any happy americans living in the UK?

hi,
i plan on moving to the UK in jan. 2006. are there any americans happy with no regrets with their move? what was the biggest challenge, complications? any advice would be greatly appreciated.
thanks.

*raises hand*

I love it here. By the way, speak to Peedal! 

I LOVE it here! But it took me a few years to be honest. I didnt much care for it before (putting it mildly).
I wouldnt even consider a move back to the USA. Im here till the end! 

I have no regrets about moving here and am happy.  There are times that certain things about the UK annoy me, but truth be told, there were things about the US that annoyed me too. 

I'm very happy here. It's my home now.

I think the biggest problems I've had since moving here is the support from my family. They were not pleased that my husband and I decided to stay here but they're slowly getting used to the idea.

I'm happy here, no regrets. However I would move back if circumstances were right, I've just got too much Ca. in me, and there are quite a few things I miss, like desert. It would take a mondo lot for the circumstances to be right though! Just wouldn't make sense to move back, and start over again.

I'm here and very happy.  No regrets at all, even though it wasn't as easy a transition as I thought it would be.  The biggest things I struggled with were more to do with the fact that I moved to a very big city (London) from a hole in the wall (in Tennessee).  The transition from American to a basically British life was the fun part. 

Now that we've moved to Scotland, where I don't hear the train every 3 minutes and I can breath deeply without choking on polution, I'm feeling much more settled.  I can't imagine going back to the US now...my life is definitely here!

Very happy in the UK. The transition has been difficult at times but always worth it.  I think it's a worthwhile experience to live outside your country of birth for a period of time, whether or not you move back. Seeing from the outside in is absolutely invaluable.

The biggest complications have been dealing with immigration issues. Even the most straightforward (and ours wasn't!) visa applications can be needlessly and frustratingly complex.

The really challenging bit has been learning to live far away from family and friends - although my best friend has recently moved to Leeds from the States so I'm feeling pretty lucky right now. For me, the thought and the deed of leaving behind family and friends were light-years apart and it's been a long  haul.  Personally, I don't think I'll ever get over missing easy contact. My sister is pregnant with her first baby (I'm going to be an auntie! )  and I wish I could be there for every second of it but that just isn't going to be possible. Situations like that are indeed difficult and heart-rending. It is something for anyone considering leaving their home country to ponder.

*raises hand*

I love it here. By the way, speak to Peedal! 

You've only just arrived though. Almost everyone loves it in the very beginning! (That sounds harsh, but it's not always a smooth ride. I'm glad you're happy though.)

I'd say I'm finally happy here, and the longer I'm here the more comfortable I feel here. However, I'm one of those people who loves where she came from in the US and will probably always consider that home too. There are many things I miss that I took for granted in the US, although I'd definitely miss Scotland if I left for good.

I suppose I can say I am happy.....I am alot happier than when I first moved here........but the weather is changing and I just KNOW that homesickness will be setting in soon......as the next 4 months are the hardest here for me.....they were and are my favorite seasons.......and I always did them in a BIG way in the states.....

I have said it before I am happiest and content whereever my husband is tho.......It was easier and less time consuming for me to move here and be together immediately!

I've adapted.......but I have no idea if we would be any better off in the states.........

You've only just arrived though. Almost everyone loves it in the very beginning! (That sounds harsh, but it's not always a smooth ride. I'm glad you're happy though.)

I'd say I'm finally happy here, and the longer I'm here the more comfortable I feel here. However, I'm one of those people who loves where she came from in the US and will probably always consider that home too. There are many things I miss that I took for granted in the US, although I'd definitely miss Scotland if I left for good.

I wasn't like that in the beginning - I don't deal well with jetlag at all and I was really feeling so many things I couldn't see straight. Now that it's been a month, I can seriously say i made the right decision even if it's not a permanent one like most on here. I am here for a year and possibly longer   I am finding it great here, I don't miss the US per se, but my friends and family and the ease of driving to see them as opposed to a plane ride. My sister is expecting her second baby and yesterday was my niece's 2nd birthday, I hate missing those things. Otherwise, I love life here and am so happy to be with the love of my life

I wasn't like that in the beginning - I don't deal well with jetlag at all and I was really feeling so many things I couldn't see straight. Now that it's been a month, I can seriously say i made the right decision even if it's not a permanent one like most on here. I am here for a year and possibly longer   I am finding it great here, I don't miss the US per se, but my friends and family and the ease of driving to see them as opposed to a plane ride. My sister is expecting her second baby and yesterday was my niece's 2nd birthday, I hate missing those things. Otherwise, I love life here and am so happy to be with the love of my life

I think after 5 months or so the honeymoon phase wears off however, for most people. (Not everyone... I'm aware that some people on here claim to have had no adjustment issues, which is pretty rare.) You're still pretty new here yourself. I know in the first several months of being here I was completely blissful to be in the UK and with my guy. Then reality hits and problems I initially overlooked started to bother me. I won't repeat MickysMartha's post about the stages of adjustment (which was great, by the way) but your feelings definitely go up and down for a while and there are bad days and good days. 

Happy? Not really... Ok with it? Yeah. But then, I did not come here wearing rose-tinted glasses.

You've only just arrived though. Almost everyone loves it in the very beginning! (That sounds harsh, but it's not always a smooth ride. I'm glad you're happy though.)

I'd say I'm finally happy here, and the longer I'm here the more comfortable I feel here. However, I'm one of those people who loves where she came from in the US and will probably always consider that home too. There are many things I miss that I took for granted in the US, although I'd definitely miss Scotland if I left for good.

No worries, Honeybee.

Time will tell :-) I was fortunately prepared for many of the differences by this very board, and by my own research. Also, I am quite glad to be away from my old city and studying costume, which is the very air I breathe!

I am very lucky to have friends already, I have fulfilled a big dream, etc. Also, after being a caretaker since I was very young, I'm very adaptable.

But anyway, I am a reserved person who loves traditionalist  history, etc. I very much like the culture here, and how it's so informed.

I also am lucky enough to have family in Europe.  I'm sure that coming back home the first time after Christmas will be hard, but I will see. Maybe I'll be lucky enough to be as happy as some of the posters on this board.

(sorry for going on like that)

maybe because I didn't come with rose tinted glasses and where I was working wasn't nice from the begining (HIV patients and drug abuse ) so I had the harshness at the first go. I had plans to stay here for a year then move to Buffalo , NY....was offered another post in a different area , fell in love , had child and settled here happily.