I often don't know when it's coming, but the feeling of homesickness can be overwhelming. I have days where anything can set me off - finding a cockroach on the bathroom floor, an extremely hot day, or even if I can't get a certain cheese at the supermarket. My retort to Mr G is normally 'It's not like this in England'. I know I have my rose-tinted glasses on about the UK most of the time, but isn't it like that wherever you are? The grass is always greener and all that...
I had a particularly difficult February: my parents returned home after two brilliant months with us, and then Mr G left for a week-long work trip in Europe a few days later. My jealousy did get the better of me more than a couple of times. Why was I stuck here in Sydney when they were all in the UK? I felt left out, particularly as my husband was getting to catch up with some of our closest friends in London. But he's back now, which for the moment is keeping the homesick feelings from bay.
Some days I love that we live here - an early morning walk along the beach, coffee in hand, is just the best way to start the day - and I look forward to the next couple of years that we will be in Sydney. But then I will have a day when it hits me...when will I see the people that I care about again? I find that the hardest part is talking to loved ones on Skype or FaceTime. It's so lovely seeing their faces but then all too soon the conversation is over and I'm left feeling flat afterwards.
Of course I know that feeling homesick is all part of living abroad, and I'm fully aware that my husband had to deal with this during the 11 years he was in London. We're still to decide where we will live long term, but you can't make rash decisions based on homesick feelings. Whether we stay here or go home after a few years will be decided by the both of us, but I know that wherever we are one of us will always get those pangs for home.
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| In London. |
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| In Sydney. |
