Are there many Europeans on this forum ?

[suzyvermoesen]

Originally Posted by rubytuesday

Hi I'm new here to posting. I'm from Edinburgh. I've been studying and living in Melbourne for the past 3 years but am from the UK.

Wauw ! I've counted 9 europeans so far. Don't know if Romy (Serrart) is one, though i suspect she is and in that case we are 10

[Han Solo]

There are more EU people here then 9. They are probably lurking in the shadows, like me...........

[suzyvermoesen]

Originally Posted by Han Solo

There are more EU people here then 9. They are probably lurking in the shadows, like me...........

Yeaaaahhh... Hallo noorderbuur

[Han Solo]

Hallo buurvrouw!

[Sahara]

Welcome! I was in Edinburgh a few years ago for a fortnight and it's a fantastic city, I can't wait to go back! Perhaps for the festival...

Irish Ledgie over here

[Sahara]

Originally Posted by rubytuesday

Hi I'm new here to posting. I'm from Edinburgh. I've been studying and living in Melbourne for the past 3 years but am from the UK.

Welcome! I was in Edinburgh a few years ago for a fortnight and it's a fantastic city, I can't wait to go back! Perhaps for the festival...

Irish Ledgie over here

[Gypsy-Rhiannon]

Originally Posted by Sahara

Welcome! I was in Edinburgh a few years ago for a fortnight and it's a fantastic city, I can't wait to go back! Perhaps for the festival...

Irish Ledgie over here

I'm going to Edingurgh for the weekend in December. Can't wait!

[suzyvermoesen]

Originally Posted by Sahara

Welcome! I was in Edinburgh a few years ago for a fortnight and it's a fantastic city, I can't wait to go back! Perhaps for the festival...

Irish Ledgie over here

Edingburgh is on my list of "cities to visit". That is, if i find the money and time

[David]

Originally Posted by suzyvermoesen

Edingburgh is on my list of "cities to visit". That is, if i find the money and time

When I think of Edinburgh, I think of Miss Jean Brodie.

[tuigirl]

Why dosn't somebody do a poll on this? If I could I would, but I don't have a clue how, but sombody must know...it'd sure be interesting.

[David]

Originally Posted by tuigirl

Why dosn't somebody do a poll on this? If I could I would, but I don't have a clue how, but sombody must know...it'd sure be interesting.

I think I can set it up. Wait -- what are we polling? Who has been to Edinburgh? I get quite lost in long threads.

[Serrart]

Originally Posted by suzyvermoesen

Wauw ! I've counted 9 europeans so far. Don't know if Romy (Serrart) is one, though i suspect she is and in that case we are 10

Yes, I am. Hi from Italy.

Romy

[tuigirl]

Originally Posted by David

I think I can set it up. Wait -- what are we polling? Who has been to Edinburgh? I get quite lost in long threads.

Actually I was thinking about how many Europeans there were, but then that could get tricky if you went thru each country, and if you included misplaced others (like me, living in Europe but not European). Hmmm...I was up early yesterday when I suggested it and obviously hadn't engaged my brain, at that time of morning! Who's been to Edinburgh might yield some good results though

[The Catdancer]

Originally Posted by suzyvermoesen

Debbie and Sasja,
What's it like ; living in the States when you're born and bred in Europe ?
My husband (who is also Dutch btw) has been nagging me to emigrate to the States for some years now. And maybe we would if we were younger.
I have always had a good time there, but then again being on holiday is not the same as actually living there.And after all, as tiny as this country is (and it might even get tinier ) we do have everything we need and i really love living here.Also my husband is anti church (no offense intended) so i think we might have a problem there

Sasja could probably answer your questions better than I can. I've only been here for 3 1/2 years and I think she's been here for 20+ years. Anyway, we're going to save all our money to go back to Holland. Maybe it has to do with age, I was 41 when I came here, but we also ran into bad luck: Peg (my g/f) worked for Verizon for 15 years and got fired just like that, my attorney sucked big time, we were homeless for 2 months begging on street corners for money or food (I did have a great tan though and lost 50 pounds) etc. Fortunately Peg got a job, her boss and his wife helped us out big time, we're in a nice apartment but because it's a small company she has no benefits (no 401k, no healthcare etc). At least, in Holland when you get fired you'll get a check every month enough to pay rent and have food on the table. There's no such thing here. If she'd get fired tomorrow we'll be back on the streets next month because we wouldn't be able to pay rent.
I had been here before for vacation and I loved it but real life is very different. Plus when I was younger I was alot more flexible. Although I never thought I'd survive being homeless, it was one of my biggest nightmares but we stuck it out and are back to some kind of normalcy. Still, I'd like to go home, I miss the Dutch 'gezelligheid' (closeness).

[suzyvermoesen]

Originally Posted by The Catdancer

Sasja could probably answer your questions better than I can. I've only been here for 3 1/2 years and I think she's been here for 20+ years. Anyway, we're going to save all our money to go back to Holland. Maybe it has to do with age, I was 41 when I came here, but we also ran into bad luck: Peg (my g/f) worked for Verizon for 15 years and got fired just like that, my attorney sucked big time, we were homeless for 2 months begging on street corners for money or food (I did have a great tan though and lost 50 pounds) etc. Fortunately Peg got a job, her boss and his wife helped us out big time, we're in a nice apartment but because it's a small company she has no benefits (no 401k, no healthcare etc). At least, in Holland when you get fired you'll get a check every month enough to pay rent and have food on the table. There's no such thing here. If she'd get fired tomorrow we'll be back on the streets next month because we wouldn't be able to pay rent.
I had been here before for vacation and I loved it but real life is very different. Plus when I was younger I was alot more flexible. Although I never thought I'd survive being homeless, it was one of my biggest nightmares but we stuck it out and are back to some kind of normalcy. Still, I'd like to go home, I miss the Dutch 'gezelligheid' (closeness).

That was exactly what i meant by having everything you need in this small country of ours (and the rest of Europe).
I was reading an interview with Michael Moore yesterday, about his latest movie "Sicko". For us it's unimaginable that you do not have the right to basic medical care unless you're privately insured. And about 6 years ago my husband got fired and it took him about a year to find another job. But during that time he did get unemployment benefit every month.Agreed that
it was no pot of gold but it was enough to tie us over. (when necessary you can economise on all kinds of things like clothing etc)
That has also been my greatest objection to emigrating to the US; we have built up so much social security here (pension, medical care, unemployment benefit etc..) that we would be foolish to leave all that behind at this stage in life (i'm 51 and my husband is 57)
Not that we can not become homeless. I'm sure that it only takes a few set-backs like losing your job then losing your partner and because of all that losing your home and your health, could land you on the streets. It can happen to all of us, even here in Europe.
But i do believe the social "safety net" over here works alot better than in the US.
I have been to the States on holiday for more than 20 years now, and what always struck me is how many old people still had to work because they had no other income whatsoever.
So i can see why you would want to come back to Europe. Btw :is Peg dutch too ? If not, she might be in for a culture shock, especially
our traffic will give her the creeps ..