My favourite posts here that I can definitely relate to would be:
Reply post #13 by ca girl (best one)
Reply post #17 by mindy
Hip hip hooray for reply 52!
I think I should respond to this topic as "What Americans need to miss", instead.
I, as an American, know for a fact that the majority of Americans are spoiled and after living most of your life getting all of those things that make your life luxurious, the consequences of living in England takes a continuous step down. Coming to England at first may be charming, but after time goes on you will notice the loss of all those simple, inexpensive, easy to find American things that you so conveniently get in the USA, that suddenly become an extremely expensive thing and most of the time struggle to get in the UK. Suddenly you find yourself in a society that places the term, 'posh', on itemsin the UK that are simple, everyday, staples, of the American way of life!
Eventually, you will be disappointed, that such a beautiful place like the UK, with all of its rolling Wolds and countryside has so little to offer in comparison from the greatest country on earth, the USA. You will even try to make yourself believe it’s not true. You WILL be simply let down.
Unfortunately, one philosophy I have come to encounter as a reality here is that almost everything you have been used to in the USA is going to be more than likely the complete opposite here in the UK. Some examples of this peculiarity will follow latter.
Here are the following that I believe Americans need to understand before they attempt to come live here in England. Nearly everything is smaller in size or quantity as well as the opposite than what you are used to in America:
the streets (narrow)
the cars (tiny)
the sky (obstructed by old, dirty, out-dated building facades very close to the street)
the food portions at restaurants
living quarters
headroom
TV
stereo
choice of anything
conveniences
customer service
hospitals
parking lots
movie theatres
schools with no student discipline
lack of IT experts
lack of doctors
lack of just about everything
Also, there is not a damn thing to do, apart form seeing and walking along the countryside. But so what?, I can do that in the USA in a major way. It's the most boring place for you and your kids and family to have fun. All the buildings look the same and on top of that, the weather is terrible. Very seldom do you get nice weather here in the UK. More often, it’s dark and gloomy. It matches its architecture. No variety whatsoever. Even all the cars look the same. It's like no one cares to be uniquely individual, in any way form or fashion.
Getting someone to speak to you is like pulling a tooth out of a whale! The British on a whole, seem to be a very introverted people, that lack outreach. I need, as an individual, to be around those who are communicative and help to motivate each other in a humane and productive way. Seldom do you get that spirit here.
But what adds to this nightmare here in the UK is that while most everything is smaller, the price is incredibly inflated and absolutely ridiculous. You can just about be on the safe side of your calculations by basically doubling everything in price and then some. Whereas in the US we have so many choices on virtually anything and everything.... Unfortunately, in the UK, you have to settle for whatever they have at the time and the place for whatever price.
Be prepared to step back into time by at least 30 years if not more. Instead of your usual life of progress and technological advances in everyday life, you have this regression of things happening slower around you. It feels as though you are caught in their time warp and they are continuing trying to catch up. It sucks.
Nearly everything is second or third rate in quality than what you are used to in America, especially the dreadful NHS. I could dedicate an entire thread on how horrible the NHS is in comparison to the US healthcare system. There is really no comparison at all.
And you know the sad thing about all of this? Are that even the locals here say the same thing to me, they hate the conditions, they’d rather be in the USA and ask me why would I come here? I can not say that I am surprised at all.
Although I have found England to be a pretty nice place for a couple of days vacation, that's all it is.
By far, England is the worst place for Americans to come and live in the entire world. I should know... I have lived and worked here for 2 years. I've given it more chances than I know, but I have learned that you just can't make a place something that you dreamed out of your head all your life as a child in school into something it's never going to be.
