Leaving the country
Discussion
I met a nasty foaming at the mouth ex-pat in Gibraltar once. He left the UK when Tony Blair got in because the country was going to give free reign to "blacks, queers and lesbians" as he put it.
Silly silly little broken man he was. He looked and sounded like Higgins off Magnum PI complete with a long Khaki shirt/jacket thing.
I've reasonable experience of ex-pats. There are those who leave the country to work, fair enough I think.
Then there are those like the chap in Gib. Powerless but opinionated types who basically run away to a place over the horizon.
I met a few when I lived in a former corner of Empire many years ago. One in particular found he could have limited power there with his committees and steering groups about nothing in particular. Firing letters off to UK MPs local politicians etc with his impressive made up "job" title, alcoholic wfe in tow who would have far rather retired to Kent but in Kent no-one would have given hubby a second glance as he posted yet another green ink penned letter to the local rag signed "Angry from Ashford" or whatever.
O'Grady doesn't like the Government. Neither do I. Silly statements like that are pointless saying something for the sake of saying something. I like O'Grady. I met him once actually. But he's not Toyota, Nissan or some other big deal. If he left, so what. If a big firm made the same promise, I'd worry.
Silly silly little broken man he was. He looked and sounded like Higgins off Magnum PI complete with a long Khaki shirt/jacket thing.
I've reasonable experience of ex-pats. There are those who leave the country to work, fair enough I think.
Then there are those like the chap in Gib. Powerless but opinionated types who basically run away to a place over the horizon.
I met a few when I lived in a former corner of Empire many years ago. One in particular found he could have limited power there with his committees and steering groups about nothing in particular. Firing letters off to UK MPs local politicians etc with his impressive made up "job" title, alcoholic wfe in tow who would have far rather retired to Kent but in Kent no-one would have given hubby a second glance as he posted yet another green ink penned letter to the local rag signed "Angry from Ashford" or whatever.
O'Grady doesn't like the Government. Neither do I. Silly statements like that are pointless saying something for the sake of saying something. I like O'Grady. I met him once actually. But he's not Toyota, Nissan or some other big deal. If he left, so what. If a big firm made the same promise, I'd worry.
bazza white said:
I'm tempted to move from Wales to England, devolution for Wales and welsh labour running the show fills me with dread.
My Mrs lives just over the boarder so its a case she comes here or I go there.
I did. Well I sold my home in Scotland ahead of the referendum. To be fair I was thinking of doing it for ages but the vote gave me impetus. The election confirmed to me that I probably did the right thing. My Mrs lives just over the boarder so its a case she comes here or I go there.
Not that where I lived or the people I lived amongst were in any way anti-me. I am an Englishman but my family going back generations come from the little corner of Scotland where I had my holiday home. I'd meet distant cousins 10 times removed in the local pubs. I loved the place. I still do.
I couldn't have thousands of pounds of my money tied up in uncertainty. I am not a rich man but my place out there was the second most expensive thing I owned.
I had a buyer lined up. It was an easy sale.
So thinking about it I guess I was a bit harsh on the foaming mouth ex-pat I mentioned in my earlier post. Maybe I ran away if not over the horizon but over the wall to Northumberland.
(Not that the money I got is safe in the bank. It takes all my will power not to spend it on s
tty bits of MG Rover tat and other lost causes. :-). )With rapidly rising house prices, not so rapidly rising wages (especially for 'blue collar' jobs), dangerous noises being about infringing of person privacy and a general st quality of life I am certainly tempted.
While I never expect a government to pander directly to my needs and views, almost everything the Tories policies seem to be actively making the issues that I care about worse.
I see very little in this country for me anymore.
t quality of life I am certainly tempted.While I never expect a government to pander directly to my needs and views, almost everything the Tories policies seem to be actively making the issues that I care about worse.
I see very little in this country for me anymore.
Last year my wife came home from work one day, had a bad day, said she was fed up etc. Then as a throwaway comment said her old boss was recruiting. "Didn't he move to Malawi?" I asked "Yes" she said. We laughed it off then a few moments later looked at each other and began thinking about the idea. Everything went on hold, the job application went in, interview arranged and within days we had agreed to move to Malawi for two years. The lease was up for renewal on my business premises and we had a huge urge to go on an adventure, and our 3 kids were at primary school and nursery age so it wouldn't stuff up secondary school - it was now or never!
Our kids had never been on a plane before!! Life changing experience and I highly recommend spending some time in a third world country, it totally changes you perspective on life. We live a good life and have so many incredible things around us we don't regret it at all.
FWIW we've obviously met numerous other expats and all of them, bar none, have been extremely welcoming, helpful, sociable and great to have as friends.
We kinda felt like we'd missed the boat on taking an adventure like this at our lifestage, which was purely in our heads, we could do it, we just had to make it happen. That was a very stressful experience but well worth it.
Our kids had never been on a plane before!! Life changing experience and I highly recommend spending some time in a third world country, it totally changes you perspective on life. We live a good life and have so many incredible things around us we don't regret it at all.
FWIW we've obviously met numerous other expats and all of them, bar none, have been extremely welcoming, helpful, sociable and great to have as friends.
We kinda felt like we'd missed the boat on taking an adventure like this at our lifestage, which was purely in our heads, we could do it, we just had to make it happen. That was a very stressful experience but well worth it.
I'm off to Canada as soon as my application for residency is approved. I have a reasonable life style here, but what has really got me is the stagnation in wages. I am an Electrician, and I am struggling to earn the same money as I was on in the year 2000! I voted Tory in the election, as I saw no better alternative, but the thought of years more of austerity and stagnant wages has made me make my mind up.
bramley said:
Last year my wife came home from work one day, had a bad day, said she was fed up etc. Then as a throwaway comment said her old boss was recruiting. "Didn't he move to Malawi?" I asked "Yes" she said. We laughed it off then a few moments later looked at each other and began thinking about the idea. Everything went on hold, the job application went in, interview arranged and within days we had agreed to move to Malawi for two years. The lease was up for renewal on my business premises and we had a huge urge to go on an adventure, and our 3 kids were at primary school and nursery age so it wouldn't stuff up secondary school - it was now or never!
Our kids had never been on a plane before!! Life changing experience and I highly recommend spending some time in a third world country, it totally changes you perspective on life. We live a good life and have so many incredible things around us we don't regret it at all.
FWIW we've obviously met numerous other expats and all of them, bar none, have been extremely welcoming, helpful, sociable and great to have as friends.
We kinda felt like we'd missed the boat on taking an adventure like this at our lifestage, which was purely in our heads, we could do it, we just had to make it happen. That was a very stressful experience but well worth it.
sounds a wonderful plan and well done for doing it, most people just carry on and try nothing new.Our kids had never been on a plane before!! Life changing experience and I highly recommend spending some time in a third world country, it totally changes you perspective on life. We live a good life and have so many incredible things around us we don't regret it at all.
FWIW we've obviously met numerous other expats and all of them, bar none, have been extremely welcoming, helpful, sociable and great to have as friends.
We kinda felt like we'd missed the boat on taking an adventure like this at our lifestage, which was purely in our heads, we could do it, we just had to make it happen. That was a very stressful experience but well worth it.
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