Returning to the UK - don't
May 11th 2009, 10:14 pm
#76
Weirdo Latin Dude
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: Hotter than hell
Posts: 2,545
May 11th 2009, 10:24 pm
#77
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2008
Location: My happy place
Posts: 3,043
Re: Returning to the UK - don't
And of course I'm sure that pop singers are so much nicer and more talented in Portugal.
May 11th 2009, 10:42 pm
#79
Just hanging around
Joined: May 2008
Location: Back in England
Posts: 1,447
Re: Returning to the UK - don't
Just saying, whether the UK is expensive or not depends on where one's coming from.
I thought Portugal was one of the cheapest places to live in Europe, so cost comparisons aren't fair, really, are they, Gaeller? You may find you can't afford a lot of what the UK has to offer, but it isn't there in Portugal at all, where you are, at least. I've visited Lisbon, and it's wonderful.
And anyone can grow organic vegetables anywhere, though the climate in Portugal doubtless helps. Can't blame the UK for geography, either. Don't have to like the weather, but it's not its fault.
I'm not surprised that you find where you are now (where exactly?) worse than where you were in Portugal, because that clearly suited you to a T. But I don't think you should make sweeping statements based on that. A Portuguese village, growing your own food isn't everyone's idea of heaven either.
But it's fun to have such a stimulating discussion. Things were getting a bit quiet around here!
Bev
May 11th 2009, 10:59 pm
#80
Oscar nominated
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Moncton, NB, CANADA
Posts: 50,829
Re: Returning to the UK - don't
May 12th 2009, 12:23 am
#81
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2008
Location: My happy place
Posts: 3,043
Re: Returning to the UK - don't
Fair enough. I'm busy fighting fires in Canada at the moment, hey.
May 12th 2009, 4:50 am
#83
Just hanging around
Joined: May 2008
Location: Back in England
Posts: 1,447
May 12th 2009, 5:00 am
#84
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2008
Location: My happy place
Posts: 3,043
Re: Returning to the UK - don't
Here's a Martin Mars water bomber to help with the job.
http://www.aviationtrivia.info/images/martin_mars.jpg
Wooden planes that scoop up huge amounts of water and drop it on forest fires. Home base is on Vancouver Island.
Bev
http://www.aviationtrivia.info/images/martin_mars.jpg
Wooden planes that scoop up huge amounts of water and drop it on forest fires. Home base is on Vancouver Island.
Bev
We use helicopters down here, hell expensive, but that's ok 'coz I iz privuligged and ileet (apparantly )
May 12th 2009, 7:19 am
#85
Ping-ponger
Joined: Jul 2002
Location: Dreich Alba
Posts: 12,006
Re: Returning to the UK - don't
I have lived in several countries mainly because I could always find better paid work where my contributions were welcomed.
My last domicile was Portugal when my husband retired. We went to an area where there were no ex-pats intending to find out how other people lived and enjoy the culture. We grew our own organic food and enjoyed outdoor life.
Because we both had old parents we returned to help care for them. It was a big wrench leaving but we looked forward to more theatre, music concerts and being able to take up new hobbies. What a shock. The cost of living is horrendous. Unless you can afford to go a trendy restaurant run by a celebrity chef, the food is junk. Added to which the 'big brother' atmosphere is oppressive. The innovative theatre which we loved is now non-existent, and the frequent nights at the opera have turned into a once a year event, replacing a holiday!
Many people find that living abroad involves learning a new language and sad to say a lot of Brits can't. That is insurmountable. If you want a British lifestyle and don't want to join in what the locals have to offer by all means come back. But beware, depending on how long you have been away, things have'nt half changed in the last ten years.
My last domicile was Portugal when my husband retired. We went to an area where there were no ex-pats intending to find out how other people lived and enjoy the culture. We grew our own organic food and enjoyed outdoor life.
Because we both had old parents we returned to help care for them. It was a big wrench leaving but we looked forward to more theatre, music concerts and being able to take up new hobbies. What a shock. The cost of living is horrendous. Unless you can afford to go a trendy restaurant run by a celebrity chef, the food is junk. Added to which the 'big brother' atmosphere is oppressive. The innovative theatre which we loved is now non-existent, and the frequent nights at the opera have turned into a once a year event, replacing a holiday!
Many people find that living abroad involves learning a new language and sad to say a lot of Brits can't. That is insurmountable. If you want a British lifestyle and don't want to join in what the locals have to offer by all means come back. But beware, depending on how long you have been away, things have'nt half changed in the last ten years.
As pointed out elsewhere in this thread, other parts of the BE board (e.g., US) it's possible to be critical of the "home country" without incurring the wrath of others. On the Oz boards (from everything I hear; I never go there except to follow a link put on here), you will get shot down in flames for suggesting that having a Barby is not the height of culture ... here on MBTTUK it's a bit in-between.
Generally speaking, you can post negatively about the UK, but you will face some resistance and maybe even some harsh words in return. But it pales in comparison with what I have seen on other discussion boards. Hang in there and try not to get offended too easily. Just recently we had a "Well, I'm tired of arguing with you tossers, I'm throwing my toys out of the pram" incident, but the person came back and seems to be quite happy swapping homilies with her new bessie mates on here ... it's all down to not deliberately stirring up a hornet's nest among a group that consists of lots of poeple who are desparate to get back to the UK, bouncing back from the inevitable barbs you get now and again, and mixing it up a little bit - no-one on here is so precious they can't take a little critical opinion.
As for your post, I think there was an element of truth throughout, but maybe just too overstated on one or two counts (the food isn't junk, cost of living, though certainly rising, is manageable for most, etc.).
So mix it up a little, add a little colour to MBTTUK, but bear this in mind: http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=574910
Again, welcome to BE/MBTTUK. Hope you stay.
May 12th 2009, 7:36 am
#86
Weirdo Latin Dude
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: Hotter than hell
Posts: 2,545
May 12th 2009, 7:38 am
#87
Weirdo Latin Dude
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: Hotter than hell
Posts: 2,545
May 12th 2009, 8:28 am
#88
Éireann go Brách
Joined: Mar 2006
Location: White Man in Hammersmith Palais
Posts: 2,932
Re: Returning to the UK - don't
I have lived in several countries mainly because I could always find better paid work where my contributions were welcomed.
My last domicile was Portugal when my husband retired. We went to an area where there were no ex-pats intending to find out how other people lived and enjoy the culture. We grew our own organic food and enjoyed outdoor life.
Because we both had old parents we returned to help care for them. It was a big wrench leaving but we looked forward to more theatre, music concerts and being able to take up new hobbies. What a shock. The cost of living is horrendous. Unless you can afford to go a trendy restaurant run by a celebrity chef, the food is junk. Added to which the 'big brother' atmosphere is oppressive. The innovative theatre which we loved is now non-existent, and the frequent nights at the opera have turned into a once a year event, replacing a holiday!
Many people find that living abroad involves learning a new language and sad to say a lot of Brits can't. That is insurmountable. If you want a British lifestyle and don't want to join in what the locals have to offer by all means come back. But beware, depending on how long you have been away, things have'nt half changed in the last ten years.
My last domicile was Portugal when my husband retired. We went to an area where there were no ex-pats intending to find out how other people lived and enjoy the culture. We grew our own organic food and enjoyed outdoor life.
Because we both had old parents we returned to help care for them. It was a big wrench leaving but we looked forward to more theatre, music concerts and being able to take up new hobbies. What a shock. The cost of living is horrendous. Unless you can afford to go a trendy restaurant run by a celebrity chef, the food is junk. Added to which the 'big brother' atmosphere is oppressive. The innovative theatre which we loved is now non-existent, and the frequent nights at the opera have turned into a once a year event, replacing a holiday!
Many people find that living abroad involves learning a new language and sad to say a lot of Brits can't. That is insurmountable. If you want a British lifestyle and don't want to join in what the locals have to offer by all means come back. But beware, depending on how long you have been away, things have'nt half changed in the last ten years.
You err might wanna pop this on
May 12th 2009, 9:26 am
#90
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Sep 2007
Location: Canberra
Posts: 8,378
Re: Returning to the UK - don't
Well, having warned you at your first post to watch out for the hand grenades, I take no satisfaction in saying "I told you so".
As pointed out elsewhere in this thread, other parts of the BE board (e.g., US) it's possible to be critical of the "home country" without incurring the wrath of others. On the Oz boards (from everything I hear; I never go there except to follow a link put on here), you will get shot down in flames for suggesting that having a Barby is not the height of culture ... here on MBTTUK it's a bit in-between.
Generally speaking, you can post negatively about the UK, but you will face some resistance and maybe even some harsh words in return. But it pales in comparison with what I have seen on other discussion boards. Hang in there and try not to get offended too easily. Just recently we had a "Well, I'm tired of arguing with you tossers, I'm throwing my toys out of the pram" incident, but the person came back and seems to be quite happy swapping homilies with her new bessie mates on here ... it's all down to not deliberately stirring up a hornet's nest among a group that consists of lots of poeple who are desparate to get back to the UK, bouncing back from the inevitable barbs you get now and again, and mixing it up a little bit - no-one on here is so precious they can't take a little critical opinion.
As for your post, I think there was an element of truth throughout, but maybe just too overstated on one or two counts (the food isn't junk, cost of living, though certainly rising, is manageable for most, etc.).
So mix it up a little, add a little colour to MBTTUK, but bear this in mind: http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=574910
Again, welcome to BE/MBTTUK. Hope you stay.
As pointed out elsewhere in this thread, other parts of the BE board (e.g., US) it's possible to be critical of the "home country" without incurring the wrath of others. On the Oz boards (from everything I hear; I never go there except to follow a link put on here), you will get shot down in flames for suggesting that having a Barby is not the height of culture ... here on MBTTUK it's a bit in-between.
Generally speaking, you can post negatively about the UK, but you will face some resistance and maybe even some harsh words in return. But it pales in comparison with what I have seen on other discussion boards. Hang in there and try not to get offended too easily. Just recently we had a "Well, I'm tired of arguing with you tossers, I'm throwing my toys out of the pram" incident, but the person came back and seems to be quite happy swapping homilies with her new bessie mates on here ... it's all down to not deliberately stirring up a hornet's nest among a group that consists of lots of poeple who are desparate to get back to the UK, bouncing back from the inevitable barbs you get now and again, and mixing it up a little bit - no-one on here is so precious they can't take a little critical opinion.
As for your post, I think there was an element of truth throughout, but maybe just too overstated on one or two counts (the food isn't junk, cost of living, though certainly rising, is manageable for most, etc.).
So mix it up a little, add a little colour to MBTTUK, but bear this in mind: http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=574910
Again, welcome to BE/MBTTUK. Hope you stay.