Plan to move to England need some help?

Question

I will be almost 18 in a few months and Iam from the United States Michigan. Iam thinking about moving to England realy no reason but I have had family members who visited England and they loved it. I also was thinking about how it is a part on Europe and how I could visit other countries that are near by be closer then over here in the States. Or maybe even college school. Who ever lives in England could you please give me advice on what I should I do what is the culture like over there do you think that I whould fit in? Do you think that Iam making the right choice? Please help thanks

Answer 1

England is a country of contrasts. You have places like London which are multicultural, busy and attract most tourists. Its also where alot of money is made and spent. There are a few other big cities in England such as Birmingham and Manchester which are similar to London but not on the same scale. But outside of the big cities you have what we call suburbs which are very different. They are less multicultural and less tolerant, jobs pay less, and there are less facilities ( I live in a place called Kent which is just outside London and yet it very different to London).

Housing in England is expensive and you need a good/decent job to survive here. The weather is variable, sometimes it can be so cold, other times hot, its unpredictable.

Some people are friendly, but alot are not, especially in London. There are so many there yet people often feel lonely. There is crime but there is crime in America as well I guess. We don't have guns here like you do in America, well there are some but not on the same scale as you.

There is a pub culture here and alot of men are obsessive about football.

It is a good place to travel to Europe from. We have very cheap airlines so it is easy for you to visit other places such as Germany, France, Austria and Spain.

You really must come on holiday here, 2 weeks will do so you can get a feel for the place and people. I have been to America and to be honest I liked it there better, we don't even have Wendys hamburgers here anymore, lol. but it would be hard for me to be able to stay there due to American foreign policy.

Answer 2

Wow... Well, first off, I'm not from England nor have I ever been there, but I'm sure my logic still applies.

I've been to many places throughout North America and Asia. I've lived in several different places. If you don't have a real reason to be there, then I suggest a long vacation before you actually live there. It would be a good way to experience the culture, the lifestyle and plan out what you intend to do while you live there. If you're a student you could scout out schools or potential job places. Another point I must bring up is that what is interesting to some people isn't always interesting to others. Traveling and site-seeing is also more fun w/ friends and family. They're familiar people in a new setting.

Whatever happens, I hope you have fun.

Answer 3

Are you sure you are ready to leave home yet, let alone your country. Have a holiday, get the feel and see what you think. The only advice I could realy give though is don't go to London. It's horrible and dirty. England is judged far too often by London which is not fair. Try the South West the air is much cleaner and the people so much friendlier. Whatever you decide good luck. Oh and remember England is very expensive. The tax man will get you every time.

Answer 4

You should come to the UK first on holiday. Notice that England is NOT an independent country, but one of four countries that make up the UK (this is one of the first things you'll have to understand) - so you might want to try Wales, Scotland (or even Northern Ireland), as they are generally cheaper than the south of England. England is near Europe, and it is convenient to get anywhere in Europe from the UK (the width of the entire continent is I believe roughly a third of that of the US). But you definitely need to visit before you decide to make a more permanent decision. And I can't say whether you're making the right or wrong choice, as that is entirely personal.

There are cultural differences, but that's part of the fun. And you'll also notice that the culture within the UK is incredibly varied. When here, you'll undoubtedly hear about the "North-South divide". One tip, especially as an American, is to do your research first, as Americans have a reputation for ignorance when it comes to global matters, so it's best not to live up to that stereotype. Two good books to read about British culture are Bill Bryson's "Notes from a Small Island" and "Watching the English" (specifically, as the title suggests, about the English), by Kate Fox.

In general, the Brits are kind helpful and decent; however, we're much more introvert than Americans (it has been said that striking up a conversation is tantamount to physical assault, although that's a slight exaggeration!). Also, the English are queue-crazy. Trust me, one way to make enemies is to push in a queue.

Answer 5

Without knowing you intimately and understanding your life goals, it's impossible to answer such a broadly based question. However, you will certainly need to make adjustments. At very least, you will get very homesick and you will miss your family and friends. You may be strong enough to work through it... who knows. Many people are not and give up after a year or two.

Since there are cultural differences between states within the US, you are certain to find more remarkable differences between your hometown and anywhere you travel in Britain and mainland Europe. Language will be one challenge (even in England) and you'll find the food different.

All in all unless you have a compelling reason and determined drive, you are unlikely to find the move easy or comfortable. One more thing, you may find school or college a different challenge... depending on what you decide to study. A US high school diploma is worth **** to UK entry boards... you'll need money.


All that said, even just an attempt to move away from home and make it work in a different country might be a hugely positive experience.

Answer 6

I am saddened but not surprised in reading some of these answers and hope a member of Parliment sees them and maybe wonders why so many people from the UK are so dissatisfied (admitidly a small sample), like me and are considering moving abroad.
I think we expect more than a banana republic, and when we see the government squandering our money, and making ploicies that a 10 year old child (no offence children) could make we become highly dissalusioned as deepdown we love our Country, but hate to see it going to the dogs. Like in Football to finish 3rd or second in the league is pretty good but to a Liverpool fan, he would not be satisfied, whereas Everton would be overjoyed.
What I am saying is the UK is fantastic and situ up there with the best, however it has been and shoult be better, so please come over and take a look and make your own mind up.

Answer 7

If you don't have a particular reason, why should you be allowed to come and live here - after all, it's not exactly easy for foreign nationals to get a green card to live in the States, is it? Holiday here, by all means, and if you find a reason then stay. To ask what the culture is like, well how long is a piece of string?! Will you fit in? I would think so - if you are civilised!

Answer 8

I think the best thing would be to come over for a holiday for a few weeks, get a feel for it here, i would suggest that you travel around England rather than just stay in London, alot of the UK is very different to London, we have alot of countryside too, it is not a bad place to live, the income tax is very high here though, as for travelling around Europe, you can travel very easily, and you can get very cheap flights. I think everyone can fit in here, we are very multicultural, there are people from every corner of the globe.

Answer 9

c, and when we see the government squandering our money, and making ploicies that a 10 year old child (no offence children) could make we become highly dissalusioned as deepdown we love our Country, but hate to see it going to the dogs. Like in Football to finish 3rd or second in the league is pretty good but to a Liverpool fan, he would not be satisfied, whereas Everton would be overjoyed.
What I am saying is the UK is fantastic and situ up there with the best, however it has been and shoult be better, so please come over and take a look and make your own mind up.

Answer 10

I've lived in America. I live in England. The only advice I can fairy offer is this...

Visit England. Visit Europe. And only then make up your mind.

18's about the perfect age to start making some really dumb moves in life because it gives you the rest of your life to sort them out. And leaving your native land for another without sampling it first is about the dumbest move you can make. The grass isn't always greener on the other side.

So try this: meet a limey chick/dude online. Talk to her/him. Listen.