I met my husband on a Thursday when I met him with his friend. We went out on the Thursday night and met up again the following Tuesday after we had both split from our then, current partners. On that Tuesday we were making plans to get married!! That was 1964. Married in 1966 and married 58 years when he passed last August. When yo know, you know.
Married 20 years so far. I had about the same story. Except her lease was due a month into dating. I said screw it and she moved in. That was 20 years ago
The most lovely thing about your videos is seeing how happy and warm you both are, always sitting "arm in arm" leaning into each other. Beautiful love! :-)
I am watching your videos with considerable interest. My wife and I are both Scottish ex-pats. We live on Canada’s west coast and I have been here since I left primary school and my wife has been here since she finished college. We are both retired now and are contemplating returning home. Even though it’s been almost 60 years for me I still call Scotland home. Keep the videos coming as they are giving us great insights into the challenges and the benefits of returning.
@@davidf3696 It’s never too late! Scotland would be a wonderful place to live the rest of your lives. Don’t think you’d regret that decision. We sure don’t ❤️ Love Canada as well though, so we can appreciate how difficult this decision is!
You will be able to look back at these videos and see how Zach's accent resorts back to a full Scottish accent, it's getting there! Keep the content coming, good to see you getting so settled.
I'm Yorkshire born and bred but my wife comes from Northumberland (Morpeth), her accent is Yorkshire but when we've gone up to see her family within a couple of hours she speaking Geordie, always makes me smile, again when we come back home she's not long before her Yorkshire accent is back
I was born in North East and moved down South when I was six. I then started speaking like a Southerner. Moved back to the North East when fourteen and got a slight geordie accent but when family members from the south visit I kinda slip back to a southern accent my kids find it funny
My grandmother was from Yorkshire and moved to Canada when she was in her 20s. I was used to her accent and a couple of years ago when I happened to call a lady in Yorkshire she wondered if I could understand her accent. I told her that I could and it was if I was talking to my grandmother from many years before. When Annie starts to call small potatoes “wee tatties” you will notice the change.
We just love following your journey. You are doing a great job creating authentic, relatable content. My husband and I and our kiddos are transitioning across the pond this spring and have been watching together. We both laugh at how much he and Zach communicate similarly. Thanks for sharing!
CHiPs was one of my favourite TV programmes in the 80's. Every time you mention your old job my imagination sees you riding around on a motorbike all day like Eric Estrada,
Isle of Skye, Kyle of Loch Alsh is my favourite. Also the Western Isles-Stornoway in Isle of Harris and Lewis is very picturesque. Fort William and Oban also beautiful
@@SimpleScottishLiving Its a pleasure. There is places in Scotland I havent been, but i did manage to see quite abit in the 2 years i was there (back in 2006-2008) then been to visit about 3 times since for a few months. I lived in Inverness when i was over there and I loved that city too. All of Scotland is beautiful. I even have a 3ft x 5ft Scottish flag here hanging in my hallway. I feel more Scottish than I do South African. lol
I met my wife in Canada when i was stationed in Alberta in 1994 with the British Military. Just came back from a 6 month tough tour in Bosnia with the UN when the country was at war. We have been together 30 years and married 29 years. 2 fantastic Kids one finishing university in Canada and one just graduated university in China. It's been a fantastic journey together.
The Loft at Haddington is fab, I even got in when I was still in a wheelchair as they have a lift, if you ever get to North Berwick try The Herringbone almost next door to us, try The Grange Steakhouse (in both cases it is advisable to book in advance) we have super beaches, a sailing club, harbour with boat-trips, seabird centre also with boat-trips and in July August we have Fring by the Sea
We’ve been incredibly lucky with the weather and area! We will hopefully create a nice backdrop in our “office” for those more rainy days. Thanks for watching ❤️
Watching your journey of relocation as its something that we ourselves are slowly proceeding with after 18 years living in Bulgaria and the self sufficientsy life style which has been a brilliant experience, however we now think one last adventure back closer to family in the U.K and a more relaxed lifestyle in our older years is the way to go , location will not be very far from your area as we are moving ( property sorted ) to Glendevon nr Dollar not far North of Kinross and although a slow process we cant wait to finally be there and start visiting a lot of the areas you go to and recommend. Keep on enjoying your new life .
Great update, glad you are settling in. Nothing better than having coffee and cake in beautiful places. Northumberland coast is a beautiful place to visit , especially Bamburgh castle overlooking the beach and dunes. Zach must have some funny tales to tell from his time with CHP, that woud be great to hear 😊
My father was a police officer in Long Beach, California for 15 years. It is a hard profession for someone who has a family. Thank you for your service Zach.
You two are so funny and refreshing here on RUclips. I moved from the West Coast (us) to New England (us) it was like moving to a foreign country! I can’t wait to see your travels. Scotland looks beautiful!
Thank you! Happy to have you along for the ride :) It has been an incredible start, and we can’t wait to share more - especially when we visit Dunkeld soon. It’s gorgeous!
My late aunt and uncle lived in Haddington. She was Welsh, he was Scottish. We had very happy holidays staying with them in my childhood, Haddington is a nice little place.
Seacliff Beach with Tantallon Castle in the background makes a great spot for a video blog. Also, Dirleton Castle is another favorite. Kids will love it.
Haddington is also one of my favorite cities. It's actually quite beautiful, and yes, the farmer's market is a really good one. I haven't been to a bad farmer's market yet! I would ask if you have taken the kids to the National Scottish Museum yet and if you have been to the Royal Mile as a couple.
Yes we agree. We have taken the kids to the National Museum before, but not since we've moved over, they loved it and a great way to escape the weather if you're in Edinburgh.
You really have to visit Royal Deeside, I've lived here for 20 years and love it, though not the winters! You must drive up from Perth to Blairgowrie and then over the Cairngorms to Braemar then along to Balmoral Castle and Ballater. The scenery is stunning and not to be missed!
I had an aunt who lived in Gullane for around 50 years so being in Northumberland we were regular visitors to the area, I regularly tour around Scotland as well and as you may find use the Stena service from Cairn Ryan to get to Ireland through Belfast, it's also not far down to Newcastle if you want to get a ferry and take your car over to Europe and tour around there as well, we are enjoying your videos and hope that all goes well for you.
I live in rural perthshire, its beautiful! Love living here, surrounded by fields of sheep, potatoegrowing, peas growing too! You have to visit st andrews,beach is brilliant
Ohh dear 2 weeks in the house is not unusual so board games are a winner.i am S100%Scottish and iv never has a deep fried Mar bar. I'm glad your enjoying yourselves.
When we moved to Scotland i fell in love with the countryside here immediately! Definitely on your bucket list you should try and vist the Cairngorms (Loch an Eilein) and The outer Hebrides 😊
Love listening to you both hope you have a long and happy stay in Scotland, if the weather is good there is no place like it. Even if it’s bad it’s still pretty good. In 1992 A brief history of the deep fried Mars bar. Whilst some say it began back in the 1980s in a chip shop in Buckie, then continued to be cooked and sold at one in Banff, it wasn't until it began to be offered in a chippie north of Cromars in Stonehaven that it really took off. It was 1992. I have never had one but I did see some young men from America eat them in a restaurant in Edinburgh and they loved them. 👍🏻😁🏴
I’ve just stumbled upon your channel - you’re both a lovely breath of fresh air. Looking forward to following you along on your adventures - as an Australian moving to the UK and having Europe on your doorstep is always the dream!
I think you chose the best time of year to make the move.The weather has proven to be great it seems. Perhaps not so friendly in the winter! I don't think I would want to move in winter in the UK! But then living in Canada as I do, it is not so friendly at that time of year either!
I’m so excited that your channel popped up! I’m from Clovis, California this is so exciting to follow your journey! You both are adorable, I love your new home so cozy! Best of luck to you all!
European travelling is just my favourite thing about being back myself….I’ve really loved Copenhagen and Stockholm. As a nurse I took a 50% hit in my salary but have more disposable income to travel, go to concerts, eat out…..am so excited to see how your journey unfolds. ❤️
So glad that RUclips showed one of your videos on my Home page the other day. Such a big move even without children, so you deserve a lot of credit for going for it with 3 young ones. Best to you both and I hope that everything works out the way you had hoped. I'd love to make a move from CA to the UK, but that is not in the cards. I so will continuing watching to see more as you start to travel around and make a life for your family in Scotland.
Thank you for the kind words! It is a huge move/decision and so much went into making this happen. We do not take it for granted and hope we can share lots for you to enjoy ❤️
Just found your channel today…been watching a few of your videos. Love them and thank you for sharing your story will continue to watch and enjoy seeing Scotland. Born and raised in the East Bay, my son in law just graduated from Alameda County police academy and will finish his trading in 2 weeks. Enjoying how sweet you are 😊
I enjoyed listening to your q&a and your experience of Scotland so far. I also visited the Loft in Haddington for some lovely food. I will be sure to say hello to you both if our paths ever cross. 👋😁
Talking about the camp did bring back memories for me as well. I went over to the States as a camp counsellor for the summer in 1985. I went with a British organisation called BUNAC. It was really a lot of fun, but certainly didn't meet my spouse there - but certainly met some people I kept in touch with.
deep fried mars bar didn't exist until about 30 years ago, it was one chip shop that served it as a novelty and the few people who have tried it mostly ate it for the novelty, most people haven't tried it and wouldn't know where to go to buy one even if they did want to try it
Working with the CHP Zach must've had some funny or even strange exchanges with either work colleagues or members of the public when they heard his Scottish accent. Care to share?
Thank so much again. Hope this summer as not put you off. It has been a problem for me - as not able to get up hills, kayaking, out on my bicycle etc. Best wishes to you 2 and family x
Just watched all your videos and Zacks Scottish accent is definitely coming back. 🎉😂 noticed it in the last one but definitely in this one. 💙🏴 I live in Perthshire and it's a stunning part of the world. Looking forward to seeing more of your journey
Hi Zach and Annie! Great video from an obviously great couple! Regarding the deep fried Mars Bars, I'm Scottish and I've never tried one either and I don't know of anybody who has.
Zach, you'll know you've reverted to your native tongue when you tell us not that your accent is coming back a "little bit", but that it has come back a "wee bit ". It would also be interesting to hear how you feel about your children being in the Scottish school system as opposed to the Californian one and what the main differences are.
@@SimpleScottishLiving I almost forgot, if you're dad is visiting and he's into aviation there's a really good air museum just outside York at Elvington, it was a bomber base during the war. It still has a lot of exhibits in original WW2 buildings and the NAAFI is their restaurant.
Thanks for sharing a little bit about your back stories. It will be interesting in a couple of years time to look bacck on some of these early videos and assess how much Zach's accent defaults back to Scottish - you can hear it in some words and phrases now, so I bet it will morph back to full Scottish in time!
Years ago somebody told one of our Australian relatives that a Haggis was a small creature that lived in Scotland and she believed it. Subject of much leg pulling afterwards.
Amazing little family, who are more than welcome to Scotland! What have you enjoyed so far, and what do you look forward to still doing that you haven’t?
Thank you! We have so much to explore now that this is permanent. The kids have generally only seen one area of Scotland as we would visit to spend time with family, but now we can explore all across the UK. The list is long!
There is so much to explore it’s incredible, Edinburgh festival every year happens from the beginning of August till pretty much the end, it’s a family type of day out, there are a lot of things to do. It’s just up from Princes Street the road you go up towards it, is called “The Bridges” that starts the 2nd of August. So in terms of things coming up round the corner that’s something you should try with the family.
Hi guys, not sure where you have set up home but looks like you might be in the East Lothian area which is where I'm from. It's a great place to stay and raise a family. I look forward to following your adventure 🏴👍
Hello Zack and Annie just found your channel watched three videos in a row really enjoying seeing the improvements to your new home and your views about living in Scotland compared to the USA. Thank you keep up the good work. I am half Scottish half English never been to Scotland though throughout radiator I live just outside of London close to Reading. I hope Scotland votes for independence so I can get a jewel passport and be allowed to travel Work and immigrates anywhere in the EU again so happy, election result yesterday hopefully we will see that demise of all of the Trump politics in the UK
So glad to have you following along ❤️ We appreciate you taking the time to comment and to share your thoughts. We’re eager to see how things go with the change in gvmt.
Ha ha my husband (Welsh ) says I keep my Scottish accent in Gretna and I pick it up on the way back lol I was in EL for a flying visit on Tuesday (family funeral sadly) - the weather was warm and the poppies on the field were stunning.
If you're living close to Haddington, then a trip to the East Fortune Museum of Flight is worth a visit. They have one of the Concordes after the supersonic jets were permanently grounded.
There is a place south of Edinburgh about an hour away from you called Barony Castle. There is HUGE concrete 3D map of Scotland in the grounds, made by Polish university students. It is very impressive and worth a visit!
Maybe until someone does the sums and realises the cost, when there's a need to maintain schools, hospitals etc.... In England it's necessary to take student loans to pay tuition fees and living expenses. But they are limited compared to USA. So whatever the fees might be to go to Harvard, Yale, MIT etc, you'd have to pay £9,250 per year for tuition fees at Cambridge or Oxford Universities. Good video today!
We stay in Scotland. You don't "live" here, you "stay". Remember that when you're asked. We also have Highland Coos next to our house too. Remember, look out for the Unicorns and the wild Haggis. There's the Highland breed, the Smooth Coated and the Irn Bru Orange coated ones, they're extremely rare. I'm sure the wind and rain will wear you down once the tartan shine has washed off. And don't forget to check out our Kelpies and Nessie.
You two are absolutely Adorable! 🥰I cannot wait till you come across one of those Honesty boxes amongst your travels within Scotland! You would probably see them in more of the countryside. The long roads and mountainous areas. Further off ow away from the local towns. My preference on what to see of Scotland? Anything and everything! lol God bless you all 😊💗
Wow - I had never heard of the honesty boxes, and now I’m itching to find one. What a wonderful idea! Scotland amazes me more each and every day ❤️ - Annie
Haven’t had to access it really yet! Got set up with our local GP and had one appointment to get a medication refill. Only took about 30 minutes in total and didn’t have to pay for anything, which was a pleasant surprise :)
You asked about what we would like to see in a future episode. Then as you've come home to Scotland as well as UK, and as your fairly local to Anstruther. Then review the best fish n chips, in UK, so I'm told in countless videos, at Anstruther fish bar? Can't wait to see an ex US oppinion traditional and excellent food here in Scotland.
I grew up in North Berwick and now in Edinburgh. Seacliff beach is definitely a beach to visit. Shout out if you want to know any more places to explore!
Loving your videos & Zac you accent is slowly returning, Annie love your infectious laugh ❤ & when you visit Perth shire you have to visit Loch Tummel & find the Queen's View one of my favourite places & here in NE Scotland our weather has been rubbish so sounds like you've been lucky ❤
We’ve definitely been lucky! We just finished up our Dunkeld holiday but will be back to Perthshire for much more exploring sooner rather than later! We were with the whole extended family, so we didn’t get to venture too far out this trip. Cant wait to return! ❤️ Thank you for watching!
Zachs' accent is coming back fairly quickly, as I suspected it would, based on how his American accent is so dominant for someone who emigrated in his mid 20s. We actually have some things in common. I'm from New Zealand and moved to California at 28 and have never left America. I served in the American Army to give something back to the country that has been so good to me(I got my citizenship while in active duty) and now live just outside Atlanta, Georgia with my American/Australian wife.
There are so many similarities! Thanks for sharing. How are you liking Atlanta?! It’s really come along and been nicely developed since we moved from there in 2012.
@@SimpleScottishLiving We love it and Georgia in general. It is so much more "pleasant" and slower paced than L.A. It also helps that we were able to buy a nice 4/2 home on over half an acre for $180,000 in 2016!
Zach, is your accent coming back ? How long do you think it will be before you sound like a local again ? How will Annie feel as you Caĺi accent fades ? Thanks for sharing your lives with us , love watching you both .
'Deep-fried Mars bar' is a tourist thing. Trust me, it's not something many Scots actually indulge in. The wikipedia entry for "Deep-fried Mars Bar" pretty much explains it all. I think I've only seen one chippie in Edinburgh advertising it (chip shop at the top of Broughton Street). Now, deep-fried pizza on the other hand, you will see all over Scotland. I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole, but it is quite popular, along with it's cousin, the Pizza Crunch (deep fried pizza in batter). And re: haggis I know it's a bit naughty, but I always ask Americans who visit here, if they will be taking the opportunity to go hunting haggis - just to see if they bite 😁
Zac your Scottish accent will come in time 😂 ..I’m looking forward to hearing Annie’s accent in a couple of years,I guess it will be like Zak’s now.. alternating between American and Scottish..🏴 🇺🇸
I'd love another updated house tour when it's all finished :) thanks for the vid, glad all going well again I feel weirdly attached to your journey being here from the beginning haha
I think you should visit the Northern Highlands - Thurso, etc. and show us! It’s so beautiful. I watch a vet show from there (I’m in the middle of Canada!
An interesting idea for a future video would be a 'side by side' accent comparison to see if Zach's accent flips back to more Scottish ... get him to record a few distinct accent-marker words now and re-record then in a year or two!
Go the Gourock pool. Scotland's outdoor swimming pool on the west coast. Lovely town. Also thank god someone mentioned the accent, I wasnt convinced Zach was Scottish! 🤣🤣🤣
I’m so excited for you guys! Your place is so cute!! Our daughter is marrying John, a born and bred Scotsman. They met at a ballgame of some kind in Dallas. With her moving to Scotland, we would like to move over as well to be there for the grandkids! I’m not sure where we would be, except close to Glasgow. Do you have an idea of a good area for us to retire to?
What a fun story! I hope they have a wonderful life in Scotland and that you can join them quickly :) Unfortunately, we’re not as familiar with the Glasgow area. Our closest big city is Edinburgh. We have family in Falkirk though, and they seem quite happy there. Wishing you all the best ❤️
I’d love a video about the finances of the house - understand if that is too personal - but the asking price and your bid. Was it hard to get a mortgage?
We offered roughly £40,000 over the offers over price, which felt like an insane amount. Happy we did it in the end though! Mortgage was only slightly tricky as we didn’t have UK credit built up over the last decade, but we were able to secure an expat mortgage. Few lenders are willing to do these though, and there are much stricter guidelines (e.g., large down payment needed, not able to borrow the 4x the annual salary as many are granted, etc.). Hope this offers some clarification!
I met my husband on a Thursday when I met him with his friend. We went out on the Thursday night and met up again the following Tuesday after we had both split from our then, current partners. On that Tuesday we were making plans to get married!! That was 1964. Married in 1966 and married 58 years when he passed last August. When yo know, you know.
Thanks for sharing your story! It’s so true though ❤️
I met my husband at college, been married 38 years,2 kids,2 grandkids
Married 20 years so far. I had about the same story. Except her lease was due a month into dating. I said screw it and she moved in. That was 20 years ago
You are an amazing gift to all of us. Your laughter, joy and the fun you share with each other is wonderful. Thank you!
That is so kind of you to say, thank you for watching! ❤️
The most lovely thing about your videos is seeing how happy and warm you both are, always sitting "arm in arm" leaning into each other. Beautiful love! :-)
The two of you are like a breath of fresh air ❤
Thank you for the kind words ❤️ Happy to have you watching!
I am watching your videos with considerable interest. My wife and I are both Scottish ex-pats. We live on Canada’s west coast and I have been here since I left primary school and my wife has been here since she finished college. We are both retired now and are contemplating returning home. Even though it’s been almost 60 years for me I still call Scotland home. Keep the videos coming as they are giving us great insights into the challenges and the benefits of returning.
@@davidf3696 It’s never too late! Scotland would be a wonderful place to live the rest of your lives. Don’t think you’d regret that decision. We sure don’t ❤️ Love Canada as well though, so we can appreciate how difficult this decision is!
You will be able to look back at these videos and see how Zach's accent resorts back to a full Scottish accent, it's getting there! Keep the content coming, good to see you getting so settled.
Slowly but surely! 🤞
80's music is the best!! Thank you for sharing.
I'm Yorkshire born and bred but my wife comes from Northumberland (Morpeth), her accent is Yorkshire but when we've gone up to see her family within a couple of hours she speaking Geordie, always makes me smile, again when we come back home she's not long before her Yorkshire accent is back
I was born in North East and moved down South when I was six. I then started speaking like a Southerner. Moved back to the North East when fourteen and got a slight geordie accent but when family members from the south visit I kinda slip back to a southern accent my kids find it funny
My grandmother was from Yorkshire and moved to Canada when she was in her 20s. I was used to her accent and a couple of years ago when I happened to call a lady in Yorkshire she wondered if I could understand her accent. I told her that I could and it was if I was talking to my grandmother from many years before. When Annie starts to call small potatoes “wee tatties” you will notice the change.
You are both a genuine joy to watch, i love the relationship and connection you both have :)
Thank you so much!
We just love following your journey. You are doing a great job creating authentic, relatable content. My husband and I and our kiddos are transitioning across the pond this spring and have been watching together. We both laugh at how much he and Zach communicate similarly. Thanks for sharing!
Awe, thanks for taking the time to share! We wish you the absolute best with the move. Would love to hear how it all goes for you down the line ❤️
CHiPs was one of my favourite TV programmes in the 80's. Every time you mention your old job my imagination sees you riding around on a motorbike all day like Eric Estrada,
🤣🤣 Believe it or not, Zach was actually a bicycle cop on the Golden Gate Bridge for a time!
@@SimpleScottishLiving 😂
Isle of Skye, Kyle of Loch Alsh is my favourite. Also the Western Isles-Stornoway in Isle of Harris and Lewis is very picturesque. Fort William and Oban also beautiful
We have all of those places on our list to explore. Thank you for sharing your favourites!
@@SimpleScottishLiving Its a pleasure. There is places in Scotland I havent been, but i did manage to see quite abit in the 2 years i was there (back in 2006-2008) then been to visit about 3 times since for a few months. I lived in Inverness when i was over there and I loved that city too. All of Scotland is beautiful. I even have a 3ft x 5ft Scottish flag here hanging in my hallway. I feel more Scottish than I do South African. lol
I met my wife in Canada when i was stationed in Alberta in 1994 with the British Military. Just came back from a 6 month tough tour in Bosnia with the UN when the country was at war. We have been together 30 years and married 29 years. 2 fantastic Kids one finishing university in Canada and one just graduated university in China. It's been a fantastic journey together.
Wow, what an interesting story. We’d love to hear more! Thanks for watching!
Just a lovely couple thanks for answering those questions hope you will have another video out soon love from bonnie Scotland ❤️x
Thank you! 😊
The Loft at Haddington is fab, I even got in when I was still in a wheelchair as they have a lift, if you ever get to North Berwick try The Herringbone almost next door to us, try The Grange Steakhouse (in both cases it is advisable to book in advance) we have super beaches, a sailing club, harbour with boat-trips, seabird centre also with boat-trips and in July August we have Fring by the Sea
Sounds wonderful! We’ll be sure to check these out. North Berwick is a lovely place ❤️
I love how you’re able to find public spots to sit and do your videos - with no interruptions!
We’ve been incredibly lucky with the weather and area! We will hopefully create a nice backdrop in our “office” for those more rainy days. Thanks for watching ❤️
Watching your journey of relocation as its something that we ourselves are slowly proceeding with after 18 years living in Bulgaria and the self sufficientsy life style which has been a brilliant experience, however we now think one last adventure back closer to family in the U.K and a more relaxed lifestyle in our older years is the way to go , location will not be very far from your area as we are moving ( property sorted ) to Glendevon nr Dollar not far North of Kinross and although a slow process we cant wait to finally be there and start visiting a lot of the areas you go to and recommend. Keep on enjoying your new life .
That is wonderful, thanks for sharing and the best of luck. I am familiar with Dollar and it is beautiful!
Thank you for sharing. Just love how natural you are. Excited to see your future journey.
Thank you!
Great update, glad you are settling in. Nothing better than having coffee and cake in beautiful places. Northumberland coast is a beautiful place to visit , especially Bamburgh castle overlooking the beach and dunes. Zach must have some funny tales to tell from his time with CHP, that woud be great to hear 😊
He does! That would be a whole video on its own 😊
My father was a police officer in Long Beach, California for 15 years. It is a hard profession for someone who has a family. Thank you for your service Zach.
Thank you for sharing and for taking the time to comment. Yes, it can be. Glad for the time spent in LE but welcoming a change now.
You two are so funny and refreshing here on RUclips. I moved from the West Coast (us) to New England (us) it was like moving to a foreign country! I can’t wait to see your travels. Scotland looks beautiful!
Thank you! Happy to have you along for the ride :) It has been an incredible start, and we can’t wait to share more - especially when we visit Dunkeld soon. It’s gorgeous!
My late aunt and uncle lived in Haddington. She was Welsh, he was Scottish. We had very happy holidays staying with them in my childhood, Haddington is a nice little place.
It is a gorgeous town! Had such a lovely day there ❤️
Seacliff Beach with Tantallon Castle in the background makes a great spot for a video blog. Also, Dirleton Castle is another favorite. Kids will love it.
Thanks for sharing!! Yes, we’ll have to check that out soon.
Haddington is also one of my favorite cities. It's actually quite beautiful, and yes, the farmer's market is a really good one. I haven't been to a bad farmer's market yet! I would ask if you have taken the kids to the National Scottish Museum yet and if you have been to the Royal Mile as a couple.
Yes we agree. We have taken the kids to the National Museum before, but not since we've moved over, they loved it and a great way to escape the weather if you're in Edinburgh.
You definitely need to watch Still Game
Zach loved it, but I do still need to for sure!
Don't forget Scot Squad too
@@LifeUnfilteredwithDale I love still game, I haven't laughed as much as when I watch that!!!
Wow i used to stay at a pub in Haddington when i worked at Dunbar Landfill which is now a ERF Energy Recovery Facility.
You really have to visit Royal Deeside, I've lived here for 20 years and love it, though not the winters! You must drive up from Perth to Blairgowrie and then over the Cairngorms to Braemar then along to Balmoral Castle and Ballater. The scenery is stunning and not to be missed!
Adding to the list. Thank you for taking the time to share. We cannot wait to explore!
I love Aviemore in the Cairngorms and also balmoral, no place like the highlands of scotland ❤
Great video, seem like a nice couple with nice kids. Credit to Scotland and the US.All the best.
Thank you ❤️
I think you made the right decision to move to Scotland. I live in NH and love it, but I think I'd rather be in Scotland right now.
Thank you, we certainly hope so. We have a lot of good memories from NH, some could say that is why this whole journey started! 🤣
You should go to Stirling, beautiful place with the castle, Stirling bridge and wallace monument
Adding to the list!
Pop along to the Kelpies we went inside them and went oan the Falkirk Wheel .
I had an aunt who lived in Gullane for around 50 years so being in Northumberland we were regular visitors to the area, I regularly tour around Scotland as well and as you may find use the Stena service from Cairn Ryan to get to Ireland through Belfast, it's also not far down to Newcastle if you want to get a ferry and take your car over to Europe and tour around there as well, we are enjoying your videos and hope that all goes well for you.
Thank you! Taking the ferry is a great idea. We will definitely be doing that!
I live in rural perthshire, its beautiful! Love living here, surrounded by fields of sheep, potatoegrowing, peas growing too! You have to visit st andrews,beach is brilliant
This sounds delightful! We’d love to visit there ❤️
Ohh dear 2 weeks in the house is not unusual so board games are a winner.i am S100%Scottish and iv never has a deep fried Mar bar. I'm glad your enjoying yourselves.
Loving it so far ❤️ we are a huge board game family, so I’m glad we shipped all of those over.
When we moved to Scotland i fell in love with the countryside here immediately! Definitely on your bucket list you should try and vist the Cairngorms (Loch an Eilein) and The outer Hebrides 😊
Yes, already on the list! Cant wait to get settled and then to have the rest of our lives to explore this gorgeous country!
Love listening to you both hope you have a long and happy stay in Scotland, if the weather is good there is no place like it. Even if it’s bad it’s still pretty good. In 1992 A brief history of the deep fried Mars bar. Whilst some say it began back in the 1980s in a chip shop in Buckie, then continued to be cooked and sold at one in Banff, it wasn't until it began to be offered in a chippie north of Cromars in Stonehaven that it really took off. It was 1992. I have never had one but I did see some young men from America eat them in a restaurant in Edinburgh and they loved them. 👍🏻😁🏴
Thanks for sharing a bit of the history! We love learning more about:) We’ll document our mars bars journey down the line.
Dunkeld is where I am from! I love to have grown up in Perthshire. Check out pinecone point when in the area it’s a great place to take pictures
Love Dunkeld! Will do ❤️
Dunkeld for the mountain biking trails is amazing 🙏🏻💪🏼
I’ve just stumbled upon your channel - you’re both a lovely breath of fresh air. Looking forward to following you along on your adventures - as an Australian moving to the UK and having Europe on your doorstep is always the dream!
Thank you! 😊 Happy to have you along for the ride!
I think you chose the best time of year to make the move.The weather has proven to be great it seems. Perhaps not so friendly in the winter! I don't think I would want to move in winter in the UK! But then living in Canada as I do, it is not so friendly at that time of year either!
Agreed! We planned it this way purposely to make the most of our first few months. We knew it would make winter much more bearable.
I’m so excited that your channel popped up! I’m from Clovis, California this is so exciting to follow your journey! You both are adorable, I love your new home so cozy! Best of luck to you all!
Thank you for the kind words! So happy to have you joining ❤️😊
Zach deserves to listen to "Meet Danny Wilson"
European travelling is just my favourite thing about being back myself….I’ve really loved Copenhagen and Stockholm. As a nurse I took a 50% hit in my salary but have more disposable income to travel, go to concerts, eat out…..am so excited to see how your journey unfolds. ❤️
It’s definitely worth the pay cut! Thanks for tuning in 😊
So glad that RUclips showed one of your videos on my Home page the other day. Such a big move even without children, so you deserve a lot of credit for going for it with 3 young ones. Best to you both and I hope that everything works out the way you had hoped. I'd love to make a move from CA to the UK, but that is not in the cards. I so will continuing watching to see more as you start to travel around and make a life for your family in Scotland.
Thank you for the kind words! It is a huge move/decision and so much went into making this happen. We do not take it for granted and hope we can share lots for you to enjoy ❤️
Just found your channel today…been watching a few of your videos. Love them and thank you for sharing your story will continue to watch and enjoy seeing Scotland. Born and raised in the East Bay, my son in law just graduated from Alameda County police academy and will finish his trading in 2 weeks. Enjoying how sweet you are 😊
Oh wow, thanks for joining and for taking the time to comment! I hope all goes smoothly for him. I’m sure it will ❤️
I enjoyed listening to your q&a and your experience of Scotland so far. I also visited the Loft in Haddington for some lovely food. I will be sure to say hello to you both if our paths ever cross. 👋😁
Thank you! We would happily welcome a hello ❤️
Talking about the camp did bring back memories for me as well. I went over to the States as a camp counsellor for the summer in 1985. I went with a British organisation called BUNAC. It was really a lot of fun, but certainly didn't meet my spouse there - but certainly met some people I kept in touch with.
We’ve both made life long friends from camp, so it definitely still holds a special place in our hearts. Thanks for watching!
Thank you for the update. I am glad you are settling in well 😊
Thank you!
deep fried mars bar didn't exist until about 30 years ago, it was one chip shop that served it as a novelty and the few people who have tried it mostly ate it for the novelty, most people haven't tried it and wouldn't know where to go to buy one even if they did want to try it
Good to know! We’ll probably both try one together at some point just to check it off the bucket list. Thanks for watching!
Working with the CHP Zach must've had some funny or even strange exchanges with either work colleagues or members of the public when they heard his Scottish accent. Care to share?
100%! This might require a video in its own right!
@@SimpleScottishLiving Since you mentioned the CHP the other day I've been intrigued to hear more about this too, definitely do that at some point!
Thank so much again. Hope this summer as not put you off.
It has been a problem for me - as not able to get up hills, kayaking, out on my bicycle etc.
Best wishes to you 2 and family x
Thank you! We’ve missed the bad weather fortunately. Trying to soak up each and every sunny day we get before our luck runs out.
Really enjoy that Q&A guys. Really looking forward to seeing what you two get up to in the future.
Thank you ❤️
Just watched all your videos and Zacks Scottish accent is definitely coming back. 🎉😂 noticed it in the last one but definitely in this one. 💙🏴 I live in Perthshire and it's a stunning part of the world. Looking forward to seeing more of your journey
Yes, slowly but surely! Cant wait to visit your area soon. It’s absolutely stunning there!
Hi Zach and Annie! Great video from an obviously great couple! Regarding the deep fried Mars Bars, I'm Scottish and I've never tried one either and I don't know of anybody who has.
Oh good! I was afraid they’d come for Zach in the comments 😅🤣
Thanks so much for sharing folks ! You seem such a great couple . It is so good to be so close to Europe - enjoy !!!
Thank you❤️ It is - we can’t wait to explore!
Zach, you'll know you've reverted to your native tongue when you tell us not that your accent is coming back a "little bit", but that it has come back a "wee bit ". It would also be interesting to hear how you feel about your children being in the Scottish school system as opposed to the Californian one and what the main differences are.
We definitely want to address this in a future video! So far, we’ve been extremely happy with the Scottish school system. We’ll report back 👍
A lovely genuine couple ❤
@@hedgeend10 Thank you ❤️
You should visit York, it's really nice and there's the added bonus of the railway museum.
Yes! We’ve always wanted to go there ❤️
@@SimpleScottishLiving I almost forgot, if you're dad is visiting and he's into aviation there's a really good air museum just outside York at Elvington, it was a bomber base during the war. It still has a lot of exhibits in original WW2 buildings and the NAAFI is their restaurant.
@@SimpleScottishLivingDorset and the Jurassic coast might be a good place to visit especially if one of your sons are into dinosaurs
Thanks for sharing a little bit about your back stories. It will be interesting in a couple of years time to look bacck on some of these early videos and assess how much Zach's accent defaults back to Scottish - you can hear it in some words and phrases now, so I bet it will morph back to full Scottish in time!
We are also hoping it comes back in full! Thanks for watching ❤️
Years ago somebody told one of our Australian relatives that a Haggis was a small creature that lived in Scotland and she believed it. Subject of much leg pulling afterwards.
That’s amazing 🤣
Amazing little family, who are more than welcome to Scotland! What have you enjoyed so far, and what do you look forward to still doing that you haven’t?
Thank you! We have so much to explore now that this is permanent. The kids have generally only seen one area of Scotland as we would visit to spend time with family, but now we can explore all across the UK. The list is long!
There is so much to explore it’s incredible, Edinburgh festival every year happens from the beginning of August till pretty much the end, it’s a family type of day out, there are a lot of things to do. It’s just up from Princes Street the road you go up towards it, is called “The Bridges” that starts the 2nd of August. So in terms of things coming up round the corner that’s something you should try with the family.
Definitely!
Hi guys, not sure where you have set up home but looks like you might be in the East Lothian area which is where I'm from. It's a great place to stay and raise a family. I look forward to following your adventure 🏴👍
Thanks so much for reaching out and following along! East Lothian is absolutely gorgeous ❤️
Hello Zack and Annie just found your channel watched three videos in a row really enjoying seeing the improvements to your new home and your views about living in Scotland compared to the USA. Thank you keep up the good work. I am half Scottish half English never been to Scotland though throughout radiator I live just outside of London close to Reading. I hope Scotland votes for independence so I can get a jewel passport and be allowed to travel Work and immigrates anywhere in the EU again so happy, election result yesterday hopefully we will see that demise of all of the Trump politics in the UK
So glad to have you following along ❤️ We appreciate you taking the time to comment and to share your thoughts. We’re eager to see how things go with the change in gvmt.
Ha ha my husband (Welsh ) says I keep my Scottish accent in Gretna and I pick it up on the way back lol
I was in EL for a flying visit on Tuesday (family funeral sadly) - the weather was warm and the poppies on the field were stunning.
If you're living close to Haddington, then a trip to the East Fortune Museum of Flight is worth a visit. They have one of the Concordes after the supersonic jets were permanently grounded.
The kids would love this!!!
There is a place south of Edinburgh about an hour away from you called Barony Castle. There is HUGE concrete 3D map of Scotland in the grounds, made by Polish university students. It is very impressive and worth a visit!
Another to add to this list! Thank you for the suggestion!
You're goung to love being in Scotland when the kids get older. Free university in Scotland.
True! We love it for a million other reasons as well ❤️
Yeah,Scotland is great,free uni , free prescriptions, no expensive health care ❤
Maybe until someone does the sums and realises the cost, when there's a need to maintain schools, hospitals etc.... In England it's necessary to take student loans to pay tuition fees and living expenses. But they are limited compared to USA. So whatever the fees might be to go to Harvard, Yale, MIT etc, you'd have to pay £9,250 per year for tuition fees at Cambridge or Oxford Universities.
Good video today!
@@raymondporter2094 That is considerably lower! Thanks for watching 😊
So happy you answered both my questions, I love watching your journey so far xx
Thank you! Happy to have you joining :) Thank you for the questions as well!
Love your story. I’m from Canada living in Southern California. I live in the Palm Springs area and I’d have a hard time leaving.
Thanks for sharing! That’s a great area there - I’m not surprised 😊
We stay in Scotland. You don't "live" here, you "stay". Remember that when you're asked.
We also have Highland Coos next to our house too. Remember, look out for the Unicorns and the wild Haggis. There's the Highland breed, the Smooth Coated and the Irn Bru Orange coated ones, they're extremely rare.
I'm sure the wind and rain will wear you down once the tartan shine has washed off. And don't forget to check out our Kelpies and Nessie.
🤣We’ll keep an eye out for the various breeds!
Well we leave tomorrow & the weather looks like it’s gonna suck. 40-50% rain everyday. Which it is what it is
😅 You never know! Keeping my fingers crossed for you!
Annie you and Zach must listen to Phil Collins live in Paris in 2004 singing In the air tonight its spectacular 👍🏻😁🏴
Will do!!
You two are absolutely Adorable! 🥰I cannot wait till you come across one of those Honesty boxes amongst your travels within Scotland! You would probably see them in more of the countryside. The long roads and mountainous areas. Further off ow away from the local towns. My preference on what to see of Scotland? Anything and everything! lol God bless you all 😊💗
Wow - I had never heard of the honesty boxes, and now I’m itching to find one. What a wonderful idea! Scotland amazes me more each and every day ❤️ - Annie
What is the health care like? Is it free? Long waits? etc. Love listening to your stories.
Haven’t had to access it really yet! Got set up with our local GP and had one appointment to get a medication refill. Only took about 30 minutes in total and didn’t have to pay for anything, which was a pleasant surprise :)
You asked about what we would like to see in a future episode. Then as you've come home to Scotland as well as UK, and as your fairly local to Anstruther. Then review the best fish n chips, in UK, so I'm told in countless videos, at Anstruther fish bar? Can't wait to see an ex US oppinion traditional and excellent food here in Scotland.
Making a note of this one! Who doesn’t love fish and chips? ❤️
Another great video, such a happy, funny and positive couple 👏🏻👏🏻
Thank you! 😊
I grew up in North Berwick and now in Edinburgh. Seacliff beach is definitely a beach to visit. Shout out if you want to know any more places to explore!
Will do, thank you! North Berwick is a family favorite ❤️
Loving your videos & Zac you accent is slowly returning, Annie love your infectious laugh ❤ & when you visit Perth shire you have to visit Loch Tummel & find the Queen's View one of my favourite places & here in NE Scotland our weather has been rubbish so sounds like you've been lucky ❤
We’ve definitely been lucky! We just finished up our Dunkeld holiday but will be back to Perthshire for much more exploring sooner rather than later! We were with the whole extended family, so we didn’t get to venture too far out this trip. Cant wait to return! ❤️ Thank you for watching!
Zachs' accent is coming back fairly quickly, as I suspected it would, based on how his American accent is so dominant for someone who emigrated in his mid 20s.
We actually have some things in common. I'm from New Zealand and moved to California at 28 and have never left America. I served in the American Army to give something back to the country that has been so good to me(I got my citizenship while in active duty) and now live just outside Atlanta, Georgia with my American/Australian wife.
There are so many similarities! Thanks for sharing. How are you liking Atlanta?! It’s really come along and been nicely developed since we moved from there in 2012.
@@SimpleScottishLiving We love it and Georgia in general. It is so much more "pleasant" and slower paced than L.A. It also helps that we were able to buy a nice 4/2 home on over half an acre for $180,000 in 2016!
@@southernfriedkiwi7726 Yes! The cost of living makes a huge difference in quality of life!! Glad you’re enjoying it :)
Zach, is your accent coming back ? How long do you think it will be before you sound like a local again ? How will Annie feel as you Caĺi accent fades ?
Thanks for sharing your lives with us , love watching you both .
I’ll be thrilled if he gets his accent back fully! I absolutely love the Scottish accent ❤️
'Deep-fried Mars bar' is a tourist thing. Trust me, it's not something many Scots actually indulge in. The wikipedia entry for "Deep-fried Mars Bar" pretty much explains it all. I think I've only seen one chippie in Edinburgh advertising it (chip shop at the top of Broughton Street). Now, deep-fried pizza on the other hand, you will see all over Scotland. I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole, but it is quite popular, along with it's cousin, the Pizza Crunch (deep fried pizza in batter).
And re: haggis I know it's a bit naughty, but I always ask Americans who visit here, if they will be taking the opportunity to go hunting haggis - just to see if they bite 😁
🤣🤣 That would’ve gotten Annie on her first visit!
Zac your Scottish accent will come in time 😂 ..I’m looking forward to hearing Annie’s accent in a couple of years,I guess it will be like Zak’s now.. alternating between American and Scottish..🏴 🇺🇸
I'd love another updated house tour when it's all finished :) thanks for the vid, glad all going well again I feel weirdly attached to your journey being here from the beginning haha
Love having you along, and yes, we will definitely do more house videos!
Spooky. I went to Haddington yesterday and popped into The Loft for coffee and cake.
Log into RUclips today and the first thing I see is this.
That is eerie!! They’re always watching 😱
I cannot work out your accent at all 🤣 But you guys have been my favourite find on RUclips and I’m now binging your videos to catch up ❤
@@launay1040 Awe thanks for joining and for taking the time to comment! Haha yes, the accent is a work in progress!
You two are just so cute together.
❤️
I think you should visit the Northern Highlands - Thurso, etc. and show us! It’s so beautiful. I watch a vet show from there (I’m in the middle of Canada!
Will do!!
An interesting idea for a future video would be a 'side by side' accent comparison to see if Zach's accent flips back to more Scottish ... get him to record a few distinct accent-marker words now and re-record then in a year or two!
@@kenny1800 This is a great idea! Yes 🙌
Go the Gourock pool. Scotland's outdoor swimming pool on the west coast. Lovely town. Also thank god someone mentioned the accent, I wasnt convinced Zach was Scottish! 🤣🤣🤣
Haha you’re not alone!!
Adding Gourock to the list ❤️
Pollok park in Glasgow I’d recommend for scenery 🙂
Thank you for the suggestion! ❤️
Get Annie to listen to, Follow you, Follow me, by Genesis and Phil Collins, I think she will like it 😉, take care, Tony here in the UK 🇬🇧
Just did - it’s a good one. She liked it!👍
This one made me laugh!!!! Lol....I work from home in the travel industry, so you guys are keeping me entertained! Lol
Thanks again for watching! Glad we can keep you laughing 😊
You guys are so engaging, beautiful to watch 😊😊
You’re too kind! Thank you ❤️
Love this - dont know many Scots that have eaten a deep fried Mars bar...it's just for tourists!
Love these updates. Maybe on the next one Annie could tell us what her favourite Scottish word is?
That’ll be hard to choose! Good idea 😊
I’m Irish & I’ve only ever had deep fried choc bars in America!
I’m so excited for you guys! Your place is so cute!! Our daughter is marrying John, a born and bred Scotsman. They met at a ballgame of some kind in Dallas. With her moving to Scotland, we would like to move over as well to be there for the grandkids! I’m not sure where we would be, except close to Glasgow. Do you have an idea of a good area for us to retire to?
What a fun story! I hope they have a wonderful life in Scotland and that you can join them quickly :) Unfortunately, we’re not as familiar with the Glasgow area. Our closest big city is Edinburgh. We have family in Falkirk though, and they seem quite happy there. Wishing you all the best ❤️
Get into Gerry cinnamon..great Scottish artist…or Paulo nutini…great bbq music..
Will look into these!
Hope you book a santa special trip on the boness and Kinneil railway.
Great suggestion! Remind us again closer to time please ❤️
I’d love a video about the finances of the house - understand if that is too personal - but the asking price and your bid. Was it hard to get a mortgage?
We offered roughly £40,000 over the offers over price, which felt like an insane amount. Happy we did it in the end though! Mortgage was only slightly tricky as we didn’t have UK credit built up over the last decade, but we were able to secure an expat mortgage. Few lenders are willing to do these though, and there are much stricter guidelines (e.g., large down payment needed, not able to borrow the 4x the annual salary as many are granted, etc.). Hope this offers some clarification!
80s music is the best music