Originally Posted by debbie#1

Wildmark, you seem to be very negative about England - I take it you can't wait to leave. However, trust me the grass is not any greener in the next place.

Originally Posted by welykuk

I'm a little further south than Debbie, in Maryland, where it is humid cloudy and heading for 90s (although it seems its hot & humid in the UK too today) and would say that in the mid atlantic its not great weather year round. Ice storms can cause no end of problems so there are far more power cuts here than we had in the UK. Its humid and cloudy due to the tail end of hurricane Dennis and there is more rainfall in DC than in London. Yet the grass still turns brown in winter. So although I truely appreciate the lighter days in winter I miss colour and by March I am desperate and spring doesn't arrive til April but you see signs of it in Feb in the UK.

Drivers. There really are some atrocious drivers certainly more obvious than in the UK. very polite at 4 way stops but don't know how traffic is supposed to merge on major routes.

History affects your life not simply in the architecture but the awareness that life was lived before 200 years ago by people similar to you and that some things happening today have roots in a time before MTV. I actually feel that in some ways you are closer to history in the US (we're in civil war country) because many of the changes here are slow filter through so you can see life being lived a generation away from the way it was 100 or so years ago but there is no sense of anything happening before Europeans came here

Health There are problems with both systems but if you have a heart atack in the UK you won't have to lose your house,If you give birth to a premature baby you can spend time with it rather than having to go straight back to work to maintain your health benefits. You don't lose hours of your life trying to establish who's paying for what. If you are a stay at home mum getting a divorce you don't have to worry about health coverage and what your children would do if you got cancer without any coverage. Of course once you've had anything premiums go up and its harder to get covered.

Without a degree or some professional qualification your chances of getting a job with health or pension benefits is almost non existant in the US. Without a degree all forms of insurance cost more. Charity is bigger in the US because the government does less so you will be called regularly and asked to donate to support a variety of causes. So you give through taxes (UK) or moral obligation (US)

As is constantly said on this forum peoples priorities are different and they are affected by many things. I know returning to the UK will mean almost as much readjustment as coming here did. Britain has a lot going for it, the way its handling the aftermath of the bombs proves that. There is a far wider debate of political issues in the UK which I miss.
In the end you will do what feels right to you and on this forum if that means going back to the UK or missing home its fine to say that

wendy

Originally Posted by britvic

Wildmark will have to find out for himself, we have already seen it done it and bought the T.shirt!!! And you can stuff the sunshine :mad: more like bloody sweaty far to hot heat. We are going home within 2 years. The American dream is bullshit more like a F**king nightmare, we have givern it 3 years now and moved about, as my Hubby says it's all Walmart, Kmart and F**king McDonnalds and he is USC.

Originally Posted by debbie#1

and don't forget the square shaped malls. Wherever you go you feel like you have just gone down the same road.

Originally Posted by wildmark

Originally Posted by wildmark

I blame my parents for not making me go to School :p

Originally Posted by debbie#1

and don't forget the square shaped malls. Wherever you go you feel like you have just gone down the same road.

Originally Posted by Merlot

I just get pee'd off listening to those slating those moving back to the UK who haven't left in the first place.

M :mad:

Originally Posted by IN THE YEAR 2525

How long ya been here boy?

Originally Posted by ladyofthelake

The trouble is, once you are in the sunny climate, it all gets a bit boring and you don't give a crap about the weather any more, especially if you are unhappy with other things in your new country.
Even here in Florida, I wouldn't say it's great weather all year round. Apart from the hurricanes which seem to be barrelling towards the state at a regular occurance, threatening to tear down our homes, it does actually get cold here in winter too. I have to put my gloves and coat on in the winter to take the dog out for a walk. If I'm going to have to do that anyway, I'd rather do it in England, where at least I am allowed to let my dog off her lead to run around. :D

Originally Posted by wildmark

..and i'm sick to the back teeth of people that drone on about how great the UK is...why did you leave in the first place?

Originally Posted by ImHere

The thing about constant hot sunny weather is this:

Its great when you're lying on a beach or dipping your tootsies in the pool sipping on a lager.....but, when you have to go out in 95f and 90% humidity and mow the lawn or fix the roof and you have to do it while wearing jeans and a long sleeved shirt or you'll fry and the sweats pouring down your back and the tools are too bloody hot to pick up, and then the AC breaks down and its 85f in the middle of the night so you cant sleep its not quite so much fun.

Holidaying in a hot place is great. Living and working in one has many downsides.

Oh and you have to take great care in the shed and garage to avoid getting bitten by a brown recluse or black widow spider. Im surprised no one has mentioned what, to me, is a big plus of living in the UK: The wildlife generally isnt out to kill you.

Originally Posted by gruffbrown

Ever stroked a badger?