How often does she go back, and for how long?

[Manny]

How often does your wife go home, and how long does she stay?

This year it was a month; I joined her for the last week of that. Three weeks is long enough to be wifeless. 

Generally, it tends to be a month or so a year; sometimes spread across two visits. Later this year, Father is having a couple of weeks with us here. Mother prefers staying home getting updates by phone. She is not keen to fly again. 

For me, two months would be too long. If a woman needs a sixth of the year in one go, she needs to consider where she actually wants to live.

[Donhollio]

For me, two months would be too long. If a woman needs a sixth of the year in one go, she needs to consider where she actually wants to live.

 That's how I see it as well. I read about the girl heading home 2-3 times a year for extended visits leaves me thinking she really has a hard time letting go. I have often posted about them migrating (like birds) instead of immigrating which is what she acually has done.
 I realise that a trip from the UK or western Europe can be done on a whim, much the way I can fly from here to Vancouver or Toronto, though friends I know in these cities don't fly in for a long weekend. In a recent talk with my little human heater I let her know that her flights are quite high priced, and I'm not going to fund bi-yearly trips home.

[tonton]

I'm in agreement with Don and Manny here--my Mrs hasn't been back for over 2 years, and doesn't really want to. Only thing she misses is family/friends. The son however is back now for 8 weeks, and at 20 years old he knows it is the last trip he makes on our coin.

[Manny]

I realise that a trip from the UK or western Europe can be done on a whim, much the way I can fly from here to Vancouver or Toronto

Its a seven hour trip and costs maybe $CAD 850-900 (£550) each time. Plus spending money and gifts, etc., so treble that for a month. It soon becomes significant.

[Donhollio]

I realise that a trip from the UK or western Europe can be done on a whim, much the way I can fly from here to Vancouver or Toronto

Its a seven hour trip and costs maybe $CAD 850-900 (£550) each time. Plus spending money and gifts, etc., so treble that for a month. It soon becomes significant.

 Yes right. I was thinking in along the lines of a London- Moscow/Kiev flight.  The non direct flights can add a large amount of time and cost as you pointed out.

[Manny]

I realise that a trip from the UK or western Europe can be done on a whim, much the way I can fly from here to Vancouver or Toronto

Its a seven hour trip and costs maybe $CAD 850-900 (£550) each time. Plus spending money and gifts, etc., so treble that for a month. It soon becomes significant.

 Did u mean triple??

No, I meant treble; a doublet of "triple" or "threefold" (from the Latin triplus). Shall I ask Andrew to clarify? 

[2tallbill]

I realise that a trip from the UK or western Europe can be done on a whim, much the way I can fly from here to Vancouver or Toronto

Its a seven hour trip and costs maybe $CAD 850-900 (£550) each time. Plus spending money and gifts, etc., so treble that for a month. It soon becomes significant.

 Did u mean triple??

No, I meant treble; a doublet of "triple" or "threefold" (from the Latin triplus). Shall I ask Andrew to clarify? 

Yes, please do it somehow sailed over my head and took out the chandelier but don't
worry my head broke it's fall.

I know the difference between a treble clef and bass clef in music. I know of a treble
key which I had on my E flat alto saxophone to alternate quickly between sharps and flats. 

I am aware of the example of treble damages in a legal sense (not unlike the cost of
an RW vacation) then tripling the amount, but I am how sure much is treble £550 ?

[Jinx]

 All depends on the person...for Nataly 2 months isn't that long. She loves her country and she loves her family even more. She speaks with them nearly everyday so being apart from them is difficult for her.

 She leaves July 15th for 1 1/2 months this time. I'm usually good the first 2-3 weeks, I watch a lot of sports (Tour De France mostly) I get to play video games again (Call of Duty) and lay around on the couch and not be bothered.    Then I get bored of that and start to miss her and we talk a lot on the phone and Skype.

 Sorry but I think it's odd that some women don't miss their country at all and not being close to family isn't a characteristic I look for in a woman.

[Wild Orchid]

 Sorry but I think it's odd that some women don't miss their country at all and not being close to family isn't a characteristic I look for in a woman.

some women have other responsibilities. I had to pay for my son's private school fees (with my husband's help of course) I just couldn't afford to take off for 2 months and to go to have good time with my friends and family. I'm sure other women have their own reasons.  Even now when there is just 2 of us.. there are other issues like mortgage etc. I don't have a luxury of quitting my job for 2 months, I won't get it back when I return cos I passed shop assistant mark long time ago

[Jinx]

 Yes W.O.  her age has a lot to do with it, we also don't have kids. She is still getting her degree so she works part time and this also allows more freedom to go to Ukraine in summer.

 It's funny though, i'm thinking about my ex father in law now, he is Greek. He has a wife and two daughters, and ran a restaurant with his partner  for over 20 years before retiring. He has gone back to Greece for a couple months every summer for nearly as long as he's been in the U.S. Owns a couple houses there, has a car, maintains family ties, etc.  So some people maybe immigrants and love their adopted country, but never forget their homeland or stop loving it. People are all different on this subject.

[Wild Orchid]

So some people maybe immigrants and love their adopted country, but never forget their homeland or stop loving it. People are all different on this subject.

again... what makes you think that if people don't go to their homeland every year for 2 months they don't love their country or don't miss their family? 

I guess Nataly goes not because she loves her family too much, but simply because she can. She has nothing more important in her life at the moment.

[Chris]

I realise that a trip from the UK or western Europe can be done on a whim, much the way I can fly from here to Vancouver or Toronto

Its a seven hour trip and costs maybe $CAD 850-900 (£550) each time. Plus spending money and gifts, etc., so treble that for a month. It soon becomes significant.

 Yes right. I was thinking in along the lines of a London- Moscow/Kiev flight.  The non direct flights can add a large amount of time and cost as you pointed out.

To get back to my wife's city in Western Ukraine (which you would think is nearer than Russia) from blighty takes around 20+ hours, cost per person with the road trip etc lumped in is around £450.00 whatever that is in CAD.

[Muzh_1]

For me, two months would be too long. If a woman needs a sixth of the year in one go, she needs to consider where she actually wants to live.

Well, I take exception to that. Last year my wife took our 7 yo to visit her family for most of the summer. My little son had such a blast he did not want to come back. I joined them the last 4 weeks of the vacation and they couldn't wait for me to get there. Understand that the previous time I could not make it.

For you to make a statement like can be extremely hurtful, especially to your dear wife. I take it that you have never left YOUR country and moved to a place where you didn't understand the language, lest the culture, huh? Not to mention leaving everything you loved behind?

FWIW, every time my wife would return, her comment was the same: "Honey, I'm glad to be back home."

[Muzh_1]

 Sorry but I think it's odd that some women don't miss their country at all and not being close to family isn't a characteristic I look for in a woman.

some women have other responsibilities. I had to pay for my son's private school fees (with my husband's help of course) I just couldn't afford to take off for 2 months and to go to have good time with my friends and family. I'm sure other women have their own reasons.  Even now when there is just 2 of us.. there are other issues like mortgage etc. I don't have a luxury of quitting my job for 2 months, I won't get it back when I return cos I passed shop assistant mark long time ago

I can understand where you are coming from. We were in the same bind. Still, I knew it meant a lot to my wife and her family, that's why sometimes she would go on her own, because we couldn't afford both going. Luckly, her job at Macy's was extremely flexible; she would accumulate and use her vacation time, and the rest she was put on leave. Her job was always waiting for her. Now that she is in medical school, our trips will have to wait until she is done. This summer, Dieda is visiting us. Next summer will be Baba's turn.

[shakespear]

Well, I take exception to that. Last year my wife took our 7 yo to visit her family for most of the summer. My little son had such a blast he did not want to come back. I joined them the last 4 weeks of the vacation and they couldn't wait for me to get there. Understand that the previous time I could not make it.

For you to make a statement like can be extremely hurtful, especially to your dear wife. I take it that you have never left YOUR country and moved to a place where you didn't understand the language, lest the culture, huh? Not to mention leaving everything you loved behind?

FWIW, every time my wife would return, her comment was the same: "Honey, I'm glad to be back home."

I think you'll discover as time passes she'll want to spend less time in the FSU each year.  I know in our first year of marriage, my wife wanted 2 months and it was understandable.  She was going to school and struggling with English.  She needed the time to relax and recharge.  I can still remember upon arriving home that she told me how "horrible" Russia was and how rude all the people were. 

Now for the 8th year, 2 weeks is more than enough.  Friends & family die, move away or become more socially distant.  Ties to the homeland are replaced by ties to the new homeland.

It's natural for the duration of the trips to become shorter the longer she lives in her new home country.  If that's not happening, I'd consider it a minor red flag in your relationship.