Which returning country?

[spanners]

I often read threads with people asking questions about returning to the UK and my immediate thought is "why the UK?" If for some reason I stopped enjoying life here the UK wouldn't be top of my list for countries to live in - in fact I don't think it would even be in the top 10.

 

In no preference order I'd be looking at southern France, Romania, Morocco, NZ, Argentina or maybe Sweden. Returning to where you've come from sounds as dull an option as going on holiday to the same place twice. So, where would you go?

[Guest BurgessFamily]

Living somewhere is not the same as a long holiday. People generally go back for family, familiarity, home comforts etc...

[spanners]

You're right its not the same and its not what I was suggesting. Home comforts can be found in any country and familiarity is just another word for dull.

[jim and adel]

... and familiarity is just another word for dull.

 

You have an interesting dictionary (interesting is just another word for 'wonky').

 

Plenty of interesting places in the world, but for me they're for visiting rather than living. The list of countries I'd choose to live in is small. If our circumstances were different and we didn't need to work etc then the list would look different (I'd happily spend my days pottering around a villa on Zakythos looking out at the Ionian Sea ...) but when it comes to language, work, schooling etc we tend to be conventional. I'd try NZ for a few years but it probably wouldn't have enough to keep me there long term (which is rathe rlike how I feel about SA). I'd go to Canada (we once very nearly did), but eventually the cold would get to me and I'd want to move again. If it wasn't for the humidity we'd move up to Qld - plenty of places in this country to try apart from SA.

[Guest Adelaide_bound]

At the end of the day, imho the biggest reason people leave Australia is because they miss things in the UK - be it family, friends or even the rather more minor (self editing there ) reason of 'Tesco'....however, its not really something to do with how good or not Australia is, and rather more because of missing that thing, so if they went to another country they would still miss that thing. Equally, even if a country is an English speaking country, its still a foreign country and that can be hard to live in - maybe more so if its an English speaking country as your brain makes certain assumptions that things are similar/the same as the language is similar/the same, but in truth there are wide cultural and pop references that you just don't get/know/are familiar with and won't be for a time at least. Going to another country just continues this issue, it doesn't solve it - only returning to what one knows, ie the UK (if that is where you are 'from') will solve that problem.

 

For the minority of people whom return just because they don't like Australia, or its not a good fit for them, yes thinking of where else to go would be a thought, as they must have had some reason to leave the UK in the first place, but language is a massive barrier for most - whilst some people are adventurous and think they will pick up the language, or know they have good language skills anyway (or already know that language to some degree), when it comes to living in a country, not being natively fluent in a language (something that is impossible unless you had a bi-lingual background in that language between the ages of 0-12 months apparently according to my linguists professor friend, due to the way the brain works and is wired), it can be a hard ask at times - day to day life can be fine, but the crunch point of when you need medical assistance in an emergency or so on can make it a very big ask indeed (I know for me this was where there was a problem with living in Spain in the long run). If you have a family, this makes it a huge realistic worry indeed imho. So you're limited to 'English' speaking countries (and not just where they all speak English really well, but its actually the national language), and for whatever reason (weather/politics/religions etc) any other of those countries might not appeal. So you're left with 'going back' to the UK....

 

Just my thoughts anyway

[sueoc]

Only my home Town in the UK,it's where i feel at peace,where my Family comes from and where i love.Cant think of anywhere else in the World i'd rather move to!I hope to end up back there one day,when i retire.Australia is a great place,but home is where the heart is.

[Anne B]

There are plenty of places I would like to live for a year or so, but not forever. Also in this 'fantasy' world I would be a lot younger, have plenty of money and no children to worry about (schooling etc) !!!

 

The countries that appeal are Italy (any part but I love the Alps), France, Canada (in the mountains), Singapore.

 

The only country I would realistically consider moving to is England (with a holiday home on Lake Como)!

Edited August 14, 2013 by Anne B

[Ktee]

I often read threads with people asking questions about returning to the UK and my immediate thought is "why the UK?" If for some reason I stopped enjoying life here the UK wouldn't be top of my list for countries to live in - in fact I don't think it would even be in the top 10.

 

In no preference order I'd be looking at southern France, Romania, Morocco, NZ, Argentina or maybe Sweden. Returning to where you've come from sounds as dull an option as going on holiday to the same place twice. So, where would you go?

 

Hubby would probably opt for France, me, I think it would have to be somewhere warm as I struggle with anything under 25 degrees

[Lily Rainbow]

I think alot of people move back to the UK (especially anyway)for work and healthcare as well.Alot of those who retired to Spain or where ever are now moving back to the UK.The UK dull?That depends on where you came from and your attitude I think!For us there is too much to do here and not enough time to do it!lol