Americans think everyone wants to live in America

there is a 30,000 person per year exodus out of the UK.  I think it was simple projection of their own desires to move to America! (or vice versa, americans to the UK). 

Sigh, I've got that West Side Story song playing in my head now.

It was the other way around for us.  No one said DH was trying to get a "green card" for America but a lot of his friends and family thought I was using him to escape America, like it was some third world country I needed to escape because I didn't have any opportunities there!  
He assured them that I was finishing my masters degree and had a full-time job and a nice place and all sorts of reasons to stay there, but the reason I was moving here was for HIM.  
Don't worry about what stupid people say.... as long as you and Tim know the score, that's all that really matters...  

Yeah, Tim's family hasn't ever suggested to him that I'm using him...I was telling his sister today about the accusations and she just laughed at it. 

Annndd now that's stuck in my head! :p

Sigh, I've got that West Side Story song playing in my head now.

Sorry...

DH & I went through this with parts of my family before we got married.  It really hurt him the way that my family was hurting me in not believing I could actually love & be loved...  Initially he was supposed to move to the states to be with me.  However, he was offered a good permanent job here, so we decided I'd move over.  My family went nuts (a bit knee jerk), but the Greencard stuff stopped after they realised I was leaving the US to be with him and they've met him and love him...  Now that I'm getting my British Citizenship application in order, we joke that I only married him for British Citizenship.   

Ugh, I wanna vent, too!

 I have an uncle who completely ripped apart our decision to live in the UK instead of the US. He referenced everything from the size of refrigerators and gardens/yards to the myth of me having to give up my American citizenship.

The only thing that I seemed to be able to argue with was that the pound was stronger than the dollar and I could pay off my student loans quicker living in the UK. My slight Anglophilia, academic background and interest in European history, as well as husband's UK based band and job he loved didn't seem to sway his opinion that living in America was the better choice for us.

My father doesn't really understand why we're living in a "dump" (perfectly adequate top floor one bedroom flat) when for the same money we could have a house on a 1/2 acre in the states either.  Of course, he doesn't understand why I went to university either.

*sighs*

Done now. For the moment.

Ugh, I wanna vent, too!

 I have an uncle who completely ripped apart our decision to live in the UK instead of the US. He referenced everything from the size of refrigerators and gardens/yards to the myth of me having to give up my American citizenship.

The only thing that I seemed to be able to argue with was that the pound was stronger than the dollar and I could pay off my student loans quicker living in the UK. My slight Anglophilia, academic background and interest in European history, as well as husband's UK based band and job he loved didn't seem to sway his opinion that living in America was the better choice for us.

My father doesn't really understand why we're living in a "dump" (perfectly adequate top floor one bedroom flat) when for the same money we could have a house on a 1/2 acre in the states either.  Of course, he doesn't understand why I went to university either.

*sighs*

Done now. For the moment.

LOL.... some people are just so stuck in their ways!  My grandpa doesn't understand or believe an African-American could be President.... 
Times change, but some people never do!

Ugh, I wanna vent, too!

 I have an uncle who completely ripped apart our decision to live in the UK instead of the US. He referenced everything from the size of refrigerators and gardens/yards to the myth of me having to give up my American citizenship.

The only thing that I seemed to be able to argue with was that the pound was stronger than the dollar and I could pay off my student loans quicker living in the UK. My slight Anglophilia, academic background and interest in European history, as well as husband's UK based band and job he loved didn't seem to sway his opinion that living in America was the better choice for us.

My father doesn't really understand why we're living in a "dump" (perfectly adequate top floor one bedroom flat) when for the same money we could have a house on a 1/2 acre in the states either.  Of course, he doesn't understand why I went to university either.

*sighs*

Done now. For the moment.

I am right there with you on this one!  My family came up with some of the most idiotic statements when I told them I was moving to the UK.  My dad even asked me if they had running water where I was moving...and he was NOT trying to be funny, he was dead serious.

I am right there with you on this one!  My family came up with some of the most idiotic statements when I told them I was moving to the UK.  My dad even asked me if they had running water where I was moving...and he was NOT trying to be funny, he was dead serious.

LOL

My mom was very concerned when I told her our washing machine was in the kitchen, we didn't have a dryer (that was actually her home warming present to us!) or dishwasher.

My dad even asked me if they had running water where I was moving...and he was NOT trying to be funny, he was dead serious.

I simply cannot believe that someone could be this... well, you used the word 'idiotic'.
How can someone be like a functioning member of society and be dead serious about this?

LOL

My mom was very concerned when I told her our washing machine was in the kitchen, we didn't have a dryer (that was actually her home warming present to us!) or dishwasher.

I have to admit, I thought it was a little odd, but then I realized there wasn't really anyplace else for it since British homes seem to be smaller and have less "extra" space over US houses. 

I asked my fiancé if all British want to be Americans.  He immediately informed me that it was not the British who wanted to be American but rather the Americans who wanted to be British.   

My mom was very concerned when I told her our washing machine was in the kitchen, we didn't have a dryer (that was actually her home warming present to us!) or dishwasher.

My mom thinks it's brilliant we have the washing machine in the kitchen. She hates having to go to the basement to do the laundry then carry it all the way upstairs.

My mom thinks it's brilliant we have the washing machine in the kitchen. She hates having to go to the basement to do the laundry then carry it all the way upstairs.

Yeah, it all depends on whether you hang stuff in the garden (weather permitting  ) or if and where you have a dryer.  I always found it awkward because we had our washer in the kitchen, airing cupboard upstairs and dryer in the cellar.
My dad was totally mystified by all the pipes going down the outside of British houses.  And I was always befuddled by the strange little man who regularly came to our door with all sorts of long poles and yammered away in such broad Yorkshire I could only stare in mute confusion.  Turned out he wanted to clean out me drains!
But I digress -- it takes all sorts.  Some find the "primitive" life in other countries perfectly acceptable (if not preferable)  And others find it beyond comprehension.  But then if the economy keeps going down the tubes life as we know it may be a thing of the past!!

I asked my fiancé if all British want to be Americans.  He immediately informed me that it was not the British who wanted to be American but rather the Americans who wanted to be British.   

I don't know about that.

I'm perfectly happy being an American in Britain!

airing cupboard upstairs

Tim has a cupboard he calls the "airing cupboard"...what is it?!