A question 4 those born and living in the 'British Colonies'
A question 4 those born and living in the 'British Colonies'
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Discussion

GilbertGrape

Original Poster:

1,226 posts

211 months

Sunday 21st February 2010
quotequote all
Do you feel like you need/want to visit the "Motherland" ?

Airbag

3,466 posts

217 months

Sunday 21st February 2010
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Yes.

elster

17,517 posts

231 months

Sunday 21st February 2010
quotequote all
I don't think all Americans/Indians/Canadians/Australians feel the need to come visit.

Airbag

3,466 posts

217 months

Sunday 21st February 2010
quotequote all
elster said:
I don't think all Americans/Indians/Canadians/Australians feel the need to come visit.
It depends how close your connection to Britain is, certainly all don't feel connected.

Wanchaiwarrior

372 posts

235 months

Monday 22nd February 2010
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On average I've been back about every 2 years and thats enough for me.

Not now Kato

1,168 posts

220 months

Monday 22nd February 2010
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I dont quite fit the bill here but who cares. Left UK 9 years ago for NZ, been back once (last July) and couldnt wait to get home to NZ.
It will have to be a bloody good reason to get me back to UK again.

GilbertGrape

Original Poster:

1,226 posts

211 months

Monday 22nd February 2010
quotequote all
You guys left the UK though. But for those of us born elsewhere, with UK ancestry, I think it might be different.

It wasn't us who left.

Edited by GilbertGrape on Monday 22 February 09:00

siscar

6,887 posts

238 months

Monday 22nd February 2010
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If you aren't British by origin then I'd have expected Britain to be no higher on the list of places to visit than anywhere else until I started working with Aussies, It's amazing how many of them regularly come here on their holidays, even when they are several generations Australian.

klootzak

682 posts

237 months

Monday 22nd February 2010
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Not really.

I haven't been in the UK since 2001, and then only for 6 hours (transit at Heathrow).

Frankly, I don't really miss the place, but I have a feeling I'll be back for a bit of a look sometime soon.

k

Rex Ironstone

1,130 posts

211 months

Monday 22nd February 2010
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I'm the only one in my family born outside the UK and have very very few relatives in Aussie. I went there was I was very young and would love to go over and check it out and meet all my relatives. But I'm afraid when I go on holiday I can't seem to be able to go further than $1 beers and $5 blow jobs in Thailand.

Colonial

13,553 posts

226 months

Monday 22nd February 2010
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Yeah, it's good to visit, especially the family in Scotland.

Enjoy spending time there.

Jem Thompson

930 posts

203 months

Monday 22nd February 2010
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I have grown up in New Zealand, and cannot wait to move over to the UK (or Canada). There is just something about the place, despite the fact everyone tells me its worse than I think, I just really believe its a great place. Never actually been there of course...

AndySA

902 posts

284 months

Monday 22nd February 2010
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I am from one of the oldest English speaking families in SA, dating back to the 1790's. However my grandparents always talked of the UK as "home" however I do not feel that way and Africa is my home despite living in Europe and the Middle East for a number of years each.

Interisting fact is that my Dad is only the second male since the 1790's to marry a girl who was not brought out from "the motherland", this might explain my grandparents attitude, keeping the blood pure and all that bull.

redtwin

7,518 posts

203 months

Monday 22nd February 2010
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I have no UK ancestry, but I have always wanted to visit when I lived in a former colony (still part of Commonwealth). That was more to do with the older generations recalling the halcyon days when the country was a proper colony and everything was "British" besides the weather of course. I was born after independence, but only by 9 years, so grew up with an English flavour to everything from schooling, to language, to cars etc.

Didn't actually make the first trip until I was 30 and I have now been living here for close to 7 years and can't think of anywhere else I would rather live.

It really is disheartening to hear so many Brits put the country down, especially when I doubt that many of them have actually experienced living in another country.

uncinqsix

3,239 posts

231 months

Monday 22nd February 2010
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Born and bred in NZ, grandfather was english but I have no particular affinity with the UK. Lived there for a year, but it didn't to much for me as a place to visit/live. Preferred France.

Simpo Two

90,749 posts

286 months

Monday 22nd February 2010
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Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States are for more culturally related than you think. I feel far more affinity with all of them than I do with the country just 22 miles south of Dover, which is quite simply 'foreign'. Any British 'escapee' would be welcome to crash at Simpo Hall.

Edited by Simpo Two on Monday 22 February 21:05

juice

9,534 posts

303 months

Monday 22nd February 2010
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We've been out of the UK for 10 years now...I don;t get "called" back or other misty-eyed bks...But love going back to see Family/Friends and being able drive more than 20 miles without running out of road !

If I'm honest though...the main reason is to go and watch Football. boxedin

fido

18,277 posts

276 months

Monday 22nd February 2010
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redtwin said:
It really is disheartening to hear so many Brits put the country down, especially when I doubt that many of them have actually experienced living in another country.
They fall into two categories - the little Englander types who winge about foreigners but are happy to emigrate to another country (or Wales) and behave exactly like foreigners - then you get the genuinely peeved off people who are fed up with the level of crime and anti-social behaviour that is prevalent in many of our towns - and don't deny it! Back to topic, my mum is from Malaysia but prefers it here - in fact she never visits her country of birth.

Edited by fido on Monday 22 February 21:14

grumbledoak

32,320 posts

254 months

Monday 22nd February 2010
quotequote all
Jem Thompson said:
I have grown up in New Zealand, and cannot wait to move over to the UK (or Canada). There is just something about the place, despite the fact everyone tells me its worse than I think, I just really believe its a great place. Never actually been there of course...
Maybe worth a visit to the UK, as many New Zealanders do. Very different, and far closer to mainland Europe than you are. But, for permanent living look to Canada- your 'citizenship' here comes with a £50,000 overdraft.

NB. You aren't a citizen of the UK, you are a subject of Queenie.

zac510

5,546 posts

227 months

Monday 22nd February 2010
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States are for more culturally related than you think. I feel far more affinity with all of them than I do with the country just 22 miles south of Dover, which is quite simply 'foreign'. Any British 'escapee' would be welcome to crash at Simpo Hall.

Edited by Simpo Two on Monday 22 February 21:05
I can only really speak for Aus but I feel like it is much more influenced by USA in terms of TV, music, film and other typical cultural indicators than UK/Europe was to previous generations. So the relationship with the monarch is breaking and evidenced by the attempt to break into a republic a few years back.

I think that was reflected a bit in my own life too. But I ended up here anyway and don't regret it. Great place to live smile