Turkey and the Five Year Itch

[Scunner]

I've thought this for a long time and more recently seen plenty of supporting evidence.

It seems to me that leaving the UK "permanently" often results in a return for the majority within 4-6 years on average. We left the UK for the utopia that seemed to be called Turkey and after a few years everything that had seemed funny or "just one of those things when you live here" start to grate a little and by 5 years we were ready to get back to the drizzle of the UK.

We left the UK forever, no doubt about that - the intention was to live our lives out abroad - but once the novelty value started to wear we also started to see that the UK had it's good points too. Judging by the numbers returning in recent times, we are far from alone. I know some people have been there for far longer and some do intend to see out their remaining years there but there seems to be more who "hit the wall" at around 5 years and head back to what they know best.

I wonder - does emigration have a built in time limit for us Brits?

[ArtyMar]

For me it was the other way round. I came from lovely, hot Oz many years ago to rainy cold London and loved it. I did not miss the Sydney sunshine, the humidity or the mozzies. Seems that only now, with kids grown up, that I hanker for a simpler life in the sun. It's good to have a foot in both camps!

[Scunner]

Somewhat strangely, it was the fact that this particular life in the sun was anything but a simpler life that convinced me to call time on our adventure  

[Karennina]

very interesting post Keith... when we bought our apartment six years ago I would have sold up everything in the uk (had it been possible) and gone like a shot to live in Turkey thankfully hubby is more sensible and grounded then me!!!....The last six years have been a great learning curve indeed. I had not even spent a July or August in Turkey when we purchased a property and to say the heat of August was a shock was an understatement, the last few years I have realised I am not saying to people any more "ooh I want to live in Turkey" I do still love it there and would like to be able to spend longer periods out there but definetely do not want to live there anymore....but good on the people that do want to make the move an make their dream a reality  

[Jim Fraser]

Thought provoking post there Scunner.

[stoop]

My son arrives back home next month after five years in Thailand. Must have the same itch  

[Scunner]

I only wish to provoke thoughts Jim, that's my job on here   

We used to sit people watching at our chosen kebap place on a Sunday - and spend half our time eating and half our time waving. This year our travel dates meant we weren't in town for the Tuesday market or indeed the Calis Sunday market. But last year, we sat at our usual place and didn't see anyone we recognised at all.

Economics plays a part I am sure, those living on interest from savings are seeing prices going up and interest rates going down on a slow but consistent basis. But my feeling was that spending 40 minutes in a queue at the Telecom only to discover that you should be in the other queue starts as an amusing story to tell your mates, and 5 years later ends as another reason to slit your wrists   

[savoyboy]

A very thoughtful post.
 The simple life is easy to want but
 A lot harder to do it seems.
   

[bewva]

My son arrives back home next month after five years in Thailand. Must have the same itch   

Not necessarily Stoop. People come back from Thailand with a whole manner of itches.  

[Anne]

Funnily enough Billy and I were talking about this very subject only last night.
When we bought our apartment seven years ago it was for holidays with a view to selling and buying a villa to live full time when we retire.
Now, reading everything we do on here I've a feeling our place in the sun will be a distant memory long before then.