johnh009

First of all, as a Brit being out of the UK for the past 28 years (and looking forward to moving back) is that, one of the things I admire most about the British is that they welcome people who are have had different experiences. You only have to go to your local pub and have a good conversation to realise this.

Most of the UK bashers on this forum have never lived in a different country for any length of time to realise how good they have it in the UK. Often, in other countries, the grass is not greener, just a different shade.

Just go, fit in, and enjoy what the country and its people have to offer. You will find a country of open minded people that is rich with a culture that was built on not immigrants, but from invasions by the Romans, Germanics, Normans, and Vikings, etc. that have contributed to the country as it is today. More recently, people from the Caribbean, India, and Pakistan, etc. have also made their contribution.

And, of course, if you work, you will get much more holidays than you do in the US and you have continental Europe to explore on your doorstep, and with the time to do it, not like the 2 standard weeks holiday you get in the US.

sunbather

It's not the snow that you need to consider, but the many many days of grey and damp with no sign of the sun.

king kong

Hi marmalade ,it was a reference to the old border reiver days .It was a notoriously difficult part of both countries to try and control .It is a well known saying and is one i picked up at the scottish border at carters crossing on the road to jedburgh .
Its a fascinating part of britain and i can just imagine if one of the raiders got caught by the authorities ,he would say what ever was suitable inregards to nationality just to go free .

mary1

This is totally untrue.
As a Borderer I am most definitely Scottish.Scotland and England were at war for years and the Scottish Borders bore the brunt of it.
During the summer months every Border town has a festival.Partof the ceremony is to remember the Battle of Flodden when England ethnically cleansed the area.

Marmalade

I am well aware of the history, but that was a long time ago, and under different circumstances. You cannot generalise about these things. You need to have been brought up in that area to understand this.

Marmalade

Spot on

king kong

Fair comment and no offence was intended .

YankeemovingAbroad

Regardling British jerseys worn in Scotland and vice versa, and the conflict that can accure because of it ,does that really have anything to do with team loyalty?Or is it more to do with the historical anger felt by the Scottish for the British because Scotland was annexed hundreds of years ago? Do many Scots recent the British? Do many Brits look down on the Scots and their culture and if so,why do they? Do most Scots want Scotland to succeed from the UK,and would this be a no go subject to discuse while in Scotland?

Thank you guys for your thoughtful post I have learn quite abit from you all.

Nu-Shooz

Does that mean they will hold a grudge forever?

jojosan

Kind of what I was wondering?? I don't think I can think of any nation who has not got horrendous stuff in its past........ Do we need to carry this forward for ever?

And I speak as someone who loves Scotland, for everything it entails, from the countryside to the history....

Jumbo_Celcius

First thing.
Scotland, England, Northern Ireland & Wales are all separate countries that make up the British Isles or Great Britain or the United Kingdom (UK), which is ruled by the monarchy and governed by the British government. When you say British, it means someone from Britain and they could from be any of the countries. Scotland and England joined forces (not by war) 300 years ago in the "Acts Of Union" when the two parliaments joined. Some Scots want to be independant again ,some English want England to be independant again but this is about as basic as I could make it, you're opening a real can of worms here, and I suggest if you are coming over to the UK, it would be the best place to learn about it!!

P.S. It'll give you something to do when you're not chasing the ladies

YankeemovingAbroad

When the Act of Union was sign, did the Scots do so because they feared the superior more powerful English nation or was the Union agreed to because the joining was considered muturally benefical? Could not accepting the accord mean war between Scotland and England which Scotland was ill prepared to fight? Did the majority of the Scottish population have the right to decide if they wanted the Union? Or was the Act of Union forced on the Scottish people by the Scottish and British Monarchs?

I know this subject could open a can of worms but I find the relationship between Scotland and the English very interesting.And I'm trying to better understand why so many Scots strongly view them self as Scottish first then secondly British,but never English even after 300 years of shared nationality.

I've heard some Scots say they are English simply because Scotland is legally apart of England.But there have been some very strong opinions from Scots who express that their first loyalty will allways be to Scotland because that is the Scottish ancestral homeland.Many of the English feel insulted and betrayed because of that fact.But is it not natural for the Scottish to feel as they do if they believe their birth right was in a way stolen from them by the Act of Union?

I recall Andy Murray the tennis star saying to a reporter at a news conference to please refer to him as Scottish when speaking of his nationality and to stop calling him English or British because Andy felt insulted by both labels.Andy said he is Scottish, period.I remember several Brits being angered by Andy's comments at the time.

Makes me wonder if some of those historical differences between Scotland and the English are manifesting it self even in simple ways like team loyalty or places where Jerseys are ok to be seen worn with out fights breaking out.

Jumbo_Celcius

Ha-ha-ha...can of worms mate, a seriously big can of worms!!
For 2 thousand years, everybody fought the Romans, England fought Scotland, England and Scotland fought the Vikings, Scotland fought among themselves, England fought among themselves, Scotland and France fought against England, England fought against France, England fought against Ireland, Scotland fought against England, everyone fought the Spanish, everyone fought the French, everyone fought the Dutch, everyone fought the Germans etc, etc, etc, etc seriously I cannot begin to explain it on a forum like this....ha-ha-ha, sorry for laughing but this is so complex your questions seem very naive....I suggest you get a documentary series on the history of Britain.

kez81

where about in aberdeen are you from? im from torry but stayed in cove b4 we left OH is orginally from kincorth.

king kong

I doubt to be honest that you have ever heard a scotsman call himself english the idea is laughable in the extreme .
Scotland is a totally differnt country to england and vice versa ,they have different laws in many ways .
They only came together under the union of the crowns which at the time was beneficial to both sides .
Wales is a real bone of contention as technically they are principality of england and thus have come under english law ,this is more than likely why you see no representation of wales on the union flag .
Wales ofcourse is in every way a proud nation just as the scots and english are but never ever call a scotsman ,welshman ,irishman an englishman .