living in scotland

[creagdhubh]

Tit for tat and that's that, Scott and Chris?

We're here exchanging information only, at the request of the OP.

One thing not yet brought to the table is the ease of entry by the OP. This isn't my area of expertise, but may a UK citizen (say from Inverary, Argyll) simply move to the US (say Flint, Michigan) without some sort of government-issued permit such as a visitor visa or landed immigrant documentation? I think not. Crossing international borders as a tourist and finding a need for emergency health care is a fair bit different than crossing to set up residency.

Precisely.

[creagdhubh]

But, in the main, most Americans who mucked in with the locals got on well with the locals. They were often at parties. My Mum and Dad have had whole American families round the house for dinner. We even had two sleeping on the floor after a long night, (my Dad always poured huge measures). Scots guitar and banjo pickers are delighted to trade licks with American players. We even have some Americans and Canadians in local pipe bands, and there are a few Americans I see regularly on the games circuit round Aboyne, Braemar, Ballater, etc, that are practically Scots now. Some Americans have learned Gaelic particularly well.

BTW, I have two daughters, and their Godmother was born in New York but recently took on UK citizenship after moving here in the 80's. We met at a country music club, (American country music is popular in Scotland as well as Ireland). She loves everything about Scotland except the winters.

I think the key is accepting Scotland for what it is, and the people for who they are, rather than a notion of what you'd like things to be. I have an image in my head of something that I saw in the early 80's, an American man in his 50's standing crying in the ruins of Castle Urquart saying "I have come home". He may have felt a tug of ancestral longing, but the fact is that the castle has been in ruins since 1692 and because of the poor man's build, clothing, demeanour, even the way he stood and walked, culturally he looked very much out of place. He looked like a stranger in the ruins of something that once was, and I felt deeply sorry for him. He might have been happier visiting Edinburgh or somewhere more contemporary.
Truth is, I don't post here very often because often I don't understand what American members are talking about or why they are saying certain things. I think that when people meet face to face there is more likely to be an immediate effort to find the things we/they have in common, rather than the kind of "cultural differences" that get exposed on here. I do meet Americans with Scottish interests regularly and there's no substitute for meeting face to face.

Well said indeed!!! On an interesting note - my good mate, Alastair Nisbet, hails from Aberdeen and moved to the US in 2005. He moved to my hometown of Saint Louis, Missouri and promptly opened up a traditional Scottish themed pub aptly named, The Scottish Arms. He has done extremely well since opening his doors in 2005, and soon his pub was voted best pub/dining experience in Saint Louis for several years in a row, and given a 4 star rating.

Ally has since opened another fine establishment named, The Shaved Duck, which has also won numerous awards and has packed tables every night - it really is amazing! And the fact that he emigrated from Aberdeen to Saint Louis, and has made it from practically nothing, is remarkable!

Cheers,

[OC Richard]

Well if Inverary indeed contains only 600-odd souls, any new person moving in would certainly be noticed.

I come from a small town in West Virginia, of around a thousand people. Everyone knows everyone, and everyone living there was born there, pretty much.

There are only two businesses in town, a laundromat and a gas station. That's it for industry! To purchase anything other than gas or a soda you have to leave town.

Inverary sounds ideal to me, a lovely small town but having Glasgow, one of the world's major cities, only a couple hours away.

[creagdhubh]

Sorry Seanachie, I did not mean to come across so strongly. My only defence is that I get very protective and precious about my country.

Sorry again.

Regards

Chas

As you so rightly should, Chas!

[Redshank]

[QUOTE=OC Richard;1064035]Well if Inverary indeed contains only 600-odd souls, any new person moving in would certainly be noticed.
QUOTE]

That is indeed true, but the whole of Argyll is so sparsely populated, mostly everybody know everybody or at least someone that does, but I guess that's what makes the community a welcoming one to a person with the right attitude

[creagdhubh]

[QUOTE=Redshank;1064049]

Well if Inverary indeed contains only 600-odd souls, any new person moving in would certainly be noticed.
QUOTE]

That is indeed true, but the whole of Argyll is so sparsely populated, mostly everybody know everybody or at least someone that does, but I guess that's what makes the community a welcoming one to a person with the right attitude

Exactly!

[rondo]

Contrary to some widely held beliefs, the United Kingdom is NOT a third world country.
Chas

This made me laugh out loud...thanks Chas.
Rondo

[rondo]

WOW - that is an eye opener!

How about the man, who doesn't give up their citizenship, but takes up semi-permanent residency in the Highlands. University of the Third Age or Open University or any other continuation education - living in a bothy and studying "Heather growth in the glens" or some such. What is the situation then.
Chas

I can speak to this as my brother is an Ex-Pat living in Thailand. He did not renounce his US citizenship therefore he keeps his Social Security and other retirement benefits. But, since he is not a Thai citizen he may not work in Thailand. His pension and Social Security must cover all his expenses.

The cost of living in Thailand made it possible for my brother to take an early retirement at age 50 several years ago and he seems quite happy living there as an Ex-Pat. I don't believe the cost of living in Scotland [or the US for that matter] make early retirement possible for a US citizen.

It is very likely that when my wife and I retire we will look at Belize, Costa Rica, USVI, or several other of the Caribbean islands.

Rondo

[creagdhubh]

My wife and I plan to retire (we have a long time to go yet,as I am only 30, and her 32) in the Scottish Highlands, specifcally in Kingussie, Inverness-shire. As I have stated before, I have family there (with real estate, which will help my wife and I down the road), I have visited the area many, many times and have spent quite a lot of time there. Badenoch is the region in which my ancestors and Highland clan have lived for many centuries, so it only seems natural.

Cheers,