What's it like where you live?

[Aniel]

2 hours ago, karaddin said:

I'd possibly tip Stockholm as a better place legally/culturally, but it's also a much bigger change in terms of primarily speaking a different language etc and the climate is...not so nice.  Not sure what other cities I'd say, I think Sydney is definitely top 5 and I don't really rank them at that level.

How is the climate not so nice? I've lived an hour away from Stockholm all my life so I'm curious how others see it

[baxus]

11 hours ago, peterbound said:

And Luke, if you think people don't want to get into a fight with someone just because they are American, or American Military, you need to look a little deeper at the issue. 

I guess that depends on what part of the world you're in.

In my country, you'd have a pretty good chance of running into problems broadcasting you're US Military. Guess it has something to do with the bombing we had in '99.  

11 hours ago, polishgenius said:

American Military might be a different ish, I wouldn't know. Could well see there being a section of people who butt heads with US soldiers stationed in the UK. It would be a very small minority, but I guess that's small consolation when they're getting in your face.

But the average American certainly isn't going to get anything more than a pisstaking, which is what everyone gets. That could lead to a fight if they either don't get it or can't handle it, I guess (as someone who once worked helping foreign kids settle into UK schools, explaining that very little a Brit says is meant to be taken seriously and any insult should be replied to with insults in kind, but not anger, was one of the key parts of my job, and since I moved to Berlin I've had to literally change my speaking habits coz of misunderstandings it caused, and I'm not the only one, this is an actual subject of conversation among the Britishers here I've discovered), but we Brits certainly aren't, as a whole, a naturally aggressive people, towards Americans or anyone else.

Until you go for a vacation abroad and have a couple of beers. Then all bets are off.

Honestly, every single time I see Brits on vacation, they're loudmouth, drunk and annoying, and from time to time fighting.

Not to say all Brits are like that, I've met a few here in Belgrade, and they all seem decent people, but the loud minority i mentioned before seems to take the spotlight.

9 hours ago, Sivin said:

I guess what I'm looking for is a place where the following things happen, in general, as I understand that Utopia does not exist:

1) I pay my taxes

2) My rights as a human being (and citizen) are respected by the law at least, regardless of sex, sexuality, race, religion, or preference in television

3) People aren't objectively horrible. There's bastards everywhere, I'd prefer to live in a place where they're generally regarded as the minority

4) There's a generally low chance that I'll get murdered walking to the store

5) Education is seen as a more important issue than making sure faggots don't have civil rights

6) If I'm good at my job, I will get to keep doing it

Again, I know Utopia isn't a real thing, but I think those are the basic requirements (backed up by my own research, not just the word of someone on the internet, though your word is appreciated) I'd need to consider moving out of this country permanently.

Someone mentioned studying abroad. That's an interesting idea, and I've never even thought about it before, but I'm pretty sure I don't have that kind of scratch. I'm gonna be making enough money over the next two years that I can afford to go to school full time even for 4 years easily and still have my G.I. Bill for my pursuit of a masters, but that's at American rates. I shudder to think of how quickly my account would be sucked dry by studying abroad.

I'm fairly confident you didn't even consider moving to Serbia, but on the off chance you did, let me answer these questions for you

1. You will pay your taxes everywhere though in Serbia the system would be stupid and outdated and you will always be left wondering how on Earth do people as stupid as our IRS get to keep their jobs.
2. I'm not going to lie that there is no gender-discrimination in Serbia since it is a rather patriarchal society, but there is no institutional discrimination. As far as religion is concerned, there are some religious fanatics, but they are very few. At times Serbian Orthodox Church is granted preferential treatment and is a bit too influential for my liking but I'm pretty sure the same can be said for other countries. Sexuality-based discrimination is a major factor and hate crimes against homosexuals are not unheard of. My impression is that some small steps are being taken to correct that situation but it's going to take some time. I'd definitely not recommend a gay friend to move to Serbia permanently.
3. People are definitely not horrible. They may seem a bit rough at first, but under that surface there are usually hearts of gold. In fact, people are the only reason I'm still here.
4. Let me put it this way, your chances of getting murdered while walking to the store are only marginally higher than your chances of getting hit by a meteorite while walking to the store.
5. This is an even bigger problem than LGBT rights. Education seems to be moving down on the list of priorities for every new government we have. Poorly educated people have proven easier to manipulate and our politicians quite like that.
6. You will, no doubt about it. Business works the same everywhere in the world. As long as you're good at your job, you will keep it.

9 hours ago, Sivin said:

Someone mentioned studying abroad. That's an interesting idea, and I've never even thought about it before, but I'm pretty sure I don't have that kind of scratch. I'm gonna be making enough money over the next two years that I can afford to go to school full time even for 4 years easily and still have my G.I. Bill for my pursuit of a masters, but that's at American rates. I shudder to think of how quickly my account would be sucked dry by studying abroad.

In Serbia a year of studying for you masters degree would cost 3000-4000$ for non-citizens.

You'd get classes in English, and our universities, though not among worlds best, are not bad at all, though they do need some changes.

I couldn't tell you about cost of dorms, but renting an apartment would cost you some 200-250$ per month and you'd need about as much for food and utilities. That's if you lived without roommates, of course.

[karaddin]

9 minutes ago, Aniel said:

How is the climate not so nice? I've lived an hour away from Stockholm all my life so I'm curious how others see it

i'm very sensitive to the cold and used to a climate where 15C is a cold day in winter.  I've been in Stockholm in winter, granted it was a particularly bad winter, but the cold, the snow and the lack of sunlight (both daylight hours and cloud free time) are a shock to anyone not used to the climate.  My brother has lived just outside Stockholm for over 10 years and he's still not used to it.

Do you mind if I ask where you are from? He was initially in Södertälje but is in Rönninge now which was where I stayed the month I was there in winter.

[Aniel]

2 minutes ago, karaddin said:

i'm very sensitive to the cold and used to a climate where 15C is a cold day in winter.  I've been in Stockholm in winter, granted it was a particularly bad winter, but the cold, the snow and the lack of sunlight (both daylight hours and cloud free time) are a shock to anyone not used to the climate.  My brother has lived just outside Stockholm for over 10 years and he's still not used to it.

Do you mind if I ask where you are from? He was initially in Södertälje but is in Rönninge now which was where I stayed the month I was there in winter.

Ah, I figured it might be the temperature. Yeah it kind of sucks that there are so few daylight hours in the winter, but in the summer at least it barely gets dark before the sun rises again. My SO from Chicago was kind of shocked about that.

I'm from Märsta which is on the opposite end of the commuter rail you take from Södertälje C it you want to go to Stockholm. Or as it says on the train as you're rolling in: the slutstation. (Slut means end, so slutstation means "final station", not a station of promiscuous women for those who may not have heard the word before. Once I had a sluttest!) It's conveniently close to Arlanda airport and the Migration Agency, but it's only got 10k people and nothing really happens here besides the occasional stabbing so I wouldn't recommend living in my town...  Rönninge I've only heard of because they're doing some work or other with the tracks around there so I frequently see messages about the train not stopping in Rönninge when I'm on my way to work.

[DireWolfSpirit]

I dont mean to brag but i've been happy wherever i've went. And pretty much feel I will continue to be happy wherever I go in the future. Your locations may change (variable) based on whatever you are pursuing at any one point in time, but the constant (non variable) will always be you(yourself). If you get yourself right, you will be content in a super high percentage of places imo.

Anyways on topic, am American and have lived in the North, Southwest and Southeast of the country. Not going to go through the pro/con list as I'm sure the OP is familiar with the U.S. already. I think living in different countries sounds interesting and have family members who lived in Asia for about 10 years. I myself feel pretty non-tethered and won't rule out settling down in another country in the future. Sivin follow the course that makes you content and good luck.

[karaddin]

If you are a minority group that is being actively vilified or oppressed it's hard to just be yourself and be happy though

[Theda Baratheon]

4 hours ago, lessthanluke said:

I've been living in different parts of the UK my whole life. I really have no idea what you are talking about. The sense of community where I come from is huge, I have never seen anyone start a fight with someone else because of their nationality. You are making huge generalisations based on your small experience.

Aye...don't want to pile on but you'll find no lack of community in most areas of the UK...especially Wales...

I have to say my favourite place to live was Cardiff. Pretty tiny city but really pretty with nice architecture and parks and not too expensive and just everything you need. Lots of shops and events happening all the time, pretty great nightlife, Cardiff University was a great Uni to go to. I made soooo many friends in Cardiff. Most people are really nice. Quite a diverse city for being so small as well. And really in the UK religion just isn't that big of a deal. I hardly hear anyone talk about it other than my nan who just whispers a little prayer before she goes to sleep. 

[DireWolfSpirit]

39 minutes ago, karaddin said:

If you are a minority group that is being actively vilified or oppressed it's hard to just be yourself and be happy though

I had been debating whether to address that because I wasn't sure if that was a factor in this case. But since you brought up groups being discriminated against, i'm going to share a book on that perspective that was written by Randall Robinson who is African American. Its titled "Quitting America". 

Quitting America: The Departure of a Black Man from His Native Land Randall Robinson Penguin Group USA, Dec 1, 2004 - Social Science - 256 pages 6 Reviews Randall Robinson is quitting America, and this book charts his journey from the most powerful nation on earth to the tiny tropical island where his wife was born. His search for a more peaceful and hospitable place grew out of the disappointment and increasing sense of abandonment he felt in the land of his own birth—an America that has sapped the creative energies of his race and has “transfigured humanity.”  Here, in a culture that is as different from America as black is from white, Robinson shares why he needs to escape the racism he has fought all his life. Yet America is never far from his mind. The current state of political and socioeconomic affairs and why our leadership will continue to fall short of our expectations continue to inform his writing. More »

 

[Mladen]

2 hours ago, baxus said:

I'm fairly confident you didn't even consider moving to Serbia, but on the off chance you did, let me answer these questions for you

1. You will pay your taxes everywhere though in Serbia the system would be stupid and outdated and you will always be left wondering how on Earth do people as stupid as our IRS get to keep their jobs.
2. I'm not going to lie that there is no gender-discrimination in Serbia since it is a rather patriarchal society, but there is no institutional discrimination. As far as religion is concerned, there are some religious fanatics, but they are very few. At times Serbian Orthodox Church is granted preferential treatment and is a bit too influential for my liking but I'm pretty sure the same can be said for other countries. Sexuality-based discrimination is a major factor and hate crimes against homosexuals are not unheard of. My impression is that some small steps are being taken to correct that situation but it's going to take some time. I'd definitely not recommend a gay friend to move to Serbia permanently.
3. People are definitely not horrible. They may seem a bit rough at first, but under that surface there are usually hearts of gold. In fact, people are the only reason I'm still here.
4. Let me put it this way, your chances of getting murdered while walking to the store are only marginally higher than your chances of getting hit by a meteorite while walking to the store.
5. This is an even bigger problem than LGBT rights. Education seems to be moving down on the list of priorities for every new government we have. Poorly educated people have proven easier to manipulate and our politicians quite like that.
6. You will, no doubt about it. Business works the same everywhere in the world. As long as you're good at your job, you will keep it.

 

But all these trifles aside, we have the best sportsmen in the world (exaggeration, but they are really great). And when we celebrate, we do celebrate...

[HexMachina]

3 hours ago, baxus said:

I guess that depends on what part of the world you're in.

In my country, you'd have a pretty good chance of running into problems broadcasting you're US Military. Guess it has something to do with the bombing we had in '99.  

Until you go for a vacation abroad and have a couple of beers. Then all bets are off.

Honestly, every single time I see Brits on vacation, they're loudmouth, drunk and annoying, and from time to time fighting.

Not to say all Brits are like that, I've met a few here in Belgrade, and they all seem decent people, but the loud minority i mentioned before seems to take the spotlight.

I'm fairly confident you didn't even consider moving to Serbia, but on the off chance you did, let me answer these questions for you

1. You will pay your taxes everywhere though in Serbia the system would be stupid and outdated and you will always be left wondering how on Earth do people as stupid as our IRS get to keep their jobs.
2. I'm not going to lie that there is no gender-discrimination in Serbia since it is a rather patriarchal society, but there is no institutional discrimination. As far as religion is concerned, there are some religious fanatics, but they are very few. At times Serbian Orthodox Church is granted preferential treatment and is a bit too influential for my liking but I'm pretty sure the same can be said for other countries. Sexuality-based discrimination is a major factor and hate crimes against homosexuals are not unheard of. My impression is that some small steps are being taken to correct that situation but it's going to take some time. I'd definitely not recommend a gay friend to move to Serbia permanently.
3. People are definitely not horrible. They may seem a bit rough at first, but under that surface there are usually hearts of gold. In fact, people are the only reason I'm still here.
4. Let me put it this way, your chances of getting murdered while walking to the store are only marginally higher than your chances of getting hit by a meteorite while walking to the store.
5. This is an even bigger problem than LGBT rights. Education seems to be moving down on the list of priorities for every new government we have. Poorly educated people have proven easier to manipulate and our politicians quite like that.
6. You will, no doubt about it. Business works the same everywhere in the world. As long as you're good at your job, you will keep it.

In Serbia a year of studying for you masters degree would cost 3000-4000$ for non-citizens.

You'd get classes in English, and our universities, though not among worlds best, are not bad at all, though they do need some changes.

I couldn't tell you about cost of dorms, but renting an apartment would cost you some 200-250$ per month and you'd need about as much for food and utilities. That's if you lived without roommates, of course.

Yeah the UK generally gets a poor rep from certain groups when they travel abroad, unfortunately. While there is definitely a problem with drinking, violence etc. it's not so prevalent as it is when Brits do so abroad (for example, it's less likely to begin at 12 in the afternoon...)

Theda and Luke, I would say that a strong sense of community is much more noticeable in more rural/sub-urban areas. I don't think there are such close ties (or at least they are less noticeable, IMO) in more built up urban areas. i don't ink there is a sense of hostility though, more a sense of everyone being too busy with their own lives to bother overmuch with anyone else. Again though, this is much more noticeable in the capital, whereas back home even if I went into the city it was a rare occurrence if you didn't end up chatting away to a total stranger

[CBeck113]

I'm an expat who's been living in Germany for the last 25 years (thanks Uncle Sam!) and can give you the following advice:

1. It's nicer everywhere....but only when you're on vacation

2. There are assholes everywhere, strangely even the racists aren't racist against stupidity

3. There's a great German phrase: "So wie man ins Wald schreit, so kommt's zurück",  basically meaning that you are half of the reaction you get (and I live in a very rural part of the country, a bit north of Regensburg, where the neighbors know more about me than I do).

Now the facts & personal opinions:

+ I have traveled to most European countries, with frequent trips to Italy, France, Austria, and England.  I enjoy traveling to them, but because of the language barriers, I would only think of moving to England (not even Austria, although I do speak German fluently).

+ Germany has many great sides: University is 138€/semister (paying for my son right now, and went through it 20 years ago - btw, the Ostbayerische technische Hochschule Regensburg has been approved for mechanical engineering from the Army, so you could get your GI Bill payed out there...and thank me if you do - it took almost three years to get it done!) including public transportation in the entire region; the normal stand is quite open (progressive?) from Das Volk, but when things get tough like now, the Right Wing springs out of nowhere, especially in what used to be East Germany; life is not that expensive here, and after crying over the taxes and insurance that's taken directly out of your paycheck (healthcare, retirement, solidaridy tax for integrating East Germany still), the rest is within reason, especially food prices in super markets; travel is great, ebcause it is relatively cheap compared to the US and you can get anywhere in Europe within one day by plane, or two by car; the women are beautiful, especially in cities with Universities; outside of Bavaria the people are open and friendly, Bavarians don't trust people they don't know, unless you're partying with them; the beer (not much else to say to that); the bread; Autobahn, although the traffic is getting so dense that you have few opportunities to actually drive over 100mph); socialism the way it should be done.  Less positive, beside the neighbors in Bavaria and the Right Wing nutjobs: you'll have to learn German - most people speak English, but you have almost no chance to get a job without language skills.  Oh, and this area is Catholic...very Catholic, but relatively tolerant, and you get lots of days off because of it.

+ England is a new love of mine.  I have been traveling to Devon for the last five years by car, and it is great - the landscape, the beaches, the weather in September, the people - but the other 11 months aren't quite so nice.  It almost never freezes there thanks to the Gulf Stream, but it is frequently overcast and rainy.  The negative is the economy: it is not too hard to find a job or two to keep yourself afloat, but a career in the area is not easily found, and the housing prices are awful.

My suggestion: travel.  Save as much money as you can and get out and see the world.  You'll quickly see that being able to return to a place that you know is a huge relief, wherever it may be.  If you haven't chosen your career, combine the two and get a job in which you have to travel alot. 

Oh yeah, about military in Europe: we tend to be young and obnoxious while drinking for European standards, which is fine most of the time, but not to everyone's liking - you will find the wrong person at least once, even if it doesn't end in a fight.

And for the Brits on vacation: there are more Brits, but the loud drunk ones stick out, as do the Germans, Czechs, Poles and Russians that are loud & drunk.  The others you just don't notice, and the rest of the countries seem to have better manors abroad, just like at home.

[Theda Baratheon]

1 hour ago, CBeck113 said:

 

+ England is a new love of mine.  I have been traveling to Devon for the last five years by car, and it is great - the landscape, the beaches, the weather in September, the people - but the other 11 months aren't quite so nice.  It almost never freezes there thanks to the Gulf Stream, but it is frequently overcast and rainy.  The negative is the economy: it is not too hard to find a job or two to keep yourself afloat, but a career in the area is not easily found, and the housing prices are awful.

 

Go to Cornwall. It's even nicer.  

[Ruhail]

Its pretty quiet and boring here in Yorkshire is all I can think of to say

[polishgenius]

7 hours ago, baxus said:

Until you go for a vacation abroad and have a couple of beers. Then all bets are off.

Honestly, every single time I see Brits on vacation, they're loudmouth, drunk and annoying, and from time to time fighting.

Not to say all Brits are like that, I've met a few here in Belgrade, and they all seem decent people, but the loud minority i mentioned before seems to take the spotlight.

 

 

Oh, Brits on holiday are the worst. I've been out and about in a few European cities and if you hear a loud group of drunkards making a spectacle of themselves at midday, it's 100% guaranteed that they're going to be British.
Not, in my experience, especially aggressive, mind- obviously with alcohol fights happen, but the behaviour is usually more stupid than belligerent - but British drinking culture is awful. And I say that as someone who's joined in on occasion in the past.

[Rorshach]

3 minutes ago, polishgenius said:

 

 

Oh, Brits on holiday are the worst. I've been out and about in a few European cities and if you hear a loud group of drunkards making a spectacle of themselves at midday, it's 100% guaranteed that they're going to be British.
Not, in my experience, especially aggressive, mind- obviously with alcohol fights happen, but the behaviour is usually more stupid than belligerent - but British drinking culture is awful. And I say that as someone who's joined in on occasion in the past.

I would hazard a guess that drunken troublemakers on holiday could be Norwegians. Norwegian drinking culture is basically binge drinking, and with cheap alcohol (which means "not Norwegian prices"), this is especially true. Luckily for us, there are fewer Norwegians in the world than Brits, and hence we're harder to find, relatively speaking. 

[Hereward]

I grew up in East Anglia, surrounded by American servicemen and their families. Indeed, the very next street along was an American one. Were there fights? Absolutely. Did we have American friends? Yes, of course. Leaving aside the very occasional anti-American arse, or an occasional bad reaction to some light-hearted piss taking, the most usual cause was an encounter that began "if it wasn't for us, you'd all be speaking German". Now, I could never, ever imagine peterbound saying something like that...

[Toth]

7 hours ago, CBeck113 said:

+ Germany has many great sides: University is 138€/semister (paying for my son right now, and went through it 20 years ago - btw, the Ostbayerische technische Hochschule Regensburg has been approved for mechanical engineering from the Army, so you could get your GI Bill payed out there...and thank me if you do - it took almost three years to get it done!) including public transportation in the entire region; the normal stand is quite open (progressive?) from Das Volk, but when things get tough like now, the Right Wing springs out of nowhere, especially in what used to be East Germany; life is not that expensive here, and after crying over the taxes and insurance that's taken directly out of your paycheck (healthcare, retirement, solidaridy tax for integrating East Germany still), the rest is within reason, especially food prices in super markets; travel is great, ebcause it is relatively cheap compared to the US and you can get anywhere in Europe within one day by plane, or two by car; the women are beautiful, especially in cities with Universities; outside of Bavaria the people are open and friendly, Bavarians don't trust people they don't know, unless you're partying with them; the beer (not much else to say to that); the bread; Autobahn, although the traffic is getting so dense that you have few opportunities to actually drive over 100mph); socialism the way it should be done.  Less positive, beside the neighbors in Bavaria and the Right Wing nutjobs: you'll have to learn German - most people speak English, but you have almost no chance to get a job without language skills.  Oh, and this area is Catholic...very Catholic, but relatively tolerant, and you get lots of days off because of it.

Interesting outside view, especially on Southern Germany since I haven't spend more than a week in Munich...

I may add a few perspectives on what it is to leave in Berlin, so that people see how it is in a place surrounded by the former Eastern Germany:

• + great public transportation (despite the natives joking about it collapsing at the first hint of snow)
• + people are generally very open-minded (a given due to Berlin's more ethnically diverse society than the rest of the country)
• + people don't give a fuck about religion AT ALL
• + healthcare, as you said
• + University is far cheaper than in Bavaria because there are no actual fees
• + many cultural sights despite most buildings not being older than 1945 for obvious reasons
• + if you don't purposely run at night into the worst back-alley you have heard of, there is no way you get mugged - crime rate is as low as in any other western country
• + people are very wary when it comes to political extremism due to our history - despite of what you are currently hearing about protests, actual right-wingers are more a thing to be mocked and pitied...
• - ... but people are nonetheless angry because the very same attitude has 'mainstreamed' our polical parties until they have become virtually indistinguishable. There is no left and right, just one huge block made of mildly different shades of social-conservatists. And all of them make themselves look utterly apathetic in regards to long-term policies.
• - our integration policy is a total mess because nobody really feels responsible for ensuring that you learn our language or don't just hang out with the same people who came with you. Berlin has the problem that there are actual parallel societies of different cultures who don't give a fuck about German ethics and are in great danger of being stuck in an uneducated environment. It's not as bad as in Paris, but it causes some degree of conflict due to lack of perspectives.
• - people not giving a fuck about religion gets a bit problematic as soon as you see mosques financed by Arabian extremists where ethnically German djihadist-wannabes sprout anticonstitutional nonsense and you wonder why our Verfassungsschutz is really that apathetic to not shut them down immediately
• - people might be open-minded, but are still very cold to each other. If you want to get a sense of community, seek elsewhere

The minuses might look more due to me explaining more there, but I think I need to break a lance for Germany right here. There is not a single place I would prefer to the country I live in. From the perspective of living standards, civil rights and the people I have to interact with on a regular basis, I have absolutely nothing to complain.

[Lordsteve666]

Where: Scotland.

Pros:

• Free healthcare.
• Relatively well off country on the global scale.
• Politics that actually tries to stand out from the rest of the UK even if some politicians are still twats.
• Whisky.
• Good quality local food producers all over the place so you don't need to eat cheap mass produced crap.
• Beautiful scenery.
• Good education system, including some top universities.
• Good trade links to the rest of the world.
• Friendly people (if you avoid Orkney!)
• Excellent accent and dialects....good for insulting people!

Cons:

• Sometimes stupid racism against England gets in the way of sensible thinking.
• Can have a bit of a martyr syndrome in relation to the above on occasion, some people think the rest of the UK owes Scotland stuff as a result of history 300 years ago. This gets in the way of progress.
• Essentially a one party state now with people voting in nationalists to get way from Lab & Cons.
• Stupid sectarianism from football teams and the associated bollocks it entails (mainly limited to Glasgow though).
• Job market a bit uneasy, but I guess that is the same everywhere.
• Cost of living can be expensive.
• The same racism & prejudice nonsense that is everywhere in Europe right now.
• Public transport is utter shite unless you live in the capital (although those over 60 do get free/discounted travel).
• Donald Trump seems to think he has some say in how we run the place on account of his mother being from here....fucking wanker.
• Shockingly bad national diet.
•  
•  
• Wildings.....

[HexMachina]

2 hours ago, Lordsteve666 said:

Where: Scotland.

Pros:

• Free healthcare.
• Relatively well off country on the global scale.
• Politics that actually tries to stand out from the rest of the UK even if some politicians are still twats.
• Whisky.
• Good quality local food producers all over the place so you don't need to eat cheap mass produced crap.
• Beautiful scenery.
• Good education system, including some top universities.
• Good trade links to the rest of the world.
• Friendly people (if you avoid Orkney!)
• Excellent accent and dialects....good for insulting people!

Cons:

• Sometimes stupid racism against England gets in the way of sensible thinking.
• Can have a bit of a martyr syndrome in relation to the above on occasion, some people think the rest of the UK owes Scotland stuff as a result of history 300 years ago. This gets in the way of progress.
• Essentially a one party state now with people voting in nationalists to get way from Lab & Cons.
• Stupid sectarianism from football teams and the associated bollocks it entails (mainly limited to Glasgow though).
• Job market a bit uneasy, but I guess that is the same everywhere.
• Cost of living can be expensive.
• The same racism & prejudice nonsense that is everywhere in Europe right now.
• Public transport is utter shite unless you live in the capital (although those over 60 do get free/discounted travel).
• Donald Trump seems to think he has some say in how we run the place on account of his mother being from here....fucking wanker.
• Shockingly bad national diet.
•  
•  
• Wildings.....

Do Scottish nationals get free University education too? Or is that something I have misunderstood?

[Lordsteve666]

5 hours ago, HelenaExMachina said:

Do Scottish nationals get free University education too? Or is that something I have misunderstood?

They get it cheaper I believe as they only pay a lump sum upon graduation, whereas those from the rest of the U.K. have to pay tuition fees each year. But it's a while since I graduated so it may have changed what with fees being put up to astronomical levels in the last few years. 

I know there was some argument over how fair it was when we had the Indy ref as students from the uk were going to get charged more than European and international students, some saw this almost as racism against English students, the snp said it was to stop people nipping over the border to get cheap education. Don't know where it all ended up going though and it sounded a bit iffy to me personally.