to hate living in the country?

[Hullygully]

IT'S SO BORING I HATE IT I HATE IT

I'm a nobody, get me outta here!

Life in a British city (London included) isn't necessarily a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural love in.

There are pockets (geographical and social) of monoculturalism everywhere; they aren't the preserve of the country.

I know this is all a little tongue in cheek, but I do resent the implication that non-urbanites are bigots.

They sort of are though, Jenai, in the main.

I was ASTONISHED at the difference when I moved 35 mins inland from the coast, it's another (white) country.

I think the thing is that these pockets of country are so insular, nothing has changed in donkeys - inc poeople's views (in my observation)

That happens in cities too, though. Clearly this is entirely anecdotal, but I remember being struck by how insular some of the teenagers I met in SE London were; they'd barely left their estate.

Jux, you're not too old! It's a bit of a myth that you have to be young for London (last time I looked a lot of my neighbours and the people I see in the area were certainly over, oooh, 50, and some even older.

And you are allowed to talk to people on the till. Heck, sometimes the person on the till TALKS FIRST!

But I think your edge would come back anyway if you moved back.

lol at Rosemary and the 'doom'. Absolutely. It is a beautiful place, however every time I go back there (which is hardly ever now tbh) going down the hill from Mullacott fills me with a sense of dread.

Racism is a lot more prevalent down there. Racism in small cities as well. The good thing about living in Gloucester is its ethnicity, a large caribbean and asian community, however there are a shitload of infights between eastern europeans and the caribbean and asians. But that said, this is a lot better than Devon. My dd thinks multi ethicity is normal - she wouldn't have thought that living in Devon. I grew up with one black girl in a school of 1300.

Lots of racism in pockets of London as well - my aunt used to live in Barking and some of the crap the lads in her local said would make your hair curl.

There are racist bastards everywhere. That's why it really annoys me when people are complacent and say it isn't a problem any more - it is.

I said Smug Bastard Award, not Cunt. I'm getting the London Massive on you, country biatch.

Sometimes, I love it, peaceful, no neighbours, big house, space and freedom. Can run and ride bike in peace and safety. No noisy neighbours or arguments about parking, boundaries or having to be polite and make over the fence conversation whilst hanging washing out.

But...... Nearest post box is 5 miles away, local school is crap so ds commutes bloody miles to school and the ferrying of kids is horrendous. Literally hours and hours of wasted time. No shops or pubs for miles and nearest proper town with normal shops is 25 miles away. kids can't be spontaneous, everything has to be planned, can never have a drink and walk home, broadband connection is nearly as slow as carrier pigeon and the smell of "manure" is revolting. Forgetting to buy the milk, involves half hour driving back to town.

I think I'm swaying to town living.

agree that the city is not necessarily multiethnic - as a whole it is, but there's pockets of monocultures all over London - I live in one, think the breakdown is 85% black (mainly West African), 5% white (don't know if that's white British or just white), 15% other. It amuses me to think that my naice independent boarding girls' school in leafy Herts was more multicultural than any school DD could attend round here, in the inner city. And yet just down the road is Brixton, which is far more genuinely multicultural. And a hop, skip and a jump away is Kent, which frankly scares me. People round here are always moving to Kent for the schools, and I grant you it's lovely countryside, but I really don't want my local pub to be infested by the BNP. (and yes, I know that's not all of Kent).

lol at the italicised Kent

thing about racism in the city-is it is not a thousand or so white people and the 1 not white family, like what it is in the country. You know exactly what is going on with racism in the country and its impact

In the city, there is no 1 majority and no 1 minority; balance of power is normally more level. Its a whole different 'racism'

yy Mr Dob, in the country it isn't even "racism" as understood in cities, people would be horrified to be described as racist, it's just a deeply entrenched insularity and total lack of awareness

In cities you get bnp out and proud

in the country you get "Oh I love dark people, I saw one once on the telly 15 years ago"

YY hully

oh, and can I just point out that Only Fools and Horses wasn't filmed around here, but in Bristol. But Desmond's is here! or at least it was until about 6 months ago when it got turned into some poncetastic shop Anyone remember Desmond's . . . ?

I'll say it again, just for GetOrf - Kent.

yy Hully and MrDob - MIL's DP was shocked to be called racist by DH, when, in fact, he was being racist and there was no other way to describe it and DH wanted him to shut up as talking about immigrants in a loud clear voice in an area where you are the minority, by far, isn't the wisest idea

If you're out in the boondocks, I don't blame you for being peed off. I grew up in a market town, did the big city thing in my 20s and absolutely loved it, but have lived in villages both here and abroad ever since.

My DCs love living where we do (I think ), but if things get too quiet, they can hop on a train to London and be there within just over an hour. Transport links are pretty good on the whole. I suppose we do benefit from being in the London catchment - people who have moved to the "country" to bring up children (one or both parents still often commuting to London) or who visit their second homes at weekends still populate the proliferation of wine bars and foodie pubs we have round here and there is some of the top boutique shopping in the UK available. All in an area of outstanding natural beauty.

Jux I agree with whoever said that your city edge would come back. I do the slow-in-the-country thing, but the minute I get off the train in London, bam, my pace quickens, my senses are heightened, and I feel about 20 again (it drives my kids barmy that I walk everywhere so fast when I'm in London).

Anyone remember Desmond's . . . ?
oh I remember Desmonds, I am sure I have seen Porkpie down in Lewes more than once in the last few years -

Living in the countryside does my head in due to car dependency.
Once kids get to 10 or so it absolutely sucks to be dependent on your parents to get anywhere interesting.

Susi - Nelson Mandela house was in Acton or somewhere wasn't it? But yes, lots of the outside stuff is Bristol.And none of it is Peckham

Just googled, yes, Acton to start with. Bristol later on.

I always watched Desmond's even though I lived on the other side in Dalston then. The actress who played Gloria (the daughter) still lives round here. Found on YouTube for old times' sake!

Nelson Mandela house is in bristol (just round the corner )

I loved Desmonds.

Yes to racists in the country not thinking they are racists. They could have really strong beliefs in equality but day to day living alonsgdie somebody of a different race is different.

My mother adored Nelson Mandela, had Long Walk to Freedom proudly displayed she never read it and yet when she came to visit me in Gloucester she made all sorts of loud comments about the number of blacks and was scared of the women wearing niqab. I had to hiss at her to shut the fuck up (I recommend saying that to your mother, really satisfying actually).