simongb

I have lived in the US since 1992. I think you should go to OZ (never been, but would love to go and visit!). Lots of stress here. People are concerned with money, work and status. Relationships tend to be based on 'what you can do for me' and people are very clicky. It sounds like Australia is very friendly and the people are welcoming. You mentioned that you would be living in the Carolinas in the US. That would be a big culture shock for you. Not all of the US is New York. The advantage to living in the US is that you can make a lot of money and have a lot of opportunity here. That's it. Most foreigners I know come here, make money, and go back to their homelands (as I will do soon).

Centurion

Well Australia for me. If I had wanted to live in the USA I would be there instead ? Does that sound a bit obvious.

The USA is a nice place I'm sure - 295 million of the most xenophobic people in the world with a constitutional right to carry guns cant be wrong...

renth

Definitely Australia. I like my leisure, I get 4 weeks off a year, can increase that to 10 if I want to not be paid for 6 of them.

I get 13 weeks long service leave in 7 years time. I can choose from the following if I want:

1. completing 4 years service paid at 80% of salary to obtain one year's leave also paid at 80% of salary
2. completing 4½ years service paid at 90% of salary followed by six month’s leave paid at 90% of salary.
3. completing 2 years service paid at 80% of salary followed by six months’ leave paid at 80% of salary

In America I'd get 5 days a year off and be made to feel guilty for taking it.

Eskimo

its not obvious - how would you get a visa to live in the US ?

renth

Just come across the Mexican border, like everyone else does mate!

Eskimo

LOL aint that the truth -but then who would do my garden ?

spalen

no -that was my point - they are in Usa (if you accept what papers say ;-) ).

For all the moaning that people do about schooling here in Australia etc - I went back to the USA for work (frequently) over last 9mths since arriving here - and each time I just feel a hell of a lot safer when I get back to Aus and I did think 'jeez - people complain that aussie schools are rubbish (in my view they arent) but at least the kids dont walk through a metal detector on the way in'.

Having said that - I am sure that however hundreds of millions of american kids love their schools as much as the few million of aussie kids do.

There are tons of threads on here where people say the aussie schools are backwards , but then lots of others where people say the school is great , and lots of others where their kids are 'best in class' etc... So its more down to which specific school - which child - and what parental support you give.

Tiawamutu

Well this is the Australia forum, so I would think most people would want to live in OZ

tical

In the US .. Weather does not matter as you can choose where you want to live
Pros
you make tons of dough.
pay low taxes ..
enjoy a live free or die attitude...not to mention cheap gas(petrol) and everything else

Cons
Work like a dog..
No timeoff ever...
Mc Everything....

Australia..
Pros
Lots of time off
Laid back attitude
Cheap petrol
Great place to raise a little one
10-15 years behind US

Cons
No money ....
Crap TV
10-15 years behind US but catching up fast
Small population so everything is expensive.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...oto=nextnewest

BadgeIsBack

Australia is *much* more like the UK than the US even though it mimics some Yank aspects, more in the way it looks. It is not the UK of course(!)

I only have to catch Opra Winfrey, like just now - to realise that Australians very much have their feet on the ground and that they are still very 'Anglo' - despite what people say about the humour being different -this I disagree with.

Aussie for me, although I could live in San Francisco or Boston and enoy the US for a year or two.

Lord Pom Percy

The crime rate is 4 times lower in OZ then the USA.

OZ is the about the same size as the USA with a population of 20 million compared to 250 million so far less crowded, conjested ,polluted.

drive on left hand side of road in OZ.

Lower wages in OZ but houses cheaper.

Centurion

One of my vocational qualifications would allow for employment sponsorship which I have turned down in the past as I have no desire to live in the US.

Eskimo

you're a nurse then ?

andrew63

We made that choice and US had advantages over careers and income but our prime reason for emigrating was a better life for our kids and that didn't include the possibility of them being shot at school so Australia won.
Simple really.

Andrew

Wol

We now live in Oz but had homes in the US for some 12 years. The only reason we didn't stay there is that there was no way to get a permanent visa.

Our experience is that houses are much cheaper in the USA - like for like. Groceries likewise - no comparison. Taxes are far higher in Oz, except local taxes (ie. rates) which were horrendous in the States.

The general cost of things is much lower in the USA, and there is far better choice - almost too much. In may ways Oz is a third world country whose inhabitants live in the fond belief that it's first world - but compare service, availability, choice, delivery of things, etc and there's no comparison. Think the UK of the seventies, Red Robbo et al and you have the picture.

And certainly where we were in the States, the crime was almost non-existent whereas in many parts of Oz the violent crime and vandalism is totally out of control. (Quote Manly Mayor Peter McDonald direct to me)

The Les Patterson syndrome is very alive and well here!

Don't think that we are going back to the UK - we're quite happy here. But it is as well to understand what you're letting yourself in for before jumping!