Pretty sure we are moving back to England from the USA
Mar 17th 2011, 1:51 pm
#61
Ping-ponger
Joined: Jul 2002
Location: Dreich Alba
Posts: 12,010
Re: Pretty sure we are moving back to England from the USA
Yes, I was saying that i am a professor at a university and I have tenure which means a permanent job which is 10 mths - the academic year good salary and time off in the summer if you want to teach during this time you receive pay. So for me this is much better than the UK where i was a lecturer. the 10 mths salary can be paid over 12 months. Also long holidays over christmas as the term starts at the end of jan.
mekala
southern california
mekala
southern california
In my experience, most university profs spend the summer and other "vacation time" writing papers. It's currently spring break and several of my colleagues over there are still in their offices, working, according to emails and calls. The only colleague who ever took the summer off was a fellow Brit and it was cause for a certain amount of "behind the hand" criticism.
I must say that I did enjoy the greater flexibility over there, even though I didn't work any fewer hours. Also, most of my time there was spent doing my job rather than busy work done for administrators.
Mar 17th 2011, 2:20 pm
#62
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,547
Re: Pretty sure we are moving back to England from the USA
But do you actually take off all that time?
In my experience, most university profs spend the summer and other "vacation time" writing papers. It's currently spring break and several of my colleagues over there are still in their offices, working, according to emails and calls. The only colleague who ever took the summer off was a fellow Brit and it was cause for a certain amount of "behind the hand" criticism.
I must say that I did enjoy the greater flexibility over there, even though I didn't work any fewer hours. Also, most of my time there was spent doing my job rather than busy work done for administrators.
In my experience, most university profs spend the summer and other "vacation time" writing papers. It's currently spring break and several of my colleagues over there are still in their offices, working, according to emails and calls. The only colleague who ever took the summer off was a fellow Brit and it was cause for a certain amount of "behind the hand" criticism.
I must say that I did enjoy the greater flexibility over there, even though I didn't work any fewer hours. Also, most of my time there was spent doing my job rather than busy work done for administrators.
Mar 17th 2011, 3:08 pm
#63
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 202
Re: Pretty sure we are moving back to England from the USA
I agree with you. I think we have a tendency to project our own feelings on to other people. Just because I desperately want out of this country, that doesn't mean there aren't tons of very happy ex-pats here who love their lives and would never go back.
Don't let our negativity spoil your adventure. Good luck!
Don't let our negativity spoil your adventure. Good luck!
I can understand your wanting to go home though. I have that to, but I don't know where home is yet. Hopefully I will one day!
Mar 17th 2011, 4:32 pm
#64
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 148
Re: Pretty sure we are moving back to England from the USA
I'm ready for the culture shock and I'm already aware of the inevitable clashes, but I'm going to take this risk because my heart tells me I must. If I don't like it I can always come back to Europe. I will not be chained to the USA. Like I mentioned earlier, I have been in Italy for 20 years, so it would be quite easy to return here if I wanted to. Italy is not as glamourous as it seems you know. There are REAL cultural differences here too which I have never been able to get fully used too. The wages are crap, unemployment and crime has soared big time. Milan is a very expensive, polluted and dirty city. Yes, there are beautiful places to see here in Italy if you have the money to go and see them. Most Italians live at home with their parents until they are 40 because they cannot afford to get a flat and live on their own! I am not happy here anymore! What's the point in me moving back to Britain for example? I have been away for too long plus the fact I have no family left! I don't feel I belong there anymore.....I'm am living the classic expat curse! I feel I don't belong anywhere, so at the end of the day, it makes no bloody difference where I live! When I get to the States, I'm going to learn to drive, go to college, learn Spanish and do all the things I've wanted to do for a long time. Therefore if everything goes tits up, I'll have a few more skills and a new experience under my belt. Life is an adventure...you just have to go with the flow!
I speak from experience.
Mar 17th 2011, 5:20 pm
#65
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 202
Re: Pretty sure we are moving back to England from the USA
That's fine, I totally understand! You are right about the mentality...I sometimes worry about that
You are right about the mentality...I sometimes worry about that
Mar 17th 2011, 8:41 pm
#66
Just Joined
Joined: Nov 2010
Location: EAST COAST USA
Posts: 24
Re: Pretty sure we are moving back to England from the USA
A bit unfair I feel! Surely on an open message board you are allowed to offer an alternative side of experience? It doesn't have to be relevant to the OP(although it is anyway) and it certainly does not have to be of help. This whole message board is full of posts that are unhelpful to the OP, in fact how does your own message help?
Mar 17th 2011, 9:30 pm
#67
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 148
Re: Pretty sure we are moving back to England from the USA
Hear Hear! After browsing this site for a few months now, it seems that there are certain posters with certain agendas, and they would be better off realising that not everyone shares their opinions or the same life experience. I would hate to feel that people are discouraged from participating because their views are so quickly "shot down." I am certainly less keen on this site than I was at first and have learned to mentally filter out certain aspects, especially the definite whiff of anti-American sentiment that sometimes pervades. If you are ready to go back, just leave already!
Sounds like someone is assimilating to the Borg perfectly
Mar 17th 2011, 10:11 pm
#70
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 148
Re: Pretty sure we are moving back to England from the USA
Just poking a little fun. It would be very hypocritical of me to say no your opinion is not valid. All I meant was that your comment is something I hear very much from Americans - the old if you don't like it go back viewpoint.
Mar 17th 2011, 10:25 pm
#71
Just Joined
Joined: Nov 2010
Location: EAST COAST USA
Posts: 24
Re: Pretty sure we are moving back to England from the USA
Oh, I see, it was an insult! Well, that proves my original point about other points of view being shouted down. I have very much enjoyed your posts, confusedenglishrose, about how happy you are to have returned. I just had a very nostalgic visit back home and I walked around with a big smile on my face, absolutely loving everything English. BUT, just speaking for me, personally, I hope I am not alone on this site in also having a hell of a lot of affection and respect for America. So when I say, leave already, it is more a plea for those negative posters to stop wallowing in the poison and move on in their lives. It's no skin off my nose who stays and who goes---it was more a comment on how we can get bogged down in the negativity as the other side of the homesickness coin.
Mar 17th 2011, 10:39 pm
#72
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 148
Re: Pretty sure we are moving back to England from the USA
Oh, I see, it was an insult! Well, that proves my original point about other points of view being shouted down. I have very much enjoyed your posts, confusedenglishrose, about how happy you are to have returned. I just had a very nostalgic visit back home and I walked around with a big smile on my face, absolutely loving everything English. BUT, just speaking for me, personally, I hope I am not alone on this site in also having a hell of a lot of affection and respect for America. So when I say, leave already, it is more a plea for those negative posters to stop wallowing in the poison and move on in their lives. It's no skin off my nose who stays and who goes---it was more a comment on how we can get bogged down in the negativity as the other side of the homesickness coin.
Not really meant as an insult more an observation.
Mar 17th 2011, 10:50 pm
#73
Ping-ponger
Joined: Jul 2002
Location: Dreich Alba
Posts: 12,010
Re: Pretty sure we are moving back to England from the USA
Oh, I see, it was an insult! Well, that proves my original point about other points of view being shouted down. I have very much enjoyed your posts, confusedenglishrose, about how happy you are to have returned. I just had a very nostalgic visit back home and I walked around with a big smile on my face, absolutely loving everything English. BUT, just speaking for me, personally, I hope I am not alone on this site in also having a hell of a lot of affection and respect for America. So when I say, leave already, it is more a plea for those negative posters to stop wallowing in the poison and move on in their lives. It's no skin off my nose who stays and who goes---it was more a comment on how we can get bogged down in the negativity as the other side of the homesickness coin.
people aren't too precious about what you can and can't say.Just to be clear, I am not shoutng you down, simply expressing an alternative viewpoint.
Mar 17th 2011, 11:20 pm
#74
Finally Home!
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Used to be New York, now North Yorkshire
Posts: 3,610
Re: Pretty sure we are moving back to England from the USA
Ah if only life were that easy. If I could just go home, I would be on a plane as soon as I could and I'd never post about my life here in America again. It's precisely because I don't have that freedom that I come here to chat to other people who understand my feelings. I'm sure the same applies to others.
In my real life, I never speak about how I feel except to my husband. Americans are not like Brits (who are perhaps too quick to criticize their own country). Americans do not appreciate any criticism and I respect that by keeping quiet. Nor would I dream of going into the USA thread here and being negative to people who are happy. But here in the "want to go home" thread, I feel I can be honest without being jumped on as "unpatriotic" and "anti-American." I really appreciate that opportunity.
In my real life, I never speak about how I feel except to my husband. Americans are not like Brits (who are perhaps too quick to criticize their own country). Americans do not appreciate any criticism and I respect that by keeping quiet. Nor would I dream of going into the USA thread here and being negative to people who are happy. But here in the "want to go home" thread, I feel I can be honest without being jumped on as "unpatriotic" and "anti-American." I really appreciate that opportunity.
Mar 18th 2011, 2:18 am
#75
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 148
Re: Pretty sure we are moving back to England from the USA
Ah if only life were that easy. If I could just go home, I would be on a plane as soon as I could and I'd never post about my life here in America again. It's precisely because I don't have that freedom that I come here to chat to other people who understand my feelings. I'm sure the same applies to others.
In my real life, I never speak about how I feel except to my husband. Americans are not like Brits (who are perhaps too quick to criticize their own country). Americans do not appreciate any criticism and I respect that by keeping quiet. Nor would I dream of going into the USA thread here and being negative to people who are happy. But here in the "want to go home" thread, I feel I can be honest without being jumped on as "unpatriotic" and "anti-American." I really appreciate that opportunity.
In my real life, I never speak about how I feel except to my husband. Americans are not like Brits (who are perhaps too quick to criticize their own country). Americans do not appreciate any criticism and I respect that by keeping quiet. Nor would I dream of going into the USA thread here and being negative to people who are happy. But here in the "want to go home" thread, I feel I can be honest without being jumped on as "unpatriotic" and "anti-American." I really appreciate that opportunity.
