Where is everyone from... and where did you end up?

[lornawynn]

Hey... to any and all Brits or admirers of our culture, far and wide. I was curious about where we're all from...

Here's quick breakdown for me: Born in Leicester, England, last place I lived in the UK was Padstow, Cornwall... brilliant place! Moved to Vancouver, Canada 1982. Never regretted it, but often homesick... which is why I love checking in with The Septics Companion and all things British

[Louise]

Hey

I am from Reading, Berkshire. We now live in Gibsons, Sunshine Coast. So we visit Vancouver alot! I love the Septic Companion! It reminds me I am not crazy when I say things like "chuffed" and I get blank faces of confusion. A favourite one my friends like to make fun of is "swimming costume" & "Lilo". LOL

[cbrzychcy]

Hello, I currently live about an hour north of Austin, Texas and will be hoping to settle down in the UK in the next year or two. I'm planning to join my boyfriend who is currently living in the Norfolk area, close to Norwich. I have picked up a lot of his mannerisms in the way I speak and get strange looks all the time! I guess it wouldn't be so bad if I had the accent to go with the words, but I have a noticeable Texan drawl and get looked at curiously when I say something about popping down to the shop or needing to ring someone.

[Dunx]

I grew up in Ilkley in Yorkshire (and it really is a good idea to wear a hat up on the moor, just not one with a brim or you'll not see it again), did my degree in Liverpool, worked in Nottingham, then moved to Surrey. Didn't like Surrey much, and I was planning on moving back to Yorkshire when I got a chance at a job in the States. So I moved to Portland, OR in 2001 then met my wife and settled down here.

We have two little boys. I keep confusing them by talking about trousers and zeds. At least I have got one of them saying "Mummy".

[cbrzychcy] Not long after I moved to Portland some fool in a shop said that he thought I was from Texas. Since I sound more like Timothy Dalton than John Wayne I can only surmise that this was because I said "I reckon".

[mike]

Hey

I am from Reading, Berkshire. We now live in Gibsons, Sunshine Coast. So we visit Vancouver alot! I love the Septic Companion! It reminds me I am not crazy when I say things like "chuffed" and I get blank faces of confusion. A favourite one my friends like to make fun of is "swimming costume" & "Lilo". LOL

I live in Wokingham, just a stone's throw from Reading, and until January, I was working in the town. Currently, I live in Orlando, Florida, and I am half way into my commercial pilot training, due for completion in the new year. After that, I will be heading home again and will be looking for work.

[Louise]

Oh I love Wokingham! I miss Waitrose, I love it here but I do miss the shops. I lived in Earley.

[chris]

I promise I'll stop replying to every single post soon. It's like a new grandchild, though. Perhaps there exist somewhere forum junkies who can't stop setting the things up.

Anyway - I'm from Scotland. I lived in London for eight years where I worked in investment banking and lost any semblance of a much Scottish accent. I now sound much like a BBC announcer. In 2006 I moved to Seattle, to work for Microsoft (to augment the vast riches I attain from book sales). I'm still working there now, not least because if I go and work anywhere else I'll be extradited. Ah, the wonders of the U.S. work visa.

Reading this thread made me think that it would be nice to know where everyone was originally from, so I added a "nationality" field that should display next to your posts if you fancy it. Info on how to set it is at http://septicscompanion.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=11.

Chris

[queenofzadezert]

I'm from California originally but have lived on the Oklahoma Plains for many years. Because I live near a large military base there are many wives of different nationalities that come through here and I have made many British friends. I also play an international scrabble game on line with two Canadians and three Brits from Leeds, UK. The Septics Companion is a delightful read and has been helpful when things get "Lost in Translation".

Oh and I am soon moving to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

[Connie]

I'm an American who moved to the Isle of Man with my British husband four years ago. He's not Manx, but his family had a house here when he was a child and it's where his heart is. He's older than I am and retired, so he wanted to come back here. I was a librarian in Indiana for 28 years. I officially retired so that I could draw my public employees pension, but once we got settled here I needed something to do so I work part-time as a passenger service agent at Ronaldsway Airport. I found Chris's website (before it was The Septics Companion) when I was curious about the meaning of a British expression (can't remember what now) and my husband wasn't around to ask. Since then, I look at it when I need a chuckle...

[lornawynn]

Hey

I am from Reading, Berkshire. We now live in Gibsons, Sunshine Coast. So we visit Vancouver alot! I love the Septic Companion! It reminds me I am not crazy when I say things like "chuffed" and I get blank faces of confusion. A favourite one my friends like to make fun of is "swimming costume" & "Lilo". LOL

This is so much fun; so glad I started this thread I'm in Tsawwassen, but love the Sunshine Coast!

Oh, I can definitely relate to feeling "chuffed"... happens quite often actually. And I'm often "gobsmacked" too. But I think it was "oh, crikey!" that had a couple of people rolling on the floor laughing not so long ago. I have no idea where that came from... haven't said it in eons!