I'm so tired of living in 'Home of the slave'
Aug 14th 2008, 10:14 pm
#16
Banned
Joined: Jul 2008
Location: Bay Area, California
Posts: 826
Re: I'm so tired of living in 'Home of the slave'
Land of the Free (except healthcare) and the home of the brave....or should that be slave.
I am living in California. I own a house, live near the beach and the weather is great.
I am currently contracting and have been for the last 7 months. I have has only 3 day off in the last 1.5 years. This is mental. If I take a week off work or call in sick I dont get paid nada.
Get another job with benefits I hear you say! Well trying to find a permanent job here with health care, sick pay and vacation is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Salary is cheap and they dont offer nothing in the way of benefits. It's all long term contracting.
I had a job interview last month. They offered me a job paying $19 bucks per hour which is not that great when you have a mortgage. Also, they guy offered me 10 days vacation a year after the first 6 months of probabtion period. He thought that was a great package deal and seamed impressed with himself.
In my mind I was just laughing
. 10 days is rubbish
. When I was working in the UK for the NHS I had 29 days vacation + national holidays + free health care + what looks like unlimited sick time off as needed (none of this earning sick days). Granted, the NHS is more than most for the UK. Average is 21 to 25 days. But hey, that's still damn good. So stop moaning all you people living in the UK.
Anyway, my original point is that I am so tired all the time lately. I can't imagine working like this for another 30 years. Things need to change. American people need to change the way they work and push for better benefits. Just look at the film Sicko by Michael Moore. Agree there has to be a balance somewhere. I think the US is so far behind in the is respect.
In times like this I think to myself 'how much longer can I live like this' and 'is this way of life really worth it'. Yes I own a cheap house. Yes I live near the beach. Yes I have lots of nice weather. No I don't get the time to enjoy it.
To make things worse, with have a German exchange student here right now. He talks to me about having 2 weeks in Spain blah blah blah....2 weeks off at Christmas to go skiing etc. It makes me remember how great Europe is and how much they value your life and enjoyment.
Am I losing the plot here? Would maybe taking a week off work help? Would visiting the UK again for a week help me remember why I left? This county is Home of the brave....brave enough to be a slave...a slave to work.
I have to give here more time and hopefully find a job with 10 days holiday (ooooh big friggin deal
) and see what happens.
Anyone else stuck in the US and feel like this? How does one get over it? Or maybe never?
I am living in California. I own a house, live near the beach and the weather is great.
I am currently contracting and have been for the last 7 months. I have has only 3 day off in the last 1.5 years. This is mental. If I take a week off work or call in sick I dont get paid nada.
Get another job with benefits I hear you say! Well trying to find a permanent job here with health care, sick pay and vacation is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Salary is cheap and they dont offer nothing in the way of benefits. It's all long term contracting.
I had a job interview last month. They offered me a job paying $19 bucks per hour which is not that great when you have a mortgage. Also, they guy offered me 10 days vacation a year after the first 6 months of probabtion period. He thought that was a great package deal and seamed impressed with himself.
In my mind I was just laughing
. 10 days is rubbish. When I was working in the UK for the NHS I had 29 days vacation + national holidays + free health care + what looks like unlimited sick time off as needed (none of this earning sick days). Granted, the NHS is more than most for the UK. Average is 21 to 25 days. But hey, that's still damn good. So stop moaning all you people living in the UK. Anyway, my original point is that I am so tired all the time lately. I can't imagine working like this for another 30 years. Things need to change. American people need to change the way they work and push for better benefits. Just look at the film Sicko by Michael Moore. Agree there has to be a balance somewhere. I think the US is so far behind in the is respect.
In times like this I think to myself 'how much longer can I live like this' and 'is this way of life really worth it'. Yes I own a cheap house. Yes I live near the beach. Yes I have lots of nice weather. No I don't get the time to enjoy it.
To make things worse, with have a German exchange student here right now. He talks to me about having 2 weeks in Spain blah blah blah....2 weeks off at Christmas to go skiing etc. It makes me remember how great Europe is and how much they value your life and enjoyment.
Am I losing the plot here? Would maybe taking a week off work help? Would visiting the UK again for a week help me remember why I left? This county is Home of the brave....brave enough to be a slave...a slave to work.
I have to give here more time and hopefully find a job with 10 days holiday (ooooh big friggin deal
) and see what happens. Anyone else stuck in the US and feel like this? How does one get over it? Or maybe never?
I think the best I have every achieved here is 3 weeks vacation with an employer, 4 is exceptional here and often generally involves working for the state in a DMV type environment with crap pay. Basically, vacation allowance here is miserable and stems from some odd Puritan religious nut philosophy. Let's face, it this country was founded by the religious knobs from England that had to leave to be weirdos.
The oddest thing I have found is the prevalence of "presentism" here in the office with a corresponding lack of productivity but a more important need to be seen.
I think for the vacation reason alone I cannot relate to the long term prospect of staying here indefinately...its been 8 years now and I still feel the same.
I remember when I first started working here, I told my boss I was taking 2 weeks for a trip back home to Blighty. They were amazed that I asked for that.
I once asked and took a four week holiday in the UK.. how I long for the days of 2 weeks for a winter break and a couple again later in the year, plus Christmas...
Basically, its why Europeans are so well travelled and don't have that Hicksville US aspect to them, excluding your core prols of course.
Then again everyone here has to keep working out of fear of healthcare loss. Its messed up here.
Aug 14th 2008, 10:27 pm
#17
I love my brick!
Joined: May 2007
Location: Peachy
Posts: 9,304
Re: I'm so tired of living in 'Home of the slave'
When it comes to holidays, I guess I must be lucky as I get three weeks vacation as well as the company shutting down for eight days at Christmas plus the bank holidays. Pay's not too bad either. On the downside, there is no paid overtime, but we're expected to be putting in more than our contracted 40 hours a week, by at least 10%, otherwise it can affect our end of year review and pay rise and bonus.... so swings and roundabouts really.
Aug 14th 2008, 10:53 pm
#18
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2008
Location: California
Posts: 12
Re: I'm so tired of living in 'Home of the slave'
I do enjoy many things about the USA, but agree with you that in my head I will eventually return home to the UK when the novelty of living in America wears off.
Aug 14th 2008, 10:59 pm
#19
Banned
Joined: Jul 2008
Location: Bay Area, California
Posts: 826
Re: I'm so tired of living in 'Home of the slave'
Yes, totally. I have worked in many places in the USA. Everywhere is the same. They don't work hard but work longer. I would rather work harder and have more time off, just how it was in London. Atleast when there is a mad rush it makes the day go quicker.
I do enjoy many things about the USA, but agree with you that in my head I will eventually return home to the UK when the novelty of living in America wears off.
I do enjoy many things about the USA, but agree with you that in my head I will eventually return home to the UK when the novelty of living in America wears off.
Ultimately in the long term I think its counter productive but then again IMHO working practices in this country are very short term in comparison to the European mindset.
Of course we could move to Iowa where the employment is more civil, apparently. Personally I am not sold on that.
Aug 14th 2008, 11:10 pm
#20
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2008
Location: California
Posts: 12
Re: I'm so tired of living in 'Home of the slave'
It's a real cultural difference that niggles to the core...
Ultimately in the long term I think its counter productive but then again IMHO working practices in this country are very short term in comparison to the European mindset.
Of course we could move to Iowa where the employment is more civil, apparently. Personally I am not sold on that.
Ultimately in the long term I think its counter productive but then again IMHO working practices in this country are very short term in comparison to the European mindset.
Of course we could move to Iowa where the employment is more civil, apparently. Personally I am not sold on that.
Aug 15th 2008, 2:32 am
#21
Bloody Yank
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: USA! USA!
Posts: 4,186
Re: I'm so tired of living in 'Home of the slave'
Land of the Free (except healthcare) and the home of the brave....or should that be slave.
I am living in California. I own a house, live near the beach and the weather is great.
I am currently contracting and have been for the last 7 months. I have has only 3 day off in the last 1.5 years. This is mental. If I take a week off work or call in sick I dont get paid nada.
Get another job with benefits I hear you say! Well trying to find a permanent job here with health care, sick pay and vacation is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Salary is cheap and they dont offer nothing in the way of benefits. It's all long term contracting.
I had a job interview last month. They offered me a job paying $19 bucks per hour which is not that great when you have a mortgage. Also, they guy offered me 10 days vacation a year after the first 6 months of probabtion period. He thought that was a great package deal and seamed impressed with himself.
In my mind I was just laughing. 10 days is rubbish. When I was working in the UK for the NHS I had 29 days vacation + national holidays + free health care + what looks like unlimited sick time off as needed (none of this earning sick days). Granted, the NHS is more than most for the UK. Average is 21 to 25 days. But hey, that's still damn good. So stop moaning all you people living in the UK.
Anyway, my original point is that I am so tired all the time lately. I can't imagine working like this for another 30 years. Things need to change. American people need to change the way they work and push for better benefits. Just look at the film Sicko by Michael Moore. Agree there has to be a balance somewhere. I think the US is so far behind in the is respect.
In times like this I think to myself 'how much longer can I live like this' and 'is this way of life really worth it'. Yes I own a cheap house. Yes I live near the beach. Yes I have lots of nice weather. No I don't get the time to enjoy it.
To make things worse, with have a German exchange student here right now. He talks to me about having 2 weeks in Spain blah blah blah....2 weeks off at Christmas to go skiing etc. It makes me remember how great Europe is and how much they value your life and enjoyment.
Am I losing the plot here? Would maybe taking a week off work help? Would visiting the UK again for a week help me remember why I left? This county is Home of the brave....brave enough to be a slave...a slave to work.
I have to give here more time and hopefully find a job with 10 days holiday (ooooh big friggin deal) and see what happens.
Anyone else stuck in the US and feel like this? How does one get over it? Or maybe never?
I am living in California. I own a house, live near the beach and the weather is great.
I am currently contracting and have been for the last 7 months. I have has only 3 day off in the last 1.5 years. This is mental. If I take a week off work or call in sick I dont get paid nada.
Get another job with benefits I hear you say! Well trying to find a permanent job here with health care, sick pay and vacation is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Salary is cheap and they dont offer nothing in the way of benefits. It's all long term contracting.
I had a job interview last month. They offered me a job paying $19 bucks per hour which is not that great when you have a mortgage. Also, they guy offered me 10 days vacation a year after the first 6 months of probabtion period. He thought that was a great package deal and seamed impressed with himself.
In my mind I was just laughing
. 10 days is rubbish. When I was working in the UK for the NHS I had 29 days vacation + national holidays + free health care + what looks like unlimited sick time off as needed (none of this earning sick days). Granted, the NHS is more than most for the UK. Average is 21 to 25 days. But hey, that's still damn good. So stop moaning all you people living in the UK. Anyway, my original point is that I am so tired all the time lately. I can't imagine working like this for another 30 years. Things need to change. American people need to change the way they work and push for better benefits. Just look at the film Sicko by Michael Moore. Agree there has to be a balance somewhere. I think the US is so far behind in the is respect.
In times like this I think to myself 'how much longer can I live like this' and 'is this way of life really worth it'. Yes I own a cheap house. Yes I live near the beach. Yes I have lots of nice weather. No I don't get the time to enjoy it.
To make things worse, with have a German exchange student here right now. He talks to me about having 2 weeks in Spain blah blah blah....2 weeks off at Christmas to go skiing etc. It makes me remember how great Europe is and how much they value your life and enjoyment.
Am I losing the plot here? Would maybe taking a week off work help? Would visiting the UK again for a week help me remember why I left? This county is Home of the brave....brave enough to be a slave...a slave to work.
I have to give here more time and hopefully find a job with 10 days holiday (ooooh big friggin deal
) and see what happens. Anyone else stuck in the US and feel like this? How does one get over it? Or maybe never?
Americans tend to have more spending power but less time, so they focus on merchandise and the process of buying it, instead of on their approach to leisure time. On the costly coasts, this feeds a negative result, for material expectations are so high and housing so expensive that it's inevitable that many will go into hock to keep up, which in turn immerses them more deeply into the consumption mindset. (A consumerist version of Stockholm Syndrome, I suppose.)
I'm not always thrilled by the prices and taxation in Europe, particularly the UK and Scandinavia, but I do like that Europeans generally seem to be more content with making do with less. My perception may be skewed, but it appears to me that there is far less craving for stuff and little sense of deprivation, so the competitive spending frenzy is largely absent. The health care situation here irritates me, but if I do leave, it will be this greater emphasis on lifestyle and lesser interest in consumption that will ultimately give me the final shove.
Best of luck.
Aug 15th 2008, 3:12 am
#22
Banned
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Santa Monica,CA from Birmingham, UK
Posts: 18,402
Re: I'm so tired of living in 'Home of the slave'
Land of the Free (except healthcare) and the home of the brave....or should that be slave.
I am living in California. I own a house, live near the beach and the weather is great.
I am currently contracting and have been for the last 7 months. I have has only 3 day off in the last 1.5 years. This is mental. If I take a week off work or call in sick I dont get paid nada.
Get another job with benefits I hear you say! Well trying to find a permanent job here with health care, sick pay and vacation is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Salary is cheap and they dont offer nothing in the way of benefits. It's all long term contracting.
I had a job interview last month. They offered me a job paying $19 bucks per hour which is not that great when you have a mortgage. Also, they guy offered me 10 days vacation a year after the first 6 months of probabtion period. He thought that was a great package deal and seamed impressed with himself.
In my mind I was just laughing. 10 days is rubbish. When I was working in the UK for the NHS I had 29 days vacation + national holidays + free health care + what looks like unlimited sick time off as needed (none of this earning sick days). Granted, the NHS is more than most for the UK. Average is 21 to 25 days. But hey, that's still damn good. So stop moaning all you people living in the UK.
Anyway, my original point is that I am so tired all the time lately. I can't imagine working like this for another 30 years. Things need to change. American people need to change the way they work and push for better benefits. Just look at the film Sicko by Michael Moore. Agree there has to be a balance somewhere. I think the US is so far behind in the is respect.
In times like this I think to myself 'how much longer can I live like this' and 'is this way of life really worth it'. Yes I own a cheap house. Yes I live near the beach. Yes I have lots of nice weather. No I don't get the time to enjoy it.
To make things worse, with have a German exchange student here right now. He talks to me about having 2 weeks in Spain blah blah blah....2 weeks off at Christmas to go skiing etc. It makes me remember how great Europe is and how much they value your life and enjoyment.
Am I losing the plot here? Would maybe taking a week off work help? Would visiting the UK again for a week help me remember why I left? This county is Home of the brave....brave enough to be a slave...a slave to work.
I have to give here more time and hopefully find a job with 10 days holiday (ooooh big friggin deal) and see what happens.
Anyone else stuck in the US and feel like this? How does one get over it? Or maybe never?
I am living in California. I own a house, live near the beach and the weather is great.
I am currently contracting and have been for the last 7 months. I have has only 3 day off in the last 1.5 years. This is mental. If I take a week off work or call in sick I dont get paid nada.
Get another job with benefits I hear you say! Well trying to find a permanent job here with health care, sick pay and vacation is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Salary is cheap and they dont offer nothing in the way of benefits. It's all long term contracting.
I had a job interview last month. They offered me a job paying $19 bucks per hour which is not that great when you have a mortgage. Also, they guy offered me 10 days vacation a year after the first 6 months of probabtion period. He thought that was a great package deal and seamed impressed with himself.
In my mind I was just laughing
. 10 days is rubbish. When I was working in the UK for the NHS I had 29 days vacation + national holidays + free health care + what looks like unlimited sick time off as needed (none of this earning sick days). Granted, the NHS is more than most for the UK. Average is 21 to 25 days. But hey, that's still damn good. So stop moaning all you people living in the UK. Anyway, my original point is that I am so tired all the time lately. I can't imagine working like this for another 30 years. Things need to change. American people need to change the way they work and push for better benefits. Just look at the film Sicko by Michael Moore. Agree there has to be a balance somewhere. I think the US is so far behind in the is respect.
In times like this I think to myself 'how much longer can I live like this' and 'is this way of life really worth it'. Yes I own a cheap house. Yes I live near the beach. Yes I have lots of nice weather. No I don't get the time to enjoy it.
To make things worse, with have a German exchange student here right now. He talks to me about having 2 weeks in Spain blah blah blah....2 weeks off at Christmas to go skiing etc. It makes me remember how great Europe is and how much they value your life and enjoyment.
Am I losing the plot here? Would maybe taking a week off work help? Would visiting the UK again for a week help me remember why I left? This county is Home of the brave....brave enough to be a slave...a slave to work.
I have to give here more time and hopefully find a job with 10 days holiday (ooooh big friggin deal
) and see what happens. Anyone else stuck in the US and feel like this? How does one get over it? Or maybe never?
Aug 15th 2008, 6:16 am
#24
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 13,111
Re: I'm so tired of living in 'Home of the slave'
...
I know several contractors who make great rates, and choose to take months off at a time; I choose to go for a salaried position because I don't want to have to deal with many of the issues associated with contracting. I happen to love my job, and find it hard to leave the office every day - there's just so much to do, and I want to get as much of it done as I can, purely for personal satisfaction.
When I worked in England, everyone sat around complaining all day, and there was more focus placed on when you arrived, and how many phone calls you made. I seem to recall a regular habit of going to the pub at lunchtime, too - what a great productivity enhancer that was! If there is ONE reason above all others that makes me happy to be here, it is the work environment.
Aug 15th 2008, 7:54 am
#25
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: 42nd St Manhattan
Posts: 181
Re: I'm so tired of living in 'Home of the slave'
I've managed to negotiate with my employer for them to honour my UK holiday allowance over and above the 10 national holidays in the US so I get those 10 plus 26 days.
Result!
Daz
Result!
Daz
Aug 15th 2008, 8:10 am
#26
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2007
Location: Irvine California
Posts: 257
Re: I'm so tired of living in 'Home of the slave'
I am in a similar situation, i am just negotiating my move to the US via L1B my employer has already stated that i will retain my 25.5 days holiday a year plus bank holidays etc and that was without me asking
Aug 15th 2008, 8:22 am
#27
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: 42nd St Manhattan
Posts: 181
Re: I'm so tired of living in 'Home of the slave'
What else have you asked for? Flights home to see family, continuation of the same contract t&C's i.e. notice period, accomodation for 3 months etc?
Daz
Aug 15th 2008, 8:34 am
#28
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2007
Location: Irvine California
Posts: 257
Re: I'm so tired of living in 'Home of the slave'
Steve
Aug 15th 2008, 9:46 am
#30
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2007
Location: Irvine California
Posts: 257
Re: I'm so tired of living in 'Home of the slave'