Expats - What Has Changed? What Won't Change?

[NotQuiteCockney]

As an expat (Canadian in the UK), I'm very aware of what I've changed. I now say "mum". I like queueing. I use lots of British constructions. My accent has even drifted a bit (although only DH can tell. Other people say my accent is still quite strong).

But - I will not drink tea. I will not listen to the Archers. I think that doing either of these would mean I have "gone native", and it would be time to go home.

Do any other expats (to anywhere, from anywhere) have similar lists?

Interesting thread, not sure if i qualify to be part of it though [thinking cap on emoticon]

I was born and raised in London but moved to the ME when I was 18. I stayed there for 7 years until i got married and returned to the UK.

In England:

1. Miss not being able to call the supermarket at the end of the street to deliver anything and everything (even if just a can of coke!)
2. Miss the convenience of not being able to pull out a creased garment and just call the boy downstairs to come and take it away, get it ironed and return before going out!
3. Miss the absolute chaous and hustle and bustle of the city.
4. Miss not being able to leave the front door open without a worry
5. In a nutshell..miss the easy life!!!!

Sorry Dinosaur. Just re-read my question and it's actually pretty offensive!

It actually was an innocent question - just trying to understand a different perspective.

I'm from Dublin. Can't imagine a Dub not feeling anything but Irish. London is obviously a completely different situation and I was just trying to get a handle on it.

despite only having lived in the Uk for 4 years I have had comments on my supposedly english accent... I don't think I have one... but I still find myself using english words/pronunciation - must be english dh's influence on me.....

When in England:

love vegemite -can't do marmite
cannot do tea BUT love my coffee
could not bring myself to call cordial - squash
could not get the whole carpet in bathrooms, toilets, kitchens - or toilets in the same room as bath/shower etc.

UK -

did like the 24 hours tesco idea
loved the high street rather than a big mall/shopping centre - although on hot or rainy days the shopping centre is a better idea
did like the long summer nights

Do I really miss any of it - nah not really - love being here in Aus.

Have lived in Germany permanently for 3 1/2 years, before that for periods of time (interspersed with England) since 1997. Am English, dh is German.
My Germanification list: I now think carpet in the bathroom is a bad idea. I am a lot less concerned with the 'property ladder'. I say 'Mama'. I can't understand why Britain has such a complicated number plate system. I speak German with dh. I appreciate German liberality (is that a word?) and standards of environmental consciousness - recycling is second nature.
But: it drives me mad that you have to print bank statements out yourself rather than having them sent to you. Coffee remains for me an occasional drink, tea my daily fuel, and it makes my hair stzand on end to order tea and get it withour milk, but with a slice of lemon or, if lucky, a mini pot of 'coffee cream' (basically uht condensed milk). I do not and will not understand why Germans eat special bread for toast which is about a third of the size of an English loaf. I am touchily proud of what tex111 calls the 'excuse me, I'm sorry to bother you but if it isn't a problem could you please...' approach, and resent German bordering-on-impoliteness directness. The frequent attitude to WOHM here freaks me. I listen to Radio 4 over the internet.