Moving Back To Britain

[Running Bear]

I have been living in Canada for the last 5 years, and I can agree with most comments in this thread.

No matter how much I settle in and enjoy life here, you still miss the little things about the UK.

The HP sauce and Branston pickle are not the same - they are tailored for N American palates.

The humour is not the same, it is slower and more obvious. God I miss the British sense of humour.

The sports over here are almost unfathomly different and utterly destroyed by adverts.

Thing is though, despite these little annoyances, I would never move back to the UK.

I would be swapping a life of comfort over here for a low quality of life in the UK.

Despite complaining at the housing asset bubble over here, I can still comfortable afford a 1400 sq/ft townhome with 3x income.

I would like a detached house with its own garden, but what can you do.

In the UK I would be lucky to stretch to a former council house in a crime ridden area.

Canada is for the most part a fantastic compromise between the UK and US,

We have same standard of living as the US, but also free nationalised healthcare as in the UK.

People are way nicer, down to earth and friendly.

Gun crime is the same as in the UK, with lower levels of violent crime.

Still miss blighty after these 5 years, but not enough to move back and suffer the appalling drop in living standards.

[Pablo-silver or lead?]

My wife, daughter and I had a couple of years if Florida to see if we wanted to make it home. We decided to that it was not for us and got out at the Top in July 2005. Below are a few observations:-

Double dealing ‘Visa Consultants’.

Written quote from our visa consultant. “Sorry I can’t explain why I consistently lied to you in my emails, and why your application was delayed 10 months, please send me a cheque for $7500, or I will report you to US immigration and have you deported!”

Lying cheating ‘Real Estate’ professionals.

Quote “This $350,000 villa won’t cost you a cent. Re-mortgage your UK home, put 20% down and self certify the loan. The holiday rentals from 35 to 40 weeks a year bookings will cover your costs and you’ll have free holidays for your family”. “In fact if you buy two I’ll furnish them free of charge, sign here”. Thousands of Brits a day arrive in Florida; they are lambs to the slaughter.

Great Floridian Weather, hard frosts in the winter! Followed by 100% humidity and three Hurricanes in our first summer!!!

We had Charley, Francis and Jeanne go right over the top of us (Ivan missed).

Apart from the damage, there were stranded guests, grocery shortages, no fuel, 50 mile tail backs, curfews, water/power cuts, looters etc. Amongst all this we were running a property management company responsible for 35 villas all owned by fellow Brits and full of holiday makers.

Poverty like the third world (In the richest country).

Thousands of people holding down two to three jobs, being paid cash weekly (they can’t afford bank accounts), to pay the rent and feed the kids. Invalid, Octogenarian grocery packers at Wall Mart/Win-Dixie, carrying our heavy groceries to the truck, wearing badges saying “Don’t tip me, carry out is a free service”. If they didn’t work they couldn’t buy the medication they need to live!

Trailer park, White Trash, Redneck Ghettos.

Just outside the tourist corridors/areas many locals live in manufactured homes or trailer parks. Where conditions are reminiscent of the Grapes of Wrath meets the Hillbillies from Deliverance. My 13 year old daughter went to a junior high school with 1800 pupils (she had up until then been in UK prep schools with under 200 children, what a learning experience for her). She met a girl in her year whose mother was 12 when she was borne. That’s not all, she had a brother who was 2 years older!

Expats

The British expats fall into two categories. The first are there to rip off anyone they can and especially other newbie, wetback Brits. The second are hardworking honest people scrapping together a marginal living off the back of the tourist industry because financially they can’t return to the UK.

Wildlife in suburbia.

We had gators in the garden, turtles as big as dustbin lids in the garage, black widow spiders, and snakes in the house and swimming pool. If that wasn’t enough on trash days there would be up to 25, 6 foot wing span ‘Turkey Vultures’ sitting on the roof. Also racoons, armadillos and panthers. No wonder the locals carry guns!

Add to this, reams of regulation, licensing and multi-tier government generated paper chases. A compensation culture where to sue is the first option and insurance the best defence. A gun culture where Jeb Bush the Governor supported a new ‘Castle Doctrine self defence law’! Described by critics as a, ‘Shoot first ask questions later!’ charter. That effectively makes Florida a ‘Free fire’ zone for vigilantes and will increase the number of ‘disputes’ between neighbours that end in shootings. You just have to drive down the road to witness prison chain gangs, poor black crop pickers toiling in the fields, bank robberies and car-jacking all in the shadow of the big eared mouse, Disney World!

No very happy to be back on the Dorset Riviera.

Pablo Silver or Lead?

Edited June 16, 2006 by Pablo-silver or lead?

[MarkG]

That effectively makes Florida a ‘Free fire’ zone for vigilantes and will increase the number of ‘disputes’ between neighbours that end in shootings.

Yawn. The gun-grabbers said exactly the same thing when Florida passed its concealed carry law... and the end result was that crime rates dropped.

Most of my friends in Florida carried guns when I used to visit there regularly in the 90s. Not one of them ever shot anyone.

[Pluto]

I really don't understand why Brits keep wanting to move to Florida. I've helped a few of my friends try and relocate their from London and they all hated it after a few months.

Going on holiday and living somewhere are totally different.

Lots of locals from around here retire in Florida, at least until they find out living in Air Conditioning for most of the year expensive and unhealthy. I'm told doctors recommend Florida to reitires that suffer from arthritis - which lots of amercans suffer from.

There are lots of places in the US that I would rather live than Florida. Infact that is last place next to Texas and California. The nicest place for a Brit to live in the US is anywhere near the border with Canada (apart from Detroit) Seattle would be number 1. The weather can be severe in the winter, but the summers are nice and you can always pop over to Canada to load up on mars bars, cakes, and decent tea bags.

Another thing folk don't realize about southern florida is it is mostly swamp land. As they never have a winter that is cold enough to kill bugs - they get huge! Cockroaches the size of golf balls!

Edited June 16, 2006 by Pluto

[Pluto]

Oh one last story about Florida. Two years ago I was there on vacation and were at Water park. It was the between Tampa and Orlando. The mens lockers were on decking, and under the decking was a pond.

As I was getting changed my car key dropped inbetween the decking and into the pond. I jumped over a handrail started wading through the pond. One of the empoyees started yelling at me to get out of the pond as there were aligators in the water. No sooner as she said that I saw one getting into the pond which was sitting on the side.

I ran out on to dry land and jumped over a barrier that was there.

This was a water park with kids everywhere!

Good luck with your move, Frug.

Let's compare notes. I am going the opposite way, leaving the UK

Doc, where are you planning on going?

[Without_a_Paddle]

Oh one last story about Florida. Two years ago I was there on vacation and were at Water park. It was the between Tampa and Orlando. The mens lockers were on decking, and under the decking was a pond.

As I was getting changed my car key dropped inbetween the decking and into the pond. I jumped over a handrail started wading through the pond. One of the empoyees started yelling at me to get out of the pond as there were aligators in the water. No sooner as she said that I saw one getting into the pond which was sitting on the side.

I ran out on to dry land and jumped over a barrier that was there.

This was a water park with kids everywhere!

Trust me, you would have been fine.

Alligators can't drive so no way was it trying to steal your car keys...

Edited June 16, 2006 by Without_a_Paddle

[winkie]

Yup. Americans that visit us are in awe of the variety of stuff you find in the typical Tescos. 10 different chutneys, 26 different marmalades, huge varieties of bread and racks full of the world's best chocolate and biscuits--and tea.

Tescos can be good but some of the european supermarkets are imo far better both for choice and quality, such as Carrefour, Auchan and Eroski.

[Realistbear]

Good luck with your move, Frug.

Let's compare notes. I am going the opposite way, leaving the UK

Where to IIMA?

If I were to return to the US the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia looks good or Eastern North Carolina. Growing fast and houses are still relatively inexpensive. $275k on the golf course--2500 sq foot detached. Unless this next HPC is good for at least 30% down I might be tempted to return I tell ya. 30% looks good for most of the States except California and the Bubbles on the East Coast might see more like 40% down.

[igbt]

Thanks to everyone for their input, it’s nice to hear some objective accounts of the lifestyle differences. I think one thing has become apparent to me, the vast differences in lifestyle depending on where you actually live in the U.S unlike England where we generally have the same climate/lifestyle irrespective of what region we live. I was also considering Canada as I’ve heard it’s a good half-way house between the two but I’ve heard a lot of Brits have a hard time finding good jobs because it takes years to have their U.K qualifications recognised. I think I might take 3 or 4 weeks next summer to travel around some of the states and see which ones would ‘fit’ best for me and take it from there.

[Nick T]

Good luck with your move, Frug.

Let's compare notes. I am going the opposite way, leaving the UK

You going back to the USA?

Where to IIMA?

If I were to return to the US the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia looks good or Eastern North Carolina. Growing fast and houses are still relatively inexpensive. $275k on the golf course--2500 sq foot detached. Unless this next HPC is good for at least 30% down I might be tempted to return I tell ya. 30% looks good for most of the States except California and the Bubbles on the East Coast might see more like 40% down.

Are you still a Lawyer, Realistbear?

[Pluto]

Trust me, you would have been fine.

Alligators can't drive so no way was it trying to steal your car keys...

Never did get the key. I had to call triple A . As the car key was chipped they could not cut another one, so they had to tow the car the nearest dealership which was in Tampa. I had to wait until Monday am (it was a saturday it happened) to get my car back. Getting way off topic now.

Anyway folk going to US should consider places where there is a winter and a summer. Where I am you can ski in the winter and sunbath in the summer. That is one reason I would stay clear of southern states. You soon get fed up with the sun everyday.

[Realistbear]

You going back to the USA?

Are you still a Lawyer, Realistbear?

Not sure about our next big move--the USA is on if there is no HPC in the UK as I am not willing to pay the outrageous prices that still exist!

I am no longer practising law and decided to get out a few months back after thinking I would enjoy getting back in for a few more years. Nasty experience!

[Pluto]

Not sure about our next big move--the USA is on if there is no HPC in the UK as I am not willing to pay the outrageous prices that still exist!

I am no longer practising law and decided to get out a few months back after thinking I would enjoy getting back in for a few more years. Nasty experience!

RB, they will come down, too many investors have bought property. The only way they can realize a gain is if they sell, and sell they will when interest rates rise or another bubble starts to form somewhere else that they want to jump onto.

Interest rates are the key, I've just seen it happen.

Property in US is tanking very fast. The 16 interest rate hikes is starting to bite! Lot's of bargains to be had here if you have cash money or pre-approved financing with nothing to sell. The really strange thing about the states is no-one wants to buy anymore, that is why rental property is in such demand. This is strange, as when the bubble was fully blown everyone was talking about buying property to flip - it has gone very silent recently.

[Xurbia]

It's difficult to compare England and the USA. It seems we all aspire to live in the countryside and they all aspire to live in the middle of a city. I find the west coast the more hospitable place. Florida reminded me of Littlehampton with sunshine, if that's possible!

The USA's National parks are fantastic and diverse, service is generally polite and efficient and there is so much land. All but the most intelligent Americans seem to find our mordant humour either offensive or too highbrow. The TV is awful and the healthcare very expensive.

England has pubs, the NHS, history and the best humour on the planet IMO. Unfortunately you have to fight for space and it's not going to get any better.

I think both places are good to work in but the healthcare is a major issue. Personally I think it's best to amass as much cash as you can and go to New Zealand (pubs, NHS and humour).