Expats in the UK, or those who have gone home...what do you love/miss about the UK?

[catASTROPHE]

I'm pining for home (Australia) at the moment, but I know I see it through rose coloured glasses. I really want to enjoy the good things about being here while I can.

So, what do you like best
or, if you are now home, what do you miss?

Also, what was not as good as you imagined when you went home?

I'm a Brit in Oz. I really miss the English parks, sounds silly as I know there are lots of open spaces in Oz but it is all so dry and the ponds often have no water in them. I miss the greenery of England and the lush parks. (don't I sound British?!)

Also, M&S Percy Pigs. Have you had them? (they are yummy sweets!)
But I couldgo on and on , I miss everything about England at the moment. I am v homesick

I miss friendly little non-commital chats with total strangers. I miss crowding into the tube without being bowled into, knocked over, stood on. I miss the general courtesy, Marks and Spencers, the markets, the man selling newspapers at the entrance to the tube, friendly postmen, friendly bus-drivers, helpful shop-assistants, people who are more likely to make a joke of things than tear your head off, salt and vinegar crisps - and the pubs.

parks? Oh yeah the SQUIRRELS

SSShake, if you miss squirrals come over to our park (Humboldthain) they are every where (the red ones)and even come and eat out of your hand if you bring them nuts!

ok done! And now solve all my other problems please

I'm an Italian who has just moved back tto Italy after 10 years in the UK and I miss......everything!!!!

my house, my friends first of all, but also, the parks, the summer (yes, I hate the heat here), the fact that in general people are a lot more civilised (less jumping queues, cars actually stopping at pedestrian crossings), jobs, takeaways other than pizza, decent tv and newspapers, chidlren who don't swear..oh I could go on all day...

i miss the news of the world on Sundays . I love reading the goss, the papers here are so serious

Message withdrawn

"abroad" is a big place, you know

I lived in Germany for a year and the things I missed most were British newspapers (not such an issue now with the internet i imagine), Marmite, tea, crisps, British humour and OUR crap TV, which is about a hundred times better than THEIR crap TV!!

Do Italian children swear then webmum? The general perception here is that British children are the worst behaved in Europe, if not the world.

I've been in London (on and off) for 17 years. I live in Berlin for a year about 7 years ago and I missed the supermarkets and Ribena. The Ribena thing is weird because I hardly ever drank it before I went to Berlin, and I haven't drunk it at all since I came back.

I'm moving to Dublin in a couple of years and I know that I will miss Waitrose, and people minding their own business. I also appreciate people phoning before they call round, I used to feel discombobulated in Dublin by people just turning up, even more so if they just let themselves into the house.

hi bran

you wouldn't believe the things I hear in playgrounds!

The thing is that Italians in general tend to swear a lot, a that is regardless of education, class, ect, so obviously children do the same.

Also children tend to stay up late, and watch all sorts of things in tv. TThey know about sex and stuff like that from a very early age

My UK born and bred 6yold is incredibly naive in comparison!!

sss, where are you that the people are so unfriendly?

I miss British papers and magazines, book shops, cheese and the ease of getting about in the UK. In the summer here I miss rain (55plus last Aug). I miss bacon flavour crisps and proper potatoes.

going back to UK for a visit in May and cannot wait

Here is what i missed most when in Amsterdam:

• nice clean well kept parks and playgrounds

(Vondelpark is crap/ playgrounds are sometimes a health hazard)

• chatty london cabbies & local shopkeepers

(Amsterdamers not friendliest of people)

• waitrose and M&S

(only one supermarket and very basic fare)

Other than that, loved the place.

I live in Paris. I miss:

• friendly, kind strangers and general civility in public places, shops, at the doctors', etc
• the greenness and flowers
• Waitrose
• creativity and imagination of the English
• bookshops
• television
• variety

I miss newspapers, booshops, Robinsons juices, branston pickle, the pubs, and most of all girl friends.

I love that the British really understand the value of 'mind your own business'.

That being 'competitive' isn't that have all to end all here and there's not so much of your identity tied to your job.

I miss customer service, quality goods, creme fraiche, blueberries, raspberries, orange juice with bits, courteous drivers and consideration when parking,

oh and decent tv!!!!

...and the seasons

I miss:
-good bookshops
-books with covers that make you want to read the books (French publishers are fond of bland/blank covers)
-terms of affection used by complete strangers (taxi drivers calling you "love": I'd doubtless find it condescending/sexist if I lived in the UK, but I miss it)
-the haar (well, OK, only rarely!!)
-people queuing in a way I can fathom

totally agree about terms of affection Auld - never really think about it here, but it always strikes me when i go back to the uk. However i simply cannot imagine a french or belgian taxi driver calling people the equivalent of "love" etc!

We're getting some amazing haar tonight, Alliance.

dare i ask what is "haar"???