Positive England reactions.

We are coming up to 5 years in England now and apart from some jitters very early on its fair to say we are loving it.

Our Aussie born kids are loving it here and show no interest in a move 'home'. They go to a really good school and have a great circle of close friends. We are amazed at just how polite and we'll spoken their friends are, happy and smiling as you would expect of kids.

Their teachers are really nice and very supportive which goes a long way to creating a good atmosphere in the school.

We have found that the kids here seem to stay younger and aren't in a great hurry to grow up.

We used to go to a gym near what would have probably been the boys secondary school if we had stayed and it was a bit of an eye opener, the girls with skirts jp go their bums and looking like they were going out on the town. Being quite rural it's very different here. They also went from large classes to much small here.

Just as in Australia the medical system is under strain and underfunded but we have had fantastic service the times we have used it. Hardly any wait and lovely friendly staff.

We have found people here to be very friendly and polite by and large and very welcoming.

We are loving discovering new pubs and wonderful pub meals that go with them. We are lucky to be literally surrounded by them around here.

The economy seems to be powering on and generally exceeding expectations with unemployment decreasing practically every month.

For those people looking to move back or just dipping a toe in the water rest assured this is still very much a lovely country to live in despite what some would have us believe.

This cant possibly be true and you simply cannot be happy in the UK! :biglaugh:

We are coming up to 5 years in England now and apart from some jitters very early on its fair to say we are loving it.

Our Aussie born kids are loving it here and show no interest in a move 'home'. They go to a really good school and have a great circle of close friends. We are amazed at just how polite and we'll spoken their friends are, happy and smiling as you would expect of kids.

Their teachers are really nice and very supportive which goes a long way to creating a good atmosphere in the school.

We have found that the kids here seem to stay younger and aren't in a great hurry to grow up.

We used to go to a gym near what would have probably been the boys secondary school if we had stayed and it was a bit of an eye opener, the girls with skirts jp go their bums and looking like they were going out on the town. Being quite rural it's very different here. They also went from large classes to much small here.

Just as in Australia the medical system is under strain and underfunded but we have had fantastic service the times we have used it. Hardly any wait and lovely friendly staff.

We have found people here to be very friendly and polite by and large and very welcoming.

We are loving discovering new pubs and wonderful pub meals that go with them. We are lucky to be literally surrounded by them around here.

The economy seems to be powering on and generally exceeding expectations with unemployment decreasing practically every month.

 

For those people looking to move back or just dipping a toe in the water rest assured this is still very much a lovely country to live in despite what some would have us believe.

Seems to depend where you move to in the UK. Just like Australia. I read descriptions of places in Australia which have absolutely no bearing on where I live. Just the same as the UK.

Bristolman are you prepared to share what region you live in?

We are coming up to 5 years in England now and apart from some jitters very early on its fair to say we are loving it.

Our Aussie born kids are loving it here and show no interest in a move 'home'. They go to a really good school and have a great circle of close friends. We are amazed at just how polite and we'll spoken their friends are, happy and smiling as you would expect of kids.

Their teachers are really nice and very supportive which goes a long way to creating a good atmosphere in the school.

We have found that the kids here seem to stay younger and aren't in a great hurry to grow up.

We used to go to a gym near what would have probably been the boys secondary school if we had stayed and it was a bit of an eye opener, the girls with skirts jp go their bums and looking like they were going out on the town. Being quite rural it's very different here. They also went from large classes to much small here.

Just as in Australia the medical system is under strain and underfunded but we have had fantastic service the times we have used it. Hardly any wait and lovely friendly staff.

We have found people here to be very friendly and polite by and large and very welcoming.

We are loving discovering new pubs and wonderful pub meals that go with them. We are lucky to be literally surrounded by them around here.

The economy seems to be powering on and generally exceeding expectations with unemployment decreasing practically every month.

 

For those people looking to move back or just dipping a toe in the water rest assured this is still very much a lovely country to live in despite what some would have us believe.

Thanks so much- good to hear such a positive account of England as we prepare to head back ?

Bristolman are you prepared to share what region you live in?

Herefordshire ....i think

We are coming up to 5 years in England now and apart from some jitters very early on its fair to say we are loving it.

Our Aussie born kids are loving it here and show no interest in a move 'home'. They go to a really good school and have a great circle of close friends. We are amazed at just how polite and we'll spoken their friends are, happy and smiling as you would expect of kids.

Their teachers are really nice and very supportive which goes a long way to creating a good atmosphere in the school.

We have found that the kids here seem to stay younger and aren't in a great hurry to grow up.

We used to go to a gym near what would have probably been the boys secondary school if we had stayed and it was a bit of an eye opener, the girls with skirts jp go their bums and looking like they were going out on the town. Being quite rural it's very different here. They also went from large classes to much small here.

Just as in Australia the medical system is under strain and underfunded but we have had fantastic service the times we have used it. Hardly any wait and lovely friendly staff.

We have found people here to be very friendly and polite by and large and very welcoming.

We are loving discovering new pubs and wonderful pub meals that go with them. We are lucky to be literally surrounded by them around here.

The economy seems to be powering on and generally exceeding expectations with unemployment decreasing practically every month.

 

For those people looking to move back or just dipping a toe in the water rest assured this is still very much a lovely country to live in despite what some would have us believe.

We all know about the negatives about the u.k ,much documented.

Living here is area dependant ,that's why I always say ,choose well .

Iam here in the west midlands for family ...but the difference between one area and another 10 miles away is massive .

Boy ,have I seen some rough places on my travels ,but is it worse than those one horse towns in Australia ,never mind the bloody outback .

Rural and semi rural u.k ,can be as good as it gets .....space ,school places,sense of community ...all the things you don't get when living urban .

Winter is **** ,but it has been very acceptable for 6 winters now .

The big winner for me ,is travel choice and its cost ....big winner ...so much to do in the u.k alone

Well, I was going to an update in a few weeks, as it would be the anniversary of one year since we returned, but will do it now.

As many know, we initially moved to Windsor, which is a lovely place, but very expensive and not a realistic long term option. In September, I was offered a job in Scotland, which isn't somewhere we had ever thought about living, but decided to give it a try.

What a fantastic decision that was! I work on the outskirts of Glasgow, but spend a lot of time on projects away, mainly in the highlands as I work as engineering geologist mainly specialising in ground investigation for roads and bridges. I generally book a cottage for the project and my wife and dog come with me which is wonderful.

We live in a tiny village 18 miles south of Glasgow in stunning countryside. We don't have a shop or anything as we are too small, though it is only a couple of miles to walk into the nearest town which is a very pretty market town and has everything we need and is mainly really nice independent shops.

Our village does have a village hall which is a big thing in the community. We had the best new year village party imaginable. We also have a cinema once a month there and things like village quizzes.

The village has a real community with everyone chatting to each other and is made up of a good range of people from shepards to opera singers. So very diverse but all get on.

Work is good and I am just spending some time visiting car dealers as I get my new company car next month - got a company hire car at the moment and think I am going for an Audi.

I was initially concerned about the weather, not for me, but for my wife who is a hot climate lover, but actually been fine. Summer was damned hot! Winter, well, we have certainly had some good amounts of snow, but overall it has not been bad and generally either mild with a smattering of crisp days with blue skies.

We have visited lots of friends and family and that has been wonderful. All are incredibly pleased to have us back. We have friends coming up to us in summer and family in spring.

So, for us, the move has been very positive.

This cant possibly be true and you simply cannot be happy in the UK! :biglaugh:

It's all lies, I can't wait to get back to paradise lol

Bristolman are you prepared to share what region you live in?

Yes, happy to, it's Herefordshire.

Thanks so much- good to hear such a positive account of England as we prepare to head back 

No worries at, it's a very realistic appraisal of life in the UK. It's not perfect but nowhere is, it's pretty close though lol.

Awesome, good to see blighty is still making some people happy!

I think JockinTas is right, people's opinions can vary greatly and they live only a few miles away from each other. Towns, communities can vary greatly in both countries and you never know there may be the right place for you that you find in either country. Who would have thought?

Well, I was going to an update in a few weeks, as it would be the anniversary of one year since we returned, but will do it now.

 

As many know, we initially moved to Windsor, which is a lovely place, but very expensive and not a realistic long term option. In September, I was offered a job in Scotland, which isn't somewhere we had ever thought about living, but decided to give it a try.

 

What a fantastic decision that was! I work on the outskirts of Glasgow, but spend a lot of time on projects away, mainly in the highlands as I work as engineering geologist mainly specialising in ground investigation for roads and bridges. I generally book a cottage for the project and my wife and dog come with me which is wonderful.

 

We live in a tiny village 18 miles south of Glasgow in stunning countryside. We don't have a shop or anything as we are too small, though it is only a couple of miles to walk into the nearest town which is a very pretty market town and has everything we need and is mainly really nice independent shops.

 

Our village does have a village hall which is a big thing in the community. We had the best new year village party imaginable. We also have a cinema once a month there and things like village quizzes.

 

The village has a real community with everyone chatting to each other and is made up of a good range of people from shepards to opera singers. So very diverse but all get on.

 

Work is good and I am just spending some time visiting car dealers as I get my new company car next month - got a company hire car at the moment and think I am going for an Audi.

 

I was initially concerned about the weather, not for me, but for my wife who is a hot climate lover, but actually been fine. Summer was damned hot! Winter, well, we have certainly had some good amounts of snow, but overall it has not been bad and generally either mild with a smattering of crisp days with blue skies.

 

We have visited lots of friends and family and that has been wonderful. All are incredibly pleased to have us back. We have friends coming up to us in summer and family in spring.

 

So, for us, the move has been very positive.

Great to read you and your wife are enjoying life in Scotland. Have you been to the Kirkcudbright are yet?

We are coming up to 5 years in England now and apart from some jitters very early on its fair to say we are loving it.

Our Aussie born kids are loving it here and show no interest in a move 'home'. They go to a really good school and have a great circle of close friends. We are amazed at just how polite and we'll spoken their friends are, happy and smiling as you would expect of kids.

Their teachers are really nice and very supportive which goes a long way to creating a good atmosphere in the school.

We have found that the kids here seem to stay younger and aren't in a great hurry to grow up.

We used to go to a gym near what would have probably been the boys secondary school if we had stayed and it was a bit of an eye opener, the girls with skirts jp go their bums and looking like they were going out on the town. Being quite rural it's very different here. They also went from large classes to much small here.

Just as in Australia the medical system is under strain and underfunded but we have had fantastic service the times we have used it. Hardly any wait and lovely friendly staff.

We have found people here to be very friendly and polite by and large and very welcoming.

We are loving discovering new pubs and wonderful pub meals that go with them. We are lucky to be literally surrounded by them around here.

The economy seems to be powering on and generally exceeding expectations with unemployment decreasing practically every month.

 

For those people looking to move back or just dipping a toe in the water rest assured this is still very much a lovely country to live in despite what some would have us believe.

Great to read you and your wife are enjoying life in Scotland. Have you been to the Kirkcudbright are yet?

Thanks Jock, no, not been yet, though we are hoping to go in August for the arts and craft fair.

Not long been back from 3 weeks in Melbourne, had a great time, but just confirmed we're living in the the right place.

in a couple of months it will be 10 years for us......not once looked back and regretted it......not once considered being a ping pong.......settled back into our old life in the same town in a beautiful part of the UK......we consider ourselves very lucky living where we do......kids all doing fantastically well at school, college and university......so much more disposable income and opportunities here for us......got home on Saturday night from a weeks skiing in the french alps......could not have hoped for any more from our return journey......always looking forward......never looking back.

in a couple of months it will be 10 years for us......not once looked back and regretted it......not once considered being a ping pong.......settled back into our old life in the same town in a beautiful part of the UK......we consider ourselves very lucky living where we do......kids all doing fantastically well at school, college and university......so much more disposable income and opportunities here for us......got home on Saturday night from a weeks skiing in the french alps......could not have hoped for any more from our return journey......always looking forward......never looking back.

In the alps hey Stu ...well you will understand my love of Europe ....the bloody scenery in the alps ...stunning

Well, I was going to an update in a few weeks, as it would be the anniversary of one year since we returned, but will do it now.

 

As many know, we initially moved to Windsor, which is a lovely place, but very expensive and not a realistic long term option. In September, I was offered a job in Scotland, which isn't somewhere we had ever thought about living, but decided to give it a try.

 

What a fantastic decision that was! I work on the outskirts of Glasgow, but spend a lot of time on projects away, mainly in the highlands as I work as engineering geologist mainly specialising in ground investigation for roads and bridges. I generally book a cottage for the project and my wife and dog come with me which is wonderful.

 

We live in a tiny village 18 miles south of Glasgow in stunning countryside. We don't have a shop or anything as we are too small, though it is only a couple of miles to walk into the nearest town which is a very pretty market town and has everything we need and is mainly really nice independent shops.

 

Our village does have a village hall which is a big thing in the community. We had the best new year village party imaginable. We also have a cinema once a month there and things like village quizzes.

 

The village has a real community with everyone chatting to each other and is made up of a good range of people from shepards to opera singers. So very diverse but all get on.

 

Work is good and I am just spending some time visiting car dealers as I get my new company car next month - got a company hire car at the moment and think I am going for an Audi.

 

I was initially concerned about the weather, not for me, but for my wife who is a hot climate lover, but actually been fine. Summer was damned hot! Winter, well, we have certainly had some good amounts of snow, but overall it has not been bad and generally either mild with a smattering of crisp days with blue skies.

 

We have visited lots of friends and family and that has been wonderful. All are incredibly pleased to have us back. We have friends coming up to us in summer and family in spring.

 

So, for us, the move has been very positive.

Good for you vs ...so you see some stunning scenery as well then

Europe for me is the pull of living in the UK, I am off to Budapest for a week with the girlfriend and the return fare was £98 each, top notch private apartment for a week has cost us £250

Europe for me is the pull of living in the UK, I am off to Budapest for a week with the girlfriend and the return fare was £98 each, top notch private apartment for a week has cost us £250

The architecture is stunning ...pest is the posh bit and buda the rougher bit ,I think that's right .

I know I mentioned this before ...isnt that where there is a line of brass shoes by the river to commemorate where the nazis pushed all the women and children into the river ?

That's where tinker,tailor,soldier spy was filmed.

Want to impress your partner pb ?....on top of the hill is a church/cathedral that has undergone massive renovation works ...just down from there is a bar that overlooks the river ...and the new paliament building .....its in the film

Anyone moving back had better move to Herefordshire then! Though it may not be such a utopia for Bristolman if we all did that! Lol!

The architecture is stunning ...pest is the posh bit and buda the rougher bit ,I think that's right .

I know I mentioned this before ...isnt that where there is a line of brass shoes by the river to commemorate where the nazis pushed all the women and children into the river ?

That's where tinker,tailor,soldier spy was filmed.

Want to impress your partner pb ?....on top of the hill is a church/cathedral that has undergone massive renovation works ...just down from there is a bar that overlooks the river ...and the new paliament building .....its in the film

Cheers,

Thanks Jock, no, not been yet, though we are hoping to go in August for the arts and craft fair.

I was back in Kirkcudbright in 2010 when the arts and crafts fair was happening. I think you will enjoy it - especially your wife. Kirkcudbright is known as an artists' town and there is a little gallery next to the harbour and a couple of other small ones. I've said it before but if I ever moved back to Scotland that is where I would settle. Note: Kirkcudbright is pronounced Kirk-coo-bree. :cute:

In the alps hey Stu ...well you will understand my love of Europe ....the bloody scenery in the alps ...stunning ?

Yes totally agree......never tire of the drive through the alps......quite stunning......my fav is the drive past Lausanne and on to and through the Grand Saint Bernard Tunnel.......some unbelievable scenery.......was cycling in the alps last August.....skiing last week.....will probably be going back for a summer break and then cycling again towards the end of the summer......its a regular haunt of mine