cindyabs

I realize that, but letting off steam is one thing and so is letting your hair down-that is human nature, regardless of your citizenship, but there have been, as well you know, more comments of the acidic nature that ARE insulting and hurtful, that come across as just ignorant and smug and patronizing-even in this thread. I'm not sure to what purpose those comments are supposed to serve.

Both Mo and I are married to Brits and both of us have lived outside the US, so no, we're not typical Americans in that sense, that does not however, make us any less American.

Kaffy Mintcake

Well it had to happen again I'm sorry to see. It's been a long time since I've read a thread that has made me as angry as this one ...

I've read several times in this thread where Pandajuice has apologized for causing any offense, and has indicated that he was sharing his own personal experience vs. anyone else's. Afterall, it's wise for the OP to hear both the pros and cons of moving abroad, is it not?

Does he need to cut his balls off and serve them on a platter for the verbal abuse to stop? Would that do it?

Why can't we have an intelligent conversation without Mr. Nasty coming out all the time? It really is tiresome.

Cindy expressed this sentiment in a much more diplomatic way than I am capable of at the moment ...as admittedly I am furious, and disappointed to read some of the words on this thread ... but as an arrogant, ignorant American ... I suppose it's to be expected.

rookins26

Perhaps you have not read his posts correctly. Besides the name calling he has also referred to the UK as an inferior place to live. I could see how this would anger some. Anyway I am through arguing with him and wish him all the best in Cali.

Kaffy Mintcake

I did read his posts correctly. I don't think they were meant in the spirit in which they were taken, but that he was rather trying to point out the pros and cons (in his experience) of living in the UK. It wasn't for him for reasons he may not have originally anticipated. He was trying to help you. When it was clear some had taken offense I saw multiple apologies and attempts to clarify ... none of which were accepted. From there it dissolved into a lot of anti-American sentiments in general, and this is unfortunate.

I would encourage you to take in both the pros and cons you hear about moving to the UK. Some will be biased for sure, but all may give you little nuggets of info about whether or not this makes sense for you. It doesn't surprise me that you received negative feedback from US expats, and positive feedback from British expats.

That being said, I envy you. I would love to have the opportunity to live abroad for the experience and adventure, but have also seen many on here who have been very unhappy with their decision to do so, in a number of countries, for a number of reasons. So best to evaluate the decision with an open mind all around if possible, and with your eyes wide open.

Best of luck to you and your family whatever you decide.

Tootsie Frickensprinkles

Sorry Miss Indignant .. wont happen again

NB .. You do realise that if much of what had been posted on this site had been put up on the American board the mods in an official capacity would have ripped him a new one before the community even got the chance?

Our mods don't do that, and because they dont, rightly so, arguements occur. Whether our response to him angers you or not, coming onto a British Expats board and calling the country inferior is beyond rude. He did apologise, and then outright did it again. I'm quite speechless, believe it or not. I know he doesn't think it's rude and I do know he didn't mean it to be, which I did concede, but that's not the point.

Perhaps it was just a misunderstanding in the meaning of the word, in which case I will help with a definition.

Inferior: deficient, falling short of some prescribed norm. If the guy cant read and understand the connotations behind the use of the word then he needs some more english lessons.

And for what it's worth, I didnt continue the conversation/arguement for the sake of it. I was genuinely trying to get the guy to understand quite how rude he really was being. If I had the time I would rewrite the post and illustrate how not to come onto an expat board and start yourself an arguement, but I don't.

My own experience with Americans I know living in England, and my own impression of life in the UK for the US expats from UK-Yankees is some are happy and some are not, mostly it's actually quite positive. Much like BE is in reverse.

Kaffy Mintcake

Absolutely. I suspect that you would find that for immigrants in any country, US, UK, you get the picture.

So hopefully we've turned the tide back to a constructive conversation. I think we have, and I thank you for that.

Sincerely,

Miss Indignant

Eric Hitchmo

I'm loathe to kick off again, (no, really, I am), but I can't contain my curiosity.This is a question directed at the yanks (plastic ones or proper ones) that have swooped on this thread like a SWAT team. This Panda bloke keeps saying this sort of thing:

..and similar things like "This is just my opinion" etc etc. Is this an Americanism I don't get? ie - can you pretty much say anthing you like in the US so long as you qualify it with "...but...but...it's just my opinion!!" I mean, here in the far inferior UK, if something is your opinion, then it would be considered that you generally believe it to be correct. Is this a culture clash thing?

The first sentence states "this is my opinion and perception ", and then the second one says, "but it isn't a fact"?

Pandajuice

Well that's exactly what this whole thing was about for me. "My own impression of life in my corner of the UK". I apologize for using the word inferior to describe my experience. I never meant to imply that the country of Britain was an inferior state to any other country, because that's not how I feel at all. I'll look back on my time in the UK as an adventure and a growing experience that's made me appreciate my home much more.

On the same token though, people here shouldn't fixate so much on one misused word so much so that the original message and intent of the posts were lost. Because of that word and the SNAFU it caused, every one of my future posts on these boards will no doubt be unfairly attacked in some way. The best part of that is, the attackers all know my intentions in this thread were good and helpful. I just happened to use the wrong word to describe my own personal experience. A shame really that a forum set up to offer constructive advice and help for worldwide immigrants has allowed itself to become abusive like any other anonymous internet forum.

My thanks go out to Cindy and KJ2007 who had the guts to back me up and read my posts for what they really were.

Eric Hitchmo

Trust a yank to end with an emotional, Oscar acceptance speech. Presumably the award was for "Worst Exhibition of Back-pedaling on BE, 2008".

geeandtee

In response to the OP, I can certainly sympathise with her wanting to move from AZ...it's 105F out there as I write this

rookins26

Oh yes! 110 degrees today...was just in my car and the car thermometer said 108 already. I wouldn't be surprised if it went above 110 by late afternoon.

Now I get to go home and sit in my house ........ Blah

joelsa

Here's the proof!!

joelsa

Oh and i think you should brush up on your British History too!

Giantaxe

I'd take the UK climate in a flash over Arizona's... so hot in the latter for so many months that one wants to simply move from air conditioned house to air conditioned car to air conditioned office to air conditioned mall etc etc. Otoh, I'd take San Francisco's mixture of fog and sunshine over the UK's climate... each to his own, I guess.

stagsgrl

The UK is my home,my culture,my lifeblood,the place I love and care about more than any other.
You may have had a very short sojourn here but believe me you dont know us Brits at all.We are an ironic nation who are slow to anger,especially with our US cousins, but when we are attacked and called inferior, we will fight back with all our might.
I have visited the States on many occasions as my family reside there but I could never live there, it is too shallow.Also I have seen people there especially black people living in terrible conditions, and this in the richest country in the world ,so please dont patronise us as your country has some issues too.Also I could not live in such a cultural desert.
So all in all glad to see such a negative person depart.Au Revoir!!!