An Englishman in Brzeg Dolny!

Moving to a different country really is a life changing experience. It's not until you actually do it, do you realise by how much .....8 years in Poland and counting, so I should know:)

You look at your native country in a different way

I miss England and that surprises me. But should I be surprised? It's human nature to miss something that you don't have easy access to anymore. Whenever I do go back to see family and friends I appreciate everything and everyone a little more. What was something ordinary or natural 10 years ago, is now more special and exciting.

Family and friends

I was close to my parents before I left, but now I'm even closer. We all value the time we spend together, whether that's when I go to them or they visit me. The same goes for friends. It's no surprise that I've lost touch with some, but others have been fantastic. I have a diehard group that visit twice a year. Those weekends are always special to me.

Important occasions

One downside of living in another country is that you inevitably miss some important occasions. Special birthdays, anniversaries, Christmases. Seeing pictures on Facebook just isn't the same. But I guess the feeling can be the same for them too. They don't get to share the special moments I have in Poland.

So where is home?

As long as I have family and friends in England I will continue to visit regularly. My heart still connects me to England. It's no surprise. I lived there for almost 40 years. But over the past 8 years I built a business and a house. I have a family here and life is good. Poland is my home, but England is and always will be a big part of my life.

Do you know anyone who lives abroad? How do they feel about their new home and where they originally came from?

#brzegdolny #nativespeaker #getintouch