ExPats

[snoopysue]

Being one of them I'm wondering what makes other people emigrate (strange never thourght of myself as someone who emigrated!), what they like about the new country and what they miss from "home"

As for myself I left blighty supposedly for a year (yeh, I've heard that one before too ) and nearly 16 years later I'm still here. Why, because of work - saw a locum job that sounded interesting, knew where Esbjerg was, hated the boss where I was - so I had nothing to lose. At the same time I was also looking into joining the army, but they were too long winded, and anyway Denmark was only for one year wasn't it

What's good about Denmark?
The health system is good, waiting list gaurentee's that work (if you aren't called in for an appointment within the given time then you have the right to be sent to another hospital, maybe a private one). Social system seems to work okay. The danish mentality and sense of humor is close to the british, so not too hard to be integrated. Not as crowded as the UK.

What I miss?
Cheese and pickle buttys! Good Danish bacon (the stuff they export is so much better than the stuff they sell here), British sausages! Salt and vinegar crisps (you can get them in gourmet food shops, but they pale by comparison with the real thing). Cheshire Oaks Outlet center (yeh yeh, I know I've got a highly developed shopping gene)
Low taxes!!!!

What about you other ex pats on here?


Snoopy Sue

[MarkCDodd]

Oooo...cheese and pickle butties! A delicacy that my oldies brought over from the Mother Country. Yum!

I had no choice in the matter when it came to moving to Oz. No matter how much an 8 month old protests the parents are always going to win

I started the family tree primarily to understand my British origins.

Speaking to Mum and Dad, they don't miss much except the large number of relatives that were always around.

Whole streets were full of extended families.

it seems that all migrants to Australia brought over their favorite foods and traditions with them.

Mumand Dad came over to allow us kids a better chance at achieving according to ability more than "class".

No matter how hard my Dad worked, he was always going to hit an artificial ceiling.

Certainly his kids have done very well over here. Compared to our 1st cousins in the U.K we are better off financially and had more choice of professions.

But I think my English cousins have such a sense of pride, family and history that we Pozzies (what my kids call us Ozzie Poms) are missing out on something that doesn't have a monetary value.

[snoopysue]

Oooo...cheese and pickle butties! A delicacy that my oldies brought over from the Mother Country. Yum!

Mum and Dad came over to allow us kids a better chance at achieving according to ability more than "class".
No matter how hard my Dad worked, he was always going to hit an artificial ceiling.
Certainly his kids have done very well over here. Compared to our 1st cousins in the U.K we are better off financially and had more choice of professions.

But I think my English cousins have such a sense of pride, family and history that we Pozzies (what my kids call us Ozzie Poms) are missing out on something that doesn't have a monetary value.

Yeh, and Cadbury's chocolate - most of the danish milk chocolate doesn't compare, so I'm a dark convert!
(If my memory serves, you can buy Cadbury's in Oz, can't you?)

I think with parents as forward thinking as yours Mark, you would have had a reasonable chance in the UK too. My english teacher was from Oldbury and the first in her family to go to university - her father pretty much disowned her for having ideas above her station!
But I do see that there are a lot of opportunities in a "new" country that are open to all with the ability. I think maybe the benefits may outweigh the lack of historical pride - certainly as far as standard of living may be concerned.

Being an imigrant and not weighed down by the countries own social ideals and customs may have it's benefits too. Take Caroline Wozniaki (Tennis player), she would never have got so far if both her parents were danish. There's this thing called "Jante Law", which basically buts anybody down who is (or thinks they are) better than everybody else. Even the tax system backs this up, as there isn't too much difference between people's net income is. Whereas with gross income there is a huge difference.
Caroline's father is from Poland and has really instilled a winning instinct in his kids that is an alien concept for the majority of danes.

[gardener]

It was "lerv" in my case and the old "Try it for a while and if you don't like it we can re-think" line.

What do I like about it? The water mostly. Cold water is cold and chlorine-free. Hot water is on mains supply so showers are fantastic and even though we just had a price hike most people will open a window if they are too hot, rather than lower the radiator. Great place for kids too as they can play outside and you worry they will fall in the sea rather than worry that they will be abducted.

What do I miss? Salt and vinegar crisps, fish and chips, the smell of warm tar and car fumes in the summer (endless fresh air gets a bit boring though we do get "poluted air" from Europe sometimes when the wind is right). Decent cheese, it is imported a bit but costs an arm and a leg. And I miss those summer days when you wake and open the back door and just know it is going to be blazing hot.

[MarkCDodd]

There were almost riots in the streets when Cadbury in Australia changed their recipe earlier this year.

There was such a backlash they spent tens of millions reverting back to the old recipe and removing the offending product from the shelves.

[snoopysue]

There were almost riots in the streets when Cadbury in Australia changed their recipe earlier this year.

There was such a backlash they spent tens of millions reverting back to the old recipe and removing the offending product from the shelves.

That's a lesson for all food manufacturers "Change a much loved recipe at your peril"

[mikleed]

In fact, just admit it you are all homesick for your Mother Country.......God Bless Her!.....we all know where our values are !
Mike.

[snoopysue]

In fact, just admit it you are all homesick for your Mother Country.......God Bless Her!.....we all know where our values are !
Mike.

Too be honest I could have moved back many times if I'd wanted to. There are many things I like about blighty but I wouldn't want to go back, there'd be many things I 'd miss from Denmark too - like frikadeller (could make those myself), tartaletter and boller i karry. And not just the food, we have a reasonable size house on a huge plot, I'd have to look long and dig deep for something similar.
I would miss my work too, even though I know I'd probably be able to get a similar job in the UK it would be difficult to find one I like as much, with as much flexability in it and bosses I like and trust.
So even though my husband calls me His National Patriot, I 'll stay here thanks

[mikleed]

Snoopy Sue.........Where will you be Buried ?....there, or here with families
Mike.

[Rob]

With the love of her life? Her soulmate,her hubby?
(i hate that word hubby and blighty!!!!!) aaaarrggghhh!!!!
Micheal home is where the heart is.
I haven't lived in England for 40 years and i've never regretted it but i'm only over the North Sea. Australia's a different cookie.Far too far away.

[snoopysue]

Snoopy Sue.........Where will you be Buried ?....there, or here with families
Mike.

Probably nowhere!
I'll probably be cremated, and as far as I'm concerned it's up to whoever's left behind - if they want to have a place to visit, then they can. As far as I'm concerned my family's wishes are the most important - if my husband wants to spread my ashes in the bay where he sails, then he can.

[mikleed]

A tradional Viking send off.!.......So love of Mother Country means nothing to you or Rob.
Mike.

[Rob]

Well i love my Mother and i'm fond of the place where i was born.
This is a difficult subject Micheal. I'm going to pick my words and get back maybe later.

[snoopysue]

A tradional Viking send off.!.......So love of Mother Country means nothing to you or Rob.
Mike.

Absolutely nothing to do with love of Mother Country. More to do with my personal lack of need of a monument to remember the people close to me - I don't need a gravestone to remember my grandparents, on the contrary I prefer to remember them when they were fit and well, and not their last moments which were in terms of their total lives rather short.

I also respect that whoever I leave behind may have his or her own needs to how I'm disposed of, and if they see fit to bury me in my native land, then all well and good. On the other hand if they want me closer to them and feel that a burial in a Danish graveyard is the way to go, then that's okay too.
My husband and I have discussed this, and we both feel that cremation is the most likely, but we also feel that whoever is left behind and their feelings at the time are the most important. However if at some point I expressed a burning desire to be buried where I grew up, then I'm sure that those wishes would be acted upon (not that I think that is very likely).

Anyway where would I chose if I was to be buried in the UK? The town I was born in - which I spent 3 months of my life in? The parish I grew up in and spent roughly 50% of my life in (the church is in the next village), after my parents are gone there'll probably be no one I know living in that area? The town my sister lives in, she moves about a bit, so there's no telling where she'll end up next (and is 4 hours away from where I grew up)? Or should I just close my eyes and stick a pin in a map? And if I did chose the UK, wouldn't that be for my sake and not for anybody elses?

I'm happy letting my loved ones make up their own minds and remember me in their own way.

[mikleed]

Snoopy Sue was this intended as a pun ? "A Burning desire is to be Buried where I grew up."
Mike