Is living abroad all it is cracked up to be ?

We intended to buy a place in France but wanted to wait until the children had finished school.

If money was no object we'd do it, ensuring we had a place to come back to in the UK just in case the move lost it's charms. We holiday in carious parts of France most years.

We have friends who returned from France to be nearer their GC when they became grandparents. They firmly believed in integration in France, learned to speak French and have French friends/neighbours. One couple own the local B&B in the large village they left, so they go back to France regularly. They miss the more relaxed way of life.

Friends of ours bought a house in Spain off-plan when the complex was being built and we have had lots of lovely holidays there with them. However, they are thinking of selling up, but they'd lose out, price-wise. So many properties in their walled, gated urbanisation are empty or for sale though, which is very sad. Fortunately they still have a flat in the UK.

One of my sons lives in Holland. When he left university, he had no choice as he couldn't get work in England. He has bought a house and is well-settled there. However, he has stopped short of giving up his British passport. His wife is Dutch and loves England. She would much prefer for them to move here.

Something I find intriguing...my parents and younger siblings emigrated to Australia many years ago. When my brothers were old enough to decide for themselves, they chose to move back to England.

I’ve lived in Malta longer than I lived in the UK having moved here nearly 40yrs ago when I married my Maltese DH.

He passed away four years ago but nothing would make me want to return to the UK.

It is always good to visit, but Malta is home and I feel the England I left behind does not exist any longer.

I think it depends how long they.ve been there and if they've settled and made friends.I have friends who went to Spain 30 years ago and although the wife died after 10 or so years the rest of the family decided to stay.Both children and dad have all married Spaniards and love living there

I wouldn’t consider leaving now, but we did seriously consider NZ about 27 years ago.

I have no first hand knowledge NanK but know two people who did come back, when their DH’s died and one person who returned (after ten years) when his wife left him.They were all in lovely places in Spain.