Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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:
Theworldisfullofgs · 02/07/2018 07:19

Look you are not going to like this.

You've essentially called the capital city of the country you live in a shithole. Lots of people love it. It's a city many British people are proud of for many reasons. It's like calling someone's baby ugly.

You've then been quite aggressive in your language And when people have called you on it you've then upped it.

If you do that in real life no wonder no one is friendly.

surferjet · 02/07/2018 07:21

It’s a fairly dangerous place to live op yes.
Crime has worsened in recent months too.

Dermymc · 02/07/2018 07:23

If your dh is a teacher you could work almost anywhere, teacher numbers are in rapid decline.

Whatthefoxgoingon · 02/07/2018 07:23

You are an extremely rude individual. No wonder everyone doesn’t like you or want to say hello. London doesn’t need crap people like you. Neither does Staffordshire. Strongly suggest you go back to your backwater with barely any people. That’ll suit you so off you trot. Good riddance!

bookworm14 · 02/07/2018 07:25

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Babybrainagain · 02/07/2018 07:25

Ah you poor little snowflake. Bog off back to where you came from? Safe journey and all that

Vitalogy · 02/07/2018 07:26

better than here with the Pakeha I didn't know what that word meant, so I've looked it up. They aren't foreigners here though are they. Urban Dictionary describe it as a racist term. Not that Urban Dictionary is the font of all knowledge but still. I suppose if you would be comfortable using the word in front of your white friends in New Zealand then fair enough.

Original poster
JamSandwiches45 · 02/07/2018 07:26

@Theworldisfullofgs Have your opinion as I'm entitled to mine, can't sit back and take casual racism and ignorance though, sorry!

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 02/07/2018 07:27

You see to have joined MN purely to whinge about London. I suspect you have an attitude problem, not a location problem.

GorgonLondon · 02/07/2018 07:27

derogatory language wasn't an issue when you were stealing our land and giving us smallpox infected blankets, right?

Like most Londoners, I'm not white British and my family were nowhere near the UK in the 18th century. But nice try Grin

If you think that you being foreign, dual heritage or non white is an issue in London you really have been walking around with your eyes shut.

It is pretty much the most ethnically diverse place on earth.

Original poster
JamSandwiches45 · 02/07/2018 07:29

@Vitalogy It's not a racist term. It means Europeans. More to the point, you can't be 'racist' to whites.

OP posts:
PolkerrisBeach · 02/07/2018 07:29

Come to Scotland. It's very different from London and the landscapes are more like NZ. Hope you find somewhere you can be happy soon.

SquirmOfEels · 02/07/2018 07:31

Theworldisfullofgs

I think you have hit the nail on the head

LuMarie · 02/07/2018 07:32

Yeah, I hated it too. Each to their own and I know lots of people love it, but it really isn't for me. I ended up so miserable I had to leave. I wish I had left sooner.

I've lived all over and have been massively thrilled with everywhere, so I'm not precious or difficult to please!

Maybe moving out to somewhere with better standard of living for same price and commuting in for work is interesting if you have to stay in the area or want to give things another try?

Otherwise if you are getting miserable, I'd say move.

Not everywhere is for everyone!

Original poster
JamSandwiches45 · 02/07/2018 07:35

@GorgonLondon As I've said, walk a mile in my shoes before you make an assumption about my experiences with casual racism on the daily. If I had a penny for every time someone at work asked me to 'show them the haka dance' I'd be a rich woman.

OP posts:
missyB1 · 02/07/2018 07:36

Jeez give me London over NZ any day! Living in NZ was possibly the most boring experience of my life!

OP you need to pop back to your insular little homeland. Oh and NZ has plenty of crime, drink driving is absolutely rife, domestic violence rates are very high, violence towards children as well.
Oh and don’t get me started on the lower educational standards in school, and old fashioned attitudes to bringing up kids. Gender stereotypes are still absolutely the norm there.

Whatthefoxgoingon · 02/07/2018 07:39

Sounds like a complete shithole missyB1, you know the kind that would produce backward individuals left behind by progress and values....

Original poster
JamSandwiches45 · 02/07/2018 07:41

@missyB1 Someone's a little touchy this morning. You're wrong on all accounts but feel free, glad I won't see you when I'm back home.

OP posts:
LegoBitcho · 02/07/2018 07:43

Jam you can't really say a bad word about London on MN, now you know Wink

We've been here 10 years and leaving soon. I will always love and miss London but I'm over being here, which is how you sound.

Some parts of London are grotty, and scary. But there's bits like that in every city.

I always said to dh if we weren't in London I didn't see any point being in the UK (we're both not from here) and now we don't want to be in London it's time to go.

I work with kiwis and they do tend to struggle more than the Aussies but it could just be my industry.

Hope you move out soon Flowers

moira123io · 02/07/2018 07:43

@Whatthefoxgoingon New Zealand is a beautiful country, no need for stupid statements like that because you don't like the OP.

Itchytights · 02/07/2018 07:45

I couldn’t agree more op and I am a born and bred Londoner with generations of family from there.

I moved away from London over ten years ago. I did not want to bring up children there.

The place is no longer recognisable and is densely populated, over priced and downright hideous.

Fine for a day trip to see the sights etc and to go for a nice meal, but not to live.

Many family members have since left and most people I knew as a child/ young adult have all followed suit and left the place.

If someone paid me to live there and bring my children up, I still wouldn’t do it. The thought of
My children being brought up there terrifies, yet saddens me.

You’ll get flamed cos this is Mumsnet. But you have completely spoken the truth and my advice to you is to get away from London as soon as you possibly can.

Good luck.

newroundhere · 02/07/2018 07:45

Theworldisfullofgs is indeed correct.

Many people love London, its hugely diverse, vibrant and exciting. There are lots of things that are less good about it but many (not all) are mainly the same as big cities everywhere. But if you don't like it, no one is making you stay. Seriously.

I'm also struggling to understand why a supply teacher can only work in London or Birmingham... But then I'm not a supply teacher expert Hmm

LambChopsMcGee · 02/07/2018 07:45

Sure you know lots of kiwis jam but if you ever want to reminisce/bitch with another one, PM me. I totally hear where you're coming from. Miss Aotearoa every day.

DisturblinglyOrangeScrambleEgg · 02/07/2018 07:46

I'm from the UK (countryside), but lived abroad most of my adult life.

Every place has pros and cons. I'm currently living in a city that is beautiful, but it's just a pain to live in. I've lived in other cities where there's been rubbish public transport, or I can't get anything delivered, or the internet was rubbish, or I had to carry cash because so many people didn't accept cards, or I had to go shopping every day, or parking was impossible, or I had to live in a shoebox, or people were unfriendly or never actually gave you your change and just dumped it down on the counter or traffic never stopped at crossings

Not everywhere is to everyone's taste.

I've lived in London, and didn't particularly like it either (although the transport was great), although there are nicer parts than where I lived. I just don't think I'm really a city person. Sounds like you aren't either. That's fine, you can leave - no need to be mean about it.

LEMtheoriginal · 02/07/2018 07:46

I love london. Wouldn't want to live there though.

I do think your attitude is a bit off OP and you are letting your unhappiness cloud your judgement a little. I find people react to me in kind so if I'm sullen and grumpy it's reflected back at me. Bright and happy the same.

But Christ yes - beach in new Zealand or inner city London? Book me a ticket while you're booking yours OP.

Swipe left for the next trending thread