My absence from the blog over the past 12 days was not intentional, and I have no plans to abandon blogging. On March 2 I returned to the UK for a short visit after living abroad in Turkey for eight years.
People had warned me I would notice changes, but I didn’t expect much — I grew up in the UK, after all. I was wrong. The differences proved to be more significant than I anticipated.
The last time I was in the UK was 2004. I’m unsure whether I still have a right to call the country “home.” If the old saying “home is where the heart is” holds true, then my heart is firmly in Turkey.
Still, my roots are British, so I expected some emotional connection. To my surprise, that connection was faint. I felt little excitement or familiarity; my strongest tie to the UK is my family, to whom I owe a great deal of gratitude.
Observations About Returning Home after Living Abroad
Ready meals dominate supermarket shelves — and many taste awful. Supermarket aisles are packed with microwaveable options. After years in Turkey wishing for easy-to-heat meals, I bought a selection of ready meals in the UK, only to throw many away. The experience made me appreciate freshly cooked Turkish food and question the quality of some UK convenience foods.
The UK felt cleaner and more organised. Public transport was noticeably better than what I remember — cleaner trains, tidier stations and public toilets that weren’t an ordeal to use. Streets felt cleaner too, and overall public services seemed more polished.
I suddenly noticed the historic buildings I once overlooked.
I’m not talking about grand stately homes but the everyday architecture in city centres. Walking around Nottingham, Liverpool and Southport, I found beautiful buildings — many still in use, others preserved as shopfronts while keeping their original façades. It made me wonder how often we ignore what’s been in front of us all along.
I questioned the ethics and quality of some high-street brands.
People suggested shopping at Primark because it’s incredibly cheap. After spending about £60 on 13 items, I began to wonder how such low prices are possible without compromising labour standards. Primark’s ethical statements claim good working conditions for suppliers, but the brand has faced criticism in the past. Quality was another issue: a pair of pyjamas developed holes after only three nights. I prefer to pay more for better-quality items and fair working conditions for those who make them.
Britain is notably supportive of people with disabilities.
Compared with my experience in Turkey, where accessibility and support can be limited without family assistance, the UK felt much more accommodating. Disabled toilets were widely available, staff were helpful, and navigating spaces in a wheelchair seemed easier. Britain deserves credit for its visible support and infrastructure for disabled people.
Public discretion seems to be waning.
On several bus and train journeys I overheard private conversations conducted loudly on mobile phones. One young woman agonised over whether a man would call; another man threatened to hang up on his wife repeatedly during an argument. A woman complained loudly about a friend feeding her child frozen sausages and chips every day. These moments made me wish people would keep certain discussions private out of respect for others in public spaces.
Notes: Photos taken from Flickr. Regular posting will resume when I return to the wonderful country of Turkey.
Reader question: I’m curious about your experiences returning to the place you grew up. Did you notice clear differences, or did everything feel the same? If you’re an expat, where do you call home?