Britain - The Best Country In The World

[merseyman]

Hi there i am new to this forum and just thought iw ould let you know of a business in teh uk who send ouy english magazines overseas. They are able to get nearly every magazine that is on sale in the uk. They are also expanding there business to provide english foods and accessories. Such things like hair dies, shampoo's, tea bags, choclolate etc. If you interested in any magazine or food etc his e-maill is magazines-overseas@hotmail.co.uk and you can pay by card or cheque.

[merseyman]

Hi there i am new to this forum and just thought iw ould let you know of a business in teh uk who send ouy english magazines overseas. They are able to get nearly every magazine that is on sale in the uk. They are also expanding there business to provide english foods and accessories. Such things like hair dies, shampoo's, tea bags, choclolate etc. If you interested in any magazine or food etc his e-maill is magazines-overseas@hotmail.co.uk and you can pay by card or cheque.

[merseyman]

Hi there i am new to this forum and just thought iw ould let you know of a business in teh uk who send ouy english magazines overseas. They are able to get nearly every magazine that is on sale in the uk. They are also expanding there business to provide english foods and accessories. Such things like hair dies, shampoo's, tea bags, choclolate etc. If you interested in any magazine or food etc his e-maill is magazines-overseas@hotmail.co.uk and you can pay by card or cheque.

[Buddyboy]

My late mother always used to say, with sincere conviction, that Britain is the best country in the world. I voted with my feet on that when I emigrated with my wife back in '75. What do you think? Is Britain the best country in the world and, if so, why?

[ruggie]

Well, clearly you don't mind a good winter. (I've only flown over your part of the world a few times, and landed in Gander once - the best descriptions I know of were written by Farley Mowat).

[Buddyboy]

Here in Canada I live at the same latitude as Monte Carlo. Tough to take the weather here. Hmmm.

[Savannah_Alan]

I think phrases like "The best country in the world" are crass, conceited and lacking in worldliness. Therefore, I don't use it. I leave that to the Americans.

[Kay]

If I thought that Britain was "the best country in the world", I wouldn't have chosen to live in Thailand. Yep, we voted with our feet too. 8)

I wonder how many other countries your late mother visited before reaching the conclusion that Britain was the best. Oh well, at least she was happy with what she had so that's something to be glad about.

[ruggie]

That's the rub, Kay. Once we start moving around, our whole world view changes. Some of us develop a permanent slight tingle in the feet, but others seem to find what they're looking for and settle down.

I know that a large proportion of expats eventually return home, but I haven't seen figures for how many move on to yet another place.

[SSue]

Watched a programme last night called 'The Ten Pound Pom'. About the 250,000 who left UK for a better life in Aus. Out of that number, half went back to UK for various reasons, but half of those who returned, came back again eventually. They realised that they were better off here.

I'm sure that if I'd never left UK, I'd have been very happy and satisfied with my lot - but having left, and seen life outside of UK, I wanted more than I had there, and with hard work we got that.

[Graeme]

I believe the Aussie professor Jim Hammerton who wrote on here a while back had something to do with "The Ten Pound Pom" he's researching for another book now.
I can't believe how many people ping pong back and forth, never being happy where they are. I voted with my feet and have never regretted it, England might be great, but it looks better from a distance.


Graeme

[Savannah_Alan]

I think most regulars here know how I feel about my country and my heritage. I love it and I'm immensely proud of it. I must admit that I don't take criticism of it very well.

Having said that, I've come to the conclusion that all hunting around for the the "best country" is meaningless. Any achievements and happiness (or lack or it) comes from within. I think that chasing round the world looking for something better is pretty pointless when in reality it comes from within - no matter where you are.

Your results may vary.

[Kay]

I agree to some extent that happiness comes from within. But it sure does help when you live in a wonderful country with great people, great food, warm climate, and low cost of living.

You'll never guess where I have in mind.

[ruggie]

England might be great, but it looks better from a distance.

That's how I felt about London, after spending the first 3 years of my working life there.

My best pal during my early teens became a 10-pound Pom.

Got a letter from him, from Tennant Creek in the suicide season. Told me straight suicides were unnoticed - that weekend some depressed opal miner sat on his last barrel of dynamite in the middle of the main crossroads and detonated it.

The family left for UK a couple of years later, to Sydney quayside calls of 'You'll be back!' - and they were (but paying full price for the fare this time).

11-year-old younger brother was the one who suffered the biggest culture shock on returning to England: couldn't go to school in his Aussie hat, and couldn't go out shooting 'roos at the wekend.

My pal Nigel Morgan stayed in UK and went on to LSE. Must try and track him down.

[Buddyboy]

There are some interesting comments here. I really like the one that England is better from a distance. However, I don't agree that happiness simply comes from within, although I do accept that one's preferences dictate what or where will make one happy.

If happiness truly does come from within it would matter little where or under what circumstances one lived and, of course, that is not true. Some places, for whatever the many reasons, are simply better places than others in which to live. Perhaps it's not a trait peculiar to the Brits but their love of homeland, laudable as it is, goes beyond reason. When I first emigrated to Canada many years ago I described to my mother the many tangible reasons why I found life better here.

We have two nice cars.

Yes, but you need them there. Everyone has cars there, it's no big thing.

We have a much nicer house.

Yes, but it's just a working class house. In England you had just a working class house.

And so it went on. My sister in law and her husband also joined us here in Canada. They were visited by his parents to whom they showed, among other things, the huge supermarkets here. Back then they were vast compared to anything in Britain. His mother looked around and said "All this choice is ridiculous. What on earth do you need all this choice for."

The word that comes to mind is denial. But sadly, so many Brits are leaving for foreign pastures in ever increasing numbers. I wonder at what point Britain will become "foreign" even within itself.