# I just moved from the US to Scotland **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 28, 2022, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-moved-from-the-us-to-scotland/967034 "2022-06-28T13:07:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2022, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-moved-from-the-us-to-scotland/967034/1 "2022-06-28T13:07:21Z")
I lived almost all of my life in the US, but just one month ago I permanently moved to Scotland. The US felt like it was falling apart to me, and it seems to have only gotten worse in the last month. So far I like most things about living here. I love the urban nature of the cities, I love the easy public transportation, I love the free healthcare. I even prefer the weather and food! But even immigrating under the best of circumstances is hard. My family all still live in the US, and I don’t know many people here. My accent will always mark me as ‘other’ even though no one is rude about it. And there are constant reminders that I’m different, like that I don’t understand cultural references. But it’s worth it, at least so far. I was fortunate to be born in the UK, albeit to American parents, and we moved to the US when I was a baby. But that dual citizenship is very handy when your country seems to be falling apart. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2022, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-moved-from-the-us-to-scotland/967034/2 "2022-06-28T13:14:15Z")
I heard it rains sometimes in Scotland. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2022, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-moved-from-the-us-to-scotland/967034/3 "2022-06-28T13:15:11Z")
Congrats, I was only there once (for 17 wonderful days) but I love Scotland. What city are you living by? I saw small parts of Glasgow, Sterling, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness. I love how walkable the cities and towns are. I also love the old castles and ruins and many very scenic views in the countryside. ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2022, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-moved-from-the-us-to-scotland/967034/4 "2022-06-28T13:24:42Z")
You are so lucky. I’ve done 2 vacations in Edinburgh and was ready to move there upon retirement. However, the UK has changed their laws so I am not eligible. But it is my first choice if I moved out of the U.S. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2022, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-moved-from-the-us-to-scotland/967034/5 "2022-06-28T13:31:08Z")
Was this move as a retiree or were you able to find a job in Scotland? > [@](#): > > The US felt like it was falling apart to me Well, it must be refreshing to live in a country where there’s no political upheaval. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2022, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-moved-from-the-us-to-scotland/967034/6 "2022-06-28T13:47:48Z")
I live in Edinburgh, in the neighborhood of Stockbridge. I moved here from Tucson, so I was ready to live somewhere that I never have to sweat again. Actually, the weather has been significantly better than I’d heard. It can be good to have low expectations! ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2022, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-moved-from-the-us-to-scotland/967034/7 "2022-06-28T13:50:39Z")
It’s a semi-retirement. My youngest child is now an adult, and I joined the Great Resignation and quit my government job. I have a pension, and I sold my house for a lot of money. I’ll continue to work part time, but I haven’t found a job here yet. ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2022, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-moved-from-the-us-to-scotland/967034/8 "2022-06-28T14:37:51Z")
Welcome to the UK! I moved here from the US in 1995 and went through the same issues you’re seeing. I haven’t lost much of my Iowa accent but these days people first ask if I’m Canadian rather than American. Choose a nice local pub to settle in and become a regular. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2022, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-moved-from-the-us-to-scotland/967034/9 "2022-06-28T14:56:04Z")
I sure wish I was in your shoes. I did spend a week in Edinburgh about 25 years ago, and liked it just fine. But the reason I wish I was in your shoes is how ugly the US is and how rapidly it is getting worse. I think we are a pariah nation. It’s hard. Kids and grandkids. Plus, the friends that I love. I can’t really move by myself and anyplace I draw the boundaries to include other people is agonizing. But I really do think Scotland is such a better country, and the entire UK and western Europe. Much more democratic. Actually, if I could just move to the US of 2008, I’d feel a lot better. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2022, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-moved-from-the-us-to-scotland/967034/10 "2022-06-28T14:58:04Z")
> [@Palo\_Verde](#): > > Actually, the weather has been significantly better than I’d heard. It can be good to have low expectations! Wait until September. You won’t see the sun until the following April. I often think Scotland would be nice to live in, but then the weather happens and reminds me why I don’t. But Edinburgh is lovely, generally speaking. ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2022, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-moved-from-the-us-to-scotland/967034/11 "2022-06-28T15:22:14Z")
I feel like I should do something to bring hopeless Americans here. So many people I know back in the States feel like the future is a disaster. If someone wants to woo a middle aged woman, we can get married and you can move here! ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2022, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-moved-from-the-us-to-scotland/967034/12 "2022-06-28T15:35:01Z")
> [@Palo\_Verde](#): > > If someone wants to woo a middle aged woman, we can get married and you can move here! **WOO!!!** ![](https://media.giphy.com/media/yUI3a7RwLhOFy/giphy.gif) (I kid - I’m already married and moved to the UK.) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2022, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-moved-from-the-us-to-scotland/967034/13 "2022-06-28T15:44:52Z")
I adore Scotland. It is gorgeous. I lived for a couple of months on the west coast in Port Appin (right by Castle Stalker of end-of-Holy-Grail fame) and just found the people and braes, bens, lochs, and glens soul-affirming. It does help if you like cloudy weather (I LOVE IT!) I am so jealous. Were I not happily married, I may have had to have dusted off my wooing skills. Enjoy Bonnie Scotland! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2022, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-moved-from-the-us-to-scotland/967034/14 "2022-06-28T19:54:51Z")
> [@Palo\_Verde](#): > > I even prefer the weather and food! Haggis? ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2022, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-moved-from-the-us-to-scotland/967034/15 "2022-06-28T20:26:49Z")
Today I had a fish pie from a local market. Last night was a delicious curry. I don’t love haggis, but Edinburgh is a very international city, and there is good food from all over. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2022, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-moved-from-the-us-to-scotland/967034/16 "2022-06-28T20:31:55Z")
A friend of mine, who’s a U.S. citizen (born here, has always lived here), applied for, and successfully obtained, Irish citizenship several years ago; as I understand it, he qualified for it because he had either a grandparent or a great-grandparent who was an Irish citizen. He’d originally applied for it as a hedge against what he has seen as deterioration in the U.S., in order to give himself a legal option to relocate if he felt the need. Last week, he announced that he has started the process of actually relocating to Ireland. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2022, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-moved-from-the-us-to-scotland/967034/17 "2022-06-28T20:59:35Z")
I’m in! How do you define middle aged? How do you feel about someone who uses a dad joke as a screen name? Wait, dammit!!~! I got obligations to fulfill yet with Vaderling. HMPH!! Seriously, I’m so green with envy, I’d make grass look pale ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2022, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-moved-from-the-us-to-scotland/967034/18 "2022-06-28T21:13:02Z")
I’m a 54 year old woman with 4 adult kids. Pretty darn middle aged. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2022, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-moved-from-the-us-to-scotland/967034/19 "2022-06-28T22:12:50Z")
I wonder what this will do/is doing to the zeitgeist: > **[Scotland announces plan for independence vote in October 2023](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/6/28/scotland-announces-plan-for-independence-vote-in-october-2023)** > > First Minister Nicola Sturgeon promises to take legal action to ensure a vote if the UK government tried to block it. May you live in interesting times … in your new, interesting place. [my stepmother is/was from Edinburgh and always spoke glowingly about it] ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-moved-from-the-us-to-scotland/967034/20 "2022-06-29T04:34:40Z")
Hi! Single middle-aged man here! So you moved to the less Brexity part of the UK? Wait. Independence referendum? Uh-oh. As a Canadian, I’ve seen more than one of those regarding Québec. It makes me think of the old curse, “May you live in interesting times…” Edit: bother. Interesting times expression already used… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-moved-from-the-us-to-scotland/967034.md?page=2)