SalfordOnline.com has readers from all over the world, and now we’re going to try to meet them all.
Our main readership is Salford and Manchester, with other parts of the North West scoring highly too.
But in the last month alone the site’s seen a spike in readers from overseas: the current top 10 locations around the globe are America, Spain, Australia, Ireland, Greece, Holland, France, Cyprus, Turkey and Canada.
Barring a small percentage which are likely IPs ‘located’ overseas by some VPN trickery, we reckon there’s a healthy ex-pat readership in the hundreds coming to the site every day.
But who are these people, and why would they leave Salford for (presumably) sunnier climes?
Meet David Henshaw, 47.
Now living on in San Francisco, less than half a mile from the Pacific ocean, and in the shadow of the great Golden Gate bridge, David was last living in the UK at Sussex Street in Lower Broughton, near the Mocha Parade shopping precinct.
Tell us about growing up in Salford
“I grew up in Lower Broughton, in the 1970s and 80s.
“We lived in a council flat at Whitefriars Court, and when I was 11 moved to the new council houses on Mocha Parade. We lived above Mortimer’s, the butchers.
“I went to the now-demolished Broughton High School. I actually had a good time there, and learned a lot. I discovered computers at school, and that helped define who I was to become – my entire career has revolved around technology.
“One of my best friends and I used to walk into Manchester every Saturday afternoon.
“We’d find the old Victorian architecture, explore the hidden canals before they were deemed “cool” and check out all the nooks and crannies we could find.
“It has been interesting to see how the town has been in a constant state of development – almost all of it good (an exception being Piccadilly Gardens).
“Right around that time, Cyril Mintz, who was the much-loved head master at the Friars Primary School, told me, “David, you will go to university.”
“I thought only rich kids and southerners went to university, but I kept that thought tucked away.
“Another thing I discovered was BBC Radio 4. I started listening to news, drama and comedy shows as a teenager, and haven’t stopped listening since – I stream now on my phone. I can honestly say Radio 4 has made me a smarter man, funnier and has improved my grammar!
“I attended Pendleton College.
“A careers teacher asked me, “so which university are you going to?” and then I realized what Cyril said all those years ago was something I could make happen.
“I got very good A-Level grades, so had my pick of places to go. It surprised even me that the best course I found, in my field of technology, was Salford University! I had a great time there and made life-long friends.
Why did you leave Salford?
“I left right after finishing university. I’d caught the bug for America after working for Barclays Bank in New York City during a summer holiday.
“Plus, I met a woman from Minneapolis, in the state of Minnesota.
“I was more politically active then, and not happy with what the Thatcher government was doing, so I took the opportunity to leave.
“Yes, I was part of the “brain drain” instead of part of the solution, so I did feel guilty about that. But the U.S. is extremely welcoming of new immigrants, so that feeling didn’t last long.
Where have you lived abroad?
“I lived in Minneapolis for eleven “winters” (it gets really cold, with snow on the ground for five months of the year). It was a great place to start my career. People are really friendly, and there are lots of big employers, so plenty of jobs.
“I have many good friends in that city, and go back at least once a year.
“At one point, my company sent me to a conference in San Francisco, on the west coast.
“It was winter in Minnesota, around -25°C, and sunny and warm in San Francisco. I remember sitting on my hotel balcony, looking at the Bay Bridge, and thinking, “what am I doing in the mid-west?” Shortly thereafter, I sold my house and moved to California.
“I think social mobility in the U.S. is much greater than the UK. People move around much more – whether it’s for family, job, or just “wanting a change in life.” People are brought up with the expectation that your world is what you make it – and if it’s not working out for you, then it’s you (not the government) who needs to do something about it.
Tell us about Salford’s reputation where you live
“Generally, people here haven’t heard of Salford, but most know about Manchester – especially Manchester United.
“I have a few LS Lowry prints in my house, and when I had some visitors from China, I told them that’s how Salford looked 90 years ago. They replied, ‘That’s how China looks today!’
“I’ve been following the development of Salford Quays for decades, and I always shout out when I stream a program from the BBC that was produced in Salford, or listen to a Radio 4 show from MediaCityUK. It makes me really proud to see that change.
What do you miss most about Salford?
“With the Internet, I keep in touch with people through Skype or Facebook. And of course I read the local news, like SalfordOnline.com. I can even check out how things look by going to Street View on Google Maps!
“Most of what I really miss are the personal connections. When you move away, you don’t get to spend quality time with your family or friends – and that can be really hard. Sure, I have all kinds of friends here in the US, but that has been at the cost of not seeing my mum, or my sister, nearly as much as I would have done if I’d stayed in the UK.
“I come back about every two years, and visit my mum (still in Lower Broughton) and other friends and family. On my next trip, I really want to see a Salford City FC game!”
Do you read SalfordOnline.com but live or work outside the UK? Would you like to be featured in the next X-Pat Files? In August and September 2016 we’re especially interested in Germany, the east coast of America, north Africa and Egypt.
Contact us by emailing newsdesk@salfordonline.com, join us on Facebook or tweet @SalfordOnline
