10 years

10 years ago, 9 October, 2007, I was just back in the USA after visiting Scotland ,interviewing and scouting the place out. I had never been here before.  I got offered a job not long after that.  Got myself a rare and elusive work permit, something that doesn't even exist anymore.

10 years, I have been on UKY, initially asking All. The. Questions.
I have hopefully answered many questions over the years. I know nothing of visas these days, so I stay off that board. I still like visiting here for the craic!

I have several friends off UKY, most who have long disappeared off this forum, sadly, but are all active on Facebook and I wouldn't have met them if not for UKY.

Yay for adventures.   

Wow!  A decade!

What drew you to look into Scotland in the first place?

Oh man, I was in dire need of a change. I had been in a long term, emotionally draining relationship that had finally ended.  And I was just like, screw this, I'm moving to Europe. So I just kept applying for jobs in Europe that I thought I was qualified for.  And one day, I didn't get rejected!! 

When it was Scotland, that was icing on the cake.  My grandfather on my Mom's said was born in West Lothian and I still have family in that area. So it just felt right.

I met my now hubby 9 months after my move, so settled in and that's that. 

Congrats on hitting the decade mark! You're definitely a valued member here for sure

Gotta love Facebook! It's nice to get to know people on even more of a personal level I think so having people you gel with on Facebook can be quite nice.

Congrats on hitting the decade mark! You're definitely a valued member here for sure

Thanks!! 

Congrats on 10 years, PB!

It's always lovely to hear a success story. Congratulations on your anniversary phatbeetle! 

Thanks folks. It's been a wild ride 

Thanks folks. It's been a wild ride 

What do you think the biggest change in culture has been from year 1 to year 10?

Hmmm, I think a lot has been different in 10 years.

First:
Politics have been crazy in 10 years.
When I came we had a Labour government and there's been lots of change through the Tories. (This is not change that I see as good, but I'm not into Tory policies)
Brexit.   
There's been mad political upheaval in Scotland with the SNP and Scottish Independence stuff. 
At the time, George W. Bush was a huge embarrassment and made the US look like buffoons, but man, if only we knew that we'd get Trump and be the laughing stock of the world....

Second: Food - Mexican food has become huge in the UK (well not near me, but everywhere else it seems).  And you can easily find Old El Paso and Wahaca stuff in the supermarkets.  Also lots of American sweets and cereals and whatnot are found in supermarkets too.  We used to discuss how to find a good peanut butter, but you can find all kinds of peanut butters now.  You can find BBQ sauces and liquid smoke as mainstream items.   Lots and lots of choice, even within 10 years.  Pumpkin patches and pumpkins in supermarkets. 

Third: Drink - Craft beer, really. Finding craft beers in supermarkets.  Gin has become huge in 10 years,as well. Scottish craft gin is booming.   Pumpkin Spice Lattes. Nope you couldn't find them. And then one day you could. 

Fourth: Clothing.  10 years ago we discussed the limited options with plus size clothing, anything over a size 16 was hard to find. Now it's really pretty easy to find plus size clothing. Would always love a better choice, but it's amazing when you think you won't find your size in a shop and it's there now. 

Fifth: TV.  Pretty easy to watch shows from the US with Netflix, Amazon,and other Sky Channels.  Not lots of waiting now.

Sixth: American football.  Games played regularly in the UK and the other day I saw Patriots, Bills, Dolphins, Packers, Cowboys, and 49s hats in a sport shop. 

Seventh:  Facetime/whatsap/facebook messenger/skype  The iphone was brandy spankin new.  Smartphones were just starting to gain traction.  Facebook didn't have a messenger option back then.  I skyped my family off my laptop. It was amazing, but still slow and fuzzy in pictures.  Ended up needing to still dial off landlines alot. Wouldn't have done it off a mobile phone.   Now, in even remote parts of Scotland, you end up finding a 3G singal. I can call my family whenever/however through all these apps.  It makes the world smaller. 

I'm sure there are other things I have forgotten as well.   

All of those things you mentioned seem like ways that Scotland has become Americanised.  Granted, as an American those are going to be the things you notice and care about, but I’m still not super happy about it. 

Go Scottish craft gin and Independence!

Oh, I'd say Scotland itself is still Scotland, thank goodness. These were things I just chose to pick up on in relevant to our UKY audience.   

Me, personally, most of these things don't impact my day to day life. 

I'm not watching much American TV.  The only stuff that goes on the box in our house is 'Gardener's World', 'Masterchef',  'Countryfile' , 'Grand Designs', 'Grand Tour' and other random documentaries and history related things shown on the BBC. 

I don't give any shits about American Football, except for the nice photos my sister sends across of my 9 year old nephew playing and I'm rooting for those taking a knee at the moment. For me, American football is one of those things that happens before and after the main event, aka the marching band field show. 

I had a Pumpkin Spice Latte once it came out over it and I thought it was way too sweet so haven't ordered one since.   

Congratulations! I'm glad you're enjoying it so far.

Me too about the football, other than becoming an expert on the pledge of allegiance so I can get ever more worked up about Trump, I wouldn’t know a football if it hit me. 

I’m not into those overly sweet drinks either. 

Did I ever tell you that my dad was mad for the trombone?  He insisted that I play it in 6th grade band, so my buddy played it as well.  We both sucked monumentally so I quit after 6 months of hell.  My friend was afraid to tell his parents he quit as well, so he ended up carrying his trombone to school for the rest of the year on his unicycle!

Woah, unicycling with a trombone, sounds like your friend wanted to have a career as a circus clown 

Better to have tried the trombone, than not have tried at all. Hehehe.