What is it like returning to the UK ?

[Ex Forum Admin]

"Is it panto season, still?"

You would have thought so.

I'm sure there is a topic in here somewhere....look behind you.[:)]

[Bugsy]

Point taken............................................[:)]

[Miki]

The moderators have deleted the contents of this post because it broke the following part of the Code of Conduct.

Users must not post messages which impedes or disrupts the flow of the discussions in the Forum

The originator of this post has been informed.

Forum Admin and the Moderators would like to remind you that "By entering and posting on the forum you agree to abide by the code of conduct."

If you have any concerns about this post please do not post them in the forum (they will be deleted without warning) but simply use the report button attached to THIS post.

[Deimos]

I think that a lot of people when they move are "running away from something" - though maybe that's a bit of a strong way of putting it for many. I would expect most people move because they believe their new situation will be better than their old (to move somewhere that you expect to be worse would be "strange").

Maybe it's not "running away from something bad" but rather running to "somewhere better". At the end of the day people are often moving to improve their life (be that away from something bad or towards something good).

I was wondering if when people moved back to the UK (presumable for a better life compared to France), did they find things really were better or had they just forgotten those things that made them originally think France would be better.

Ian

[mint]

front page of times today, "Operations cancelled as NHS runs out of money"

like hastobe's husband, i worked in the nhs for well in excess of 20 years, my last post being in the management team of 11 hospitals, so i totally agree with her comments re the experience of the individual

i can't properly enter into this debate because neither the uk nor france is my "country of origin".  i chose the uk some 40 years ago.  i loved england (perhaps not so much wales where i am at present) and i will defend to the death england (or even wales) if i have to.

i shall probably choose france in the next few months for many reasons.  firstly, life in the uk has changed out of all recognition and i am not always as proud of the uk as i used to be and would like to be again.  france (or at least those parts of it that i have seen), on the other hand,  reminds me powerfully of the uk as it used to be.  when one gets older, one does tend to hark back to a "golden age" regardless of whether there actually was such a thing.

although i do not live full-time in france at present, i think it will suit me a whole lot better at my and my husband's time in life.  coming up to retirement, we are keen to have a whole new culture and language to come to grips with so that we don't get too complacent and be too happy to rest on our laurels

we live in a beautiful part of south wales and we are in a community where we are known and (i hope) reasonably respected.  life is therefore easy and comfortable and i truly believe that some discomfort and challenge is good for my self-development.

we do find our senses reawakened when we are in our place in france.  we love the starry skies at night, the trees and countryside which surround us, the "un-built" environment and we find the french strangely endearing, if baffling.

as someone has said on this thread, there are crises in both countries but that the countries deal with them in different ways.

crise, quelle crise?  but i dare say, a crisis is a crisis by any name

[Bugsy]

"

[Clair]

Could we please return to the topic...

The squabbling is really not relevant to the subject and not very edifying...

[hastobe]

[quote user="Clair"]Could we please return to the topic...

The squabbling is really not relevant to the subject and not very edifying...

[/quote]

Well said Clair

Kathie

[Will]

I can only reply to Ian's question by saying that when I go back to England I don't really feel anything has changed drastically, or that it  is necessarily 'better' or 'worse' than France. But we have retained homes in both countries, so that makes it easier. My main reasons for returning are work related, and as that seems to be the reason for most French (and other nationalities) settling in Britain, I think it is quite reasonable to draw the conclusion that Britain is probably a rather better place to work than France for the majority.

I am also privileged enough to be in a part of England that is regarded as a very desirable place to live, and I certainly wouldn't disagree.

Of course, if I was early retired, with a reasonable income, or if I was in a different part of England (or France come to that - there are some pretty grotty HLM areas in some of the towns near us) no doubt I would have a different opinion. But they are two different countries, and even though Britain is much smaller it has a similar diversity.

I am convinced, however, that Britain is in nothing as like as bad a state as the Daily Mail and the like seem to take such pleasure in moaning about in their 'why oh why' type articles. And I feel able to make that comment because I used to work for the Daily Mail group..

[Benjamin]

There have been various mentions within these replies of people not bothering to understand the politics of their adoptive country.

I actually find not understanding those politics quite a big plus point of living in another country.

I realised a long time ago that whatever the colour of a political party the ordinary man in the street is going to get shafted just the same. As it is, I can't vote in national elections here and the local ones are possibly already carved up anyway so I'm perfectly happy to be in ignorance of whoever holds political sway in whichever country I'm in.

[Miki]

The moderators have deleted the contents of this post because it broke the following part of the Code of Conduct.

Users must not post messages which impedes or disrupts the flow of the discussions in the Forum

The originator of this post has been informed.

Forum Admin and the Moderators would like to remind you that "By entering and posting on the forum you agree to abide by the code of conduct."

If you have any concerns about this post please do not post them in

the forum (they will be deleted without warning) but simply use the

report button attached to THIS post.

[verviale]

At least most people seem to be happy with there lot, reading through the thread, I will rest easy in my bed tonight, knowing I can see my doctor the same day,relativly little crime here in my village,the south african dentist welcomes me with open arms and gives me a local when I have had root canal treatment,the hospital is on its way to four stars, the pub serves eleven kinds of different ales.And all this in a country going down the pan.Looking forward to a polish and bulgarian restaurant opening in our neck of the woods, and an eastern european meal washed down with a pint of old growler,hmm heaven !!!!!!

[Clair]

The moderators have deleted the contents of this post because it broke

the following part of the Code of Conduct.

Users must not post messages which impedes or disrupts the flow of the discussions in the Forum

The originator of this post has been informed.

Forum Admin and the Moderators would like to remind you that "By entering and posting on the forum you agree to abide by the code of conduct."

If you have any concerns about this post please do not post them in

the forum (they will be deleted without warning) but simply use the

report button attached to THIS post.

[Beryl]

I am like Benjamin in this respect in that political ignorance is bliss. I remember that I never used to read a paper whenever I holidayed in the UK when my  children were younger maybe that holiday mentality has come back to me now.

When I do return to the UK I too slot in , it's not hard but I do notice differences and the things I used to tolerate, I no longer want to. I quickly miss what I have here. I have friends that could not tolerate the life that I have now and if I met them for the first time now, I probably would not have much in common with them at all but we have a common shared history which I don't ever expect to have with my friends in France, far too many barriers yet I really feel my life here, though different is much richer. 

[Clair]

The moderators have deleted the contents of this post because it broke

the following part of the Code of Conduct.

Users must not post messages which impedes or disrupts the flow of the discussions in the Forum

The originator of this post has been informed.

Forum Admin and the Moderators would like to remind you that "By entering and posting on the forum you agree to abide by the code of conduct."

If you have any concerns about this post please do not post them in

the forum (they will be deleted without warning) but simply use the

report button attached to THIS post.

[RumziGal]

Yes, lack of political/social/cultural awareness does give you a different view of a country.

What with the excitement of my job, and the rigours of an active social life [;-)] I don't have much time to keep up with the UK news at the moment.   Result?   I see no Armada....... [:)]  

 

[YCCMB]

[quote user="RumziGal"]

  I see no Armada....... [:)]  

 

[/quote]

 

Don't worry.....there's usually an omnibus edition on BBC3 on Sunday afternoons.[:D]

[Beryl]

I do have a social and cultural awareness and I know more or less who the political parties are/ do and watch the news. I am just not fixated by politics anymore, especially as I cannot vote here.

I have to go with the flow and trust in the good French people to do what's right. [:)]

 

 

[Miki]

[quote user="You can call me Betty"][quote user="RumziGal"]

  I see no Armada....... [:)]  

 

[/quote]

 

Don't worry.....there's usually an omnibus edition on BBC3 on Sunday afternoons.[:D]

[/quote]

I  replied but have decided to delete my posts myself to save the Mods the job.

Regards

[Chris Head]

I too have no political or religious views, I don't read newspapers, rarely watch television, don't vote and couldn't give a stuff what's going on in the world, even if I did I couldn't change anything. What we can do is to be actively involved with friends, neighbours and community, that changes something.

Wherever you live you are still you and will take your life with you, just because a person emigrates doesn't mean that they've dumped the baggage that they took with them.

Living life to the full is all that really matters.

[RumziGal]

[quote user="Miki"][
I  replied but have decided to delete my posts myself to save the Mods the job.

Regards

[/quote]

LOL!!!  [:D] [:D] [:D]

[Ex Forum Admin]

I tried to get this back on topic but alas nobody took any notice of what I said...so here it is again pruned to rid it of chat and back for further debate.

If anyone wants to talk about another topic not associated with this topic please start a new thread.

Thanks.

[Miki]

[quote user="Forum Admin"]

"Is it panto season, still?"

You would have thought so.

I'm sure there is a topic in here somewhere....look behind you.[:)]

[/quote]

Oh yes there was but the ugly Sisters went back to the UK and lived happily ever after in Richmond which is twinned with Fontainebleau and had a nice baguette and  croissants for p.d.j. every day. Three cheers for the Prince I say.

Oh and they say, they won't be back as they do's like Britain after all.

(There on subject and no rule breaking in site)

[LanguedocGal2]

Wanted to respond to Ian last night but couldn’t log on.

I plead guilty to being one of those who derailed your thread, so am I going to be flogged?  

In my defence, your Honour Mr Ian, had the thread not been derailed, I’m not convinced you would have had such an even debate because the Eldorado crowd would have been out in force.

Based on answers to similar questions on forums, you would have ended up with the usual crowd ranting about how on leaving the ferry, they are assailed by plagues of locust, rat infestation, floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hordes of marauding youth making off with their tyres and all this before they leave Dover…

I think you get my drift.

In any case, when and if you return to the UK, you can always let us all know the answers to your original post.

Betty

The German and Greek couple of belle Windsor have to be the best example of the perfectly integrated immigrants with no housing problems and living in their own bubble.  I now understand where this model of integration comes from. [;-)]

Dear Tresco

I’ve already been called the ‘’Eccentrique d’Outre-Manche’’ so your ‘notable exception’ award is just going to add to my complex of being a little odd.[:D] Then I tried to log on and couldn’t and thought I was now persona non grata…. So changed my ID a little to access the forum….

 I’m now extremely ‘angoissee et complexee’’ and need to see a ‘’Psy’’

Ian, Lighten up! The insult was truly unnecessary…

Mods, feel free to delete this nonesense and add to my increasing paranoia.[8-)]

[Will]

"Oh yes there was but the ugly Sisters went back to the UK and lived happily ever after in Richmond which is twinned with Fontainebleau and had a nice baguette and  croissants for p.d.j. every day. Three cheers for the Prince I say."

But when the clock struck minuit the ferry turned back into a potiron and they all disappeared, the only trace being a little glass slipper floating on the water - the Fairy Mod-gothers had done their worst again.

So it was left to the good white witch Forum Admin, with his sidekick Miki Moki and the band of forty winkers, to get things back on track, and go forth to seek the fluffy kitten whose furry paw would fit inside the slipper. And the evil Deimos King was beheaded by the good Queen Eleanor of Actokane, and returned to earth as a Cornish Pasty, just like his avatar.

And they (nearly) all lived happily ever after.

(copyright the Loon, the Wozz and the Wardrobe - not to be used in any publication without permission of the Royal Copyright Comptroller Herald Pursuivant)