Why people leave the UK?

[ChungyUK]

Originally Posted by Pasanada

LOL god, no! I found most people to be well mannered, including young people/youths. The only time I felt anyone trying to intimidate me was whilst driving but I soon learnt to be bolshy!! I refused to be bullied into moving out of the way for those who flashed their lights or honked their horns, if it wasn't safe, I wasn't moving! Arabs are the worst for this annoying trait.

Since being back in the UK AKA YUK, I've experienced youths pulling out in front of my car and then being abusive (sticking their head in my car window and telling me to f*** o**!!) because I was trying to avoid THEM, been given the birdie by some idiot who reversed out onto a main road thus causing me to brake hard and general bad manners on the roads. As for the feral youths, I give them a wide berth, they really do concern me, something I've never experienced in other countries.

I know tell me about it. So how long have you lived out in the middle east? and how often do you come back to the UK?

[Spence1987]

Originally Posted by ChungyUK

Hey!!

I'm just interested to find out why so many brits leave the UK? I just wants your views on the country itself. Any comments would be great.

Thanks

Unfortunately Brits are encouraged to have a very negative view of their country. It's a real shame as it makes people overlook its history, its amazing scenery, the good humour of its people and all the other benefits that it has. Silly newspaper headlines will also make people see problems that are not there. Like any place it has it's problems but the levels of crime (just as an example) are greatly overstated.

[kaz101]

Originally Posted by Spence1987

Unfortunately Brits are encouraged to have a very negative view of their country. It's a real shame as it makes people overlook its history, its amazing scenery, the good humour of its people and all the other benefits that it has. Silly newspaper headlines will also make people see problems that are not there. Like any place it has it's problems but the levels of crime (just as an example) are greatly overstated.

The history never bothered me one way or the other.

The scenery really depends on where you live. Borehamwood didn't have much in the way of scenery and neither do large parts of big cities.

The good humour of the people? This doesn't happen often in the big cities where people won't even make eye contact with you since they don't know what you will do. Humour often goes when you are squashed while commuting!

Levels of crime? Overstated in some places and possibly understated in others.

All this depends on where you live in the UK.

We left because my husband has poor circulation and the weather in the UK is cool and you can't rely on the summers there.

The red tape when trying to run your own business was ridiculous - we spent more and more time on that and not on the profitable side of our businesses.

We could simply have the lifestyle that we wanted elsewhere which is why we moved to South Australia.

I may sometimes miss family and friends but I don't miss the UK at all.

I agree that Brits (English in particular) aren't brought up to be proud of their country - we don't even celebrate St George's day yet St Patrick's Day is celebrated everywhere. Not sure how that is going to change.

I agree with Bev that nowhere is perfect but Australia suits us more than the UK.

Regards,
Karen

[IOWgirl]

I agree a lot with what Kaz has said. The history was never a factor for me. I guess we could be proud of what we achieved, but when so much of it is pompous, (never could spell that word), idealism, based upon a class system, it, for the most part, never resonated with me.
What I notice the most is the 'you made your bed, you lie in it', attitude that the UK has. It's like everyone is just a bystander. I left 24 years ago, so quite possibly the attitude has changed, but from what I remember it was very resigned. I came to Canada and it was all about personal growth, awareness etc. It was more accepting, more open.
Still, the English in me craves the English. I miss the sarky sense of humour. I miss the self depreciation, even though we know we don't mean it fully, but maybe a little. I miss home and I always will. I see pictures and cry sometimes. Yet I know as much as I miss it I could never go back. I am an expat. Forever relishing where I live, yet homesick for where I came from.

[christosandkim]

[QUOTE=ChungyUK;104815]Hey!!

I'm just interested to find out why so many brits leave the UK? I just wants your views on the country itself. Any comments would be great.

The bad weather! The way that you cant just buy a house and live in privacy wiithout everyone having to know who you are etc.Council tax that shoudnt exist as it doesnt in any other parts of Europe.Too many rules and regulations so that it seems to be turning into a communist country.Cost of living is far too high,Taxes too high etc.everything goes up and up and up except peoples wages.Cold and miserable country.Do you need more!

[Minuvweyna]

I realize I am really not your target audience for this question, since I am an American who has moved to the UK... but I really think all of the things people keep mentioning here are relative.

I hear a LOT of complaining about British weather, and it certainly doesn't get hot in the summer, but it also doesn't get cold in the winter. I grew up in Michigan, which is nearly Canada, and we had both very hot summers (35 C/90 F was common, for weeks at a time, especially recently,) and winters are harsh, with lots of snow, ice and sub-zero temperatures (I don't mean Celsius here either, we're talking FRIGID.) In comparison, the winter here in Edinburgh is so mild. My fiance is from London, and though he's gotten used to Edinburgh's winters he sure feels the "cold" more than I do. I'm thrilled by the weather, and loved the mild weather in the summer too. If you like heat, the UK may not be ideal, but if you like mild temps all the time, I think it's perfect.

Crime also gets talked about a lot. I've not been afraid at all in Edinburgh, and I go out to clubs and am looking for a cab at 3am. That doesn't mean there isn't crime, but it certainly isn't that bad compared to most US cities. I compared crime statistics before I moved here and Edinburgh had crime levels very similar to the MUCH smaller American city in which I lived, and it's violent crime rate was actually lower! I didn't move to Glasgow, I admit, partly because the violent crime stats there make me nervous. I haven't compared, but I bet Glasgow is safer than Detroit though, which was near where I used to live... course I wouldn't ever move to Detroit either. So it really depends on where you live I think.

Cost of living probably is a factor, and some things here are quite expensive, but not as much more expensive than the US as I'd expected. Petrol is a lot more, but with excellent public transport, which I didn't have in the US, I don't need a car, so the petrol is a moot point for me. I'm sure there are cheaper places to live, my uncle retired and left the US to live in Honduras because it was cheap. It was also unsafe, not terribly stable, and he was knifed at one point. He could live like a king on $3 a day, but he didn't dare drink the water. I guess I'd rather pay a little more...

Surveillance is one that bothers me, but despite all the CCTV cameras and talk about logging basic info on telephone calls, texts and emails, it's still probably more private than the US, where warrants are no longer needed for wire taps it seems. So again, it's relative and you have to decide what bugs you more.

In the end, I love it here. I've found people to be more friendly than in the US Midwest, which tends to be nosey and gossipy. That doesn't mean I haven't met surely bartenders or seen people that looked just a little... "off." But you get those everywhere. I've had plenty of nice conversations with random people while at bus stops, on long train journeys, and in clubs (admittedly goth/alternative clubs are less threatening and more friendly than the average "meat market" style nightclub, so again I might just be picking nicer places.)

I've never been to Australia, nor have I done more than visit Canada (by the way, I generally find Canadians to be polite and kind folks,) let alone places like Thailand where I am seeing some people posting from. So I cannot compare the UK to these places, but I can say, it certainly has its good points as well as its drawbacks (and one person's drawback may be someone else's great bonus, like the weather for me,) and I'm delighted that I chose it over the US.

Best Wishes,
Elle

[ChungyUK]

Hey guys!!!

I like what I'm hearing from you people and it great to hear other peoples opinions on the UK. As a UK native and having been living here for 24 years I do like my country but I wouldn't say I love it. The UK does have its good points such as the weather.....who am i kidding lol...nah but the UK is great for its jobs and you do get paid well. However, people are a little reserved and are little miserable. Whenever I go to America or Canada the folks there are far more happier and enjoy getting to know a newcomer to the country. It is true that America embraces their country very much and celebrate in style, thats not to be said of the UK.

The crime here in the UK is bad and need to be addresses. I understand that every country does have its fair share of crime but teenagers here in the UK are out of control. I really do blame the parents for their upbringing but why isn't the government doing more to combat this problem.

[Minuvweyna]

Alright, I did some research, because I am obsessive like that. I looked up the crime statistics for the US on average, Detroit, Scotland on average, and Glasgow ("murder capital of Europe.") What I found was sobering (but only if you are living in America.)

In 2006, the US national average was 7 murders per 100,000 people. My data for Scotland and Glasgow was for 2004-5, and I had to do my own maths, but the Scottish national average came to 2.74 murders per 100,000 persons, and Glasgow itself only 5.5 per 100,000. Detroit's average was utterly horrifying. Per 100,000 people, there are 47.3 homicides.

There was a total of 137 murders in Scotland in 2004-5, and the Scottish population was about 5 million at the time. The next year was safer, with 2005-6 seeing only 94 homicides in all of Scotland. Detroit, a single, not particularly large, American city, grossed 418 murders in 2006. Detroit has a population of about 900,000 people. With less than 1/5 the population of Scotland they had more than 4 times as many homicides.

Edinburgh, my beloved new home, had 11 murders in 2006-7. While any murder is a bad thing, this comes to 2.4 per 100,000 when Edinburgh's 460,000 strong population is considered.

Obviously crime is not limited to murder, and other crimes are of concern. When combining all sexual and non-sexual violent crime for Glasgow in 2004-5 there were 850 violent crimes for every 100,000 individuals. In Detroit during 2006, there were 2,418.9 for every 100,000. The US national average for violent crime is 553.5 per 100,000. Scotland's is only 370 for every 100,000 people.

The UK may feel like it has a crime problem, just like everyone else, but let's retain a sense of perspective here. I for one walk very confidently on these Scottish streets, because frankly, I used to live 2 hours from the murder capital of the western world. The murder capital of Europe being an hour away really doesn't concern me.

It is all about perspective. And of course, most of the violent crime is committed by young gang members in Detroit, so the "youth problem" certainly isn't limited to the UK.

Best Wishes,
Elle

[ChungyUK]

Originally Posted by Minuvweyna

Alright, I did some research, because I am obsessive like that. I looked up the crime statistics for the US on average, Detroit, Scotland on average, and Glasgow ("murder capital of Europe.") What I found was sobering (but only if you are living in America.)

In 2006, the US national average was 7 murders per 100,000 people. My data for Scotland and Glasgow was for 2004-5, and I had to do my own maths, but the Scottish national average came to 2.74 murders per 100,000 persons, and Glasgow itself only 5.5 per 100,000. Detroit's average was utterly horrifying. Per 100,000 people, there are 47.3 homicides.

There was a total of 137 murders in Scotland in 2004-5, and the Scottish population was about 5 million at the time. The next year was safer, with 2005-6 seeing only 94 homicides in all of Scotland. Detroit, a single, not particularly large, American city, grossed 418 murders in 2006. Detroit has a population of about 900,000 people. With less than 1/5 the population of Scotland they had more than 4 times as many homicides.

Edinburgh, my beloved new home, had 11 murders in 2006-7. While any murder is a bad thing, this comes to 2.4 per 100,000 when Edinburgh's 460,000 strong population is considered.

Obviously crime is not limited to murder, and other crimes are of concern. When combining all sexual and non-sexual violent crime for Glasgow in 2004-5 there were 850 violent crimes for every 100,000 individuals. In Detroit during 2006, there were 2,418.9 for every 100,000. The US national average for violent crime is 553.5 per 100,000. Scotland's is only 370 for every 100,000 people.

The UK may feel like it has a crime problem, just like everyone else, but let's retain a sense of perspective here. I for one walk very confidently on these Scottish streets, because frankly, I used to live 2 hours from the murder capital of the western world. The murder capital of Europe being an hour away really doesn't concern me.

It is all about perspective. And of course, most of the violent crime is committed by young gang members in Detroit, so the "youth problem" certainly isn't limited to the UK.

Best Wishes,
Elle

Very nice stats there and yeah i've heard a lot about Detroit being the most murderous city in the USA...and to be quite frank I wouldn't step foot there. Thats where Eminem was brought up wasnt it?

[jlms]

Originally Posted by lucylox

So Pasanada where is your near Eutopia? the UAE?

My 16 year old cousin who is from Dubai tells me she is so lucky to live in such an amazing place. How many 16 year olds in this country can say the same?

The property prices are falling due to exuberant construction:

People are pouring out of Dubai - Boing Boing

It is a society that does not understand the meaning of political, cultural and social openness:

WSJ Europe pulls Dubai tennis sponsorship | Sports | Reuters

British author Geraldine Bedell banned from Dubai book festival - Telegraph

and that has a disgraceful record of dealing with poor foreign workers:

Dubai’s Kerala Connection

If that is an Utopian place to live, then I hope Utopia will never ever come to us.