who would seriously like to leave the u.k?

[Catweazle]

I love Wales, won't be moving back to the London area, ever. There is loads of space yet the county town is only 3 miles away. The urban sprawl hasn't happened here.

 

The people have all been very friendly and helpful, I've seen none of the supposed bad attitude against the English, neighbours ( some half a mile away ) came around with bottles of wine and invitations when they found we had moved in, everybody knows everybody else and they all muck in together to get things done. This week we've babysat a neighbours dog and chickens, it's just a little thing but it builds community spirit.

[Gimlet]

Seems so strange to me that people moan about immigration yet would happpily be an immigrant, I wonder how the other countries veiw the british immigrants

 

Personally the issue is numbers. Britain is ruinously over-crowded. If we had a population of 20 million I'd wouldn't want to leave. I wouldn't mind who came to Britain, whatever race, colour, creed if they came on an individual one-in one-out basis that kept the population below a certain figure and ensured the complete naturalisation of immigrants not ghettoisation. Multi-culturalism is pure poison.

In the same spirit I'm deeply ashamed of British emmigrants who set up British ghettos abroad, whether its braying middle class Guardian readers in Provence and Tuscany or fat beer swilling chip eaters in Spain. I avoid such places like the plague. It sticks two fingers up to the generosity of your adoptive country and displays insularity and cowardice. If you can't cope in the big wide fascinating world without your cultural comfort blanket stay at home with mummy.

Edited March 30, 2013 by Gimlet

[UKPoacher]

Seems so strange to me that people moan about immigration yet would happpily be an immigrant, I wonder how the other countries veiw the british immigrants

 

From personal experience the French have no problem with British, Dutch and German immigrants, who are it must be said mainly retirees. We retirees aren't a drain on the French systems, education, housing, social security and health anywhere near the same extent if at all as some immigrants are in the UK. What doesn't go down too well are the English & Dutch 'ghettos' for want of a better word. Many English and Dutch tend to live near to one another, typically around golf courses, use their own nationals for building, plumbing, etc whether they are qualified or not, and congregate in the same bars and restaurants.

 

We tend to avoid such people wherever possible. We met similar in Cyprus and all they seemed to do was get drunk and whine about the Cypriots and Cyprus. Similarly we have learned and are still learning the language, use local services and businesses and do our best to integrate. It is a totally different culture to the UK and some ladies in particular cannot adapt to the slow and simple way of life especially if they have come from high pressure jobs and / or enjoy the retail therapy side of life. It is not so much France as the void they feel without purpose or status and no shopping malls to while their hours away. That is the biggest danger to Brits retiring to France. Me personally, I love it. I was born for retirement,but little wife has taken some adjustment to not having the phone ringing and having to sort out problems at work 7 days a week.

 

We live in an area called Charente, about half way down and 100km inland. It is like Derbyshire on a much bigger scale. Hardly any towns, a lot of very small villages and loads and loads of open countryside that is predominantly cattle and sheep grazing. There are vast tracts of woodland and thousands of lakes. Once you have bought your 90 euro rod licence you can fish any river and any public lake without any further charge. We have a small camper van and can park that almost anywhere. There are virtually no "No overnight camping" signs that you see everywhere in the UK and every village over about 200 residents has a designated hook up point where you can obtain electricity, water and dump your waste. The lakes I fish most have dedicated camping car places or in some areas you can just pull up at the side of the lake and camp there. All free of charge ans devoid of litter, graffiti and damage. They leave rowing boats out at the side of the lake unchained and unused except for the main summer holidays and they are still there the next year intact and un-vandalised. It's a different world altogether.

[neillfrbs]

if you want to live in an under populated country with loads of room,move to POLAND the residents moved out in 2008

[Vince Green]

They leave rowing boats out at the side of the lake unchained and unused except for the main summer holidays and they are still there the next year intact and un-vandalised. It's a different world altogether.

I know exactly what you mean, quite a few years back my Dad and I were part of a group sitting outside a bar in the square in Ypres. About 10.30 the owner came out to say he was closing but don't move, just put your glasses down by the door when you go. He locked up leaving all his really nice tables and chairs still out on the pavement and went home.

Edited March 30, 2013 by Vince Green

[Vince Green]

Personally the issue is numbers.

Its all about numbers, everything comes down to numbers.

 

There is one other question which occours to me a lot here in London. Why have we allowed so many people into the country who will never ever be capable of supporting themselves even if we had jobs to offer them? Surely no other country would put up with it?

[scimitar]

Obviously all these people saying how wonderful France is have never been to Marseille or Paris. Huge Islamic ghettos full of north Africans with crime rates through the roof.

[neillfrbs]

soon as you open up your boarders,recepie for disater,hence the **** state of this country.its not great anymore,and with all the defence cuts we could not even defend areselfs with out the help of the yanks, i just worry for are kids.

[SneakyD]

We live in an area called Charente, about half way down and 100km inland. It is like Derbyshire on a much bigger scale. Hardly any towns, a lot of very small villages and loads and loads of open countryside that is predominantly cattle and sheep grazing. There are vast tracts of woodland and thousands of lakes. Once you have bought your 90 euro rod licence you can fish any river and any public lake without any further charge. We have a small camper van and can park that almost anywhere. There are virtually no "No overnight camping" signs that you see everywhere in the UK and every village over about 200 residents has a designated hook up point where you can obtain electricity, water and dump your waste. The lakes I fish most have dedicated camping car places or in some areas you can just pull up at the side of the lake and camp there. All free of charge ans devoid of litter, graffiti and damage. They leave rowing boats out at the side of the lake unchained and unused except for the main summer holidays and they are still there the next year intact and un-vandalised. It's a different world altogether.

You should be working for the French tourist board

[Gimlet]

Its all about numbers, everything comes down to numbers.

 

There is one other question which occours to me a lot here in London. Why have we allowed so many people into the country who will never ever be capable of supporting themselves even if we had jobs to offer them? Surely no other country would put up with it?

 

 

They were brought in to vote Labour, and in the case of London to keep Livingstone installed as mayor in perpetuity. Also, to rub the noses of people like us in diversity according to a Labour party official in an unguarded comment a couple of years ago. In other words Labour ruined our country forever to buy itself another five minutes in the sun and to annoy people they dislike. That is how they see public office: an opportunity too rig democracy and to exact revenge on those who do not share their views.

[unapalomablanca]

Something that always annoys me is that many people who come to this country often fly their home flag, be it as a car sticker or in their window. I think they should fly it if they so wish, but as a mark of respect to the hosts, fly it next to the host flag. After all, they left their home country because they deemed it inferior, and to better themselves in what they considered a better country, so why this silly one sided patriotism?. I am no flag flyer, but i am pretty sure that if i went to live in the states, i would fly the stars and stripes on its own. It's a small thing, but you notice it, especially when big sporting events are on. It's called respect for your hosts, and i see very little of it.

[UKPoacher]

I know exactly what you mean, quite a few years back my Dad and I were part of a group sitting outside a bar in the square in Ypres. About 10.30 the owner came out to say he was closing but don't move, just put your glasses down by the door when you go. He locked up leaving all his really nice tables and chairs still out on the pavement and went home.

It's the same in Cyrus. Some shopkeepers leave their displays out all night after they've closed and in the town where we stay there is a lorry parks up overnight in a public car park. It belongs to the electricity company and has a huge drum of copper cable on it.

 

Obviously all these people saying how wonderful France is have never been to Marseille or Paris. Huge Islamic ghettos full of north Africans with crime rates through the roof.

 

But there are places like that in every country. Just because there are schite holes here and there doesn't mean that the country as a whole is a schite hole.

[Gimlet]

Something that always annoys me is that many people who come to this country often fly their home flag, be it as a car sticker or in their window. I think they should fly it if they so wish, but as a mark of respect to the hosts, fly it next to the host flag. After all, they left their home country because they deemed it inferior, and to better themselves in what they considered a better country, so why this silly one sided patriotism?. I am no flag flyer, but i am pretty sure that if i went to live in the states, i would fly the stars and stripes on its own. It's a small thing, but you notice it, especially when big sporting events are on. It's called respect for your hosts, and i see very little of it.

 

I agree. But people admire the US and want to be part of it. Ours is a weak, submissive country. No one admires that. Why would anyone want to be part of it? We are a soft touch, people come here to grab what's being given away. You may as well fly your flag and stick two fingers up while you're doing it.

[unapalomablanca]

I agree. But people admire the US and want to be part of it. Ours is a weak, submissive country. No one admires that. Why would anyone want to be part of it? We are a soft touch, people come here to grab what's being given away. You may as well fly your flag and stick two fingers up while you're doing it.

Nail on the head.