British Expatriate Network

Ben, you might have been here too long ;)

I could not disagree more about how Americans being more likely to help. In my experience there is little difference and when Americans do help it is out of necessity because of the utter failure of government. Katrina was just the most visible example.

I strongly believe that we work better together than as individuals, that is why we need a strong government and adequate taxation.

I don't think we can really compare Katrina witht he recent floods in the UK, they are such totally different events. However, I was faintly proud to see the UK government acting like a government in stead of waiting for some church or charity to step.

From an economic stand point and from the practical standpoint, properly organized government is far far more effective and efficient.

As to crime, as hideous as some recent events have been, it is worth remembering that violent crime remains more prevalent in the US and the level of gun crime and gun caused homicides in the US dwarfs that in the UK.
Property crime is statistically worse in the UK than the US, however when you consider that such crimes have always been more prevalent in urban areas and that the US statistics include the crime rates for places like Wyoming and Alaska - then the disparity is hardly surprising.

I would never leave my front door open in Hackney or Brixton; but I wouldn't do it in parts of Boston or even Manchester NH.

It is worth keeping in mind that Nashua NH, a "city" that is no bigger than somewhere like Eastbourne, has its own homicide team, SWAT team and bomb squad. And they use them. Needless to say, Eastbourne gets by by sharing such resources with the rest of Sussex.

As to whether I'd move back. I learned a long time ago that you can never move back. Life only goes forward. And as I utterly failed to predict that I would be where I am now, I have similarly learned not to predict where I might go to.
I'm not fatalistic (you don't go to law school twice because you think life is controlled by some manifest destiny) but i think sometimes it is better to make the most of where you are and to be happy - in my case I have a home, a job a marriage and the little wonders.

The Uk is one giant teeming pile of drunken Chavs, rude unbearable kids, awful public services, ridiculous prices on everything (don't even mention house prices) and a shockingly bad attitude to life in general. We only intend to be here for a short period, and I'm enjoying certain aspects of life here again. But having come back in to this country it is shocking just how crap it is here.

Keeping in mind why you went back to the UK - where do you think you will go next? I'm guessing the US, but back to NY?

How about New Orleans I hear the place has a rustic charm.

Fair point Rob - the reasons we came back still hold really. I'm just shocked by the inefficiency of everything, the fact people are being openly screwed for services and goods, and that the UK now has a very thick veneer of tacky consumerism attached to almost everything.

As for next - I'm working the screws on my wife to move to Ottawa. I always say the thing I miss most about the US is Canada - I absolutely loved it whenever I was there. My US family live in the Adirondacks in NY, friends in WNY, Michigan, DC and Ontario. To be honest we'll probably end up back in the US but I can still keep dropping big hints. I really need to be back somewhere where it gets nut-chillingly cold. I have a faint dream of going to Norway for a bit, but now we have a baby that's not sensible.

Ottawa, a great little city. :)

Come to Vancouver Bungle there's wall to wall hot birds here. The weathers much nicer than the rest of Canada, you can a gt a really good indian and did I mention the hot birds?

OK - did I miss the baby announcement... or is my BSE addled brain kicking in (or is that out) again?
Congrats anyway - boy or girl?

At $2 to the quid I couldn't afford to go back even if I wanted to.

well if you did, I did too....

Yes I would go back but not with rosy tinted glasses.

As any place, its where you choose to live that will define what your experience will be.

For example I would not live where my sisters live in Chatham and Rochester as it seems to me, people have lost the ability to be ambitious because house prices are so steep that if you are young but willing to work, it will still do you no good. You will still be stuck with some grotty sublet or council flat if you are lucky. Add to that the immigration from the newer countries in the EU and you have a recipe for disaster.

Although my 2 of my kids were born in Newport, Wales and I enjoyed my time there I would not return because even in 1988 when we left there was prevading air of dismay in the air.

I would not move to where my FIL lives as its just one big council estate with no character although the last time I visited 18 months, it had improved tremedously in collecting all the trash lying around.

Much as I love Kinross, I would not return there, as that time has passed.

At the moment I do not see myself moving back in the near future but I certainly don't say I wont.

As to the drinking in the UK, I think something does need to be done about it but then it was like that 2000 when I left and I didn't feel bad about the UK then. Reading the Bebo pages of some of my kids old school mates leaves me in dispair when all I read is about sick and drunk they were last night but then I look at some older friends, with marriage and children in their world. Then I think back to my teenage years and I think well, if I had a myspace, facebook or bebo page at the time, that is exactly what you would have read. Now I can barely drink 3 glasses of wine before I have enough. Being young is great but being even older and wiser is even better :D

As an aside there is a great video on YouTube which some of you may have seen on the other expat site http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACX-96igXa4&v3.

:lol: sometimes I do wonder.

It isn't just me, though. I'm not saying that Americans don't come across as rude and arrogant, but just like I would avoid the chavs in the UK I either avoid these people of give them an attitude back. It's brilliant to see the look on their faces! :lol: I think what got me thinking about it a lot was what my daughter found when she went to school with her cousin in the UK. She couldn't get over how rude and disrespectful the kids were to the teachers compared to her US school, and I've heard this a lot from teachers in the UK for many years. Obviously there are going to be schools that are like this in the US but we are talking of a similar neighbourhood, not a difference of city versus suburbs.

Dianey and Stel - I actually agree with both of you. Yes, there are many kids here that have parents that treat the kids like little babies when they are 10 or 11 years old and don't teach them how to respect others around them. However, one big difference that took me a while to get used to but do prefer, is the US mentality that parents are responsible for their children at all times. Whereas I do remember, and see even more today when I go back, that a child is someone elses responsiblity (if they are in school it is the school) until the child does something wrong and the parent screams hell if their child needs disciplining. But the parent still doesn't take responsibility for their child.

There is also more onus put on the parents regarding participation in the schools and their child's education in the US.

Thank you Bungle, glad to see you haven't had the wool pulled over your eyes.
Sorry, but that is the most of what Britain seems to be these days, I could never go back. I'm just a spoiled bitch right now :lol: :lol: :roll:

gawd I love it when you talk spoiled... :shock:

I doubt it