britontour

Hi also a Coloradoan (not sure if thats right schnorbitz) further south in the springs, one good place to go down here if you are missing home is the Golden Bee Pub. The interior of the pub was imported from England and they also serve English food and beers.

I would wait for the summer that I25 gets pretty hairy in the snow.

Just Jenney

Oh come on! Sometimes I just can't believe what you Brits whinge about living here as expats!

I lived in Chile for two years with no car, no TV, no internet, and no indoor heat. The first year I had to wash all my clothes in the bathtub because I couldn't afford a washing machine! I worked 35 hours a week and made $500/month -- even going to Burger King was a luxury. I'm not exaggerating! All this and I had to do it completely using a language that I did not grow up speaking.

I doubt any of you have experienced life like that in the States, so I don't think "survival" is really the right word! (And no -- American English being different from British English doesn't count as a foreign language!)

To the OP: It's not as bad as they make it sound. It's natural to miss things from home, especially when you've first moved. My advice is to try to integrate yourself in your community -- take up classes, join a book club, etc. The sooner you can make friends where you live, the sooner you'll feel more "at home." It'll take time but it'll happen. That was my experience, anyway.

Welcome to the board, and best of luck.

~ Jenney

TouristTrap

Great advice!

My advice to newbies to the US (or anywhere for that matter), is to have as little contact with other expats as possible for at least six months, in order to build up local relationships. Worked great for me.

britontour

I remember surviving in the same manner, however it was in the UK and it was at Uni.

Celsius

A few words for Jenney. Sod off! You're neither British or an expat...

Of course, you're welcome to your opinion.

As for your comments about Chile, you weren't forced to live there were you? I suppose you may have chosen/volunteered to work there.

For some down to earth advice, anyone living in the US doesn't have to look too far to find residents in the US who live like you did in Chile except these residents are quite possibly US citizens who've been raised and educated in the US. Stick that in your pipe!!! (get your husband to translate this if necessary).

Elvira

Children, children - where is your sense of humo(u)r?

Remember, this is British Expats. Pi$$-taking and stiff upper lip are compulsory

Manc

Jabba1 is neither British or an Expat and was taking the piss, you were caught hook line and sinker.

Schnorbitz

Exactly. Why, oh, why do these things have to be explained?

Bob

first time around here, after did the travelling thing and broke, the missus got a job at a kindergarden, we lived off $230 a month, did laundry by hand in the bathtub and froze through winter...admittedly we did have a car, but could only afford the petrol to go out and get groceries once a fortnight as it was a good 45 min drive....*l*
Regardless of the situation, the snow and cold does compound to get you down at times.

ironporer

Sam's sells BJ's now too? They really are a superstore then!!

Elvira

Somebody explain - why are we talking about bl0w jobs now?

What with all the talk about cumin on the other thread, what on earth is BE coming to?

I think we need a Mary Whitehouse here! Bob where are U?

Jabba1

Excellent!!!! My master plan for world conquest has begun as expected. Everything is proceeding according to my design. Soon the whole world will call me........MASTER!!!!

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!

Taking a bit more of the piss, I am.

Just Jenney

I wasn't caught at all. I knew the comments were being made sarcastically. However, when a newbie is posting on here, stating she's already homesick for a country that -- let's face it -- is not too dissimilar from this one after only a matter of weeks, why point out the negatives, even if only in jest? She was clearly looking for support, but instead is told that moving to the States is a "misfortune" and that she's "in exile". If I was in the OP's shoes -- which I have been -- I would not find such words comforting.

Some of you may think my being sensitive to the OP's situation is a flaw, but it's not something I will apologize for.

~ Jenney

Just Jenney

The fact that I'm not British is irrelevant. And while I'm not currently an expat, I HAVE been an expat -- the fact that I'm not one now doesn't erase my experience.

Thanks, I already knew that.

I'm not sure what your point is here. There are a lot of expats who choose to live abroad. I would say the majority of people on this site fall into that category -- they choose to accept a company transfer to the States, they choose to move to the States to live with their spouses, etc. And for the majority of people on this site, they live an existance that's comparable to what they had back in the UK -- ie, the same conveniences, language, etc.

I am well aware of the poverty that unfortunately exists in this country. But again, my point is that, fortunately, the majority of BE members do not live that kind of life. For one thing, if they did they wouldn't have access to computers to read and post messages on here, would they? Yet the way a lot of members complain about life in the US, you'd think they lived in a shack with corrugated tin roofs and no electricity!

No translation needed -- rudeness is a universal language.

~ Jenney

Chorlton

Jenney,



time for a xanax maybe?