If you can, and open your eyes and hearts, there are some truly beautiful in heart brits around you. I do believe though that what is happening in the Uk is happening all over the world (in terms of the standard or quality of life ). James, I'm sure you never heard of Carl Schmitt even though you're living in Germany who was a political philosopher. I agree what you said 90%. This country has ace roads in comparison to other places we've lived in. Then throughout the 00's until present day the fascist tabloids managed take away what we had gained. People today in Britain are upset at the uncontrolled immigration. Romanian and other Balkan foods are perfect mixes of Turkish, Greek, German and other Eastern European countries such as Russia, Poland, and so on. Your post told me that there were people out there that felt the same. I think after a decade of living in the UK, certain things started changing a bit too much and got to us. Hi Laura, We would absolutely love to visit St Helena Island one day. Thank you so much for your heartfelt message. Germany thought about it. Hi James and Cory, It's amazing really. Your candour proves me wrong about you racist, poor, thick bits. Thank you for letting us know. Sometimes foreigners dont understand this and confuse our ambition and drive with anger. Whether you decided to stay home in the UK or embark on an adventure in some distant land, I wish you health, wealth and happiness. I cannot afford to stay here. Anyone who would kick you out for "bad spelling" must be crazy. Perhaps, the main reason I loved these, was because we were all like-minded young individuals, who dreamt of a true democratic UK which had the Labour party at the core. Tolerant please don't make me laugh. We contribute more to the country than many others. The governments have decided to further cut budgets for education, science and academics. When employers can hire Eastern Europeans who will turn up on time, not call in sick with hangovers and work hard then who can blame them? But I'm not shocked. Our education system definitely needs an upgrade so British people stop being so ignorant about our history. The people there are immensely proud of their long history and are well aware of what is going on in Europe. Politicians are liars (we've been promised more money for academia and the NHS). Yes i still travel as it is my passion but I no longer see it as the fix for life's problems.Goodluck to you all in this journey of life. Im scared for the future of my children and have never been so ashamed to be british! As you know, I am a foodie as I wrote about magical street food in Tokyo or the French cuisine in Nice. We're thinking of moving away as soon as I've finished my studies for many of the same reasons as the ones you mentioned. Thank you for your message. Its beautiful countryside and theres good aspects to living here .. but the country sucks the life out of you eventually and you end up feeling grey and worn out just like the weather. I am half Spanish but raised and born in the uk. And the weather, sadly, it's true :(. In Germany I have never felt discriminated against as a foreigner. With a crime rate of 123.2 per 1,000 people, West Yorkshire is the most dangerous part of England. The shed is accessed by removing two loose boards at the rear. Stories of betrayal. I went to uk last month and fell in love with portsmouth seaview and brighton, and my boyfriend told after the trip we wants to go to UK! I'm a chav! My peers were cool, the work environment was multicultural, everyone was smart, funny, different and awesome. When I first came to the country, I said to my British friend. For example from london eye to Stonehenge, are very different places but both beautiful. Its streets are filled with mullet, snapback, nike, [] So, the tribalism, is everywhere in the world and the UK is still one of the most open and tolerant countries in the world. I explain a bit more about why I want to move away here: http://www.anestingnomad.com/2016/07/i-want-to-emigrate-to-australia.html/ and the good news that I am (visa willing) about to move is here: http://www.anestingnomad.com/2016/12/my-big-news-is.html/. American actress Chloe Sevigny shouldn't expect a warm welcome if she ever returns to Manchester - she claims the city is full of "chavs". They have Netflix, the internet, consumerism, vacations abroad etc just as we do. Sorry I'm late to the party, but I'll post anyway. You can enjoy all four seasons! There are cheap things too but expect to get what you pay for. The Midlands, SE, and even parts of the NE have less rain. You could also argue that for an aging population, a young, able bodied workforce coming here wanting to work is exactly what the country needs. Could it be because England is not a good place to live? It wasn't until the last year of University that I landed my first full-time job with Apple. I grew up in the countryside and fell more and more in love with my country with every passing year. It all started a few years back when we were walking through the rain on those British rolling hills. This means an average British person has a wardrobe full of Autumn clothing and about 10 different types of wellies. Thanks for this article, but I'd like to add my experience to counterbalance a bit. it was real and people felt this way en masse. The cold, the racism, the bigotry, the expense, the American attitudes of greed and money over morality, the awful changes to education, the privatisation of everything. You'll find that these places are a run down, uncared for mess many thanks to previous govenments who actually ignore the North and instead focus only on London. less than in any other country in Europe. For all these things we really really really love the UK: low taxation, laissez faire and flexibility/open-mindness of the British (especially the English ) people in business and life is refreshing. British values In all of this, I have tried to be fair and welcoming and treat people with respect. Reread if you didn't get it the first time. It's interesting. Mad! Maybe capitalism has encouraged too much greed? "Chav is an utterly misunderstood term. Honestly its all in how you phrase it, lovely. This results in you learning to cook a variety of world dishes. We lived in Bristol, Bob. It is an adaptive culture. I have no hesitation in saying most brits ARE racists but live in denial.English people progress quickly everywhere despite only being half as qualified as a person of colour. [21] The writer John Harris argued along similar lines in a 2007 article in The Guardian. Most ordinary British people outside of the chattering classes in liberal metropolitan London know they are the Jones who can no longer keep up with their richer Aussie Jones cousins or the Singaporean and Hong Kong Tans. I'm still searching for the answer but got lost somewhere along the way. What do you describe in terms of the hate towards foreigners and outright xenophobia you have faced its home to me now in a way I fully understand. London is unaffordable because everyone and their dog wants to be here. But most of all your pathetic comment is the type of bitter weasly crap typical of someone who is a real coward, and a disgusting affront to those who lost their lives in WWI and WWII, in the former many being just 16-18 years old, barely knowing what they were going into, before being torn to shreds for their country. We were both European expats who came here to study. Getting a job is a competition and may the best one win! I'm from England but I moved to Iceland a year ago. Of course, many people want to be English, that's why they come here. The food is good in places if you know where to eat. Look at the last 50 years of Britain and name a single big talented innovator in this market! I live in Argentina, and as an EU citizen, I'm planning on moving to the UK before March 29, Brexit tentative date, looking for new opportunities for me. move to New Zealand ,great place to live Dave from Hull. Same for BritainI left the UK because I wanted a better life for myself. I've been an expat but tbh happy to call myself immigrant too (as I once was to Britain as a 2yr old!). I've found people angry and bitter, jealous of our "success" so shunning us, mad at the whole world and blaming the new family down the street rather than reflecting on how their own attitudes drive down the areas we live in. Adopted countries I've lived in were always a ticking reminder that I don't belong and that I'm just a temporary alien working or studying there for a limited time. [4] In Newfoundland, "skeet" is used in a similar way,[5] while in Australia, "eshay" or "adlay" is used. I have been unable to find work in my field because they don't know what to do with my qualifications ('You need a UK qualification'), and the algorithm ber-usage in this country is insane. I believe not only the UK, but the European continent is suffering from a shortage of work and opportunities and this is increasing people's negative attitudes towards immigrants, which are arriving seeking opportunities that simply aren't there. Leave a comment below. Argentina sounds amazing. I cannot find decent veggies and fruit that do not cost a fortune most times. But now that has been reversed through the mainstream political narrative embracing populist views. Im born and bread British and I hate it! I also lived and worked in Greater London. Consequently, Europeans are being bundled up in this debate immigration debate, in my view unfairly - we all work very hard! I got approached by a Greek man who had a PHD and wanted to try and find ways to use it in a commercial context and he wanted to work for us for free to get some experience. Firstly may I compliment a well written and fascinating article! Or is there more to the story? It's the only country in Europe, except maybe Ireland, which has a great entrepreneurial spirit instead of paper-pushing bureaucrats sucking the lifeblood out of the economy. I thought this was also quite funny! It makes me laugh that immigrants come over and then complain about high cost of housing and transport. We called it our long honeymoon. There are many wonderful things that I love about the British culture and I am glad that I spent a chunk of my childhood there, but there are also many aspects that repel me and that I even find quite appalling. Most working Brits are counting the days to retirement and escape from this violent slum. Would you see a non-ethnic Chinese being the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the CCP in China? By the way, the United States is 121 on the Global Peace Index, below El Salvador. Then in work I'm working with a bunch of northern white guys who all wanted that to happen. Yes, it's possible to "get on with it" but what's the point living if you're surrounded with unkind and cruel people? So, I can fully understand your decision to move away. Or? They are more racist Im afraid, albeit in a passive way. I grew up in the 1980s and had real racist abuse (P*** word etc).However, for every racist, there was *always* 4-5 kids, adults etc berating them and defending me. Don't confuse friendliness with openness. At least in comparison to other European countries. [10], Response to the stereotype has ranged from amusement to criticism, with some saying that it is a new manifestation of classism. Ive been to India, and well to be honest its also a shithole to quote you! I cant have a conversation with anyone, I dont feel like they get me. The government is doing nothing to keep this in check, and it has become "salonfhig" to be openly racist. High standards, high expectations, high quality living. According to CWJobs the average salary for Professional jobs in London is 52,500. I am sad because I honestly thought a country based on colonialism and multiculturalism had lots to offer, but I found a rancid class system still very much alive. I am an Indian immigrant living in the UK for 15 odd years. English culture is a thing, it has been for centuries, changing with time, adapting to new ways of life. YUM YUM. Or how we enjoyed some seriously nice Italian meal. I am getting to the point that I will miss Uk if I move back, will hard to get back to square 1 as life in Romania is still hard . To be honest, the Brexit vote is hardly surprising, knowing the British people as I know now. If allowed to succeed, immigrants will go above and beyond to prove themselves worthy of your acceptance. Then with what happened in UK last summer, it saddens me that those who come and fight the hardest to work and stay in the country are the ones to leave. You will struggle to find even 5, because this country purely relies on selling services rather than impacting products and innovative results. Britain is unrecognizable from its former glory. Having lived abroad for so long, we've learnt a lot of things about ourselves, other countries and the UK. I had been living in my liberal bubble my entire life and had surrounded my self with educated people who feel passionate about gender issues, race issues and really believe in the importance of creating a society which is fair for everyone, regardless of where they or their family are from. About 12 years ago when I came to study in Manchester, Britain was a different place. May is freezing! Mainly in connection with Public Service jobs and the Commonwealth. Good luck with your new adventure - it sounds like you've got a lot to look forward to! Sorry for the belated reply. I couldn't agree more. I hope you enjoy it and I hope we have better days in Europe! Not likely to anyway. As to Philip de Boses' pathetic comment about the British being cowards - are you French by the way? brother and sister are also in Uk .,, Also it does rain here a lot, but given water shortages will be one of the biggest threats to world peace, I would take a bit more rain over a dry country any day of the week. It was also the uneducated, the "lower class" if you will (I can say that because on paper that's me haha). But, my ex-husband recounts exactly all of this (or at least the economic bits - he's on board with the xenophobia) so I believe it. Why? I have degrees in Business and Cyber Security. yum!). Many greetings, Josefa! I voted to Remain but even I know the EU has undermined democracy. Honestly though, what do we have to do and who do we have to vote for to get these unwanted immigrants and their allies the hell out of our land? Great read, I stayed for a year in the UK and like reading your honest perspective on things after 10 years. I had to give up my Indian nationality due to my job with Ministry of Defence which I regret now. AHEAD of Sweden, Germany or Japan. I wrote an article about a similar topic a month ago. I don't want to have that life when they work 7 days a week and never get to enjoy the city. I thought I am alone on the Harry Potter thing, and I remember looking for Hogwarts during my Scottish highland tours. I wish we would have governments who encourage peace and education, as opposed to war. It is people like you, with no allegiance or true connection with the UK, in other words pure economic migrants, nothing more, that are bring this country to its knees and have made it an awful place to live. If you still believe this is not possible, take me and my husband as examples. Why live like that if you don't have to! Many people don't have a voice but you gave them a voice. I will always be a foreigner to the world and a slave to the number of days/weeks/years I can stay according to visas. I mean I left Romania because I didn't like it and wanted a better life for myself. It is nice to hear some positive stories. Will I ever go back to the UK? I was taught in school that Britain was a multicultural society and we we're taught that multiculturalism was a positive thing. London is the 6th Most Michelin Starred city in the world, higher than Hong Kong or Barcelona. How the resident described it: "This whole area feels like a crammed can full of rotten tuna with its variety of chavs and chavette." "Destroyed roadwork, mind-bogglingly ugly housing and severe lack of police will make sure you are both scared and depressed to walk around the 'handsome' town of Gillingham." Oh, don't believe the popular etymologies that you read sometimes in the press and on websites. You are from Romania but you don't want to live there? This means that buying a great second car in the UK will cost you much (LIKE MUCH!) That is very sweet of you. We both worked hard to build a decent life for ourselves and formed a company. If you are not careful, it can be a cruel existence whereby you work to live and you live to work. In the 9 months Ive been back, I have been diagnosed with depression. Lots of things cost the same in Canadian dollars here that they do in pounds in the UK! Great post other than the politics! If anything, people are genuinely interested where I'm from and then proceed to tell me my home country is better than Britain as that's the British way - complaining :D. Weather: Especially the South East and London actually have less rain than most places in Europe and much less rain than New York or Seattle for instance (according to statistics). Whilst change is always hard and my parents went through a lot to.come to the uk at least in the 50s it was controlled immigration. My birth country is a tropical island paradise in the Indian Ocean. Those are the people who will wonder how come that people voted Brexit? It's not cool that you can only wear a skirt for 5 days of sunshine throughout the year (we call that the elusive British heatwave). However it was one of the most dissapointing moves in my life. No country or culture is perfect of course, but we always have to ask ourselves what we're willing to put up with and sometimes it's not worth it. In the 25 yrs since we started University, my cousin who came from tropical island, studied here - and shocked the family by returning home, visited recently (on business). :). As others have pointed out, you are very much enjoying North Yorks, of the more wealthy and most socially and politically Conservative parts of the North and Britain. God help us. Thank you Maartje! You've actually encapsulated so much of what I have been thinking without realising it. I hope to God, James, that you get the taste of your own medicine. My husband and I made the big move from Australia to the US in 2015. Their main issue are Eastern Europeans and Balkan people, as well as non-white migrants and Muslim people. I am struggling in this last year or so. Enjoy your sovereignty, Mark. Finally, to address the point on immigration.I actually blame previous governments to a large extent. Learn more. That's not on the membership, it's on the UK's political priorities and mistakes, which are then, in turn, blamed on the EU. Thank you for addressing that question bravely, truthfully and directly and may you and your partner have lots of luck and joy in finding your place in this world. Perhaps a better question would . I went from happy to lucky travel blog writer that loved adventure and spontaneity to not wanting to get up in the morning. Love this article all my feelings about relocating out of the UK are well articulated in this piece and as someone who lived in Scotland for 9 years and had all my kids in Aberdeen the I love Scotland part just feels like I finally met someone who completely gets me. The person states,,with no doubt ,, that the vast majority of the people in the UK are racist ! I live in Toronto and it is always great to meet fellow travel bloggers. The perception is Britain 'easy' - do what you want, whatevers. I find this so interesting because I would have never expected to learn these things about Canada. Such an interesting perspective. Please bear in mind that these prices are without internet, food, transportation, clothes, personal care or any sort of entertainment. How people can be close-minded in their views of the world. (In fact in broke my marriage that my ex husband could not understand how good our life was in Australia, hence I'm here). Found your blog googling "the UK sucks" :') I know the feeling of no sunshine. This is what British society has lost. You write an entire article telling folk about the benefits of open borders and 'cultural enrichment', and yet you admit that your worst experiences were in the far left and immigrant-infested cities of London and Bristol, and you're happyin the conservative and very English North Yorkshire. Being born in Europe and now a British national, I also chose to move away from the UK. It is terrorism free, it has lower cost of living and phenomenal weather. By the sound of things, we have improved immeasurably as a country if you've left. I think he'd be interested in staying if Scotland becomes independent. It's to do with money laundering regulations. I could see where things were headed and at the time I was a social worker. What kind of life is that? Violent, dirty cities. It wasn't all bells and whistles because it took me jumping through a lot of hoops to be able to obtain what back then was called a Yellow Card. I planned to stay and study there with my family for six months before moving somewhere more sunny and exotic, (precisely for that injection of British 'culture' and 'opportunity' ), but was worried about the current Brexit climate. We created 42droids which became the pillar of our careers. But personally I just don't think I really want to stay long term in a country without a summer lol also the drinking culture is so unhealthy. We're fed up with the extortionate rents for crappy flats, awful food (although the British think they have the best cuisine in the world now, but then, they think they're the best at everything), Brexit animosity towards foreigners, holier than thou, superior attitude, poor social rights for citizens (British retirees get the worst pension in Europe), expensive schools, expensive everything, really stupid TV, bad weather and the list goes on. Your remark about the EU being a dictatorship shows a bizarre disconnect from the ugly reality of the current world. No government has a magic money tree that can deal with a 'climate emergency' (in a country with very mild weather patterns), literal cradle to grave housing and social care, free healthcare to everyone and anyone who shows up etc, human rights for cats etc Britain's problems are of it's own making. Sadly, the internet is full of these instances so there isn't much point me going through them. Hi Rachel, I hope your move will go well. Those who are racist can be found anywhere, even in your own country. Me and my wife have lived in many places around the UK, going up the property ladder, creating a small property portfolio, opening businesses and going up also the corporate ladder. This town is by far, one of the worst places to be in the whole of Northumberland. Budget cuts were making work difficult and I didn't want to live under a right wing gov. Maybe we'll move back one day, but for now, I'm happier to watch what happens from the sidelines. To think that we have regressed so much as a society is an eternal sadness. If you don't own a car in the UK, I am very sad to tell you that train prices are ridiculous. I'm glad you had the chance to go for a brighter future abroad. In that 25yrs, my tropical island birth nation has gone from developing to now High Income status. I think we'd agree with just about every point you've raised about the UK. The prices are similar across all high-income countries across North Europe. [7] This interpretation of the word was used in a 2012 public statement by rapper Plan B as he spoke out to oppose the use of the term.[13]. Rain makes this country green heaven, which is ideal for keeping those beautiful rolling hills everyone loves. Good luck to you in the future, wherever life takes you! Anyway, I hope I have explained rationally that it's not as simple as how a lot of the press talks about Brexit :-). I hope we find a place with the values we cherish, too. Remembering that quote by Edmond Burke: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men and women to do nothing.". Foreigners cant even buy a house in New Zealand anymore. Best Wishes! The Fabian Society considers the term to be offensive and regards it as "sneering and patronising" to a largely voiceless group. I also hope your partner will learn to agree with you and understand you, if nothing else. 10) Blackburn. That changed everything. Brexit will cost the UK so much money and create a huge division. But this is expected seeing how it's in their blood. The realisation that my expectations of London were all wrong led me into severe depression. The former was better and now everything is different, I am glad to hear the position of an immigrant who has realised how society has changed. I'm 30, resident of south East Northumberland in my childhood and then Newcastle as an adult, and have known the term Charver for as long as I can remember. I'm telling him constantly how much I'd rather live somewhere else in Europe (somewhere cheaper, because yahh, it's way too expensive here) and somewhere where we could simply have a better quality of life. My degree is in law and I have little experience in any commercial field. TAIWAN is great if you can make living there. Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and lots of National Trust locations for wonderful days out. Thank you for your message and thank you for taking the time to write back to me. Its sad what is happening with the world today. But in reality, I stopped feeling safe in the UK a few months ago, when people started assaulting immigrants in the street. The UK blames, as you said, hard-working Poles, Romanians, and now the whole EU. Hi Iain, So what went wrong? -Tv - Crap and, you need A PAID LICENSE to tolerate that crap. But reallyREALLYunless you compare Britain to Scandinavian countries, I hope you do realise you live on a cold, wet island. The Fabian Society have been highly critical of the BBC in using the term in broadcasts. Those racists that bully immigrants in the Uk should remember what many of their ancestors did around the world in the past, that is, exploit people, countries, resources, etc. The Oxford English Dictionary defines "chav" as a "young person from the working class, usually without a high level of education." In 2004, it was announced as the Oxford Languages "Word of the Year" and entered the mainstream, appearing in documentaries and television shows. I've been trying to move to the UK for years but as an "immigrant" from the US, the Tier2 visa rules have prevented me from doing so. I apologised and ran out crying, feeling desperate and marginalised. I'm not quite at the point where I'm ready to leave yet, but I do know I don't want to "settle" there, and I can definitely understand your urge to leave. Food: obviously subjective. These are very difficult questions and there are very few genuinely enlightened people because of the whitewashing of Hollywood and the fact that over the years most successful actors had to change their names in order to succeed. A very interesting and substantial read. The weather can be a bit much and I heard Belgium doesn't come with much sunshine either. How is it fairer for a British national to claim free education, free social care, free medical from Spain but is not ok to offer the same to another who wants to make a life for themselves in the UK? Because I am white I could pass for being British or European but I am not. I cycle to work and yes it does rain at times, but much less than elsewhere and often times it only rains a little bit, so you don't actually get really wet. So many people prefer going abroad when there are so many wonderful places to see within the country. There are so many Brits in Spain and Portugal. The UK would benefit from taking in 10 million hard working immigrants and sending morons like you to Rwanda to spread your vitriol. This brings me to the last point, which is safety. I wish I could say something positive like I think things will change, or at least it's just a minority, but unfortunately I don't think those things are true. To be honest honest there is no credibility in your post, as all youve done is made a great realised, narrow minded view of a nation of 60 million people! The responses are more illuminating, reminding me, a Brit, of how and why I want out.good luck with what comes your way I don't like the sunshine so no, I didn't expect wall to wall sunshine.

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