Originally Posted by NJ_Dave

On May 10th of last year, I touched down at Heathrow having spent the past two years living in the USA. Although I left New Jersey a little prematurely (as far as I'm concerned) for personal reasons (yes, that means you -whore!) I guess it's time to reflect on the past year an talk about what I've learnt from my experiences. So let's start off with the classic British moan: the weather. When I left Newark airport last year, the weather was sunny and pushing into the 80's in terms of temperature. I came back to the UK to experience one of the coldest and wettest summers on record. So that's 1-0 USA so far! Another thing that struck me was the expense of everything here as opposed to America. Whether it be TV subscriptions, internet access or even basic consumer goods (televsions, etc.) the UK is a very expensive place to live. When I left the UK a pint of lager in my local was £2.35 and now it's £2.70. However the minimum wage doens't seem to have increased all that much. Don't even get me started on fuel prices here. It's embarrassing to even suggest a comparison to fuel prices in the USA. Even for New Jersey, which has some of the highest fuel prices in the USA, it still looks cheap in comparison the the UK. Sad things is that a lot of the cost of petrol in the UK is tax. Which is another thing: what's going on with taxes in the UK? Well the newspapers published several MP's expense claims, so I guess we know now. Crime in the UK: at least in the USA there were no go areas, and you knew not to go there. But in the UK, the gangs of feral chavs seem to be everywhere causing bother. And the police don't seem to bother doing anything about them, as they're too busy picking on motorists and people who overfill their wheelie bins! Knife crime seems to be the big thing in the news at the moment (and yes, I mean the news in general. Not just the usual scaremongering newspapers). Why do so many people carry knives these days, I though this was a civilised country. But when so many people are going out 'tooled up' we look more like some tin-pot banana republic. Then there is the welfare dependancy. Note, I'm not getting at everyone on benefits. The great thing about the UK is that it offers a safety net to those who are down on their luck. But the system was never designed as a long term means of support for people. So it makes me mad as fook when I have to work my arse off to pay for people who have never worked and have no intention of working, to sit around smoking and popping out more little chav babies (who, inevitably I'll end up paying for). But one good thing about the UK is the cost of education. I'm paying a little over £3000 a year to go to law school here, whereas if I was still in the USA I dare not even hazard a guess at what it would cost me. Another plus for the UK is the countryside. Not much of that in the Tristate Area, lol. But on the flip side you can hardly compare Newcastle and Durham to New York City in terms of sights and things to do (although they are still a good night on the piss!). So in conclusion, if you're ever lucky enough to get out of the UK: don't come back. Your initial issues with the place will not only still be there, but they will seem a whole lot worse having been away for a while. And that is why I waited a year to reflect properly in regards to my return. No knee-jerk reactions, just expereinces from a re-adjusted former ex-pat.............

Originally Posted by NJ_Dave

Nightlife -12 pints, a kebab and a fight. Classy!

Originally Posted by Pugsy

I think you're all being too charitable and don't think it's a balanced objective opinion at all.

He's angry, bitter (no matter if he denies it, his posts speak for him)and probably didn't want to come back anyway. From the sounds of it skint, but sponging off the education system. "12 pints and a kebab"/"as for desire to see and experience new places -that's because a lot of Brits hate the place and want to get out " , well, you must be living in the shithole that one of the other popular threads is about!

Now, I've never ever lived in a shithole and thank god, because if I did I'd probably have a distorted, negative opinion of every country that I'd ever lived in a shithole in.

Originally Posted by ezzie

Now we're all friends here and need to let off a bit of steam occasionally. We're all in such different situations - sometimes happy, sometimes just making do...and sometimes a bit down and despondent. If we only heard the good about a place, we'd all be none the wiser.

Originally Posted by Pugsy

I think you're all being too charitable and don't think it's a balanced objective opinion at all.

He's angry, bitter (no matter if he denies it, his posts speak for him)and probably didn't want to come back anyway. From the sounds of it skint, but sponging off the education system. "12 pints and a kebab"/"as for desire to see and experience new places -that's because a lot of Brits hate the place and want to get out " , well, you must be living in the shithole that one of the other popular threads is about!

Now, I've never ever lived in a shithole and thank god, because if I did I'd probably have a distorted, negative opinion of every country that I'd ever lived in a shithole in.

Originally Posted by oldbag

Have you looked at the OP's "home page"? Speaks volumes.
If he's been back a year, and is still venting such rage, he's not a person I'd like to meet.

Originally Posted by NJ_Dave

I'm actually rather happy with my life at the moment. I'm merely pointing out a few of my country's inadequacies, and not my own. As for your points: culture-dying out with the older generation. NuLab are all about multiculturalism, which doesn't really work when it is simply inflicted upon you. Galleries and theatres -yeah, like we're the only country in the world that has those. Nightlife -12 pints, a kebab and a fight. Classy! Bustling cities -yeah great, except that they're all turning into clones of one another. Cultural awareness -again a dying breed. Half of today's British youth thing that culture has something to do with growing cannabis. Opportunies to better one's self -opportunities are there, but you still have to take them. More and more kids are dropping out of school at 16 with no ambitions other than signing on the dole. Proximity to Europe -you say that like it's a good thing? And as for desire to see and experience new places -that's because a lot of Brits hate the place and want to get out! And as for your point on every other American carrying a gun -sigh, that old stereotype again?

Originally Posted by hotel44

Again, everything you say is not exclusive to Britain but just a growing problem in the world. I didnt say we were the only country in the world to have these positive aspects, i was simply pointing out that they were there. And the reason things become stereotypes is because they're true.

You clearly enjoy being argumentitive, negative and obtuse so i'll leave you to it, enjoy yourself. I bid farewell to this thread.

Originally Posted by ezzie

If we only heard the good about a place, we'd all be none the wiser.

Originally Posted by NJ_Dave

And who says I'd want to meet you? Get over yourself..........