| Adapting to life in West Sussex, England, where American expat Michael lives with his wife has certainly broadened his horizons. The cost of living in England may be high, but the trade-offs for him are good: a more relaxed lifestyle, great pubs, and the ability to learn a different language -- UK English. |
 Michael Harling |
August 14 2006
-Where were you born?
Kinderhook, NY, USA
-In which country and city are you living now?
Horsham, West Sussex, England
-Are you living alone or with your family?
I live with my wife.
-How long have you been living in England?
Four and a half years.
-What is your age?
Fifty-one
-When did you come up with the idea of living in England?
The decision to move to another country was not consciously made. I met an English woman while hiking in Ireland. It wasn't until we decided to marry (about 8 weeks later) that the question of where we were going to live came up. She didn't want to leave her career and family and I found England quite palatable so I volunteered to make the move. I have not had cause to regret my decision.
-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
Because I was married to a British citizen, I was able to apply for a temporary leave-to-remain visa. This lasted one year and enabled me to look for work and become settled. The following year, I applied for, and was granted, my permanent visa. Although it seemed like a lot of red tape at the time, in retrospect, it was relatively simple and pain-free. I understand it is more difficult now, but still nothing like the bureaucratic nightmare my wife would have had to endure if we had decided to move to the States.
-How do you make your living in England? Do you have any type of income generated?
I work as a project manager for a small computer firm in Brighton. I was in IT in the States so I was lucky enough to have transferable skills. As mentioned earlier, as soon as I had my temporary visa, I was able to look for work. I went to all the local job agencies with my resumé and signed up for every on-line job agency I could find.
My job search lasted around two months, but looking for work became my full-time job during those weeks. In general, it wasn't a lot different from looking for work in the US. I received the call to interview for my current job on the fourth of July and started work on the 28th of that month.
-Language probably isn't a problem for you since you speak English. But in general, do you think it's important for expats to speak the local language?
Do not underestimate the differences between US English and UK English, for they are numerous and confounding. When going for job interviews I often ended up in the wrong offices because the receptionist in the lobby would tell me they were waiting for me on the 2nd floor, not understanding that for the British the 2nd floor was my 3rd floor.
I now consider myself to be bilingual, but I tend to speak 'British' only when I want to be certain I am not misunderstood. I have a lot of fun being 'the American' so I make a point of speaking American English and adhering, as much as possible, to all things American. But that's just me, and I only do it to take the piss (British for joking around or making good-natured fun of someone).
My situation aside, I think it is very important to learn the local customs and speak the local language. If I were living in any other country, I would make a point of learning the local language, so it's a good thing I live here because I'm rubbish at foreign languages.
-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
I do miss my family and friends at times, and it can get lonely being so far from home, but for the most part, I don't have a problem with pining for the old country.
My wife and I enjoy hiking and occasionally sign up for adult education classes in things like badminton or line dancing. The people here are fairly active; there is a running club, a cycle club, a folk club, a cricket club and a leisure center in our town so anybody with an interest can generally find a place to practice it and like-minded people to enjoy it with.
My passion in the States, however, was Irish Step dance and I have not been able to find a school over here that caters to adults so I've had to settle for other hobbies, like visiting pubs and sampling local ales.
-Do you have other plans for the future?
My plans for the future include travel and writing. Living in England makes it easy to travel around Europe and, after four years and numerous visits, we're just getting started. My personal plans involve generating some income through my writing so I can quit my job sometime before my 70th birthday.
-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
Housing in the southeast of England is insane. A modern, two-bedroom apartment in a desirable location can go for £250,000 or about half a million US dollars. Space is limited, so 'detached' houses are rare and extremely expensive. Even with good salaries, it is impossible to buy a home here and young people just starting out are finding it very difficult indeed.
Renting a flat is our only option. We live in an apartment block that was built in the 1960's, which means it is nice and solid, with large rooms and lots of windows, unlike the cracker boxes they throw together these days. To attempt an accurate comparison, in the US, the yearly rent on my apartment was 13.5% of my gross salary. Three months later, I was paying 25% of my gross salary for a comparable flat on a comparable salary.
The flats in our block are reasonable — from £675 to £700 a month. The modern apartments nearer the town centre go for £1,000 to £1,200 a month, but that's if you can find one to rent. Mostly apartments are bought and sold.
-What is the cost of living in England?
The cost of living is high. Housing, gas (petrol), clothes, etc. are all more than I was paying in America. But, despite the occasional whinge, this really isn't an issue. If you live somewhere, you adjust to the local currency and come to regard that as the common denominator. I don't walk around the local markets thinking, "Three quid for a Haggis, that's almost six dollars!" I generally think, "Wow, that's a bargain; I'll take two." The other good thing about the cost of living here is it makes going to America worthwhile, just for the shopping.
-What do you think about the English locals?
The locals are wonderful and welcoming. It's a very friendly country with a lot of diversity. Naturally, you are always going to find your anti-immigrant faction (or anti-anybody not sharing their racial background and social views) but they are a minority. Almost everyone I've been in contact with has been decent and friendly.
-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in England?
I love not owning a car. I travel mostly on public transportation and walk a lot more than I used to. There are pedestrian paths in the towns and the footpaths, bike trails and bridal paths in the countryside. The weather has upstate NY beat hands down and the food is excellent, as is the beer. It's also a huge bonus to be living so close to Continental Europe. There is a slower, more laid-back approach to life over here and Europeans are more open-minded and world-centered than Americans, which has broadened my views immeasurably.
As for the down sides, you pay $14.00 for a Cuban cigar and about $6.00 for a pint of good bitter (on the other hand, it’s harder to find a Cuban cigar and a good pint of bitter in the States). The Health Service is a national disgrace, traffic is horrendous and you can’t buy A1 Steak Sauce anywhere. I looked.
-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in England?
Be healthy and bring a sense of humor. I've been told that it is sometimes harder for Americans to adjust to life in Britain than in a more exotic locale, such as Bangkok, because they expect England to be similar to the US. It's not, and you need to get over that quickly. Also, no jokes about how we beat them in the Revolutionary War. They don't care.
-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about England?
There are many good US/UK expatriate sites out there; they are indispensable if you are planning to move to another country. My own website, Postcards from Across the Pond, has links to them, as well as articles about what it's like being an American living in the UK.
