I came over to the UK from the Caribbean in the 70’s and it was tough in those days. As a medical worker, I am now retired and I feel so blessed that this is my home. I feel safe and happy. The UK is not without it’s problems but on the whole it is a wonderful place to raise a family. Enjoy this wonderful life in this country 🥰
I can’t go anywhere in the uk without seeing someone of African descent, even in my bedroom, when i go to the toilet, but especially when I look in the mirror
The bird singing at 6:16 is a blackbird; Teddy Roosevelt heard one when he was visiting and asked what it was, he was told 'Only a blackbird', and couldn't believe that the word 'only' was used when it had such a beautiful song.
Hi Honey They ask me the same questions! It does my heart to see a fellow Black American living like myself in the UK. I lived in London, and Bath for 40 years! Since 2020 I’ve lived in Woodstock with its beautiful Cotswold vibe. I feel so blessed to live here. My kids are grown up: Two graduated from Cambridge and Edinburgh, and my son just got his Ph.D. from Queen Mary's London Uni. The oldest lectures at Trinity Oxford U. None of this would have happened if I hadn't gone on that two-week London holiday back in 1981. You and your family enjoy your life my brother and take care of that little quacker. Aunty Joan (glass of wine and just watching the foxes!)
The UK has its bad points and problems. I think every country has those and not one is a perfect place to live but as a born and bred Englishman, there's no where I'd rather live and I'm glad you've decided to call it home too.
I think the UK is pretty in the middle of the road on most things when it comes to being a developed country. There are thing it does better or worse than other countries British people just talk bad about themselves
@@vinniechan I just think we're less self promoting and more reserved than some countries. I think you can be proud of your people and country without shouting it from the rooftops. However there are certain things we are very vocal about like our local and national rugby and football teams and where we live in the UK. We complain less and are liable to wait in queues longer than some without fuss. But every person where ever they were born should be proud of their country, people and heritage.
I've travelled extensively and worked in a good number of countries. The UK is up there with the best, but the northern European countries and Scandinavian countries are beyond us.
I've got an American friend who said he found it really weird that people just call him American rather than African-American, he said it took him a while to get used to it.
The trouble with America is that they didn't have enough British / Anglo Saxons etc in the country before they let anyone in , now alot of times some just don't mix and just be Americans , my estate was built in the 50s after the war and it had lots of people from all over the British Isles as well as Latvia , Estonia, Lithuania, Germany , Italy, France and from every part of Yugoslavia ( names like Serwilski , Jankowski heck we have more Skis here than the Alps ) , all came to work down the coal mines etc and everyone got on due to the Anglo Saxons attitude ie everyone is welcome but must integrate and not separate
@@lawrenceglaister4364 Everyone is not genetically hugely Anglo Saxon. There is a lot of Welsh. Irish and Scottish ancestry, which is a completely different heritage.Look at the population difference of attitudes, between the North, Midlands, South of England and North Wales, South Wales, different areas of Scotland, and Ireland, ( I'll not even attempt to analyse). I proffer that this is one of the reasons for the famous British reserve. Even with each other.
I grew up in England from Irish parents and experienced a lot of open anti Irish sentiments in the 1960's 70's I came to dislike my own country but then I traveled around the world for a couple of years and realised what a great country England and the English are. GOD BLESS.
Yeah but @Stephen Ryan I moved to Ireland a year ago, after living in England 24 years (I grew up in America and lived there well into adulthood first) and the pot under the rainbow here are the people - kind, friendly and helpful, Lord love them.
There was that whole thing about "Have you heard the one about the Irishman that...", and making them out to be stupid, but I think a lot of that was down to all the Irish "navvies" building houses and roads at the time, which were, it has to be said, not the brightest of people. Then came the whole "troubles" thing, which everyone would rather not discuss.
4 years in the UK, and just bought the house we were renting. Plan to die here. 💗💗💗 🇬🇧. (Lived in the US for 30 years, from the age of 12, and was never able to say I loved it there)
@@zedtrek You should. I did, I went to Australia for four years. Then we decided to come back. I will never forget stepping back on these shores (yes, at Harwich) the train to Liverpool St. Seeing London on an October night. Then to my parent's house in the country. The green! the green!
I think the UK is ready to claim you and your family as British now. Next time you are in a queue someplace and you chat to the person next to you about the weather the deal is sealed.
Hi I am so pleased you have a peaceful and happy environment. I am 64 , twice married and have spent the last 3 1/2 years looking after my father with dementia( he sadly died on the 3rd Nov 22). In a week I will be moving from Essex to Fotherby in Lincolnshire and I am a little uncertain as I am moving to A rural village after a life time in an urban environment. I am also excited that the pace will be slower and people will have more time for each other. You and your family are a great example of what an expansive and confident attitude to life can make to an enriching life. Well done. . Mike
Mike, sorry to hear about your father... my father died about three years ago... I am still adjusting. I am a huge fan of rural life... I hope you find your move pleasant and relaxing.
As someone who went the other way (UK to US) I’ve got to say you are right about so many things. You and your family are unusually open to new things. Too many people are riddled with home sickness and don’t want explore their local environment. You set a great example. Thanks man.
I'm so glad you and your family are not only enjoying but thriving in the UK. It's made a better place by your presence. Thank you so much for the kind words about the UK
Absolutely spot on! Yes, winters are horrible, but those endless warm summer days and evenings are magical. I think we all get a kind of summer madness. It's no mystery to me that Shakespeare could come up with something as gently whimsical as 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'.
I agree. The 6 hours of feeble grey light in winter when actually seeing the sun is a rare occasion is grim but thinking back the mental filter does a great job. The 20 hour days in midsummer more than make up for this and somehow getting home at 4 PM in the dark in winter is erased by being out at 10 and still light in summer. Right now it is May which is my favorite month, the trees are all bursting with new leaves and the roadsides are covered with cow parsley flowers. It takes winter to properly appreciate spring.
Horrible winters? I grew up in England but my career took me to Sweden for a few years and Pennsylvania USA for a couple of decades. I am back in the UK now, and I didn't even scrape my car last winter, let alone shovel snow to move my car. You don't know horrible winters.
@@TR4zest It isn't to do with snow. It's to do with not seeing the sun for days or even weeks on end. To do with driving wind and rain to the extent that you arrive at work damp, take hours to dry off, and then get wet again on the way home. It's to do with never really being sure if anything you plan that involves being outdoors will be able to happen, and always having to have a back-up plan. It's to do with facing the possibility in early December that you may not see sufficient decent days to count on one hand before April. Or even later. It's wondering how much damage to your home/business our ever-increasing extreme rain/flooding events and extreme wind events each winter will bring. It's turning up at the train station not being sure your train will arrive to get you to work owing to said rain and wind events (line flooded, trees and branches brought down on line by wind, not enough train drivers because they've not been able to get to work owing to flooding on roads, trees and branches brought down by wind and blocking roads etc). I've not owned a car for 25 years, so I've been very exposed to British winters for a very long time (no walking 5 metres from front door to car on drive for me!) and it's been getting increasingly difficult for me.
Woke up this morning to another mass shooting in the US which was racially motivated. It’s heartbreaking. The UK is far from perfect but it’s safer here in Europe. So glad you’re all thriving.
I am also an American living in the UK. My mother-in-law lives in the Midlands. My husband and I are way down South. Welcome to Britain! I'm subscribing!
I was born and raised in London, and moved to the US at age 25 (2008), and this channel is making me regret not exploring my own country more. It looks amazing where you are.
I suggest you return to good old UK if you have regrets, you will enjoy the health services, the railways infrastructure, the modern wide open roads, clean streets, low crime rates, fabulous weather, low cost of living, low rent and mortgages, amazing education system etc.
@@prp3231 depends where you are in the US or where you’re going in the UK. Much of the infrastructure in the US is basically 3rd world compared to the UK. It’s always funny when Americans get so incredibly sensitive if anyone dares to suggest that the US doesn’t have the best of everything. Life is more complex than that.
@@pejpm well, there's nothing stopping you from going back to the U.K. so that you can enjoy the world class open, wide, traffic free, smart motorways. The railway infrastructure is amazing, you will love it, cheap, reliable, clean and the trains go at 300 kmph. You will enjoy the world class health service where there is no long waiting lists for operations, no long wait in the emergency department with people waiting for hours on chairs and trolleys waiting to see a doctor. The streets are amazingly clean, hardly no litter or dumped used old furniture and kitchen sinks. Living costs are low, low rent, low mortgage rates and plenty of good, modern housing stock set in salubrious areas. The kids get to enjoy a world class education system and low crime. To top it all off there is the fantastic weather to look forward to. Leave southern California and come back to the likes of Sunderland, I've heard the beaches there are comparable to Waikiki.
You get out of a country what you put in, you’ve done the hard work and seem very open to everything and everyone, that’s why you enjoy it here. I’ll say again, I’m pleased you’re here too.
I think your clips about the UK should be shown on tv for us all to see because they just remind me how lucky we are to live in the beautiful land and how we all take it for granted. I love that you enjoy being here and how well you have settled in 👍😀
I'm so glad that you and your family are happy here. 🙂 Where you live looks so beautiful and tranquil and there's nothing better than listening to birdsong on a lovely day.
I am sitting here at home in the UK watching your video. When you stopped talking to let us hear your environment I had to pause the video to work out if the blackbird I heard singing was in your video or in my garden. Turns out it was both.
Living in Norfolk, I meet quite a few black Americans, both socially and at events. I have always found them to be intelligent, friendly and sociable, unlike some white American tourists who seem to go abroad merely to sneer at things they do not understand. I once met a bunch of black Americans in a pub who were celebrating Independence Day. When I said it was my birthday, they insisted I join them, we had a great evening.
There's a few American airbases out that way. I once met a bunch at a Knebworth rock concert in 1978, and they asked me to join them, so they shared Budweiser beer and pop tarts, neither of which I had ever seen or tried before. I reciprocated with a 5 litre bottle of West Country scrumpy cider. (A pint of which is enough to poleaxe most people) Suffice to say, we all had a very merry time.
This is the first time one of your videos popped up in my feed and what a delight! It's always fascinating to hear foreigners' views of the UK because as a native it can be difficult to be objective. Your positivity and joy shine through... I'm glad that you're enjoying it here and long may it continue!
@@jonatho6677 Quite a lot of Poles ended up living in the UK permanently in the 1940s' for... reasons. Lots of their grandkids, and probably greatgrandkids still do
@@jonatho6677 After like 3 generations, I think they count as natives... if you follow your logic to its' conclusion, there are almost no natives left in the entire UK, maybe a couple of thousand, tops, in some of the Welsh Valleys. Everyone else in descended from one wave or another of immigrants
The safety component is the biggest pro for me. I feel so scared for my children in the US. Thanks for taking the time to make your content, it's really helpful to me on my research journey.
Really great that you and your family are having a safe and peaceful time in the UK. As an English person, that is very heartwarming. However, I definitely thought two of the questions would be 'what's the weather like - Does it REALLY rain all the time?' and 'is the food as bad as they say it is?' But as you know, the weather is mostly great and the food is fine too. Cheers!
Love your family vlogs. Glad you are enjoying your lives here in the UK, it’s a unique but very welcoming place for all. Please do more question/answer
It fills me with joy to hear your comments, how attuned you are to the nature around you and to hear you are having a happy time in the UK. My husband is mixed race (half Japanese which is quite unusual in the UK). He has spoken about some racially motivated slurs he used to get when he was a child in the 80s, but, despite looking more Asian than British, he is certain that the UK has moved on and is never uncomfortable anywhere now. I aknowledge that the UK is not perfect - there are always going to be ignorant people. I feel the culture here is more tolerant than the US - we generally don't express our thoughts openly. So, there are racists still (on the decline, hopefully) but you will rarely find anyone who expresses those feelings in any overt way. I have been a teacher for over 25 years, in what was, a predominantly 'white' area. We have gradually increased our intake of children from 'ethnic minorities' to the extent that around 10% - 15% of our pupils have non-British parentage. It is exceedingly rare that we have to deal with issues that arise from racial slurs now.
Sad to say I think there is a lot of inbuilt xenophobia amongst Brits, and a lot of looking at the world through the wrong end of a telescope. But, that said, I know of much worse places and mostly here those things are muted (not least because Brits would rarely express their feelings so openly). Difference is strength. Keep up the good life and videos.
@@ogilkes1 inbuilt xenophobia..,you do know every country on earth has that. It’s inexorably human to be tribal and to prefer your own. What’s genuinely frustrating is some of the comments on here that celebrate ‘white’ areas no longer being white. You fail to realise this is our home and it’s not your duty to change our demographic. We are more than welcoming for those that choose to build a life here and become part of our community. What’s not on is the sanctimonious attitude of some who believe we’re somehow deficient without non British people in our towns and villages. We have a glorious and proud heritage and it’s a privilege to live amongst us wherever you hail from.
People just love to latch onto stereotypes but in reality, Great Britain is the opposite in this day and age. I think you'll find most people are pleasant and down to earth.
Most people around the world are pleasant and down to earth - just wanting to go to work, put a roof over their heads then go home to their loved ones and do whatever it is they enjoy doing in an evening. It's the top 1% that ruin it for everyone dragging us into wars and power grabs.
A great video. I can hear the birds singing in my garden while I’m watching you! You have a beautiful home and the mother duck on her eggs is lovely. My father who is 92 still has our family allotment and we has two ducks, tomorrow we are getting another eight young hens. Thanks for sharing.
It's no wonder you love the UK, you've got a little slice of heaven there to enjoy. You've got land, nature, a beautiful house and it's peaceful. The UK is an incredible place to live if you have a little money. I'm very glad you and your family feel safe and welcome in the UK, and it's no surprise you feel safer here than in the US ;-)
Such a positive video from a lovely gentleman! Your farm looks stunning too. By the way, at 6:16, that’s a glorious male blackbird letting the other blackbirds know that his home 🖤🖤🖤
I love the blackbird on cue at the end! I'm pleased you enjoy this country. We can be complainers a bit, so it's nice to hear the good bits called out from time to time.
Just love it when you release a video. You have such an infectious smile and are a very happy person. Really good video and you do such a good job representing this country. You honestly make the UK a much better place and I'm so pleased you've come over here. Very best Gray - from the UK.
Lovely to hear you and your family feel ‘at ease’ over here - and long may it continue. In regard of your liking of the show ‘Gogglebox’ which you have referenced in numerous previous posts. I am sure I am not the only one who would like to know if you have any favourite reviewing couples or families, who you enjoy watching the most. 😷
You're a credit to the UK Mac, great to hear how well your family are getting on, and that you feel safe here. Racism of course still exists, and is widespread. But for instance I work for the NHS where so many different nationalities and races are thrown together and we not only make it work but we celebrate it. We find any racists seem to become quite humbled when they or their relatives have their life saved by someone a different colour from themselves.
@Jazzmaster Jay That has been a problem in the UK, for at least 40 years plus. Not investing in training, There are a few exceptions, but too few of them. They expect everyone to be academic, when they are crying out for Plumbers, Electricians, Builders Carpenters, Joiners, Plasterers,Etc. But no serious effort made to train youngsters in these trades. It's easier to get people from overseas. these trades.
I think the main lessons to all Brits on here is be like Mac and the family and be equally positive about this wonderful country and it’s frankly astonishing history for such a tiny island in land mass and population. The impact it and its people have had globally across all fields of human endeavor is amazing.
Came across this video by accident but was curious to hear what this chap had to say, we have all had a lot of exposure recently to organisations hell bent on driving wedges in communitiies based on colour and the distortion of history amongst other things. As someone who spent my life in the armed forces to defend the rights of people in this country to be free and live peacefully it makes me very happy that this chap and his family can live here peacefully and feel safe. I have only watched this one video but gave it a like and maybe I will look in again to see how you are getting along. Best of luck fellow and welcome to England.
Thank you for looking after the duck eggs when the mother duck goes to eat or drink. Once the ducklings are hatched they will still benefit from your watchful eye.
Thank you and your family for your vlogs. You mentioned the angst that is in the world and I think that pretty much everyone has suffered from it. But your vlogs give a beautiful insight into what is really important in life and provide a humble reminder of the importance of family and nature. Friendship, love and an evening beer in a cool English garden are definitely the best countermeasures to the pressures of the modern world. As someone who never had a family, it's great to see you appreciating what you have. Enjoy.
Glad you are such a positive respectful American. You are an immigrant who is more likely to contribute to our society than take. Hope you continue to enjoy living here.
When I went to the US all I was asked about was Chip & Pin because the checkout people had never come across it before. Also, this year it's not just green it's GREEN! for some reason. Glad you're happy. Love the blackbird singing at the end. 🙂
@Adam Kennedy I don’t see that comment from you under all those here from people stating they are black. Interesting. Race doesn’t matter, we are all equal, but it still exists.
You and your family can be my neighbours any time. I always found black and white people in the US treated me well they especially liked the please and thank yous. Treat people with respect and they will do the same.
As an Englishman, it's wonderful to hear your intelligent and honest perspective on my, (and hopefully, your new), country. Having lived in America myself, I totally get why Americans ask "Is it safe?", because often for me it wasn't, and that is compounded by an unnatural fear which makes it even worse, so everyone sleeps with a gun under their pillow. I'm not sure what part of the country you are in, but I implore you to travel. The UK is so diverse, so go explore, then you will realise just how many accents we have.;) Your poor old duck, what looks like a mallard; they are usually very bonded pairs, so it seems she has lost her mate, as they would take turns on the nest, so it is never left unprotected. And lovely to hear the blackbird at dusk singing it's little heart out. My favourite bird song, and a quintessentially English thing. The ultimate ASMR. :)
I travel a lot. When I leave the USA and return home to Canada,like most Canadians I breath a small sigh of relief. I've never,ever done that when I leave any other country in the world.
I'm a white guy from Northumberland and I have an northeastern accent and many black and Asia friends. Also just to cover all aspects of being "British" but I'm actually English. My ancestry is Scotish, Irish, English and Italian and my girlfriend is Welsh!
I love that you think that you and your family are thriving here. It's all the better for you and your family being here my friend! In the summer come on down to Cornwall!
Out of 200 countries only ten have police forces who don’t routinely carry guns and the U.K. is one of those. You’ll only see armed police outside Parliament, in airports and outside certain embassies.
Loving your videos; thank you for posting. A moment of calm and positivity with beautiful and interesting scenery 🙏🙏 Great bedtime viewing to regain equilibrium following the Evening News!
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
I came over to the UK from the Caribbean in the 70’s and it was tough in those days.
As a medical worker, I am now retired and I feel so blessed that this is my home. I feel safe and happy.
The UK is not without it’s problems but on the whole it is a wonderful place to raise a family.
Enjoy this wonderful life in this country 🥰
Thank you for your service to the NHS. Enjoy your retirement
Yes thank you ❤️
Thanks for care and dedication 👏🏻❤
You guys were treated badly in the seventies by the uk , I believe things have changed . 👍
This guy and his family are lovely.
I don't want them to leave 😊
Yes, they are. I was just thinking, simply: I am so happy that he is happy here 😊
Now they are expecting twins it would be crazy for them to go back to the US and c. $50 k medical bill.
I can’t go anywhere in the uk without seeing someone of African descent, even in my bedroom, when i go to the toilet, but especially when I look in the mirror
😂😂😂😂
Lol! 😂
Damn that sucks!
Well played. 🤣🤣
had me there for a few seconds
It's great to hear a different perspective on my home country, and thanks for showing that Britain is not just London. London is NOT typical UK.
The bird singing at 6:16 is a blackbird; Teddy Roosevelt heard one when he was visiting and asked what it was, he was told 'Only a blackbird', and couldn't believe that the word 'only' was used when it had such a beautiful song.
Hi Honey They ask me the same questions! It does my heart to see a fellow Black American living like myself in the UK. I lived in London, and Bath for 40 years! Since 2020 I’ve lived in Woodstock with its beautiful Cotswold vibe. I feel so blessed to live here. My kids are grown up: Two graduated from Cambridge and Edinburgh, and my son just got his Ph.D. from Queen Mary's London Uni. The oldest lectures at Trinity Oxford U. None of this would have happened if I hadn't gone on that two-week London holiday back in 1981. You and your family enjoy your life my brother and take care of that little quacker. Aunty Joan (glass of wine and just watching the foxes!)
You must be so proud. You deserve the glass of wine for a job well done as a parent!
Thats amazing Joan, glad to hear the life has been good to you and the family in the UK and your children had the opportunity to excel.
👍🏻x
you sound amazing.
It really is great to see the indigenous English population being replaced in their own ancestral homeland. Progress!!
My best friend at work is a black man originally from Barbuda in the Caribbean. We bonded because we have a very similar sense of humour,
The UK has its bad points and problems. I think every country has those and not one is a perfect place to live but as a born and bred Englishman, there's no where I'd rather live and I'm glad you've decided to call it home too.
Me too and I have travelled all over the world !
Same here. I feel incredibly lucky to be born an Englishman.
I think the UK is pretty in the middle of the road on most things when it comes to being a developed country. There are thing it does better or worse than other countries
British people just talk bad about themselves
@@vinniechan I just think we're less self promoting and more reserved than some countries. I think you can be proud of your people and country without shouting it from the rooftops. However there are certain things we are very vocal about like our local and national rugby and football teams and where we live in the UK. We complain less and are liable to wait in queues longer than some without fuss. But every person where ever they were born should be proud of their country, people and heritage.
I've travelled extensively and worked in a good number of countries. The UK is up there with the best, but the northern European countries and Scandinavian countries are beyond us.
I've got an American friend who said he found it really weird that people just call him American rather than African-American, he said it took him a while to get used to it.
The trouble with America is that they didn't have enough British / Anglo Saxons etc in the country before they let anyone in , now alot of times some just don't mix and just be Americans , my estate was built in the 50s after the war and it had lots of people from all over the British Isles as well as Latvia , Estonia, Lithuania, Germany , Italy, France and from every part of Yugoslavia ( names like Serwilski , Jankowski heck we have more Skis here than the Alps ) , all came to work down the coal mines etc and everyone got on due to the Anglo Saxons attitude ie everyone is welcome but must integrate and not separate
You are where you are born,America you are American,Jamaica you are Jamaican etc.
Seems to me that by saying African-American it's saying they are not Full American. Which is stupid.
Ngl, the rest of the world that isn’t the USA just sees the term “African-American” as a way to divide the people.
@@lawrenceglaister4364 Everyone is not genetically hugely Anglo Saxon. There is a lot of Welsh. Irish and Scottish ancestry, which is a completely different heritage.Look at the population difference of attitudes, between the North, Midlands, South of England and North Wales, South Wales, different areas of Scotland, and Ireland, ( I'll not even attempt to analyse). I proffer that this is one of the reasons for the famous British reserve. Even with each other.
I'm glad that your experience of living in the UK is positive. As a native Brit I enjoy watching your videos.
I grew up in England from Irish parents and experienced a lot of open anti Irish sentiments in the 1960's 70's I came to dislike my own country but then I traveled around the world for a couple of years and realised what a great country England and the English are. GOD BLESS.
Yeah but @Stephen Ryan I moved to Ireland a year ago, after living in England 24 years (I grew up in America and lived there well into adulthood first) and the pot under the rainbow here are the people - kind, friendly and helpful, Lord love them.
There was that whole thing about "Have you heard the one about the Irishman that...", and making them out to be stupid, but I think a lot of that was down to all the Irish "navvies" building houses and roads at the time, which were, it has to be said, not the brightest of people. Then came the whole "troubles" thing, which everyone would rather not discuss.
@@TryptychUKshould be discussed as they were terrorists
@@Theganjaman88 Well, unless you are either British or Irish, you have no skin in this game.
One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.
We moved here from Australia in 2009 only intending to stay a couple of years. We are still here and have no intention of leaving.
4 years in the UK, and just bought the house we were renting. Plan to die here. 💗💗💗 🇬🇧. (Lived in the US for 30 years, from the age of 12, and was never able to say I loved it there)
Life is so strange, my dream is to escape the UK at some point.
@@zedtrek You should. I did, I went to Australia for four years. Then we decided to come back. I will never forget stepping back on these shores (yes, at Harwich) the train to Liverpool St. Seeing London on an October night. Then to my parent's house in the country. The green! the green!
@@Lily-Bravo My plan is to go to Sardinia, lot of green and blue over there :-)
As a Brit I absolutely love to hear from people who have made this country their home.
I think the UK is ready to claim you and your family as British now. Next time you are in a queue someplace and you chat to the person next to you about the weather the deal is sealed.
Since when have Brits been African?
👍🏻😂
@Joe G plonker
@6:19 That’s your actual Blackbird evening chorus! We even have birds that are black here too! Gorgeous x
we are all very glad to have you here. welcome.
Hi I am so pleased you have a peaceful and happy environment. I am 64 , twice married and have spent the last 3 1/2 years looking after my father with dementia( he sadly died
on the 3rd Nov 22). In a week I will be moving from Essex to Fotherby in Lincolnshire and I am a little uncertain as I am moving to A rural village after a life time in an urban environment. I am also excited that the pace will be slower and people will have more time for each other. You and your family are a great example of what an expansive and confident attitude to life can make to an enriching life. Well done.
. Mike
Mike, sorry to hear about your father... my father died about three years ago... I am still adjusting. I am a huge fan of rural life... I hope you find your move pleasant and relaxing.
As someone who went the other way (UK to US) I’ve got to say you are right about so many things. You and your family are unusually open to new things. Too many people are riddled with home sickness and don’t want explore their local environment. You set a great example. Thanks man.
I'm so glad you and your family are not only enjoying but thriving in the UK. It's made a better place by your presence. Thank you so much for the kind words about the UK
Absolutely spot on! Yes, winters are horrible, but those endless warm summer days and evenings are magical.
I think we all get a kind of summer madness. It's no mystery to me that Shakespeare could come up with something as gently whimsical as 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'.
I always think that our glorious Springs are our reward for coming through the winters.
I agree. The 6 hours of feeble grey light in winter when actually seeing the sun is a rare occasion is grim but thinking back the mental filter does a great job. The 20 hour days in midsummer more than make up for this and somehow getting home at 4 PM in the dark in winter is erased by being out at 10 and still light in summer. Right now it is May which is my favorite month, the trees are all bursting with new leaves and the roadsides are covered with cow parsley flowers. It takes winter to properly appreciate spring.
Horrible winters? I grew up in England but my career took me to Sweden for a few years and Pennsylvania USA for a couple of decades. I am back in the UK now, and I didn't even scrape my car last winter, let alone shovel snow to move my car. You don't know horrible winters.
@@TR4zest It isn't to do with snow. It's to do with not seeing the sun for days or even weeks on end. To do with driving wind and rain to the extent that you arrive at work damp, take hours to dry off, and then get wet again on the way home.
It's to do with never really being sure if anything you plan that involves being outdoors will be able to happen, and always having to have a back-up plan.
It's to do with facing the possibility in early December that you may not see sufficient decent days to count on one hand before April. Or even later.
It's wondering how much damage to your home/business our ever-increasing extreme rain/flooding events and extreme wind events each winter will bring.
It's turning up at the train station not being sure your train will arrive to get you to work owing to said rain and wind events (line flooded, trees and branches brought down on line by wind, not enough train drivers because they've not been able to get to work owing to flooding on roads, trees and branches brought down by wind and blocking roads etc).
I've not owned a car for 25 years, so I've been very exposed to British winters for a very long time (no walking 5 metres from front door to car on drive for me!) and it's been getting increasingly difficult for me.
@@clairenoon4070 OK, OK, you win!
Woke up this morning to another mass shooting in the US which was racially motivated. It’s heartbreaking. The UK is far from perfect but it’s safer here in Europe. So glad you’re all thriving.
Love that you stopped while the blackbird sang. 😄
As I watch this a blackbird is singing in my garden and the sun is shining, no man-made sounds are intruding
I am also an American living in the UK. My mother-in-law lives in the Midlands. My husband and I are way down South. Welcome to Britain! I'm subscribing!
Happy to have you here. Hope you thrive.
Black people have been in the Uk, for over a thousand years.. great county…🙏👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
It’s so lovely to hear from an American, that you and your family are thriving in the UK. Don’t forget pear and apple crumble is delicious too.
I was born and raised in London, and moved to the US at age 25 (2008), and this channel is making me regret not exploring my own country more. It looks amazing where you are.
I suggest you return to good old UK if you have regrets, you will enjoy the health services, the railways infrastructure, the modern wide open roads, clean streets, low crime rates, fabulous weather, low cost of living, low rent and mortgages, amazing education system etc.
@@prp3231 depends where you are in the US or where you’re going in the UK. Much of the infrastructure in the US is basically 3rd world compared to the UK.
It’s always funny when Americans get so incredibly sensitive if anyone dares to suggest that the US doesn’t have the best of everything. Life is more complex than that.
@@pejpm well, there's nothing stopping you from going back to the U.K. so that you can enjoy the world class open, wide, traffic free, smart motorways. The railway infrastructure is amazing, you will love it, cheap, reliable, clean and the trains go at 300 kmph. You will enjoy the world class health service where there is no long waiting lists for operations, no long wait in the emergency department with people waiting for hours on chairs and trolleys waiting to see a doctor. The streets are amazingly clean, hardly no litter or dumped used old furniture and kitchen sinks. Living costs are low, low rent, low mortgage rates and plenty of good, modern housing stock set in salubrious areas. The kids get to enjoy a world class education system and low crime. To top it all off there is the fantastic weather to look forward to. Leave southern California and come back to the likes of Sunderland, I've heard the beaches there are comparable to Waikiki.
@@prp3231 wow, copying the same comment again, what a great wit.
You get out of a country what you put in, you’ve done the hard work and seem very open to everything and everyone, that’s why you enjoy it here. I’ll say again, I’m pleased you’re here too.
Pleasure to have you here sir 🇬🇧
I think your clips about the UK should be shown on tv for us all to see because they just remind me how lucky we are to live in the beautiful land and how we all take it for granted. I love that you enjoy being here and how well you have settled in 👍😀
I'm so glad that you and your family are happy here. 🙂 Where you live looks so beautiful and tranquil and there's nothing better than listening to birdsong on a lovely day.
What a nice video. I loved the pause for the evening birdsong.
I am sitting here at home in the UK watching your video. When you stopped talking to let us hear your environment I had to pause the video to work out if the blackbird I heard singing was in your video or in my garden.
Turns out it was both.
It's a pleasure having people as nice as you in the UK! 🏴
Living in Norfolk, I meet quite a few black Americans, both socially and at events. I have always found them to be intelligent, friendly and sociable, unlike some white American tourists who seem to go abroad merely to sneer at things they do not understand. I once met a bunch of black Americans in a pub who were celebrating Independence Day. When I said it was my birthday, they insisted I join them, we had a great evening.
There's a few American airbases out that way.
I once met a bunch at a Knebworth rock concert in 1978, and they asked me to join them, so they shared Budweiser beer and pop tarts, neither of which I had ever seen or tried before.
I reciprocated with a 5 litre bottle of West Country scrumpy cider. (A pint of which is enough to poleaxe most people)
Suffice to say, we all had a very merry time.
We need more people like you in the world. God bless you and thank you for your appreciation for my country and culture - you’re so very welcome here.
Glad you stayed here stay happy
I enjoy how at peace you seem. There are few places as peaceful as the British countryside on a summer's evening.
I love watching your videos and as a native Brit I'm so happy you and your family have made the UK your home. You are so welcome here!
Thank You for helping Mrs Duck! 🙂👍🇬🇧
Born Englishman. Warmed my soul to see this, probably the most wholesome video I've watched in a very long time.
Your such a positive family - you see all the good in things and don’t look for the bad ! Hope you have a nice summer this year!
Your own attitude will ensure that you have a good life wherever you are,. Good luck to you mate, people like you will always be welcome in the UK
It makes me happy to see you so happy!
This is the first time one of your videos popped up in my feed and what a delight! It's always fascinating to hear foreigners' views of the UK because as a native it can be difficult to be objective. Your positivity and joy shine through... I'm glad that you're enjoying it here and long may it continue!
Thank you! 😃
A native called “wiszowaty” 😂
@@jonatho6677 Quite a lot of Poles ended up living in the UK permanently in the 1940s' for... reasons. Lots of their grandkids, and probably greatgrandkids still do
@@talltroll7092 Yeah, so they’re Poles and not natives then..
I wonder if these same Poles would endorse mass immigration into their own homeland🤔
@@jonatho6677 After like 3 generations, I think they count as natives... if you follow your logic to its' conclusion, there are almost no natives left in the entire UK, maybe a couple of thousand, tops, in some of the Welsh Valleys. Everyone else in descended from one wave or another of immigrants
Great guy, with a wonderful family. I'm glad you're all enjoying the UK......you're certainly adding to it, and for the better.
The safety component is the biggest pro for me. I feel so scared for my children in the US. Thanks for taking the time to make your content, it's really helpful to me on my research journey.
Looks like you live in a beautiful part of the country! Countryside always beats city.
Really great that you and your family are having a safe and peaceful time in the UK. As an English person, that is very heartwarming. However, I definitely thought two of the questions would be 'what's the weather like - Does it REALLY rain all the time?' and 'is the food as bad as they say it is?' But as you know, the weather is mostly great and the food is fine too. Cheers!
Love your family vlogs.
Glad you are enjoying your lives here in the UK, it’s a unique but very welcoming place for all.
Please do more question/answer
We will!
So glad you are all enjoying being here. Please don't leave 😉. Hope to bump into you someday, we live in the same area!!
It fills me with joy to hear your comments, how attuned you are to the nature around you and to hear you are having a happy time in the UK.
My husband is mixed race (half Japanese which is quite unusual in the UK). He has spoken about some racially motivated slurs he used to get when he was a child in the 80s, but, despite looking more Asian than British, he is certain that the UK has moved on and is never uncomfortable anywhere now.
I aknowledge that the UK is not perfect - there are always going to be ignorant people. I feel the culture here is more tolerant than the US - we generally don't express our thoughts openly. So, there are racists still (on the decline, hopefully) but you will rarely find anyone who expresses those feelings in any overt way.
I have been a teacher for over 25 years, in what was, a predominantly 'white' area. We have gradually increased our intake of children from 'ethnic minorities' to the extent that around 10% - 15% of our pupils have non-British parentage. It is exceedingly rare that we have to deal with issues that arise from racial slurs now.
Sad to say I think there is a lot of inbuilt xenophobia amongst Brits, and a lot of looking at the world through the wrong end of a telescope. But, that said, I know of much worse places and mostly here those things are muted (not least because Brits would rarely express their feelings so openly). Difference is strength. Keep up the good life and videos.
@@ogilkes1 I agree, it still is there but is not so empowered. Especially as racist speech is actually illegal in the UK, unlike the US
@@ogilkes1 inbuilt xenophobia..,you do know every country on earth has that. It’s inexorably human to be tribal and to prefer your own. What’s genuinely frustrating is some of the comments on here that celebrate ‘white’ areas no longer being white. You fail to realise this is our home and it’s not your duty to change our demographic. We are more than welcoming for those that choose to build a life here and become part of our community. What’s not on is the sanctimonious attitude of some who believe we’re somehow deficient without non British people in our towns and villages. We have a glorious and proud heritage and it’s a privilege to live amongst us wherever you hail from.
@@hawker1262 well said sir 👏 👍
@@hawker1262 No reason not to call it out. Particularly prevelant and nasty in the UK at the moment.
Lucky to have you here 👍
Another great vlog, Mac. So glad to know you and your family are thriving here, keep looking after mama duck. Take care and stay safe, my friend...
Love your channel you have such a positive attitude to life that is refreshing. All the best from sunny South Wales.
Love and respect to you and the family. You made a big leap and and is working for you. 👏👏🏴🏴
Yes, thank you
Your defence of mama duck is everything ❤️
I’m so so glad you’re enjoying our lovely country!! Stay blessed my friend 🙏
People just love to latch onto stereotypes but in reality, Great Britain is the opposite in this day and age. I think you'll find most people are pleasant and down to earth.
I find it funny that our entire nation changed so quickly, we pretty much 180’d in around 30 years.
Most people around the world are pleasant and down to earth - just wanting to go to work, put a roof over their heads then go home to their loved ones and do whatever it is they enjoy doing in an evening.
It's the top 1% that ruin it for everyone dragging us into wars and power grabs.
A great video. I can hear the birds singing in my garden while I’m watching you! You have a beautiful home and the mother duck on her eggs is lovely. My father who is 92 still has our family allotment and we has two ducks, tomorrow we are getting another eight young hens. Thanks for sharing.
It's no wonder you love the UK, you've got a little slice of heaven there to enjoy. You've got land, nature, a beautiful house and it's peaceful. The UK is an incredible place to live if you have a little money. I'm very glad you and your family feel safe and welcome in the UK, and it's no surprise you feel safer here than in the US ;-)
It looks to me that youse are thriving & soaking up the countryside - good on you mate, it's great for the mind,body & soul.
It is.
A well timed blackbird song there. Lovely.
Such a positive video from a lovely gentleman! Your farm looks stunning too. By the way, at 6:16, that’s a glorious male blackbird letting the other blackbirds know that his home 🖤🖤🖤
Loved it, its nice to hear some good thinks about the UK for a change.
I love the blackbird on cue at the end! I'm pleased you enjoy this country. We can be complainers a bit, so it's nice to hear the good bits called out from time to time.
Just love it when you release a video. You have such an infectious smile and are a very happy person.
Really good video and you do such a good job representing this country.
You honestly make the UK a much better place and I'm so pleased you've come over here.
Very best Gray - from the UK.
Lovely to hear you and your family feel ‘at ease’ over here - and long may it continue. In regard of your liking of the show ‘Gogglebox’ which you have referenced in numerous previous posts. I am sure I am not the only one who would like to know if you have any favourite reviewing couples or families, who you enjoy watching the most. 😷
Thank you for being so positive about the UK.
You're a credit to the UK Mac, great to hear how well your family are getting on, and that you feel safe here. Racism of course still exists, and is widespread. But for instance I work for the NHS where so many different nationalities and races are thrown together and we not only make it work but we celebrate it. We find any racists seem to become quite humbled when they or their relatives have their life saved by someone a different colour from themselves.
Yes a good point !
@Jazzmaster Jay Like the world owes you a living for being randomly born somewhere, I suspect
@Jazzmaster Jay That has been a problem in the UK, for at least 40 years plus. Not investing in training, There are a few exceptions, but too few of them. They expect everyone to be academic, when they are crying out for Plumbers, Electricians, Builders Carpenters, Joiners, Plasterers,Etc. But no serious effort made to train youngsters in these trades. It's easier to get people from overseas. these trades.
This I the first video of yours I've seen, really cool. Your home is gorgeous. Nothing quite like the British countryside- it's good for the soul!
I think the main lessons to all Brits on here is be like Mac and the family and be equally positive about this wonderful country and it’s frankly astonishing history for such a tiny island in land mass and population. The impact it and its people have had globally across all fields of human endeavor is amazing.
I’m so happy you’re here in 🇬🇧
Came across this video by accident but was curious to hear what this chap had to say, we have all had a lot of exposure recently to organisations hell bent on driving wedges in communitiies based on colour and the distortion of history amongst other things. As someone who spent my life in the armed forces to defend the rights of people in this country to be free and live peacefully it makes me very happy that this chap and his family can live here peacefully and feel safe. I have only watched this one video but gave it a like and maybe I will look in again to see how you are getting along. Best of luck fellow and welcome to England.
Thank you for looking after the duck eggs when the mother duck goes to eat or drink. Once the ducklings are hatched they will still benefit from your watchful eye.
Thank you and your family for your vlogs. You mentioned the angst that is in the world and I think that pretty much everyone has suffered from it. But your vlogs give a beautiful insight into what is really important in life and provide a humble reminder of the importance of family and nature. Friendship, love and an evening beer in a cool English garden are definitely the best countermeasures to the pressures of the modern world. As someone who never had a family, it's great to see you appreciating what you have. Enjoy.
Glad you are such a positive respectful American. You are an immigrant who is more likely to contribute to our society than take.
Hope you continue to enjoy living here.
When I went to the US all I was asked about was Chip & Pin because the checkout people had never come across it before. Also, this year it's not just green it's GREEN! for some reason. Glad you're happy. Love the blackbird singing at the end. 🙂
As a completely Caucasian English girl through and through this vlog fills me with joy. Aint got nothing more to say about it. JOY.
@Adam Kennedy I don’t see that comment from you under all those here from people stating they are black. Interesting. Race doesn’t matter, we are all equal, but it still exists.
You and your family can be my neighbours any time. I always found black and white people in the US treated me well they especially liked the please and thank yous. Treat people with respect and they will do the same.
Welcome to the UK my Yanky friend.
Enjoy. ✌️peace
Hey Mac,
I'm glad you and your family have chosen to live in the UK,hopefully we get a nice summer.
As an Englishman, it's wonderful to hear your intelligent and honest perspective on my, (and hopefully, your new), country.
Having lived in America myself, I totally get why Americans ask "Is it safe?", because often for me it wasn't, and that is compounded by an unnatural fear which makes it even worse, so everyone sleeps with a gun under their pillow.
I'm not sure what part of the country you are in, but I implore you to travel. The UK is so diverse, so go explore, then you will realise just how many accents we have.;)
Your poor old duck, what looks like a mallard; they are usually very bonded pairs, so it seems she has lost her mate, as they would take turns on the nest, so it is never left unprotected.
And lovely to hear the blackbird at dusk singing it's little heart out. My favourite bird song, and a quintessentially English thing. The ultimate ASMR. :)
God bless you and your family. We are so glad to have you here 🇬🇧
Great to have people like yourself in the UK!
I travel a lot. When I leave the USA and return home to Canada,like most Canadians I breath a small sigh of relief. I've never,ever done that when I leave any other country in the world.
Really enjoyed your presentation. I’ll keep on watching.
I don’t know why but your videos always make me feel happy 😃
Welcome. Hope you continue to enjoy your time here..
Glad you love living in our lovely country. For a small country we have a lot of fantastic places to visit.
Thank you enjoyed ☺ and answer questions
I'm a white guy from Northumberland and I have an northeastern accent and many black and Asia friends. Also just to cover all aspects of being "British" but I'm actually English. My ancestry is Scotish, Irish, English and Italian and my girlfriend is Welsh!
I love that you think that you and your family are thriving here. It's all the better for you and your family being here my friend! In the summer come on down to Cornwall!
Out of 200 countries only ten have police forces who don’t routinely carry guns and the U.K. is one of those. You’ll only see armed police outside Parliament, in airports and outside certain embassies.
...and in Liverpool city centre on a Saturday night.
At least, that was the case when I was a student there 30 years ago.
You’re forgetting Northern Ireland. The police here have always been armed.
@@Spodsie I meant to say GB.
Great guy. Good luck in the UK 🇬🇧 very welcome.
LEFT ENGLAND TO BRAZIL WITH MY BRAZILIAN WIFE AND LOVE IT
Glad to have someone nice as yourself in our wonderful country
Loving your videos; thank you for posting. A moment of calm and positivity with beautiful and interesting scenery 🙏🙏 Great bedtime viewing to regain equilibrium following the Evening News!
What a lovely video. I'm so happy to hear that you like it here. All the best.
I love your videos. I used to live in the UK. I loved it. Work took me to other countries. I try to visit from time to time.