There are so many Anglaise returning to the UK after residing in France for several/many years.
Do the people who return 'home', which has no doubt changed since they last lived in the UK - wish that they had remained in France? I wonder!
Yes internal happiness.....the real and only happiness which is often mistaken
for worldly goods, wealth and power. Created by ourselves and interrupted by
the persute of the very same from the world around us.
And as time has moved on this search for contentment is interrupted more and more.
I know of people who have gone back....packed up their baggage and literally just re located it
hoping that they can find comfort surrounded by the RSJ of UK.
The RSJ being the benefit system and the health service which is free to all; a
supersaver without the cost of top up insurance.
But saving life is about saving time and instant medical attention, quick
diagnosis and treating/relating to a human being, not a number, almost
faceless and dismissed.
I miss so many people whom I have known most of my life and really want to spend
more time with them.....but to go back to the glorious fish and chips by the sea?
The rain and wind soon makes them soggy.
That is another matter....going back to what exactly?
I tend to agree Véronique. It sometimes seems to be like cohabitees not getting on so well and thinking getting married will make things better. Moving to France doesn't solve anything and given the stress of operating in another system and another language it often makes things worse.
There are many who return for family reasons eg looking after agèd parents or getting grandchildren or whatever and are happy even if they have the occasional twinge of regret.
I think though that a lot of people who moved because they weren't happy in GB & thought the grass was greener come here with baggage & keep that baggage and aren't happy here either and that is why they go back - and in that case I don't think they are likely to be any happier wherever they are because they are carrying their dissatisfaction around with them so it is an internal thing and not dependent on location even though location probably gets the blame for it.