Can't really imagine living abroad - I spent about six months on the southside with a mate and nearly got homesick. I think I'd just miss the feeling of knowing everything and having grown up in a place and feeling that I have this connection even with total strangers because we're from the same neck of the woods (even though chances are they're not!)

I was asked by HR once whether I would be interested in working abroad and my exact response nearly gave my boss premature heart attack - "I live on the Northside, I work on the Southside, I think that's enough travel for one man"

But I would miss the good pint. Right about that.

When I lived in South Africa what I missed most was the sea. The nearest beach was 600kms away. I also missed family and friends but we made so many new friends whom we met at barbeques and other social occassions. It's unlike Ireland where nearly all the socialising revolves around the pub.

On the plus side we had a great time. the weather was excellent, golf all year round and a beautiful pool and garden. Servants doing all the tasks we abhor. Travelling to see interesting places.

It's great to be back though and enjoying the Grove reunions.

hmmm....what would put me off moving abroad....well, first and foremost, my immediate family and friends - it would be very unusual for me not to have spoken to parents and siblings at least once a day! (I kid you not!) - we're very close, so to not be able to see them regularly would be a major culture shock for me! Also, couldn't bring my beloved animals with me (well, unless I wanted to put them in quarantine!) - they're an extension of the family anyway!

I love the size of Ireland, the fact that you're never really too far from anything, be it the sea, countryside, city etc....and on a "food" aspect of things I'd really miss my Superquinn Smoked Rashers, a nice cuppa cha, Cadburys chocolate and King Crisps!!!!!!

I have lived in Australia for 19 years and the thing I miss most about Ireland is the easy way people chat to eachother just because they are in your "space" for a while, like at the bus stop, a queue in the shops or wherever.

I miss having my family around for special occasions like Christmas or birthdays and I would love to be able to pop in for a coffee and chat now and then but I DONT miss the external interferance that comes with family living close to you when things are not going too well. There were many times I was really glad we were this far away and they didn't have to know so couldn't get involved.

I miss having a relationship with my nieces and nephews who were all born years after I left.

I missed my kids not having aunts and uncles, grannies and grandads and cousins as part of their immediate lives.

I do still miss a good pork sausage.

I used to miss Hellmans mayonaise til they brought it in here.

Dont shoot me for this but I think if I had to leave Australia and go back to live in Ireland there is much more I would miss about Australia than I ever did about Ireland. I realised this when Grainne told me she was moving "home". I had no difficulty getting on a plane and emigrating to Australia back then - none at all apart from the snots and dribbles at the airport as we were leaving family. But I remember putting myself in Grainnes shoes that day she told me and feeling that I would be quite devestated to leave Australia.

I was always a bit of a gypsy and independant anyway. I left home at 18 in Ireland and moved into a flat on the south side initially with a friend from the country- back then NOBODY left home unless it was to find work in a different town or to get married.

I have been in the US since 1993! I was so homesick for the best part of 10 years but I know our life is better here so I stuck with it. 

If my Mother was still alive I would certainly have moved back and I have no doubt about that at all.  I will never forget the day I left and seeing my Mother through the little window as I walked away!!!!! Yuck I never want to go through that again.

I miss my family so much.  I generally miss "the land" and the culture.  I love meeting Irish people as they have a great ability to laugh and share a joke, what a great place to grow up.  I will never ever let go of Ireland and it's my home forever.  I feel Irish from the inside out.

I will never forget going home a few years back and spending the long Paddy's weekend in Achill Island.  Well on Paddy's day we woke up to the marching band going up the Island.  That night we headed off to the pub actually called "The Pub".  The craic was mighty.  Leaving the pub at about 12 or 1 who do we meet on the road but "The marching band" still going hard at it.

Ah Ireland where the hell would you get it only Ireland - I love it.

I love going home and walking into the local and knowing all the folk sitting at the bar just where I left them all those years ago.  I love the nod and the greeting of “How are ya Teresa, home again for a visit”… I blend in just like I never left.  I get a hug off every one of them young and old when I am leaving and again the sad goodbye of “Don’t worry Teresa sure you’ll be home again soon”…

Ah feck it yis have me crying now...

But Columbus, Ohio is home away from home now and I love the many friends we have made.

Oh yeah! Thank the lord above for Fado's as that is where we pick up our Irish sausies and rashers.  Our Tayto cheese and onion and my sweets if I can get any before Tom the manager eats them all.  They give the lads their bar of Cadbury chocolate every Saturday when we go in for our pint.  No charge on the sweets!!! I love the damn chip sticks also....  We have met such a bunch of Irish lads over there.

The Grove website has really put my homesickness at bay especially meeting so many of us far away from home!

Bless your cotton socks 

I think i would miss the low wages,high tax,house prices ...ect.

I lived in Sydney for 14 years and the things I missed most were - my family of course. With 5 sisters it is a lot to miss! I missed pork sausages and apple tart. You can't get cooking apples in Australia and so apple tarts never tasted tarty!!

What I've enjoyed most since coming back to Ireland is the wit of Irish people particularly the Dubs. You can't beat it. I also enjoy the seasons - particularly Spring no point talking about Summer but I remember once when we had one I really enjoyed it!!

And I have to say I find the physical country of Ireland so calming and good for the soul. I loved Australia and still do but Ireland is my home.

Well never went as far afield as u guys but spent 11 years in London and god missede loads of things about home dont know where to start.

Food ie tayto crisps irish sausages clonakilty pudding red lemonade chef sauce and could go on

friends and family are a given

Missed the sea / coast so much had to drive at least two hrs to get to the coast hated that.

never got to see my boys in blue

But if had to pick one thing over everything else would be the girly chats while queuing in the ladies toliets never know who u end up talking to and wot they would come out with but guarenteed to end up laughing.

Been home now for 12 years and would never go back luv being home

I miss going to to pub with friends. They don't do that here. It's all bbq's and going to peoples houses.

I love perth and I love the aussie weather and I never felt homesick much.

But I miss the proper brown bread from Dunnes. Tayto, King crisps. Easons. And definitely shops that open late. Shops close too early in Perth. Only late night shopping on thurs. No sunday trading!!!! yet!!!

Miss the craic with friends. But chatting to you guys definitely helps.

Apart from Dublin, Perth is a fantastic place to live.

But I can't wait to get home in sept. Looking forward to Harry's and the Castle and maybe a Tues night in Tamango's.

Jaysus, I'm homesick now!!!!!!!!!!

Lush green grass, fresh sea breeze, Marks & Spencer, Saturday afternoon strolls around town culminating with a few pints and long chats in old Dublin pubs with some old pals, North Dublin strands and Wicklow Hills

Mins wrote: I have lived abroad since 1994. I did return for 3 years in 2000 but then headed away ( happily ) again as most of you know. I do miss the odd sausage ( pork variety ) like Carol and I do miss Cadburys chocolate. I miss Superquinn and I miss my walks in Howth. I live abroad not because of a major wanderlust or because I can´t stand Ireland ( it surprises me that some people consider it is a factor in me being away )....it was never a case of a .."I can´t wait to get outa here ", thing. I live abroad cos the hubbies work takes him abroad and his dual nationality is a strong factor in his gypsy tendancies. I married into that and was happy to do so. I always knew we would be heading Spain or South America way.. Like Carol, there is probably more positives for me living abroad than there are living in Ireland. That is just the way it is. Could analyse the whole thing and debate about this and that and do the whole SWOT analysis but what´s the point ??. For me HOME is where the heart is and the heart is where my hubbie is so I will follow him and support him gladly. All else is secondary. Of course I miss my family, they won´t be able to visit as frequently as they have been doing BUT I am independent and like Carol the " distance " thing suits me quite well. I very much like doing my own thing and always have so this life suits me. My family is my husband, my three kids and my dog. End of story. That is who I want to be with, whatever country, where ever life takes us. I do think about the children and how by going to Mexico means they will see less of their cousins. Luckily for me quite a few now are heading towards and beyond the Leaving Cert age so I predict we will have many visits. Skype and the Webcam help enormously too...not to be underestimated. Frequent communication is possible and that means alot. I do have a dream of one day having my own wee place in West Cork and I would love, when the kids are at work or Uni or whatever that I could spend half the year there and the balance in my permanent home whereever that might be then.....all in the future...could do with a crystal ball sometimes !!. A lot of people at home think the grass is greener elsewhere and then when they get there, the grass suddenly becomes greener at home. I was glad of the opportunity to come home in 2000 because I was feeling just like that. NOW...it is out of my system..came home but was happy and excited to leave for foreign parts again...and am still happy. That is my tuppence worth. Don´t shoot me either.... Mins.

I'm completely with Mins on this, I love the friendliness of Ireland but I think that is all to be honest. I wouldn't miss the weather one bit. And to be honest when we go on hols for the 2 weeks every year we dont even ring home more than once and that would be to say we got there safe.

I am really up for moving to Australia for a few years to try it out, think hubby is a bit of a home bird though and that is a bit crap for me. But i've told him that if he had to up sticks for a job I would go. However I wouldn't fancy England and am in two minds about the US what with all the classroom killings etc.

I am quite an independant person and dont like to "need" things or people but I do like to know that if I did "Need" someone that they would be there.

I think though having kids grandparents around is so important... but it prob wouldn't stop me if i got the chance for an adventure abroad.  

Forgot to add a garlic chicken kebab from Abrakebabra!!

You probabely have fab chowder in Aus, great surf and turf in America, but do you have the

real Brown Bread and the Guinneass to go with it like in Joe may's Skerries.

I sat there on Saturday afternoon looking out at the harbour in heaven. Went on the bus so I could enjoy a few pints of the black stuff without the worry of the car. It's amazing what you can see from the top of a bus that you miss when your driving.

Bad weather has some advantages !!!!

Caroloz wrote: Star  if you end up coming to Perth you already have a support network built in!! 4 Grovers here!!

I'll mail you before I arrive Lol!

Hey Pat

I saw your beautiful wife Puy in the Sheeling.

You luckey man.

This is a fantastic topic, nice one Rob and fascinating to read the stuff from those of you living away.

Sad and all as it sounds I'm with 'Snapper on this one. Don't think I could live anywhere else but the Northside of Dublin. Having been here for so long now we've built up a real big social thing and I don't I could really enjoy life properly without it. For me that's the big thing.

Think that a house is a house, ya can only sleep in one scratcher regardless of the size of your bedroom etc. and that other stuff is far more important.

The kids are happy here, family is all here etc. so moving now would not be an option.

Having spent the guts of three weeks with our friends who moved to Perth last year I can see the attarctions though. Really lovely city, very relaxed atmosphere and full of friendly people, although like the girls said, social life does seem to be centred on BBQs in peoples gardens rather than in the boozer, which is something I would find really difficult to cope with.

Really admire the way you lot,Teresa,Mins,Carol,Mary,Lesley,Donal and Rob etc. have done your thing though and reckon that I would have loved to have had the cojones to do it years ago before we got settled.

Too late now though.