How does living in England differ from living in the US?

Question

My husband and I live in Florida, and my husband has been unemployed for 8 mo. He's searched all over the country for work and can find nothing. He has noticed several positions that he qualifies for in England. We are ready to do just about anything to get back on our feet. We've never even been out of the country. Has anyone been in a similiar situation and how did you feel about leaving the US for work?

Answer 1

First the weather everyone knows about that. Then you will notice that people speak in proper sentences, sometimes with independent clauses, of more than 10 words and don't punctuate their speech with a smattering of random meaningless interjections, such as 'Gee' 'Awsome' and 'Like.' We speak standard English not Americanese. Fanny refers to female genitals not their backside and use 'did' not 'would' to indicate past tense. So, why did a person do that not why would a person do that.

In contrast to yourselves we have a relatively uncorrupted electoral system and our constitution is free. We are allowed to do anything which the law does not prohibit us from doing, unlike your own constitution which only allows you to do those things it permits

Judging from US graduates here our education system is dialectic not didactic so people learn to think for themselves not repeat facts.

Petrol is £5 a gallon that's about $8 a big shock to you, but our cars are more economical. If you go on about creationism or intelligent design people will just laugh.

Having fun here does not usually entail shooting up a bunch of school children. Our beer is alcoholic not just alcohol flavoured and yes that is the correct spelling of flavour. We conduct rational discussions, occasionally, and don't just accuse everyone expressing an informed and intelligent opinion of being a ****** (****** is is a collection of sticks or a kind of meatball)

English people are less prudish and more down to earth. You may find them cold but that is just a lack of vacuousness.

Answer 2

In order to work and move to the U.K. you have go through a somewhat lengthy process of getting a work visa. Not everyone that applies is granted a visa. I will post a link for information about getting a visa.

Life in the U.K. will be quite a culture shock from living in a warm climate such as Florida. Social life in the U.K. is quite a bit different to the U.S.A.. People tend to socialize more by going to pubs, whereas in the U.S.A. people tend to entertain more at home. It used to be very much different from the U.S.A. when I first moved to the U.S.A. from the U.K almost thirty years ago. I think a lot has changed now and it is more like the U.S.A. for example when I left not many women drove cars and very often a family did not own a car at all and relied on public transport. I know that is not the case now.

Be careful about what part of the U.K. you plan to live in and do research on the area. There are many, very beautiful scenic places to live there, but also not so pretty industrial areas. Like I said do some serious research about different areas. The main difference you will find will be the climate. Winters can be downright miserable with cold damp temperatures. Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

Answer 3

Come here first, see what you think - and not just of all the touristy places. Think very carefully about what it'll be like when the "Hey, we're in England, isn't that weird?" thing has worn off.

It can be a great place to live, but it can also be very cold, wet and miserable. You will also find your living costs are far higher than they are now, and that the government is hell bent on finding new and interesting ways to cripple you with taxes. Especially when they think of a way that they don't have to call it a tax, so they can tax it. Seriously.

You really need to find some people who've lived here, preferrably recently, and ask what their experience was - most importantly, why'd they come back? Similarly, see if you can find any British Expats in your area, and look at the reasons they left. If you make sure you're aware of the big negatives, you'll probably make a better decision.

Answer 4

I worked overseas for a while. So long as you realise that they'll do things differently there, despite the fact that on the surface, the language and culture seem quite similar, then you'll do fine. They do things differently - and that's all right. Some things will be better than in the US, some things will be worse. Don't alientate people by talking all the time about how much better X or Y is in the States. Just appreciate the new experiences you'll be having. Try to make friends with some Expat Americans, but also with some locals.

England is a wonderful country. I really like it. There are some things that are quite different, especially in comparison to Florida. The weather doesn't need explaining. That's a given. But some things you'll really notice are the size of everything - in Florida, everything is HUGE and NEW. In England, things tend to be much smaller and of course much older. Have you ever been to Boston or NYC? London feels like a mix of Boston and NYC, but older and with better theatre. London is actually one of my favourite cities anywhere.

But as in the US, there are rural, suburban and urban areas. There are old houses, modern houses, and rental flats. You can get satellite and cable tv, or broadcast. You can buy Diet Coke. You can own a car, or not, although likely your car will be a lot smaller than the one you have in Florida, and gas (petrol) is significantly more expensive. The public transit in the UK as a whole is a LOT better than that of Florida.

The cost of living in Florida is fairly reasonable, by US standards. You should realise that England is a very expensive place to live, and London is one of the most expensive cities in the world. Higher cost of living than NYC. And you don't tend to make quite as much in salary for a comperable job as you would for that job in the US.

For a start, to learn a bit about the country, I suggest that you pick up a tourist guidebook. Try your local library, or go to a bookstore. My favourites are The Lonely Planet series, and the Let's Go series. There are also books for newcomers, such as the one I have linked to, below.

You should know that, like the US, England and the UK have specific rules for who can work there. That's handled by the Home Office, link below.

Answer 5

I lived in the UK for about 7 years and go back there on business pretty frequently. Here's the good, bad, and ugly of it all, in no particular order.

Pubs

Weather sucks

Traffic sucks

Pubs

London is a hell-hole

Cost of living is very high (and it's INSANE in London)

Weather sucks

Beer is great

Food is getting much better

Pubs

People are great for the most part but will seem cold to an affable Yank

Scenery is amazing

For an island, you'd expect more sandy beaches

Traffic is CRAZY

Pubs

Passing the license test will make you feel like an idiot - you'll fail at least 3 or 4 times

Radar detectors are illegal and will be confiscated

Pubs

CCTV cameras EVERYWHERE

Weather sucks

Don't even think of using a cell phone when driving -- hands free won't get you out of the ticket

Avoid the Magic Roundabout in Swindon (?) until you have at least 3 years driving experience in the UK

Weather sucks

If you're a history buff, you'll be in heaven

Petrol (gasoline) is about $7.50 a gallon

UK English and US English are not quite the same

Would I go back and live there? In a bloody minute, Mate!

Answer 6

I know for a fact it isn't and I'll tell you why. Not so long ago about 10 moth - 1 year back I was walking to work and I got asked directions by a Russian. Now god only knows where he ended up as he didn't speak good English. But I was talking to him what I could and asked him "Why he would think to come to England" As I personally think its going down the tank. The one thing he did. He reached into his pocket grabbed some change and said "In Russia no good" Now I doubt he meant he couldn't spend English currency in Russia I would guess he meant having money is a hard thing to achieve in Russia. ------------------ This view of other nations is down to a personal view its not based on a nation some Russians will like the Brits some wont some Brits will hate Russians most won't. I know one thing based on a different country and I can't remember who said it but it was based on the Germans who were quoted in the second world war as saying they admire British sailors. If a person can say that when in fighting why would it be different in peace time?

Answer 7

Much higher income taxes, but you also get government health care.

Smaller cars, more expensive gasoline. Sales tax there (VAT) is about 3-4 times what you are used to. Salaries are lower, but there are usually a few more perks, like company car is more common.

I live in Florida as well actually. I would love to live in England provided I made enough money to live comfortably. I've been there 4 times and I adore the English culture and I'd love the opportunity to live there.

I'd say if you are set in your ways and don't like change the culture shock could be a little hard. Also if you are used to having a lot of disposable income and living "large" like a typical red state American with 3 SUV's and a speedboat and 5 TV sets then you will probably not enjoy the simpler pleasures of living in the UK.

That's what it comes down to. You will give up some disposeable income, big SUV's and big parking spots and super-sized everything, but you gain a more mature and established culture and greater attention to detail. More progressive politics, safer streets and the ability to go on vacation in Scotland or France or the Netherlands as easily as you would go to the Bahamas now.

Answer 8

It IS different. First the currency rates: roughly $1.5 = 1 pound, then there are a few taxes one must pay. Although the language won't be a problem. Driving is different, as is the beer.

The main thing to consider, if you live in the city you can get by without a car due to a great mass transit system. Europe has small streets so no big US cars over there (at least in the cities).

If you know someone in the military, they can help on getting some extra info about living in England.

Answer 9

I lived there for several years because of my family's work. I loved it. The cost of living will vary depending on where you are, but in general, I found that it was less expensive. Someone mentioned living in the suburbs or small towns, and I agree 100%. Also, keep in mind that you will be traveling to a place many Americans can only WISH to visit. There are so many sights to see and the country is full of history. I say give it a try, if it turns out to be the worst mistake of you lives, you can always move back home.

Answer 10

I am an American who lived and worked about 30 minutes north of London for six months. I found the process to obtain a work permit to be difficult and lenghthy. I did not receive my permit until about 6 hours before I was due to board a plane to London.
I also found the cost of living in the UK to be a lot higher than it was in the U.S. This was made worse by the fact that I was working for a U.S. company (General Electric), and was paid in U.S. dollars. There is a poor exchange rate between dollars and pounds sterling. The work culture is also very different - they are very focused on work-life balance (which is a good thing!) but one of the things I found most frustrating was there was no real sense of urgency to get things done.

I have lived twice in the UK and both times have enjoyed myself tremendously. There is a great public transportation infrastructure, so it's easy and cheap to get around without having to worry about a car or insurance. The people, once you give them a chance to warm up, are really quite nice!

Answer 11

I think like everything, it's what you make of it. If you try and get the most out of the experience by meeting the locals and traveling, you willl have a much more enjoyable experience. I've lived overseas through the military and wouldn't have changed that for anything. It also sounds like you're both ready to make some big changes in your lives. The U.S. is great, but there are also some amazing places out there too. Just in case, get your passports now, they can take a while. Good Luck!