How has living in the UK changed you for the better?

We have one thread here already titled: 'I need to hear good things about the UK' with some really great comments, but one step further is the question 'how has living in the UK changed you for the better?'

Whether because of surviving the hardships of living in a new country or because of thriving on wonderful experiences of your overseas life, how have you improved yourself or your life?

I'll go first!

1. I have learned to view the world from a much more global perspective than just a western perspective.
Because I live in the UK I have been taken out of the 'USA is Best' way of thinking and because travel to the rest of the world is so easy I have experienced non-western cultures which has helped me go that extra step and see the world from more than just the Western viewpoint. This helps me understand global issues much better.
 
2. National Pride
When I am back in the States I now see America differently—with fresh eyes, appreciate it more as a unique and wonderful place. I was patriotic before I left the States, but now I feel my patriotism has matured and grown into a more objective love and respect for my home country.

3. Appreciation of Human History
Living overseas in a country with a recorded history of 2000 years, (and evidence of much longer human habitation) has given me a greater appreciation for human history globally.  Years of American History classes gave me a flawed impression that a 300-year-old house in New England was old. Now I know that a 2000-year-old Roman wall in the middle of The City (the financial district in London) is old.

I was always aware that Native American history in the parts of the States where I grew up was thousands of years old, but with so little visible evidence it was more difficult to recall this fact daily. Living with 2000 year old history everyday makes me much more aware of how humans stay the same, and reminds me that we have been amazing for thousands of years, not just since the Industrial Age.

4. Food
Living overseas has provided opportunities for trying a greater variety of food: including jellied eels, unsweetened whipped cream, scones and clotted cream (a cream tea), bangers and mash, and of course sticky toffee pudding to name just a few. And to develop new favourites that I miss when Im in the States!

5. Friendships
Making friends with other expats and their transient lives makes me feel more relaxed about my friendships. I’ve noticed that there is much less of the schoolyard bickering amongst expat friendships compared to non-expat groups and I think this is because our expectations are different.

6. Family
Missing my family has changed the way I raise my children. I have had to miss weddings and funerals, and my close family has missed events in my life all because of the cost of travel between the two countries.  I have realized that although Major Life Events are important, and it is important for family and friends to share them, consistent contact through out the year is more important. I have no idea where I’ll be after retirement, or where my children will settle as adults, but I do know that I have taught them to stay in touch and not wait until they can afford That Big Holiday to catch up with me.  Skype, international calling and texting, email and blogs are all a great help in this.

7. Free Healthcare
I now take free healthcare for granted, and feel very strongly that everyone should be able to say the same.

8. Self-sufficient
I am now more confident in my abilities to get on with life. I am more self-sufficient in all ways than I would have been if I had stayed near my family.

9. Manners and Style
Living in Britain has given me better manners and a better sense of style, for example: don’t eat while walking down the street, don’t say ‘she said’ (who’s she, the cat’s mother?), tennis shoes are not the only comfortable walking shoes, big baggy t-shirts might be comfortable American college wear but they do not work on thirtysomething women. Ok, so I was a bit rough around the edges when I first moved here 20 years ago...!

10. Experiences
Living in a geographically small area, but with a rich history and contemporary culture I have had many, many exciting, interesting, stimulating, inspiring experiences. I would never have had those experiences living in the States. And it's so easy to have these experiences here!

Your turn!! Don't feel you need to list 10--I just wanted to get people thinking... 

I think for me, my confidence in myself, my inner strength and who I am has grown leaps and bounds. 

I also eat and advocate for eating locally grown produce and locally raised meat/eggs. Its a tiny bit more expensive, but I'd much rather pay the local farmers than someone 4000 miles away- especially as this keeps agriculture and farms here.  I love the rural lifestyle and am desperate to get deeper into it. 

I've also realised that I easily pick up new words and phrases easily and that I was able to learn British Sign Language with ease. (I always thought I was crap at languages, now I just realise I need to be immersed in it to learn it)

I've learned who my real friends are.   

I've learned who my real friends are.   

  That's bril! I would second that!

I have learned I can deal with change better than I thought. I feel I am more open to different experiences - maybe I always was, but I have different opportunities here to express that.

I have learned to be more flexible and go with the flow.

I think for me, my confidence in myself, my inner strength and who I am has grown leaps and bounds. 

I also eat and advocate for eating locally grown produce and locally raised meat/eggs. Its a tiny bit more expensive, but I'd much rather pay the local farmers than someone 4000 miles away- especially as this keeps agriculture and farms here.  I love the rural lifestyle and am desperate to get deeper into it. 

I've also realised that I easily pick up new words and phrases easily and that I was able to learn British Sign Language with ease. (I always thought I was crap at languages, now I just realise I need to be immersed in it to learn it)

I've learned who my real friends are.   

These are all great things!  I may have learned to buy locally in the States but then again, I might not have been surrounded by the people who value it as I am here. Language, definitely yes (though not BSL! Well done!!). And real friends, yes for certain. Thats a really good one.

I have learned I can deal with change better than I thought. I feel I am more open to different experiences - maybe I always was, but I have different opportunities here to express that.

I have learned to be more flexible and go with the flow.

Dealing with change is an excellent point--I so agree with that one. And becoming more flexible is also great--I have gone almost too far on this one: I feel a bit inflexible about people who find being flexible difficult!! I need to be careful on that one 

Funny, I've learned to feel the opposite about buying locally.

I've learned to value the contributions of people from all over the world, and the products that they create, and to not limit myself to doing business with people from one region or one country.

I agree with phatbeatle that I have gained more confidence in myself.  I know I can do things and I look to make opportunities for myself now to grow even more.  Previously, I would wait for things to change and thought I couldn't do anything myself but now I look for opportunities to jump at.  I don't let fear rule me or paralyse me any more.  I try so many new experiences now, it's so great.

Along with this, I've learned to trust myself.  Advice from others is great but only I know my own situation and my own mind enough to make the decisions for myself. 

I've learned the value of other people.  Some of my expat friends are people who probably would not have been my friends in the US, whether it was because we never would have met or because we were different people back there.  Now I love my expat friends here and I love that we are in similar situations but each come at problems from different perspectives.

Food - I have definitely been exploring different kinds of food since I've landed.  I have found I like spices more than I thought but I'm still not a fan of seafood, but I'll keep trying.   

And for me, home is where I choose to make it and I can have many homes if I want.  When I first moved here, I made a big deal about how this is my home now because I knew the move was permanent.  Now, when people making conversation ask me where home is I'll tell them York but I grew up in Des Moines.  And that works for me. 

There are probably a thousand and one more things I've learned since living here because it has been a steep learning curve, but that's what I can remember right at this second.