Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think we're so lucky to live in this area (UK)

73 replies

fifi669 · 22/12/2013 23:19

DP and I were just talking about where in the world we'd rather live. Although we all like to moan about high bills etc. we came to the conclusion we've done ok!

Lack of natural predators or other dangerous/deadly animals and insects, no civil war, no weird dictators (thinking North Korea rather than some political statement), no volcanoes, tornados, earthquakes, tsunamis or other major natural disasters in this area to write home about. Not too hot, not too cold...

Feeling bloody lucky. Esp as I'm in glorious Cornwall :)

OP posts:
Skogkat · 23/12/2013 00:30

I live in Norway and I know I am incredibly lucky to live where I am. When I was 7, we moved to Burkina Faso for six years, where my parents both worked for a charity (training medical assistans) and I am very grateful for being born into the circumstances I was and in the country I am in.

I think Britain comes second though Wink Even DH (he's Spanish and proud) thinks that Britain is definitely better than his home country to live in. So GB is in second place on the top country list, after Norway.

ViviPru · 23/12/2013 00:31

YANBU. I love it. Comparative tolerance, equality and opportunity. It irks me that the media pedals such a negative reflection.

LessMissAbs · 23/12/2013 00:35

I'm currently working in Belgium, and have lived previously in The Netherlands, Northern Italy, Switzerland and Southern Germany, mostly living in the UK in Scotland though. I've come to the conclusion that in Northern European terms, the UK is a bit under par and the standard of living isn't that high. I prefer Belgium. I found the Netherlands more friendly than Scotland and Belgium both, but in 5 and a bit months in Belgium, I've been invited into more Belgian's houses than I was in 3 1/2 years in Aberdeen!

I also found the climate quite harsh in Scotland - yes, no hurricaines or earthquakes, but very damp and dark which can lead to longer term health problems, particularly when you combine it with trying to get to work on the poor quality public transport. I also find Scotland a bit intolerant politically which is worrying and not particularly politically diverse.

MrsMook · 23/12/2013 00:40

I love travelling and have been to some obscure places. But I always appreciate what we have here.

4 days on the Trans-Siberian seeing nothing but silver birch trees made me appreciate how diverse British landscapes are. Go 15 miles, and you're looking at somewhere very different!

echt · 23/12/2013 07:29

Without the tourists, Cornwall would be dead.

This is something I always tried to remember when tourists would stop at the top of the escalator or entry of the tube for a map look in London. They are part of this country's bread and butter.

BikeRunSki · 23/12/2013 07:33

I was born and brought up in London, and have spent the last 15 years in Yorkshire. Two of my three siblings love abroad (France, Oz) and I couldn't agree Ruth the OP more. Except for childcare costs!

SMorgauseBordOfChristmasTat · 23/12/2013 07:35

Wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

SeaDevilscanPlay · 23/12/2013 07:43

We are incredibly lucky and I wouldnt want to live anywhere else.

comingintomyown · 23/12/2013 07:59

YANBU

I used to do a course in a centre which did the UK Citizenship exam and often thought how lucky people here are and many don't even realise it

jellybeanlover · 23/12/2013 08:00

Yes, my father chose to live here, when WW2 ended, the allied troops who were effectively exiled from their homelands, were given a choice of the UK or US, and i always loved the tale my father would tell about choosing England, very proud to be British !

Original poster
fifi669 · 23/12/2013 10:10

I am particularly chuffed to be in Cornwall, best part of the country in one of the best countries in the world IMO! Kernow bys Vyken!

OP posts:
Joysmum · 23/12/2013 10:45

If love to move to Cornwall or anywhere in the countryside in the southwest.

This country is stunning and I wish we could afford to live in the countryside.

SmiteYouWithThunderbolts · 23/12/2013 10:48

Every now and then I get really fed up with the UK, but then I think about where else in the world I could live and really cannot think of anywhere better. We have a long way to go before I'd say the UK is an ideal place to live, but we're certainly the best of a bad bunch.

MadeOfStarDust · 23/12/2013 10:49

Gloucestershire is great too!!! Decent countryside, great people, transport etc and 2 hours or less from everywhere I need to get to...

ivykaty44 · 23/12/2013 10:52

without tourists the economy would suffer drastically

I love living where I do in the UK and wouldn't want to move - if I had to choice another country though i think it would be one of the benelux

thornrose · 23/12/2013 10:55

I was just saying the same to my dd the other day. The UK is a place with no real extremes, it's reassuringly predictable. Dd has AS so it suits her down to the ground Grin

I used to think it was boring but now I really appreciate it.

MagnifyingGlassSearch · 23/12/2013 10:57

Disclaimer: my post is full of generalisations

I am Spanish but have been living in the UK for almost 19 years now. I have always thought that the UK is a much better place to live in than Spain. There are more job/career opportunities in the UK, Spain is a right mess, less nepotism in the UK whilst in Spain people still check your surname to see if you're worth talking to, the UK is a very charitable country whilst I feel Spain is selfish and corruption ridden, there are far more child geared activities here and is a far more child friendly country. Everytime I take my young DC to Spain I struggle to find activities for them and the parks are pitiful, not to mention dog owners have no respect for others. If you live in a city you are pretty much stuck in a concrete jungle whilst the UK has greenery everywhere. I know these are massive generalisations but I agree with the OP, the UK is a fantastic place to live, and the food isn't that bad either!!! I will say thought that the UK is more conservative than I would like and people in general are distant, but still, I wouldn't live anywhere else.

mijas99 · 23/12/2013 11:04

PeaceLoveAndCandy. Seriously? We have 2 small children and couldnt imagine a more child friendly place than Spain. I am British, my OH is Spanish.

People love children and we have a countless number of parks, beaches - and mountains, where we take them to enjoy themselves (we live in Asturias). But just going round the shops is so enjoyable as the children are made such a fuss of.

There are definitely less organised activities for very young children, that is true.

Spain is in a mess at the minute, but if you have a good job earning good money (like luckily we do) then it is wonderful

As for the UK being the best country in the world. Of course it isnt, it is a stupid think to say, mainly because it is an impossible thing to judge. There are much worse places but to go around saying it would be ignorant and rude in the extreme

cleofatra · 23/12/2013 11:07

I now live in Australia and wouldnt like to return to live in UK. I am planning for my old age and even at 50 find I cant cope as well with the damp and cold. It gets harder every year.
Both my husband and I agree that being elderly there isnt for us.

Clunch · 23/12/2013 11:11

I'm an immigrant and I love it here, warts and all. Having said that, most of the time I've spent living in England was in my grubby, ugly, beloved London. I'm finding life in a small, white, overwhelmingly Tory Middle England village much less endearing, and it compares poorly in terms of diversity of people, activity, eccentricity etc with an equivalent village in my home country. So when I say 'I love living here', perhaps I mean London, really...?

I love visiting Cornwall, but when a close friend moved there, I realised how impoverished many people who live there are. I still love going there, but it has made me see it rather differently.

CookiecutterShark · 23/12/2013 11:14

And being borm in the UK also gives you the advantage of being a native speaker of English, which is also not to be sniffed at.

shadylane · 23/12/2013 11:20

The uk is great. But I think it's silly to say one country is better than another. I think much of England and Scotland to be extremely beautiful, but people outside of l

shadylane · 23/12/2013 11:23

Oops people outside of london aren't always easy to crack. I l love london because you can be anyone. Doesn't feel the same in all cities. But I think Scandinavia and Spain and Canada and New York would all be amazing places to live! Cornwall and Devon are so beautiful but 60 percent of Cornish people live below the poverty line and I find it oppressively conservative.

Birdsgottafly · 23/12/2013 11:29

I agree to an extent.

We live in relative safety in the UK and if you stop wanting what you don't need, you can survive (and live a little) on benefit rates (pre bedroom tax that is).

I have lived on Income Support pre Child tax credits but thought myself lucky compared to my GM as a LP during the 30's.

I don't think that enough people take into account what they do have.

However, it isn't moaning if you are addressing real issues. I live in a high crime area, the local teens were throwing missiles at cars the other week and it was ignored by the police, until a man has ended up in hospital.

They were ignored throwing fireworks, until they targeted a blind woman and her dog ( to give an example how scummy they are). But we all lived in fear.

We were concerned that our area would be allowed to go like Norris Green ( L11) has, we still have high drug/gun/violent crime, though.

If you live in Cornwall and have managed to be housed there, then I can see your POV, though.

printedslippers · 23/12/2013 12:11

I'm a Londoner too and whenever those 'best place to live' surveys come out I can never understand them. I'm not white and I'd find many places in the UK (or abroad) that are supposed to have a high quality of living, too conservative for me. But because of my parent/husband's nationality, I have the opportunity to easily move elsewhere but things like natural disasters, dangerous wildlife, lack of public transport and lack of diversity put me off.

I live in a statistically high crime area, but have never actually been a victim of crime myself in 11 years of living here. I wish the weather was a bit warmer and more reliable here though!