Expats 'remain attached to their homeland'

Despite making the decision to move away to a new country, possibly to never return to their native land, expatriates do still have a tie with their home country, it has been claimed.

Writing a blog piece for the Telegraph's Expat website, Majorca-based writer Anna Nicholas said that even if disenchantment was a key reason for leaving home, there are still aspects of their homeland that they hold dear.

"Love it or hate it, cutting the umbilical cord with the UK is not simple," she wrote.

Foodstuffs in particular can be items that expats find it hard to separate from, she suggested, although over time items that once were quintessentially British have made it on to the shelves of supermarkets in a range of countries.

Other factors can make a new expat romanticise their view of home; lack of a new job, difficulty integrating with local customs and higher costs than expected can all affect a new expat, she suggested.

However, no matter how people feel about their homeland, the majority make the effort to integrate in their new country, she said.