Originally Posted by St.Georges Girl (Post 5852279)

Exactly my thoughts. How weird.:blink:

http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/5...uckle1xbz4.gif
Geography not your strong point then Howard?
Oh how true that is for Australia, land of the Ostrich.:sneaky:

gets my vote.....:rofl::rofl:

I think that's a slight exaggeration B, don't you?:blink:

Originally Posted by ukflyaway (Post 5849771)

Sorry to say I can't relate to your problems.
Having flown the coop in 1980 we have lived in various parts of the world(all rural,) we have seen little or no crime( dog barking.. thats different!) Life "abroad" has been good for us and our family. Used to Visit the UK but that stopped in 2002, we found the country had changed for the worse, my old school was totally black! and the crime, "drugs" etc. had increased. The UK's immigration policies seem to have failed the folks!!
We always liked France but just did'nt want to learn another language, we have quite a few friends who live there and almost all have managed the transition well.. it does take some courage and will... My advice would be:try harder to make your new home a path of adventure,:thumbup: with good /great and interesting times ahead.good luck

Originally Posted by Crayfish (Post 5854207)

mmm nice bloke; "my old school was totally black"... in that case you should not think that France would be any better come to think of it!! And you found crime, drugs etc had increased did you? How would you know that, do tell!! Reading the Daily Mail perhaps?

This is typical of the lame, pathetic attitude I have found with some expats. You blame your country of birth for your own failings. The UK does not need people like you, I sincerely hope you keep your word and do not ever come back to visit these shores.

Originally Posted by denzil75 (Post 5854275)

I'm sorry this is slighty off topic, Backhomeatlast I have just clicked on the link for your local and have to say that I am now green with envy, what a lovely local pub! Don't even get me started talking about the menu, I am in love with the place already and have not even visited! Jo I suggest moving there! :wub:

Originally Posted by denzil75 (Post 5843204)

I think no matter where you live in the world there are always good and bad parts, it's just the media always picks up on the bad parts, you never hear the media saying how great somewhere is. It sounds lovely where you live in France but I'm sure there are some not so lovely areas nearby so please don't let the bad press of England put you off from returning if that's truly where you want to be.

Originally Posted by clougherty family (Post 5844903)

I feel very sad and nostalgic for the time when I was growing up here and we could play outside etc etc. but unfortunately times change

Originally Posted by bramblebush (Post 5854718)

Yes, times do change and I often wonder if that is what made me so determined to leave England, I don't think it was England that I didn't like but that it was modern life :confused: trouble is I'm not sure that I can accept it now either :ohmy:

Originally Posted by Backhomeatlast (Post 5854451)

It was left to the national trust who have really looked after it, no music. no gaming machines, all the furniture is antique tables and chairs and settles, no rubbish keg beers just real delicious real ales from small independant breweries, always something on in the summer be it morris dancers :blink: or beer festivals with a pig roast...I spend a lot of time in that pub.:thumbup:

Originally Posted by robclaridge (Post 5855193)

I'm not going to knock the UK

Originally Posted by clougherty family (Post 5852421)

Hi Tracey,

Don't want to get into all this slagging off UK/Aus. and to be honest the only reason I posted is because we're just a bit worried about the situation here. I love England and Maidenhead is our home town, all our family and friends are here and that part is great. I love the UK for all the reasons we all went on about when we were in Perth and posting on here, but I have to say that this society is not the same as even a couple of years ago. I don't want to be racist or ageist etc etc blah blah, but the place is unrecognisable from when we were growing up.

My boys will go to the Catholic school near us but if they weren't Catholic they would have to go the another primary school near my house and the statistics are about 98% asian children. Don't get me wrong, I had asian girls in my class at school and we all got on fine but it's got to the stage where the white children are in the minority. I don't want my kids learning all about religious festivals and not being allowed to talk about Christmas! There are Polish people everywhere, Polish shops opening up, it feels like we are living in another Country. I'm not sure whether we should just stay here and deal with the fact that things change or whether we should move somewhere more rural or even move to another country. I really don't want to have to move abroad again as it's so stressful but at the end of the day we want the best life we can for us and our children.

All these people on here keep saying that they've never seen any crime near them and I know the media hype everything up but seriously, every morning I put the TV on and someone else has been shot/stabbed/beaten with an iron bar. It's getting to be a normal occurance. This is not just happening in London anymore, it's widespread and I for one, don't really want to wait until it starts happening in my town before I move.

Jo;)

Originally Posted by clougherty family (Post 5853390)

Hi Crayfish
Reading is another place you wouldn't want to live!! I think if we do end up moving it's going to be somewhere in the sticks like Devon, can't see any other big towns being any different than here really. Thanks for your replies.

Jo:unsure:

Originally Posted by Fleaflyfloflum (Post 5852449)

Hi Jo

I can understand your fears and know what you mean about things changing, but the big problem is, WHERE do you go to escape from it? You only real alternative if you want complete safety from the angst of the modern world is to be somewhere extremely isolated, but would you really want that?
The very sad truth this is the world we live in now, regardless of countries.
My colleague got mugged walking home from work last week and beaten to a pulp, all for a bag of work clothes. No matter where you are in the western world there will be risks, new immigrants and an ever changing environemnt because thats how the world is now.
Personally, i feel we either have to adapt to it or forever be searching for something or somewhere that doesnt exist.

I sure hope you find happiness though