Re-patriation.

[Deleted]

I keep getting huge waves of nostalgia for living abroad.
We've been home for almost a year now (our one year repatriation anniversary is July 15th). Living abroad was ironically easier for us than living at home even we've been here 30 years and there for only 3. It was because life was pretty much a 3 year vacation with really awesome holidays every month. Now we have life to deal with. All that stuff we didn't have to deal with for 3 years is now coming to the surface and kicking us in the butt.
Doing another rotation isn't in the cards for us and traveling isn't in our budget right now.
This is just "the grass is greener on the other side" feelings, right?

[jrabbit]

You were gone way longer than us and we go back and forth too.. We were loving home when we first got here, but we keep catching ourself. You did better than us living abroad w/Q than us with AJ

[aMrsin09]

What kind of stuff did you not have to deal with?

My time in France was a 6 month holiday, but since we moved to Australia I find that it's the same shit, different accent.

[frlcb]

I have been back 3.5 years and still feel nostalgic. But I know it is the grass is greener thing, and know life is easier here than it would be in London.

[allibally]

Every other day I think about it. I miss how quiet and open spaced Zurich was. I feel so crammed when I leave my apartment in Chicago. The air isn't very clean. Yadda yadda yadda. When I'm up by my home time I am much happy. Lots of open spaces and great hospitality.

We have options to move back to Switzerland as long as they don't cut out EU members to work there. H has no desire to go back to his home country of Germany.

[ktkl09]

I think the grass is greener here (literally). I prefer living here, I love my job here, I love the scenery, I love the mountains and lakes, etc. It's summer though, winter here can be a major downside of living here.

Anyway, do you another option to move abroad again?

[elenetxu]

Regarding expat life in Spain, I love it here but I'm scared to death because of the financial crisis. My grant got renewed for next year, but since they still haven't sent us the contracts I'm terribly afraid we're going to get cut in the next round of budget adjustments.

I'd be thrilled to be back in the States right now. We decided to stay based on the fact I got renewed (my job can support us both). Now, I'm not so sure.

[GilliC]

I'm also curious about what kind of stuff you weren't dealing with?

I kind of feel the opposite. Living abroad there are so many more things that I have to worry about that would be easier in the US. Taxes would be so much simpler. I would have a retirement plan through work with matching benefits. My divorce would have been final months ago. And I would know how to change my name back. It would be easier to work with my investment account. My mother wouldn't nag me about never visiting. I would be able to see my godson and my sister more than once every three years. Oh, and I would speak the language!

...Someone remind me again why I want to pull up stakes and change countries again?!

[frlcb]

It is funny because my husband has no desire to move back to the UK at all, which I never thought would be the case!

[clogged]

Remember your crappy landlord? Your electrics going out incident? Falling off your bike when the front wheel got stuck in the tram track and EVERYONE saw? Remember huge crappy waiting lists for day care centers? No nyquil? Remember people ramming into you in AH?

There, is the grass less green now? Happy to help!

[Deleted]

And NO TARGET.

(this is what I tell myself when I feel my heart aching to be back in the UK. It works 87% of the time )

frlcb - it's me, jillana! My DH is the same way as well, so funny!

[frlcb]

Jul 7, 2012 16:33:20 GMT -5 fields said:

And NO TARGET.

(this is what I tell myself when I feel my heart aching to be back in the UK. It works 87% of the time )

frlcb - it's me, jillana! My DH is the same way as well, so funny!

Hi!!I hope your cute boys are doing well

Yeah, it is so funny because I am the one who is like maybe we should move back and he is so adamantly against it right now!

[Deleted]

Thank you for putting it into perspective Clogged

GilliC everything you just listed is what I don't want to deal with.

Plus in Holland, I couldn't understand anyone or their craziness so if there were nutso people around me I didn't have to deal with it. Now I understand and have to listen to their crazy

[CakeLover]

I definitely understand where you are coming from. I miss home and the luxuries of home, but I'm not ready for this experience to end. Now next week, I'll probably be more than ready to pack up all my shit and go home. I have my moments we all do. I think it helps when people can help put in perspective (like Clogged did for you).

[clogged]

I love to ruin things for people. Maybe I can turn it into a career.

[glitterfart]

Jul 8, 2012 1:22:06 GMT -5 clogged said:

I love to ruin things for people. Maybe I can turn it into a career.

Maybe pro-boards is accepting applications for resident snark Not sure how that pays, though.

[GilliC]

Jul 7, 2012 18:11:42 GMT -5 @heyyall said:

Plus in Holland, I couldn't understand anyone or their craziness so if there were nutso people around me I didn't have to deal with it. Now I understand and have to listen to their crazy

Oh, I'm so with you on this one! I suspect that there are some stupid Norwegians, but I only have to interact with the sensible ones, and I can happily ignore the nutjobs!

[clogged]

Jul 9, 2012 2:19:48 GMT -5 glitterfart said:

Jul 8, 2012 1:22:06 GMT -5 clogged said:

I love to ruin things for people. Maybe I can turn it into a career.

Maybe pro-boards is accepting applications for resident snark Not sure how that pays, though.

I knew it was a calling!

[Wanderista]

I think that a lot of people who are compelled to go abroad, certainly in the case of people who are from highly-developed countries wherein economics and basic quality of life are not significant factors, tend to feel shifting senses of nostalgia and the urge to go back and forth.

I lived abroad when I was younger and I love to travel when I get the chance. In my case, I have complicated relationship with the US. Sometimes I love it and it will always be my home country, but sometimes I really feel like I don't fit in within my own country, like I'm a foreigner in a place where I've lived most of my life. This is just in terms of how I think and my approach to life.

So eh, don't feel bad about wanting to escape "real life". As I get older, I realize that real life is everywhere and in every country. If I were an Uzbek peasant, I would probably be dreaming of other places and I would have more difficulty satisfying the urge.

My advice would just be to keep learning. Don't lose your curiosity even if what you are curious about changes. Also, be sure to get out and really embrace the place where you are. Maybe try to do day trips and also look for interesting things to do in your area that are "outside the box" of your normal routine.

[Deleted]

I have heard from others that they share your same opinion with the re-patriation being hard.

My time in Europe has been like an incredible vacation -- going anywhere at a moments notice on a Swiss train to some incredibly small town, hiking the alps, plunging in the mineral baths, etc. I feel like when we get together with friends here, there is so much to talk about - experiences, travels, etc. My friends who have already moved back to the US say they now listen to friends talk about the latest Target Advert in the newspaper or some woman always trying to "one up" the other...

That's probably what I enjoy most here --- no need to feel the pressure of who has the latest designer bag, or whatever materialistic stuff there is. I can go to the park here dressed down and feel normal and in the US it's all about Lulu Lemon moms...so I hear!?

However, on the flip side I dream of owning a home that I can decorate, personalize and make ours. I want to have a huge kitchen that I can cook/bake more than one dish at a time without doing the dishes, due to lack of space that I have here. I look forward to having big backyard barbecues where my kids can run free vs here we have no backyard... but in due time it all comes full circle! Till then I will continue to enjoy this incredible European experience!

[allibally]

Jul 11, 2012 0:35:08 GMT -5 @switzerland said:

That's probably what I enjoy most here --- no need to feel the pressure of who has the latest designer bag, or whatever materialistic stuff there is. I can go to the park here dressed down and feel normal and in the US it's all about Lulu Lemon moms...so I hear!?

It's always interesting to hear a different side. I felt like I was on a constant display when I took kids to parks in Zurich. I actually felt that way the whole time I lived there usually while at the grocery store or in a tram. Usually because I was *shock and horror* wearing gym clothes on my way to and from dog walking. Sometimes I was dressed fairly normal and they would just stare and or scan up and down with their eyes.

Now I enjoy that I can run to the store quick to pick something up while in my yoga pants. Best part I'm not the only one. ;D