Am I crazy wanting to move back to Colorado?

[USAgirl]

I've been in UK 14-1/2 years, have a husband (who works away from home half the year) and two school-age children.

Is the grass greener on the other side in CO? It's decision time for us to decide to take a job in CO or stay put.

He'll be going from an oil rig job being away half the year to a job working 9-5ish and commuting, but home weekends.

Confused, crazy -- what do you say?

[Bevdeforges]

Well, before deciding to move back to the US after all that time in the UK, you really should read Bill Bryson's book "I'm a Stranger Here Myself" (which I think appeared in the UK as "Notes from a Large Country"). It's his account of moving back to the US after 25 years of living in the UK.

And it's significant to realize that Bryson and family are now back in the UK.
Cheers,
Bev

[theresoon]

Originally Posted by USAgirl

I've been in UK 14-1/2 years, have a husband (who works away from home half the year) and two school-age children.

Is the grass greener on the other side in CO? It's decision time for us to decide to take a job in CO or stay put.

He'll be going from an oil rig job being away half the year to a job working 9-5ish and commuting, but home weekends.

Confused, crazy -- what do you say?

I would take stock of what I like at each place and the weight you put on each. See what is more important for you and your family. Are you and the family willing to deal with the change?

Why cann't you live closer to your husband's work so he can be home every day?

Having lived in the UK and the US, I would never ever ever move back to the UK. But only you and your family can make that decision.

[twostep]

Is the 9-5 job in CO?

[USAgirl]

Theresoon,

Thanks for that. Can't move to closer to hubby's job; he works on oil rigs in the North Sea. The other option is moving to Aberdeen (neither wants to do that) so that he can work 9-5.

Twostep,

The job in CO will be 9-5 ISH ... or so they say. Worried that my husband will not like his office job. He's only ever commuted via airplane and helicopter to work every two weeks. Not sure if he'll get into the daily grind!

[theresoon]

Originally Posted by USAgirl

Theresoon,

Thanks for that. Can't move to closer to hubby's job; he works on oil rigs in the North Sea. The other option is moving to Aberdeen (neither wants to do that) so that he can work 9-5.

Twostep,

The job in CO will be 9-5 ISH ... or so they say. Worried that my husband will not like his office job. He's only ever commuted via airplane and helicopter to work every two weeks. Not sure if he'll get into the daily grind!

i meant once in CO

[USAgirl]

Originally Posted by theresoon

i meant once in CO

Oh, right, living in CO, he'll be home every night/weekends, and all holidays. At the moment, it's always a gamble for Christmas and he hasn't been home once this year for all our birthdays.

So that is two of the weights in favor of CO.

[theresoon]

Originally Posted by USAgirl

Oh, right, living in CO, he'll be home every night/weekends, and all holidays. At the moment, it's always a gamble for Christmas and he hasn't been home once this year for all our birthdays.

So that is two of the weights in favor of CO.

The kids would love that. he will have to decide, maybe he will like the change.

[twostep]

Originally Posted by USAgirl

Oh, right, living in CO, he'll be home every night/weekends, and all holidays. At the moment, it's always a gamble for Christmas and he hasn't been home once this year for all our birthdays.

So that is two of the weights in favor of CO.

Been there done that for 20 years. You are looking at three seperate issues:
a) you getting reaclimated to life in the US
b) you learning to live together as an (almost) normal family
c) he dealing with a totally different work/life scenario

B was the toughest for us after years of occasionally sharing cat and wash machine during "honey moons". Good luck to you!

[USAgirl]

Thanks
C is my worry. The "honeymoons" are great it's the "going away" that's tough.