I Hate London

[JamSandwiches45]

We've been here as a family for three years now. We moved from Auckland, New Zealand. I can't be the only expat that spends every day regretting the decision?!

Apart from the shopping and the proximity to Europe/US for holidays, I can't think of one thing that's better here than we had at home. The place is a filthy ghetto! The general attitude/reluctance for people to actually put in a hard days work is astounding. I won't even mention the schools, are DH is a supply teacher and the stories I hear are beyond me.. I fear for his safety daily.

I miss my house on the beach! Time to pack it in and go home I think.

[Urbanbeetler]

Yup! Off you hop.

[DownUdderer]

Why did you move to London?

[JamSandwiches45]

@DownUdderer to be closer to PIL now we're raising a family including SN child.

[Urbanbeetler]

I work in a tough old London secondary and almost every single person works extremely hard. The students are awesome - not always easy but generally very likeable. My last school,in another tough area of London was the same. Yes, London can get grubby especially after a long hot spell but we have the most amazing parks and green spaces. Free museums, great festivals, arts etc.

[SandysMam]

Do you have to stay in London? There are some lovely places outside of London where PIL could still be an hour or two away for support. The UK isn’t just London!

[JamSandwiches45]

That's great you feel that way, I'm sure teachers work hard everywhere, they have to! Have yet be served at a checkout where someone says 'hello' or stops their conversation long enough to put through a card payment. Coming from a country where that would get you fired, it's always shocking. Nice parks, I guess, but I'd rather miles of bushlands and beaches any day.

[JamSandwiches45]

@SandysMam We've lived in Staffordshire. Horrific.

[Japanese]

I have lived in London a long time. I love it and would not want to live anywhere else. But I am not so blinkered that I can't see that it would not suit everyone. Of course it's dirty - most large cities are. If you are used to and love living by the beach or somewhere more rural then London life might not be for you.

Don't get the 'not working hard' bit though . I work incredibly hard - as does DP and practically everyone I know who lives here.

Maybe it's time to investigate moving back options?

[HollyGibney]

Just go then or do you just want to have a big moan? That's fine obviously but I live in London too and don't recognise your description tbh.

[JamSandwiches45]

@HollyGibney It's a forum, everyone's here for big moan. We will be leaving as soon as it's doable.

[SquirmOfEels]

Not everyone is getting in to like every place.

Not every part of Loondin is how you describe though. But I think your hatered of the place is sypuch that you need to move out.

Brighton?

[Etino]

I came on ready to be sympathetic but you lost me at ghetto. Your disdain must be obvious because your description of shopkeepers is not the norm at all.

[Smurfybubbles]

I'm Irish and lived in London for over 2 years recently. Everyone I knew worked themselves into the ground pretty much and I found people on the most part extremely friendly!

[moira123io]

I'm also from NZ Timaru originally then worked Christchurch. We moved to London after the Earthquakes since DH is british, but now he's in San Fran working and I'm following him with the kids in October. I do really hate London as well, not sure if thats mostly because i'm far from family but the culture is not the same. yes you're right with the rudeness. Too much violence for us, my daughter saw someone stabbed outside Poundland the other day in broad daylight. Yes a ghetto.

[Vitalogy]

I would have thought New Zealand to be more laid back than London. I think one thing they do know how to do in London in general is work long hours. Too long.

[nervousnails]

Maybe they are reacting to your personality. HTH.

[mydogisthebest]

Absolute rubbish about people in London not being friendly. It really annoys me when people say that.

I was born in London, lived there for over 40 years and even though I have now moved away, go back at least once a month with DH. We regularly have conversations with people on buses, tubes, shop assistants, people in parks, museums etc. Maybe we are just friendlier than you?

We both love London. We wish we had never moved out but now can't afford to move back.

We love the parks, the free museums, the art galleries, great shops, great restaurants (particularly vegetarian ones). The transport is pretty good and fairly cheap. It's cheaper to travel from Essex into London on the tube than it is to travel 2 miles on the bus where I live now.

[JamSandwiches45]

@moira123io Kia kaha wahine toa, not long until October now ay!

@Vitalogy hmmm. Not any of the kids according to my husband, but each to their own.

[HopelesslydevotedtoGu]

If you all dislike it that much then I would move away, even if that means losing regular help from PIL. I wouldn't live somewhere I feared for my safety daily, I'd move back to NZ and figure out how to increase my earning power to pay for similar help to ILs provided.

Although I live in London and like it! But if you dislike it so much and feel unsafe then definitely move away.

[Candyflip]

A filthy ghetto! 😂😂
Although that is better than a backward racist time warp anyday. Goodbye dear, you won’t be missed.

[JamSandwiches45]

@Candyflip I'm Maori/PI, think I know a fair bit about racism, love.

[Candyflip]

I can imagine!

[Theworldisfullofgs]

What's your example of it being a 'ghetto?
You do realise that's the type of language Katie Hopkins, Peter from Sweden and trump use.

I was in London on Saturday and it reminded me how much I miss it.

[JamSandwiches45]

@Theworldisfullofgs It's also the kind of language us Maori/PI's have claimed back for our own. Knife crime, drug use, begging, assaults.. not exactly my idea of paradise!

[Vitalogy]

Sounds like getting back in touch with your Maori culture will do you the world of good.