JeremyK

Just trying to mentally prepare myself for everything which is to come. My wife and I have been together for 8+ years so I have a fair idea I think, but the thing is I don't know what I don't know.

Anyone got any random thoughts or lessons learned they could share?

Thanks,

Jeremy.

Nutmegger

Approach the move as if you are going to a country with a culture as foreign to you as that of China or Russia, and you will be fine. My feeling is that people who think the US is going to be the UK with an accent have the most trouble adjusting when they find how very different it is. Relax, look upon the whole thing as an adventure, and have fun!

markonline1

What part of the US are you moving too? My part of the country isn't a million miles from the UK. It's different, yes, but I get the feeling other parts of the country have a way of life far more removed from the way of life back home than the ca coast does.

dunroving

You will enjoy the new experiences so much that it would be a shame to focus on trying to anticipate what you might miss. Look forward, not back.

Pulaski

That's a very personal question. Here on BE there are some who seem to miss everything, and can hardly find a good word to say about the US, while others really don't really seem to miss much of anything.

I am in the latter camp, and if pushed I could string together a short list of things I miss a little bit, like black pudding, beers after work, and the Goodwood Festival of Speed, but really life goes on and I don't miss them to the extent there is a gap in my life, because there isn't. I have a nicer house than I could ever have afforded in the UK, and a Mustang GT which is only a "weekend car", a decent job (with more holiday than my last job in the UK! ), and a side business which I would never have been able to afford to get going in the UK. What's not to like?

a_J_Martin

I agree with all the comments above. It does depend on where you are going though. For example Pulaski misses drinks after work, but that's really common here in Portland.

You can probably find or substitute most of the 'things' you miss. It's things like family and friends that are probably the hardest. For the most part just try to embrace the differences and you'll be fine.

Sally Redux

It's very difficult to predict what your emotional response will be. Generally I have found that men adapt better than women. Common things people miss are humour, pubs/dropping in for a cuppa, foodstuffs, TV programmes. Depending on your personal views, you may or may not struggle with greater emphasis on religion, insular view of the world, militarism, gun culture.

Casual Observer

Cadburys chocolate and fish and chips seems to the wisdom of the group

Ulsterman in Texas

Like Pulaski I really like living here, of course I'm not quite as successful as him, but I'm doing OK. I feel as if I should have lived here all my life. That's not to say that there isn't things I don't miss, but it's the silly things like decent fish and chips. I had a craving for Lilt the other day. I miss my family of course, but my in laws are great and are like a second family. I miss by church too (I'm very much in the minority on that one on this forum) but I'm in a good church here.

SarahG

The only things I miss are chocolate and a TV channel without commercials.

markonline1

Cadburys chocolate is fairly easy to get hold of where I am. Of course, it does cost a little more. There is apparently a fish and chip shop in the next town to me. I've yet to try it out.

civilservant

I miss the secular nature of Brotish Politics - especially down here in the South! Generally speaking though I like it pretty well, if like to take the Brotish working regulations on holiday etc and transplant them here, but it's not so bad.

Life anywhere is what you make it. You'll be miserable of you want to be.

JeremyK

Hi all,

Thanks for the responses. The biggest I have seen mentioned is friends and family. We already live in a different part of the UK than where I grew up, so while I am fairly close to family, I am used to only seeing them in person occassionally. We all tend to keep in contact through phone, or facebook. In the future I'll be installing Skype so my parents can contact us easily on the other side.

All the other stuff is not so important, everything has its substitutes. Cadbury vs. herseys for example. I also haven't watched any UK tv in years.

I do like the sound of the possibility of owning a Mustang, and while still a sports car in the US, over here in the UK I think it is very much considered a specalist import car by insurers.

Thanks again to all. My excitement grows.

Jeremy.

yukichon

Hershey's is shockingly bad and smells vile, in fact it smells like Parmesan haha

civilservant

+1