Originally Posted by Bob

I bloody hated the church bells, St Nic's, they practised every Thursday and Friday, did the bells on Saturday and a double dose on Sundays, plus weddings/funerals.

Probably didn't help that I lived right behind the damn place....but speaking of, did have to do a double take when we saw Downton Abbey because that church scene in the first episode, it was a dead ringer, right down to the neighbouring street, but I think it was somewhere else in Oxfordshire.

Originally Posted by Sally Redux

I lived right opposite a church in Islington, the bells drove me round the twist.

Originally Posted by Bob

I knew the estate was out in Berks, but the church scene, where they go for the service that first time...that was from somewhere in Oxfordshire, just not my local.

Originally Posted by keaki80

I never saw it, unfortunately as it was supposed to be good. I didn't know it wasn't all filmed in same area.

Originally Posted by Bob

It's just started on PBS now, so worth catching

Originally Posted by Blunder

I've been here in the USA now (Texas for four years, Colorado for one) and I've finally arrived at the point where the "novelty has worn off". I don't know if it's age, maturity, a few years in the school of life, or what, but after some ups and downs, some wonderful experiences and adventures, and some true tests of patience, I'm officially done.

At first, the glitz of living in "AMERICA!", the open roads, the scenery, the big plates of food, frosted beer glasses, huge houses and athe things we heard about in movies were enough to sustain my interest. It has been a wonderful larger than life experience with good friends, but I've never been able to shake the feeling that I had overstayed a holiday.

And as good as the friends are that I've made here, I know we don't have that deep, true blood "brotherhood" bond like what I have with my mates back home. It's like everything in America emotionally gets to a 7 or an 8 before hitting a glass ceiling and never truly hitting that 10 to say "This truly is my home now."

I miss so many things, big and small, about England and I want to know if I decided to move back, would I regret it once all the tearful reunions and catching up with friends died down? Would catching the bus to my small terraced house just in time for Eastenders soon get old, with me asking myself why I left behind a grand home, car, and laying by the pool?

I miss my family, my true childhood friends, I miss the lifestyle over there. I can't ever shake the feeling that America is just constantly shaking me down for money - processing fees, admin fees, convenience fees, toll road fees, state tax, federal tax, etc. I feel like my original plans to travel the continent and see the sights have somehow been slapped with a giant dose of reality and instead I'm just working 8-6 (with ten days vacation a year lol) just to pay the bills and try to survive. Life has become more about existing rather than living.

And if I'm going to "exist", I'd rather do it in the same locale as my parents, siblings and friends.

Is a return to England really that promising? Or just another "grass is greener" fantasy that will soon leave me cold and longing for my US life again?

Right now nothing sounds better than making my way through the cold to see the warm orange glow of the pub windows, the muffle of a live band, and knowing there's a pint in there waiting for me, and a group of mates around the small circular table.

I really miss home

Originally Posted by big_matt

I'd also add on the schools debate:

I did my last two years of high school in Philadelphia after doing the rest of my schooling in the UK. I finished school 12 years ago so my experience may not be valid any more but on the whole I felt that I got more out of my schooling in america than in the uk.

It's hard to describe the difference but I would say it felt like UK schools taught me more information and made me remember more things, but the US school gave me a much broader range of experiences and I felt that I had to use my brain a bit more and be more independent. I also liked the emphasis on the extra-curriculur stuff in the USA, where pretty much every person in my year was involved in activities that interested them after school from music to art to sports (me).

The classes in the USA probably seemed 'easier' than in the UK, but I got more out of them and thought more about the general topic rather than just having to remember the particular equation we were focussing on etc.

Originally Posted by big_matt

I'd also add on the schools debate:

I did my last two years of high school in Philadelphia after doing the rest of my schooling in the UK. I finished school 12 years ago so my experience may not be valid any more but on the whole I felt that I got more out of my schooling in america than in the uk.

It's hard to describe the difference but I would say it felt like UK schools taught me more information and made me remember more things, but the US school gave me a much broader range of experiences and I felt that I had to use my brain a bit more and be more independent. I also liked the emphasis on the extra-curriculur stuff in the USA, where pretty much every person in my year was involved in activities that interested them after school from music to art to sports (me).

The classes in the USA probably seemed 'easier' than in the UK, but I got more out of them and thought more about the general topic rather than just having to remember the particular equation we were focussing on etc.

Originally Posted by Sally Redux

That's weird, my son found the exact opposite.

Originally Posted by Sally Redux

That's weird, my son found the exact opposite.

Originally Posted by Bob

Does depend on the school though...such a massive range, even within the same county.

I know some schools who have superb after school programs, do loads of fun stuff, great reputations, and yet other schools in the same area don't even let kids take breaks outside, never mind do any sports or have any money for music.

Same could be said for the UK. When it's great, it's great, when it's not, it's more memorable I guess

I still don't know what Calculus v Trig v pre classes are though...it's all maths, why make it more complicated

Originally Posted by big_matt

I'd also add on the schools debate:

I did my last two years of high school in Philadelphia after doing the rest of my schooling in the UK. I finished school 12 years ago so my experience may not be valid any more but on the whole I felt that I got more out of my schooling in america than in the uk.

It's hard to describe the difference but I would say it felt like UK schools taught me more information and made me remember more things, but the US school gave me a much broader range of experiences and I felt that I had to use my brain a bit more and be more independent. I also liked the emphasis on the extra-curriculur stuff in the USA, where pretty much every person in my year was involved in activities that interested them after school from music to art to sports (me).

The classes in the USA probably seemed 'easier' than in the UK, but I got more out of them and thought more about the general topic rather than just having to remember the particular equation we were focussing on etc.

Originally Posted by dunroving

That's the opposite of what I think the typical caricature is of the UK education system (spoon-fed, teaching to the test, rote memorization, multiple-choice summative assessments) and the UK system (process-oriented, experiential learning, continuous formative assessment primarily via essay, etc.). In reality, I think it is often dependent on the school, although I see a lot more academic freedom in the States rather than "state" (government)-dictated curriculum and methods. Same at the university level - I have NO choice how I assess students and NO choice in the class content - I have to follow the "definitive document" (all sounds very 1984-ish, doesn't it?)