We’ve actually just talked about this at home. My OH had been out of NZ for almost 12 years, the reason for coming back was to be closer to elderly parents, the outdoors and the climate.
These are some thoughts:
- It gets colder than in memory
- Life is more expensive than anticipated
- The rich have become richer, the poor poorer since 1995
- There is more emphasis on material things (shinier cars, flasher houses) than 12 years ago
My OH loves it here and doesn’t want to leave again, so the above are observations, but no reasons to not stay here (since the main reasons, nature and parents, still apply).
Before we came, I think London was evil and New Zealand some kind of paradise. Since we live here, that has been adjusted somewhat, and a more real perception of Auckland has replaced the very positive memory of it. The scales of course haven’t tipped in favour of London (unfortunately for me), and we still disagree very much on where is the better place to live
However, I think a lot depends on the stage of your life that you are in when you leave or return. Your experiences of a place will be very different. For example, I left my country of origin when I was a student, I’ve never lived there as a working parent. So my perception of it will largely be shaped by the fact that I was living in certain conditions. If I moved back now, working and with a reasonably sized family, I would see a lot of things very differently. Not only am I 12 years older, but also have different needs and expectations.
Interesting thread, and I would love to hear more from others!