Curious....

[rebeccajo 14]

Just the simple fact that one doesn't need to own a car - well, there ya go. Thousands saved annually.

We live in a village maybe 3 miles from the city center. A car is an absolute necessity; we'd have a much sh!ttier life without one.

Well my statement IS overly simplistic I realize. I'm sure it wouldn't work for everybody.

We could actually live in our town without a car if we HAD too. Not where we live now (10 minutes outside the city) but once our house sells and we get moved into town, I expect to be taking the bus a lot. After I had done so in the UK, it just seemed to make a whole lot more sense to me.

In Londonderry we could do nicely without a car - in fact Wes hadn't owned one in years.

There are days when I feel like I live in my car. I found not dealing with one (in the UK) very much a stress reliever. But that's me - I've got years of 'moms taxi' syndrome so maybe that's why I feel the way I do.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I'd go back to the UK in a heartbeat, it's been almost a year since we left and I really miss my life there.

[homesick_american 1]

Well my statement IS overly simplistic I realize. I'm sure it wouldn't work for everybody.

We could actually live in our town without a car if we HAD too. Not where we live now (10 minutes outside the city) but once our house sells and we get moved into town, I expect to be taking the bus a lot. After I had done so in the UK, it just seemed to make a whole lot more sense to me.

In Londonderry we could do nicely without a car - in fact Wes hadn't owned one in years.

There are days when I feel like I live in my car. I found not dealing with one (in the UK) very much a stress reliever. But that's me - I've got years of 'moms taxi' syndrome so maybe that's why I feel the way I do.

I'm sure in some British cities it would work. However, it won't in this one. Not all transportation systems are created equally. The bus system in this city is horrible, horrible, horrible. Plus, you cannot get anywhere in this city without first going into the center and coming out again, which is time-consuming and wasteful. I can ride the bus for free as a fringe benefit of my job, but I choose not to because the service is abominable. Living where we live without a car is simply not doable if you want to have a decent life.

I'd go back to the UK in a heartbeat, it's been almost a year since we left and I really miss my life there.

Egads woman, I can't wait to leave.

Buy my house, it comes with all the furniture and appliances.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I'll bet you come back to America and find out certain things aren't really how you remembered them to be -- trust me, it will happen.

[homesick_american 1]

I'll bet you come back to America and find out certain things aren't really how you remembered them to be -- trust me, it will happen.

Probably, but I've lived in the UK for five years and I can say in all certainty that it sucks ### here.

It isn't as if we didn't discuss the move and weigh the pros and cons. I don't think it's appropriate to taunt me just because YOU don't want to live in America. If you want to leave, leave.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

Exactly how am I taunting you? Is that chip on your shoulder a bit heavy to carry around?

I lived in the UK for 10 years, and I am back now in the US for one year. I know that like any place the UK has its pluses and minuses, and when I was experiencing the minuses it was very easy to think things were a lot better back home. But when I actually got back to the US, it was a real adjustment and I realized a lot of the time that I may have been thinking about "home" through rose-colored glasses.

I've know other people who've been through similar situations and felt the same way - one day you might be one of them.

[homesick_american 1]

Exactly how am I taunting you? Is that chip on your shoulder a bit heavy to carry around?

I lived in the UK for 10 years, and I am back now in the US for one year. I know that like any place the UK has its pluses and minuses, and when I was experiencing the minuses it was very easy to think things were a lot better back home. But when I actually got back to the US, it was a real adjustment and I realized a lot of the time that I may have been thinking about "home" through rose-colored glasses.

I've know other people who've been through similar situations and felt the same way - one day you might be one of them.

Anything's possible. I doubt the day will ever come when I become nostalgic for this place, though. The whole country is like one big giant Wal-Mart. I can't wait to leave.

[*Robert* 2]

we will definitely go back for retirement... can't wait!

[Dr. Obvious 49]

Probably, but I've lived in the UK for five years and I can say in all certainty that it sucks ### here.

It isn't as if we didn't discuss the move and weigh the pros and cons. I don't think it's appropriate to taunt me just because YOU don't want to live in America. If you want to leave, leave.

Just out of curiousity, what is so bad about your area in the UK? I have only been to London for a few days, so really have no opinion about living there or anything. Still, I can't believe though that there is so much to really hate about the UK. I mean, is there nothing redeeming about it at all?

I am not really going back to the US because I hate Germany. I could see living here for a longer period of time in theory. I like the health insurance here, social net, recycling, public transport, open air festivals (oh the open airs...*sniff* I will miss those), the plethora of organic products, ease of family-based immigration, and bread you could break a car window out with.

The US isn't perfect and I didn't originally sit around and dream of the day I would return. I don't really miss the responsiblity of a car, though I do miss the freedom I had with it. I am not looking forward to the immigration process. I am not looking forward to getting raped by health insurance companies. I am not looking forward to the possiblity of being totally out on my ### if I lose my job. I am not looking forward to having to put my daughter in daycare. I am not looking forward to having to pay a lot to go back to uni like me and my husband want to. I have no idea where you can get a döner in Indy (heh). I am not looking forward to having to see my mother again on a semi-regular basis. Brrrr....

However, since my husband and I are not interested in being on Hartz IV or working 400€ jobs the rest of our lives (we have our pride, you know?) with the way things are looking now, we are going to try our luck in the US. Unemployment is high here, employers are fickle, and you can easily fall into the welfare trap. School system is pretty outdated overall. I think the odds are bad that we would ever own our own house. I want better for my family than that. I have my family, friends, support in the US. They are ready and willing to accept my husband as one of their own. I am grateful for that because, even after two years, I still don't have much of that kind of real support here. Both of us really have a chance at getting good jobs in the US like we just don't have here.

So what I guess I am trying to say is that no country is perfect. Although we have decided to leave Germany, possibly forever, it isn't because we can't find any good in it at all. I am sure the same has to be true even just a lil bit for the UK.

[kirk and Jenny 0]

I wanted to move to the Philippines but we felt it would be better to have the children here so they would have dual citizenship. Bascially, the only reason to live here is to make money and leave. I really would like to live in a more progressive country like the Philippines.

[Alex+R 0]

I wanted to move to the Philippines but we felt it would be better to have the children here so they would have dual citizenship. Bascially, the only reason to live here is to make money and leave. I really would like to live in a more progressive country like the Philippines.

Um, if the kids are yours, they're dual citizens wherever you live. You just have to register the birth.

[mawilson 2,133]

I wanted to move to the Philippines but we felt it would be better to have the children here so they would have dual citizenship. Bascially, the only reason to live here is to make money and leave. I really would like to live in a more progressive country like the Philippines.

The Philippines is a "more progressive country"? What planet are you from, dude?

[Dr. Obvious 49]

I wanted to move to the Philippines but we felt it would be better to have the children here so they would have dual citizenship. Bascially, the only reason to live here is to make money and leave. I really would like to live in a more progressive country like the Philippines.

The Philippines is a "more progressive country"? What planet are you from, dude?

I was wondering about this too. I couldn't find anything that made it that special. Well, 40% of the population lives below the poverty line special. I also found this that appealled to my immature sense of humor:

IDPs: 150,000 (fighting between government troops and MILF and Abu Sayyaf groups) (2005)

[othman and lavon 0]

My husband wo is still in Morocco knows we will have a better life here in the U.S. Also easier to save money here while making good money to go visit his family. If we lived there I know we would have a hard time being able to ever save up money to go see my family.

Lavon

[homesick_american 1]

Probably, but I've lived in the UK for five years and I can say in all certainty that it sucks ### here.

It isn't as if we didn't discuss the move and weigh the pros and cons. I don't think it's appropriate to taunt me just because YOU don't want to live in America. If you want to leave, leave.

Just out of curiousity, what is so bad about your area in the UK? I have only been to London for a few days, so really have no opinion about living there or anything. Still, I can't believe though that there is so much to really hate about the UK. I mean, is there nothing redeeming about it at all?

London is practically a different planet from Yorkshire. You can't even compare the two. I wouldn't live in London either but for completely different reasons.

I am not really going back to the US because I hate Germany. I could see living here for a longer period of time in theory. I like the health insurance here, social net, recycling, public transport, open air festivals (oh the open airs...*sniff* I will miss those), the plethora of organic products, ease of family-based immigration, and bread you could break a car window out with.

See, I'm tired of all that. Food festivals here suck anyway.

The US isn't perfect and I didn't originally sit around and dream of the day I would return. I don't really miss the responsiblity of a car, though I do miss the freedom I had with it. I am not looking forward to the immigration process. I am not looking forward to getting raped by health insurance companies. I am not looking forward to the possiblity of being totally out on my ### if I lose my job. I am not looking forward to having to put my daughter in daycare. I am not looking forward to having to pay a lot to go back to uni like me and my husband want to. I have no idea where you can get a döner in Indy (heh). I am not looking forward to having to see my mother again on a semi-regular basis. Brrrr....

We have to have a car; can't escape from that. Instead of getting raped by health insurance companies, we get ###### over by the NHS and its sub sub sub sub standard care. I got tired of going to the GP, asking a question and them saying "I don't know, why don't you see a consultant" then waiting months and months to see said consultant just so they could tell me what I already knew. Doners are so nasty, I can't believe you eat those.

However, since my husband and I are not interested in being on Hartz IV or working 400€ jobs the rest of our lives (we have our pride, you know?) with the way things are looking now, we are going to try our luck in the US. Unemployment is high here, employers are fickle, and you can easily fall into the welfare trap. School system is pretty outdated overall. I think the odds are bad that we would ever own our own house. I want better for my family than that. I have my family, friends, support in the US. They are ready and willing to accept my husband as one of their own. I am grateful for that because, even after two years, I still don't have much of that kind of real support here. Both of us really have a chance at getting good jobs in the US like we just don't have here.

We couldn't afford kids here; we'd be living hand-to-mouth, it's pathetic. If you want a good job in the UK, you have to live in one of the big cities where the cost of living is obscene and any extra money you make is eaten up and more by the extra cost of living. If you don't want to live with a four figure overdraft, then you take your chances in one of the small cities as we are doing. I make less money now than I did six years ago in the US. It's pathetic. Money is a huge factor, I will admit.

So what I guess I am trying to say is that no country is perfect. Although we have decided to leave Germany, possibly forever, it isn't because we can't find any good in it at all. I am sure the same has to be true even just a lil bit for the UK.

The thing is, the things I used to like about the UK are some of the things that now drive me nuts about it. I guess I got older and changed. I'm sick to death of mamby pamby political correctness and nanny state-ism. Puke. Of course the United States isn't perfect, but I'd rather deal with its problems than struggle to survive in the UK. "Making do" seems to be the national sport here, but I'm ###### tired of that. ###### 'making do.' I want a little luxury in my life.