Originally Posted by KatieStar

I must be unusual I have been to all parts of the UK and lived in N.Ireland as my hubby is from there. It is a beautifull country and I am very proud of it. "Where the mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea" I must be getting sentimental.

Katie

Originally Posted by louise4

that means that i can remember when i was younger all around me people excepted laws and looked after their own little piece of England (thier homes and family).

Louise

Originally Posted by Un-Co

Been to all of them too. Don't think it's that unusual!

Originally Posted by mary1

Have you ever been to Scotland ,Wales or Northern Ireland?

I have met very few English who have ever been to Scotland and Wales far less Northern Ireland.Why would you want to belong to somewhere you have never been to and don't know anything about?

Originally Posted by louise4

Just because this is not everybody's viewpoint does not mean it is bxxxxcks.

Originally Posted by kath n kim

Just thought I would post this for all of you who are leaving the U.K because of all it's "problems".
A lot of people seem to be talking about the "spongers" who are now there....Sponging off the benefit system, having never worked a day in their lives, never having contributed to National Insurance contributions, expecting child benefit, free dental treatment, free prescriptions, free hospital treatment and numerous other handouts.......The huge influx of foreign immigrants flowing into the country, immediately expecting these same handouts, again having never contributed to the country's econonomy, often ignorant to the country's culture, morals, values, laws, way of life and even sometimes the language.... A lot of people are complaining about the rising crime rates, cost of houses, rising taxes, ridiculous laws, the governments' lax stand on allowing all these foreign immigrants to just walk into the country and almost "take over".....The lack of control that teachers now seem to have over children, in often overcrowded classrooms, with no discipline or morals being taught at the homes of these children, and your children having to be taught alongside them............The decline in the standard of public health care, aged care, mental health care and every other (overstreched and free) national system, probably due to the "spongers"......The widening gap between the wealthy and the poor... The list of the failings of the country is endless.
I know, because a few years ago I was saying exactly the same, then I moved to Australia.

I now realise that you could be saying exactly the same about this country. The only difference is that, I am now that "foreign immigrant"...As you will be in the near future. Expecting free Healthcare, Child benefit etc, etc........Trying desperately to fit-in, make a new/better life and trying to recreate a little bit of what was familiar to you, here in this new adopted country where often everything seems strange and almost unwelcoming. Where the system sometimes seems so unfamiliar, and where a friendly, helpful face is so gratefully appreciated...(even if it is in Centrelink!)

And who can blame many of the Australian people born here for often feeling slightly resentful of the fact that "Pommies" move over here and expect everything for nothing? That they move over here and push their property prices up to unaffordable levels for the average Aussie, because they can afford to pay more, after selling their house in the U.K for an astronomical price......Then, they come over here and expect handouts for free, without ever having contributed to the country's economy............Bringing with them their own thoughts and ideas on how things should be done.......
Sound familiar?
There are still the same injustices, unfairness, crimes and everything else over here, just as they are in the U.K. The only difference is that you see it from a different angle when you are on the outside, looking in.

Living in Australia has taught me many things. One of them is to have a little pride in your own country. Most Australians are very patriotic, and why shouldn't they be - Australia is a wonderful country......But then,
so is Great Britain. It is still one of the most sought after countries in the world, to live - That's why so many foreigners want to live there! So please don't knock it, or the "foreign immigrants" most of whom have moved there trying desperately to forge a better lives for themselves and their families, just as you will be doing in Australia.
People are human, no matter where they were born, and there are good and bad everywhere. I for one, now appreciate all that the U.K does have, rather than what it doesn't.

These are my thoughts and views. You may agree or disagree, that is your prerogative.

Originally Posted by KatieStar

I didn't think it was that unusual just replying to the post. How ever I doubt I would have gone to N.Ireland if hubby wasn't from there. I am glad I did though.

Katie

Originally Posted by kath n kim

Just thought I would post this for all of you who are leaving the U.K because of all it's "problems".
A lot of people seem to be talking about the "spongers" who are now there....Sponging off the benefit system, having never worked a day in their lives, never having contributed to National Insurance contributions, expecting child benefit, free dental treatment, free prescriptions, free hospital treatment and numerous other handouts.......The huge influx of foreign immigrants flowing into the country, immediately expecting these same handouts, again having never contributed to the country's econonomy, often ignorant to the country's culture, morals, values, laws, way of life and even sometimes the language.... A lot of people are complaining about the rising crime rates, cost of houses, rising taxes, ridiculous laws, the governments' lax stand on allowing all these foreign immigrants to just walk into the country and almost "take over".....The lack of control that teachers now seem to have over children, in often overcrowded classrooms, with no discipline or morals being taught at the homes of these children, and your children having to be taught alongside them............The decline in the standard of public health care, aged care, mental health care and every other (overstreched and free) national system, probably due to the "spongers"......The widening gap between the wealthy and the poor... The list of the failings of the country is endless.
I know, because a few years ago I was saying exactly the same, then I moved to Australia.

I now realise that you could be saying exactly the same about this country. The only difference is that, I am now that "foreign immigrant"...As you will be in the near future. Expecting free Healthcare, Child benefit etc, etc........Trying desperately to fit-in, make a new/better life and trying to recreate a little bit of what was familiar to you, here in this new adopted country where often everything seems strange and almost unwelcoming. Where the system sometimes seems so unfamiliar, and where a friendly, helpful face is so gratefully appreciated...(even if it is in Centrelink!)

And who can blame many of the Australian people born here for often feeling slightly resentful of the fact that "Pommies" move over here and expect everything for nothing? That they move over here and push their property prices up to unaffordable levels for the average Aussie, because they can afford to pay more, after selling their house in the U.K for an astronomical price......Then, they come over here and expect handouts for free, without ever having contributed to the country's economy............Bringing with them their own thoughts and ideas on how things should be done.......
Sound familiar?
There are still the same injustices, unfairness, crimes and everything else over here, just as they are in the U.K. The only difference is that you see it from a different angle when you are on the outside, looking in.

Living in Australia has taught me many things. One of them is to have a little pride in your own country. Most Australians are very patriotic, and why shouldn't they be - Australia is a wonderful country......But then,
so is Great Britain. It is still one of the most sought after countries in the world, to live - That's why so many foreigners want to live there! So please don't knock it, or the "foreign immigrants" most of whom have moved there trying desperately to forge a better lives for themselves and their families, just as you will be doing in Australia.
People are human, no matter where they were born, and there are good and bad everywhere. I for one, now appreciate all that the U.K does have, rather than what it doesn't.

These are my thoughts and views. You may agree or disagree, that is your prerogative.

Originally Posted by Un-Co

Note to self. Don't try and work and post seriously at the same time.
Sorry Katie - I was referring to Mary1's statement not yours . I was trying to agree with you!
I think it's better if I stick to my silly, irrelevant and inane posts unless I've got time to concentrate!

Originally Posted by coxfamuk

I guess all my life I have felt like an immigrant, and I guess because of that I am prepared to adapt to my surroundings and embrace new cultures.

The huge majority of immigrants I feel certainly don't sponge off the economy, if anything, they make it grow by adding valuable skills. Be patient with them and you never know, you may learn something from them and find a great friend.

Sarah

Originally Posted by coxfamuk

This has been such an interesting thread to read and thought I might share my experience. I was born in the UK and, wanting a better lifestyle for us (way back in 1976), my parents emigrated to South Africa taking us three kids with them. I was 8, my brother 5 and my sister 2. For the 22 years that I was there, although I loved the lifestyle, I never felt like it was 'home', I never felt like I completely belonged - I was english and didn't have the south african heritage that most my friends had. I always felt like I was the outsider looking in. My brother and sister always felt south african and still do, I must reiterate - maybe because they were younger when we first moved there.

When we decided to move back to the UK, I was so excited, I was going 'home'. I was in for a shock. Firstly, my accent is decidedly south african, people immediately assumed I was from Australia until I said I grew up in South africa. They never ever assumed i was born here (and why would they) and seemed quite shocked when I said that I was. I eventually gave up saying that I was british. I have come across comments such as 'we don't do that sort of thing in this country' and 'you may do that where you come from', which are frankly hurtful and demeaning and made me feel very much like an outsider. I have never felt accepted. Secondly, I found that growing up in a different country had given me a different outlook and different expectations in life to what people who had grown up here had. South Africans, like Australians, are extremely sociable people, BBQ-ing all the time and the 'Bring 'n Braai' (BBQ) concept is so integral into the way of life there that it is almost law. We missed that sociability. The crime in South Africa means that people live behind barbed wire fences and six foot walls, but still most people are on good terms with their neighbours and your social life doesn't suffer because of it. here, people are very insular (they are in the south of england, anyway). They like to keep to themselves. That has been very hard to come to terms with and quite isolating, although I now am quite fine with it. I have made friends, but I have to say most are south african because we 'think' in the same way - cultures stick together and all that.

Eventually, after 8 years, we decided that we wanted to mix more with people who are more like minded and have decided to make the move to Australia. We certainly are under no illusions that life is going to be hunky dory when we get there. Life has been too difficult here, the country of my birth, to fall into that trap. What this experience has made me realise is that no matter where you were born, you adapt to the environment you are living in - how you adapt is up to you. I guess all my life I have felt like an immigrant, and I guess because of that I am prepared to adapt to my surroundings and embrace new cultures.

The huge majority of immigrants I feel certainly don't sponge off the economy, if anything, they make it grow by adding valuable skills. Be patient with them and you never know, you may learn something from them and find a great friend.

Sarah

Originally Posted by Un-Co

Another fantastic post. Beautifully put. Why can't the world be full of tolerant and open minded people??

Originally Posted by coxfamuk

This has been such an interesting thread to read and thought I might share my experience. I was born in the UK and, wanting a better lifestyle for us (way back in 1976), my parents emigrated to South Africa taking us three kids with them. I was 8, my brother 5 and my sister 2. For the 22 years that I was there, although I loved the lifestyle, I never felt like it was 'home', I never felt like I completely belonged - I was english and didn't have the south african heritage that most my friends had. I always felt like I was the outsider looking in. My brother and sister always felt south african and still do, I must reiterate - maybe because they were younger when we first moved there.

When we decided to move back to the UK, I was so excited, I was going 'home'. I was in for a shock. Firstly, my accent is decidedly south african, people immediately assumed I was from Australia until I said I grew up in South africa. They never ever assumed i was born here (and why would they) and seemed quite shocked when I said that I was. I eventually gave up saying that I was british. I have come across comments such as 'we don't do that sort of thing in this country' and 'you may do that where you come from', which are frankly hurtful and demeaning and made me feel very much like an outsider. I have never felt accepted. Secondly, I found that growing up in a different country had given me a different outlook and different expectations in life to what people who had grown up here had. South Africans, like Australians, are extremely sociable people, BBQ-ing all the time and the 'Bring 'n Braai' (BBQ) concept is so integral into the way of life there that it is almost law. We missed that sociability. The crime in South Africa means that people live behind barbed wire fences and six foot walls, but still most people are on good terms with their neighbours and your social life doesn't suffer because of it. here, people are very insular (they are in the south of england, anyway). They like to keep to themselves. That has been very hard to come to terms with and quite isolating, although I now am quite fine with it. I have made friends, but I have to say most are south african because we 'think' in the same way - cultures stick together and all that.

Eventually, after 8 years, we decided that we wanted to mix more with people who are more like minded and have decided to make the move to Australia. We certainly are under no illusions that life is going to be hunky dory when we get there. Life has been too difficult here, the country of my birth, to fall into that trap. What this experience has made me realise is that no matter where you were born, you adapt to the environment you are living in - how you adapt is up to you. I guess all my life I have felt like an immigrant, and I guess because of that I am prepared to adapt to my surroundings and embrace new cultures.

The huge majority of immigrants I feel certainly don't sponge off the economy, if anything, they make it grow by adding valuable skills. Be patient with them and you never know, you may learn something from them and find a great friend.

Sarah