Hi PP, sorry to hear you're feeling down. I have been feeling the same although I did fleetingly think about going back to the UK, I remembered all the reasons that I left and can't contemplate it. Many of us are in the same situation. I am the only one working as hubby works in construction and of course, there's no work except for S. Americans who work for next to nothing. He's had the odd private job come in but, things being as they are people want him to work for silly money. Since last November I am losing about 500 Euros per month on the exchange rate (as I also work in Gib), and as my mortgage anniversary is in October, am paying about 400 Euros over the odds on that. Well, I say paying, actually not. We are currently in arrears and trying to keep the bank happy enough not to repossess. Most of this due to a stream of tenants who didn't pay their rent on another apartment that we own. I can't even sell anything to pay off debts as nobody is seriously looking at the low end of the market at the moment. I've had lots of nosey time wasters but, none who are actually looking to buy.
When I think that if we went back to the UK without any cash, we'd probably end up in a B&B as we wouldn't be entitled to housing (as we've been out of the country too long), probably wouldn't be entitled to any kind of financial help until we'd sorted ourselves out, despite paying our dues in the UK since we were teenagers and taking next to nothing back out of the system. Even if we managed to get some housing it would probably be on the 15th floor of some dingy council tower block and I would have to watch my sports and outdoors loving son slowly turn into a sullen depressed child looking out of the window at the rain!! Many of the stabbings on the news over the past months have been in places that I've lived and know well and it gives me shivers seeing the crime scenes on the news. I would fear for my boys' safety there especially as they start growing into teenagers. Of course, nowhere is without it's problems but I feel that we have a better quality of life here (even in the present climate) than we ever had in the UK. You just have to look at all of the options objectively and make a decision based on all of the facts. I agree with fantasy that a little trip back might help you to clarify things in your mind. At the end of the day we can only do what is best for ourselves and our families and this is different in every case.
Despite being born and brought up in London and living most of my life there and in Essex, I never really felt it was home and can't bear to go back there. We weren't without our problems there either so, I would rather ride out the storm with a smile on my face looking forward to another sunny summer
I hope you start to feel better soon, keep positive.
