Moving?

This is like Silly Sod's "a septic poll" from a couple of weeks ago in that it ain't really a poll at all! ...well, sort of...

I think the forum here is pretty light hearted and many of you have been posting for a few years now and seems to be a good community. It's very different to UK-Yankee I think... Not nearly the same amount of humour there as far as I've seen over time...

My "poll" is about this forum :

If you are a Brit, do you find this like a "lifeline"... I mean, could you have "survived" as well without contact with other Brits what with differences in humour / humor, lifestyle etc etc? A good place to let off steam about the US and USCs etc? I think that when (if) I eventually move (with work), that I will really need a place to come and vent / ask questions etc.

Or.... are you an American coming to see what Brits think of "your" country? Have you been surprised / offended / upset / happy / angry about the posts you have read?

Or.... none of the above [insert answer here]

Look forward to reading your results

AmerLisa

I'll start off. I'm an American, but not coming here to "see what the Brits think of America" In fact, I probably agree with most of what they think. I lived in the UK with my British husband and three years ago we were working on DCF through the American Embassy in London to move over to the US. I found this site incredibly helpful in answering some of the questions I had. But then I really started reading some of the posts and found some of the people posting quite hilarious, I was hooked. I had encouraged my husband to sign up and join, thinking he would feel the need to identify with other British Expats, when we moved here - he never has and funningly enough, settled in a lot better than I have. Even though we had visited in the US quite a few times while living in the UK - I wasn't prepared for such a reverse culture shock - and sadly disappointed in what I came back to.

username 34

I stumbled on the site when last year it looked like we might relocate somewhere else ...

I wanted info from people who actually lived where the place was and info on schools, housing etc..

never really considered myself a "BritExpat" as my folks arent Brits (but I was born and mainly raised there) , and I dont feel the yearning desire to be a "Brit" in terms that I really dont feel any national patriotism. I like England to visit, love it for a holiday etc.. but dont support UK sports teams or anything like that.

so this website - to get back to the OP! - has mutated for me into a community thing, its fun to read others experiences and if people want info from me about here I can provide it.

Sophia_S

I don't post on here very often,but I do look in every day...as much as I like living here,I often feel like we're on a different planet...it just feels very comforting,in a way,to know,despite the occasional bickering and sarcasm,there's other Brits out there who feel the same way,and notice the same weirdnesses that I do/have since moving over here...this forum helps keep me sane!..it's SO nice to know you guys are out there,just a few mouse clicks away!......Sophia

Maz

With my American mother-in-law moving in today, I might be visiting this site quite a lot more in the coming months! She's not that bad, really, but she's retired, and I work from home.

When I first came across this site, I'd already been in the US for nearly a decade, and have met only two Brits in the Chicago area. Sad! So it's a bit of a lifeline for me, sometimes, and I really love the sense of humour on here. It's something that's sadly lacking in this country.

Even though I took citizenship over 6 years ago, I still don't "feel" American. Really I only took it so I could vote, no other reason. "Home" here is our house and my hubby and daughter. With them, I could very easily move to another part of the world and still feel "at home".

England isn't home for me anymore, and I'm really not sure where is. My American born-and-raised hubby doesn't want to retire in the US, so in April we're going on a fact-finding trip to New Zealand... see if that fits us better.

Here at BE, I only really hang out in 3 forums, this one, The Trailer Park, and the New Zealand forum. I tried The Lounge for a while, but it moves too damn quickly! LOL There's definitely a light-heartedness to this site, and an attitude of "we're all in this together" that I love dearly.

Ray

Go on then ..piss of to kiwi ..see if I bleedin care..........

username 34

and of course we love Ray's warm fuzziness

Ray

Hey .. I only shave thursday ...everbody knows that ...
bleedin island people .......... with their tans and boobs ...which I hardly notice ..

Maz

We do indeed, don't we.

Ray, if you don't want me to go, I won't. How's that?

Ray

I hink you should stay and carry on with the belly dancing
I relly enjoy that ...

bit skinny though

Seahorse3

I also am an American. I stumbled upon this site by accident and have thoroughly enjoyed reading the different posts. I have never been offended by anything I have read and have had many good laughs. The only thing which I see pretty constantly is the broad generalizations posted about Americans. We are not all alike in everything. I agree we are a bit self centered when it comes to knowlegde about the word around us, but a few of us like to explore other cultures and jump at the chance to meet someone from another country. It is just this country is so big, going from one part to another in many instances is like going to a different country. Anyway, after reading the posts for several weeks, I decided to join.

anotherlimey

Bloody stoopid Yanks!

cabritpop

[insert answer here][Toss my salad you gormless twat]

Hope you looked forward to reading that one.

Maz

Even if we do move, I've already researched places to dance over there. And I'm not skinny! I wish...

Bob

This place, helped out with the boredom when I weren't working and now it helps out with some of the tedium now that I am

It's a great resource though, especially for finding out everyday info on really stupid and mundane things such as what yoghurt's are worth trying to the laundry