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

[BUDFORCE]

For me the culture was great in the 90s, around the Brit pop era, but took a nose dive after that.

Yea 100% agree this is my stand point as well decline over say 15 -20 years. Something I've been thinking a lot over the last few years.

It's been in the back of my mind to make a post about it here (maybe even in SC.... shudder) to see if it's just me or the general consensus, and then try and hash out why. I can think of a whole ton of reasons myself, but again, I've wondered if it's just me or views shared.

 

[Blackjack Davy]

I do kind of agree but from the sounds of it you have done well enough to live in the nice places of the South Med, the poorer people originally from those places who have a different experience growing up there will probably think a lot differently.

Yeah theres a reason so many italians came to the UK and scotland in particular rural poverty and lack of jobs is/was awful and the south in particular like a third world country Naples was famous for its grinding poverty especially after the war italy may be a beautiful place to live but as one of its emigrants said, you can't eat the scenary.

The OP's post is very much from a well off middle class perspective who can choose to live wherever they like in a nice house

 

[malachi]

Yeah if you have the skills it's still pretty easy, though there are a few more hoops and expenses you have to jump through now. My comment was aimed towards the young ones in their late teens/ early twenties to be able to experience something different for a bit, even if it's just a hospitality type of job for few months or a year.

Yeah true, if you are that student on gap year. You can forget working in Spain over the summer.

People say London is expensive but its hardily on the list of most expensive places in the world or Europe.

 

[VincentHanna]

Yea 100% agree this is my stand point as well decline over say 15 -20 years. Something I've been thinking a lot over the last few years.

It's been in the back of my mind to make a post about it here (maybe even in SC.... shudder) to see if it's just me or the general consensus, and then try and hash out why. I can think of a whole ton of reasons myself, but again, I've wondered if it's just me or views shared.

It would be a good thread, for sure.

Trouble is everything seems better through the lens of nostalgia. It most likely seemed good because you were young and carefree.

 

[Alex_6n2]

It all depends on personal preference of course, but having the means to live comfortably anywhere is a luxury don't forget

Personally I'm keen on the mountain life. Living in the Swiss alps or similar feels like my kind of ideal. But sadly economic opportunities for my skillset aren't available unless I commute by helicopter

 

[Raymond Lin]

I don’t understand what’s so bad about the climate here?

It has proper 4 seasons (4 might be a stretch, winter can be very mild). I was just a Singapore less than 2 weeks ago, the weather there is either hot or VERY hot, every day, all year round. Boring as heck, sticky humid to boot as well.

The winters here are mild, we don’t get the snow level of Hokkaido. In the summer it’s only hot for 2 weeks at most. Out of the 52 weeks of the year, I can pretty much get away with a hoody and jeans in about 40 of those weeks.

No Hurricane or typhoon, no active volcanos, no earthquakes, no floods on the level like Bangladesh (or Tokyo, have you seen their underground rainwater system to drain the city in case of hurricane?!). We don’t get draught like Australia experienced last year.

It’s very green, very mild, clean air (even in London, compared to say Delhi).

The weather here is great! The brits don’t know how good they have it. I’d swap “boring and grey” 4 seasons over the threat of an earthquake or having to board up your windows preparing for a hurricane in the summer.

 

[BUDFORCE]

It would be a good thread, for sure.

Trouble is everything seems better through the lens of nostalgia. It most likely seemed good because you were young and carefree.

But is it? This is another thing I've been very conscious of, I almost want people to say, well your forget about X, so I can go, oh yeah, maybe things haven't declined that much. You made very well be right, and my attitude would change, which I'm fine with if so.

I should post a thread really as this going off topic a bit.

 

[Lysander]

I don’t understand what’s so bad about the climate here?

It has proper 4 seasons (4 might be a stretch, winter can be very mild). I was just a Singapore less than 2 weeks ago, the weather there is either hot or VERY hot, every day, all year round. Boring as heck, sticky humid to boot as well.

The winters here are mild, we don’t get the snow level of Hokkaido. In the summer it’s only hot for 2 weeks at most. Out of the 52 weeks of the year, I can pretty much get away with a hoody and jeans in about 40 of those weeks.

No Hurricane or typhoon, no active volcanos, no earthquakes, no floods on the level like Bangladesh (or Tokyo, have you seen their underground rainwater system to drain the city in case of hurricane?!). We don’t get draught like Australia experienced last year.

It’s very green, very mild, clean air (even in London, compared to say Delhi).

The weather here is great! The brits don’t know how good they have it. I’d swap “boring and grey” 4 seasons over the threat of an earthquake or having to board up your windows preparing for a hurricane in the summer.

I've always been very outspoken about how much I love the weather in this country. I just don't like it when it's too hot, but it's hardly for long so that makes it even better.

And you're right - hurricanes, cyclones, monsoons, none of those. My wife in Turkey is often worried about earthquakes there. Not something we have to worry about here.

Honestly one of the best countries in the world by a long shot. We have it so good.

 

[malachi]

The weather here is great! The brits don’t know how good they have it. I’d swap “boring and grey” 4 seasons over the threat of an earthquake or having to board up your windows preparing for a hurricane in the summer.

Its only the people who really never lived anyway else who complain about the UK weather. Nothing stopping them moving to a sunny location but they like to moan.

 

[MrRockliffe]

I spent 7 years in Spain and I wouldn’t go back there permanently.

I love it here - I’m not blind to the negatives and challenges of living in the U.K., but on the whole I love what it has to offer.

 

[SPG]

No where better when it the weather is good than the UK.

If anywhere Northern Italy or Southern Germany is the best place to be, Great summers, great lakes, great sking, and good food/beer/wine. I would take that over the med any day of the week. Quite miss living in Germany tbh.

 

[Uther]

No where better when it the weather is good than the UK.

If anywhere Northern Italy or Southern Germany is the best place to be, Great summers, great lakes, great sking, and good food/beer/wine. I would take that over the med any day of the week. Quite miss living in Germany tbh.

Yeah Bavaria or the Allgau region would do it for me, fantastic area.

 

[200sols]

People have said to me it must be amazing to experience 4 seasons, particularly those in the Caribbean they just seemed fascinated by the idea of winter in particular.

 

[LabR@t]

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!

Enjoy your choice, just try not to return to abuse the NHS

 

[malachi]

Enjoy your choice, just try not to return to abuse the NHS

They all do once their pension runs thin or their private insurance gets too expensive past 65.

That's a loop whole they will never close as many MP's abuse it too.

 

[Blackjack Davy]

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!”

My father has a place in southern spain its hot dry and arid the predominant colours of the environment are brown and grey theres little greenery to speak of and I find it dusty and depressing but each to their own I guess. If I could choose anywhere to live it'd be canada or alaska I love the scenary and the wide open spaces the forests the climate and snow, lots and lots of snow.

Enjoy your choice, just try not to return to abuse the NHS

Ex-pats in spain get to enjoy local health services paid for by the UK govt no waiting lists either, or at least they used to...

 

[Housey]

When all is accounted for and having travelled globally I am more than happy to be living in England.

No country is perfect, many contain elements of lifestyle that I prefer but also many elements I don't.

I don't live in a city, I have a high standard of living (by most measures) and a strong friendship group many of who I have known since my childhood.

We are all different, this is purely a subjective, there is no right and wrong answer. Some people are triggered by different things, live a life that exposes them to stuff others don't get exposed to. All goes into a melting pot but for me after 54 years I am happy to be English and to live in England. Funnily in my teens and twenties when I was far less travelled, far less life experienced I was far less happy being English, anti establishment and hateful or our monarchy etc. Go figure.

 

[Lysander]

Oh what a surprise, Jean-F complaining about the weather over here

 

[Voltar]

If you are wealthy, it's nice everywhere.

100% this.

 

[ivrytwr3]

The UK is going to dog toffee. You see the likes of European cities, Paris, Berlin and it's full of illegals - either begging, scamming, raping, murdering etc. I was in Paris recently and i was shocked to see how bad it was.

It is only a matter of time before the UK becomes the same - as the Govt aren't doing much to prevent this.

My local town is now the murder capital of the UK - yey!