I need to hear good things about the UK

I love that I'm somewhat unique here. Everyone wants to chat with me and ask about me (and I oh so love the attention).

I feel like I'm more worldly here. I meet people from all over the world and I don't feel like I'm being held by 'American ignorance'.

I really do love England, which suprises everyone I tell. It truly is a fantastic country and it makes my life a big ole adventure.

I'm moving to England in March, but when I visited last year I remember everyone was asking ME to "keep talking"! hahaha It was so cool to finally be the one with the accent! LOL And I totally agree...we don't realize how uncultured we are sometimes until we're thrown into a different country! 

Okay for my own sanity as a person moving there and needing to hear some good stuff before I hide in my closet and never leave this house or this country . . . .

What are the good things about the UK that you can't live without or would miss terribly.  Or what are some kindnesses people have shown you when you needed help, or what was the one point at where your attitude went from "oh my God what did I do" to one of "I actually like this" or "it's not so bad here".

 
I honestly don't know if I could have answered that question for the years I was living in England.  I was the "hiding in the closet type"...while living there. LOL  I was lost, lonely, and misunderstood by so many that had these American stereotypes.  I lost my confidence too...starting over at everything. 
But now, being back in the states...I can appreciate the UK more.  The simplicity, the rolling hills, castles, high streets.
Only coming back to America am I able to see how much here is buy, buy, buy! Or build more strip malls...overhead powerlines...every town seems to have a WalMart, McDonalds, and Super Target...they look the same except for the backdrops..a mountain, palm tree or cornfield. LOL   England was full of variety!  I do miss that.
Now I can also appreciate the learnig experience too.  Where, while I was in England I was frustrated at not knowing how to drive, buy a house, get car insurance, work the healthcare system, shop..or even recognize words....NOW I see it as an accomplishment.
It wasn't easy..the big move...but it was worth everything. 

Another thing I love about the London is that no matter what time of the day it was, or what area I was visiting, I always saw couples in a warm embrace and kissing.  Young, old, it didn't matter.  It was all just so romantic.

...and old couples holding hands!  Siiiigh....

This is an incredibly inspiring thread.  I have visited the UK 6 times, fallen in love with the country, and am trying to figure out how to immigrate.  More on that in another section of this forum.
The comment I keep hearing from Americans AND Brits who live here(US) is "it's more expensive to live in the UK."  I know that the $ is weak v. the pound, and that petrol is sky-high.  What about every day life?  How about utilities, cable, and the like?  I remember from my trips that food was reasonable, and a pint was at most 2 pound 50.  Which is a tad less than $5 here.  There are pubs here getting $6 for a pint of imported beer.  I'm trying to put together a monthly budget.  I have friends in the Midlands who I can get started with, but am looking at Scotland as a final destination.
One thing I know;you can't put a price on the things that are mentioned in the previous threads.  I envy you all so much.  
Thanks for a reply.
RB

Off-topic comments have been split.  This is a topic about good things in the UK.

New topic about how expenses in the UK is here:  http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=22583.0

As many have said,what a great topic this was and l've enjoyed reading the great comments and how Americans see my country. I'm a Brit living in the US and maybe l'll ask a similar question on the Brit expats forum and see what Brits would miss most,or like most, about life in the US...mine would be a very short list and the answer would be NOTHING ! I miss the UK very much and everything about it and l'd leave the US tomorrow if l could,but sadly circumstances don't permit that. I have dual nationality now,so l'm fortunate to be able to go back and forth between the US/UK unrestricted. The main thing,..the only thing really,that keeps me here is that l have a great (American)wife. I guess there must be something good about living here but off the top of my head,l can't think of what it is ! I'm sure l'm in a minority among Brits though..most would give their right arm to live here (Florida) and l realise that l'm very lucky,it's just that the UK is home and that's where most of my family are too and l could list many things that l love about the UK. I'm definitely much more patriotic about my country since l've lived in the US too. One day...I'll be back

how uncultured we are sometimes until we're thrown into a different country! 

depends who you are talking to and what you define as 'culture'..  I think it's just different  and maybe people have been exposed to different things ..doesn't mean what they know or have experienced  is 'lesser' in value.. 'uncultured' just sounds  a bit harsh..

Thanks for this thread.  I'd spent four months in York, where I will soon be living, but was getting nervous about leaving the US for good.  Finding this thread has helped so much!  I needed to remember what I am gaining, besides my wonderful fiance,  to counter a little of what I feel I am losing in not having my good friends as close!  It's helped remind me of what I miss about my time there, and now I'm getting really excited again to move!  And we've found some things on here that I haven't experienced yet, so we are excited to try the different foods, and finding new parks, and finding new ways for me to enjoy my new life there.  THANKS!   

If you have a permanent job - the maternity leave is great.  The government minimum you'd receive is a year off - within that year, the first 6 weeks you'd be payed 90% of your salary, then just over £100 a week for 20 weeks.  They have to leave your job open for you when/if you return, too.Not bad!

If you have a permanent job - the maternity leave is great.  The government minimum you'd receive is a year off - within that year, the first 6 weeks you'd be payed 90% of your salary, then just over £100 a week for 20 weeks.  They have to leave your job open for you when/if you return, too.Not bad!

This is actually something I have been thinking about lately...  I know this much so far but if you don't return or can't return to the same amount of hours you were doing before?  Someone said you would have to pay back the maternity benefits. Is that true?

There's a good topic about maternity benefits here:

http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=19358.0

As for the maternity benefits go - what I put above you can KEEP - anything over what the govt gives you MAY have to be returned - but it would all be in your contract or company guidelines.  Also, you have the right to request to return to work on reduced hours & (I think) still keep the money.

All I can say on this topic is that the scenery is incredible, the people are relaxed and friendly.  Now here's an odd one - I was waiting for my taxi in the car park one day - there was a taxi there, and after a few minutes, I thought "Hmm...I didn't think my fiance called that company, but maybe he did"  SO..I asked the driver - he said he was waiting for a neighbor, said "You're Russ' Mrs", knew which company my fiance usually called, and said "Here comes yours now" as it was driving in!  Stunned    I have been to England many times, people in the shops know me, and always welcome me back!  Gotta love it

This is such a remarkable thread....
I am new to this site and am finding it really helpful to me now.
I moved back to the US after living in the UK for several years and am now missing it a lot....so much so that my (English) husband and i are considering moving back....

I posted about it yesterday if you want to read about it http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=24081.0 [nofollow]

The UK has so much much to offer in so many ways....thanks for reminding me of that.  Perhaps it will make a decision come easier for my husband and i.