Bad times in Texas
May 26th 2009, 4:13 pm
#47
Account Closed
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 52
Re: Bad times in Texas
in the USA you NEED a car.
in Europe you don't NEED a car.
however, his visa and the price of bread is irrelevent.
This thread touches a nerve with me as yesterday this post
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...0&postcount=49
keep all negative thoughts to yourself.
the fact is in the USA if you fall on your arse, it's hard to stand up again.
and this thread is just as worthy it's place on the board as any.
Life can and is a struggle in the USA for the underclasses. Some of us didn't work for a multinational. Some of us don't have degree's, Some of us didn't get lush relocation packages.......
but we do want to earn a decent living and eat a steak now and again just as much as the next person. And while some of us make it, some of us don't. The USA is no different........ Life is a struggle sometimes. and if the OP felt he had no alternative but to return home, he should be applauded for it.......... loads of people have returned home...... and most of them did it because they felt America wasn't all it was cracked up to be.
in Europe you don't NEED a car.
however, his visa and the price of bread is irrelevent.
This thread touches a nerve with me as yesterday this post
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...0&postcount=49
keep all negative thoughts to yourself.
the fact is in the USA if you fall on your arse, it's hard to stand up again.
and this thread is just as worthy it's place on the board as any.
Life can and is a struggle in the USA for the underclasses. Some of us didn't work for a multinational. Some of us don't have degree's, Some of us didn't get lush relocation packages.......
but we do want to earn a decent living and eat a steak now and again just as much as the next person. And while some of us make it, some of us don't. The USA is no different........ Life is a struggle sometimes. and if the OP felt he had no alternative but to return home, he should be applauded for it.......... loads of people have returned home...... and most of them did it because they felt America wasn't all it was cracked up to be.
May 26th 2009, 4:16 pm
#50
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2009
Location: DFW, TX
Posts: 508
Re: Bad times in Texas
To answer your next question: because just about every other board for expats in the US is populated by people who are barely literate in their own language.
Also, I'm most certainly male. Ask my wife.
May 26th 2009, 4:19 pm
#53
WTF?
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: Homeostasis
Posts: 79,367
Re: Bad times in Texas
in the USA you NEED a car.
in Europe you don't NEED a car.
however, his visa and the price of bread is irrelevent.
This thread touches a nerve with me as yesterday this post
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...0&postcount=49
keep all negative thoughts to yourself.
the fact is in the USA if you fall on your arse, it's hard to stand up again.
and this thread is just as worthy it's place on the board as any.
Life can and is a struggle in the USA for the underclasses. Some of us didn't work for a multinational. Some of us don't have degree's, Some of us didn't get lush relocation packages.......
but we do want to earn a decent living and eat a steak now and again just as much as the next person. And while some of us make it, some of us don't. The USA is no different........ Life is a struggle sometimes. and if the OP felt he had no alternative but to return home, he should be applauded for it.......... loads of people have returned home...... and most of them did it because they felt America wasn't all it was cracked up to be.
in Europe you don't NEED a car.
however, his visa and the price of bread is irrelevent.
This thread touches a nerve with me as yesterday this post
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...0&postcount=49
keep all negative thoughts to yourself.
the fact is in the USA if you fall on your arse, it's hard to stand up again.
and this thread is just as worthy it's place on the board as any.
Life can and is a struggle in the USA for the underclasses. Some of us didn't work for a multinational. Some of us don't have degree's, Some of us didn't get lush relocation packages.......
but we do want to earn a decent living and eat a steak now and again just as much as the next person. And while some of us make it, some of us don't. The USA is no different........ Life is a struggle sometimes. and if the OP felt he had no alternative but to return home, he should be applauded for it.......... loads of people have returned home...... and most of them did it because they felt America wasn't all it was cracked up to be.
I think that's a good way to say it. It isn't an easy life here specially if you're comparing it to another Western country. It's all relative though. Immigrants from third world countries may see it differently and they quite often do. It's definitely not for the faint of heart.
May 26th 2009, 4:39 pm
#56
Account Closed
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 52
Re: Bad times in Texas
It was a "wake up and smell the coffee" moment for me.
If there was a safety net in the US, it would be different, but for GC holders, there is no such thing until the 5 year period is up.
May 26th 2009, 4:43 pm
#57
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,020
Re: Bad times in Texas
Its finding myself jobless then homeless, I hope it doesn't happen to anyone else, most of all, fellow Brits.
It was a "wake up and smell the coffee" moment for me.
If there was a safety net in the US, it would be different, but for GC holders, there is no such thing until the 5 year period is up.
It was a "wake up and smell the coffee" moment for me.
If there was a safety net in the US, it would be different, but for GC holders, there is no such thing until the 5 year period is up.
May 26th 2009, 4:44 pm
#58
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 35,082
Re: Bad times in Texas
Its finding myself jobless then homeless, I hope it doesn't happen to anyone else, most of all, fellow Brits.
It was a "wake up and smell the coffee" moment for me.
If there was a safety net in the US, it would be different, but for GC holders, there is no such thing until the 5 year period is up.
It was a "wake up and smell the coffee" moment for me.
If there was a safety net in the US, it would be different, but for GC holders, there is no such thing until the 5 year period is up.
All water underneath now, and I'm not trying to make you feel bad, but you can't exactly blame the US. Sometimes crappy things just happen.
What name did you used to post under here? You can PM me if you'd rather not say here.
I have an old pal from this group who took an entry level job at Walmart when he first arrived; that is what was available. I just had a nice message from him about the success of his own business he's set up in the past few years.
May 26th 2009, 4:45 pm
#59
L2, GC, Surrey, OH, TX!
Joined: Aug 2007
Location: Surrey to Dallas (via Ohio)!
Posts: 6,363
Re: Bad times in Texas
I want to warn people who are considering moving to Texas, before you go, please do your homework.
I have spent the last 5 years there and have finally admitted defeat and returned to UK.
Make sure you have plenty of available funds and be prepared in case of job losses, because Texas has "hire n fire at will" I worked for Home Depot and Wal-Mart and the salary was quite poor ($10 per hour). I didn't have a college degree and this is the route most Americans take to avoid these jobs.
Food prices are roughly twice what they are in UK, and believe me, they are.
$4.99 for a pineapple and $25 for a few steaks is quite expensive.
Getting adequate healthcare is a nightmare, you cannot afford to be sick here at all. Medical costs can bankrupt you here very quickly, my fiancee was in hospital 4 days with breathing difficulties with asthma and the bill came to $6000. There is no way anyone can afford to pay that.
You have to work a FULL year before getting ONE day off, compared with 5 weeks holiday time in UK. Not easy to work through Easter and Christmas without a break.
Jobs, if you are lucky to find one, are not around the corner, I had to do 100 miles trip a day to work and that cuts into anyones budget.
Remember, Immigrants cannot claim welfare or Medicare for 5 years, and if you become homeless and jobless like we did, its "tough luck, buddy"
and if you think of retiring on a decent income here, you haven't a cat in hells chance, because the Americans have been paying in the Social Security from 16, and if you are 40 something, you will be working well into your late 70's and 80's just like my friends at Wal-Mart, where the greeters were all over 75.
America? No, thank you. I made the right decision and came home to UK.
I have spent the last 5 years there and have finally admitted defeat and returned to UK.
Make sure you have plenty of available funds and be prepared in case of job losses, because Texas has "hire n fire at will" I worked for Home Depot and Wal-Mart and the salary was quite poor ($10 per hour). I didn't have a college degree and this is the route most Americans take to avoid these jobs.
Food prices are roughly twice what they are in UK, and believe me, they are.
$4.99 for a pineapple and $25 for a few steaks is quite expensive.
Getting adequate healthcare is a nightmare, you cannot afford to be sick here at all. Medical costs can bankrupt you here very quickly, my fiancee was in hospital 4 days with breathing difficulties with asthma and the bill came to $6000. There is no way anyone can afford to pay that.
You have to work a FULL year before getting ONE day off, compared with 5 weeks holiday time in UK. Not easy to work through Easter and Christmas without a break.
Jobs, if you are lucky to find one, are not around the corner, I had to do 100 miles trip a day to work and that cuts into anyones budget.
Remember, Immigrants cannot claim welfare or Medicare for 5 years, and if you become homeless and jobless like we did, its "tough luck, buddy"
and if you think of retiring on a decent income here, you haven't a cat in hells chance, because the Americans have been paying in the Social Security from 16, and if you are 40 something, you will be working well into your late 70's and 80's just like my friends at Wal-Mart, where the greeters were all over 75.
America? No, thank you. I made the right decision and came home to UK.
The main thing wrong with this post is the fact it picks on Texas - when what you say applies to a lot more states than Texas.
and regarding working a year to get time off - some comapnies in the UK are the same - like Marks and Spencer. You accrue holiday in arrears there - so have to work a year to get holiday entitlement the next year (although its likely more generaous entitlement anyway). At least this was true the two times i worked for them.
May 26th 2009, 5:05 pm
#60
WTF?
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: Homeostasis
Posts: 79,367
Re: Bad times in Texas
I think that people (both those who are successful here and those who are not) need to get it through their heads once and for all ...
THERE IS NO SOCIAL SAFETY NET IN THE STATES. PERIOD.
Nobody ever said there was one. No immigrant was ever promised one. No American was ever promised one. It does not exist.
THERE IS NO SOCIAL SAFETY NET IN THE STATES. PERIOD.
Nobody ever said there was one. No immigrant was ever promised one. No American was ever promised one. It does not exist.