I'm living abroad in the UK and I hate it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The people are rude, the service is bad, the food is bad, you pay more for everything. I am a friendly and polite, respectful person (not a "loud, annoying American). And all anyone ever cares about is how much money they can get out of me. It's exhausting. And the road are not maintained. I had an accident when tripping in a cracked sidewalk. I was visibly hurt and no one would even move over a little bit so I could walk past on the sidewalk (beside them). I had to walk in the road while they walked on the sidewalk. That is a frequently occurrence - people not moving over so you can both have room on the sidewalk.

That was my experience in the U.K. as well. Except for Indian food. It's fantastic. Surprisingly I found the French to be nicer overall.

Oh, I do love the Indian food here! And they'll even deliver it to your doorstep (hard to find in some US cities). The first thing I did here when I got back was order some takeaway chicken tikka masala.

What part of the UK were you in? And what were some of your experiences?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't relate and I live in the UK.

+1

Well, this has just been my overall experience. I have a couple of British friends who are lovely. But other than that, most of my experiences of England and of the people here are that they are rude. I love my SO to bits but even he agrees people here can be wankers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The people are rude, the service is bad, the food is bad, you pay more for everything. I am a friendly and polite, respectful person (not a "loud, annoying American). And all anyone ever cares about is how much money they can get out of me. It's exhausting. And the road are not maintained. I had an accident when tripping in a cracked sidewalk. I was visibly hurt and no one would even move over a little bit so I could walk past on the sidewalk (beside them). I had to walk in the road while they walked on the sidewalk. That is a frequently occurrence - people not moving over so you can both have room on the sidewalk.

That was my experience in the U.K. as well. Except for Indian food. It's fantastic. Surprisingly I found the French to be nicer overall.

Oh, I do love the Indian food here! And they'll even deliver it to your doorstep (hard to find in some US cities). The first thing I did here when I got back was order some takeaway chicken tikka masala.

What part of the UK were you in? And what were some of your experiences?

Bath and London mostly. I don't want to get into too much, but the hi-light had to be getting hit by a car and having the driver yell at me for scaring his passenger. It was my fault (looked wrong way when entering crosswalk) but damn, yelling at someone on the ground after you hit them with a car seems excessive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The people are rude, the service is bad, the food is bad, you pay more for everything. I am a friendly and polite, respectful person (not a "loud, annoying American). And all anyone ever cares about is how much money they can get out of me. It's exhausting. And the road are not maintained. I had an accident when tripping in a cracked sidewalk. I was visibly hurt and no one would even move over a little bit so I could walk past on the sidewalk (beside them). I had to walk in the road while they walked on the sidewalk. That is a frequently occurrence - people not moving over so you can both have room on the sidewalk.

That was my experience in the U.K. as well. Except for Indian food. It's fantastic. Surprisingly I found the French to be nicer overall.

Oh, I do love the Indian food here! And they'll even deliver it to your doorstep (hard to find in some US cities). The first thing I did here when I got back was order some takeaway chicken tikka masala.

What part of the UK were you in? And what were some of your experiences?

Bath and London mostly. I don't want to get into too much, but the hi-light had to be getting hit by a car and having the driver yell at me for scaring his passenger. It was my fault (looked wrong way when entering crosswalk) but damn, yelling at someone on the ground after you hit them with a car seems excessive.

And then he started yelling at me that I would need to pay for his broken windshield. It was a bit surreal.

[Anonymous]

Holy crap. I'm so sorry that happened to you! That's just insane. I was hobbling down the street in pain after spraining my ankle and people would not move an inch to let me have room on the sidewalk. I know that's nowhere near as bad as what you experienced, but I get it. Really sorry you went through that. Have you been back?

[Anonymous]

I hate to suggest it, but can you look for American expats? They're easy to find in London, not sure about Kent... Of course, some of them will deliberately avoid you because they're intent on assimilating, but others will be glad to have a chance to hang out with a fellow compatriot who lives by the same cultural codes, manners, etc.

I should also add that I'm not terribly surprised by what you've shared here. I've never lived in England (though I visit regularly -- and had some really unpleasantly shocking conversations while there on and after 9/11, which permanently soured my view of London at least). That said, I have two good friends and a sibling who've lived over there for some time, and none of them are 100% glowing about it. It's a beautiful country with amazing history and culture, but the social codes, to American eyes, seem rather rigid and inflexible. All three of them also found that making British (but not expat) friends was a years-long process.

One of them really had a breakthrough after she had a kid - she made other mom friends through her child. I'm guessing you don't have kids, but if that's in your future, you might feel less isolated once your child is in school.

[Anonymous]

OP, I've lived in different European countries for more than 10 years, and yeah, it is very difficult to adjust to a new country sometimes. And yes, I agree with your assessments of UK.

The thing that has always eased my adjustment period to a new country in Europe is taking advantage of the opportunities that being an expat allows: take a cheap flight to another European capital for a weekend. Do it once a month, to a new city/country each month. I love this aspect of expat living, and it does help: it gives you something to look forward to, and makes your everyday experience in your new "new" country feel more like a temporary holiday that has that specialness to what would otherwise be annoyances.

And in UK, take a weekend trip up into the Highlands. Stay somewhere rustic with one of those big old fireplaces that were made (and used) to roast a whole deer/ox hundreds of years ago. Hike the moors or crags or see the lochs.

Take a weekend jaunt to Liverpool. People in the North are warm and friendly compared to the South, but Liverpool is a perfect weekend jaunt because its city center is so tiny, and you can also go see the Cavern Club one night and dance to a Beatles cover band that looks just like them (sounds cheesy, but isn't).

Bronte country! Again, up North, so nice people, but if you are a reader, then reread Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre, and then their parsonage, which is now a museum. Walk the heath-splashed moors. Spend time in the village.

Oxford! If you have kids, take them there and do the Alice tours. Go to Alice's Shoppe, which is Wonderland themed and great, and apparently used to be the sweet shop where the real Alice would have gone for her lemon drops. And Oxford town is so lovely and quaint, and you can walk around for a weekend. Do a river tour while you're there. And then take a day trip to Stratford from Oxford, visit the Globe, and see a Shakespeare performance.

Shopping in London! Herrods! John Lewis! Debenhams! But of course there are department stores everywhere, so be sure to check out the purely British perfumery shop Penhaligon's, which is a lovely Victorian-looking shop that still stocks Princess Diana's fave, Bluebell. (I prefer Malabah, but you ca spend the day in there sampling their scents, many of which have not changed since the Victorian recipes). And go to the Alex Monroe jewelry shop i London: so charming, and yes, the golden bumblebee necklace is "naff", but I love mine and wear it anyway.

But for weekends away, it is soooo easy to do so many other European capitals, and you will never have that chance/experience again when/if you move "home" from Europe.

If I knew you, we could exchange emails and I would invite you for a meetup in another random Euro capital with some of my other expat friends: we plan and enjoy these together frequently.

[Anonymous]

Op, you're experiencing culture shock. Check this out:

http://www.deborahswallow.com/2010/05/15/the-classic-5-stage-culture-shock-model/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Holy crap. I'm so sorry that happened to you! That's just insane. I was hobbling down the street in pain after spraining my ankle and people would not move an inch to let me have room on the sidewalk. I know that's nowhere near as bad as what you experienced, but I get it. Really sorry you went through that. Have you been back?

Actually yes. I'm interested in history so it's a fascinating country to me. Honestly once I got used to the behavior I just rolled with it. No place is perfect.

[Anonymous]

The Ugly American

[Anonymous]

OP, it sounds as if you are both meek and passive aggressive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The people are rude, the service is bad, the food is bad, you pay more for everything. I am a friendly and polite, respectful person (not a "loud, annoying American). And all anyone ever cares about is how much money they can get out of me. It's exhausting. And the road are not maintained. I had an accident when tripping in a cracked sidewalk. I was visibly hurt and no one would even move over a little bit so I could walk past on the sidewalk (beside them). I had to walk in the road while they walked on the sidewalk. That is a frequently occurrence - people not moving over so you can both have room on the sidewalk.

That was my experience in the U.K. as well. Except for Indian food. It's fantastic. Surprisingly I found the French to be nicer overall.

Oh, I do love the Indian food here! And they'll even deliver it to your doorstep (hard to find in some US cities). The first thing I did here when I got back was order some takeaway chicken tikka masala.

What part of the UK were you in? And what were some of your experiences?

Bath and London mostly. I don't want to get into too much, but the hi-light had to be getting hit by a car and having the driver yell at me for scaring his passenger. It was my fault (looked wrong way when entering crosswalk) but damn, yelling at someone on the ground after you hit them with a car seems excessive.

I was almost hit and killed by a car in Bath, too! But I've had way more near death experiences on the streets of DC.

[Anonymous]

OP, the UK is an amazing country with great and terrible things, like everywhere. Your task is to enjoy it to the maximum.

Your current negative attitude is pathetic, and if you maintain it you should go home.

There is a saying- if where you are smells like shit, first check under your own shoe.

[Anonymous]

The food is much better than the US. What you can find in the average Sainsburys is so much better than Giant or Safeway. And Waitrose is better than Wholefoods.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, the UK is an amazing country with great and terrible things, like everywhere. Your task is to enjoy it to the maximum.

Your current negative attitude is pathetic, and if you maintain it you should go home.

There is a saying- if where you are smells like shit, first check under your own shoe.

Clearly this is a troll.