Yes, I'm really moving....

OH, thank goodness I found this!
My mom and I had a big fight this morning about this topic exactly.  She feels "deceived." No idea what she means by that, but whatever.   I actually did use "because we can" line which she didn't appreciate very much.

I LOVE the George Bush line!  

  She feels "deceived." No idea what she means by that, but whatever. 

Have you found out yet what she's on about?

When people here ask why I like UK more then the US I say "There no Geroge Bush"

 

But I'm a little worried people will believe me.

Don't worry, we believe you.

When people here ask why I like UK more then the US I say "There no Geroge Bush"

Ah, but there IS George Bush here... as an American, you get blamed for voting for him and he's managed to make us all look bad, no matter where we live. So you can't really escape. Good thing he's not a permanent fixture in the US, just like Tony Blair isn't a permanent fixture in the UK. That's all I can say.

Ah, but there IS George Bush here... as an American, you get blamed for voting for him and he's managed to make us all look bad, no matter where we live. So you can't really escape. Good thing he's not a permanent fixture in the US, just like Tony Blair isn't a permanent fixture in the UK. That's all I can say.

In 20 years here, i dont think i have ever had anyone try to talk to me about US politics, US president, or anything like that.    I feel pretty confident that im not being 'blamed' for anything that happens in the US.

In 20 years here, i dont think i have ever had anyone try to talk to me about US politics, US president, or anything like that.    I feel pretty confident that im not being 'blamed' for anything that happens in the US.

Sure, but I have been.

Ah, but there IS George Bush here... as an American, you get blamed for voting for him and he's managed to make us all look bad, no matter where we live. So you can't really escape.

Once again (as i always say)... it's the way you've worded it that i take issue with.   

If you were only talking about your personal experience, then maybe you should have said As an American, I get blamed for voting for him, and he's managed to make me look bad, no matter where i live.  So I can't really escape.

That way people will know you are talking about your personal experience, rather than stating it like it's a fact that ALL Americans living in the UK must contend with.   
 

I managed to miss most of the odd (ignorant) question about our move. Most of my best friends had spent more time in Britain than I had before I moved, so they were just excited. The most common question I got was "Will you have a spare room?" My best friend was excited because its actually cheaper to fly over here than it is to where I was living in the States.

I guess saying we were going to Scotland avoided the whole London thing, but then I did have to explain the relationship between Scotland and England.

One person I knew asked me why did I want to move there, they make you give up all your guns. I replied I didn't have any guns so I didn't mind. I think we both shocked the other enough that the conversation just stopped there. (Yes, I was living in the south. Can you tell?)

People over here ask how long we are planning to stay. When I say "permanent" they seem a little surprised, but then pleased.

About George, I still have my Kerry button on my backpack, so if people see it they can figure out my views. My friends here give me some good-natured ribbing about Bush, and being a Texan I can put on my accent and play along, but I haven't gotten anything aggressive.

About George, I still have my Kerry button on my backpack, so if people see it they can figure out my views. My friends here give me some good-natured ribbing about Bush, and being a Texan I can put on my accent and play along, but I haven't gotten anything aggressive.

I, too, have found that if you get 'questioned' or 'blamed' it is done as the typical good natured wind-up that people here are very proficient. I, also, have only experienced it from friends or close colleagues. The Reagan era was the 'worst'. But I had Maggie for my 'ammunition'.

What are we doing on an open forum telling people how to word things??

Say what you want, Honeybee!

Everytime I tell a young person here in the UK that I'm from New York, they usually say, "Why did you leave there to move here?  I can't wait to get out of here."  That makes me sad to hear.

The rudest thing I ever got was someone asking me what I was "running from."  The only other American he knew came from a bad situation, so he assumed that I must've been the same way.  The questioning was like --
"Bad previous marriage?"  "No, never been married before."
"Abusive relationship?"  "No, nobody's ever hit me."
"Dead-end job in middle of nowhere?"  "No, great job in NY."
"Lot of debt following you around?"  "No, finances are fine."
"Family hates you?"  "No, we all have a great relationship."
It was like he needed to find-out what I "was running away from."  Jerk.