Sick of being looked at like I'm crazy for moving to England!

I also know very well what you're talking about. It doesn't bother me (I have plenty of good replies to it) but it used to cause an awkward moment between my wife and I because she didn't want to leave California!

But, as they say, time heels all wounds and she's now excited about our new life as expats.

It's a funny thing though. It's only the Brits who ask these awkward questions. I never get it in Spain. They're either not interested in why you're there or they're so confident about their country's charms that it seems natural that everyone in the world would want to come live there.

But the Brits grumble more about their country than anybody else. I think it comes from a sense of a great empire that once was but is no more. In their collective mind, modern Britain is just a shade of its former glory, hence the cynicism and self-belittling.

And of course a large part of it is just the temperament... they simply love grumbling. Look at TV shows like "Grumpy Old Men". It's becoming an institution.

In my part of Spain the local Brits' favourite recreation is sitting outside cafes (except when it's raining and it's done A LOT of that this year), reading the Daily Mail, grumbling about Britain and repeating the mantra of how wonderful it is in Spain!

Getting back to the topic now, always asking us expats why we would leave Florida, California or whatever to live in soggy old Britain isn't really a fair question.

That's because the Brits are inveterate expats themselves, going to live in India, Australia and many other points around the world including America. We Americans are descendants of expats (whether genetically or in spirit) so it's a bit rich to question our choices. For many of us it's our destiny.

The other side of the question is that many Brits have a simplified and over-glamorous view of America. It's only natural... look at TV shows like Dallas, Hawaii 5-O, Miami Vice, etc. They never film TV shows when it's pouring down rain as it often does even in California.

Most Brits don't know that where I come from in the San Joaquin valley summer temperatures average 100 and have hit 113. They don't know that Stockton (my birth place) has horrific crime figures and was recently voted "The Most Miserable Place To Live In The USA". In the whole USA... that's quite an achievement!

They don't know that Los Angeles has more homeless people than the entire U.K. I could go on and on. Of course every place in the world has problems but I've found some Brits to be genuinely surprised when I've told them some of these things and that, actually, the U.K. has a lot to offer an expat.

Of course us American expats (and others) usually have the same glorified ideas about our new country until we live and learn that sometimes we have false expectations.

I don't think it is really fair to LA to say they have more homeless than all of the UK.

It has the largest homeless population of the whole country. 

It is warm.  Relatively free of natural disasters that other warm cities have (tornadoes, hurricanes).  Has lots of teen runways because of Hollywood.  It also has a large population of immigrants, both legal and illegal to work in the area because California has lots of temporary farming jobs.

In 2009 there were 643,067 homeless (both housed and unhoused) on the night they do the annual survey.  That is .209% of the population, but that can also include people displaced in disasters and immigrants from Central/South America, not something the UK deals with.

In 2007 (for some reason I'm having trouble finding more recent data) 118670 homeless and a population of 61,838,154 or .191%. 

Less than the US, but not strikingly less. 

I don't know where your homeless figures come from but they certainly defy observation. Last time I was in the L.A. area (the whole summer of 2008) it was genuinely shocking to see the numbers of homeless. In some areas on virtually every street corner was a homeless person holding a "please help" sign of some type.

This was even the case in affluent coastal towns near San Diego like Carlsbad. Yes, Los Angeles is warm and has many good things going for it (although I'm not sure about "free of natural disasters", not even relatively). Earthquakes are a helluva natural disaster and everyone who lives there does so with the knowledge that it's only a matter of time till the "big one".

On the other hand, I've seen very few homeless people in the U.K. That doesn't mean they don't exist but they're by no means as visible.

Getting back to the topic, it's not really about statistics. The point is that many people wanting to immigrate to America have glorified ideas of it. That's why they can't understand why anyone would willingly move from Florida or California to Britain.

I think you have to remember that LA is a major city (and so, in its own way is San Diego, especially compared to villages and etc around England). There are definitely people I would term homeless in Manchester, though you are right that I see fewer people sleeping rough. (though LOTS selling "Big Issue")

Also, because the weather is so much nicer in San Diego/SoCal, you will see a lot more people out and about, homeless or not, instead of seeking shelter. There is also a tradition in SoCal of looking the other way if people are sleeping in parks/etc that doesn't really exist here in the UK. (Friends of mine in the sheriff's dept in San Diego say they basically check that someone is breathing and not disturbing the peace and then move on).
 At least in Manchester, I know the police and social services work diligently to make sure there really aren't a lot of people sleeping rough. They also have, I believe, more efficient systems when it comes to mental health and other disabilities here in the UK, which makes it MUCH MORE likely that someone will get the help they need and not end up homeless in the first place. The mere fact of the NHS may make an impact that you are not aware of.
Also, if you think LA is bad, try San Francisco. They really struggle with an itinerant population there. Also, as far as earthquakes, yeah we were aware of them, but except for the years with a biggish one, everyone pretty much just went about their business as if they weren't going to happen. That's VERY different than having a hurricane season or the harsh winters of the MidWest.

After all these years living here, I still get that reaction.  I think it's rather funny, though.  Everyone likes to believe the grass is always greener on the other side (whatever side you're on).
 

I think you have to remember that LA is a major city (and so, in its own way is San Diego, especially compared to villages and etc around England). There are definitely people I would term homeless in Manchester, though you are right that I see fewer people sleeping rough. (though LOTS selling "Big Issue")

 Also, as far as earthquakes, yeah we were aware of them, but except for the years with a biggish one, everyone pretty much just went about their business as if they weren't going to happen. That's VERY different than having a hurricane season or the harsh winters of the MidWest.

Exactly, no hurricanes, no snow storms, no tornadoes.  Some flooding and possible forest fires, although probably not affecting the actual city itself and the off chance of a earthquake.  Possible mudslides, although those go with the fires usually.  

California is at least prepared for them.  Wait until New Madrid goes off again.    

I could say there are no homeless people in the UK because there are none in my town and none in the town where my in-laws are.  However, neither my in-laws nor I live in London.  London has more homeless than any other city in the UK, but I don't then assume every other city in the UK has the same issue.

Jennie, I'm sure you are correct about the rough sleepers as well.  I'm sure there are a number of reasons.  The UK does identify people sooner and they have more rooms in place.  I can understand why the people in LA are reluctant to help more, it would probably lead to more people showing up, but it doesn't help those already there.  Also, there is more of the rugged individualismness, or however you want to put it, in the US.  Probably due to the fact there is just more room (although not in LA itself of course) and you could go live in a national forest and probably never be seen if you wanted to.

In reality, there's just... Nowhere for them to go. During the winter months, San Diego used to open shelters, but the funding for that has dried up in recent years, and I imagine a similar thing is going on in LA. We actually had a number of technically homeless children in my old school district because a few of the oldest and best established shelters were there and families with children were given priority, but if they were homeless because of mental health issues, it was a whole different, very complicated, thing as there was little money for treatment and most of it was used on severe cases. Plus, of course, I think there might have been a higher tolerance among the beach communities of people "camping" at the beach, for whatever reason.

That said, people still think I'm a little crazy for moving here; but even with the recent nasty weather, I'm not really minding missing out on Santa Ana's and heat waves!

It is really depressing.   

It is also  not helpful that governments count things in different ways. In the US I would have been considered homeless for a few weeks after moving to a new town, not having a place, couch surfing for about 3 months and finally finding a place.  I didn't consider myself homeless, but considering I was in AmeriCorps I certainly didn't have enough money to go anywhere. Would I have been considered homeless here?  Probably. 

I get this nearly every day. The question people say is "What are you doing here?" I moved here to be with my husband, but what I'm doing is just working and living I guess. Never sure how to answer that question. "Become one of the land owning gentry" is what I sometimes say but it sounds sarcastic, doesn't it?

I'm from North Carolina. I think my husband would've been miserable if we were there, so I think it's better we're here.

I've been in England for 9 years now. I still get this every day, as I work the frontline in the public library. I'm used to it. I just laugh, say I like cool weather and no bugs. People here are very self-deprecating about their own country.

I just laugh, say I like cool weather and no bugs. People here are very self-deprecating about their own country.

I've started doing that too, explaining how I hate it so hot, humid and buggy, with the bonus of no tornadoes. Generally painting a picture of life in the States that doesn't involve Mickey Mouse, New York City skyscrapers, sandy beaches or the glitz of Vegas seems to help them see we're not completely insane for moving here for love.

I've been in England for 9 years now. I still get this every day, as I work the frontline in the public library. I'm used to it. I just laugh, say I like cool weather and no bugs. People here are very self-deprecating about their own country.

::squint:: Whatcha mean 'no bugs'? 

And yes they are. But then again, so are most people about where they live.  I've had friends visit and walk around NYC with their mouth hanging open and their eyes the size of saucers as I wave absentmindedly in a general direction, saying "That's the Empire State Building.....that's Rockefeller Center..." LOL.

And yes they are. But then again, so are most people about where they live.  I've had friends visit and walk around NYC with their mouth hanging open and their eyes the size of saucers as I wave absentmindedly in a general direction, saying "That's the Empire State Building.....that's Rockefeller Center..." LOL.

I agree with that. It is all about what you are used to. Daily sights slowly become 'objects' no matter how great they are to people outside the area. Sure, they may still seem great to the person who lives there, but we tend to not notice or get excited about what we see every day. We also find it normal.

I'm from just a few miles away from Santa Claus, Indiana, where it is 'Christmas all year'. It is a great little tourist town, and the locals are accustomed to all the shops being decorated with Christmassy motifs and selling Christmas items. People who don't live anywhere near find it odd as can be to celebrate Christmas all year. With all the shopping, the amusement park and Santa's Candy Castle, it is a great boost to the local economy.

Wow I'm surprised at how much response my little rant has generated! I guess i'm not alone then! I agree with everyone on the "grass is always greener on the other side" scenario. What gets me is when everyone here complains about it being too cold and rainy and miserable, but when the sun comes out and the temperature hits a measly 20 degrees, everyone complains of it being too hot!MAKE UP YOUR MINDS PEOPLE! lol!

Brits see Florida as an exotic, perfect place they would do anything to just be there. And yes, there are very nice places in Florida, but not everyone lives in Orlando and Miami. My husbands family has only ever been to Orlando on holiday, but I garantee if I brought them to my home in Deland, they wouldn't be as enthused. Deland is a tiny, boring town with nothing more than a movie theater, bowling alley, and a Super Walmart. Going to Walmart in Deland is pretty much the highlight of your day. The only entertainment you get is driving 20 mins to Daytona Beach or an hour to Orlando. But when you live in Florida, you don't that often. LIFE IS NOT A PARTY! not everyday at least. You go to work like every other person in the world, the only difference is you sweat your a** off and nearly pass out from heat stroke! I see homeless people all the time back home, not so much here.

When I tell any of my in-laws this they say "Oh be quiet Sara, you're just saying that! Florida IS great!" lol they genuinely think its perfect, but I guess they'd never understand. And yeah, there might not be that much to do in Middlesbrough, but if you have a nice run out, you've got Whitby, York, Richmond, and Lake Districts that are absolutely wonderful!!!

As long as we're happy where we are, that's all that matters <3

It is the same here though as it is in Florida.  My mom is always asking if we have been to Scotland lately, or to London.   

I live near Cambridge and we have jobs and stuff.  Also, she has been to the UK at least 5 times, so it isn't as if she doesn't know how far it is to Scotland.