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AIBU?

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Original poster

My soul aches for England

232 replies

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 😢

OP posts:
SaltySeaCat · 03/12/2023 15:29

Supertatofortea · 03/12/2023 10:17

@Finlesswonder Where did you come back from, out of interest?

Finland?! 🇫🇮

Ramalangadingdong · 03/12/2023 17:04

Livelovebehappy · 03/12/2023 14:07

But you can still appreciate its magical for others. My father died on Xmas day 10 years ago. So it’s hard, but it doesn’t stop us understanding that just because it’s difficult for some, that that doesnt mean it has to be miserable for everyone.

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I haven’t seen anyone saying others should be miserable. It is ok to hate xmas and people who do shouldn’t be made to feel like party poopers. The worst thing in the world is someone trying to make you “join in the fun” when you are depressed. It doesn’t help.

BadPennyReturns · 03/12/2023 17:23

I'm a seasoned traveller and have lived overseas. I have always appreciated my home in England especially at this time of year.

I went to the Xmas market today and know exactly what you mean about the run up to Christmas. Despite quite a bit of snowfall overnight there was lots of people enjoying the street foods, stalls, funfair, ice rink and buying goods. Popped in some of the biggies such as M&S, John Lewis, Next, Boots etc and they were bustling with Xmas present buyers. But the best bit was the twinkly lights as we drove home listening to Last Christmas.

However, must say that my favourite time of year is spring 😁

hastiestofjennies · 03/12/2023 17:28

I used to live in Canada and I'm always grateful to be back home in England!

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 03/12/2023 17:40

Sheffield has just been declared the snowiest place in U.K.

I hate it, huge dollops of the stuff every fucking winter. I long for the 11 years lived in mild Manchester.

DisquietintheRanks · 03/12/2023 17:46

Sheffield has just been declared the snowiest place in the UK.

Snowiest city in England isn't it? We do get snow but no one is thinking of opening a ski resort.

MsRosley · 03/12/2023 19:11

Yeah, it's totally like The Holiday here right now... not.

Michiru · 03/12/2023 19:15

I trade your snow for the rain we've had all day today, and the heavy rain we're predicted tomorrow (my car is in the garage, so I will have the pleasure of cycling in that. I much prefer cycling in the snow.)

ithinkthatmaybeimdreaming · 03/12/2023 19:27

YireosDodeAver · 03/12/2023 10:09

It's just damp and drizzly. But sometimes the soul can ache for damp and drizzly.

It's damp and drizzly here - but it's supposedly summer!!

My soul never aches for damp and drizzly, and right now it aches for sunshine and heat. 🌞

Original poster
Supertatofortea · 03/12/2023 20:48

@DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy Where are you?

OP posts:
Original poster
Supertatofortea · 03/12/2023 20:48

@Mariluisa What age did you return and how long had you been living away and where?

OP posts:
CatsCocktailsCareers · 03/12/2023 20:52

TerribleWoman · 03/12/2023 10:36

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.

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Disabled woman here and I agree with @TerribleWoman. Having a good moan is our national pastime though, as Brits! 😁

DdraigGoch · 03/12/2023 21:27

AInightingale · 03/12/2023 12:59

That might be the case OP but just be thankful you're not having to pay for gas in the middle of this freeze. I love winter, but it's painfully expensive now.

The UK's gas prices are much cheaper than several European nations (including Sweden). https://www.statista.com/statistics/702735/household-natural-gas-prices-in-selected-countries/

Household natural gas prices by country 2022 | Statista

European countries have some of the highest natural gas prices for households worldwide.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/702735/household-natural-gas-prices-in-selected-countries

cardibach · 04/12/2023 00:04

Zone2NorthLondon · 03/12/2023 13:19

I see the usual flurry of whines and complaints. Yes,It is cold crack the fuck on.
and before anyone pipes up about being in London I have lived in waaay colder places in the uk and cracked on, continued to work etc
Imo cold is easier to deal with than extreme heat

It really isn’t.

DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy · 04/12/2023 03:58

@Supertatofortea Middle East

Thursa · 04/12/2023 04:10

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.

We live in America now. Eldest child went to the city for a concert this weekend and I worried all the time. It’s just a year since there was a shooting in a nightclub in our town.

When we lived in Europe he was a teenager and I never had to worry like this when he was out at night.

WhatwasthestoryinBalamory · 04/12/2023 08:14

I don't think English people are proud of their identity, which leaves a vacuum for people like Tommy Robinson

Oh come on - just about every other country in Europe has a stronger far right movement than the UK - including the supposedly tolerant Nordics.

The English have a very strong cultural identity and are incredibly inclusive and tolerant.

VanityDiesHard · 04/12/2023 09:52

cardibach · 04/12/2023 00:04

It really isn’t.

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Yes, it is. You can always put clothes on, but there are limits to how many clothes you can take off.

cardibach · 04/12/2023 14:30

VanityDiesHard · 04/12/2023 09:52

Yes, it is. You can always put clothes on, but there are limits to how many clothes you can take off.

Show quote history

It really isn’t. It doesn’t matter how many clothes I put on I can’t get warm. Im just uncomfortable and my mobility is affected by all the layers. My face and hands and feet are still freezing.
In summer I wear loose, comfy linen clothes and if it’s still sticky I put on a fan - cheap to run and actually makes me cool. Heating costs a fucking fortune.

SeaGlassTreasure · 04/12/2023 14:32

Mine too. I think about moving back each year.

Daphnis156 · 04/12/2023 14:34

I wouldn't let your soul worry too much- not because England is awful, but because it's winter, grey, cold short days, rain, snow...

Ahwhatthehell · 04/12/2023 14:56

I would love to live in England again. I miss it so much, especially at this time of the year. It really is a great country.

Mariluisa · 04/12/2023 15:43

Supertatofortea · 03/12/2023 20:48

@Mariluisa What age did you return and how long had you been living away and where?

@Supertatofortea I was early 40s when we returned to uk. Had lived there twice - Munich. In total over 13 years. It was an amazing place to live and I’ll never regret it. Equally it would never be home for me compared to other places I’ve spent far less time in. I had a real soul ache to be back in the landscape of the Uk by the last couple of years, but I wasn’t unhappy living there. Confusing eh??

sugarandsweetener · 04/12/2023 15:54

Daphnis156 · 04/12/2023 14:34

I wouldn't let your soul worry too much- not because England is awful, but because it's winter, grey, cold short days, rain, snow...

whereabouts are you?

In Kent… winter days are often sunny, crisp and quite beautiful!

Right now? more grey than anything else! but certainly not “cold”. about 8 degrees and windless

Benibidibici · 04/12/2023 15:55

I love England. It's why you couldn't pay me to emigrate

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