any americans now living in the UK?

[xyyz]

I was in the UK for a few months working at the BBC. Apparently, they liked me so now they've brought me on as a freelancer, which means I'll be outta' Cali and onto London (possible B'ham and Liescter (sp?)) as well.

As far, I've only endured a UK summer (which was an oxymoron this year). I've been told, to really live in England is to survive it's winter. They say it's not so much the cold that gets to you, but the extremely short days.

Anyone, particularly, from socal, or a region with climate simliar to socal move to the UK? If so, how was it? Also, where do the American usually flock to? I've been told that there is a large American contingent in Hampstead, which is totally out of my price range. It would be nice to hang out at some spots with fellow Americans instead of drunken yobs, and other less violence prone and inebriated British natives.

 

[Nebor]

I'm sorry, I've been there, and going from America to England is just taking a step down. The standard of living for the vast majority of people there is just crap compared to America. I can't fathom why anyone would want to make that move. On the other hand, if you're one of the (few) wealthy people there, things seem quite nice.

 

[xyyz]

when you say you've been there, have you stayed there for a long period of time? where abouts did you stay?

certain areas of london are pretty lousy, ie, east london, but you can easily say the same for inner city areas in any major US metropolis.

but all in all, i'll have to agree. the UK is very claustrophobic compared to the open areas in socal. although the nightlife in london is 10x better than that here in LA or OC. 🙂

 

[Gurck]

Regardless of living conditions, I don't think it'd be fun to live on a continent where you'd be universally hated & discriminated against on sight... er, on speech, at any rate (American accent).

 

[imported_Phil]

Originally posted by: Nebor
I'm sorry, I've been there, and going from America to England is just taking a step down. The standard of living for the vast majority of people there is just crap compared to America. I can't fathom why anyone would want to make that move. On the other hand, if you're one of the (few) wealthy people there, things seem quite nice.

In London, yes. In other, less densly-populated areas, no.

 

[imported_Phil]

Originally posted by: xyyz
I was in the UK for a few months working at the BBC. Apparently, they liked me so now they've brought me on as a freelancer, which means I'll be outta' Cali and onto London (possible B'ham and Liescter (sp?)) as well.

As far, I've only endured a UK summer (which was an oxymoron this year). I've been told, to really live in England is to survive it's winter. They say it's not so much the cold that gets to you, but the extremely short days.

Anyone, particularly, from socal, or a region with climate simliar to socal move to the UK? If so, how was it? Also, where do the American usually flock to? I've been told that there is a large American contingent in Hampstead, which is totally out of my price range. It would be nice to hang out at some spots with fellow Americans instead of drunken yobs, and other less violence prone and inebriated British natives.

Have a look at one of the coastal places- I live in Eastbourne, and it's great down here. I hate London with a passion- unfriendly yobbish people who are always "busy" in their own little worlds. Things are a lot more relaxed down here, and the air is so clean because the sea is literally 200yds from my house.

 

[Nebor]

I visited someone I knew outside of... I think it was Manchester. It wasn't a city, I think they actually called it a village. I remember the army drove their tanks down the road though. And you have to have a freakin' TV license. And the police scan your house for TVs you don't have a license for. And there are cameras that give you tickets for speeding.

Oh, and people go to the bathroom and leave the door open. That's a WTF mate.

 

[imported_Phil]

Originally posted by: Nebor
I visited someone I knew outside of... I think it was Manchester. It wasn't a city, I think they actually called it a village. I remember the army drove their tanks down the road though. And you have to have a freakin' TV license. And the police scan your house for TVs you don't have a license for. And there are cameras that give you tickets for speeding.

Oh, and people go to the bathroom and leave the door open. That's a WTF mate.

Haha, yeah, I hear what you're saying 🙂
However, Manchester is one of those places that I would absolutely refuse to live in- the south is just a lot more relaxed and "nice". Of course, there's a great bone of contention between Northeners and Southeners, each side preferring their respective living area.
TV Licensing does suck a bit, but the quality of programming is enough to warrant it- plus the BBC operates a good handful of radio stations, digital terrestrial broadcasts, festivals, etc. They do a lot with that £10 a month.
Speed cameras also suck, but if you have a GPS + iPaq kit like myself, you can set it up to warn you of them 😉

 

[xyyz]

i thought that manchester was quite nice, especially hale barnes, at least i think that's what it's called. supposedly the man u players all live around there. the people were MUCH more friendly than those down south.

the only problem with a coastal place is that i'm usually working at the TVC in whitecity, so the trek would be quite costly.

do you still need to pay for freeview? honestly, with the quality of BBC shows, the license fee isn't something i mind paying. think of it like paying for cable.

as for the speeding cameras, they're clearly visible, and you're given fair warning well before you enter a camera zone, so there's no excuse for getting a ticket.

i haven't seen people taking a crap with doors open, knock on wood... but one thing that did bother me was showers at the gym. personally, i'd like a bit of privacy. all the gyms here have private showers, but there they concept has yet to be discovered.

 

[DingDingDao]

Originally posted by: Gurck
Regardless of living conditions, I don't think it'd be fun to live on a continent where you'd be universally hated & discriminated against on sight... er, on speech, at any rate (American accent).

Have you been to England? Most of the women I've met in England (or anywhere abroad, for that matter) seem to be turned on by an American accent (although I can't really speak for any particular region--I don't have a regional accent, like southern or eastern). Almost every time I went to a pub my last trip out to London (which was basically every night--Guiness just isn't the same here in the states), I ended up getting hit on by some girl who found my American accent "cute." That and most of my friends out there think Americans are pretty cool. They don't like Bush or his policies, but that doesn't mean that they just make blanket judgments about all Americans.

 

[Gurck]

Originally posted by: DingDingDao

Originally posted by: Gurck
Regardless of living conditions, I don't think it'd be fun to live on a continent where you'd be universally hated & discriminated against on sight... er, on speech, at any rate (American accent).

Have you been to England? Most of the women I've met in England (or anywhere abroad, for that matter) seem to be turned on by an American accent (although I can't really speak for any particular region--I don't have a regional accent, like southern or eastern). Almost every time I went to a pub my last trip out to London (which was basically every night--Guiness just isn't the same here in the states), I ended up getting hit on by some girl who found my American accent "cute." That and most of my friends out there think Americans are pretty cool. They don't like Bush or his policies, but that doesn't mean that they just make blanket judgments about all Americans.

Shared sentiment here and on other forums of Euros (and many Canadians, for that matter) is that we're 300 million Bush clones who don't deserve to be given the time of day. Certainly not all people there feel this way, but enough do for it to be the general feeling, for there to be countless jokes about Americans, and for most to claim that the "whole world hates you", as Bridgen put it the other day, nice gay th... erm, guy that he is. (darn typoes)

 

[DingDingDao]

Originally posted by: Gurck

Originally posted by: DingDingDao

Originally posted by: Gurck
Regardless of living conditions, I don't think it'd be fun to live on a continent where you'd be universally hated & discriminated against on sight... er, on speech, at any rate (American accent).

Have you been to England? Most of the women I've met in England (or anywhere abroad, for that matter) seem to be turned on by an American accent (although I can't really speak for any particular region--I don't have a regional accent, like southern or eastern). Almost every time I went to a pub my last trip out to London (which was basically every night--Guiness just isn't the same here in the states), I ended up getting hit on by some girl who found my American accent "cute." That and most of my friends out there think Americans are pretty cool. They don't like Bush or his policies, but that doesn't mean that they just make blanket judgments about all Americans.

Shared sentiment here and on other forums of Euros (and many Canadians, for that matter) is that we're 300 million Bush clones who don't deserve to be given the time of day. Certainly not all people there feel this way, but enough do for it to be the general feeling, for there to be countless jokes about Americans, and for most to claim that the "whole world hates you", as Bridgen put it the other day, nice gay th... erm, guy that he is. (darn typoes)

I don't know...I guess it boils down to personal experience, I guess. I don't know everyone in Europe, so can't really speak to how they feel about us. I've been to Europe four times now, and every time I go I seem to meet more people who are friendly and warm, and don't seem to really give a sh!t where I'm from.