Re: Scotland
 

I moved to Canda last October from a small village in East Lothian, just outside Edinburgh and I really loved it - 15 minutes drive to the coast, 20 minutes drive in the opposite direction to the hills, 20 mins drive West to Edinburgh. Close to cross-border roads to England (A1, A68, A7). The beaches are beautiful, people are generally friendly. Affordable housing is available - I've just sold my 2-bed semi (with conservatory and garage) for 128K, fully decorated, central heating system/gas fire/garage/kitchen/bathroom all replaced in the last 8 years. And that wasn't underpriced to get a sale, just the going rate in the area!

Unlike a lot of people on BE I didn't leave the UK because of any great hatred towards the place, I just wanted to try somewhere different, fo rthe experience and sense of adventure. I would happily go back to Scotland one day.

Re: Scotland
 

I worked in Glasgow in 2000, and lived in a village about 20 minutes north. I loved it. Like anywhere, there is good and bad, so while there are plenty of lovely people, there's also the mindless neds who hang out and bother people at the local Spar, and burned down the kids' playground twice (the second time just days after local residents had banded together to pay the several thousand pounds to build a new one!). There's lovely countryside, but then again fly tippers ruin much of it. In the spring and summer it's lovely, but in midwinter it can be pretty grim.

House prices are pretty reasonable outside of Glasgow, although I think they have risen faster than much of the UK over the past year. You are a little far removed from much of the rest of the U.K. (especially if you live further north of Glasgow or Edinburgh). Glasgow has all sorts, but then again I drove through downtown a couple of Friday evenings to pick someone up and definitely wouldn't fancy hanging out in the bars at that time (then againl what UK city isn't like that?)

Re: Scotland
 

Anabella, I don't know what it is. I both love and find issue with my home country, my home city and its dwellers. Scotland is a fabulous country but with real areas of deprivation and contrast. You have the outstanding areas of the Trossachs and the Highlands and the dare I say quite hideous new towns like Cumbernauld. There is history, culture, humour and romance and it is undoubtedly special.

Edinburgh is very beautiful with some really lovely parts, who could argue with the New Town but get on a bus through Sighthill and Wester Hailes and the gloss sure wears off fast. Cosmopolitan, oh yes it's all there especially in the tourist months, there is a marked tail off when the majority of visitors leave after the festivals. Restaurants and pubs are good but like all places change hands and chefs regularly so you are never quite sure it will be the same again!

My main disquiet about Edinburgh is that it is a city of have and have nots. There are a lot of rich areas and a lot of well educated, well to do and comfortably middle class people living in both the city and its suburbs but there is a lot of deprivation too. There was and continues to be a massive drug problem, brought home to me when a boy in my class died of HIV/Aids from dirty needles at age 19 in 1989. Really visitors should balance their views of the Castle and the Grassmarket with what a Friday night in the Doocot pub or the like in Muirhouse/Granton is like....'have you got a knife, would you like one'....

Glasgow, I cannot speak about with much authority and though there is supposedly this great rivalry, I have always liked the place. It is the same in someways, money and poverty, living in the same city.

I could go on for days and days, one example Parks! In Edinburgh there are some wonderful parks, Princes Street Gardens and the Botanics for example but try and sit down in parks where people actually live like London Road or Leith Links and you would hard pressed to miss the shXt.

A lot of money comes into Scotland, old money, tourist money, university money, insurance companies, high end retail but whether this ever reaches certain parts of the population is debatable. I think any place (and none of what I have is particularly unique to Scotland or Edinburgh) where there is a notable divide between haves and have nots and a continuing (if informal)class system will always create a culture where there can be discontent and aggression. When you know a place as your home town I think that you can read it better and its less savoury aspects are more apparent to you and these might be overlooked by others.

I prefer the positive side of Scottish people at that is the raw, dry humour and generous spirit not the 'crabs in a barrel' chip on the shoulder attitude that can come out at times.

I am not the great Scottish expert but I have tried to be balanced in my views and perspectives on what 35 years experience of a place has left me with. I am very passionate about Edinburgh and Scotland and I do not believe that choosing to live there would be a bad choice for anyone but it would be better (as in everywhere) if you had the cash to avoid the less savoury parts.

For me, its just a choice of wanting to live elsewhere and consider other places, I have done lots of travelling and try to see everything with an open and realistic viewpoint and I hope that it the way that I come across...and it is true that for me there will always be a place in my heart that calls it home.

Re: Scotland
 

Thanks for sharing your feelings about your homeland with so much detail. I am aware of the problem with drugs and aids too and I find it really sad. Still, all things considered I adore Scotland. Particularly the countryside; it is so peaceful and stunning, it's just wonderful. I have travelled a lot myself and I can tell you that Scotland is very hight on my list of favourite places

Re: Scotland
 

Where about in the Midlands are you?

Re: Scotland
 

If I told you I'd have to kill you :)

Nowhere near as posh as Solihull.

Re: Scotland
 

Go on, I can take it.. ;)

Re: Scotland
 

We're headed back to Scotland in December and can't wait! :D

Re: Scotland
 

Lucky you! you are making us all jealous!

Re: Scotland
 

See it is right for some people....Scots have always travelled...some come back and some don't.

I am sure there is a bit of salmon in all of us...watch yourself for rocks when jumping up stream. :)

And very good luck to you

Re: Scotland
 

I love the reference to salmon...

I'm not Scottish but lived there for nearly 3 years, returning to Oz last year. I could not find words to describe how desperate I am to go back. We were outside the cities though - doesn't mean I wasn't confronted with drug probs. Feel like my upbringing in Australia (in a similar rural location) was incredibly sheltered after seeing how the kids grow up over there - even in the boonies...

Nevertheless I want to take my daughter back there. She's half-Scottish and I would love for her to start school there and grow roots there/make friends and all that, so that even if I turn into a crazy mum and freak out about her being a teen in Scotland and have to return to Australia, she will always be able to think of Scotland as her home as well.

Enough of that...perhaps that's the attraction of the place - like one of those 'badboy' boyfriends all the nice girls get stuck on - you love it, you hate it, you keep going back for the abuse...I don't know, that's been my experience anyway :)

For the original post: Scotland has a 'Relocation Authority' to assist ppl from overseas (including expat Scots) to return to Scotland. They help with housing and schools, NHS and all that guff. They weren't too clued up on the more regional areas but that's not to say they weren't eager to help. You could google the words above and see what advice they give!

Good luck! I just got a job interview for Scotland (did NOT expect it at all given that I'm still in Australia) so I might be heading back there a year before I imagined I would...yay!

Re: Scotland
 

[QUOTE=matildaskye]I love the reference to salmon...

How weird this world is...I am keen to go try Oz and I have an interview with a company in Melbourne over the phone this week....You are an Aussie desperate to go back to Scotland and have an interview.....

...ah God's a great joker :)

Re: Scotland
 

very true and well said, karma your way.

Re: Scotland
 

Anabella, I come from the West Mids too, buster still int said what part he is from lol :) I'm not from the posh parts either :D

Re: Scotland
 

Hi, i am from Aberdeen and moved to oz a year ago, i love Australia but my heart is still in Scotland and i know one day i will go back, don't get me wrong you get crime, drugs and aids everywhere in the world but some people i have spoke to in the past refer to " Scotland the aids capital" think what they like but i aint got aids.
If i went back back i think i would probably either head to Edinburgh or further north up towards Inverness area, totally love it up there. Good place to think about if you like frsh outdoor living but its friggin freezing sometime ok most of the time.
Hope Scotland is everything for you, good luck
Suzanne