People & Places
A brighter forecast
Jack Dawson (29) describes why he and his wife Julia (28) love life in Orlando
My wife (who is a US citizen) and I moved to Florida last year in the autumn. After trying to settle in the UK for three years, we decided to begin the moving process to the US. The cost of living was sky-rocketing, housing was ridiculous and healthcare was a joke. The US is not without its problems, but we figured we could have a better quality of life here. Plus, we had both had enough of the British weather after a summer of endless rain! Yes, we complain about the weather – but it really is bad compared to other parts of the world.
My wife and I have settled in Orlando. It's a beautiful city, which explains why it is a holiday spot. The leisure opportunities here are great. Disney World is on your doorstep, and beaches are a few hours away. There are restaurants of all different kinds, and the weather will rarely put a damper on things (except in summer, which is simply too hot for us pasty Brits!)
You can find pretty much anything to do. The climate allows that - just don't play golf in a hurricane or anything! In the UK we were forced indoors a lot due to the climate. No we can go for an evening bike ride in a warm breeze or eat on the beach. In January!
What do I love most about living in Florida? The weather! I miss the British sense of humour and good old British television - and football. But even though the pace of work life moves faster and your get less vacation, you can still make your spare time count. You don't have to linger in the pub during the winter nights. I like that.
I do miss and love my country, but the economy and weather have forced me to find a better quality of life elsewhere. It's a little sad, but I've certainly found what I'm looking for in Florida.
Back to emigrate magazine home