on a house.
I'd opt to "stay in Austria" then you can change your mind later.

Can't wait to see the show