Ex Pats and Brummies abroad

[Johnbell]

I ' m fairly new to the forum and find it fascinating. I've noticed that there seem to be a lot of Ex Pat members, so i assume that the fond memories of Brum persist in all of us who live elsewhere.
Where are you?
Why did you settle there? Parents? Work? Fond Holiday memories? Sunshine?
Pal of Ronnie Biggs?
And BIG question, do you miss Brum enough to go back!!?
Would love to hear your stories, must be some amazing tales.
To kick you off, i live in Ubonrat, Thailand. Married a Thai lady and retired here. Countryside, hot, nice people.
I miss the Brum i knew in my childhood, returned a couple of times and found a different city. Reminded me of part of
"A Shropshire Lad"
" The happy highways where i went,
And cannot come again".

 

[Eric Gibson]

I'm just down the road a little in the Forest of Dean, my brother emigrated to Australia in 1970 with is wife and six children, they've repopulated Brisbane, I've lost count of how many in the extended family but more than sixty at the last count.
My daughter is in Pasadena Maryland, she wouldn't remember Brum as she was only seven when we moved down here.

I haven't been up there since my mother died about ten years ago, even then it was changing beyond recognition.

 

[Johnbell]

I'm just down the road a little in the Forest of Dean, my brother emigrated to Australia in 1970 with is wife and six children, they've repopulated Brisbane, I've lost count of how many in the extended family but more than sixty at the last count.
My daughter is in Pasadena Maryland, she wouldn't remember Brum as she was only seven when we moved down here.

I haven't been up there since my mother died about ten years ago, even then it was changing beyond recognition.

Thanks Eric. Many Happy memories of Cinderford and St Briavels/ Tintern area.

 

[nickcc101]

Live in Cornwall now which I'm certain the Cornish believe is another country. Initially moved to Durham then Bramhall in Stockport then Cheshire then Cornwall followed by Torquay then back to Cornwall, that's it never again.

 

[Johnbell]

Live in Cornwall now which I'm certain the Cornish believe is another country. Initially moved to Durham then Bramhall in Stockport then Cheshire then Cornwall followed by Torquay then back to Cornwall, that's it never again.

Small world! I have 2 brothers and 1 sister all moved to Padstow/ Treyarnon area many years ago.

 

[nickcc101]

Small world! I have 2 brothers and 1 sister all moved to Padstow/ Treyarnon area many years ago.

Moved to outskirts of Helston first time then more or less in town centre this time as living in the sticks meant having to use the car everytime we wanted to go anywhere.

 

[sospiri]

John,

A long story and I left Brum in 1961 and lived the bulk of the next 40 years in Dorset. I had originally intended to move to northern Pennsylvania when I retired in 2001, but decided that that relationship was not going to work out for a number of reasons. In 2003 I met my other half, but by then she was a widow & I a widower.

She wanted to leave her adopted town of Swindon - too many sad memories - and I was already planning to move to Crete, where my late daughter had lived for a couple of years in the early 1990s. Neither of us are beach people and we found a derelict ruin of a village house 15 minutes inland that had been empty for at least 25 years. Whilst a rebuild of the existing house took place, we rented a house about 13 miles away on the coast. We then moved in, sleeping in what is now the computer room, whilst an extension containing another five rooms, three of them bedrooms, was added.

The last time we visited the UK was in 2014, taking the opportunities to visit my eldest son and his family who live in Brussels, but also have a holiday home in a village in the Pyrennees. My half-Greek granddaughter is at Antwerp University, my eldest Brussels-based granddaughter is at Leeds Uni, and my half-Greek grandson is at Bournemouth Uni, so you see we are split up all over Europe. And my other half's son has lived in the Middle East for about 14 years and his son is currently at Heriot-Watt Uni in Edinburgh and teaches English in Roumania during the summer.

For health reasons I stopped driving in January, so despite numerous trips across Europe, we are now relatively static in north eastern Crete and still enjoying it, with no intention of moving back to the UK. From time to time we have relatives and a Dutch friend visit, and have numerous friends, British, Dutch, German and Greek here on Crete.

Maurice

 

[Johnbell]

John,

A long story and I left Brum in 1961 and lived the bulk of the next 40 years in Dorset. I had originally intended to move to northern Pennsylvania when I retired in 2001, but decided that that relationship was not going to work out for a number of reasons. In 2003 I met my other half, but by then she was a widow & I a widower.

She wanted to leave her adopted town of Swindon - too many sad memories - and I was already planning to move to Crete, where my late daughter had lived for a couple of years in the early 1990s. Neither of us are beach people and we found a derelict ruin of a village house 15 minutes inland that had been empty for at least 25 years. Whilst a rebuild of the existing house took place, we rented a house about 13 miles away on the coast. We then moved in, sleeping in what is now the computer room, whilst an extension containing another five rooms, three of them bedrooms, was added.

The last time we visited the UK was in 2014, taking the opportunities to visit my eldest son and his family who live in Brussels, but also have a holiday home in a village in the Pyrennees. My half-Greek granddaughter is at Antwerp University, my eldest Brussels-based granddaughter is at Leeds Uni, and my half-Greek grandson is at Bournemouth Uni, so you see we are split up all over Europe. And my other half's son has lived in the Middle East for about 14 years and his son is currently at Heriot-Watt Uni in Edinburgh and teaches English in Roumania during the summer.

For health reasons I stopped driving in January, so despite numerous trips across Europe, we are now relatively static in north eastern Crete and still enjoying it, with no intention of moving back to the UK. From time to time we have relatives and a Dutch friend visit, and have numerous friends, British, Dutch, German and Greek here on Crete.

Maurice

Wow! A real global spread there!
I have enjoyed traveling all my life. Especially like the Southern States of USA, but Thailand sort of jumped out at the right time so here we are.

 

[Pedrocut]

A question that interests me is whether ex-pats who move to a non-English speaking country, make
any serious attempt to learn the new language and culture of their adopted country.

 

[Johnbell]

Pedrocut, i lived Germany for a couple of years in the 1960's and became fairly fluent in spoken and written German. I can still get by. However, i have been in Thailand for 2years and have not made much progress! It is vastly more complicated, with a baffling written alphabet, tonal inflexions of minute subtelty. Which completely change meaning, and dialects which my Thai wife does not begin to understand! Needless to say , " one beer please" is universally understood.
Culture is easier, and i make the effort.

 

[Pedrocut]

Pedrocut, i lived Germany for a couple of years in the 1960's and became fairly fluent in spoken and written German. I can still get by. However, i have been in Thailand for 2years and have not made much progress! It is vastly more complicated, with a baffling written alphabet, tonal inflexions of minute subtelty. Which completely change meaning, and dialects which my Thai wife does not begin to understand! Needless to say , " one beer please" is universally understood.
Culture is easier, and i make the effort.

Thanks, it must be much more difficult, language wise, when you have to contend with a new alphabet.

 

[Richard Dye]

I left Brum in 1961 at the age of nineteen, my father had just died at 53, was not a good time. My sister lived in the US and I went to join her. I have been very lucky, went back to school at night and got a couple of degrees and was able to climb the corporate ladder as they say. I have travelled globally for my work and been blessed to see most of the world, the good and bad. I was in the UK about 12 years ago and while my memories are great was a little surprised.
When I first got to the US I lived in New Jersey for a long time. I met a great lady, this July will be our 50th wedding anniversary! We are planning a river cruise then to London & Brum closing out in the Cotswold's.
We have two great children and five wonderful grandchildren. Currently we live in SC on the coast half of the time and the other half in Franklin TN, both are wonderful places. The problem with coast are the storms, every time they go there is usually some kind of damage.

keep up the great work on the Forum and thanks SO very much to the folks that provide the guidance...…..

 

[sospiri]

Pedro,

Having served on the committee of the local foreign residents association for 8 years, I feel reasonably qualified to answer that as far as eastern Crete is concerned. Let's start with a few facts that most people don't take into account before critiicising Brits not learning the local language. Most do try when they first arrive.

1. Greek is, according to the British Embassy, the fourth most difficult language in the world to learn. There is even a book written some years ago with the title "How to Learn Greek in 25 Years". Even most of the numbers have three or more different endings depending upon the gender of the noun(s) they apply to, and the context in the sentence and goodness knows what else. Dialects between the various islands and regions of the mainland vary hugely, not just in spoken Greek, but also in written Greek. Some of those from Athens cannot understand those from other regions - those who fare best are those that were born here and moved to Athens for work at an early age, and return annually for the village ex-pats gathering!

2. Those that get reasonably fluent are those that moved over in the 1980s, took a job when work was more plentiful, and married a Greek and had kids.

3. The majority of Brits who move over are retired, so are immediately at a disadvantage because your memory starts to fail. You just can't remember all the vocabulary because you're not using the words several times a day every day. Many older people are also hard of hearing. My other half has been having continuous lessons since 2005 and is still struggling and she's one of the better students.

So now you are going to ask if I speak Greek. The answer is, in a conversational mode - NO. I'm very deaf and very often struggle to hear my other half speaking English sitting only six feet away from me. I just get tired of asking her and other people to repeat words or phrases, sometimes several times. So whilst I can read some basic Greek, I wouldn't guarantee the translation, but can cope with speaking the usual greeting, please & thank you, etc. I stopped using expensive hearing aids about two years ago as they now tend to make things worse.

If you want to learn Greek, don't move to a tourist town - they will always respond in English rather than listen to you struggle with Greek, though they do appreciate that you are making an effort. I live in a large traditional village where less than half a dozen speak English, but I've got too old to struggle! I can cope with French, and a little Spanish and a little Norwegian. The Greeks are now learning Russian, because the Russian tourists speak nothing other than their own language most of the time.

Maurice

 

[Eric Gibson]

A funny story I heard about speaking the language, a young guy trying to impress his Spanish girlfriend's father by saying, in Spanish how important he was, caused a stunned silence, what he'd actually done was tell the man he was impotent.

 

[Pedrocut]

Thanks Maurice. I suppose the criticism of not learning the local language is also levelled at people who come to the UK.

I am bilingual but tried Greek and gave up!

 

[Johnbell]

I left Brum in 1961 at the age of nineteen, my father had just died at 53, was not a good time. My sister lived in the US and I went to join her. I have been very lucky, went back to school at night and got a couple of degrees and was able to climb the corporate ladder as they say. I have travelled globally for my work and been blessed to see most of the world, the good and bad. I was in the UK about 12 years ago and while my memories are great was a little surprised.
When I first got to the US I lived in New Jersey for a long time. I met a great lady, this July will be our 50th wedding anniversary! We are planning a river cruise then to London & Brum closing out in the Cotswold's.
We have two great children and five wonderful grandchildren. Currently we live in SC on the coast half of the time and the other half in Franklin TN, both are wonderful places. The problem with coast are the storms, every time they go there is usually some kind of damage.

keep up the great work on the Forum and thanks SO very much to the folks that provide the guidance...…..

More confirmation of it being a small world!
Stayed in Franklin a couple of times when visiting Nashville, Grand 'Ole Opry etc.
Good friends in Memphis and Holly Springs MS

 

[sospiri]

Pedro,

It really does depend upon at what age you arrive in the country, but also your culture. Many of those arriving from Asia and Africa are Muslim and the ladies beyond school age are often very restricted upon what they can do by the males in the family. But we can't really properly discuss this issue without venturing into politics and I'm certainly not going to do that. All I am going to say is that I expect it to take two generations for this to filter out of the population.

You have to be speaking the language otherwise you very soon lose the vocabulary, as you know. There's another aspect too. Greek is a minority language, spoken by about ten million people in Greece, some still in the USA who entered as immigrants, another million perhaps in Melborne who entered as immigrants and really only one other territory - Cyprus. Less incentive to learn Greek unless you actually live here. There's a far bigger incentive to learn French, because that was the first choice in English schools for years, yet I tried to learn Spanish at school donkey's years ago and there was no provision for it.

It's surprising how quickly the Chinese and the Japane learn English when the want to sell us something!

Maurice

 

[oldbrit]

In the late 1800s, some of my family left for the USA from Smethwick. My one uncle set up a printing company in Wallingford Connecticut, in the USA, My Grandfather went over to the USA but did not enjoy living there. He returned to work at the Carriage Works in Smethwick for the rest of his life. Every Christmas or so we got a package from the USA lots of American goodies I remember Mom got American pancake mix. I was always interested in America. In 1956 I met Reg Hudman on a band gig at the Isle of Man, we talked about trying to get into the big band business in the USA and decide to move there in 1957 Well I am still in the USA the music business was turned out to be not my liking to many drugs booze women. a way of life that I did not want, In fact, had I continued that, I would in all probability be dead now. Regrets? NONE apart from my mother passed away shortly after I came over to the USA. The image I posted, of a pad for my uncle's printing business, check the date established, I found this on EBAY!! Amazing, some antique dealer there had it. Progress and the Internet, something I never even dreamed off in my youth, has opened up a whole new world to me, Without it, I would not be even posting this today.

 

[Richard Dye]

In the late 1800s, some of my family left for the USA from Smethwick. My one uncle set up a printing company in Wallingford Connecticut, in the USA, My Grandfather went over to the USA but did not enjoy living there. He returned to work at the Carriage Works in Smethwick for the rest of his life. Every Christmas or so we got a package from the USA lots of American goodies I remember Mom got American pancake mix. I was always interested in America. In 1956 I met Reg Hudman on a band gig at the Isle of Man, we talked about trying to get into the big band business in the USA and decide to move there in 1957 Well I am still in the USA the music business was turned out to be not my liking to many drugs booze women. a way of life that I did not want, In fact, had I continued that, I would in all probability be dead now. Regrets? NONE apart from my mother passed away shortly after I came over to the USA. The image I posted, of a pad for my uncle's printing business, check the date established, I found this on EBAY!! Amazing, some antique dealer there had it. Progress and the Internet, something I never even dreamed off in my youth, has opened up a whole new world to me, Without it, I would not be even posting this today.

That is a fantastic find on eBay! As you say, how small the world has become...…..

 

[sospiri]

Great story, John.

I'm on the US-based Keyboard Corner Forum most days, and they all complain that the music business is not what it was even 30 years ago anywhere in the world. Even the Hollywood film studios only employ Hans Zinner & his colleague on synthesisers in place of the huge studio orchestras that they used to employ. Gone are the days of the big musicals. The universities are churning out excellent young musicians, but there is no work for them, and what little there is is poorly paid and doesn't warrant all the hours of practice and study they have put in.

But you enjoyed your life and are still going strong - that's what it is all about, mate.

Maurice

 

[wendylee]

I ' m fairly new to the forum and find it fascinating. I've noticed that there seem to be a lot of Ex Pat members, so i assume that the fond memories of Brum persist in all of us who live elsewhere.
Where are you?
Why did you settle there? Parents? Work? Fond Holiday memories? Sunshine?
Pal of Ronnie Biggs?
And BIG question, do you miss Brum enough to go back!!?
Would love to hear your stories, must be some amazing tales.
To kick you off, i live in Ubonrat, Thailand. Married a Thai lady and retired here. Countryside, hot, nice people.
I miss the Brum i knew in my childhood, returned a couple of times and found a different city. Reminded me of part of
"A Shropshire Lad"
" The happy highways where i went,
And cannot come again".

Hi Johnbell,
I am in Australia Johnbell, but fond memories of Brum persist for me also.
We emigrated to Victoria in 1983, my husband and 2 young children, we settled into the aussie lifestyle easily , bbq's, lovely sandy beaches and the easy going people.
However I still have wonderful memories of my childhood , growng up in Sheldon. I keep my childhood memories close to my heart of my mum and dad and my 2 sisters, our grandparents all lived with us too. I remember the laid back life we had and could wander off out for the day to parks and woods etc as we often did.
We came back for a holiday in Birmingham in 2001, we stayed with my sister and her husband in Olton and made some lovely memories, visiting the Black country museum, Hatton Country World, a Donkey Sanctuary in Devon, also a week in Wales where my mum was born. We caught up with old friends along the way too.
Things I miss about Brum and the uk are cooler weather haha, the smell of Autumn leaves, the green grass, english gardens and old fashioned british pubs and beer gardens, certain foods , pork sausages, english bacon, malt loaf, fish roe (tinned and fresh), faggots, oh I could go on and on haha.

What I have missed most over the years is my family and now it is just my younger sister and her husband, whom I am very close to and miss so much.
However I love my life here in Australia and my family are here and my 3 beautiful grandchildren.
But you will never take Brum out of the girl.

Wendy

 

[Johnbell]

Hi Johnbell,
I am in Australia Johnbell, but fond memories of Brum persist for me also.
We emigrated to Victoria in 1983, my husband and 2 young children, we settled into the aussie lifestyle easily , bbq's, lovely sandy beaches and the easy going people.
However I still have wonderful memories of my childhood , growng up in Sheldon. I keep my childhood memories close to my heart of my mum and dad and my 2 sisters, our grandparents all lived with us too. I remember the laid back life we had and could wander off out for the day to parks and woods etc as we often did.
We came back for a holiday in Birmingham in 2001, we stayed with my sister and her husband in Olton and made some lovely memories, visiting the Black country museum, Hatton Country World, a Donkey Sanctuary in Devon, also a week in Wales where my mum was born. We caught up with old friends along the way too.
Things I miss about Brum and the uk are cooler weather haha, the smell of Autumn leaves, the green grass, english gardens and old fashioned british pubs and beer gardens, certain foods , pork sausages, english bacon, malt loaf, fish roe (tinned and fresh), faggots, oh I could go on and on haha.

What I have missed most over the years is my family and now it is just my younger sister and her husband, whom I am very close to and miss so much.
However I love my life here in Australia and my family are here and my 3 beautiful grandchildren.
But you will never take Brum out of the girl.

Wendy

How great is that? Never been to OZ but have a few acquaintances on Kangaroo Island and another place, the name of which i cant remember!( age)! Glad you're happy.
I remember Sheldon. The Mackadown, played there many times in various groups. Went Sir Wilfrid Martineau and cycled up the Meadway past the old Hunters Moon for years. Used to get fish and chips from a place in the Radleys.

 

[wendylee]

How great is that? Never been to OZ but have a few acquaintances on Kangaroo Island and another place, the name of which i cant remember!( age)! Glad you're happy.
I remember Sheldon. The Mackadown, played there many times in various groups. Went Sir Wilfrid Martineau and cycled up the Meadway past the old Hunters Moon for years. Used to get fish and chips from a place in the Radleys.

Yep i remember the Mackadown been there a few times and the chippy at the Radleys too.
I went to Sheldon Heath Comp, I lived near the Celmsley pub, common lane, we had a great group of friends we used to have a drink with there, my hubby also used the Stirrup Cup when we were married and played in their soccer team.
We had such happy carefree days when we were little kids, think its changed so much for the young ones now.
In my teen years we went ice skating at the Cresta ice rink in Solihull.
I havnt been to Thailand Johnbell but it is a very popular destination for Australians, my 23 year old grandson has been and he loved it.
Happy Days!

 

[Robert Ensor (bob)]

Hi folks another ex pat here, grew up in the Longbride and Rednal aera, went to school at Turves Green and Colmers Farm, Bromsgrove Collage served a apprenticeship with P J Evans on Granville St in the city centre. left the UK in 81 and moved to America, Dallas, LA and now Florida (Sarasota), can't believe I found this site looking up Ford Escort mk1 rally cars

 

[Richard Dye]

Hi folks another ex pat here, grew up in the Longbride and Rednal aera, went to school at Turves Green and Colmers Farm, Bromsgrove Collage served a apprenticeship with P J Evans on Granville St in the city centre. left the UK in 81 and moved to America, Dallas, LA and now Florida (Sarasota), can't believe I found this site looking up Ford Escort mk1 rally cars

Welcome to the Forum!

 

[oldbrit]

Maurice. Two reasons that I did become a studio or big band musician. First, they where all union and the only way to join the Union was to be USA Citizen. The other of course was the competition, I was nowhere near the quality of the Yanks who had been playing all their lives. But I must say the US was an eye opener for this 23-year-old Brummie. Such a vast country and the talked funny!!! "YaAll." HaHa!!!

 

[sospiri]

You'r right, John, the facilities for musicians in the States at that time were far better than they were in the UK, even in London. And those guys had a head start on us. For the same reason I stopped being pro in 1968. A young family and the only way you could maintain continuity of work was to live in London - a definite no-no - or spend a life on the road, and then you hardly ever see the family.

I enjoyed my short spells in PA, but the only time I saw New York, Philly or Pitts was on a drive to the airport! Cities are OK when you are young, but now I'm knocking on a bit, I prefer village life in rural Crete. But each to his own.

Maurice

 

[Robert Ensor (bob)]

Small world! I have 2 brothers and 1 sister all moved to Padstow/ Treyarnon area many years ago.

Well it is a small world spent many a holiday in that part of Cornwall in fact both my pop and me intend to have our ashes spread at Trevone beach

 

[Robert Ensor (bob)]

To the OP would I do it again ?, yes in a heart beat I have been very lucky in life, I have won major car races and Pebble Beach car show several times and others I have had my work on magazine covers been crew chief on race teams got to travel all over the US some times in private planes, I was lucky my pop came to the states as a snow bird 6 months of the year for many years so Christmas and such was just like back in the UK.

Now my pop is 89 and has all the problems folks get at that age, I call every Sunday at 2pm my time and we speak for a hour we talk F1 racing and how is every one else is and how was lunch at Morrisons (Rubery, he lives in Northfield/Westheath), but we always have to talk about his doctors and his health care.

So my pop tells me I did the right thing but I must say I feel like a selfish so and so at times, here I am I can not remember the last time I wore long pants the sunshine's most of the time, I can not remember the last time I saw frost never mind snow.

My pop gave me a skill set that was unbelievable when I left the UK almost 40 years ago he owned a garage my mother owned a grocery store they were both going to live for ever, I lost mom February 85 so long ago so here I am knowing in maybe the near or not so near future I will get the call like I got in 85, and unless I have a heads up I will not be able to get there the Atlantic ocean may well be ten thousand miles across.

Sorry for some of the negativity in this post but like the man said every action has a reaction,

So my pop worked for the Austin Motor Car Co he left in 67 but if you ever drove a Austin 1800 and changed gears thank my pop it was his work.

 

[wendylee]

To the OP would I do it again ?, yes in a heart beat I have been very lucky in life, I have won major car races and Pebble Beach car show several times and others I have had my work on magazine covers been crew chief on race teams got to travel all over the US some times in private planes, I was lucky my pop came to the states as a snow bird 6 months of the year for many years so Christmas and such was just like back in the UK.

Now my pop is 89 and has all the problems folks get at that age, I call every Sunday at 2pm my time and we speak for a hour we talk F1 racing and how is every one else is and how was lunch at Morrisons (Rubery, he lives in Northfield/Westheath), but we always have to talk about his doctors and his health care.

So my pop tells me I did the right thing but I must say I feel like a selfish so and so at times, here I am I can not remember the last time I wore long pants the sunshine's most of the time, I can not remember the last time I saw frost never mind snow.

My pop gave me a skill set that was unbelievable when I left the UK almost 40 years ago he owned a garage my mother owned a grocery store they were both going to live for ever, I lost mom February 85 so long ago so here I am knowing in maybe the near or not so near future I will get the call like I got in 85, and unless I have a heads up I will not be able to get there the Atlantic ocean may well be ten thousand miles across.

Sorry for some of the negativity in this post but like the man said every action has a reaction,

So my pop worked for the Austin Motor Car Co he left in 67 but if you ever drove a Austin 1800 and changed gears thank my pop it was his work.

Hi Robert I hear you when you say you felt selfish at times, I also thought "how could I leave my family for new life in Oz ".
However my husband lost his job in 1981 and it was a hard time finding work so we decided to give Australia a go and see how things went. My hubby got a job within a week and we bought a house within three months, it was a new start for us and our two young children. My dad wouldnt talk about us going , I think he thought if he didnt talk about it , it wouldnt happen, however 3 years after we emigrated, mum and dad visited us. We all had a wonderful 4 weeks and my parents enjoyed sightseeing and seeing us all, especially the grandchildren.
The year after they visited my dad died suddenly.... I was shattered.... A little later my sister told me dad told her that we did the right thing, that we had a wonderful life in Australia.... I knew then we had done the right thing. I had my mum for another 20 years and we also chatted every week about life and family etc.

How lovely your pop spent many months each year with you. Its lovely to hear the good life you have had racing over the years and that you chat weekly with your dad.
Keep enjoying that sunshine Robert and wearing your shorts.
Thank you for sharing your story.

Wendy

Sorry guys had to amend the date on this post it was 1981 my hubby lost his job we left for Oz in 1983...