Paphos Life

I am quite curious to know more about why individuals and families come out here (mainly from the UK) and leave again to go back. What has frightened them away? What is the average length of time for these transient immigrants? Does not renting or purchasing make a difference? Et cetera, et cetera et cetera.

Over the years, the main reasons for going back, that I have come across are
not being able to financially support yourself
Illness/loss of partner
Family pull.

For me it was because I was refused further treatment for an infected hip replacement. We returned to the UK, where the infection was successfully treated thank goodness.

Missing being in closer proximity to grandchildren has been a reason I have heard from a few returners.

Jeanne

A number of people return because they have done insufficient research before arriving. They often expect it to be just like the UK and think getting a job will be easy when they don't speak Greek, getting teenage kids in state school will be problem free, etc.
I used to collect furniture for a charity shop and a number of the people we collected from had been here for only 6 months, sometimes less. Sometimes the furniture still had the bubble wrap on from when they moved out.

My parents are about to return as there are no welfare services here for elderly/disabled people unless you’re able to employ a live in carer

Some people do seem to think they can just move out and decide what to do when they get here.

Most returners I have seen have cited health care as the main factor though.

I know of 6 friends who left Cyprus up to 3 years ago.

One to Portugal, one to France, and four to the UK.


They all realised they made a mistake leaving Cyprus, and over the coming months will be returning to the Island they realised is the home they miss and love.

The other people I know that left Cyprus, did so for financial and family reasons.

I think one of the most common reasons I’ve come across is grandparents missing their grandchildren growing up but for some
unfortunately the dream turned into a nightmare and had no option other than to return to the U.K.

I sometimes wonder why people who move back decided to come here in the first place, too hot, hate the food, dont like the locals, the best one was he misses getting a paper and sitting out reading it on the patio?

Each to their own. Doesn't bother me either way. You can spend too much time getting puzzled over other people's behaviour.

We spent 7 very happy years in and around Paphos. Finances were never a problem as my husband continued to work offshore. I loved my wee part time job in the garden centre at Anarita. Also, I worked in the autumn/winter months invigilating exams for the London Chamber of Commerce. In fact it was those two jobs that kept me going whilst hubby was away.

In those seven years 4 Grandchildren came along and it became increasingly harder to say goodbye to them either from Cyprus or from the UK.

I miss Cyprus for lots of things, ie the weather, seasonal foods, lovely people, pace of life etc etc. But, whilst in Cyprus I missed many things about Scotland ie, the 4 seasons, certain foods, extended family and so on.

The grandchildren won.

We have no regrets about returning to the UK in 2012 and visited Paphos a couple years ago just to see how we would feel. We had a lovely 10 day holiday but were very happy to return to the beautiful Highlands of Scotland.

Maggie B

In my 18 years here i figure the most reason folk go back is " we miss the grand children "....When i was young my boss had contracts with old folks homes.I had the opportunity during my breaks and lunch hour to chat with the elderly residents .I lost count of the number of times they told me how dissapointed they where because..........their grand children would not visit them..Oh dear.

Answered this question many, many times, I am lucky my family live close by, never missed the UK at any time, most reasons are either health related, missing close family or just making the wrong decision, there will always be things about Cy you will dislike just as living in the UK, the advantage is the climate, although this long hot summer has seen a few off back, me as I have always said it took me 54 years to get here and we are very happy still to this day.

All the same I wish those on the rebound all the very best, I hope you are making the right choice.

A few more reasons:
some think living here is the same as being on holiday
many do not do enough research
others find the working conditions are not the same as the UK
the change in lifestyle wears off after a while

Any feelings of homesickness tend to vanish within an hour of driving back in the UK.

My Daughter and Son-in-law are out in Paphos just now with their children re-living many happy times they had with us whilst living there. They are celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary. and were married on the the 14th October 2010 but the Registrar made a mistake and signed the wedding certificate for the 15th!!! What a chew we had sorting that out in Peyia Municipal Office.

Their whole wedding day was a catalogue of mis-timings, misunderstandings and mishaps and it made it the most hilarious, wonderful never-to-be-forgotten days ever. Cyprus at its best.

Maggie B

We love Cyprus and have been living and still working here for over 35 years, but no one knows what the future has in store for us,

Maggie B wrote: ↑Tue Oct 20, 2020 9:51 pm My Daughter and Son-in-law are out in Paphos just now with their children re-living many happy times they had with us whilst living there. They are celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary. and were married on the the 14th October 2010 but the Registrar made a mistake and signed the wedding certificate for the 15th!!! What a chew we had sorting that out in Peyia Municipal Office.

Their whole wedding day was a catalogue of mis-timings, misunderstandings and mishaps and it made it the most hilarious, wonderful never-to-be-forgotten days ever. Cyprus at its best.

Maggie B

Maggie my son had the same problem. He got a frantic phone call the day after his wedding asking him to return as they had put the previous year by mistake. We hadn’t noticed!

Jeanne

I think that there has been a shift in how people feel about living abroad. Back in my youth as an army child we went where we were told. We adapted, our Grand Parents were supportive and would visit if possible. We lived in all manner of circumstances and thoroughly enjoyed the majority of experiences.

I recall in Iran, some guys from Birmingham arriving and their first words were, " blimey it's hot". It is as if they had not even looked on a map before applying for the roles. Needless to say, they were back in Brum in pretty short order.