NationStates Jolt Archive

Don't you feel more English now that you don't live in England anymore? I've been living outside England for fifteen years now and miss it terribly. I have a Dutch girlfriend who says the English are the scum of Europe who overdrink and are too sexually loose, so she never wants to live there. However, despite living in Holland for a long time, I still don't really feel at home here (except for the couple of years that I lived in Amsterdam - I felt like I was on an endless holiday ;) ).

Does anyone else from England have similar feelings about England and the country they now currently reside in?

I do, its ashame that your girlfriend has such a negative view on England but we had it coming.

Don't you feel more English now that you don't live in England anymore? I've been living outside England for fifteen years now and miss it terribly. I have a Dutch girlfriend who says the English are the scum of Europe who overdrink and are too sexually loose, so she never wants to live there. However, despite living in Holland for a long time, I still don't really feel at home here (except for the couple of years that I lived in Amsterdam - I felt like I was on an endless holiday ;) ).

Does anyone else from England have similar feelings about England and the country they now currently reside in?

No. In fact I have pretty much the opposite feelings. My wife keeps suggesting that we return to England, but that, to be honest, is the last thing I would want to do. Yes there are things that I miss, but these are easily otweighed by the relief of not having to deal with the pettiness of the average English suburb.

There may well be a significant factor in the age you were when you left Blighty. I was in my early thirties. I had had enough time to get severely pissed off with some aspects of the British culture. I suppose if you left in childhood or up to your late teens then your memories of the UK would be much better.

Another potential factor is where you went. I went half way around the world to a very different culture - Brazil. By comparison, Holland is just the next door neighbour and a lot of the cultural behaviour will be the same as in England. I think the more different it is, if you get through the first year or so, then the less homesick you are likely to feel.

I would be interested to hear the opinions of those that have moved to Japan or Korea for example on this last point.

Well can say as an American expat at times in my life. Anytime I did not live in the states it was like an extended vacation. Although when in the military and stuck in the gulf waiting for desert storm to kick up that sucked.

Don't you feel more English now that you don't live in England anymore? I've been living outside England for fifteen years now and miss it terribly. I have a Dutch girlfriend who says the English are the scum of Europe who overdrink and are too sexually loose, so she never wants to live there. However, despite living in Holland for a long time, I still don't really feel at home here (except for the couple of years that I lived in Amsterdam - I felt like I was on an endless holiday ;) ).

Does anyone else from England have similar feelings about England and the country they now currently reside in?

Too sexually loose??????

How many redlight districts do they have in England?