Hello There!

Hello everyone!

I'm Dominic and I'm married to an American and we live in Texas. "Why are you here?!" you may ask! Well, I am part of a British expat forum and I have a really good time reading fellow Brits and their experiences in the USA I thought it would be fun to come on here and read and take part in the experiences of Americans in the UK and to allay any fears my wife has if we ever decide to live back in the UK. Hope that's alright?

Welcome to the forum!  There is a lot of great information on here should you ever need it, but also a lot of lovely people having a chat.  I know from reading other UK to US forums that I can sometimes jump to my defenses when people criticize my home country until I remind myself that everyone is entitled to their own opinion.     As I'm sure you know, each country has it's good, it's bad, it's ugly, and the things that expats find just plain weird.  I think it is admirable that you're trying to learn about the experience on behalf of your wife.  I know that having a supportive SO is one of the biggest reasons that I have been able to make the move to the UK.  Even if you're in the US for the time being, it's always a good idea to keep up on what is going on with immigration policies.

Anyways, enough rambling from me.  Welcome to the forum and enjoy!

Hi Beatlemaniac! Thanks! It's great to be here! (Great name by the way, as I am one too! As is my USC wife)

I know its easy to take offence at people's complaints about their home country but I always try and take a comical view of it. My wife on her visits to the UK has expressed some annoyance at our customs and slang terms but I just laugh as it doesn't really matter at the end of the day.

Being a British expat in the US has taught me some good lessons and I am fascinated by what Americans think of living in the UK. I speak to many who dream of moving to the UK and those who are self-professed "Anglophiles" so I try and give them advice on what to expect since I spent my formative years there.

Anyway! Enough of my rambling! Who's your favourite Beatle? 

Your'e in Texas and you play a Les Paul???

SRV:

The TokenBrit, where in Texas are you living? I live in Houston with my Brit husband. I lived in England with him for 8.5 years and he's lived in the US with me for 10. We are currently debating returning to England for our "later years" and on here keeping current with what's going on abroad. Welcome to the forum!

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Your'e in Texas and you play a Les Paul???

SRV:

Haha yes! I have a Fender but its back home in Britain and I am extremely nervous about shipping it over here.

The TokenBrit, where in Texas are you living? I live in Houston with my Brit husband. I lived in England with him for 8.5 years and he's lived in the US with me for 10. We are currently debating returning to England for our "later years" and on here keeping current with what's going on abroad. Welcome to the forum!

I'm in Austin. It seems every Brit expat I have encountered is either in Austin or Houston! haha Yeah I think that's what we might do. Return to England for our golden years! Where in England did you live?

Haha yes! I have a Fender but its back home in Britain and I am extremely nervous about shipping it over here.

Be careful. I sold all of my guitars before coming over except for a wooden body resonator. I thought I had packed it well but when it arrived the headstock had been forced down which caused the fretboard to pop loose.

This luthier in Soho told me he sees it all the time.   

I lived in Reading and Wokingham when I first got married, nearly 19 years ago but later moved to a town called Westhoughton that is near Bolton and Wigan. My husband is from there so we moved to be closer to his parents. Sadly, it was career suicide for him to do so and it was what brought us back to my home state of Texas.

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Be careful. I sold all of my guitars before coming over except for a wooden body resonator. I thought I had packed it well but when it arrived the headstock had been forced down which caused the fretboard to pop loose.

This luthier in Soho told me he sees it all the time.   

Yeah I probably should have sold all mine back in Britain too but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Plus, I have to have something to play when I go back there or It'll do my head in! haha

I lived in Reading and Wokingham when I first got married, nearly 19 years ago but later moved to a town called Westhoughton that is near Bolton and Wigan. My husband is from there so we moved to be closer to his parents. Sadly, it was career suicide for him to do so and it was what brought us back to my home state of Texas.

I lived all over, I was born in Torquay down in Devon but then moved up to Scotland and then back to England and then finally Wales before I met my wife and made the move to Texas. I love it over here but there are some things I obviouslymiss from Britain. Yeah, I had a manager in Wales once who worked in a cleaning company in London and thought that if he moved back to Wales within the company, closer to home, he'd be making the same money but have a cheaper cost of living. It never panned out and it was career suicide for him. Is he liking it in Houston? I treat every day in the US as an adventure! Even if I've been here for coming on 5 years.

Where was your favourite place to live in the UK out of them all? If it were me, I'd say Reading and Wokingham due to the proximity to London. I'm sure being up North was great too though! 

I lived in Reading and Wokingham when I first got married, nearly 19 years ago but later moved to a town called Westhoughton that is near Bolton and Wigan. My husband is from there so we moved to be closer to his parents. Sadly, it was career suicide for him to do so and it was what brought us back to my home state of Texas.

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I'm in Wokingham!

The TokenBrit, where in Texas are you living? I live in Houston with my Brit husband. I lived in England with him for 8.5 years and he's lived in the US with me for 10. We are currently debating returning to England for our "later years" and on here keeping current with what's going on abroad. Welcome to the forum!

Sent from my KFTHWI using Tapatalk

I'm about an hour north of Houston.

Hi Beatlemaniac! Thanks! It's great to be here! (Great name by the way, as I am one too! As is my USC wife)

I know its easy to take offence at people's complaints about their home country but I always try and take a comical view of it. My wife on her visits to the UK has expressed some annoyance at our customs and slang terms but I just laugh as it doesn't really matter at the end of the day.

Being a British expat in the US has taught me some good lessons and I am fascinated by what Americans think of living in the UK. I speak to many who dream of moving to the UK and those who are self-professed "Anglophiles" so I try and give them advice on what to expect since I spent my formative years there.

Anyway! Enough of my rambling! Who's your favourite Beatle? 

Excellent!  Who is my favorite Beatle....  question of the day.  To be honest, I have a hard time choosing.  I spent the first 6 years of my life thinking that my dad was John Lennon so I have a soft spot for him.  I guess that I would have to go with George Harrison if I had to pick, but they're all really tied for first.  My dad is also a huge fan and is just re-learning how to play left-handed so that he can play the Paul McCartney-esque bass that he's just purchased.  Yours?

It's always interesting to hear about other peoples' ideas of your country.  I've heard some good ones about the US here as well as some interesting ones in the US about the UK.  When I told a co-worker that I was moving to the UK they asked if I was worried about ISIS.  I didn't quite know what to say!  And then I have made the grievous mistake of referring to a 'bum bag' as a 'fanny pack' in front of the extended family.  I also about died of embarrassment when my husband's young cousin asked me for a 'rubber.'  I still haven't stopped referring to my 'pants' when I mean 'trousers' so I will sometimes get some funny looks.  I do try not to compare the UK to the US as much as possible but sometimes things over here just boggle my little American mind.  It's definitely an experience, though, and I love it!

Excellent!  Who is my favorite Beatle....  question of the day.  To be honest, I have a hard time choosing.  I spent the first 6 years of my life thinking that my dad was John Lennon so I have a soft spot for him.  I guess that I would have to go with George Harrison if I had to pick, but they're all really tied for first.  My dad is also a huge fan and is just re-learning how to play left-handed so that he can play the Paul McCartney-esque bass that he's just purchased.  Yours?

It's always interesting to hear about other peoples' ideas of your country.  I've heard some good ones about the US here as well as some interesting ones in the US about the UK.  When I told a co-worker that I was moving to the UK they asked if I was worried about ISIS.  I didn't quite know what to say!  And then I have made the grievous mistake of referring to a 'bum bag' as a 'fanny pack' in front of the extended family.  I also about died of embarrassment when my husband's young cousin asked me for a 'rubber.'  I still haven't stopped referring to my 'pants' when I mean 'trousers' so I will sometimes get some funny looks.  I do try not to compare the UK to the US as much as possible but sometimes things over here just boggle my little American mind.  It's definitely an experience, though, and I love it!

My favourite Beatle is probably John, sometimes it's George, sometimes it's Paul, sometimes it's Ringo! haha Yeah I pretty much love all of them equally! You spent the first 6 years of your life thinking your dad was John? How did you reckon that one out?! (lol) People think my favourite is Paul because I'm left handed on guitar and tend to cover more of his songs than the others. I would link you all to my soundcloud to have a listen but I think there's a rule against promoting yourself!

So, WERE you worried about ISIS when you came over? haha I suppose because the US is pretty much in the middle of two massive oceans that its easy for people to be isolated and that contributes to the rest of the worlds stereotyping.

Haha I had to think what the American word for 'Rubber' was (My wife informed me its 'Eraser' haha) but yeah it's little misunderstandings like this that make it funny to me.

What are the things you're having a hard time with over in the UK? Roundabouts? Shops closing at 5pm and all day Sunday? I have a hard time with that too! lol