British Expat Forum

I am really interested in hearing more from those of you who are thinking about leaving the UK.
I am a sociologist and have spent many years studyng the British in Spain and now am beginning a new project on leaving the UK.
If you would not mind I would love to hear:
why you want to go
where?
what you expect/hope to find there.
How you will plan the move
How you will fund it
What about family?
And a little more about yourself.

If the forum moderator will allow me, I would really like to invite people to be interviewed in more depth.

Why is this important? It helps us understand (and perhaps predict) British migration more broadly. Do you know Britain has the third largest diaspora after China and India?

I look forward to your replies.

The best bet would be to post your question on the correct board:

Journalists/Television Producers/Research Students

I'm in a reasonably genial mood so I'll shift it for you, even though it narks me when people create unnecessary work for me.

OK, so you maybe don't think of yourself as a research student, but it's still the most obvious place to post if you want replies to your questions.



That's extremely interesting. (I didn't know.) What's the source of the info? Certainly from what we're seeing here on our fora is that people in Britain are discontent with immigration from Eastern Europe, crime, and cost of living.

Canada is one of the most popular destinations for British emigrants. But, as you suggest - from your previous studies - so too is Spain. Australia and even New Zealand are popular too, as is Malta. I suspect much of it is to do with language and what's perceived as "traditional British culture".



Go ahead, but please share your results if you find anything interesting. Thanks.

Thanks Kay and apologies for sending it to the wrong forum.
I admit I saw the one on becoming an expat and got excited about that one.
However, I am now concerned that an interesting debate might have been killed off because it seems people rarely respond on this forum.

The reference you asked for is Sriskandarajah and Drew, Brits Abroad. Mapping the scale and nature of British emigration. Published 2006 by IPPR (and available from their web pages).


Karen

They do if they like people.

Thanks for the reference. I'll keep my eyes peeled for it.

Are you only interested in interviewing people who are leaving rather than those who have already left? If the former, any reason why? How flexible are you on the subject of your thesis?

You wrote:


Hmmm, very interesting to try to predict migration. It's such a huge subject encompassing all sorts of different ideas and disciplines. I'd like to help.

I am really pleased you would like to help, Kay.
Yes, I had planned to only include those who were thinking of leaving as people often change their minds about why they left as time passes.
This is merely an attempt to gain some consistency in responses. Also, I have researched British who have moved to Spain for a number of years (see The British on the Costa del Sol) .
What I would really like to do is find out from a range of people their reasons for wanting to leave and then follow a few families of individuals as they plan and actually make the move. I know it will not be easy to find people to help me with that, but it would only involve some interviews (chats) from time to time.
I am a qualitative researcher, so I believe the best way to learn about things is to listen to people in depth rather than getting them to fill in forms.

Theoretically, the reason I am interested in this topic is because it raises all sorts of interesting issues about family and socias cohesion and belonging.
In terms of policy, it will be interesting in terms of trying to understand who is going where and why.

Karen

I've talked to quite a few British expats on my travels (I'm one myself). Kay has mentioned a couple of important factors. I find that other things people talk about frequently are:

* Looking for better weather.
* Looking for more work opportunities.
* Britain lacking something that I would call 'Psychological Sense of Community' - no sense of a common identity or purpose - people just looking out for themselves.
* Looking at today's young people and feeling that the country doesn't have a future.
* Something that some people call the 'nanny state', others seem to call it 'stifling bureaucracy' and I think a few people who refer to 'Big Brother' are referring to the same thing, which I think is something like state intrusion into private lives.
* Looking for a better quality of life.
* Foe whatever reason, thinking they wil be happier somewhere else.

In my case, I heard a lot of good things about Australia so fancied giving it a go. I also didn't like my job in England much and having moved a few times, it doesn't take much to give me the urge to try somewhere new.

Good luck with your research.

Yes, good luck with your research, Karen. As I'm sure you're aware, it's verrry difficult to get people to respond to this type of research. Also, I'm not sure we have the right demographic for you. On the one hand, we have people who have settled abroad (beyond the scope of your research) and on the other we have those who want to. The latter group tend to be so preoccupied with trying to get there that they've little time for anything else.

I'll give it a shot and try to encourage people to respond. Meanwhile, I'll cut'n'paste your original questions, and make a sticky, so people don't have to wade through this thread to get to the gist of it. Here goes...

Hi Karen,
My family and I are just staring the process, hoping to go to Nova Scotia, Canada. We think the way of life will be more relaxed and community minded, with less crime and yob culture. A place to bring up our children without worrying to death every time they leave the house.
The main reasons for our wanting to leave; housing costs, cost of living, crime, yob culture, our children, the way the country is run and it's future and quality of life. Not many then and some of which pmforster has mentioned all ready.
I've started planning now, speaking to as many people as possible, reading everything I can get hold of, using the internet (especially forums like this), and getting organised at home.
We are funding the move through the sale of our house and businesses and savings.
My sister and her partner and son are applying also and we will sponsor our parents.

My husband and I are 42 and 35, we have 5 children and live in a rural village in NW England

Indie

Hi Karen,

I am also in the planning stage of moving. Sadly though it looks like the credit crunch may see off my plans for the moment as selling the house was an integral part of the plan.

Reasons for going. Well firstly I would have to say that I cant actually think of one thing, other than relatives, for staying. For leaving take your pick from any of the following.
crime and the lack of desire to halt it. Cost of living and the ever increasing leeching of money from my pocket by our parasitic grasping goverment. Opportunity or rather the lack of it for all but particularly youth. The crap, no change that, for really crap, weather. But you know what i think the worst thing of all is we dont even have the right anymore to say what we think, that has to be the worst thing, I personally dont like any of the pc crap that abounds these days. If i want to be like victor meldrew or alf garnet and hate everyone then i should have the right to say so (I dont by the way!!! but if i did i should be able to express it) after all I dont remember officially losing the right of free speech! Anyway i feel that I would be better looking after the interests of my young children by taking them to a country where you have to live the way the majority want and not pander to the loud mouthed minority!

I hope that helps with your study, sorry if it comes across as a rant, but i cant dress it up, it is!!

Hi,
My husband and I are 36 and 26 and we have 2 kids 9 and 7. We are moving to America for a better life. My husband has taken a job in Ohio and we are in the process of getting our visas. The adventure of it all and the way of life made us look to moving to the USA after it took too long (4 years) of trying to move to australia.
If there is anyone that has moved from the UK and can help explain what we are facing when we get to America, such as making friends, things to look out for when buying a house and cars, how to keep our children happy and involved when we get there. The older one, a girl, is fairly sensitive and is frightened about losing her friends here and making new ones. She has moved schools once already and struggled to settle in as the other children were already in friendship groups, she has settled in now though. Any tips on how to fit into the American lifestyle? Many thanks