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Thread: Brits who moved back to the UK

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
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    Question Brits who moved back to the UK

    We moved back to the UK from NZ 18 months ago mainly becaue of homesickness. It was good to see old friends and relations and visit our old haunts. Now its infinitely depressing. I so wish we had stayed in New Zealand. Britain is going down the pan so fast that all we need is for someone to give a good hard tug on the chain and it'll disappear. Sorry to sound so bleak, but that's how I feel about the place. The way the exchange rate has moved, we'll not be able to recover our lives in New Zealand, but we're going to come back anyway. There's nobody in the UK I can vote for that offers any realistic hope of stopping the decline and not enough people have the skills and attitudes to put the country back on its feet. By contrast, Kiwis have a much more can do attitude that I find infectious. Anyone else who came back to the UK feel the same way, or are you happy with the old place?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
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    North Canterbury to UK
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    It's only been 7 weeks for me ( Ben ) but would be on the next plane out of here if I had no family to think off. But as have family we'll be here a bit longer.

  3. #3
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    Feb 2008
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    37,824

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    Sympathies.

  4. #4
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    Apr 2011
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    uk
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    Me!!!
    The life I have here is cool, but really need to find a way of getting back there as the pull is so strong, probably down to the fact we didnt give it long enough in the first place!

  5. #5
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    Sep 2006
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    Sydney, Australia
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    I'd be interested to know whether there is a difference in peoples feelings towards the UK dependent upon where they returned to. I know a huge number of people who returned to the UK following the Canterbury quakes (and an equally large number who hopped the ditch to Australia). Some I've since lost touch with, but others seem very split on their opinion. It seems to me that those who returned to the 'same old' I.e. their former UK location (often where family and old friends were) are generally less happy with the UK than those who have returned to a completely different region. I wonder whether this is because those who returned to somewhere different were more selective in what they wanted from life in the UK and chose their location accordingly, and were therefore happier? I haven't actually thought to ask anyone about this....just thinking aloud.

  6. #6
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    Apr 2013
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    scotland
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    We moved to NZ from Scotland in 2007 moved back to Scotland 2009, and have regretted the move back to Scotland every day since. Every day its gets harder for us to move back to NZ, hopefully one it will happen but we hope and pray every day for our return.

  7. #7

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    We moved back to the UK from NZ last year for financial reasons. It has been difficult (especially over this winter when we came down with every cold going!) I think it's harder when you are under a grey cloud, both literally and metaphorically! I love both NZ and the UK equally and the most annoying thing for me is that when I'm here I want to be there and when I'm there I want to be here!! This is probably because I have moved a few times between the two making me very unsettled wherever I am.

    I always try to see the upside to this country (UK) when I'm low. For example, being so close to Europe, shopping, National Trust, history, culture, country villages, pubs, country-village-pubs!! But I do miss my sunny NZ life too and spend time planning our Winter Avoidance Scheme (6 months here and there) when we reach retirement age (don't know if we will manage it but it's our dream!)

    I think think this subject deserves a sub-forum of its own as I am sure there's lots of people who have returned to Blighty feeling the blues, would be good to chat and compare stories and even have "meet ups" if people live close enough...


    http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisf...ping-pong-poms

    This article is about Australian emmigration but may be a little useful

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Charliefarley View Post
    I think this subject deserves a sub-forum of its own as I am sure there's lots of people who have returned to Blighty feeling the blues, would be good to chat and compare stories and even have "meet ups" if people live close enough...
    Just found the "Leaving NZ" Threads!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
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    UK
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sherlock Holmes View Post
    We moved back to the UK from NZ 18 months ago mainly becaue of homesickness. It was good to see old friends and relations and visit our old haunts. Now its infinitely depressing. I so wish we had stayed in New Zealand. Britain is going down the pan so fast that all we need is for someone to give a good hard tug on the chain and it'll disappear. Sorry to sound so bleak, but that's how I feel about the place. The way the exchange rate has moved, we'll not be able to recover our lives in New Zealand, but we're going to come back anyway. There's nobody in the UK I can vote for that offers any realistic hope of stopping the decline and not enough people have the skills and attitudes to put the country back on its feet. By contrast, Kiwis have a much more can do attitude that I find infectious. Anyone else who came back to the UK feel the same way, or are you happy with the old place?
    and whilst I did see the decline of towns (even in the South) and even for the brief time miss the more pleasant NZ weather, not sure it’s a “grass is greener” – it’s where you are obviously living.

    Absolutely don’t agree on Kiwi people having a “can do” attitude – I’d say completely the opposite. A combination of institutionalised reliance on central government and unions and apathy means that most “go getters” I’ve experience in NZ tend to be ex-pats, who stand way above others, and the fact most Kiwis with a lot of ability flock out of NZ says it all.

    In addition, the economic decline in some areas in UK is more pronounced because of what it compares too; even in a small town in the Midlands I went to (Nuneaton) with a lot of bookies/cash for gold springing up, there was still a lot more choice in supermarkets, shops, prices were less etc. etc.

    What I suspect you’re suffering from is the old adage “never go back”. It takes a lot to make a major move, be it career, personal or a move overseas, and to go back on that, even for good reasons, is usually naturally depressing, and human nature is to both miss the aspects of the “old” life you loved, and also to use rose tinted specs to look at them.

    Move to NZ is really a balancing act compared to the UK – UK has a number of better things – sport, transport, jobs, standard of living, quality of goods, locality, NZ has other better things – fish, scenery, open spaces, climate.

    Really depends what you personally value most…..

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
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    70

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    Quote Originally Posted by martyb125 View Post
    Me!!!
    really need to find a way of getting back there as the pull is so strong
    But because you had a great time there first time does not mean it will be so when you return. You may feel euphoria, a new lease of life. You may also feel something akin to grieving. It depends on dozens and dozens of factors, both external and internal. It depends on very much on who and what you are leaving behind.

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