To think that the great has gone out of Britain

[dibbleandgrub]

I am usually very patriotic. Love our green and pleasant land, the culture, the quirkiness, the British people (ahem well selectively chosen).

I woke up this morning looked out of the window at the rain and the grey sky, came downstairs to a letter from our bank about being overdrawn (we are really struggling), another letter about declaring our income in my tax return because of child benefit changes, and a ridiculous bill from Scottish power for electricity. Turned on tv to hear a load of negatives with the English defence league and anti terror stuff and just thought well bugger me, I've bloody had enough.

Is if better anywhere else? Can I pack our bags and head off for a life of sunny days, more bang for our hard earned buck and an all together better quality of life for a young family? I'm serious - I hear New Zealand is good..... ;)

Sorry, I'm proud to British but I'm not enjoying Britain that much right now!

[ComposHat]

I've never understood patriotism or being proud of an accident of birth, but sorry to hear you are going through tough times.

[burberryqueen]

yes well there are bills and adverse weather conditions all over the world sadly, but I know what you mean.....

[HollyBerryBush]

I cant think of anywhere else I'd rather live TBH (ok maybe Canada but that has snow, lots of it)

NZ = earthquakes.
Oz = spiders
USA = death penalty, tornadoes

A life of sunny days? A small pacific island maybe?

www.privateislandsonline.com/areas/fiji

I'm now liking this idea, spare $2mil, anyone? I'll let you come on holiday!

[mrsjay]

your bills will follow you the country you chose will have Anti 'something' and if the sun shines all the time you would be hankering after a bit of rain , sorry you feel rubbish today but sometimes the grass isn't greener,

[WafflyVersatile]

Great Britain is the largest of the British Islands. It's still the biggest so no the great has not gone out of it.

Your problem isn't that you're British. Your problem is that you are not rich and powerful. Same for most of us.

Sorry it's tough times for you.

[mrsjay]

and It rains IN NZ too

[dibbleandgrub]

True. More money would definitely buy us a bit more happiness I sadly admit but its the cultural climate and the DIRE weather this year.... I know I'm being a whining typically British misery guts this morning!!!

[mrsjay]

the weather is grim it is bloody depressing all you want a nice summer to get you through imo

[Bowlersarm]

Money problems coupled with gloomy weather probably not doing wonderful things for your mood today OP.

I love living here though . Nowhere I'd rather be.

[squeelybean]

We sat looking out of window yesterday at the rain pouring down and had exactly the same conversation.

If just a bit of sunshine was thrown our way the Country would be a much better place to live!

Britain is Great when its sunny but it seems to have done nothing but rain since Cameron took over

[GibberTheMonkey]

It's green because it rains so much

Shall we list why it's good to live here compared to the majority of the other one hundred and ninety odd other countries.
No deadly spiders
No deadly snakes (well you would have to work hard at an adder)
No tornados
It's not a dictatorship
No civil war
No one child rule
Religious freedom (comparative)
Beautiful scenery
A decent education system
The NHS
...
Ok I'm bored

[exoticfruits]

The grass always looks greener.................. (it rarely is when you get there)

[specialsubject]

your problems would go with you. Look on a New Zealand website such as stuff.co.nz and see what it is like there. OK, it is the start of their winter but they get wet summers too. They don't have terrorism issues (no-one has heard of the place) but they have poverty, racial issues, earthquakes, cold homes etc etc. And just like the UK, there are are also wonderful things about the place.

BTW it was warm and sunny over the bank holiday, that is all of three days ago. Have you forgotten?

if you have financial problems, ask for help in budgeting and in spreading payments.

[matchpoint]

YABU to say that you think the great has gone out of Britain because you sound like a frothing Daily Mail reader.
Also, YABU to think that life will be magically better anywhere else. I've lived abroad, and it's a great adventure, but ultimately: same shit, different country.

Sorry you are having a rubbish time though.

[neunundneunzigluftballons]

Aw sorry things are rough it is never nice. As an aside I am not British but I think Britain is great I love it. Tonnes of beautiful towns and villages, a superb capital city, friendly people, great capacity for fascinating pomp and ceremony for formal occasions. I tend to call it the UK though as Great Britain even if it is not an over statement sounds a little bit empirialistic and maybe a teeny bit arrogant.

Great Britain is the largest of the British Islands. It's still the biggest so no the great has not gone out of it.
Ok this is pedantic but what British Islands are you talking about and what does it mean that it is the largest Island and that makes it great surely all of the Islands you refer to belong to Great Britain ....... tread carefully just to clarify Ireland is not a British Island, that link is long since severed unless of course you want to cut the top off and make it an island .

[neunundneunzigluftballons]

not

[Mimishimi]

Bills are everywhere ... even in sunny Australia. We regard New Zealand like Europeans regard Switzerland ...the early settlers loved it for reminding them of England due to it's verdant pastures (and attending rain). Maoris call it 'The Land of the Long White Cloud' so not quite sure where it has acquired a reputation for being warm and sunny.

[dibbleandgrub]

"Frothing daily mail reader" Christ will def have to stick my head in the microwave now lol.

[lottieandmia]

This 'Great' Britain nonsense irks me to the core, sorry (I'm a little sick of seeing it from my relatives on FB lately). I do not understand it. It's a country like any other country - it has good and bad points. Why is there this constant notion from some people that it should be better than anywhere else?

But as for being proud of your nationality, just why? What is the point of being proud of an accident of birth.

[glastocat]

I felt like that too so emigrated to Oz. yes there are spiders and it is expensive etc etc, but the sun really does help, and I really can't see me getting bored with it, although I was sick of Irish rain and gloom. So I'm sorry, but I am finding sometimes the grass really is greener. I ever thought the UK or Ireland was particularly magical though ( have lived in both). Only thing I miss is the pubs!

[lottieandmia]

I do agree that the grass is greener. Your idea of what something could be like is never the reality.

[dibbleandgrub]

True, bills will follow me everywhere. Just think life seems to have suddenly got so expensive. We are not broke bit with three little ones we are on a tight budget and have to be really careful.

I was working over the bank holiday so didn't see the sunshine......prob would be far less of a grumpy ass if I'd have had some sunshine :)

[propertyNIGHTmareBEFOREXMAS]

Agree that the weather is ruining everything for everyone. It is a vile climate we now live in. Outdoor life is over.

[fedupofnamechanging]

The things that made this country great, like a fabulous NHS and the idea that all people are equal and therefore equally entitled to freedom in how they live their lives, decent healthcare and education are not so gradually being eroded. So, yes, the Great is going out of Great Britain.

The Tories, bastards are sucking all the life and joy out of this country, so people can no longer afford to get sick or be disabled or have the misfortune to lose a job and where having money is the only thing that gives value to a person, in the eyes of those who run this country. It contravenes principle that we are supposed to value as a nation.

[GoodbyePorkPie]

I emigrated and haven't looked back. But life is never perfect wherever you are and sometimes I REALLY miss snow, British Christmases, a convivial pub, the never ending variety of London...