Confessions of An Englishman in Pa

Dennis,
Too funny ;).

Mike,
I wouldn't trade one of those little crossroads w/2 gut bomb burger joints and a gas station for all the ivy covered little hamlets in the world. Welcome to culture shok my friend. What you see there defines the US of A. People doing for themselves, rather than sitting cozy by a fire on the property of the lord and master. And about those African Americans that were "attending to you". We call that work over here. Or would you rather have spent time watching the folks here line up for this months relief cheque?

Not a flame, only a different perspective.
 
Mike H:

I'm in working in my company's London office for a few weeks. You're absolutely correct about Americans being overweight compared to Brits, I am the fattest person here! Back home, I'm just middle of the road, look like everybody else.

I'm going to have to take exception to your remarks about the prevalence of fast food restaurants in the U.S. I'm staying in an apartment about 2 blocks from Regent's Park, and as I walk home from the tube station on Baker Street (actually on Marylebone Road, right by Madame Tussaud's) I pass a Pizza Hut, a McDonald's , a Burger King, and a KFC.

The folks here already assumed I was a gun nut, and are actually slightly amused by my Texas CHL (except for one guy from South Africa).
 
Guys,

Thanks for the responses, I'm glad most of you enjoyed the post, and as for the invitations, I would happily come and shoot with any of you, but if Dennis asked me to reset his pins for him I'd probably be just a little wary ;)
I apologise for offending the burger joint lovers amongst you, I never thought that you now happily regard that as your town culture, I always imagined a Peyton Place kind of set up with white picket houses and a town square complete with a Barbers shop, war memorial and a big town council/mayor's office. As for the English (I don't regard myself as British any more) living in hamlets on the squire's land, well let's just say that went out around the same time the elctric light bulb made its first appearance. I must change my profile to stop reading Pittsburgh as my home address, I apologise once again for originally posing as an American to seek acceptance here, I'm becoming a little more reassured that my original deception was unnecessary. Overcrowding, selfishness and yes, rising crime has made what was once a green and pleasant land into something far less savoury. I'm as English a 36 year old as you'll ever meet, and I have grown to loathe the place and particularly it's people, so criticisms about our "yob" culture, excessive beer drinking in the young and our up tight attitudes in so many areas including firearms will receive nods of agreement from me, I try to be fair and see the good and bad wherever it may lie. As for where to live in the US should we ever take the plunge (my Pennsylvanian wife still prefers England - the poor deluded girl) she likes South Carolina, I like Texas but the heat puts her off, the state that we have both found common ground on is Oregon, which also happens to be gun friendly, views and comments appreciated. We intend going on a scouting mission next Spring so I hope they have plenty of rental ranges. One other thing, when I was in Cook Forest I had the opportunity to introduce a young American boy to the delights of pistol shooting, the story may well be worth telling in it's own right, so if you're interested in what happened, keep an eye out on the postings list. I almost gave up on TFL, I'm glad I didn't.

Regards,

Mike H
 
MikeH,

You're a good man. You can still find little towns such as you describe in the U.S. The population usually has to be under 3000, however, for that "picture" to hold true.

As to Oregon, I lived there all my life, up until 1995. Nice place. High income taxes. Lots of Kalifornians there, though. Lots of traffic to/from work on the Banfild/Sunset hwy. (U.S. 26 east and west of Portland).

Don't EVEN think about living in the West Hills or Beaverton area unless you LOVE traffic and driving at 5 mph. (and expensive homes). Speaking of homes, they are VERY expensive in the Portland metro area. Last time I checked, a 1500 sq. ft. home on a city lot was about $200,000. (My 3600 sq.ft. home in Wisconsin - which cost $155k, would easily top $300,000 there.)

Bear these things in mind. Hope you get out of the socialist paradise. You won't find NEARLY as many surveillance cameras here though. Hope that doesn't "put you off"....

;)
 
Dennis,

Thanks for the info, I've heard tell of Oregon's coastal/Portland traffic problems before, it does make me wonder about living there, however remote a prospect that may still be, because one of the results of overcrowding here in England is excessive traffic congestion. So you have a 3600 sq.ft. home in Wisconsin huh, sounds like you've got yourself quite a place there, that would constitute a ranch in the UK and you'd probably be taxed accordingly. My experience of US citizens tells me that you almost certainly worked darned hard to get it, and probably still do. One of the few advantages of living in a para-socialist haven is that I get 30 days vacation per year. For the record, $150,000 wouldn't buy you more than a 3 bed duplex here in Cheshire.

Regards,

Mike H
 
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