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Living overseas

Whether you're considering emigrating or an expat abroad, you'll find likeminds on this forum.

Original poster

I Hate London

338 replies

JamSandwiches45 · 02/07/2018 05:48

We've been here as a family for three years now. We moved from Auckland, New Zealand. I can't be the only expat that spends every day regretting the decision?!

Apart from the shopping and the proximity to Europe/US for holidays, I can't think of one thing that's better here than we had at home. The place is a filthy ghetto! The general attitude/reluctance for people to actually put in a hard days work is astounding. I won't even mention the schools, are DH is a supply teacher and the stories I hear are beyond me.. I fear for his safety daily.

I miss my house on the beach! Time to pack it in and go home I think.

OP posts:
BrexitWife · 03/07/2018 11:01

Sorry echt I clearly misread your posts.

LadyRochfordsHoickedGusset · 03/07/2018 11:51

Mine just says London, doesn't say where in London.

frankiestein401 · 03/07/2018 12:16

mine uses the birth registration district - which doesnt actually exist as a town

EenyMeenyMo · 03/07/2018 14:19

My late DF was accused of being a freeloader when trying to get treatment for his terminal cancer - he was a British citizen who lived here - it was a horrible situation so I do sympathise but I do view it as a one off which doesn't detract from what the NHS does.

Re London - I agree with whoever said London is marmite- I love London - I've always worked here and lived here for years. Yes its dirty and grimy but also beautiful - full of historic buildings. I always found it friendly- different to smaller places- a lot of friendliness in London is about giving people personal space but I've been picked up when I've fallen down and looked after when I'm sick and got to know local shopkeepers etc or just chatted to passing strangers. But many including my DP hate it - he can't see beyond the busy, full on nature of it which is worse if you don't know where you are going or are new to it.
I do find the workshy point odd though- I've worked with/in a lot of different countries and the work ethic in London is huge - I'm not saying its productive but the hours put in are stupid!

I am about to become an expat myself and want to make sure I enjoy what my new country has to offer rather than lamenting what it doesn't. I'm actually a bit worried that i'll find the working attitude hard to deal with (a lot more nine-five) and a lot of focus on beaches - I like variety!
DF flipped between here and his home country and the grass was always greener in the other one.

IrianOfW · 03/07/2018 14:52

You sound at the end of your rope OP. Sorry to hear you've had a shitty time.

I enjoy visiting London but I don't live in London. have never lived in London and would never consider living in London unless I was seriously wealthy.

NZ has always sounded like a beautiful place to live.

However I suspect I would have bridled a bit at your initial comments if I was a Londoner.... or a native of Staffordshire for that matter!

If you decide not to go home to NZ there are other cities in different parts of the UK where you might be happier. London is huge, noisy, busy and overwhelming. I also find it fascinating and exciting but if you don't I can see it would be a bit grim.

Good luck. Hope you find a place that suits you better..

GorgonLondon · 03/07/2018 15:07

Irian see how you were able to express the fact that you personally wouldn't like to live in London without claiming that it is objectively an appalling place and everyone in it is a workshy racist cunt.

It's these subtle little gradations of tone that make all the difference Grin

I can't imagine even visiting somewhere on holiday and describing it in the way that OP phrased her posts, let alone somewhere I'd chosen to move to.

have a dream of moving to a particular foreign country- if I ever do get there, and find out it's not what it's cracked up to be, I won't be shouting all over the internet about how everyone there is awful and it's a terrible place. But possibly have the humility and intelligence to recognise that it just wasn't right for me.

I am a Londoner, but to be honest I would find OP's posts absolutely disgusting if they were about anywhere else - including those places that I personally haven't enjoyed staying in.

Her attitude stinks and I think she's had a pretty easy ride of it on here, considering some of the things she's said.

Jb291 · 03/07/2018 18:36

OP. Seriously just go home to NZ if you hate the British people and hate London and hate Staffordshire and hate the NHS. You sound incredibly aggressive and rude and entitled. Your nasty little digs about the British people and insinuating that we are work shy and racist are vile.

DevilsDoorbell · 03/07/2018 19:57

If you hate it that much, go back to no. No one is forcing you to stay here. You have chosen to come here. I agree London is dirty but it’s a big city home to millions of people, what do you expect?

And surely you must understand that to insinuate that Londoners (and brits in general) are lazy is going to piss people off and get the reaction you got.

London and even the uk might not suit you but it suits many others

LegoBitcho · 03/07/2018 20:37

The OP posted in living in overseas for a reason. It's probably not London or the UK so much as she hates not being at home.

Fucks sake I hate this pile on attitude. If you've never lived on the other side of the world from your friends and family, taken yourself massively out of your comfort zone and then to top if off felt trapped then you should really fuck off and just let the OP have a moan.

I used to hate London in summer @OP. It stunk, people acted ridiculous in the heat (Just need to look at all the I hate summer threads 🙄) but what it really was was that summer made me miss home more. I was fine in winter, pissing rain, snow, short days, well that meant an adventure, not like home but not.

It will pass OP. As I said upthread, I've been here 10 years and probably only the last 3 years started to really like summer.

Whirlytastic · 03/07/2018 21:02

Blimey OP. You okay hun?

Chanelprincess · 03/07/2018 21:13

Your nasty little digs about the British people and insinuating that we are work shy

I found that a very interesting comment given that it is often cited that Maori are lazy and low achievers. Obviously that's a sweeping generalisation, but the perception is there.

GorgonLondon · 03/07/2018 21:40

It's not a common perception here Chanel. I doubt that more than 1% of the British population has anything more than the vaguest concept of who the Maori people are. No one has been racist towards Maori people on this thread. Not even the tiniest bit. OP, on the other hand, has been hugely offensive and racist towards others.

Chanelprincess · 03/07/2018 23:29

GorgonLondon

I'm not sure I understand your point. I was pointing out that the OP insinuated British people are workshy as an entire nation and I was responding that there is a perception that Maori are also lazy and workshy, but to assume that this applies to every Maori would be pretty ridiculous so why do the same to British people. I completely agree that the OP's comments were highly offensive.

GorgonLondon · 03/07/2018 23:43

Ah OK then Chanel, apologies, I think I misunderstood your post. It sounds like we're on the same page Smile

Oliversmumsarmy · 03/07/2018 23:48

Why come to a country that the OP despised before she even got here.

Kursk · 04/07/2018 00:02

OP I am a Brit who went to university in London, was stuck there for 3 years. I disliked it too, and the UK in general. I found London to be a concrete jungle. Yes you could do a lot of stuff but if your think is chilling with a beer around a camp fire your screwed.

We moved to the USA and found it to be safer, cleaner and much more friendly.

As for the work ethic comment. DH and I do work hard but not because we are British.

Chanelprincess · 04/07/2018 00:05

GorgonLondon

We definitely are. Smile

PersisFord · 04/07/2018 08:30

Guys, the OP has said some pretty nasty things here....but she is a long way from home and her family, in a very different culture, caring for a disabled child in a different healthcare system, with a DH who is unhappy at work. It’s not exactly a recipe for happiness, is it? I don’t see why she is taking such a kicking. Is it too much to expect that you could roll your eyes and move on, rather than pile in?

And why say that about Maori Chanel ? Why say it at all? Do you think it will make the OP feel better and more at home?

DevilsDoorbell · 04/07/2018 08:49

I have lived in a different country, away from friends and family and yes it was tough. I did get homesick at times and had problems. However I didn’t blame everything on the country I was living in and the other people living there.

If you have a snarky attitude be prepared to get it back

Yes it’s ok to vent and moan but not have a go in the way op did.

Chanelprincess · 04/07/2018 09:44

PersisFord

Posting offensive statements on a public forum will not make the OP any better. I think it's quite clear why I made the point regarding Maori and how ridiculous it is to generalise.

malovitt · 04/07/2018 09:57

I've lived in London for over 40 years and have travelled extensively throughout the world.
The only place I have experienced unprovoked violence was in Mount Maunganui in NZ - we were sitting quietly in a restaurant and we had a chair thrown straight at us by a group of Maori lads for absolutely no reason. It was a horrible place but I don't judge the whole of NZ by that one experience. The casual racism and sexism in everyday conversations surprised me a little though.

PersisFord · 04/07/2018 10:00

Chanel I think it was quite clear that it was to be mean.

So many people being small minded and vindictive. Thank goodness London and Staffordshire has you all to defend them from an unhappy, homesick person. Who are perhaps a bit more sensitive to racism having grown up in a society that is incredibly sensitive to race, and where comments like Chanel made are common.

PersisFord · 04/07/2018 10:02

are should be is, sorry

Chanelprincess · 04/07/2018 10:23

PersisFord

I speak from personal experience of having lived in New Zealand and from having a number of Polynesian friends, a few of whom happen to be Maori. If my comments are viewed as mean then so be it.

PersisFord · 04/07/2018 10:31

Yeah, me too Chanel. And I still think it’s mean, and I reckon your friends would too. Just seems a bit unecessary to pick on someone who is already feeling picked on.

But we digress. Good luck again OP, with whatever you decide to do.