kins

Just after I read this thread, a post came up on FB from Lifehacker.

How to Keep Your Head Up in the Constant Stream of Bad News

I recently made a conscious decision to read the news only once a day. I had been feeling quite negative and it really helped to put things back in perspective.

Where I live we have very low crime, people are usually friendly and helpful, and the quality of life is wonderful. There's a lot that is good about America.

dc koop

Mine hasn't changed much either although it's confounded the hell out of some Yanks,

"Where's that accent from...... Australia" ?

Pulaski

I rarely ever get "Australia", most correctly guess England/Britain, but then my accent is a mild but distinctive Sheffield accent, so mild that lifelong residents of Sheffield might say I don't have a Sheffield accent, but it comes out in some short-vowel words such as "bath"' and "tub".

MikeZ

man that guy was trolling his ass off..

Psyman

I feel pretty much the same way as the OP, the last few years. Been here about 16 years total. It's not so much that I fear a gun attack, or worry about can I meet health care costs in case of a big expense, or think any crazy political decisions on the right wing of the political spectrum will affect me or my family directly. I live in what's viewed as a progressive town within a fairly sensible state. But it's mainly do I want to live in a country with the kind of values that seem so regressive, hypocritical and selfish. I was repulsed not just by the Sandy Hook massacre, but also by the reaction by so many to go out and buy more guns. I have a new kid, and the thought of him having to go through active shooter scenarios at school or go through metal detectors every morning, or attend a school where they have a constant police presence makes me want to whisk him off back to Blighty or some other country where those kind of measures are hopefully deemed a failure of society to be civilized.

I know the UK and other countries will have their own set of problems too, but not to the extremes that the US seems to be dealing with. I came here mainly for an adventure, but I guess now I have a family, some of the things that affect the social structure of society are staring me in the face and not looking too pretty right now. However, the Tory govt in the UK says I now need $100k to be allowed back in with my partner (no chance of getting offered a job from 6000 miles away), so here I will stay for now.

MikeZ

"regressive, hypocritical and selfish"

You mean UK since the Maggie T. era began?

lansbury

Is that comment directed at the OP? Had you been around these forms for a little while you might realize who their other half is, and from her postings some of difficulties they have faced over recent years, contributing no doubt to their current opinions.

scrubbedexpat099

You do realise I hope that you are replying to a Forum Regular.

Pulaski

As opposed to the rest of us forum "irregulars".

lansbury

I didn't join BE to win friends and influence people, and so far so mucking good.

Leslie

The OP is a sleeper troll. He deliberately immigrated, joined BE, and posted for 13 years ... building up to this very day! The day he could finally troll his ass off.

Jerseygirl

TopTip: do a little research before making silly accusations.

mrken30

Even the Lake District as nice as it is had it's own fair share of bad news back in 2010. Cumbria shootings | UK news | The Guardian

This would not stop me from wanting to live in Cumbria.

The M1 probably has more fatal accidents than any freeway near where I live in Oregon.

dc koop

MY sister says I still have my accent but use a lot of American expressions which is natural of course since I've been here 4 decades.

And expressions ! When I lived in Canada next door to my mate and his wife I stuck my foot in it with her one time. We were all planning on driving across the border to New York for a day's hiking in the Adirondacks early the following morning

I asked her (she was Canadian BTW) what time they planned on getting up or if she wanted I would be happy to knock her up (meaning a wake up call). Bad choice of words. I got a very strange look in return until I explained what I meant

mrken30

I worked in UK Schools back in the early 90's and one school they had daily or weekly locker checks to look for knifes.

A lot depends on the area, some is just luck. I am concerned about my family's safety. I would not have liked to have been in the UK when the riots were happening and the Police were just saying they could not respond when the system got overwhelmed. Would you have wanted some way to defend yourself and your family? Some people unfortunately died at the hands of the rioters.