Page 2 | My soul aches for England

Heloo · 03/12/2023 10:17

You are homesick is all. People who move from their homelands often feel like this, assuming that’s what you’ve done. My dads soul used to ache for his homeland too. Reality is, it’s good, bad, everything, you take yourself wherever you go. But I’m in London, it’s great, but dirty and my soul doesn’t ache for some imagined past, it was fucking dirty and difficult a century ago, for instance.

Lex345 · 03/12/2023 10:18

Its a lovely time of year if you are not struggling.

I am not struggling, but it upsets me to see just how many people are. Christmas must be very difficult.

Its not being miserable to have your eyes open.

Doggymummar · 03/12/2023 10:20

Circularargument · 03/12/2023 10:08

It's cold and damp and it's winter in the Northern Hemisphere. What do people expect? Stay in and read a book, that's my plan😋

Me too with a bottle of Bailey's

theduchessofspork · 03/12/2023 10:21

AhBiscuits · 03/12/2023 10:15

It's a lovely time of year.
Being a miserable fucker is a typical British / Mumsnet thing.

This exactly

unless you really hate winter obviously

homesickness is normal OP, but I am guessing where you are has many plus points

EasternStandard · 03/12/2023 10:22

Finlesswonder · 03/12/2023 10:11

I moved back to UK a few months ago and it's great.

The UK has always been down on itself, most of the chronic whiners can't quite bring themselves to try somewhere else...

It seems an mn thing in particular

Op it’s not snowing where I am and the pics on another thread do look beautiful

Amazedtobesane · 03/12/2023 10:23

I get you, OP. For a few years I worked in Taiwan where there are barely noticeable seasons. It was hot and humid almost all the time and my mind often went to England. One night I had a dream about snow and woke up to find it was 30C and I was drenched in sweat, I could have cried. My soul ached for England too. After coming back to the UK, even the chilly dampness is acceptable. Pavements sparkling with ice are glorious. I love being fully dressed and not overheating and I love being able to wear socks all year round. Yes, it's cold in winter but it's easier to warm up than cool down. With all its faults, I love England and wish to live nowhere else.

MatineeLaughs · 03/12/2023 10:24

I love this time of year in London. No snow yet, but cold and Christmassy.

Jan & Feb are fucking bleak, though. Hope that’s cheered you up a bit! 😆

TerribleWoman · 03/12/2023 10:24

The worst thing about middle class England is that we cannot see, despite the issues, how incredibly lucky and privileged we are to be living here.

It's a country that isn't too hot or too cold. It isn't too wet or too dry. It isn't dangerous; we aren't going to be washed away by a tsunami or have our houses shaken to oblivion by an earthquake. No volcano will spew lava over our cities. We can walk in the countryside alone without a bear or lion stalking us. We can put shoes on without a scorpion check and don't have to panic that any spider in the dark corners of the kitchen cupboard is likely to kill us.

Our government is a bit shit of course, but we have options to change that; and it's a bit shit as opposed to despotic or psychotic. Anyone coming on to draw a parallel between the Tories and right wing dictatorships in South America, don't go there. They are not the same.

We get healthcare free at point of use, and yes it's hard to get to see a GP but no one will go bankrupt because they got cancer, like in USA, or watch helplessly as their child dies from diarrhea for want of clean drinking water and dehydration sachets like in rural sub Saharan Africa.

We are some of the luckiest people on the planet in the grand scheme of things, and yet it's de rigeur to do our country down and moan continually. I don't understand why.

gingercat02 · 03/12/2023 10:26

We have a lovely covering of snow, and it's very pretty. I'm one of the rare Brits who likes snow and doesn't mind driving in it.
If you are reasonably well-off, Britain is fine. Sadly, if you are poor, it is appalling.

Finlesswonder · 03/12/2023 10:29

It's also nice to be somewhere where Christmas is a month long time of cheer. Loads of carols, Christmas markets, dinners, parties, even a living advent calendar through the streets near me. Where I used to live on the continent Christmas was such a serious, elegant but honestly quite downbeat time. You'd have the lavish beautiful Christmas meal and a few cocktail parties but otherwise out on the streets it had a kind of dark Victorian feel. Christmas in THE UK is way more fun

cheezncrackers · 03/12/2023 10:31

I can understand your soul aching for home, less so the utter disaster that this country becomes when we get a couple of inches of snow! Cue drivers heading out who have no idea how to drive in snow, skidding, hitting other cars, blocking the road, preventing emergency vehicles getting through, etc

Rubyupbeat · 03/12/2023 10:35

I love cold, grey and wet. Cold, white and freezing. Thoroughly dislike hot, hot, hot. I just love England, SO MUCH!

Zoologydragon · 03/12/2023 10:35

@sugarandsweetener you must live in a much nicer part than me 😂

itsmyp4rty · 03/12/2023 10:36

I bet in the summer when it rained most of the time you were happy to be where you are OP!

Here it's been freezing fog for the last few days, it might look beautiful but it's just been horribly cold and miserable. And the cost of heating is through the roof. Now it's turned drizzly, super.

TerribleWoman · 03/12/2023 10:36

gingercat02 · 03/12/2023 10:26

We have a lovely covering of snow, and it's very pretty. I'm one of the rare Brits who likes snow and doesn't mind driving in it.
If you are reasonably well-off, Britain is fine. Sadly, if you are poor, it is appalling.

It's less appalling than most countries in the world. This is the kind of thing I don't get.

My son is disabled. There is a system that enables him to have another person advocate for him even though he is an adult. I have secured him pip. He gets unemployment benefit and again the system has assessed that he is not capable of work yet so he gets additional payments. If he were capable of living alone he would be entitled to a one bed flat rather than having to house share, because of his disability.
Of course the system doesn't always work and individuals have poor decisions made against them- I particularly worry about those who have no one to advocate for them - but the principle of the law is not to just let people starve. Provision is made. It may not always work. You can't tell me my son would be better off as a disabled adult in India or Sri Lanka or most of Africa or South America.

determinedtomakethiswork · 03/12/2023 10:36

CalistoNoSolo · 03/12/2023 10:02

My soul aches for England (and the rest of the UK) too, but for very different reasons.

Yes, mine does too.

Natsku · 03/12/2023 10:37

I do miss community events in the UK - Brits really know how to do them. Christmas events, summer events, all that stuff. So the run up to Christmas is one time when I really miss the UK.

I get better snow where I am though, and our cars have winter tyres so driving isn't an issue.

EasternStandard · 03/12/2023 10:38

TerribleWoman · 03/12/2023 10:24

The worst thing about middle class England is that we cannot see, despite the issues, how incredibly lucky and privileged we are to be living here.

It's a country that isn't too hot or too cold. It isn't too wet or too dry. It isn't dangerous; we aren't going to be washed away by a tsunami or have our houses shaken to oblivion by an earthquake. No volcano will spew lava over our cities. We can walk in the countryside alone without a bear or lion stalking us. We can put shoes on without a scorpion check and don't have to panic that any spider in the dark corners of the kitchen cupboard is likely to kill us.

Our government is a bit shit of course, but we have options to change that; and it's a bit shit as opposed to despotic or psychotic. Anyone coming on to draw a parallel between the Tories and right wing dictatorships in South America, don't go there. They are not the same.

We get healthcare free at point of use, and yes it's hard to get to see a GP but no one will go bankrupt because they got cancer, like in USA, or watch helplessly as their child dies from diarrhea for want of clean drinking water and dehydration sachets like in rural sub Saharan Africa.

We are some of the luckiest people on the planet in the grand scheme of things, and yet it's de rigeur to do our country down and moan continually. I don't understand why.

Agree

Angrycat2768 · 03/12/2023 10:38

cheezncrackers · 03/12/2023 10:31

I can understand your soul aching for home, less so the utter disaster that this country becomes when we get a couple of inches of snow! Cue drivers heading out who have no idea how to drive in snow, skidding, hitting other cars, blocking the road, preventing emergency vehicles getting through, etc

The thing is that thats' because it hardly ever gets bad, and when it does, its for a couple of days. If we bought snowploughs, they would just be sitting rusting away for most of the year, and we'd have them in the wrong places. If we lived in Canada they would be in use for at least 3 months, clearing away huge snowdrifts, so they are worth it. I get the feeling (based on nothing) that the OP is not from the UK and lives somewhere warm with no Christmas markets etc. I do like a Christmas fete/ market/ carols etc. My DS is learning to play the trumpet so he loves to listen to the brass bands. All that is really nice. But its bloody freezing and not snowing and I had to go to Mountain Warehouse to buy ski base layers not for skiing, just to sit in the house without having the heating on full blast all day!

Rubyupbeat · 03/12/2023 10:38

TerribleWoman · 03/12/2023 10:24

The worst thing about middle class England is that we cannot see, despite the issues, how incredibly lucky and privileged we are to be living here.

It's a country that isn't too hot or too cold. It isn't too wet or too dry. It isn't dangerous; we aren't going to be washed away by a tsunami or have our houses shaken to oblivion by an earthquake. No volcano will spew lava over our cities. We can walk in the countryside alone without a bear or lion stalking us. We can put shoes on without a scorpion check and don't have to panic that any spider in the dark corners of the kitchen cupboard is likely to kill us.

Our government is a bit shit of course, but we have options to change that; and it's a bit shit as opposed to despotic or psychotic. Anyone coming on to draw a parallel between the Tories and right wing dictatorships in South America, don't go there. They are not the same.

We get healthcare free at point of use, and yes it's hard to get to see a GP but no one will go bankrupt because they got cancer, like in USA, or watch helplessly as their child dies from diarrhea for want of clean drinking water and dehydration sachets like in rural sub Saharan Africa.

We are some of the luckiest people on the planet in the grand scheme of things, and yet it's de rigeur to do our country down and moan continually. I don't understand why.

@Terrible woman Thank you for this post, it is so heartwarmingly true. People just forget how priveledged we are.

RedHelenB · 03/12/2023 10:40

Supertatofortea · 03/12/2023 09:56

I live in another European country

Seeing all the snowy posts and the variety of fun Christmas things to do has made me pine for it more 😢

Yanbu. I love living here, the 4 distinct season's are one of the bright spots. Where I live is cheap and beautiful. Kids play out, people know each other and talk. And Christmas is such a lovely time of year, particularly when it snows.

JaneyGee · 03/12/2023 10:40

Wow…somebody saying something positive about England!! I had to re-read your post OP. I’m so used to sneering hatred towards this country that I find it hard to compute.

Zamzamzamdeedah · 03/12/2023 10:41

Where in Europe are you approx? Good chance you might have plenty of snow not long drive away

KnottyKnitting · 03/12/2023 10:42

CalistoNoSolo · 03/12/2023 10:02

My soul aches for England (and the rest of the UK) too, but for very different reasons.

Yeah - I thought the post was going to be about something entirely different...

Carouselfish · 03/12/2023 10:43

I'm near Wales and yes it's muddy and cold but it's also stunning. Thr frost on the trees yesterday was incredibly magical. And I'm grateful for those British people who are pragmatic and firmly based in the real world, not isolationist or religious or fake friendly or plastic surgeried or obsessed with money...(one side of my family comes from another country and many of them tick many of these boxes, or their friends do)