We Be Aliens!

[W3H5]

Here's a thread for all of us that live away from our home lands. Foreigners, ex-patriots, aliens or just plain in-extraditable criminals, whatever you are, this is a thread for you.

I often go on discussing the highs and lows of living in a foreign country in other threads so I think it's about time there was a dedicated one.

I know there are more than a few of us on here, including some mods. So discussions of climate, visas, work, culture and what not can go.....erm......here! 💡

 

[TB]

Despite moving 1,500 miles and still never leaving the country, the

climate [and] *snip* culture

are certainly different enough between Georgia and NoDak. Does that count?

 

[a6m5]

I've been in the States since 1987, so while I'm still a foreign national, it's almost like I was already naturalized except on the paperwork. U.S. Citizenship will be coming soon, I'm sure.

And yes TB, this is a biiiiiig country.

 

[gorsad]

Well, I'm Indian and live in India. But before that, I lived in U.A.E for 12 years. I feel like an alien in India, the climate and general cleanliness of the place is definitely different from the U.A.E. But after living here for 8 months, I can say that the sense of freedom is more than the U.A.E.

I also have more friends and my school generally feels better than my previous school. The facilities here aren't that great but the science and maths classes are much superior to that of my old school.

Basically, I like it here but still wish it wasn't so dirty and that people actually used the dustbin.

 

[a6m5]

How weird is that to come back to your homeland, and it feels foreign? Quite a unique situation.

I do hear how third world-like India can be, and I hope it changes for you guys soon. India is definitely an up & comer!

 

[niky]

I've been a Pacific Islander so long, I've lost my Joisey accent. I miss it.

Could be worse, just heard a DJ on the radio today who was raised in Germany, moved to Australia and learned English there, then moved to Singapore, then moved here. Her accent is the most befuddling thing I've ever laid ears on.

 

[a6m5]

Mine comes & goes. Most of the time, I sound like an American guy. Then once in awhile, little accent, or Engrish pops out of my mouth.

I don't speak Japanese a whole lot anymore, but I recently did speak it with a customer who happened to be Japanese, and he did tell me that he was pretty impressed as I didn't have a hint of accent. Good thing he didn't ask me to write in Japanese.

 

[hawkeye122]

I was born in the Untied States to a British father, and an American Mother. We lived in Durham shortly after I was born, and then moved back here when I was 4. Thus, I have Dual-Citizenship, my Father remains British, but is married to my Mum.

Honestly, I feel like an American. From the times I have visited distant family in England (My Fathers parents and a handful of aunts and uncles live here), I much prefer it there.

But hey, I play with the card I'm dealt. I have a Mild accent at school, which becomes more thick when I'm with my family. But it isn't outrageous enough at school to turn heads. Friends and teachers take notice. Most people tend to think that I fake it, which sort of irritates me.

 

[axletramp]

Well you know about me. I moved an enormous 250 miles to live in Jersey, Channel Islands from Kent in the UK. Got fed up with working in London and wanted a lifestyle change. Went a very long way down the line in going to live in NZ (even had some help from some guys on here) but at the last minute a great job came up in Jersey which I couldn't turn down. Better climate (more BBQs), low tax (I saved over £1K a month when I first came over), cleanest beaches in Europe on our doorstep, hardly any crime (dont mention the kiddie stuff) and cheaper Champagne! Downsides: house prices are higher than anywhere in the UK by some distance, high cost of living, you have to travel to go to cultural centres/museums etc, smalltown mentalities plus 'big fish in a small pond' attitude from company bosses (which does my head in).

I think that's about it.

 

[gorsad]

How weird is that to come back to your homeland, and it feels foreign? Quite a unique situation.

It's weird because while I can understand the language, I can't speak it. Asking for milk from a store has never been so hard .

 

[W3H5]

I think that's about it.

So..you're not on the run from Interpol for trying to take over the world using fog machine stolen from a local discothèque?

I must have dreamt that then.

 

[axletramp]

Nah, that was all a smokescreen...

I actually did a runner with all the money from the banks that went missing in 2008. It's because I'm a bit whoa and a bit wayhey - a bit of a geeeeeeeezer, if you know what I mean.

 

[Lizard]

Not really a different country but moving from Surrey to Lincolnshire was a big change.

Surrey is full of very posh people and the general way people conduct themself everywhere is quite different I find.

 

[Ross]

Never moved anywhere me. I've always been a Hampshire boy.

 

[E28]

I was born in Bristol, and moved many, many miles away. To Herefordshire, which is a 1 hour drive away!

 

[toymdngn]

Spent my younger years in Las Vegas, NV, only to move to this small wooded area in Northern California called Paradise. It's comparable to living in two different countries. I'm much more comfortable here with the trees and sub-triple-digit temperatures. The people are generally much nicer here, and the traffic is always much easier to deal with than on the crazy streets and freeways of Sin City.

 

[GasolineJunkie]

I'm from Southern Louisiana but nature forced me to move north about 60 miles and it seems like a different country! I mean, I can't buy alcohol at 3 in the morning anymore?!?!

 

[F1 fan]

Well, I have just moved (again). 5,700 miles this time (or 9,173 km). I received my Alien Registration card last week and also received my work visa today. I am a little ticked off as I applied for a three year visa and only received a one year visa, despite my wife's very wealthy father sponsoring me.

Put simply, it means I have a heap of paperwork to do again next year. And the fee is the same for one year or three. Meaning I could have paid the same amount for three years... I'll have to pay the same amount next year. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful to the Japanese immigration bureau for not being a bunch of 🤬 like the UK border agency as my wife and I can now live and work together in the same country for the first time since we left Canada.

 

[TheCracker]

Lived in South Yorkshire (England) for getting on 17 years. Pretty much feels like home now. Both the local culture and accents took a bit of getting used to at first, but apparently i now even have a slight S'yorks twang to my own accent too sometimes.

The climate's a little more temperate than where i grew up, but it's nothing you can't become accustomed to. The summers are perhaps marginally longer and the winters slightly milder, but it's never seemed like i've had to change my lifestyle to suit.

I wouldn't say i feel like i live in a totally different country, but occasionally i'll be in a situation where i do feel a bit like a fish out of water and things are a little alien to what i grew up with - but that's all part of life's rich tapestry IMO.

I do miss 'home' at times, but these days with so many modern ways to communicate, online etc, and even cheap air flights, it's so much easier to keep in touch and see family and friends. 👍

 

[Beeblebrox237]

I myself am not an alien, but I feel like one. As I have said before somewhere, I've always felt more comfortable with British Culture than American culture. My father is Pakistani, but he grew up in Leeds and is essentially British. My news, TV shows, radio shows (BBCR4 ), and verbal expressions are all British. Some of you may find my behaviour rather strange, and I'm sure it is. However, last night my two hotel roommates insisted on watching several shows which I believe personify what I believe to be wrong with American culture. The first, 1000 ways to die, was so bad that it made me feel physically ill. Later, they wanted to watch an MTV (MTV, Really? what a terrible network.) show called Money From Strangers, where the hosts pay people to vandalise businesses.

 

[Lizard]

Everyone in lincolnshire seems to find it funny how I have a posh accent as I tend to say things like barth etc rather than the way they say it bath.

 

[F1 fan]

First job interview scheduled for Monday. The money isn't great (but better than what I ever earned in the UK) and I could be earning double here easily, but it's a start.

 

[W3H5]

Good luck with that. What post have you applied for?

 

[F1 fan]

Thanks. I applied for a job in a "chat room". In other words, it's a cheap English school where people can pop along whenever they want. It's a start at least. The best part of it is that it's located near Ochanomizu station (aka, the guitarist's mecca).

 

[niky]

Sounds like a great job. Experiential style English teaching is in great demand around these parts (waves vaguely at the Asian continent...).

 

[Pupik]

I'm a corporate tramp that hops around the USA, so the TSA makes me feel like an alien, but with much less radioactivity.

 

[TB]

^ You need to fill some of that map in, Pupik. I suggest flying into Fargo and then driving out to see Pako! 💡

 

[Pupik]

^ If I could get the corporate card to cover some unexpected business trips, then hell yes.

Instead, I discovered lots of southern Texas/western Arkansas due to lack of airport facilities. I've only set foot/tire on 10% of the counties in the US, so I'd better get cracking.

 

[F1 fan]

Sounds like a great job. Experiential style English teaching is in great demand around these parts (waves vaguely at the Asian continent...).

Don't get me wrong. I'm looking forward to the job interview and hope I get the job. However, I need to try and make as much money as possible in Japan as my wife and I are saving to go to Canada permanently. So while it might be a good job, unless they're either willing to give me a ton of hours or unless I find something to occupy the hours I won't be working for them, it won't help with the savings. Perhaps I could do some private teaching in my downtime to help.

 

[Lizard]

Don't get me wrong. I'm looking forward to the job interview and hope I get the job. However, I need to try and make as much money as possible in Japan as my wife and I are saving to go to Canada permanently. So while it might be a good job, unless they're either willing to give me a ton of hours or unless I find something to occupy the hours I won't be working for them, it won't help with the savings. Perhaps I could do some private teaching in my downtime to help.

I thought you just moved from Canada?