Do you LOVE the UK compared to USA, or is life keeping you here?

I must say, I share similar sentiments and concern.  I fully realise I may be overly paranoid and/or cynical, but at times it feels as though some of these posts have the sole intention of stirring up trouble.  It just seems these conversations have been had repeatedly, and with the same overall outcome from the responses. 

OP - are you still considering a move outside the US and still trying to source opinions and anecdotes from those who have already moved abroad?  Do you have a particular interest in immigrants and are just curious about the expat experience?

I feel slightly less paranoid and crazy to know I'm not alone in those sentiments at least, so thanks Aquila.

Just wanted to add that either of the reasoning you directed to OP for why they might be asking are both fine. It would just be good to get that understanding as it might change how these conversations go because I agree that they seem to always have the same overall outcome/responses and OP just seems to say that the information given is very insightful (which I'm not disputing that the answers are, just that it can't be insightful every time). The conversation might be able to go in a different/better direction if we know if OP is still trying to move outside the US or if they just have an interest or are curious about the experience overall and maybe are just too afraid to say they aren't moving for fear they might not have their questions answered?

OP - whatever the reason is, it's totally fine...but it might just help us get the conversation going in the right direction if we have an understanding of what's going on here with the repetitive questions (even if it's just that you want to keep the dream alive as we can sympathise with that).

Sorry..I'll be quiet now.

I think the ultimate reason is to manipulate us.  Perhaps it's just making some posts every once in a while to maintain a history and make those accounts seem legitimate.  Later, when they want to stir trouble or get us to accept some argument, the user will be old and have some history.

I guess it's a possibility that this is some kind of market research or polling. 

Maybe they are hoping that someone other than "the usual suspects" will see and answer the questions? Or checking to see if things have changed?

You all gave some very open and helpful assessments of how your life has measured up since living in the UK and I appreciate your experiences a great deal. A lot of people don't fully understand the courage and commitment it requires to leave behind your entire life and history and culture(to some degree) to start over in a different society. I certainly learned a lot from all of you and it helps to know that what ever choices we all decide to go with no matter what there are people out there that are making it work despite a set back or two. And those that are having to shift some of your original plans I want to especially offer you even more good fortune for your path forward. The idea of moving to any country can be awfully scary because of the tug it can have on our instincts to move on that idea while knowing the actual outcome could possibly turn out to be less than a great fit. And with Brexit becoming a new reality in a decision to live in the UK, that for some people can make living there more complicated and especially if planned options included Europe in your over-all plans.

It sounds like despite any hurdles you may have had to overcome most of you would do it all again and move to the UK, and generally you've been embraced as a positive addition to British society and not thought of as a "problematic invasion foreign immigrant".  Am I getting that opinion correct? And if that is the case then that is very reassuring considering there is a lot constant news of anti immigrant sentiments expressed in the last few years which many people believe lead to the Brexit vote to leave.

I am curious do you feel that life in the UK in terms of quality of the economy, healthcare, inclusiveness is the best in Europe or would you say that Portugal, Belgium or some other EU top country offers a better deal over-all? And do you feel quality of life in the UK is getting worse compared to what it was when you first moved there?  Again I'm not asking that question just to compare apple to apple but instead to see just how happy you are with life in the UK.

Thank you for your help.

Healthcare is probably better in France. From what I understand, it's some of the best in Europe. For me, as a retiree, taxes would be better in France (they don't tax retirement income, so I'd only pay US taxes on it). There are parts (Normandy, Brittany) that are really attractive to me, as far as places to live.

The things that are stopping me from seriously exploring a move there after getting settled status (if we make it that long) are the language hurdle (I speak and read no French, and you really need to be able to read the immigration laws, etc., or you are at a serious disadvantage) and the potential job market for the Daughter. It makes no sense for us to go there if she can't find serious work (not "make-ends-meet" work) and develop a career.

Is the UK in your opinion the most progressive country in the EU?

Not by a longshot, no.

Maybe they are hoping that someone other than "the usual suspects" will see and answer the questions? Or checking to see if things have changed?

I imagine re-freshing the same thread would be a more productive way to do this and/or phrasing the question where you acknowledge it's been asked before and ask if anybody's opinions has changed. I think that might help give OP the outcome they are looking for better if that is what they are looking to do.

Well, KoD, you know my long-held belief about what I think OverheadSmash is.  I will continue to not participate until I can be certain I'm talking to an actual human being.

I imagine re-freshing the same thread would be a more productive way to do this and/or phrasing the question where you acknowledge it's been asked before and ask if anybody's opinions has changed. I think that might help give OP the outcome they are looking for better if that is what they are looking to do.

Maybe. Or maybe they don't want the bother of having to find the original thread... or, again, maybe they're looking for other people to respond. There are an awful lot of lurkers on this board, after all. 

Maybe. Or maybe they don't want the bother of having to find the original thread... or, again, maybe they're looking for other people to respond. There are an awful lot of lurkers on this board, after all. 

Just to reference, you can easily get to your own created topics by clicking on your profile at the top of this page, clicking "show posts", and then clicking "topics" to filter by the threads you've created

I personally think if you were to re-post on the same thread and say you're reviving in hopes of new people wanting to share, that might be more productive as those lurkers and those who haven't post before would then just see the resurrected post and others who have already commented probably wouldn't bother to re-share but that's just my opinion And you know what they say about opinions!

I'm actually starting to get a bit uncomfortable and concerned with your posts - if I'm honest. I'm wondering if you are using the information you get here for other things (like I have no idea if you're a journalist) like using this information out of context to create a narrative. You ask very similar questions over and over again every so often (and sometimes it comes across like you're trying to stir the pot) and I'm not sure I understand why you are continually asking the same questions that you already have received answers to and you haven't really said why....

Maybe I'm just being cynical because the likes of other people appearing to troll in here has been more apparent recently, but I honestly am just curious what you're looking to get out of this information? What do you do with this information? At one point, you were talking about wanting to move here so the discussions questions made more sense, but now you just seem to ask repetitive questions without any context. Are you just curious about the lives of immigrants in general?

Obviously I know other people will continue to answer you and my response really doesn't impact you at all, but I honestly don't feel comfortable answering any more of your questions until I understand why you're asking them and why you're asking them repeatedly instead of just the one time?

I also can't understand why you care how happy we personally are with life in the UK that you feel the need to ask it regularly enough that we can remember it...what is the end game here?

Yeah I just don't understand why ask the same specific question all the time? Is OP using our responses elsewhere? I'd be concerned that he's trying to stir the pot to either get us to fight internally (which is what I feel like Dani was doing as well...) or give controversial answers that can be used elsewhere to support a particular narrative or something. I'm probably just being paranoid, but his posts just don't strike me as natural or sheer innocent curiosity..

Thank you for offering your help. Don't want you to feel uncomfortable so I'll leave at that. You were very generous with the help you gave. I'm not a troll, just a sincere person trying to avoid making mistakes.  Not everyone that's online are like you and myself just regular people that mean well, so I  can understand the importance of being careful. Thank you

Just to reference, you can easily get to your own created topics by clicking on your profile at the top of this page, clicking "show posts", and then clicking "topics" to filter by the threads you've created

I personally think if you were to re-post on the same thread and say you're reviving in hopes of new people wanting to share, that might be more productive as those lurkers and those who haven't post before would then just see the resurrected post and others who have already commented probably wouldn't bother to re-share but that's just my opinion And you know what they say about opinions!

Yep, I do!   

Not sure I understand the reason for any paranoia, though. (Seriously, not meaning anything belittling, it's just very confusing to me.)  It's not like this is the secret clubhouse. Anyone, anywhere, for any purpose, can read what is written here. So it behooves one to not write anything they wouldn't like to see in a news article somewhere.    If there's something that's sensitive or that would be too identifiable (personal or family photos, etc.) that a person wouldn't want stolen, borrowed, or otherwise used or known by others, it's best to not put it here, as well.

That said, I had no idea I could go back in and dig up my past posts, so thanks for the technical information. It makes me crazy when I know I've posted something some time back and can't find it!

Yep, I do!   

Not sure I understand the reason for any paranoia, though. (Seriously, not meaning anything belittling, it's just very confusing to me.)  It's not like this is the secret clubhouse. Anyone, anywhere, for any purpose, can read what is written here. So it behooves one to not write anything they wouldn't like to see in a news article somewhere.    If there's something that's sensitive or that would be too identifiable (personal or family photos, etc.) that a person wouldn't want stolen, borrowed, or otherwise used or known by others, it's best to not put it here, as well.

That said, I had no idea I could go back in and dig up my past posts, so thanks for the technical information. It makes me crazy when I know I've posted something some time back and can't find it!

I want to thank you for responding to my post and not treating me like some investigative reporter or a 500 pound person stuck in a room hoping to leave the house one day and go to Europe. You were polite and helped a fellow American expat. Very kind of you. I appreciate that.

We all have our own paranoias I guess   (but I'm not concerned about people reading what I've posted as I'm a pretty open book. that's not really my concern.)

That said, I had no idea I could go back in and dig up my past posts, so thanks for the technical information. It makes me crazy when I know I've posted something some time back and can't find it!

Every day is a school day! you're welcome lol it is a bit hidden that's why I thought I'd point it out in case you weren't aware because it's not the most clearly formatted as other forums.

I want to thank you for responding to my post and not treating me like some investigative reporter or a 500 pound person stuck in a room hoping to leave the house one day and go to Europe. You were polite and helped a fellow American expat. Very kind of you. I appreciate that.

You're very welcome. 

Not sure why this thread took on such a weird turn. To me, the OP's question seemed innocent? Like they were trying to gather information before making a huge, life changing move? And with Brexit very likely affecting life dramatically in the UK, it seems reasonable to ask how that might change things? Personally life in the UK did not work out for me, I chalk it up to experience but I had thought about where to move for years as well...why not if I had the option? And for now, the opportunity to move elsewhere in Europe is still there. And me personally, even though I spent a lot of money on a visa for the UK, it became a lot less valuable to me knowing that I wouldn't get the access to Europe that I had hoped for so sealed the deal in me moving back to the US as the visa was cheaper and lasted longer for my husband.

I get that they asked the question another time but....so what? It's not like they are asking people for their social security numbers or anything!