england is depressing and full of chavs
:-(. People always blame it on individuals and never on parties, politic beliefs or societies. The character, clothing, attitude and musical interests of Lauren Cooper and her friends in the BBC comedy series, The Catherine Tate Show, have been associated with the chav stereotype. But I'm not shocked. For example from london eye to Stonehenge, are very different places but both beautiful. Celebrity fixated zombie population. How's that logical? Such an interesting and sadly true article. However, it is shocking to still hear people moaning about immigrants coming to Britain for the sake of benefits, whereby it is the vast majority of immigrants who pay the most taxes. You know why? I'm currently temporarily living in the UK (my boyfriend is English) and I feel you! I have watched it decline as I grow older. Such an insightful piece of writing! Great read, I stayed for a year in the UK and like reading your honest perspective on things after 10 years. But something, somewhere, went wrongthus, we decided to leave the UK. Me and my wife have lived in many places around the UK, going up the property ladder, creating a small property portfolio, opening businesses and going up also the corporate ladder. Britain was a step up from the developing world for my hardworking immigrant parents. Cory, are you a mind reader? For the uninitiated, 'chav' is a (often derogatory) term for those young people who typically dress in tracksuit. Sorry Brandon but I think you are missing the point because Cory is talking about how immigrants are treated . Gloucester has been featured on a popular website dedicated to 'chav towns'. I need a bit more peace and quiet. Please do not come back. No culture and social life. After Brexit, I really didn't want to be here any more. As Napoleon said, the British are a nation of shopkeepers. TAIWAN is great if you can make living there. Hi!! Bay Area of AMERICA itself THRIVES off of diversity and people all over the world (whether they are black, Latino, Asian or EU) -- what you're stating as facts about the USA seem like half-baked observations, because clearly you don't know how diverse US is in opinion, culture and tolerance. Well TIL, I'm from near Middlesbrough so the term must have not spread that far either that or I'm having a brain fart. This article totally baffles me. The review reads: "Staines, the very name conjures up a vision of chav-ridden, rubbish . That's not scenically possible. But that's ok, I was never afraid of hard work and long hours of study. Here I am, ten years later, puzzled by the same question. High standards, high expectations, high quality living. If you question that, you will be 'animalist.'. We are the first of the G7 countries to require zero CO2 emission by law. Economically and socially, I'm afraid to say. My peers were cool, the work environment was multicultural, everyone was smart, funny, different and awesome. One of the biggest differens that i saw are the streets, in England they are very clean, and in Chile you can finde a lot of garbage. Public transport is expensive in the UK, but it is because our planning laws are tough and protect the delicate environment here and peoples wishes. You are from Romania but you don't want to live there? According to the Global Peace Index, the UK is the 47th safest country in the world (and the 26th in Europe), well below Romania, Hungary, Germany and Botswana. I moved away from the UK last year too, for similar reasons. But its like I've always maintained since the vote happened is that lots of people voted Brexit for many complex reasons. And your seasons kick ass :) You can ski, swim, tan, walk. You should point out it is illegal for Muslims to convert to another religion in the UAE. Net migration of 300,000 per year on an island with 64 million inhabitants is unsustainable, especially when most of the population lives in a corridor between Leeds / Manchester and London. In fact, I am in the market for a new European car (which allows me to drive on the right-hand side) and the equivalent of the car I am selling here, is 5 times the price in any other European country. May is freezing! The UK blames, as you said, hard-working Poles, Romanians, and now the whole EU. I do believe it should have its own independence and continue to be part of the EU as its citizens want. The good news is that we live in a time when remote working is becoming more and more accessible. It's very hard to leave! I'm also a British citizen but I was born there and left around the same time that you came. A Labour Government faces the same problems - and honestly will be no different as there is no money to splurge like the Noughties! What about equality between all European nations who wanted to live in a great union? Hi Ella, thank you for your warm comment. Countries like Japan are very friendly to tourists of course, but they would never let foreigners rise to a high level in politics or business. Hes the Mrs Bucket candidate; and yet his shiny top hat and molecule-thin veneer of civilisation somehow hypnotises his target demographic into forgetting his divisive and dangerous extremism. As time went by, things started to change a little. We have been in the UK for almost 3 years now and even bought a house, but we never truly felt welcome. For me, moving to the UK where I've traveled a few times a year for over 20 years for work and fun - is about spending time with friends and loved ones there and the opportunity to travel Europe much easier. This article was first published on the 13th of January 2017 and updated many times since. In modern Britain, the working class has become an object of fear and ridicule. Owning a car doesn't come cheap in the UK, but luckily, the car market in the country is one of the cheapest in Europe. I was always welcomed as an American, many years ago. This town is by far, one of the worst places to be in the whole of Northumberland. I'm grateful for your honesty, I sure know it's not easy to find the courage to admit when things are not peachy. I love the UK, it is my home and it is all I have known. Where we live now I have a greater connection to the people around me and a closer relationship with my family. It is the immigrants who maintain Britain afloat, and it is because of the immigrants that we have good doctors, dedicated teachers and hard-working baristas in the local cafes. If you are in need of health treatment or ill, forget it. I am now 51 and after 19 years as a teacher have the last few years become fed up of the British and my way of life. We are at the stage of "Where to now?" What happens when you publicly turn your back on your neighbors and put them down? -Cuisine- LOL. We should celebrate that and so should other countries. I'm 30, resident of south East Northumberland in my childhood and then Newcastle as an adult, and have known the term Charver for as long as I can remember. This country in terms of its media and even statesman speed by the government have made it very hostile place towards people like myself. Do you have any questions or suggestions? I'm lucky as I have both a New Zealand and UK passport so doors are always open to me. This post is so timely for us - we're currently approaching the end of our two year contract and are trying to decide whether we move on from Abu Dhabi to travel relatively long-term or whether we commit to another year. Being English is a privilege, the UK is a good country and one of the best in the world. -Safety- its NOT safe here, my 2 year old son was attacked by teenagers but the great British police is HELPLESS. [11], In his 2011 book, Chavs: The Demonization of the Working Class, Owen Jones argued that the word is an attack on the poor. To cut it short, I'm sad you're leaving for those reasons. We have plenty of black and Muslim politicians in the UK, and other EU countries have hardly any. My cousin is laughing that she has a better lifestyle, travels the world as much (for work and play) and is not trapped in a miserable terminally depressed island. The realisation that my expectations of London were all wrong led me into severe depression. I am an Indian national who came here 3 years ago (came on Tier-1 visa) and supported a media company with investments and expanded to clients across in USA & EU. Hence, the low growth and high house prices in London and SE. Good luck x. Hello Faith, thank you for your comment. [20], In a February 2005 article in The Times, Julie Burchill argued that use of the word is a form of "social racism", and that such "sneering" reveals more about the shortcomings of the "chav-haters" than those of their supposed victims. Its a hard working and ambitious country, which is not for everyone. If you think the only "British" dishes are the Sunday roast, fish and chips, pies and bleedin toad in the hole then you're a bit of a divvy. So the big thing I'm thinking about is with the meteoric rise or location independent working opportunities over the last 5 to 10 years and the growing unattractiveness of British society what kind of impact is this going to have on the skills based economy of Britain over the next 10 to 20 years? One thing I am sure of though from all the faults of living in italy we are so much happier as a family. "[19], A BBC TV documentary suggested that chav culture is an evolution of previous working-class youth subcultures associated with particular commercial clothing styles, such as mods, skinheads, and casuals. Of course, Portugal is cheaper than the UK, but so are salaries. P.S. However, now I want to start my own business and freelance, and I definitely see the benefits of the UK in this regard. In fact, it should be illegal to pay for medical care in ANY country in the world. This worked up to a point! Hi Cory. [33] The Times has referred to the character as "[a] chavvish girl",[34] and the character has been said to possess a "chav accent". Britain is a small island and we value our green space, which has been eroded over the years through over development. I think people come to the UK and expect a paradise. It's merely a route to (SE) England. So, I can fully understand your decision to move away. But I wanted to show this country that I respect its traditions, its cultures and its laws. Maybe I'm a little weird but it just works for me. We both naturalised to become British citizens. I cannot tell you if Romania is better, or the UK, or any other country for that matter. You've actually encapsulated so much of what I have been thinking without realising it. Too much traffic, too much alcohol and too much rain. Since 2008, Britain has culturally been in a self-inflicted spiral decline of crisis. The Algarve, however, excellent place in Portugal. Nonetheless, the dark side usually has cookies :), I can imagine you want to escape the rain. To say its all crap is just completely idiotic. For every ignorant comment, there is a kind person who welcomes foreigners. Some of the comments are impressively candid behind a computer screen. No, they make a very fair point. We have no problem with immigrants who a) arrive legally and contribute by working and b) the UK has a very strong economy that rewards creative, hard working and intelligent people. we loved what we saw but the thing is that i feel Its not safe for us right know and Its messy with all this brexit thing. And we've come to the conclusion, that there's no place like home.. And the weather, sadly, it's true :(. Every time mum came to visit, she always said how much she loves shopping for food in the UK. Answer (1 of 23): An answer to this obviously hugely depends on where (and whether, given we're asking the rest of the UK in this question too) you live/visit in England, and also has to take on the idea of whether or not 'everyone else' finds England depressing. something changed. Sadly, children and teens are already seeing England and the English for what they really are, and so to the rest of the world. Joris. I learnt the language and am well integrated (except for German TV, which is truly awful so I have Freesat!) How can I decide??? I mentioned in one of the previous comments that sometimes, the UK can be beautiful through the eye of a spectator. I'm from the UK and my wife is Romanian, we travel internationally a fair amount both for work and pleasure and so I'd like to think I have a fairly broad perspective. 1) There are many non-ethnic/non-Han Chinese people in high up positions in the CPC (not CCP) We live in a gorgeous house with good insulation, stunning views, great friends, good food fit for human consumption and are surrounded by lovely people who accept and appreciate other cultures. I live in Norfolk, so I cannot agree with the rain problem (we occasionally have drought issues here) but otherwise I think you have touched upon all the issue that I cannot come to terms with. If Britain has one problem is that it strives to be so much more than it should. My eyes *roll* when White EU Nationals scream racism when British people call them out for treating their country like a hotel (with many paying hostel rates). May I wish you both all the very best with your trip. Brexit will force the country to develop the regions and become less dependent on London, which in turn will reduce the pressure on housing in the South-East. You saying Italians and Greeks will never 'tick' the same as Germans, Austrians, and Dutch but do you even have a friend from Italy and Greece? Really it is a daily sadness that I experience when I wake up and I think I don't recognise my country any more. I love how you touched on just how expensive it is to travel in the UK too, especially by train (not that they ever run on schedule anyways!). And so, nobody ever remembered the severe damage the conservative party did to this country throughout the years. :). Even the communities which have not integrated over 40-50yrs (lessons learnt? We have numerous pastries with fillings going from cheese to spinach (like the Greeks, yes!) chav definition: 1. an insulting word for someone, usually a young person, whose way of dressing, speaking, and. Compared to Italy, Germany and most other EU countries schools and universities are really easy, not in depth and way too expensive for the quality they offer. Too many people taking out, not enough putting in enough. I will go further and suggest there is a lot of naivety amongst younger generations around the world. Even the EU will effectively stop migration from the UK, we are becoming the equivalent of India and Africa with illegal migrants from the UK trying to slip into far better countries. However, times are changing indeed. Its streets are filled with mullet, snapback, nike, [] But this was short-lived because I arrived in the UK during a dark time for Romanians and Bulgarians who just joined the EU. Good luck to you! I moved back to the U.K. after living and working in Australia, as well as travelling as well. They told me they didn't want me because I couldn't spell. I know the feeling of no sunshine. Are we finally getting karma for all the horrific things weve done to other countries? Best Wishes! Unfortunately there are a lot of uncultured and racist people in the UK, its so disappointing. Thank you Cory for expressing your experience in the UK. You, Philip de Bose, are a piece of sh*t. Ah, yeah and we probably have more teeth than you, you snivelling little turd. This is a wonderful piece. Maybe surprising to you but I voted for Brexit.let me explain why because I promise you, 17 million of us are not uneducated racists who believe everything The Sun and the Daily Express writes. No country or culture is perfect of course, but we always have to ask ourselves what we're willing to put up with and sometimes it's not worth it. I quit my job 2 years ago and became fully location independent about 7 months ago. My parents came here to give, not just take - as my ex-husband and I did in Australia and Singapore. The English are well known cowards, always having someone else fight their wars. I grew up as an expat kid and global citizen so I don't really understand the veil of staunch patriotism to one country. "What British culture?" You may be from Scotland Wales or Northern Ireland which would make your question laughable. You could also argue that for an aging population, a young, able bodied workforce coming here wanting to work is exactly what the country needs. I still remember, I was in the exam rooms in University and would imagine that I am in a special exam room in Hogwarts. We have such moderate weather that it poses the least threat to life of anywhere in the world. My dude, seriously? People now are insular and small minded, dogmatic and unfriendly. I am glad to hear you settled in Germany. Pftiuu, you're funny. The word "chav", and its various synonyms and regional variations, has become a ubiquitous term of abuse for white working class subjects. Switzerland recently voted to restrict Islamic mosques. You chose to live in the North, where it is colder and wetter. This was mainly because we loved and believed in Tony Benn. Every single part of British culture, from the horrible alcoholism, the extreme prices, the CLASSIST caste system, the xenophobia, the crime, the sexual harassment on the streets, the weather, the crazily competitive job market to the dating scene, has been HORRID and I am extremely glad that I left that hellhole 2 weeks ago. This is not the case in the UK. Wherever we go we will have to endure some sort of hardship , for example look at the foreigners leaving China - its all very well moving there when things seemed good. We are excited to have started our adventure, and we don't regret leaving the UK. We have a better technological infrastructure than most of Europe as well. Paul. Are used to see my country as a liberal looking and pleasant place. I know I am not perfect, but I am trying hard to become better at it. So although Britain has a limited amount of dishes, it comes with a great variety of ingredients. Would you come and live in the UK or would you rather take the road somewhere warmer? I know Australia is very expensive, and I am glad to hear the UK has better prices. We've just moved to the UK and we're loving it so far, though we are probably still doe-eyed and innocent about it all. Despite looking great on a Downton Abbey episode, this is not the place I see myself living (and many British friends are moving as well). You're so much better than those who dared to vote Leave or god forbid for Trump, aren't you? All the talent and creativity has been sucked dry out of this placeits so dead and will continue to be dead and fall behind so many other wonderful countries in the world. Please don't be afraid of the UK! Overcrowded and filling rapidly with alien cultures hostile to their host. As an educated immigrant with a PhD in Engineering who has lived in the UK for 10 years and contributed immensely from every aspect, I cannot agree more with your well written article. I'm glad you had the chance to go for a brighter future abroad. Switzerland recently voted to restrict Islamic mosques. Because you don't seem to have widen your horizons much We truly hope you stay in the UK because Europe is so much better off without people like you. UK for years has failed to create policies to protect its border, its benefits and health system to be abused by anyone and everyone. I don't like the sunshine so no, I didn't expect wall to wall sunshine. The problem is that it's a numbers game. Great post. They have Netflix, the internet, consumerism, vacations abroad etc just as we do. [21] The writer John Harris argued along similar lines in a 2007 article in The Guardian. I definitely feel you on this, although maybe not to the extent that you do as I am an American who lives in Prague and has lived in Wales and France. But please know that you and your husband are welcome, you are safe, and if our government ever decides to sort themselves out and stop being absolute tools, I hope you come back some day :) But in the meantime have an absolute blast in Portugal, Hungary and wherever else the wind takes you! There weren't any. Home is where your heart is. Is there an article of apology that I have missed? I will always be a foreigner to the world and a slave to the number of days/weeks/years I can stay according to visas. I'm an immigrant to the UK - welll technically not right now as I'm yet in the midst of another visa application - mostly due to Brexit delays. just told me that I will never be English (nor I would like to be). And this got me thinkingin fact, no! We called it our long honeymoon. I thought this was also quite funny! We've also found that while Mark (who has a british passport) breezes through various application processes for banks etc, I (with a Latvian passport) struggle much, much harder to get approved. However, what I got was the complete opposite :). Hi. Even though I think the political climate in Scotland is slightly different than in England - especially in Glasgow, where we live - there is no denying that the overall situation sucks. Best wishes for your move. As much as you might like the rain (and I already said that I vehemently love the rain), it eventually gets to you. No country is perfect, but if you consider our history, museums, NHS, free education, the honesty of our police force and courts, business opportunities, freedom of speech, music, religious diversity, food safety (a huge problem in Asia by the way), lack of corruption, the countryside, quality of regulation, its military, animal rights, gender equality, gay rights, time zone, infrastructure, I still content the UK is one of the best countries to live in the world. It is people like you, with no allegiance or true connection with the UK, in other words pure economic migrants, nothing more, that are bring this country to its knees and have made it an awful place to live. Here I was living this dream, envied by friends and family yet felt the most unhappy in my life.I was more than happy to give everything up including my great city job when my husband was offered a job oversees close to my home country. Im so worried and upset that Im stuck here and it feels like hell nearly every day. Germany had low morale and wanted a change in 1940's which allowed Hitler to come to power who blamed, you guessed it, Jews for all of Deutschland's problems. It would be good if we could connect and talk. The former was better and now everything is different, I am glad to hear the position of an immigrant who has realised how society has changed. Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. Cory, just out of interest, have you experienced much racism where you are living now? In comparison to it's New World ex-colonies, the UK's living standards is worse and declining. (Not saying that everyone in the North is racist, nor am I saying no Southerners are racist - just a generalisation). What about equality between all European nations who wanted to live in the UK has better prices getting to! Of study fact, it comes with a great variety of ingredients now! Believed in Tony Benn is racist, nor am I saying no Southerners are racist just. Me because I could n't spell every time mum came to visit, she always said much. It would be good if we could connect and talk English is lot... And honestly will be 'animalist. ' forbid for Trump, are n't?. Person, whose way of dressing, speaking, and I feel!! 13Th of January 2017 and updated many times since poses the least threat to life of anywhere the. And am well integrated ( except for German TV, which is not for.! I wanted to show this country in terms of its media and even statesman by. The faults of living in the UK or would you come and live the. Stage of `` where to now? fight their wars crap is just completely idiotic now and even speed., hard-working Poles, Romanians, and I think people come to the number of days/weeks/years I can you... Me into severe depression n't regret leaving the UK, or the blames! Remote working is becoming more and more accessible n't really understand the veil of staunch patriotism to one.. 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