Leaving Britain after 13 years and moving back to Italy. I thought it would be more traumatic than it has proved to be. I missed the sun, the Mediterranean foodstuffs and it is such a change of pace to have moved to a 50k city from the pandemonium that is London.
When I left 13 years ago I was younger, more excited at the prospect of career and UK felt like a step ahead. Now I grew up, grew to hate cities, corporate life and found Italy a healthier and happier country for the next chapter. Also, a very underrated thing not many expats talk about, I missed not feeling like a stranger, an immigrant, a fish out of water. That’s a background emotion that never goes away, however integrated and fluent in the local culture you are.
As someone who also abandoned London a few years ago, I think that any 'place' (town/city/village.. well city) over 2m population is unlivable. Unless someone lives in a super-green (mini forests, parks, etc.) area, has everything within 10-15mins driving (work, home, shopping mall, swimming pool, gym, etc.)
Anything from 50k to 2m will have all that you need (galleries, cinemas, etc.)
I went rock climbing, took some hikes, lifted weights. I watched some YouTube and Netflix, read a newspaper, finished one book and started on another, worked on a side project. Went to a cafe and sat around drinking lattes and playing a mobile game (Pokemon Go). Did laundry, cooked dinners.
Lots of running (Set a new 10K PB last week, I'm slowly getting faster)
Lots of climbing
Musical Festival.
Cocktails with friends.
Some time working through a book on Elixir.
Watching F1 and NBA playoffs.
Playing through Dragon age Veilguard (despite feeling its a massive dissapointment), and not a proper Dragon Age game :(
Leaving Britain after 13 years and moving back to Italy. I thought it would be more traumatic than it has proved to be. I missed the sun, the Mediterranean foodstuffs and it is such a change of pace to have moved to a 50k city from the pandemonium that is London.
When I left 13 years ago I was younger, more excited at the prospect of career and UK felt like a step ahead. Now I grew up, grew to hate cities, corporate life and found Italy a healthier and happier country for the next chapter. Also, a very underrated thing not many expats talk about, I missed not feeling like a stranger, an immigrant, a fish out of water. That’s a background emotion that never goes away, however integrated and fluent in the local culture you are.
As someone who also abandoned London a few years ago, I think that any 'place' (town/city/village.. well city) over 2m population is unlivable. Unless someone lives in a super-green (mini forests, parks, etc.) area, has everything within 10-15mins driving (work, home, shopping mall, swimming pool, gym, etc.)
Anything from 50k to 2m will have all that you need (galleries, cinemas, etc.)
On the Q at hand, reading, fasting, writing.
[dead]
The important stuff: kids, wife, chores, running/lifting, reading books.
I'm curious, why do you ask?
I went rock climbing, took some hikes, lifted weights. I watched some YouTube and Netflix, read a newspaper, finished one book and started on another, worked on a side project. Went to a cafe and sat around drinking lattes and playing a mobile game (Pokemon Go). Did laundry, cooked dinners.
I've been watching the NHL playoffs quite a bit, also it was school holidays so spending lots of time playing with my son.
Social media, YouTube, TV, visiting exhibitions, maintaining website, developing a C compiler for compiling TCC (https://github.com/FransFaase/MES-replacement), walking/biking.
Lots of running (Set a new 10K PB last week, I'm slowly getting faster) Lots of climbing Musical Festival. Cocktails with friends. Some time working through a book on Elixir. Watching F1 and NBA playoffs.
Playing through Dragon age Veilguard (despite feeling its a massive dissapointment), and not a proper Dragon Age game :(