That's sad... why live there if you hate it so much?!? My Scottish husband loved living in the US and talks about how much he would love to return. I'll make fun of him for his British habits, like putting unnecessary S's on words (foods, maths, etc), but can't say I've ever said BAD things about this country. I complain about the narrow streets, paying tax to watch TV and other small things, but I love it here and it's definitely my cherished, adopted home, which I love.
Hi Serena,
I'll try to explain this for you. I know British expats tend to complain a lot. Living in the US and being British myself, you'd probably think I was one of them.
I think that Americans who move to the UK tend not to go with false expectations or with a grass is greener type mentality. A lot of Americans don't move to the UK for economic reasons or for better weather. The UK gets a lot of flack in the media for its social ills and Americans who move to the UK are in many ways prepared for the worst, so anything contrary to that is a bonus.
I also think that many Americans who move to Europe in general are those who love their country still, but are at odds with it socially and politically, and who most likely believe in public healthcare, not using the car all the time and working fewer hours. At least that's the impression I've got from Americans I met when I still lived in the UK and from the very kind and positive comments in this thread alone.
Now let's talk about British expats in America, me being one of them. Many move for economic reasons and go with the notion that the grass is so much greener, rather than the more realistic notion that it's just different grass, not necessarily better or worse. Some, like me move because we are married to American wives or husbands. I think that because of the English language, many British people wrongly assume that they're not walking into a very different culture with different values and morals. They believe what they see on TV.
In my case, I do think the US is beautiful, I respect the country and the principles it was founded on and how it's the world's true melting pot, but I am simply a square peg trying to fit into a triangular hole....no matter how much I try, I cannot make myself fit. That isn't America's fault as much as it isn't mine.
You also have to understand the difference of the two cultures: we are generally self-depreciating and often negative, while Americans generally have a more positive attitude, so much so that reading the 19 or so pages of this thread makes me feel proud to be British, English and European. British people moan about everything and most of the time, we mean no offence and are just blowing off steam in a therapeutic way. Many British people are happy in the US and plan on staying. In my case, I'm just a bad fit.
As for the UK and back on topic, this is what I love/miss about it:
- The countryside dotted with woods, small farms, villages, ancient hedges and public footpaths.
- The fact that I can live in a city like Birmingham or Manchester, but can be in the countryside in no time by car or train.
- The food, which has experienced something of a renaissance over the past few years.
- Pubs (great for talking)
- Football
- So much history at your disposal
- British TV and comedy
- Being close to the rest of Europe
- London (nowhere like it on earth)
- Christmas in the UK, where they go all out
- Politeness, manners, mind your own business type respect
- Good public transport.
- Courteous drivers
- British supermarkets, outdoor markets, greengrocers and butchers
- The large variety of music scenes
- The Scottish Highlands
- The gentle climate of non-extremes
- The mind-blowing greenness of the place which hits you like a ton of bricks, even in winter as British grass stays green all year.
