Comments on: Living Abroad in 2012 – What I Miss About The UK

By: Julien Prémont

Julien Prémont — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 23:34:20 +0000

I am a Canadian living in Germany and I miss mostly two things:
1) Winter, shoveling the driveway, playing hockey with whoever’s there at the local rink. Temperature that would give people something to complain about.
2) Ale or other tasty varieties of beer. The German are very proud of their beer and most people are very enthousiastic about it, but I find German beer culture a bit boring. I’m not a fan of the ubiquitous lager, so there are basically only wheat and dark beer left for me. They are good, but to me, there is more to beer than that.

By: Andy

Andy — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 18:03:11 +0000

Unfortunately, there are some things we just have to give up when we travel. Some of them you listed, but there are inevitably more little things. I find it is the little conveniences that I miss most. Although, I can certainly sympathize with your missing of curry. I am a curry addict! 🙂 Cheers to your many successes, hope this year is bright for you!

By: Heather

Heather — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 20:42:11 +0000

So glad to have found your blog! It’s so amazing! I often dream of traveling and living some place totally different (like Norway!) but you’ve shown me that there are many things to be thankful for in my home. That said, I love hearing about your adventures and seeing your photos! What a chance of a lifetime!

By: K- J

K- J — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 23:04:17 +0000

I’m rather surprised what you said about cheese. Most things foodwise I can get in Bristol but not nice hard cheeses. I do miss Swedish hard cheese. All things here are just cheddar!

It is weird to move away. I’ve been living abroad for tvelwe years now and I still miss my friends who I don’t see that much. But you also loose touch with what goes on. I have no clue what is on the agenda in Sweden. It has somehow become unimportant. I still vote but don’t know what’s goes on. It’s probably a sign I’m quite integrated here.

By: Biss

Biss — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 21:22:06 +0000

Well, i’m an expat American living in London for nearly 30 years and i STILL miss New York pizza! If i wasn’t living in London i’d probably miss ALL of Waitrose! Its all swings & roundabouts. But i do know what you mean about Norwegian shops….

By: Alicia Webster

Alicia Webster — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 21:12:32 +0000

I am an American living in Australia (while my husband attends post graduate law school), and I miss pretty much everything about my own country. I miss seasons, such as fall and winter, and trivial things like wearing a sweater and a scarf. I miss food that tastes good when you eat it, such as grain-fed beef that is juicy, tender, and marbled, and dairy products such as milk and sour cream that aren’t yellow in colour. I miss interacting with people who love to laugh and who appreciate an acerbic, witty, and often dry sense of humour. I miss being able to purchase something that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. (e.g. Pop-Tarts Toaster Pastries are $1.99/box in the U.S. and $9.95/box in Australia, so I am profoundly grateful that I don’t like Pop-Tarts). And I miss a sense of decorum. Certainly, if I were to frequent a strip club, I might expect a full, unforgiving view of a lady’s naughty bits, but at my childrens’ school ? I am no prude ( having been a child of the 70’s, I daresay that I have seen it all–usually with copious amounts of hair on it ), but I am unprepared to see the equivalent of pasties and a g-string at 7:30 every morning (and that’s just the teachers–you should see what the mums wear). Thanks for letting me vent. I feel a bit better now.

By: David Nikel

David Nikel — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 20:55:17 +0000

In reply to Jay. It's definitely the time of year - one finds oneself getting all reflective at the start of a new year ;)

By: nantia

nantia — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 20:49:09 +0000

i really understand you… i mostly miss the nightlife of Greece, my friends and family and especially the sun!!!

By: Jay

Jay — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 20:43:18 +0000

Funny – I’m seeing a lot of similar posts about this very topic lately. Perhaps the holidays have made us all nostalgic.

My list is fairly similar to yours – I mostly miss the ease and comfort I have at home. I know exactly where to find everything I need, I know what it’ll cost, and I know how to go about getting it. It’s the little things that take so much work when living abroad!