The UK isn't what it's made out to be

Permabanned
Joined
28 Nov 2003
Posts
10,695
Location
Shropshire
If you are wealthy, it's nice everywhere.


To a point, parts of Brazil are murderous cess pits, but given a bit of dosh, like owning one of the biggest supermarket chains in the country and a passion for high end race cars that leads you to build your own race track on your estate makes a big difference....

http://www.chriswilson.tv/Brazil/Thumbnails.html

(Car lovers will probably like it, it's from when a friend of mine went over to map some of his race cars). Dinner was a bit different from the normal burger in front of the TV, he flew him a few hundred miles to some top gaff. I could kind of get used to that sort of thing, to be honest, much as I love Shropshire... ;)
 
Last edited:
Associate
Joined
20 Mar 2012
Posts
2,308
Location
London(ish)
I don't think I'd want to move abroad long term while my parents are still alive. It's not like I need to see them all the time but when I lived abroad for 2 years I did occasionally think that it would be weird if one of them died and I just hadn't seen them in the past year. I don't mind the weather here either really - it can be a bit grey but I'd take that over roasting hot all the time. Obviously the facilities and services here are generally of a high standard and available to more people than a lot of countries, but then I would only be looking to move abroad if I had plenty of cash anyway, which as others have mentioned makes a lot of places fine in that respect.
I would definitely consider moving abroad further down the line once my parents are dead and I've hopefully got plenty of cash, but that depends on quite a number of different factors. I'd also definitely consider moving out to somewhere like Wales or Cornwall.
 
Soldato
Joined
9 Jul 2003
Posts
9,595
Shock horror that a Mediterranean country has better weather than the UK :p

Lots of places are nicer than the UK if you have the money and/or required skillset to live there (immigration etc). Plenty of places are far worse as well.

However would you have had the same opportunities if you had grown up there instead of the UK? Maybe, maybe not.
 
Soldato
Joined
14 Jul 2005
Posts
8,273
Location
Birmingham
The weather and lack of wild space is the main issue here. My hobbies would all benefit hugely from a more sunny climate and more deserted open spaces. Also we're overpopulated.

But the UK is a very easy country to live and work in. We have a lot of public services that benefit everyone like the NHS and education, all free at the point of use and easy access. We have easy access to a wide range of entertainment, goods and services and a good quality of life.

However I don't think we do anything perfectly here. The NHS is good, but there are better run examples in the world. Transport, is good, but there are better run examples in the world. Etc etc.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
5 Jun 2003
Posts
91,331
Location
Falling...
I'm a little anxious about posting this as it may seem like a provocative and / or obvious post but it is intended as genuine and is subtle in its message. I'm not trying to have a go at the UK or anyones way of life.

It is possible to have a great, happy and well rounded life in the UK - many people do. However, while being brought up in the UK, without knowing it I was very subtly indoctrinated with the idea that the UK is the best option for living and other countries were for holidays or had something wrong with them. This message was never explicit and I think is left over from the empire days.

Having lived in a southern Mediterranean country for over a year now (where the number of times it has rained is almost countable on one hand). I now realise (for me) the UK can be an over priced, hyped, dreary and miserable place to live.

I lived with a mix of good countryside and Zone 1 London for the past 10 years I lived in the UK. I worked in tech with a healthy salary and some good people around me including friends and family so it's not like I had poor living conditions etc.

All this to say, keep in mind there are a million ways to live your life. Working until your 70 in the cold and wet is only a small percentage of the viable ways! There are economically viable ways of a more fulfilling life. FYI!

All the best!

100% agree.

I'm desperately keen to move as I have nothing to keep me here but wife and her parents live here and isn't up for relocation unless there's a compelling opportunity. But I've started to explore that whilst the kids are young enough to not be too disrupted by moving. Similar to you I've lived in the med (grew up a lot there) and other parts of the world,. UK isn't bad, it's just not the place I enjoy anymore.
 
Soldato
Joined
23 Feb 2009
Posts
4,978
Location
South Wirral
We must be still doing something right for all those unfortunates who've travelled past the southern med to want to risk dying and paying criminal gangs a fortune to get across the channel.

I've had opportunities to re-locate several times to Europe (and further) with my current employer, but whilst my girls are in the good schools we've got them in and my wife's aging parents are still alive, its not a viable option.
 
Associate
OP
Joined
1 Jul 2012
Posts
339
I think a lot of the comments here really demonstrate the indoctrination I mentioned in the first post. This idea that other countries are not as wealthy, not as good opportunities if I grew up here, the health system isn't as good, the services aren't as good, it's only good because I'm wealthy etc.

This is all complete rubbish. Sure there are tons of countries that can't compete on a lot of those things but a lot of the time they are as good, better, worse or some combination. The free schools (public and private can be confusing) in this country are better than the paid for schools and A level equivalents tend to be harder. The health service here is as good as the NHS...

I think, in general, you have no idea until you actually live somewhere and use it. This is what opened my eyes to the UK. The thing people seem to observe as worse is actually just difference...
 
Soldato
Joined
21 Apr 2007
Posts
6,590
I'm a little anxious about posting this as it may seem like a provocative and / or obvious post but it is intended as genuine and is subtle in its message. I'm not trying to have a go at the UK or anyones way of life.

It is possible to have a great, happy and well rounded life in the UK - many people do. However, while being brought up in the UK, without knowing it I was very subtly indoctrinated with the idea that the UK is the best option for living and other countries were for holidays or had something wrong with them. This message was never explicit and I think is left over from the empire days.

Having lived in a southern Mediterranean country for over a year now (where the number of times it has rained is almost countable on one hand). I now realise (for me) the UK can be an over priced, hyped, dreary and miserable place to live.

I lived with a mix of good countryside and Zone 1 London for the past 10 years I lived in the UK. I worked in tech with a healthy salary and some good people around me including friends and family so it's not like I had poor living conditions etc.

All this to say, keep in mind there are a million ways to live your life. Working until your 70 in the cold and wet is only a small percentage of the viable ways! There are economically viable ways of a more fulfilling life. FYI!

All the best!

No it's not. (In reply to title)

Let copers think the UK is amazing. It beats Somalia yes, but there are other options (Well with Brexit there are now consierably less). My main gripes with UK are the weather which is frankly abysmal and then house prices / rent costs. Latter is kind of going up everywhere though...
 
Caporegime
Joined
8 Sep 2005
Posts
29,917
Location
Norrbotten, Sweden.
Amazing. I couldn't think of a more hellish place on earth than a Mediterranean climate. 40 in summer, bloody horrific. No rain? Its for lizard people.

weird how we all like different things and that having a huge disposal income is a key factor in it.....

its a grass is greener on the other side.

You've grown up in a safe and stable country where you have made your "fortune"
and now you move to a 3rd world one to enjoy it for its climate. Its so beyond cliche.
The classic Englishman.
At least you didn't pick Cambodia or Thailand for your secret penchant for ladyboys.

There's nothing wrong with it. Its what Northern Europeans have been doing for decades.
Weird how new experiences and perspectives change your opinions on things isn't it ?
 
Last edited:
Don
Joined
24 Feb 2004
Posts
11,879
Location
-
I think a lot of the comments here really demonstrate the indoctrination I mentioned in the first post. This idea that other countries are not as wealthy, not as good opportunities if I grew up here, the health system isn't as good, the services aren't as good, it's only good because I'm wealthy etc.

This is all complete rubbish. Sure there are tons of countries that can't compete on a lot of those things but a lot of the time they are as good, better, worse or some combination. The free schools (public and private can be confusing) in this country are better than the paid for schools and A level equivalents tend to be harder. The health service here is as good as the NHS...

I think, in general, you have no idea until you actually live somewhere and use it. This is what opened my eyes to the UK. The thing people seem to observe as worse is actually just difference...

You completely (and willfully I expect) ignored my comments about youth unemployment and general unemployment rates in the med.

Opportunities are NOT the same as you are implying. You are a middle / upper class citizen where you are now based, of course you see everything with rosy glasses.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
14 Apr 2017
Posts
3,511
Location
London
After a couple of months in Spain i was so glad to get back to Cornwall, it seemed to come alive at night but dead in the day and too hot

I’m not being facetious but aside from the “dead in the day” bit that sounds like good reasons to live there to me, I love a bit of hot sun.
A friend sold up and moved to Spain forty odd years ago, he and his wife loved it, he’d go sea fishing during the day while she tended her garden and sunbathed on their roof terrace, they'd knock up a decent paella and uncork a couple of bottles of Albariño then have dinner on the verandah.
Some 5 or 6 years back his wife died, when I went over for the funeral I asked if he might come back to London now.
He said, “Not likely, if I sold my house for top dollar I could never afford London prices now, I know enough Spanish that I can take my place among los viejos, (the old guys), at a table outside a neighbourhood bar de barrio and argue the toss about football over a few beers, I’d rather be not so well off in the sun, than skint in freezing cold Plaistow!”
 
Associate
OP
Joined
1 Jul 2012
Posts
339
You completely (and willfully I expect) ignored my comments about youth unemployment and general unemployment rates in the med.

Opportunities are NOT the same as you are implying. You are a middle / upper class citizen where you are now based, of course you see everything with rosy glasses.

sorry I don’t think I saw your post. Like I say, nothing is perfect. A lot of the young people here leave due to the lack of skilled work however they find good jobs abroad due to good education. I don’t know how it is for the have nots.

I’m not particularly wealthy here, my income isn’t that far off that of a local in the same line of work. I live a humble life and very happy with that as this country offers different things that I find valuable. The UK might be that place to some, I’m just trying to suggest that better lives can be had elsewhere from the Antarctic to Mexico.

Lol really. Comes onto UK based forum and tells us all how **** the UK is and then when people put across counter arguments you say this :cry:

I said in the OP I’m not having a go at the UK…
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Soldato
Joined
25 Jun 2009
Posts
3,456
Location
Weston-super-Mare
Honestly I feel quite lucky to live in the UK. Its far from perfect and I'm sure there are many other places that are as good or better to live in, but I have everything I need and a fair bit of what I want which is far more than many other people have.

The weather is a bit **** though i agree
 
Back
Top Bottom