What do you think you would miss if you decided to set off for a new life overseas? Perhaps bangers and mash, fish and chips or maybe something as simple as a good old cup of English tea?

A recent survey revealed that the answer is in fact none of the above. The thing that almost 46 per cent of all British expats miss the most about their home country is the English countryside. This just beat the British sense of humour into second place with 42 per cent of the 1,034 people surveyed saying that that is what they pine for. In third place, people admitted that the thing that they missed was a trusty British pub.

The findings also revealed that expats living in the USA craved food from home the most. Despite some products enjoyed by Brits since childhood now being available in the USA, the price of them is high and somehow they just don’t taste the same.

Fortunately, it’s not all doom and gloom. The survey found that despite the odd pang of sentimentalism for all things British, Brits abroad are generally positive about their lives as expatriates, with 68 per cent claiming that they are happier overseas than when they were in the UK.

The survey also concluded that British expats don’t miss the British weather, nor do they miss the politics. Since many people moved in order to advance their careers, they certainly don’t miss their former salaries either.

Earlier similar surveys have shown that 76 per cent of expats missed family and friends and attached a high level of importance to regular visits back home. In fact, family pressure and healthcare were two of the main factors driving people back to the UK. Research has shown that it takes an average of one to two years for an expat to establish a social network and feel at home in their new country.

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