Hayley

I would put you in the considering category

gardnma

..and me.

AtlantaJohn

Bromley girl.
Probably in about a month, although I ended up there about 18 months. I was very lucky to find another good job back in the US who paid relo back!!!
I had exactly the same experience with friends. I see more friends fly over here than I did back in the UK. I also found the UK more money orientated than the US. All anyone talked about was how much their house was worth or what year their car was.

Triumph Rob thanks for the invite, I am living right downtown by centenial park and haven't been to Roswell yet. I must say I love the condo I am renting and the fact I can walk everywhere, great local pubs and bars. Soccer even seems to be popular with the Americans I work with and I never realized Atlanta was so cosmopolitan very different to North Carolina.

I have read all the way back through this thread and agree with the post about the UK being a great place to visit for holiday or live if you are stinking rich.Otherwise if people really miss family or friends they may be better off living in Northern France and using the Euro Tunnel. Thats if the illegal immigrants will give up a seat (sorry couldn't resist). Seriously though France is an option as it has better schools, health service and way cheaper housing, may be worth considering if your family are in the SE.

Lizzi

Well, we've been in the US 4.5 years and are heading back very soon. It helps that we are all Brits, so there's no pull away from family that those leaving their home country might have.
I'm glad we're going back, I have no last minute jeebies, and I am aware of all the negatives in the UK. However save for some great travelling opportunities our time here has been so darn dull and boring that no amount of $$ can make up for getting a life.

Triumphrob

Agreed!!!!!!!!! Good luck.

bromleygirl

Yes, it will be 2 years next month that we would have made the move back. I think I started to have regrets probably around last summer as I had given up so much and then it was Christmas when I started to consider moving back.
I havn't read my old posts no but that's an interetsing thought though to go back and read them and see how much I opinions have changed in the last 2-3 years.

Always21

When do you leave?

AtlantaJohn

I have a question for all the people who find the US so boring. Is it becuase of where you live in the US or other reasons. I think there are only 4 or 5 areas that in hindsight I would live in again over here. Before I lived in the suburbs in NC I hated things, now in the city (Atlanta) I am really having a good time and meeting a whole new group/type of people. Isn't this similar to where you locate in the UK or is the UK much better becasue everything is so close?

I myself would find it very boring to have a job with little holiday time in the US as it takes so much longer and cost so much more to fly somewhere interesting.

As a matter of interest how often each year are you flying back to the UK on visits?

Having a job with 3 months a year off makes the US great as I can travel the rest of the time. Kinda like living in Milton Keynes and getting away three months of the year!

Dan725

What do you do that gets you three months off a year? And you are right about the standard 2 weeker in the US - it's very frustrating. How often do I get back the UK for a visit? Never, is the answer. Been here 2 years this time around, not been back, and do not envisage going back for the foreseeable future. It is only after you've been here a while you realise the true reason most Americans do not have passports, and its not to do with them being inward looking (well, not all of it anyway.... ), it's because they get no time off.

AtlantaJohn

I am teacher at Georgia Tech so vacations are great. Still I do know lots of US companies that do give 4 or 5 weeks holiday in certain industries (law, consulting, multinationals etc). When I lived here before I used to go back on holiday at least twice a year, generally for Xmas and in the summer. I have a few other British friends do the same , seems the big issue to most is proximity to airport and cheap flights. There is a massive variation.

Sometimes it may be easier just to look for a more flexible job/career in the US. As other posters have said if you do it right you can make and save so much more money that you can afford to either visit the UK a lot or fly family over. Also as I am sure you are aware certain states are "right to work" and have less benefits. As I mentioned before where I am now all my American friends have spent substancial time abroad and are very cosmopolitan. It was different in NC but still not that bad as I was in Chapel Hill, the rest of the state may have been different.

Dan725

I am certainly aware of the nonsensical right to work states, as I live in one. I'm not entirely sure what it means, right to work. Right to quit is the way I look at it, i.e, the minute I find a better job, I'm offski, and I won't be putting in or giving any notice either, I'll just say cheers, send me my check! (You might tell I don't like my current job, which doesnt help, and they are big drum bangers of "Right to work", so I'll be giving them a bit of right back atcha when I go )

As for your lawyers getting 4-6 weeks off, in the UK maybe, but over here it is a well publicised fact that they really put in some serious hours. As regards multinational companies, it is also well publisiced that they follow different rules here (because they can get away with it) than they do in their home country. An example of which is British Airways - employed by them in the UK, you get get leave package. Employed by them here, you get shafted as is the American way.

AtlantaJohn

I see pros and cons to the right to work thing but am impartial. Pro is a company are much more likely to take a risk and hire you and give you a chance. Also more likely to invest in expansion. Con is you are history if you don't work out without any serverance, unemployment benefit is good here though. Your job stability is your skill set. Works well if you are in an indemand career. Not so well if not. I guess the answer is personal development. Here where I work all the students learn this very quickly.

Hate to disagree but my present girlfriend gets 10 weeks off at a big law firm (she has been there a long time) they have 5 weeks to start. Yes you are right though that while working she has to put in tons of billiable hours which includes some weekends. At Georgia Tech we have a lot of companies always pitching careers to graduate students. Lots offer 4 weeks to start. No one would be competitive offering 2 weeks these days. I see a fundermental shift in attitutes with US students, they are demanding a better work life balance and getting it. These companies include Microsoft, ISS, Deloitte, PWC, Seimens, Dimension Data, IBM etc. If a company really wants you they will give you more vacation. I do also accept the fact that I work in an ivory tower

Cape Blue

I like the "present girlfriend" Atlanta, always look on the bright side of life and all that

AtlantaJohn

Well its only been 6 weeks

Cape Blue

More like a holiday romance then - well certainly judging by her 10 week entitlement and your 3 month