do those of you living abroad plan to return to your home countries?

No plan to move back. Though I miss something from my home country. Some places, food, people, life-style... Still, I prefer my current life.

We are on the 10 year plan. Every year we reup for 10 years.  So  no immediate plans to return.

Bob K

I plan to move home after one year.....but might come back if I get lost at home again :-)

When I left Angola for the xxxth time (I've moved a lot since I was born), I knew I would only be back to visit my family. Although I said at the time I would go back, deep down inside of me, I didn't want to.

I can't wait to go back, I miss everything there. I was never able to adopt well here.

At this moment, I plan to return to my home country after four or five years, but I can't be sure...In 5 years the new country will be so familiar to me, that maybe I won't leave at all.

Oh, to move or not to move...! The current economic climate may just dictate our plans altogether. I moved to marry my husband with no intentions of moving back home. However, our life is quite compromised here given the economic prospects, which makes moving home very alluring. I love where I'm from and while I do love where I live now, our current situation is making me fall out of love with it. Any move is a risk and involves compromises, so it's just a matter of what you're willing to put on the line, I suppose. My gut is telling me we should move, but he's reluctant to leave the only home he's ever known. Big decisions!!

Well, in the UK.
tax, gas & etc are costly.
I was there living for a very short period of time, I can't deny the weather is nice over there and so fort on as a trainy.

Some of my clients have shifted to Malaysia. Made Malaysia their second home.
The cost of living for them in London was way out, and so they moved out from their own country.

We left South Africa three years ago, and the only thing I miss is the wild life. But I would never return, I do not miss anything else about the country. Now if I want to see a lion, I do as I did in Africa....Go to the zoo.

I was born in England but first left when I was 5 when my father was posted to Singapore. Since then I have lived in Canada, France, Oman, now in Saudi Arabia and have a house in Spain. UK, ok for a visit but I do not want to live there - too many foreigners. LOL

10 years since my last 24 hour visit to the UK. It was as bad as I expected. If I never go again it'll be too soon!

I have lived in the Middle East, US and Austria, which is where I will probably settle.  I would return to the UK, but my boss keeps giving me a new contract each year and I like it here.  Less people, better health care, better standard of living and I travel back to the UK frequently.  So for the moment, I will remain here and maybe, depends if my father keeps good health as he is, then I will remain here.

I'm definitely not going to ever live in Germany again. I may hold a German passport but I've never liked living there. It probably wasn't the right place for me seeing how happy I've been since moving to the UK last year. Everyone in my family has somewhat close links to the UK and I have Scottish ancestry, too. Whether or not this is why we all like the UK so much I do not know.

I've always wanted to live/work abroad but got caught up in 'life.'  However, the current economic situation in the US and the fear of being unemployed there (was out of work for 13 [!!!] months after 9-11 and never again, thank you!) was the impetus to push me into accepting a job in Riyadh, KSA.

I just recontracted for another (my second) year here but I think that will probably be enough.  I like it for now because I find the culture fascinating and I love my job but I think by the end of the second year I will have had enough of such a restrictive lifestyle.

The money here is good and it has enabled me to continuing paying bills at home but once  my house there is rented out, I will be able--and happy--to take a less well-paying jobs in a country with more freedom

i've lived and worked overseas for 20 years. just returned in 2008. i took a leave from life in big cities (i visit Manila every now and then to check on my house and visit family) had enough of that to last me a lifetime. but goes out to visit other countries again. did 3x after returning.

i miss my hometown reason why i decided to settle here. i miss natue and peace (yes, there is peace in my part of Mindanao). but am ready for another uprooting any time.

ECS wrote:

I moved abroad with no specific plan of how long it would be but as things develop it's looking more and more likely that my life won't include returning back to my home country.

So I'm wondering, are those of you living abroad now planning to return any time soon or are you viewing this as the way your life will hopefully always be?

I will return only if the BNP win power.

I will return only if the BNP win power.

I presume you are white then....oh, and not gay, or different in some other way to the norm

... no politics here please guys ...

I don't think being against racism is being political, any more than being against sexism or homophobism - its a moral stance, not a political one

Off topic, please concentrate on the initial subjet.
Thank you.

Unfortunately I have no plans to go home on a permanent basis I wish I did.  I love to travel (have been to many places), but living in Ireland is not for me.  I desperately miss the states.  It has everything to do with the lack of convenience of anything and everything, cost of everything here, the lack of space and the fact that people are not really that friendly.  Everyone here is on guard all the time, nothing is genuine.  They are up for a bit of craic, but that's it.  So if there is anyone out there that finds themselves feeling like this and need a sounding board, let me know.

My position is this. I will be going back to my roots. I have the experience of what it is to succeed and being eclectic, that is what I hope to take 'home'. You get the point?

Ain't you also a foreigner in all these countries you have lived and now living? I think this is double speak for you 'foreigner'.

jillndave wrote:

I was born in England but first left when I was 5 when my father was posted to Singapore. Since then I have lived in Canada, France, Oman, now in Saudi Arabia and have a house in Spain. UK, ok for a visit but I do not want to live there - too many foreigners. LOL

You must be kidding me. You know BNP will never win. So I can understand your irony. Meaning you remain out of the UK for as long as it takes. Good luck and please enjoy yourself. That is the spirit of freedom. I like your style of speaking.

Brigantes wrote:

ECS wrote:

I moved abroad with no specific plan of how long it would be but as things develop it's looking more and more likely that my life won't include returning back to my home country.

So I'm wondering, are those of you living abroad now planning to return any time soon or are you viewing this as the way your life will hopefully always be?

I will return only if the BNP win power.

Yes, I will ultimately return home to Australia. Miss it & love it 4 yrs after leaving, but will probably post to Switzerland for another 5 yrs first.

You must still be very young 'enjoying' your life. That sounds good but have you ever for once thought about your pension? If you have not started working now when the energy is still at the peak..when would you start building your egg nest? People always think it takes '4ever' to age. Even now, alot of things happen to pension fund. governments don't have money anylonger.I think in my own humble way, you need to reflect on this NOW!
Meanwhile my [moderated: do not advertise for commercial websites, pls] have a ball of a time.

For a serial expat like me, who spent many years in a few countries - in addion to shorter stays in a lot of countries - the queston arises where, actually the home is? The country in which I was born and raised (Poland), but have left 36 years ago? My second homeland (Sweden)where I lived a few times for about 10 years total - but which affected me a lot, as it was the first democracy I experienced? Or my third homeland, USA, where I have lived - again on and of, but treating it as home - the longest (except Poland) and where I feel most at home?
I do not plan to return to Poland, though I have once returned to for a couple of years, but on an expat assignment. I do not plan to return to Sweden either - unless I'll need assisted living, since the quality of care there is in my opinion vastly better than in the USA - for a comparable cost. Otherwise Sweden is too cold to be enjoyable through the entire year. USA is another story: I do keep returning here from every place I stay. Have a child here, friends + all the comforts not quite available elsewhere. I still love exotic - even uncomfortable - desinations, providing they are temporary.
But I love to visit old homelands at least once in 5 years - as I still - age and all the travel notwithstanding - prefer visiting new and unknown ones.

gooooooooood question!I don't like to move!!! Been leaving in 3 countries and hope I don't need to move again....But I miss Sweden......all my true friends.....

Ps. I met some new once but are they ever going to be as important/special/close to me as the previous one....I miss my guys as hell....

why???????

after 5 years in Riyadh I back home to Egypt but i hope to go there again it was wonderful place

never ever...I love my new place

The mood or decision of whether or not to move back home depends on so many factors! 1st, what is "home" anyways for someone who has moved around too much to grow roots anywhere?  With that aside, I recently lost a good friend while far from his family so in moments like these I feel like wanting to spend more time with my family, friends, and other people who matter much to me but are not close by.  It also depends on the surrounding, including job situation, obviously.  I am sure if I were to move back to where I lived last (that would be the USA) I would get antsy and want to move out soon thereafter.  But, boy oh boy, how I am increasingly desiring to actually start a "home" somewhere and not live out of luggages always having to leave things in storage.

It's strange when I think about it. I was born in a country that wont accept me as a citizen and I know nothing about the country that states that I'm from it. for now, I dont intend to move anywhere. maybe I would want to visit my so called home just to check the place out. lol.

Home is where you belong. and thats where we choose to be.

The three times I lived and worked abroad, do to family issues  (wife and kids) I always returned home. Now, divorced and with independant kids (23 and 27) I think that origins are not important for me anymore. Our "home" should be where we feel happy or where we are well treated and recognized!

I left my country initially for studying, but it has been five years and I have done extensive traveling. And I must admit I am enjoying myself.

If employment works itself out for me in South Africa then I think yes I will return. But for now I am working on a two-year plan. And I will consider returning and working there then.

But I remain proud of my roots and visit as often as I can. I doubt that that would ever change. I am PROUDLY SOUTH AFRICAN!!

We move from country to country for my husband's job. A mission can be short term (couple of months) or long term (max. 5 years). We have been thinking about spending our time in two countries when we retire: summers in our native country and winters in a sunnier place (yet to be determined). Sounds like a plan, no?

Hey Globetrotter,

I totally agree sounds like a fun way to retire ... I should actually give that some thought a few more years from now ... I can see how that would tickle my fancy!!

Thanks Malanac!

By the way: I've been on holiday in South Africa and I loved your country: the sea, the mountains, the big five (actually saw them all). We didn't have time to go the south though. Cape Town is still on my to-do-list. Maybe we'll end up there...

Ideally, I would never go back to Canada again. Ever. I'm all for open borders. We should be able to live and contribute in the places we feel most at home. I agree with Carlos C - home is where we feel most comfortable, not necessarily where we were born.