To think the UK is just a bit crap?

[moussakka]

Right don't get me wrong - I love being British and am super proud of being British. But having moved back recently, I just can't escape the feeling that everything's a bit... I don't know, nothing TERRIBLE, just a bit... well, crap? I don't know what it is exactly, but there's just a certain grimmness that I just can't put my finger on. Am I imagining it? Is it just re-entry shock?

What! You think Manchester is crap?!

I bloody love Manchester. I've lived in London, and two countries abroad, one being where my parents originated from. Couldn't wait to come home where people are generally polite and tolerant and you can just get on with living your life without every single thing being an issue somehow. Don't know how to explain that better but that's what it is. You can just get on with living your life in any way you please.

IMO the UK is the best place in the world to live. I know it has its faults, but I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

My DD has a Polish boyfriend. He moved to Scotland for free prescriptions as he couldn't afford his chronic condition, but found the clean Highland air cured him. Rural Perthshire, where I live, is gorgeous, with low crime, lots of space and a sense of community. I can pop to Edinburgh to enjoy the largest international arts festival when I want culture. The NHS saved my daughters life. What other country could offer me this? I have done lived in Manchester and did find it 'meh' but Manchester is not the UK.

I mean Manchester does not represent the whole of the U.K. - this is a diverse wee country.

IMO the UK is the best place in the world to live. I know it has its faults, but I wouldn't want to live anywhere else

I think the UK is the best place in the world to live (though Canada and Denmark sound good too).

This may be coloured by the utterly beautiful day I've had house hunting in London - so many trees filled with blossom, so green everywhere, so many lovely parks.

When it's sunny there's nowhere like the UK with its beer garden culture.

And I've no idea why anyone would say the foods bad

I lived abroad in my twenties, both Europe and Asia, and moved back to Manchester when I was 30. Tbh many things were crap to me, mostly the cost of living, transport, eating out, even getting a takeaway coffee feels quite a rip off in the UK. The weather is bad purely because it's unpredictable and the summer can be quite cold.

But I love the people and I have endless friends here (not that they are all British) I love the sense of humour.

When you live abroad there is always that novelty and you just don't get that in your home country. The last country I lived in was China and every day felt like an adventure. It's not like that now I live in England but I still feel my life is rich and interesting.

Is it wrong to LIKE a certain amount of British Whingeyness?

Not because its right.

But because its almost fun because its a sport.

And because our lack of satisfaction is actually a good thing in motivating people to improve things or to make things better. It shows we care.

I'd be more worried if we didn't moan and sat on our laurel and did nothing.

I love the UK, I've lived in Abu Dhabi for a while, although it was an exiting adventure to start with, it wasn't long before I wanted to be back in good old Blighty, I missed the culture, the weather- yes I know I'm insane, but when it's blistering dry desert heat day after day, week after week you long for proper rain, or a change from bloody sunshine at least! There was never any point in watching the weather forecast on TV over there, every forecast was the same whereas in the UK you can have snow one week and a heatwave the next...I love it! Although I moan at being cold I still prefer it to sweating profusely!

Cleaty

The racism in NZ shocked me

There is far, far less racism in NZ than the UK actually, as demonstrated by the ease with which migrant communities get representation in government and in business. The manner of conversing here is different: people are much, much slower to take offence here so people tend to speak their mind more. A few years back a male politician went on a massive rant about "front bums" taking over society. The general response was that he was being ridiculous rather than offensive.

Is it wrong to LIKE a certain amount of British Whingeyness? Not because its right. But because its almost fun because its a sport. And because our lack of satisfaction is actually a good thing in motivating people to improve things or to make things better. It shows we care. I'd be more worried if we didn't moan and sat on our laurel and did nothing.

^^ Yip

For me, by far the worst thing about the UK is the weather. I do seem to have bad luck whenever I visit, but packing jeans and sweaters etc for a summer holiday always depresses me.

After that it's the general shabbiness and unkempt look of many urban areas. I don't know why it's been allowed to get so scruffy. This is something I really noticed after living in Germany where things are generally pristine. Now I'm in Asia, I don't notice the scruff so much!

On the other hand, I think there are loads of great things about home that I'm always surprised to hear people moaning about. The UK does a lot of stuff very well which seems to go unappreciated.

I love spring, the gentle countryside and the flowers, light nights and a sense of anticipation in the air that summer is around the corner (even if it only lasts for a few days)!

Was the weather forecast like this Teddy1970:

I am sure it depends where you live in NZ. The racism in farming rural community was far more extreme than anything I have ever heard before. People kept saying the area was like in Britain in the 50s, and it was, including the negatives.

And I have black family members who live in rural farming communities in Britain. So I am comparing like with like. NZ was far far worse.

How crap a place feels depends on where and what you have to compare it to I suppose. If you are returning to Manchester or other industrial looking city, then the heavy, dark buildings, suburbs, default drizzle etc, is going to look grim if you are returning after a couple of years in a tiny Andalucian town, I imagine. I live in Leeds, and when I am on the bus home from the airport, all the rundown shops, buildings, greyness etc look so dismal. When I come back from visiting family in Germany, I'm aware of every late bus/train, slow service in restaurants and tables that are left uncleared etc. I am also aware of traditions there - candle-lit processions on certain saints days, shops shut on Sundays, certain foods being tradiitonal at certain times of years - a bit thing about white asparagus being served everywhere and it being special at that time. I love little annual traditions like that. I know we have Christmas but there always seems to be something 'traditional' to do/have etc there.

Saying that our family came over in the 1900's to escape the pogroms in Lithuania and I have a hell of a lot to be forever grateful to the UK for. It's free, there's a sense of fairness and people are generally helpful and friendly and band together in a crisis to help others here and overseas. The weather can't be helped and the economic gloom is having increasingly scary ramifications on health/education/social care etc. But compared with a hell of a lot of places, it's a damn good place to live.

I think it is grim. People working themselves to a frazzle just to keep their heads above the water. I've not been in Manchester for years. But it was pretty grim last time I went. I suppose everyone has their own ideas about the ideal place to live though.

It was me who mentioned the NZ expats who now live in the ME.. They don't live in a protected compound, they live in normal flats within the city and never experience crime. I always felt safe there until ISIS were in neighbouring countries (though there have been far more attacks in europe!) The police take things seriously and there is a lot of shame in being a criminal. I met a lot of Americans too who felt safer due to all the shootings in schools in the US.
The NZ expats were mostly from Auckland I think and said burglaries and assaults were frequent, abusive people on the streets etc. I also have a transvestite friend from Hamilton who hardly leaves the house because of people shouting vile stuff at him. It's sad when somewhere beautiful is marred by its people.. I would love to visit Syria as it is meant to be stunning but I won't be.

I love the UK for it's beautiful countryside, fab pubs with huge fireplaces and the humour.

I hate the weather and lack of access to leisure. I also think the councils are shite at fixing potholes, tidying up roundabouts and clearing up rubbish.

I moved to Australia last year and I play netball every morning. There are so many sports centres that have creche facilities so the mums can play team sports, go to the gym or just do something active. It's also very clean. The roads are open and clean and well managed.

But, it's not England. And I will always miss home.

I think who you are has an influence on how good a place to live. There are places that if you are white, able bodied and straight may be lovely to live in. But if you are black, gay or disabled may be terrible.

Very smug and happy to live in the Peak District. Happy, chatty friendly people, beautiful scenery, plenty going on and lovely walks, a bit old fashioned and un-changed by the hands of time. Have lived all over the place (on a narrow boat for 10 years) and there are some utter hell holes in the UK. You just need to find somewhere that suits you and your needs.

YABU.
It has wonderful and diverse scenery.
It's pretty tolerant, by and large.
Friendly and accepting people.
Free healthcare.
Variety of weather and seasons.
Beautiful flora and fauna.
And it has been sunny for days!

It's dirtier than Germany where I grew up, which was lovely and clean. Here there is so much rubbish chucked about and things in disrepair and just a general shabbiness that didn't exist where I grew up.

But there's more opportunity here, and I think the positives outweigh the negatives.

The traffic congestion and pollution are awful. The worst in the world for dangerous diesel fumes. Things are pretty run-down, especially in poor areas. The growing inequality, and how so many are struggling to make ends meet. The fuck those who don't vote for us approach from the government. How all those important things that used to be in public ownership now seem to be owned by other countries. The knowledge that so much is getting worse, and that life will be so tough for our children. The refusal to take the environment seriously. How everything is viewed in terms of how much profit it makes.

nauticant yes it was like that!