How long have you been far away??

Hi Mandy!

2 years in England + 1 year in Spain = 3 years

I am currently back in France ... looking for a new job abroad !!

Since July 2004 for me.

We may move back to UK though, around about July-August in 2006. Depends on my job etc etc.

I left England in 1980 and have only returned for visits since then

expatriation en Gèce avec famille (2 enfants)
qu'en pensez-vous?

Since July 2000 for me and November 2001 for my girlfriend...

2 years in Africa and 3 years in Canada... 5 years, so.

I'm still in Canada.
I may go back to Europe in a few years, but not necessary to France.

this depends on how i look at it.
i was actually born in south africa, so being here at the moment, that would make it 0 years. but i'd call germany my home country (been living there for 16 years!), so in that case, it's been 3 years abroad for me now.

Left New Zealand in August 1999. So, in total, that makes 6 1/2 years. Of that, 5 years were in the UK and since then it's been Germany. No immediate plans to move back to New Zealand. Just visits for now.

A little bit more than 4 years for me, and 11 years for my wife, all spent in the US et mostly in California. But we are thinking to go back in France soon.

You are sat in the bar listening to the chat. Someone starts to talk to you and the knotty problem of 'how long have you lived here' will sooner or later come up.
It's like a boys' pissing contest. Only one can win... and the loser feels uncomfortable.
Me, I've been here in Spain since 1966.
See? I told you...!

*feels all uncomfortable* ;-)

I'm a diplobrat and so have lived here, there and everywhere.  My holidays (I was sent to boarding school) were spent in Brussels, Senegal and the UK.  My parents are British, I went to school/college in England for 11/12 years but have lived in Belgium for about 22-23 years now.

I suppose I'm from England, but I don't particularly like the place and very, very rarely visit.

I've been out of Australia for about 5 years.  But I hope to move back this year.

I've been out of my "home" country (can I still call it that???) since July 1994. No plans to move back.

I left America in 1999 and went to Japan until 2003 where I lved in Italy until January 06.   I am back home now for the time being but I will probably return to Europe permanantly in a couple of years. 

Away from France since 2002. The family plan is to stay in Ireland. My dream is to move out to Spain

I left Holland in 1988. I lived in Germany, Liechtenstein and Germany again before I moved to Puerto Rico(USA) in 2001.
I think i'm going to stay here, but who knows..

Oy... I'm about to turn 24... and I spent 16 years abroad, in and out. Lived 4 years in Cuba, then 6 in Angola, then 3 in Portugal (war in Angola), then 2 in Angola, then 1 in Portugal, then 3 in South Africa and now almost 5 in France. Not counting the holidays here and there, and trips back to Angola.
So I can assume I'm out of Angola, but not really out. :p

10 years out of the UK now. 2 in Saudi Arabia, 8 in Kuwait and I'm off to Saudi again soon.

Almost 10 years. I'll have to celebrate that!!!

Well i feel like quite a newbie, I have been away from the UK for only 7 months. I guess I am having the 7 month itch, i desperately want to go home to see my fanily again soon. I am finding it hard to be away but all the stories I have read here are helping me to stick to it and try to work through the hard times

Why not starting a topic about home-sickness and its remedies?

9 years out of Angola if I count it correctly!

we have lived here in Russia for a year now.

minus one month spent in Odessa, Ukraine and one month spent in Rome, Italy!

over 10 months.

I can't believe it will be a year long in just 2 months! The time has flown by.

Been living in France since August 1997 - before that I lived in the UK (Leicestershire) all my life with holidays to the USA, France, Germany & Spain.

It's been over 5 years for me even though I only originally move here for 6 months

Have been away from Sweden, where I grew up,  since 2001 (was only back 4 month between France and Austria) so 5 years. But have lived in Vienna for 4 years straight now, thats the longest I have been away. (Before: 6 month Austria 1996, 1 year Austria 1999, 1 year France 2001 and since the end of 2002 I've been in Austria again)

Born in Normandy(france) at 5 left for south africa, then tunisia, then sweden, reunion Island ,new caledonia, and finally australia.Back in france after 20 years away, don't really have a country, my heart belongs wherever...would love to go live in New-Zeland. Love the mentality there...............need a kiwi husband...Anyone??? haha

>43yrs< of homesickness & Isolation, plus loneliness.
Kids grow up marry & move away Interstate.
Their children aren't used to hearing your ACCENTS. finding it strange.!!!
Realising that you are STRANGERS to them.
Ostracised & Lonely.
Not winging Poms.
Friendly Scottish People & Familiar places & faces, is what we are missing out on.
Now trying to raise enough funds to send our household necessities back.
Tried Advertising Furniture. ended up sending the bigger pieces to auction, raising $300.oo for the Lot.
Living in Private Rental Property keeps you poor too.
Having moved so many times over these long years for Jobs Etc.
Using up all of our Savings. If there is anyone out there willing to help us, we would be eternally grateful. Husband is 81yrs an Ex-serviceman wounded while overseas, Also suffering Throat Cancer. I am 78yrs of age & slightly disabled.
(wilsonmary20@hotmail.com)

French citizen, born in Cameroon, lived  in Indonesia, Kuwait,  Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, UAE. Came back in France a few years. Been living in Congo for a year now.

overall : 18 years abroad out of 25 lived

I left the UK in 1962 if I remember rightly.
Of course I have been back to visit the family but my Dad died in 2003 and I haven't been back since. At the moment I don't really want to. I expect I will feel the need one day but there is no-one to visit...

Now that I am 25, makes 17 abroad.
Oy!

This month we celebrated 1 year in the beautiful Dominican Republic:D

Bob K

I spent one in the states another in italy, then 2 in Morocco and now I am ready to leave Spain once more

Hi all,

I've been away for more than 10 years now. 2 years in Reunion Island,3 years in Martinique island, 2 years in Saudi Arabia, 1 year in singapor, 3 years in Malaysia and 1 year in UK + few months in different countries (less than 1 year).

Don't think i am going back to my home country , we want perhaps to work in New Zealand for a while .

Didier

I first left my home coutnry, Tunisia, in August 1990.

Chiraz

We are relative newbies. Currently we are well into our second year in the Domincan  Republic with no plans to go back to the US in the near future.

Bob K

Born and raised in Germany for 18 years as an American citizen in a U.S. Armed Forces environment, moved to America in the winter of '04, been here almost three years!