Expats

[Rock_Flock_of_Five]

Re: Expats

Couple of questions.

How come you're expats?

I was a problem child. Year above Bale/Warburton/Thomas/Kear in Whitchurch. I dropped out after Year 12. I was more interested in my friend's grandad's war stories than I was school. Used to drop by his house to listen to him instead of going to class. Then after dropping out I worked full time at the Plumb Center at City Road making next to nothing. I know absolutely nothing about plumbing. My dad's company asked him to move to Shanghai for a 3-5 year project. Parents asked me if I wanted to go with them and go back to school and redo Year 12 and after visiting Shanghai I said hell yes. Went to Uni in Malaysia and now settled in Singapore with a Singaporean-chinese wife and kids.

I've always wanted to move somewhere warmer and being from Brynmawr the choices are endless.
Do you miss Wales?

Certain things. But if I missed it enough I would move home. Although I say that but truth be told we're over reliant on my wife's job here in Singapore.

I miss Sunday roast. I miss going to watch City both home and away. Cardiff Devils too. And rugby. I miss my auntie Karen and all my cousins. I miss a proper cup of tea. I miss grass. I miss seasons. I miss pubs. I miss having a back garden. I miss having a connection to the people I'm around.

I went to Japan for the rugby world cup and whenever I met someone and told them I'm Welsh they got excited. Whenever I told them but I live in Singapore they lost their excitement.

Do you think you'll ever move back?

I would love to but only if we had enough money to do it differently. I wouldn't want to live in Gabalfa or Whitchurch again. Sorry if that sounds stuck up but been there, done that. I would love to give Pontcanna a try. With those massive fields and hipster cafes. Walking to town. Yes please.

Anyway I'm drunk.

Lovely post, I enjoyed reading that. Good luck to you in the future

[NYCBlue]

Re: Expats

There is an Englishwoman in my town who emigrated to the United States as a war bride eons ago. She still says things like "love" and "car boot" and "rubbish bin," all with a completely intact Kent accent. Sometimes I think they hold onto these things as sort of trademarks. When in Rome, is my attitude.

In her defense, she is absolutely lovely.

I met an English girl last week at work and she said "torch" in a conversation with an American. I asked her how long she'd been here and she said ten years. I told her I was surprised she said torch and then I asked her how she pronounced "schedule". I use American words and spellings all the time when talking with Americans. I can't be arsed with all the questions about my accent. Some people seem to like to use it to draw attention to themselves though.

[az city]

Re: Expats

A wee complaint to start off.

I detest the term "ex-pat". It has a colonial connotation to it and Britain has naff all to be proud of as far as its colonial past goes.

I also, personally, have never been a patriot. I don't see the point of a monarchy, I find the (predominantly) English class system abhorrent and stifling, the electoral/political system in the U.K. is anachronistic and biased, and, I hate the hubris of the English.

So one of my main reasons for calling the U.S.A. home is casting all this "British" crap aside.

I'm proud to be a Welsh American.

I can't wait for Wales to wake up, shake off the shackles of English imperialism and create a republic free from the interference of the Billy Britt brigade.

[jimmyscoular]

Re: Expats

I met an English girl last week at work and she said "torch" in a conversation with an American. I asked her how long she'd been here and she said ten years. I told her I was surprised she said torch and then I asked her how she pronounced "schedule". I use American words and spellings all the time when talking with Americans. I can't be arsed with all the questions about my accent. Some people seem to like to use it to draw attention to themselves though.

I don't at all mind people asking about my accent. They're just being curious. Sometimes, though, if there's time, I ask them to guess. That's always amusing. England, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, around the world they go. Wales really is the invisible country. Fair play, though, a barber once asked me about it while I was sitting in his chair. Plenty of time, so I made him guess. He took a step back, comb and scissors frozen in the air, pondered a moment and then said, "You're from that place Tom Jones is from."

I don't do the "British thing" either (It's a flashlight). I've been here so long I forget there's anything distinctive about my speech until someone asks about it. Time was, in written communications on British boards like this one, I would try to conform to British spelling instead of the American spellings I have used every day for decades. It's exhausting. So it is what it is, I am what I am. Please forgive the "z's" and the double apostrophes.

[NYCBlue]

Re: Expats

I don't at all mind people asking about my accent. They're just being curious. Sometimes, though, if there's time, I ask them to guess. That's always amusing. England, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, around the world they go. Wales really is the invisible country. Fair play, though, a barber once asked me about it while I was sitting in his chair. Plenty of time, so I made him guess. He took a step back, comb and scissors frozen in the air, pondered a moment and then said, "You're from that place Tom Jones is from."

I don't do the "British thing" either (It's a flashlight). I've been here so long I forget there's anything distinctive about my speech until someone asks about it. Time was, in written communications on British boards like this one, I would try to conform to British spelling instead of the American spellings I have used every day for decades. It's exhausting. So it is what it is, I am what I am. Please forgive the "z's" and the double apostrophes.

That's how I feel. Why put a u in the word color? Everyone knows what color means.

[jimmyscoular]

Re: Expats

Couple of questions.

How come you're expats?

I was a problem child. Year above Bale/Warburton/Thomas/Kear in Whitchurch. I dropped out after Year 12. I was more interested in my friend's grandad's war stories than I was school. Used to drop by his house to listen to him instead of going to class. Then after dropping out I worked full time at the Plumb Center at City Road making next to nothing. I know absolutely nothing about plumbing. My dad's company asked him to move to Shanghai for a 3-5 year project. Parents asked me if I wanted to go with them and go back to school and redo Year 12 and after visiting Shanghai I said hell yes. Went to Uni in Malaysia and now settled in Singapore with a Singaporean-chinese wife and kids.

I've always wanted to move somewhere warmer and being from Brynmawr the choices are endless.
Do you miss Wales?

Certain things. But if I missed it enough I would move home. Although I say that but truth be told we're over reliant on my wife's job here in Singapore.

I miss Sunday roast. I miss going to watch City both home and away. Cardiff Devils too. And rugby. I miss my auntie Karen and all my cousins. I miss a proper cup of tea. I miss grass. I miss seasons. I miss pubs. I miss having a back garden. I miss having a connection to the people I'm around.

I went to Japan for the rugby world cup and whenever I met someone and told them I'm Welsh they got excited. Whenever I told them but I live in Singapore they lost their excitement.

Do you think you'll ever move back?

I would love to but only if we had enough money to do it differently. I wouldn't want to live in Gabalfa or Whitchurch again. Sorry if that sounds stuck up but been there, done that. I would love to give Pontcanna a try. With those massive fields and hipster cafes. Walking to town. Yes please.

Anyway I'm drunk.

"Life is queer with its twist and turns."

Did you see "Crazy Rich Asians?" If so, what did you think? Those massive food courts look cool.

[delmbox]

Re: Expats

I moved to a place called Cardiff in my mid twenties .Lovely City.
Weather much nicer than my native Bonnie Scotland .
Great opportunities there well , run my own successful business, have integrated fairly well with the natives despite some of them having a gripe about some hand ball incident that happened years and years ago....
Standard of local football is shocking though. You need a neck brace to watch hoof ball.
I would recommend Cardiff to anyone .

When independence happens here I'm driving you straight home in a Peugot 206 and will make you fix it every time it breaks down on the way

[Carl Dale's Mole]

Re: Expats

Lovely post, I enjoyed reading that. Good luck to you in the future

Thanks mate, glad you did

[Carl Dale's Mole]

Re: Expats

"Life is queer with its twist and turns."

Did you see "Crazy Rich Asians?" If so, what did you think? Those massive food courts look cool.

Yeh I liked it, it was alright. Easy watch. It highlighted the glitz and glamour part of Singapore. There’s a lot of rich people here but that’s only part of the story. So I think many here felt misrepresented. But even the wealthy love to go to those massive food courts and eat great food for less than two pound. You can save a lot of money if you eat at “Hawker Centres”. They are a must if you ever visit.

[AfricanBluebird]

Re: Expats

I've lived abroad for 12 years.

I live in Uganda but I have had a long association with Uganda even before moving here.. and even worked for the Ugandan Government.

I don't consider myself an expat... I am here as a guest.

In my experience those who call themselves expats are usually the kind of people who hate immigrants and are quite colonial in their attitude. hate those types, we have a lot here in Uganda. I make a point of calling them migrants and their blood boils. Wankers.

However, back to your question.

There are so many pros living here. It's beautiful, the people are great, the climate is the best on the planet and if you have a fairly decent income the lifestyle is great. Although school fees are a real burden.

Bringing up kids here has been amazing. They have done stuff that honestly I wouldn't have been able to afford in the UK... tennis lessons from a pro, swimming lessons from Olympic coaches, horse riding lessons etc. Dare I say that in the school my kids go to that there has been very little peer pressure and bullying has been very little and dealt with very well. The education standards have been outstanding. But of course I have had to pay for that. I made sure though that I choose a school with a very diverse mix of both students and also teachers, prioritising Ugandan teachers and admin staff - so not a typical 'expat' school.

There are downsides. Due to the work I do I have been poisoned, threatened, shot at and had nasty media reports about me.

Also, while I believe all countries are corrupt, Uganda does have a lot of corruption and it's hard seeing Ugandans suffering due to those in power, often aided by foreigners, grifting and stealing resources. Also, seeing the way that westerners perceive Uganda and come along doing the wrong things is tough. My masters dissertation was on 'the damaging effect of mission trips to Uganda'.

Another downside is not being able to get back home for emergencies easily and seeing my parents and siblings. But I may be shifting home next year.

All in all.... would recommend it wholly!

[Peajay]

Re: Expats

Loving this thread, keep it going. I did my primary schooling in Adelaide, SA and visited for the first time in 43 years just before the pandemic. I wish I had emigrated when I was younger, but too old now with family over here. I just hope that i earn enough to let me return to Oz every few years (when we can)

[Majorblue]

Re: Expats

There's a place called Brynmawr outside Philadelphia. It's very posh. They call it Bryn-mar.

It’s a small world.
one half of our new next door neighbours comes from there.
She had no idea that it was a Welsh name or , obviously, what it meant translated into English.

[AfricanBluebird]

Re: Expats

Loving this thread, keep it going. I did my primary schooling in Adelaide, SA and visited for the first time in 43 years just before the pandemic. I wish I had emigrated when I was younger, but too old now with family over here. I just hope that i earn enough to let me return to Oz every few years (when we can)

Yeah, what a lovely thread hearing people's experiences and also their plans / wishes.

This is why this board is the best.

[NYCBlue]

Re: Expats

It’s a small world.
one half of our new next door neighbours comes from there.
She had no idea that it was a Welsh name or , obviously, what it meant translated into English.

Next time you see her say "Go Phils".

[NYCBlue]

Re: Expats

It’s a small world.
one half of our new next door neighbours comes from there.
She had no idea that it was a Welsh name or , obviously, what it meant translated into English.

Or ask her if she prefers Pat's or Geno's? If her answer is "Dallesandro's" she knows what she's talking about.