Is a Brit entitled to an opinion ...

kali, I expect your hypothetical person would manage, just every now and again, to say something good about their adopted country. It would be a real insult to the people she had lived among for all those years to suddenly deride their home. I think they would feel as though they, and their country, had been badly used. Almost violated.

At least that is how I feel when that happens. As though my country is not good enough and has been used as a means to an end.

Oopsadaisy1

witzend I know we British refer to ourselves as expats, I wondered if people from other countries called themselves ‘expats’ or their equivalent.

"I am an expat, you are an ecomonic migrant, he is an illegal asylum seeker"

Oh give it a rest Kali2
Even dead horses stop being flogged eventually.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202203/medium-633668-f5067136-63de-4bab-9f2c-242f464e2bc8.png https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202203/medium-603730-45926450-1d64-48ae-b6e7-2a7bff82f05c.png https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202203/medium-804048-322a89cc-c610-4713-ae44-d68bba5750ed.jpeg

I feel proud of all those ‘earth angels’helping people cope with the flooding which they are not reporting on over there for some reason. It is the worst since about the 1870s apparently. Absolute disaster

The Australian floods are most certainly being reported here as were the last bush fires.

I think I prefer U.K. weather and four actual seasons to either extreme.

I don’t think it’s complaining when that person loves that particular country and is upset at seeing things that are happening there. Sometimes we all need an outside perspective to open up our eyes to what’s happening around us? Do people really think this country is perfect in ever way? Because I’m pretty ashamed of it at the moment. Only have to see the UK’s attitude towards the Ukrainian refugees to realise we ( post brexit) aren’t the country we used to be.

Now imagine that British born and bred person, who arrived in (say) France as a kid, became French in her early 20s, married to a Frenchman with French kids, a French Degree and career- has to go back home to the UK for a while to help very elderly parents. Keeps a property in France, and has her children there, her grandchildren, family and friends.

This British person has spent all her life praising her country of adoption, being a true Ambassador for it- praising its culture, landscapes, people, food, and so much more to family and friends back in the UK.

And then, a short while after returning to UK to help with those elderly parents- sees things back in France, change totally and for the worse. Marine Lepen becomes President- turns on immigrants, even those who are 2nd, 3rd generation, stirs up division, and cuts itself off from all partners from surrounding Europe. Causing untold damage to society, the health services, education, inviting Russian money in to support her, etc.

Would that British person, French also since early 20s and fully integrated, having worked and lived there all her life, and back to birth country for a while to support elderly relatives - lose all rights to join a French Grans Forum and express that she feels dismayed but how things are changing in France, and how she feels so disappointed and beyond about this- and worried for her ACs, and grandchildren, as they are seriously affected.

If other French posters on the site, told her, again and again, that she should keep quiet (and the other day, to pu a sock in it) because she is not 'proper' French (despite having nationality for 50 years!). If everytime she pointed out to a problem caused by Marine's Governement- the reply would just be 'ah but I have looked on the internet and in the UK they blablabla...Would you not read this as extremely discriminatory, and yes borderline 'racist'.

I leave it with you.

One of the reasons we left the UK was the NHS was going down the pan. We came back from Australia after a year because at least the UK has an NHS (still!) And, the Aussie weather was fairly boring!

Weather-a great conversation starter.
I don’t mind the changeability in the UK. It’s better than the constant 40°+ we’ve experienced on holidays in different countries; OK for holidays but not for daily life.
Nanna8 what makes you think we don’t hear/see about the OZ flooding over here.
It hasn’t been as prominently in the news because of the Ukraine situation, but I’ve seen reports of the devastation and even reports of people trying to drive their cars into deep floods.
My Oz and NZ friends on the other hand haven’t mentioned hearing about the destructive floods near us over here in the UK, but I didn’t expect they would. They only know what I’ve told them.

nanna8 There have been reports online on the BBC news website although nothing on the scale of the Russian attack on Ukraine, and mostly having to be searched for. I don't think it's because there's a lack of sympathy or interest, but probably more that the Russian invasion is so frightening and potentially risks world safety. Those of us with friends or family in Australia are very aware of the disaster, and like you have so much admiration for all the rescue teams whether official or voluntary.

witzend I know we British refer to ourselves as expats, I wondered if people from other countries called themselves ‘expats’ or their equivalent.

nanna8

One of the reasons we left was the lousy weather, we were sick of not having a proper Summer. There are so many other good things in the uk though. I am totally envious of all the wonderful old buildings and old ,old objects. Fabulous works of art, the humour, the pubs. We have nothing like it here. Of course we have different things,as do other countries and I love my country and ( most) of my countrymen. Just now I feel proud of all those ‘earth angels’helping people cope with the flooding which they are not reporting on over there for some reason. It is the worst since about the 1870s apparently. Absolute disaster.

nanna8, I think you can blame Putin for keeping the Australian floods off the front pages, or even off the first half dozen.
As I’ve said elsewhere today, though, there’s quite a lot of coverage on the BBC news website.

Oopsadaisy1

Does any other country refer to itself as ‘Expats’ apart from the British? if we go to live abroad surely we become Immigrants.

I’d be interested to hear if other nations refer to themselves as Expats if they move abroad?

We were ‘expats’ in Abu Dhabi and Oman. We were never going to stay for ever - we were never ‘immigrants’.

‘Expats’ is just convenient shorthand for the many people who go to work overseas for a while, while always intending to return home after x years.
What we had thought might be a max of about 5 years, turned into 13.

One of the reasons we left was the lousy weather, we were sick of not having a proper Summer. There are so many other good things in the uk though. I am totally envious of all the wonderful old buildings and old ,old objects. Fabulous works of art, the humour, the pubs. We have nothing like it here. Of course we have different things,as do other countries and I love my country and ( most) of my countrymen. Just now I feel proud of all those ‘earth angels’helping people cope with the flooding which they are not reporting on over there for some reason. It is the worst since about the 1870s apparently. Absolute disaster.

It's horrible in the North East today Wizend

Galaxy

I complain about the weather all the time, as do all British people I know, perhaps they were trying to 'fit in'.

Yes, that’s true. When I worked in a public-facing role I could absolutely guarantee that whatever the weather, someone (local) would be moaning about it. Too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry, too ‘muggy’ - you name it.

Having lived in Middle Eastern deserts for 13 years - all too often stinking hot and sometimes incredibly humid on top, I’m generally happy with our weather - I even appreciate rain! On the whole I think we’re generally lucky here. In our SE neck of the woods, anyway.

I beg to differ. Kali2 certainly doesn’t hate this country.
She just thinks any country living under EU ruling is superior.
She’s entitled that opinion.
A lot of Remainers can’t and won’t let it go.
I understand that.
They are still annoyed about the referendum.

What MerylStreep said…….

You never give up do you Kali2. You can change your name as many times as you like, your hatred for this country Always shines through……

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions however, one should be careful on how that opinion is delivered.

I complain about the weather all the time, as do all British people I know, perhaps they were trying to 'fit in'.

Yes, they’re entitled to an opinion, but whether expressing a critical opinion to natives of that country is a good idea, is another matter.

Must say I’ve more than once been irritated by people who’ve chosen to live and work in the U.K., moaning about this or that. Though most often it’s been Aussies complaining about the weather.

Er, this is Northern Europe in winter - exactly what were you expecting? If you wanted a relatively balmy Mediterranean climate perhaps you should have gone elsewhere.

Just FYI - the Sun expressed unpleasant opinions about Liverpudlians a long time ago.

I am also interested as, although I don't tend to use the term 'Brit' I hadn't thought of it as derogatory - but now I see just what you mean - so thank you.

Yes. I too find the word ‘Brit’ offensive.

I’m English or British - not a ‘Brit’

So have my opinion.

God loves a trier Kali2! You are like a rubber ball sometimes. You do make me chuckle. GN forums would be more anodyne without you!

You stir the ? nest for sure.

Does any other country refer to itself as ‘Expats’ apart from the British? if we go to live abroad surely we become Immigrants.

I’d be interested to hear if other nations refer to themselves as Expats if they move abroad?

ComeonEileen

^Expats can also see a different view as they can read other papers/ see other programs. —therefore not brainwashed—Re The Sun on Merseyside remain vote in the Brexit^

I would seriously challenge the idea that anybody in a free society is brainwashed and don’t quite get the reference to The Sun and Merseyside.
Anybody is free to access other TV channels/news media who chooses to. And I would question the notion that you must live outside a country to remain unbiased too.
(Like Freya I abhor the term Brit, finding it derogatory and IMHO not something we in the U.K. would use)
.

Very well said. People, who possibly haven’t lived in the U.K. for years, are very quick to deride us. I too read different aspects of the news, as for the reference to Liverpool and the Sun,after Hillsborough where 97 people died, the sun, who put the blame on the fans, is quite rightly, derided in that City. Obviously not a well read and advised commentor or, perhaps from outside the U.K. The sun is seen as a news outlet read by people with no intelligence, a nasty view by the supposed liberal elite.