I wonder if the barriers to moving back (spousal visa nightmare, etc.) has been created because the UK fully expects all their expats to go back in droves and is trying to find a way to control it.

I feel so badly about things in the USA and where this country is going that I wish I could get on the next plane out of here. It seems more and more to me that we should all plan to go back as soon as is absolutely possible - rather than waiting even a few years. I think things are moving that quickly and in even just a few years it will be made more difficult to get back!

I agree with you. Having heard little rubblings last week about restricting healthcare for those on spouse visas almost put me over the edge. I cried all day. Then I got mad.

I remember when my daughter's homeschooling buddies all decided to graduate a year early from high school. She was ready too but at the time had a boyfriend who was the same age but in the local high school, and thus graduating at the usual time. She didn't want to go to college and leave him behind. Well, the inevitable happened and they broke up, and suddenly she want to go to college. It was the first week in June and classes started in August. Where was I going to find a school that would accept her at such a late stage? I busted my ass but I found one - one where two of her best friends were already going, and they gave her a full academic scholarship.

I am that tenacious folks, and I will find a way. I may have a nervous breakdown first, but I always pick myself up and fight on. This is my daily mantra: I am a British citizen and I have the right to come home with my husband of 22 years.

Grrrrrr. I've had a gut-full of my sister-in-law Not enough time right now for the reasons why....more to come later.... She is leaving next Monday, wish I could show her the door right now to be honest...

Not only just her, but we've suddenly been faced with some very large bills (house in the States, car repairs in the States, airfare and medical).

However, on the positive side - I need to go back to the house in New Jersey and found a bargain airfare on Monday evening....just US$608 round trip to fly from Zurich to New York JFK on American Airlines, departing next Tuesday 30th April. I booked it and will be going for a fortnight. Yet another expense, but much cheaper than paying nearly $1000 to fly into Newark (which is just 10 miles from our house....). The fare breakdown is weird; the round trip flight is just US$136 but the taxes and 'carrier imposed fees' are US $472.80

Thanks for the heads up on that.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontl...rement-gamble/

Complexity is designed to take money by stealth. Same with the tax system.

Words fail me............

http://www.kpho.com/story/22048435/n...atient-dumping

I totally agree...

I wish our political parties could get along for the good of the people, they agree on nothing, this country and its people suffer.

I thought this was the story I had read but it was in the same area.

How about this, hospitals are shipping patients out before they are well because they have not means to pay the bill. It gets worse. Some are not conscious and are shipped to Mexico presumably because thats where they came from. In one case the hospital chartered an aircraft and sent the patient to Mexico because if they had stayed in hospital the costs would have been horrendous and the hospital wouldn't be paid.
The point was made that because these patients were not conscious they couldn't protest being sent out of the country.

See ya!

I thought this was the story I had read but it was in the same area.

How about this, hospitals are shipping patients out before they are well because they have not means to pay the bill. It gets worse. Some are not conscious and are shipped to Mexico presumably because thats where they came from. In one case the hospital chartered an aircraft and sent the patient to Mexico because if they had stayed in hospital the costs would have been horrendous and the hospital wouldn't be paid.
The point was made that because these patients were not conscious they couldn't protest being sent out of the country.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/nation...4b4_story.html

See ya!

I think its a good Idea, but I think they should make sure they are conscious, and then ask the patient what country they would prefer a free one way ticket to, and then all the British expats can say the UK for me please, just give me a few days to pack a couple of big suit cases and get rid of a few things, and tie up a few loose ends and I will be good to go

The fault lies with the company who hired these people, they knew what they were doing... the Illegals are to blame too... its all about the money...

Thanks for breaking the silence Jasper, I thought we'd have to change the name of this thread again... lol...

It certainly has been difficult trying to keep up with all the posts from the new members we have attracted since the desperate name change... lol...

What do you think?
In the news today.

"Well off should pay for services". My thought is these people have paid more than their share of taxes so they should not be prevented from receiving the same as everyone else. Besides, I'm for encouraging people to take the public transport and reduce congestion.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22327335

Benedict Cumberbatch. This has brought up something I've been thinking about for awhile and that is the number of actors who were educated at Oxford/Cambridge. What happened to the regular actor who never finished school?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/t...mberbatch.html

Do people charge their shopping in the UK like we do here?
I can go around for weeks without spending cash here. Is it the same in the UK?

Cheers

Cheers..If some members of my family are anything to go by yes they do use credit cards instead of cash. I think that it is a bad idea but they do. I know many who don't do food shopping anymore they order it online and pay for it with the card. I like to see what I am buying and were its from.

Fish and chips..I have been busy trying to get settled in the new home but I have popped in now and again and not seem much going on I suppose people are busy with the start of the warmer weather they are spending more time outside and maybe there is a lull in those wanting to go home.