Should we go back to the UK??
Discussion
We've lived in Nice, France, for the last 4 years. It's paradise in many ways, we're blessed to have a lovely house, great climate, met some great people and just generally we've loved being in a geographical that's so well placed.
I just miss the UK. It's nothing even in particular, I hated the place and couldn't wait to leave but I just really miss it.
Is it as bad as look currently? France isn't a bed a roses either politically, but at least it makes up for it with beautiful landscapes!
I just miss the UK. It's nothing even in particular, I hated the place and couldn't wait to leave but I just really miss it.
Is it as bad as look currently? France isn't a bed a roses either politically, but at least it makes up for it with beautiful landscapes!
part of France.Try and get a doctors appointment that will put you off!
If we didn't have school aged kids I would be typing this from a very hot and sunbaked Greek terrace somewhere in the Ionians. The UK is fundamentally broken and although its still a lot better than most of the world I will encourage my kids to spread their wings and hopefully move overseas. I would guess they will be looking East by the time they are old enough to consider these options.
Yours, FP from a slightly overcast and 14 degrees Wakefield
If we didn't have school aged kids I would be typing this from a very hot and sunbaked Greek terrace somewhere in the Ionians. The UK is fundamentally broken and although its still a lot better than most of the world I will encourage my kids to spread their wings and hopefully move overseas. I would guess they will be looking East by the time they are old enough to consider these options.
Yours, FP from a slightly overcast and 14 degrees Wakefield
I only recently returned to the UK after 5 years abroad (actually I've spent more time living and working abroad since leaving university than living in the UK).
Coming back there are some great things about the UK. At least where I live. There are downsides too but that has applied to everywhere we have lived.
We are thinking of another move - probably Portugal or Spain - as an attempt to get an EU passport and the right to live anywhere in Europe once we retire fully. Somewhere with better weather than the UK, a bit cheaper and more relaxed, friendly too would be nice.
To the OP: have you managed to make local, French friends? That concerns me a bit.
Coming back there are some great things about the UK. At least where I live. There are downsides too but that has applied to everywhere we have lived.
We are thinking of another move - probably Portugal or Spain - as an attempt to get an EU passport and the right to live anywhere in Europe once we retire fully. Somewhere with better weather than the UK, a bit cheaper and more relaxed, friendly too would be nice.
To the OP: have you managed to make local, French friends? That concerns me a bit.
I have several British friends dotted around the globe who've long lived in a different country. They're all happy but all, deep down, hanker for the day they'll return. It's a curious thing and, I think, one that's rooted in the fact that the culture of the nation in which you are born is often 'baked-in' to your cognitive being. I think it's a difficult to thing to look at any other nation other than your own for your cultural identity and for many, this is more powerful than one might imagine.
There are a small number of people that I would call true 'Internationalists' - global nomads - people who could happily live and work anywhere, and often do. Part of me envies these people because to me travel and the experience of different cultures beyond a two-week holiday is a wonderful thing that really does broaden your mind and makes you a better person. But the other part doesn't because as much as I love to travel, I love coming home too and having roots is, in my view, equally important.
There are a small number of people that I would call true 'Internationalists' - global nomads - people who could happily live and work anywhere, and often do. Part of me envies these people because to me travel and the experience of different cultures beyond a two-week holiday is a wonderful thing that really does broaden your mind and makes you a better person. But the other part doesn't because as much as I love to travel, I love coming home too and having roots is, in my view, equally important.
Shades of grey....
We returned a couple of years back after 13 years in France and mostly we're very happy to be home. It's not perfect and the UK has many problems, but we didn't want one of us to die abroad ultimately, so it was only a matter of time. I do miss the rural lifestyle we had and the space, and I also miss the friends we made. But we'd had enough and we haven't been back since (and have no plans to do so).
P.S. The average French restaurant is way more boring and unadventurous than the average bistro pub here. Really.
We returned a couple of years back after 13 years in France and mostly we're very happy to be home. It's not perfect and the UK has many problems, but we didn't want one of us to die abroad ultimately, so it was only a matter of time. I do miss the rural lifestyle we had and the space, and I also miss the friends we made. But we'd had enough and we haven't been back since (and have no plans to do so).
P.S. The average French restaurant is way more boring and unadventurous than the average bistro pub here. Really.
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