General Chat

I am so pleased that I have left the UK because I don´t feel like Britain belongs to the Brits anymore , it belongs to the EU and has no say, what is your take on this

I was telling my next door neighbour, Mr Idwal Francois Ahmed, that Britain now belongs to the world :-)

9 years ago I and my husband felt the same as Ussi and we have lived in Spain since then. It has been a good experience but now I want to return to zengland, husband has agreed but would prefer to stay here.
Why do I want to go back?
In no particular order:
Spain is in a dire financial situation and is closing money at any cost. Example, a friend was driving home and went over the the speed limit by 10 Killometers. The cost 1500 euros, this was taken directly from his bank in Spain! This was his first fine! He has had a home here for about 15 years and also homes in zengland and South Africa. He his so angry he has put his house up for sale, going back to SA ASAP.

The towns are becoming similar to ghost towns, we went to the next town last week and almost 40% of the shops were closed for good.

In Peniscola where I live about 50% of the shops, hotels are closed and up for sale or simply people have walked away.
Universities are loosing their staff and pupils

Do I need to say any more???

Spain has been a great experience but when our children and grandchildren are finding it expensive to visit re flights, etc and the cost as detailed above, a place becoming sad then it is time to go.
So how will we sell our house? We just have to wait but there is a lot of French people viewing as they wish to take their money out of France!!

Oh dear I have gone on a bit but it is all accurate.

Bridget in Spain :-) <3 :-) ;-) :-S

I think as we get older and are on reasonable incomes from pensions and investments, people have always tended to go to the south (Bognor), the south west (Cornwall, Devon and Pembrokeshire) and the coast. For warmth and fresh air.

In my generation with cheap plane travel and a non hostile Europe, we have tended towards Spain, Portugal and South of France. Sun and sangria, and a place for children and friends to have a cheapish holiday. And cheaper homes, with no massive gas or heating oild bills every winter. And similar health facilities.

It is very sad that this is becoming less and less attractive. Speeding is bad, but we used to get a rap on knuckles, not a £1200 fine for a first minor offence. And you need plenty of nice local shops to buy your bread, meat, fruit and veg - wherever you live as an older person.

Not quite sure how living in another country in the EU makes any difference Uzzi? In the sense that none of the EU countries ( with the exception probably of Germany given its economic recovery and role ) have entirely their own say.

We ( Brits, though I use the word 'we' loosely because I am not overly patriotic lol) do have our own currency, can still measure in feet and inches, and generally I don't feel 'controlled' by the EU, though I think they interfere too much, cost too much and I am in two minds as to whether the UK should stay in it.

I wouldn't go to Spain if you paid me lol, but that's mostly because I wouldn't go anywhere hot.

I love living in the UK, nothing would induce me to live in Euroland, although I do love France.

I love our eccentricities and age old customs that we don't let die. I love our villages and castles and parks. I love how green it is. I love our theatres and galleries and honesty boxes for egg money left at farm gates.

I love the diversity of our inner cities and the bleakness of our "satanic hills".

I'm not very patriotic but on the other hand I do love Britain and wouldn't live anywhere else, much as I love travelling.

I think belonging to the EU has done us a lot of good and it's only if you read the papers too much it looks like it does us no good because only the silly stuff gets reported.

To a certain extent I agree with other UK residents. We do manage to hang on to many of our eccentricities, and Sterling! Europe would be a boring place if we were all the same.

Several decades ago, there was some discussion in the media about our Bureaucrats imposing EU dictates on the population where as other EU States applied what they chose.

The problem could be that we as a nation tend to roll over too easily and accept with a bit of grumbling anything that ‘they’, at what ever level of government, impose.
Our government (of what ever persuasion) need to take a leaf out of America’s book and apply the principle of ‘In Britain’s best interest’.

Been in Spain since November 2001 - no regrets - enjoy the simple life especially during the warmer months - breakfast on beach and a dip in the Med. BBQ's on roof terrace etc.
Still think it is cheaper in Spain than UK although prices are on the up - but it is the same worldwide. Would like to say never would go back and live in UK but you never know - hubby seen lots of older Brits having to go back because of ill health but whilst we are still ok we will still live in Spain.
Mary xx
ps hope your mom is ok Uzzi

I used to want to live somewhere like France, Spain or Portugal, but the older I get, the more I want to stay in Britain. Love to travel, and hope I'll always be fit enough to, but I like to come home to Britain!

Try moving further afield....Canada is good !!

I am like you GEORDIE after three weeks holiday I am really home sick, I love our holidays but equally love to get back to my own home. With all its faults I would not to live anywhere else. :-D

Like others have said. I love to go away for a month but wouldn't want to move permanently.

And much as we hear people putting UK down when they leave to live abroad. Why then do they return when they suffer ill health? I assume we then have something to offer them that they can't get where they are living :-S :-S So, the grass is not always greener?

Edit: I meant to say Uzzi, But Spain belongs to the EU as well.

We don't all return for the NHS you know as good as it can be.
I've never put the UK down it has it's good and bad points like anywhere else.
Even since I left 17 yrs ago the UK has in many ways changed and not always for the better.
From over here it does seem like the EU shouts and the UK says sure no problem and can we pay for the chance too.....so yes it looks like Britain doesn't belong to the British any more.

I am extremely patriotic, love my Country, and was very proud to promote it.at the Olympics. I don't feel that the England has been taken away by anyone, it's still here.

I don't listen to the scaremongering of the red tops when they print that "a" woman somewhere wasn't allowed to put a flag in her window, or that "a" man was banned from celebrating St Georges day, because his Indian neighbour didn't approve, loada tosh. As long as you respect others, embrace the different cultures, and you'll get on with most people.

I sort of lived in Spain for a while, I travelled back and forth when my Dad was ill, he lived there, lovely village, friendly people, but things aren't good there, took 3 years to sell the apartment back in 2008.

If you love where you live, enjoy it, but for me home is where my family and <3 is.


:-D

Well said Lynda

I have to laugh at a friend of my sisters, granted he has worked all his life and has brought a house in Spain, fully intending to retire there, however what used to amuse me was he is one of the most bigotted racist man I have ever known, so when he talked ( and he did alot) of leaving dear old England as it was full of immigrants and they should send them back, I used to love to say so you are going over to Spain where you too will be a immigrant :-D

Wonder how many indigidinous Spanish complain about all the foreigners living in their country???

The UK has always been a country that people come to, from the Romans etc., I would say that very few of us could claim to be true English etc.

I expect most Countries are much of a muchness, re foreigners, some love them, some hate them :-D

As for being true English, going back to 1700's I only have British ancestors, except for those who were born elsewhere, but were British subjects. I was born in England, Mum Dad, Nans and Grandads were also born here too.

I feel true English, but am more than happy to embrace everyone, I love different cultures, as long as they are decent human beings :-D

Were West Indians British subjects once they went from Africa and elswehere in 17th/18th centuries?

In which case, a lot of immigrant black people could now say exactly what Lynda has said. I met many young people last time I was in Wolverhampton (2001) who had four grandparents, all black and all born Wolverhampton in 1950's.

Just not sure if ancestors before that would be considered British subjects, even though born elsewhere. They certainly fought for British cause.

I guess the most "British" people are those who have been shuffled off to the fringes of the British Isles (or North Atlantic Islands as I believe the Irish call them).

I love the idea that we can live and work in France, Germany and Spain with few problems. Not always the case.

I am born English in England ,my parents are both English 1 born in England and one in India both to English parents both their parents 2 out of the 4 were born in Ireland :-D I think or have I skipped a gen :-S