British expats are too busy to feel homesick- do you agree?

You might expect them to pine for the countryside, hanker after the beer or at least wonder what's happening on EastEnders.
But these days, it seems British expats are too busy enjoying the customs and cuisine of their adopted countries to feel homesick in the slightest.
The majority of those who have left the UK don't miss British television, food, culture or the sense of humour, a study has found.

And they even get by quite happily without their family and friends – content with using the internet to keep in touch instead.
In fact, the only thing that most emigrants still crave is the sociable atmosphere of the good old British pub.

A poll of 1,800 expats in a dozen countries found that only a quarter of those living abroad miss British television, while just 41 per cent miss the British sense of humour.

Nobody at all said they pine for the countryside or cultural heritage. The study also found that the numbers who do long for the trappings of British life are in decline.Pride of the English tea-table: Fewer than one in ten expats hunger for British items such as HP Brown sauce. All of the things that expats are supposed to miss have less hold on them than they did four years ago, when 40 per cent said they yearned for the countryside and a third felt nostalgic for the cultural heritage.

The survey, carried out by the Centre for Future Studies think-tank in Kent, found that instant internet communication means homesickness and isolation no longer bother emigrants. 
It concluded: 'Missing family and friends was once at the top of the list of regrets, but it is not such a key issue today. 
'The number of expats who miss their nearest and dearest has dropped by nearly a third.
'One explanation for this is the internet which is changing the way people live their lives abroad, and bringing family ties online.' 
Emigrants are now more concerned with adapting to their new countries, it added.
Dave Isley of NatWest International, which commissioned the study, said: 'Technology has lessened the extent of the emotional trauma or guilt of not seeing an important family event. Expats are experiencing new cultures, traditions and customs.'

I've met people who never go back to the UK to visit family, saying, "they know where I live"

Others rarely have family to stay in Spain.I met a lady who said that she had never bonded with her new grandchild as she lived in Spain and the baby was born in the UK!

Another binned all the family photos before moving here. I could never do that!

Skype is wonderful, but a poor substitute for  a hug!

I think you do have to be a bit selfish and hard to cope with not  being with the family.Homesickness is the price you pay for doing your own thing! Unless you make frequent flights back you will miss out on family occasions, happy and sad.

I'm sure homesickness is a major factor in the decision of many Ex pats who choose to go back to the UK.

Before anyone feels homesick , and miss's family and friends and they want to "come home" they would do well to check out the governments new rules on ex-pats coming back, the three born and bred English Ladies and families from Greece (Daily Mail) found out what this government had changed for them when they came back, all for the worse.

Would you care to enlighten us, Baz?

Would you care to enlighten us, Baz?

Think it was in Saturdays Daily Mail, if you want to perhaps find it go to the Daily Mail and put in 'Shirley Valentine stories"??  3 articles, first one was a Lady that had been in Greece for a few years, got married, couple of kids, marriage broke down and due to the mess Greece was in had to come back to the UK, as i did say all were born and bred here, anyway came back and went to social to see what help she could get, didn't want full time help, just enough to enable her to get work and somewhere to stay, the short of it was nothing, no help, it was mentioned that this was due to her being out of the country for X amount of years, think this Lady had 2 kids and she had to leave one behind.

The other two were in the same boat, no help anywhere or at all from any social department or such like.

You have to read these stories to believe them, and also to remember that here now in the UK we keep seeing Tom Dick and Harry come here from countries some haven't heard of and if all the stories are correct they get everything. 

They were quite worrying stories and as i suspect some are coming back with the house not sold in Spain, or no house in the UK to come back to, and always to remember these are our own people.

If you can backtrack a couple of days on the Daily Mail (Sure it was Saturdays one) then you will see the full stories and get a better picture of what i have missed out.

And of course you believe every word written in the Daily Hate!

And of course you believe every word written in the Daily Hate!

No i don't believe every story written in the Daily Mail as it so happens, or most any other papers for that matter, and if it helps you any, pretty much a fair bit of the advice given out on here as well. 

But this is one story i found to be far from lies and wouldn't want to be in that situation myself, thats why i posted it so who are thinking of coming back should do a little checking rather then get back home and find out things aint what they used to be.

Judge for yourself, put in your search box   "Daily Mail Shirley Valentine story". Worth the read even if you never need it.

I'm an ex pat Scot forced to live in the South of England where the tap water is undrinkable. I miss the skirl of the pipes and the mountains even though I've never been further north than Glasgow (except for a football match in Aberdeen)

My exile has been helped by the excusrions to San Pedro but I don't think of Scotland when I'm in Spain. I sure as hell do when I'm stuck in England.

Would you care to enlighten us, Baz?

Have any luck in finding the piece?

Would you care to enlighten us, Baz?

Have any luck in finding the piece?

Well..Did you? find it then?

I guess every case must be different Baz...I know of a couple who were living in Fuerteventura, working illegally when they could be bothered, sponging off or ripping off others, when not working illegally. They had to return to the UK where they had not contributed anything and they returned straight into the UK with full benefits, healthcare, accomodation etc! I know people who have worked and contributed to the system for many years...and were not entitled to ANY help, that these two spongers stepped off the plane and have been given. No "Shirley Valentine" treatment for them...just handed everything on a plate. EXACTLY WHAT THE UK IS HEAVILY CRITICISED FOR! 

Back to the thread...I agree with the original post. What some do miss though, others don't and vice versa because we are all different, thankfully.

I think if I left Slough, I would miss :

1) The cold and rain NOT.
2)The high crime rate and damage to property NOT. (one of the worst areas in the UK).
3)The failing NHS NOT. (one of the worst performing hospitals in the UK).
4)The failing police farce NOT. (the second worse force in the UK)
5)Exploding drug figures for heroin and cocaine NOT. (the highest recorded figures in the UK)
6)Teenage pregnancies that are out of control NOT (highest rates in the UK)
7)Lack of housing due to immigration and point number 6 with few new homes being built.
8)Lack of school places due to immigration and point number 6 with few new schools being built.
9)The fraud and corruption NOT. (it has overtaken London and now considered a fraud hotspot)
10)The rubbish and rats everywhere NOT. (1665 has never felt so close)

I could go on forever with about 20 more points but it depresses me...6 generations of my family have/do live here and it's awful to watch.The list of things, I would NOT miss from Slough, is far higher than the things I would...which is my two grandsons and that is it.

YES I know all the above points happen in Spain too...but it is nowhere near the scale of Slough.

Spain may not be the perfect Utopia (where is), but it has lot's to offer those who make the effort to embrace their new life, instead of trying to change the country to suit themselves. Spain is spain...and no matter what it will always have a special corner in my heart.

I guess every case must be different Baz...I know of a couple who were living in Fuerteventura, working illegally when they could be bothered, sponging off or ripping off others, when not working illegally. They had to return to the UK where they had not contributed anything and they returned straight into the UK with full benefits, healthcare, accomodation etc! I know people who have worked and contributed to the system for many years...and were not entitled to ANY help, that these two spongers stepped off the plane and have been given. No "Shirley Valentine" treatment for them...just handed everything on a plate. EXACTLY WHAT THE UK IS HEAVILY CRITICISED FOR!

Agree 100%, and dont you get that horrible feeling that if it was YOU that came back this would be your fate.

Baz..."IF" I ever left the country of my birth...I would not be returning to it, for anything. Ya see my local police farce, housing association who I rent my home from and the local council have comitted serious fraud of my medical negligence case and been caught out for it!

So, no Shirley Valentine holidays for me, then returning to a corrupt dump.

It's a new life elsewhere...and very much looking forward to it :)

I don't miss any British TV, because I still have it! As i suspect do a great many ex-pats.

We have a full and busy life here in Spain.  Although we both suffer from serious health problems - we don't let it interfere with our love of sport and fitness pursuits (tennis, swimming, walking, aeroblic, pilates etc).  I'm also involved in local charities and events - plus I study spanish.  We do miss the grandchildren - but spend time with them when back in the uk once a year.  they have their own busy lives - and I'm sure we'd be roped in to childminding etc - which we wouldn't have minded - but life here is better for us - and I'm sure our life expectancy will be improved by the weather and by all the things we do.  

We've lots of new friends - but we do miss our old friends - who we catch up with once a year (one or two have been to visit us).  

I still prefer to do most of my clothes shopping in the uk - so I do this once a year.  Our pensions go further - because I don't shop as much as I would have done in the uk - 

We have the same t.v (a few programs are not accessible) - but as long as my husband has his sport - he's a happy boy - I've got my kindle - so I enjoy that - plus - we have good internet access - even though we're up a mountain.  Some friends in the uk have problems accessing the internet because they live out in the country.

All in all - we'll stay here - the hospitals are good (even though you do have to travel) - we're both under cardiologists - and the care has been great.  Speaking a bit of spanish definitely helps - although we do often use an interpreter.

We've met new spanish people who are now friends - and we visit them in Valencia - which was a lovely experience.

My husband is putting more wood on the woodburner - no central heating here.  It is very cold out there - but we're warm and cozy here - wouldn't change anything!!

baz1946- I read the article in the Daily Mail- It only applies to those seeking benefits, and not the average ex pat returning to the UK.

I for one don't really miss much at all, Spain has it all......apart from the sense of humour, there I do have to admit that the British sense of humour is far more entertaining!

baz1946- I read the article in the Daily Mail- It only applies to those seeking benefits, and not the average ex pat returning to the UK.

While i could read that fact into the article and these three are probably just these three that have reported this, up to now, the basis of the article is the fact that England wouldn't help it's own people, shall we say "In their hour of need" these three didn't exactly want, or even try for the £500-£600 a week in benefits that the likes of hook hands got,  could not even get child payments, you know like the payments we tax payers send to Poland for kids the government don't even know if do exist.

As i said maybe some, perhaps many, (not all have goods pensions and houses) ex-pats would have to come back through lack of funds, cant sell the Spanish house, don't have a UK house to fall back on, all sorts of reasons, and then find out this country you were born in wont help you...

....But freeload illegally from Africa....Want a house old chap?  Want a bank account? Need some money? work...Forget it...We pay you not to here......."Next please"....Not you....Bloody English people....Who do you think you are.

Out of the frying pan into the fire could fit in here...Just hope you dont get to find that out.

1. Take a piece of paper and draw four columns. Head the left two ‘SPAIN’ pros & cons and the same on the right side columns marked  ‘UK’
2. Write the pros and cons of each country in each allocated column.
3. Result........ No contest – Spain wins hands down!

I keep in touch with some who have gone back and not one has had any problem resuming their life in the UK, especially in the most important aspect-health.

Woodbug-everyone will have a different view on pros and cons, and on some people's list the UK would win hands down!