Please convince me why I should move back to UK!

[Tanzie]

DH wants to move back. I don't. I moved overseas when I was 21 (nearly 20 years ago) and have no urge to go back to the land of my birth. I'd be happy to stay here or to go back to Eastern Europe, but not back to UK. It doesn't "do it" for me. The lousy schools, NHS, teenage pregnancies, gun crime etc (we would prob be moving back to SE London as we have a house there) put me off. I know this is huge generalisation, but can someone give me some positive reasons to go back. Please!

"Yes, I suppose we could sell the sodding house and move out, but one of us (at least) would prob end up commuting. "

Couldn't you both get jobs 'out' of London???

QoQ, no I don't think that could happen. We would definitely look into it, but for various reasons, I think I'd end up working in London.

why what do you do for a living???

odd stuff

Waitrose! When I lived in Germany I missed UK supermarkets more than I thought was possible, and when we moved here and Waitrose opened I told dh that I never wanted to live anywhere that didn't have a Waitrose (he told me not to be so bloody stupid btw, but I'll have my way if we move again ).

Don't know much about London and to be honest I wouldn't particularly like to live there myself but Scotland is lovely (all right, apart from the weather which is pretty awful). The countryside is beautiful, particularly now when the sun is shining. We have a lovely house, friendly neighbours, reasonable shops within walking/public transport distance, excellent Primary school two minutes walk away, good public transport. It's quiet (but not too quiet) and (relatively) crime-free. Fair enough it's not perfect (but where is) and I haven't lived abroad so have nothing to compare it with but I think Scotland's great.

Some good things about London - diversity, anonimity, tolerance, excitement, parks and greenery, architecture, history, LOTS of events on all the time (since Ken got in!!), cafe society, good shops, easy to get around (if you know how), lots of facilities/services for people with disabilty (important to me with child with autism), lots of interesting people with many languages, styles, cuisines and cultures...... etc!

Definitely the British sense of humour.

If you have been abroad for such a long time maybe coming back will end up like moving to a completely different country than the one you knew before.

I'm desperate to leave but understand that your DH's views may be very simmilar to mine. (though I don't care much for roots I just long to be in a familiar place speaking in my own language).

Regarding London, I agree very much with Davros, it's a fantastic city, and you are not forced to live in the same place where the house is, actually is great that you have that house, it could provide the perfect deposit for another one in an area you like better

Well, I've been waxing lyrical about all things French, but I still love London for my family because...
The ARTS. We have the best access to ballet, opera, all kinds of music-making and classical and fringe theatre in the world. My ds has already seen Ian McKellen in panto. Eat cultural dust, Bruxelles!
And our museums, galleries and libraries are rivalled only by New York's in terms of diversity and accessibility. The British public library system is still one of the best in the world, despite cutbacks and a distressing tendency to suck up to yoof by ditching books and sticking in internet terminals
Waitrose, Ocado and Borough Market. Access to quality food has moved on a bit for Southsiders since you were last in residence you know.
Schools? Don't be so NESH, Tanzie . Stick the nippers on the train to St Olave's in Orpington just like Harriet Harman did, or up the road to the City of London schools. If it's good enough for Diane Abbott....
Our parks. You can walk on the grass and even play and run about and laugh in our royal parks you know!
Countryside accessible from SE London is fab. A few minutes womble down the Old Kent Road and you and the family can be enjoying Kent pub lunches, glorious old places like Ightham Mote, Hever Castle, Groombridge Place, Penshurst Place, Bodiam Castle, etc etc. And what have you got? A big pillar on top of a pile of old helmets or something
Yes, London is grotty at times - it honks in hot weather, as do some of its residents and its underground trains, but it is a lively, largely tolerant and integrated and cultured place in which to live too. Masses to do for pre-teens and teens.
Russia ? you mad thing. Come back to London! And then you can go out and get monstered with numerous quality Mumsnetters.

I think you are stuck between a rock and a hard place. You sound lke you just dont want to come back. Ive been in Spain nearly 2 years and as much as I love the British and miss people and certain things e.g KEBABS I cant ever see us coming back. I do sometimes feel rootless and fed up with things but I know in my heart that dd is very happy here and would find it hard to go back to the uk. Luckily dh agrees. best of luck with you decision

I agree that London is a great city, but the weather is laughable, the schools are pretty crap unless you live in a good catchment area or you are willing/able to take the private route, property and transport are hugely expensive as well. We are planning our escape to Sydney...

I lived in the UK for the first 13 years of my life, in bournemouth which is meant to be one of the better places in the UK. Hated it. Bad schools, bad healthcare, crap weather, rude people.

Moved to Australia, and loved it. Lovely weather, lovely people, high standard of living, good schools....

Got homesick and moved back ( first to bournemouth, then reading, now newbury) and I HATE it. Bad schools, bad healthcare, crap weather, rude people... do you see where I am going?

I get itchy feet after a few months and tend to move around a lot. We're moving up north in a few months, will spend a year or so there, then I think a few years in Europe. If we find somewhere lovely, we will stay there. I can't live here anymore, it's just a waste.

Message withdrawn

why miss long summer nights when you can be woken up by the stinking heat in sydney at 5am, and still be melting at 10/11pm when it's still light !!!!

I don't know how I will live without radio 4 - sob.
Bloss and lunavix: there is a thread under "other subjects" called "state schools in NSW" where i am asking about schools and good and cheap family areas in sydney, could you have a look if you can help?

Sorry bellow I don't have much experience of sydney, lived mostly in Perth If you ever need perth advice, I'm your girl

Can't help either - we are moving to France in 8 weeks and counting, can't wait to leave the UK would go tomorrow if we could, but have to wait till house is available!

Can't think of anything worth while to keep us here... sorry to all those who love the UK.

BTW - I lived in London in my late teens and early 20's and I loved it, but it would be the last place I would want to bring children up, hence me moving to Devon when pregnant with ds1.

But now France is definitely the better option for us. Bigger house, much bigger garden, (6 acres!!) proper weather!!, better education, nicer people, great food, better health service, free nursery places, more child benefit(!) etc the list just goes on and on ....

Mmmhm,,, should I consider adding France to my list of move-to places??? though, I don't speak French!

Frogetting about the house and the acres (had both and got tired of seeing more animals than people). Do small villages in France are friendly towards foreigners?

Tanzie dont move back to london, your kids will grow up thinking that London is the centre of the universe

coz you be very very very silly?????

Chandra - french villagers are most welcoming, so long as you try and integrate. As with any village I guess... we speak enough french to get by, and will intend on learning as much as poss.

We just turned up at the local school, and they were so accommodating, we felt so welcomed by them all, ds1 and dd1 can't wait to start.

smellysmelly: what about work? what can you do in a small village?