Why move to the UK?

I’ve seen several posts where people will ask the original poster why they want to move to the UK with all the hassle that can be involved. I don’t ever read it as being judge mental or rude, just genuinely curious. It’s made me think about it for myself. It’s not for love, my husband is American and I’m a dual citizen who grew up in America.
I was watching a documentary about food in different cultures and I actually think I got some insight for my desire to move. It’s not that the UK has a particularly well respected food culture (although I do love it), but it’s the feelings of community, family, and history that food brings. I’ve never really felt that history in America. My mom was second generation from Ireland and my dad was born in England. Their families both embraced their home roots. Both my parents recently passed away at young ages. I miss the connection and would like to see if I can feel some of that family history and culture that I’m missing. I still have family in Northern Ireland. Our family has lived in the same small village for at least a hundred years.
So maybe I won’t find what I’m looking for, but I’d like to try it.
If not for love why did some of you decide to move to the UK?

I moved over for Uni. And then I stayed. I guess I stayed because I was making the decision about what direction to take in 2008 (remember that whole collapse of the world economy thing??). The UK would give me a visa and I even got a job! I subsequently applied to about 50 jobs (in the UK and US) and didn't get a look-in anywhere. I was going to move back the US and try to work in a coffee shop or something in 2010, but fate intervened and I found a way to start a career path and it happened to be in the UK because I already had a UK degree. And then I stayed because I got a shortage occupation job here and was still essentially unemployable in the US... and then I married my British husband.

So the answer for me is that I just stayed...

My daughter had been over here for ed abroad, and I'd visited several times. (Including prior to her being here for that.) Loved the place. Both of us.

Daughter really enjoyed her undergrad experience here and wanted to return to do a grad program, but could only manage the tuition and not the living expenses. I was more than ready to retire early, and have dual EU citizenship, so I retired, we moved over, and she did her program. (She came in as my dependent.) We are now happily living the dream. She is in a holding pattern until she qualifies for in-country tuition and fees, and will then go on for her next degree. (She's been admitted, but will have to defer a year until she hits the magic "three year" mark.)

We seem to be ok, immigration-status-wise, but it will have to be seen what happens economically. All my income, at this point, is in dollars. Her minimal income (part-time job) is in pounds. I keep looking for work, but what I find is at only 1/3rd of what I was making before I retired - and only for a slightly less demanding role. I also keep running into the "you haven't been in the UK long enough for us to know you're not a terrorist" problem with security clearances. When I get past that point, if someone will hire me despite my age, part of my income would be in dollars and part in pounds.  No telling if either will be terribly stable for very much longer, really. But it seems a good way to hedge, if I can pull it off.

The Daughter could be working on the next degree either three years full-time or five years part-time. The latter would put less stress on her, but leaves her that much older when she graduates. (And we lose the council tax reduction, as it's only for full-time students.) In her field, there won't be a lot of high-paying work, but hopefully she'll be able to find something that will make her a decent living.  On the good side, if she takes out UK loans (when she's eligible) to pay for her degree program, the repayment is based on one's income. It's unlikely she'd have to pay much of them back, unlike if she had to take out similar loans in the USA, where they follow you to the grave. And, graduate education here, once you have "home" status, costs considerably less than it does in the States. It's worth hanging around a few more years to see how things shake out. 

Love the food, love the climate, love the history, like a lot of the people. It's way cheaper than SoCal. Win-win for us, so far.

I came to the UK for work, as a stepping stone for my dream job in China.  But I met a boy, yardda yadda. 

The UK is tough at the moment.  Very anti immigration, very very expensive to immigrate to (particularly as a spouse), and the gigantic pink elephant called Brexit.  I’ll feel much better, and more optimistic, when we are on the other side of Brexit and hopefully we aren’t living on rations!

Life is just a bit harder here.  A lot fewer of life conveniences, less work/life balance, low salaries, high cost of living, and the grey.  But it’s not all bad.   

My biggest moments of food and happiness in the UK - without question - is my American Expat group!  It’s rather rare for Brits to invite one another to their homes.

I do worry about what will happen in the next few years with immigration. My husband will retire anywhere from 4-7 years so a lot could change. Right now we seem to be in a good position to get him a visa but I’m not sure it will last. I also think I’d like to live in the village in Northern Ireland where my family lives but a lot can happen there as well.
I have lived there in the past but not as an adult and not for more than a few years. But I loved it. I’m sure some things will be different if not frustrating. It will come down to do the good things outweigh the bad. We live in Germany right now because of my husbands job and so far we love it.
We do own a house in the US that is multifamily with an open apartment we can come back to so it is the fall back.
I just want to feel like I belong and have an attachment somewhere. With my parents gone and being a military spouse and child who has never lived anywhere more than two years I crave that. Maybe my family in Ireland will be it. Who knows?

Yeah, being in limbo is tough. The best you can do is keep your options open.

I came on a work permit when it was *slightly* easier to get such things.  I needed a big change in my life, kept applying for jobs in Europe and one day didn't get rejected.  It happened to be in Scotland and my grandfather was born in Scotland and lived here for 11 years before emigrating to the US.  (There's a good backstory to this: His dad,my Great - Grandfather,  was a miner first, then a medic - stretcher bearer in WWI  -and had been gassed. His lungs were a wreck and couldn't head back down to the mines. So doctors said he should head for warmer climates with better air.  Well ,the money only stretched so far and they knew folks in Massachusetts, so that was that.  He became a baker, breathed flour everyday, and died not long after that.)

Anyways, grew up with lots of Scottish lore on my Mom's side.  So that helped. 

Moved here after only spending time for my job interview, something silly like 28 hours, and knew nothing about what I was in for. Jumped head first and haven't looked back.  I love the people, the music scene, the NHS, the scenery, the pubs and beer, the BBC, the food, and even don't mind the weather.

I met my now husband about 9 months later. However, we had the luxury of just being a couple ,  unlike so many folks on here, so we lived apart for 6 years before finally moving in together. We then got married 3 years ago.    It's a good life. 

I do worry about getting work. I work remotely now but who knows if I’ll still be working that job in 4-7 years. I’m an interior designer but my degree is just in general Art and photography. Not the most employable degree.
My husband will have a decent retirement from the military but we will lose some of that with the exchange rate. He was a history teacher before joining the military. But it was US History. Not much of a bed for that in the U.K.
I would love to settle in Scotland maybe. If that’s still an option when I’m ready to move I will look into whether I want to live there or Ireland.
How do you find the weather in Scotland? I’ve only been there once in July so it was very nice. My husband is not a huge fan of cold but will tolerate it. He does not like snow even though I love it.

Regarding food, it has been interesting finding out certain things.

For instance pastry. I had never really eaten anything like a savoury pie/pastie. When I found out about sausage rolls I went crazy. Yorkshire pudding too! It is like I sought out the most bad-for-you stuff though.

A real eye-opener was finding a good fish and chips, because so many are just crappy. But good lord done right!

I have never warmed to "curry" or the "Sunday roast". Maybe I have never found a good curry place, but it seems like gloop to me.

Sausages, at first, were almost off-putting. Very bland and fluffy. But after a while you get a bit of a jones for them.

Bubble and squeak is great.

McBride, based on the fact that you currently live in Germany, you would likely slot in well to the UK lifestyle.

Often the struggle for people is finding employment (which you guys won't need to), the loss of a social life (which you have moved before, so this will be something you are used to do again), and simply missing American conveniences.  Also the introduction of British bureaucracy - which from what I understand, Germany has a fair bit of as well. 

I suspect you'd enjoy life here and it wouldn't be "why oh why did I do this?" scenario.   

McBride, based on the fact that you currently live in Germany, you would likely slot in well to the UK lifestyle.

Often the struggle for people is finding employment (which you guys won't need to), the loss of a social life (which you have moved before, so this will be something you are used to do again), and simply missing American conveniences.  Also the introduction of British bureaucracy - which from what I understand, Germany has a fair bit of as well. 

I suspect you'd enjoy life here and it wouldn't be "why oh why did I do this?" scenario.   

I think I’ll adjust well. At least I hope I would. The biggest struggle in Germany is the language barrier. So many people speak English. My German is terrible. But I often feel like an outsider.

Regarding food, it has been interesting finding out certain things.

For instance pastry. I had never really eaten anything like a savoury pie/pastie. When I found out about sausage rolls I went crazy. Yorkshire pudding too! It is like I sought out the most bad-for-you stuff though.

A real eye-opener was finding a good fish and chips, because so many are just crappy. But good lord done right!

I have never warmed to "curry" or the "Sunday roast". Maybe I have never found a good curry place, but it seems like gloop to me.

Sausages, at first, were almost off-putting. Very bland and fluffy. But after a while you get a bit of a jones for them.

Bubble and squeak is great.

I grew up with roast dinners at Christmas. I still often make Yorkshire puddings. So I like the food there. Shepherds pie, sausages, pies. All of that is good. Although I’m a vegetarian now. That may have to change if I move there.