What actually happens to Fulham Brits abroad?

[finnster01]

So here I am in NY about a year later after moving.

What has happened to me?

I have learned a lot:

1) I have become a better man
2) I have become a better professional
3) I have learned a higher degree of respect for other nationals
4) I have learned how to swear better in Spanish
5) I have seen and heard some great live music by some great musicians in establishments frequented by legends of the past
6) I miss the Cottage on a Saturday
7) I get better food but I miss the late night burgers off Fulham Rd with loads of English mustard that will make the hairs in your behind stand to attention
8) I miss the full English breakfast on Saturdays in the pub with my daughter and the newspapers and the walk in Bishops Park with Stratton the Bulldog.

What about the rest of you expats? What's your experiences?

[Logicalman]

I can agree with the majority of them Finn.

Been here 12 years, moved over just turning 40, so I had a lot of cultural baggage from the homeland.

I am a better man due to coming to understand that all the crap hype about America and Americans is just that. Here people, in the main, are more patriotic than back home, and that sometimes comes across as big-headed and arrogant - which they are not. Still cannot get used to the gun thing though and the rules of American Football still elude me, no matter how hard SWMBO tries to explain them.

In my field I HAVE become a better professional, because IT in the US is where it is at. The skills are second to none, the training is second to none, and the general awareness is second to none.

The respect is as above, purely down to understanding.

Ahh, you have me on the Spanish swearing. Unfortunately (?) I have still failed to let go of my own language enough to swear in another, mine will do.

I find that I have the opportunity now to see some great bands (Eagles, etc) but growing up as a kid behind the Hammersmith Odeon, I got to see all the greats in my formative years, and so I am able to just continue what I started out doing as a kid.

For all the rants, for all the bravado, there is still something inside that tells me that the Cottage is my spiritual home, and where I should really be. We were fortunate this year to return to the UK for our wedding blessing, which we had at St Andrews, and then we had the reception at the Cottage. For the first time in my life I stepped inside the Cottage itself, and I felt I had achieved my life's ambition. I am Fulham born and bred, and I'll be so when I'm dead.

Food. I miss the opportunity to just nip out and get some good bangers, bring them home and have bangers and mash. I miss the Cornish Pasties, the rubies, Walkers crisps, and of course, ESB, Pride and Tanglefoot on draught. You are, perhaps, fortunate living in NYC, inasmuch that its likely most of the British foodstuffs are still readily available to you there, but in the wilds of the Midwest, we are not so fortunate.

After saying all that though, would I want to return and live back 'home'? Not at all. America is my home, it has been since I got here, notwithstanding the struggle I had coming to terms with that and accepting the cultural differences, it is a better place to be for me, but it is still not Fulham, and that's, perhaps, the only thing that grinds.

[FC Silver Fox]

I've been living in France for 34 years, but still hoping to get remission for good conduct.
I've learnt to speak French well enough to beat most French in French scrabble.
I've learnt to swear in English to French soccer refs with a smile on my face so that I don't get booked.
I've learnt about wine to almost professional standards but can't do it in my own language (lack of vocabulary).
I've learnt to cook.
I still can't support France at soccer or rugby.
I've learnt to ski.  wellll , get down most slopes in one piece anyway.
I still hate pretty much all French music that has come after Jacques Brel (he's Belgian anyway).
I still have to get back to the U.K. 2 or 3 times a year to recharge the Brit batteries.

[YankeeJim]

I moved from America to Los Angeles in 1979. To those of you who don't know, LA is a country unto itself. As Gallager the comedian has said, "LA is like a bowl of granola. What ain't fruits and nuts is flakes".

Oh, and when I cash my pension in 388 days, it won't be in LA. What the cost of a midsize flat in SW6?   

[LBNo11]

...a nice insight into our man in NYC..

[jarv]

Never too late to reply to a post.

Been in America for 24 years. Experience for me...

Football, joined a team in the over 40 league (after resigning mysellf to football retirement when I left UK). It was my apprenticeship for the over 50 league and now a true veteran in the over 60 league. One team I used to play for, we had players from portugal, argentina, chile, south africa, australia, dominica and of course brit and usa. It was interesting  to find that people from Argentina  or Dominica had all the same experiences growing up as we did. (school systems, parenting etc.)

The weather is nicer. Even if we do get 24 inches of snow in one go.

Children... exposure to lots of different sporting activities (the weather again, helps). Only 2 hours drive from ski resorts, we became a die hard ski family.

Safety....I never lock my house. You can leave stuff out all night, kids bikes etc. and they don't get nicked!

Americans of all social status, I find to be very open and extremely friendly. (also very helpful when in need).
Could I ever come home for retirement? Doubt it but never say never. Depends on my (grown up) children and UK prices would limit where I could live. Love my trips home to watch Fulham.

[keith]

The thing i didn`t like about living in Torrevieja,Costa Blanca.On the day following our Europa final defeat,while in a Petrol station,i counted Seven Athletico Madrid shirts.I`d bever seen one before in Eight Years.They usually wear R Madrid or Barcelona shirts.