Possible Move London UK to Atlanta (Hampton: foreclosed, renting, condo)

[chalvey]

Originally Posted by lorilove

Even for suburban Atlanta, the distances are exagerated. On a daily basis, everthing I need is within 2-4 miles. A few places might be as far as 10 miles but these are certain doctors or stores that I visit infrequently or perhaps on weekends only.

Grant it the 2-4 miles still require a car and are not necessarily walkable.

I agree that some distances are over exaggerated, but compared to London distances here are immense. We live in Dunwoody and have the Chattahoochee, a gas station, all necessary stores,and a bank (every thing but a health clinic) within 1/2 mile to a mile. There are a couple of reason why we don't walk to these amenities: Atlanta is very hilly (this is the primary reason); it is very hot and humid for a good portion of the year.

You were mentioning kayaking in another post. That is one of the reason i come back home on the weekends . The only complaint I have is the Chattahoochee isn't that deep in many areas.

[chalvey]

Originally Posted by Forrest Of Deen

As the Olympics showed you, most of Britain loves the NHS. Is it perfect, no. But it's far superior to the American health care system.

Couldn't agree more. An amazing system, and a spectacular Olympics, and hopefully the first ever sold out Paralympics (Team GB should hopefully be number 1 in gold and total medals)!

[JoeTarheel]

Originally Posted by Staysean23

Yes about the Winter coats. lol I notice that too..People there have no interesting hobbies – it’s too costly and there’s no room for any sports gear in the dinky apartments. So people just work, eat and drink week after week. Actually, to have fun on the weekend people grab a Ryan Air flight and LEAVE THE COUNTRY.

The only people who think living in London is great is those on welfare benefits or those who have never lived in another city or country (no sense of relativity) Or the ones who are filthy rich . Would hate to attempt to raise a family there.

I dont know if you notice with the orange juice there.. Cold toast I can understand, that’s just a cultural difference. But hot orange juice? What idiot makes orange juice from a frozen can and boiling water? It’s not tea!!!!!

I don't specifically remember the orange juice, but I know that the food in general was horrible - unless it was Indian, Jamaican, or something else non-British.

[chalvey]

QUOTE=Staysean23;25853077]

Originally Posted by JoeTarheel

No it isn't just you...they are miserable for the most part, but maybe they aren't all that aware of it. The general population lives very much below that standard that we have here - I agree, a very poor quality of life there. I was kind of on the poor side there as well, where I am solidly middle-class in the U.S.

Funny story...I had just gotten a shipment of my things from Atlanta and I was telling this guy I met that one huge box was all of my coats. He couldn't believe that I had several winter coats when most Londoners just have the one. It was very telling about life there.

I agree with your entire post. [/QUOTE

Yes about the Winter coats. lol I notice that too..People there have no interesting hobbies – it’s too costly and there’s no room for any sports gear in the dinky apartments. So people just work, eat and drink week after week. Actually, to have fun on the weekend people grab a Ryan Air flight and LEAVE THE COUNTRY.

The only people who think living in London is great is those on welfare benefits or those who have never lived in another city or country (no sense of relativity) Or the ones who are filthy rich . Would hate to attempt to raise a family there.

I dont know if you notice with the orange juice there.. Cold toast I can understand, that’s just a cultural difference. But hot orange juice? What idiot makes orange juice from a frozen can and boiling water? It’s not tea!!!!!

Everyone I know has more than 1 bleeding coat over there. For god sakes my aunt has more than 15 pairs of jeans. It is honestly not that expensive. Cost of living here and there are about the same. You can get a much bigger house here, but then calculate all the costs that come with that. Healthcare over here isn't cheap either. Gas is cheaper, but you drive much more.

The average salary in London is $75,000 compared to New York which is $51,000. London is expensive, but people also get paid more. The only major difference is having a larger house in the states. Not sure how standard of living is less. They all have the same amenities we have in the sates. We are not particularly wealthy and we have lived in five countries, and still like it over there. I think that it is a plus that over 80% of the British population have been abroad. Its gives people a better understanding of the world and its cultures. Besides England is the same size of Alabama. It is a small country so one would expect its populace to travel abroad fro holidays.

About shopping, have you never been to a shopping center (Uxbridge, westfield)? You can always go to an Asda or Tesco and find almost everything you need under a roof. The only explanation I can come up with is that you were living in a ****ty place like Slough.

I'm not sure where you've had hot orange juice.... We just get one in a tetra-pak from Tesco. Never had cold toast either.

Its a shame that you did not enjoy your short time in London. Even if you did not like it, I hope you made the most of it. We lived in Saudi for three years (I was too young to remember most of it), but is was real difficult to live there with the mutaween patrolling the street. If its not a permanent move, make the most of it.

[chalvey]

Originally Posted by JoeTarheel

What do you expect when you make a decision to live out in the burbs? It's not real smart to locate there and then complain that it's not like the city. Of course it isn't...but you have choices in Atlanta just like anywhere else. You can live in an urban, walkable, dense area or you can live in suburban hell. You chose hell apparently.

Joe, I know that you are giving the other side of the picture since there are some apparently anti-Atlanta postings in this thread and I respect that. I looked at my posts in this thread and I do not see how they warrant such harsh critiques of London. I said that London has better amenities than Atlanta, that is all. I never said that Atlanta is a ****ty depressing place where it is hard to find a job, etc. It is a great place to work and make money. Living wise, its debatable, but most people can have a good standard of living. In my books, Atlanta isn't London, but its much better than many other cities out there. Carson City is the first that comes to mind.

I have just one question. When did kitty say she lives in the suburbs?

[chalvey]

London,

Several things.

About pubs, not many here. The only one I recommend (food wise) is Firkin & Gryphon (Dunwoody location). It is owned by Peter Anand, and Indian from Britain. The highlight is that they have Indian food on the menu, like a proper pub. Chicken curry, samosas, paneer wrap, etc . Unfortunately, I have yet to come accross a place that offers a full English breakfast.

I am not sure where Indian grocery stores are in that area, but there should be some in East Cobb. The only indian ingrediant you wil find in big grocery stores will be basmati rice, in a very small pack. There will not be an Indian section like Tescos. Also much less vegetarian choice, especially in grocery stores.

Not sure if your Sikh. There is a gurdwara we occasionally go to (we're Hindu) in Roswell. The langar is quite good. There is one in Lilburn and another in Stone Mountain (not to become too political, but this one is Khalistani leaning). There are several Hindu temples throughout Atlanta. SEWA Georgia

I assume when you say you want to come here for work experience you are not planning to permanently move to the U.S? If so, I would advise to have your child in the U.K. Its free and your wife can have 52 weeks maternal leave in the U.K, compared to only 12 weeks in the U.S. America isn't what it used to be 15-20 years ago, at least if you have a good job and come from a developed nation. We're planning on moving back to England or maybe even India as soon as I get out of uni.

[JoeTarheel]

Originally Posted by chalvey

Joe, I know that you are giving the other side of the picture since there are some apparently anti-Atlanta postings in this thread and I respect that. I looked at my posts in this thread and I do not see how they warrant such harsh critiques of London. I said that London has better amenities than Atlanta, that is all. I never said that Atlanta is a ****ty depressing place where it is hard to find a job, etc. It is a great place to work and make money. Living wise, its debatable, but most people can have a good standard of living. In my books, Atlanta isn't London, but its much better than many other cities out there. Carson City is the first that comes to mind.

I have just one question. When did kitty say she lives in the suburbs?

I never said that you disrespected Atlanta did I? I'm pretty sure I didn't...and as for my opinion of life in London, I'm just sharing my experience - much as you (and others) are doing with your experience in Atlanta. That's okay, isn't it?

When kitty gave this oh-so-lovely description of Atlanta it had suburban area written all over it:

It's a big sprawling mass of strip malls interspersed with quaint neighborhoods that managed to avoid being knocked down (not for want of trying) surrounded by an even bigger mass of suburban strip malls and subdivisions (think home counties if they knocked everything down and built a McDonalds every 3 miles or so.

I would hope she wasn't describing life in the city of Atlanta...I live here and I don't ever see anything like she described above - but then again I rarely venture into the burbs.

[JoeTarheel]

Originally Posted by chalvey

QUOTE=Staysean23;25853077]

Everyone I know has more than 1 bleeding coat over there. For god sakes my aunt has more than 15 pairs of jeans. It is honestly not that expensive. Cost of living here and there are about the same. You can get a much bigger house here, but then calculate all the costs that come with that. Healthcare over here isn't cheap either. Gas is cheaper, but you drive much more.

The average salary in London is $75,000 compared to New York which is $51,000. London is expensive, but people also get paid more. The only major difference is having a larger house in the states. Not sure how standard of living is less. They all have the same amenities we have in the sates. We are not particularly wealthy and we have lived in five countries, and still like it over there. I think that it is a plus that over 80% of the British population have been abroad. Its gives people a better understanding of the world and its cultures. Besides England is the same size of Alabama. It is a small country so one would expect its populace to travel abroad fro holidays.

About shopping, have you never been to a shopping center (Uxbridge, westfield)? You can always go to an Asda or Tesco and find almost everything you need under a roof. The only explanation I can come up with is that you were living in a ****ty place like Slough.

I'm not sure where you've had hot orange juice.... We just get one in a tetra-pak from Tesco. Never had cold toast either.

Its a shame that you did not enjoy your short time in London. Even if you did not like it, I hope you made the most of it. We lived in Saudi for three years (I was too young to remember most of it), but is was real difficult to live there with the mutaween patrolling the street. If its not a permanent move, make the most of it.

I won't go back through my impressions of life in London again...they differ from yours, obviously...but they are MY experiences and they may not match up with yours. I'm sorry if it offends you.

Some of the comments you're responding to weren't mine, but belong to Staysean23. I don't remember warm orange juice and some of the other things he mentioned, but the general gloom of the residents and low quality of life issues I totally agreed with. I enjoyed some things about London, but there was also much of it that I didn't like.

[Onthemove2014]

OP needs to stay in the UK and have the baby where the healthcare is free unless he is independently wealthy.

End of thread.

[JoeTarheel]

Originally Posted by Onthemove2014

OP needs to stay in the UK and have the baby where the healthcare is free unless he is independently wealthy.

End of thread.

Agreed.