Is the UK worth the change in life style and uprooting from America?

House prices in the UK are of concern.

Car prices, too. 

Ford Fiesta hatchback UK = £9795 ($15677)
Ford Fiesta hatchback US = $14,200 ($8872)

Same car is over $1000 more expensive in the UK.  Same for a BMW 3-series, but the difference is more pronounced: ~£6000 more in the UK for the same car.

Anyway, not trying to start a "UK is so expensive!" thread; just got me thinking with the house price thing.

Anyway, not trying to start a "UK is so expensive!" thread; just got me thinking with the house price thing.

I agree about car prices but, as bookgrl said, house prices really depend on where you're coming from in the US and where you're moving to in the UK. You might be pleasantly surprised!

Ok,maybe hate doesn't sum up how you feel about the United States.But I can't ever remember hearing an American refer to their birth nation as "that place". You have some very strong opinions about the States, and if you don't care to share them I'll understand but the vibe you put out about the States is very strong.

Yep.  A strong vibe was pretty much my intention.  

But you're not here to ask why people don't like the US anyway... you are here to have your questions about the UK answered, right?

But what I want to know is living in the UK worth it, not including the above reasons, worth it despite any anti americanism?

Anti-Americanism?  I don’t recall experiencing any of that.  People make jokes about the stereotypes, of course, but I generally agree with them.

Do you feel the culture is at times too different

I have been here for almost 27 years, so I have pretty much adapted to the culture and can’t really think what you mean.

or the system of government too intrusive

??

or are there times when you just miss living in the usa a familar place?

I’ve lived here longer than I lived in the US.  This is familiar; this is home.

Do you have to change who you are to fit in?

Because I was young and (as Judge Judy would say ‘not completely cooked’) when I came here, I changed A LOT.  But for me, it wasn’t planned or contrived… it happened naturally by immersing myself into a different culture and absorbing everything gladly.

Do you avoid letting people hear your voice for fear they will notice that you are American?

 Yeah, I think I did when I first came here, but over 20+ years my accent has softened and lots of times people hear my voice and say they think I have some sort of accent but just can’t place it.  I don’t really care.  If someone asks if I am American, without going into too much detail, I basically just tell them I was brought up over there, but I am a British citizen.  

I would say there have been a few times when I kept my mouth shut because I didn't want to draw attention to myself.  Those times all involved drunks on public transportation, so no one wanted to draw attention.

So I when I go to the UK, I'm blowdrying and straightening my hair while sitting on the ground, in front of a mirror because there are no outlets in the bathroom and we don't have vanity. It's uncomfortable. It is going to drive me crazy 

I'd rather sit than stand, so this suits me ok.  Been doing it for years and it's never been an issue to me.  In fact, thinking back to my US days, I did exactly the same there... had my blow dryer, curling iron, makeup, etc in my bedroom, and sat on the floor in front of my mirrored wardrobe doors.  Same as here.

I have an outlet in my bathroom, but I just set up a dressing table in my bedroom from an old school desk.

Have a big mirror on it, have a jewellery stand ( http://www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk/desert-rise-three-tier-jewellery-stand/invt/5559400123050/&bklist= ) and all my make up, got a heat proof mat to ou my straightener and dryer on it and it works really well

So in the morning I can shower then sit, put make up on, dry/straighten my hair before I get dressed. Works well if you have the room

THIS. My fiance and I had a huge talk about this. I asked him why it was okay that there were plugs in the kitchen, near the stove top and near the sink where water can be splashed into them. He claimed they were far enough away from the water areas.

Apparently the no outlet in the bathroom argument is "what if the bathroom floods?" All the shaver plugs in the bathroom that I have ever seen are about 4-5 feet from the floor.
What are the chances that the bathroom will flood 4 feet high?

It's also common sense not to put a blow dryer or electric tool into a filled sink or bath tub.

So I when I go to the UK, I'm blowdrying and straightening my hair while sitting on the ground, in front of a mirror because there are no outlets in the bathroom and we don't have vanity. It's uncomfortable. It is going to drive me crazy 

If the bathroom is big enough, you can have outlets in the bathroom. Our bathroom, is about 8 inches shy of the rule

http://www.voltimum.co.uk/news/9088/cm/the-17th-edition---special-locations---bathrooms-and-showers.html

Socket-outlets, previously banned from bathrooms because of the risk of dampness causing electric shock, are now allowed, but they must be fitted three metres from the boundary of Zone 1. This probably means that many bathrooms will not be allowed to actually have socket-outlets, as they will be too small to comply with the new three metres rule. Importantly, all circuits need now 30mA RCD protection. However, any such socket-outlet would probably have to be on a spur, because any circuit entering an area with a bath or shower must terminate there and not carry on to any other area.

Just to clarify my driving test statement, I have no problem with the the theory test or the road test, and I think it's good that the UK test is difficult to pass.  The idea that I have an issue with is the navigation portion of the test (and to a similar extent the hazard perception portion), because I think the test is getting bloated in an effort to train and test every possible hazard a driver might face, and it's that attempt to eliminate all risk that bothers me.

Fair enough - I took my driving test before the hazard perception, 'inner workings of a car', and navigation sections were introduced, so I usually forget to include them in my thinking.

Car prices, too. 

Ford Fiesta hatchback UK = £9795 ($15677)
Ford Fiesta hatchback US = $14,200 ($8872)

Same car is over $1000 more expensive in the UK.  Same for a BMW 3-series, but the difference is more pronounced: ~£6000 more in the UK for the same car.

Used cars are generally much cheaper in the UK though (I've only ever bought and driven used cars, and haven't spent more than £3,000 on a vehicle, so I don't really think in terms of new car prices).

When I lived in the US, I couldn't see any used cars advertised for less than about $4,000 (and they were about 20 years old with around 150,000 miles on the clock). In the UK, you can get a decent used car with less mileage and is much newer for only a few hundred to a couple of thousand pounds (in 2003, we bought a 1995 Nissan with 35,000 miles on the clock for only £1,000).

As for being a libertarian, well, part of the government in power at the moment is libertarian (the LibDems aka Liberal Democrats).

Libertarian and liberal are two completely different things. I am whole-heartedly liberal, but I am not a libertarian.  Libertarians are for having minimal amounts of government. Liberals generally support governments that support the people's rights regardless of sex, age, income, or sexual preference.  The difference being this-- a libertarian would NOT want government regulated or government supported healthcare for all.  A liberal would. Of course, this is simplifying the definition of both. But, it's just to point out that LibDems are liberal (by name at least), but they are not libertarian.

Hiya Overheadsmash,

I just wanted to say I am a middle aged gal myself. I met my husband online when I just turned 40 years old. We spent three years talking online. I met him in person for the first time when I was 43. I moved here permanently when I was 44 and we married a month after that. I am now 45, and have lived here permanently for 14 months and have spent a total of about 20 months in England.

 << worth it despite any anti americanism?>>

I have had a lot of teasing from DH's friends and neighbors, but just that - teasing. I tease them too. I don't recall experiencing any anti-Americanism on the streets or in town. In fact it's been rather the opposite - people want to know where I'm from, why I moved here, if I like it here, etc.  Some guy in town cracks up when I say "water" ("wooder"). My neighbors even wished me a happy 4th of July.

<< Do you feel the culture is at times too different>>

All the walking really threw me for a loop when I first arrived. But to be fair, I was recuperating from an accident and walking for any length of time was extremely tiring to me. I am far better than I was two years ago, and find it really nice to be able to walk to town and the shops.  I'm not a fan of the big drinking culture, but that's fine. I just don't participate. I do feel when I am out on a Friday or Saturday evening, that I am on a university campus in the states. Besides that, I don't really feel that the culture is too different. However, I do scratch my head why they don't put closets in their houses, then have to take up precious floor space with wardrobes.

<< or the system of government too intrusive>>

I have not experienced this, with the exception of one thing. I absolutely hate being interrogated at the chemist when I try to buy something behind the counter. It's embarrassing having to answer personal questions when people are stood directly behind you. That, and the limit on buying products that contain ibuprofen or paracetamol really bugs me. I think the NHS is fabulous, although my experience with it is limited.

<<, or are there times when you just miss living in the usa a familar place?>>

Just sometimes. I lived 1,100 miles away from my family and most of my friends for 10 years prior to moving to England, so I'm used to being away from them. But as far as being "familiar", where I live now is quite familiar as I spent a lot of time walking around and exploring. I sometimes think I know it better than I ever did the place I lived in the US for 10 years. That is because I *walk* here, and take the time to explore and really look at things.

<< Do you have to change who you are to fit in?>>

No. My husband wants me to "stay American", or as American as I can. But I don't mind adapting. I adapt for things that don't matter much to me. I think adapting is important, as well as keeping your sense of self.  It is easy to do/be both.

<< Do you avoid letting people hear your voice for fear they will notice that you are American? >>

Never. If they don't like me/my accent/the fact that I'm American, well, they don't have to talk to me.

<<I think many of us romanticize what it'll be like to live on foreign shores but actually moving there and going through the daily routines can often be far more different than our expectations.>>

Quite true. Through our online courtship, my now DH and I spent 1,000's of hours discussing day-to-day life and routines, down to the tiniest detail. (We spoke on average of 3 hours a day.) So very, very little was a surprise to me when I got here. I also made 4 long trips to the UK (lasting from 4 to 7 weeks each time), so I truly got a sense of the place. I wasn't "on vacation/holiday", I was living the every day life with my soon-to-be hubby. Although we did take a lot of day trips to various places, many days of course were just spent at home or in the neighborhood, shopping for food, doing laundry, cooking, etc.

<< If you were'nt married to a brit or working there,would you want to live in the UK and why?>>

Sure, if I knew people here. I wouldn't have moved all by myself without knowing someone.  I'd be very lonely.

As far as the no-outlets-in-the-bathroom goes, well, I never used one in the States either. I have always had a set up similar to Cheesebiscuit. I prefer to do my hair and makeup sitting at a dressing table.

I don't think you'll know for sure until you've spent considerable time here. Some things that might drive you crazy may not bother me, and vice versa. Some things may be deal-breakers for you and not for others. But I truly think it is very similar to the USA, and just different enough to make it interesting.

Libertarian and liberal are two completely different things. I am whole-heartedly liberal, but I am not a libertarian.  Libertarians are for having minimal amounts of government. Liberals generally support governments that support the people's rights regardless of sex, age, income, or sexual preference.  The difference being this-- a libertarian would NOT want government regulated or government supported healthcare for all.  A liberal would. Of course, this is simplifying the definition of both. But, it's just to point out that LibDems are liberal (by name at least), but they are not libertarian.

They may not be libertarian by American standards (thankfully, no British version of Ron Paul is in government), but they are libertarian by definition.

There's a huge difference between liberal in the American sense and libertarian - and the usage of liberal in the UK frequently doesn't mean left-leaning, but libertarian.

House prices in the UK are of concern.

You think they are bad in the UK...look the Isle of Man up and compare....

Cowley Groves Realtors
Crystals
http://www.chrystals.co.im/
Black Grace Cowley

You think they are bad in the UK...look the Isle of Man up and compare....

Cowley Groves Realtors
Crystals
http://www.chrystals.co.im/
Black Grace Cowley

It's worse on Guernsey. A one bedroom flat that needs to be refurbished can go for over 150,000 easily. Me and my fiance may never be able to buy our own place.

I absolutely hate being interrogated at the chemist when I try to buy something behind the counter. It's embarrassing having to answer personal questions when people are stood directly behind you.

For what it's worth, the pharmacy staff don't like having to ask you those questions any more than you like having to answer them.

However, there are certain regulations that must be abided by in order for pharmacy products to be sold safely and so the questions need to be asked. It's not about being nosy about your life, it's about making sure that you are not sold anything that may endanger your health.

For example, if you take tablets for high blood pressure, there are a whole load of medicines that you should not take because they can raise your blood pressure and prevent your tablets from working properly, including ibuprofen, decongestants, any cough medicine with decongestant in it etc. - and quite a lot of customers are actually unaware of the restrictions on their medications.

If the staff didn't ask the questions, and sold something to a customer that that they should not be taking due to their health, and then the customer collapses after taking it and almost dies, then it is the member of staff who sold them the medicine who can be taken to court.

However, if you don't want to talk about something in front of everyone, you can ask to speak to the member of staff privately - most pharmacies have a private consultation booth now and the staff are happy to speak with you privately.

[Disclaimer: I worked in a pharmacy for almost 9 years and I was one of those staff members who had to ask the questions to every single customer]

I understand all this, and certainly never thought they were being purposely nosy. But when I say upfront, "I do not take any other kind of medication. I'm not diabetic nor do I have high blood pressure", then I feel the questioning should stop. I have actually said just that, and still was asked questions.

I was once asked no less than 8 questions because I wanted yeast infection cream that was sold behind the counter. I told her I knew what a yeast infection is. Yet, she still asked me the most personal questions as if I had no idea what I was talking about. It was humiliating. When I turned around to leave, my face was tomato red and I was near tears. I am not easily embarrassed, but that was just too much in my opinion.

Like I said, I understand why, but I still hate it.