 |
Glastonbury, England - as viewed from the Tor
copyright Viking Visual |
In 1997, the day
that Tony Blair was elected into office, I was entering the UK to
live, bleary-eyed from a very short night's sleep during the flight
from New York. I had my (then) husband and our baby with me. I got
through customs on my single-entry, wife visa and began my 16.5 years
of living in the UK.
Hopefully, you will
have already had the experience of visiting the UK on holiday
(vacation) to get the flavor of shopping, traveling and site-seeing.
However, no vacation will give you the trials which ordinary living
will give you – such as trying to find a decent broom or getting
to grips with making the perfect cuppa (cup of tea.)
Logistics
The UK is one of the
harder countries to move to if you're not already a citizen of the
EU. (Even within the EU, it is one of the harder countries to enter –
along with Ireland and Denmark.) If you want to retire in the UK, it
is difficult unless you have plenty of money (Madonna has a
considerable estate there) – but that isn't true for most of us. If
you are retiring, it's best to start somewhere else in the EU where
all they care about is whether your social security and/or pension is
enough to support you... then you can move to the UK later after
you've become an EU citizen. (By then, of course, you'll probably be
too used to Mediterranean living – perhaps – too care about the
UK!)
In general, it's a
lot easier to move to Britain if you have a good job and/or you have
a spouse or parent who is a citizen.
If you are doing the
international relationship thing, I can say that it's a LOT easier to
live together in the UK than it is to do it in the USA.
* I have a friend
who tried to bring her husband to the US – but was prevented by
something stupid he did as a teenager (he was, like, 50 when he
applied!) In the end, they gave up on it – she wasn't able to move
to the UK (kids) and he wasn't able to move to the USA.
* I considered
trying to get a partner of mine into the USA, but would've required
quite a lucrative financial situation to have any chance at all. Not
feasible for many, including myself.
A word of warning on
these international relationships though. They are a beautiful thing
when they work. When they don't, the foreigner often finds themselves
trapped in a foreign country due to child issues. I remained in
Britain for almost 10 years AFTER the marriage failed for that
reason. I know others who have had the same problem (or the same in
reverse.)
Some years after I
became a permanent resident in the UK, they brought in the “Life in
the UK” test – which brought about much amusement within the
country with articles in the newspapers showing people that most
citizens could not have passed it without considerable study! Yet,
this is needed if you wish to become a permanent resident or citizen.
The book for it is available at most book stores and probably many
news agents as well. It is very dry reading, but if you can read all
the way through and take the practice exams online, you shouldn't
have too much trouble, especially if you speak English reasonably
well.
Driving
When you arrive in
the UK, you get a whole year to use your US drivers' license before
you must sit your British
exam in order to keep driving. (Going to the US, your UK license
tends to be good only for a month
– surprising when you discover just how much harder the UK license
is – and how much more training you must have in order to pass!)
The
first thing you need to have is a copy of the “Highway
Code” available in most news agents and book stores. It includes
all you need to know – including how to operate one of those
dreaded roundabouts which you will find littered everywhere you want
to drive. (Used
correctly, roundabouts are an excellent solution to an intersection
with uneven traffic flow or not quite busy enough to justify traffic
lights yet.)
Do realize that almost all UK cars are manual transmission, so if you
need an automatic, you will need to make special arrangements. (If
you take your exam in an automatic, you will be licensed only
for automatics!)
As
the driver's exam is much harder in the UK than it is anywhere in the
USA, it is prudent to purchase some private training through any of
the many driving schools in the UK. It is quite normal to fail the
test the first attempt (or two...)
A surprisingly large
percentage of the British population do not drive. But considering
the excellent public transit system, it makes more sense...
Public transit
Compared
with almost anywhere in the USA, the public transit system in the UK
is amazing! It
shouldn't be too surprising, considering the population density of
the country, but it is very easy to get used to the idea that there
are trains to almost anywhere you might want to go. Most of the rest
of the country is very well connected using buses. I was very
impressed with the buses in south Wales where you really could go
almost anywhere without driving yourself.
Climate
When using a
USDA-styled climate map, the UK ranges from a zone 10 on the Isles of
Scilly off the SW coast of Cornwall to a zone 7 over the hills of
northern Britain. Compared to much of the US, the UK enjoys a very
comfortable climate. It generally never gets either super hot nor
super cold.
Obviously, it does
differ from region to region. In Southampton, where I was for almost
seven years, I likened the growing season to southern coastal
Oregon... where fuchsias are evergreen most years.
In Berkshire and
Wiltshire, it was more like the Willamette Valley, just a little
cloudier. South Wales was like being in coastal Washington.
Northern parts of
Britain – and along the North Sea coast, there is a much more
substantial snowfall in most years. Generally, the NE coastline gets
the first snowfall. I would liken this part of the country to the
East Coast of the USA, without the temperature extremes.
Although the UK does
not experience the same sorts of temperature extremes as you see in
the USA, due to the humidity, you may find that UK extremes feel very
similar to USA extremes. I've also learned that simply translating
Farenheit to Celcius doesn't give an accurate guide for how the air
feels.
Religion
There is no official
“separation of church and state” in Britain. Christian beliefs
and heritage are fairly deeply entrenched throughout the country. But
although most Brits are nominally Anglican (similar to Episcopalian
in the US,) the actual adherence is quite low.
Christianity
definitely has the largest religious following – and most
denominations can be found in large numbers – from the Brethren and
Quakers to Anglicans and Catholics to Baptists and Penticostals.
Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses are found in large numbers as well.
Additionally, many other faiths can be found in Britain, whether
ancient and native (like druidry) or foreign (like Islam) or modern
(like Jediism,) The pagan movement is very strong and better
tolerated than it is in the USA. As you can see, Britain is a very
multi-faith country.
LGBT Pride
Gay
pride is alive and well in Britain. “Civil partnership” which
includes “gay marriage” has been around for a few years now
giving hope to many couples who were not able to have legal
protections previously. (This includes the ability to inherit
property and the ability to access help in cases of domestic
violence.) Although many may not see it as being the same as
“marriage”, it is probably this very difference which allowed it
to slide into the UK years before the movement picked up a similar
level of momentum in the USA.
Family
Freedoms
Home births
are common in the UK and midwifery is a respected profession –
though, as with many professions, there has been a recent shortage.
In general, though, the UK is a very good place to have a baby. The
mother is well-looked-after, from the beginning stages clear through
several months after the birth. No rushing to the doctor in those
early days after birth unless it is medically required. It's a much
more laid back – much more “natural” process. Not to mention
the fact that as a legal resident, your healthcare is FREE!!! (Dental
and prescriptions are also free while you are pregnant and during the
year afterwards.)
Home education
is less regulated than many places. Although the current trend is
towards more regulation (annual checks and a register) – it is
still only the equivalent of the “yellow” states on the map of
home school regulations for the US.
Although vaccination
is strongly encouraged and expected, there are no penalties for
someone who opts out. A parent can also choose to delay vaccines or
accept some and refuse others. Currently, schools do not require
vaccination records before admission into the education system.
Discipline is
regulated in Scotland, where it is illegal to “smack” (spank)
children... even your own. (Note: whereas in the USA, the word
“smack” has a very violent connotation, in the UK, it's the word
“spank” which is the stronger word – not one you want to get
wrong.)
Recently, Scotland
has been in the process of implementing some rather draconian
parenting laws about having a “named person” (social worker) for
every child in the country. From the freedom-loving point of view,
I'd stay clear of Scotland for the near future.
I can say both good
things and bad things about living in the UK. I lived there for many
years, but it never truly became home – yet, having left, I can
also say that a very large part of my heart was left behind too. Not
just in the people I have left behind, but the familiarity I have
with a country where I spent nearly all my adult life up until the
time I left – the country where I achieved the fullness of
motherhood and experienced the heartache of family breakdown and
other personal struggles.
If you have further
questions, please leave them in the comments and I'll answer them in
a future Q & A blog post.
It includes the port
cities of Southampton and Portsmouth as well as the county town and
cathedral city of Winchester. (Note: Portsmouth is also a Roman
Catholic cathedral city.) Nearer to London, you also have the city of
Basingstoke, sort of the last major train stop before reaching
Greater London.
Other Towns
