AtlantaJohn

Trust me I will be holidaying in the UK sans girlfriend. Last thing I need is to go through the "tower of london, british museum, stone henge, and meet the parents" yet again...................................

Dan725

Well, shoot! As they say, maybe I need to go and do a law degree! Not only do you then get to rip everyone off, you get to have loads of time off while doing it!

Sounds like things are better in Georgia, however, for 99% of the US, shite vacation is the way, and it doesnt matter if you are a highly skilled professional either.

Triumphrob

Depends like anywhere. My last full time job was at the GA Aquarium (Contract AV co). I had to work 70 - 80 hours a week, 1 hour drive each way, 1 week vacation and average benefits. Day off was usually during the week. That lasted 3 months and I have been replaced 3 times since!!!! Sometimes you wonder if employers ever learn?
Rob

snowbunny

Interesting. These same companies are also lobbying for more H-1B workers and offshoring more work than ever. I'm in a field that Tech would cater to (computer engineering) and I don't see massive rises in holiday time. I've seen the few sabbatical programmes that existed when I was younger, all gone now, and the unspoken mentality that if you don't work long and hard, you'll be replaced with someone who will.

Also, given that the majority of grad students are not American, the longer holiday is often granted so that they can occasionally return to their home country for a visit. Past those return visits home, I don't see lots of people with holiday time to spare to go on long holidays.

AtlantaJohn

Rob are you a contractor in Atlanta or fulltime employee? The market is really crazy here right now. Wages are all over the place for the same postions. A lot of agencies (Matric etc) trying to lowball and take 60%. I have seen CCIE contract jobs being offered at $40 an hour on Monster and then we have companies directly offering CCIE type students 80-100 an hour to do the same work. Shows you how much the middle men are making. We have had offers for grads doing basically the same job and title sometimes close to double from one company to the next. Lots of decent consultant type postions are being offered again. I think the market has got much stronger recently.

AtlantaJohn

I would say the Atlanta job market is better than Florida in general but have had people tell me Tampa is really taking off in high tech?

Triumphrob

I'm "Now" a contractor, or freelancer, and much happier now than when i was full time. Maybe make $15 - 20k less than being full time, but less stress, and right now I'm finishing of 3 weeks off before going to Orlando tomorrow for Microsoft's convention. and so it goes on.
Most of the tech jobs in the convention industry are word of mouth, or by reputation, although there are a couple of small agencies. Nothing for this sector on Monster etc.
Seems its the same in England, I put my CV out and got a few bites, but found out since through another Brit who moved here, better money is to be had once your "in"
Rob

Lizzi

Next month but hubby's staying on for abit longer. Wish we could sell the house though!

Lizzi

I think it may have been more fun if we'd moved to say DC, but who knows? In the UK I was in a tiny village for just 18 months before moving here. We had about 100 people to our farewell bash. A friend of mine wants us to have a leaving party when we go from here, but frankly we wouldn't have many more than about 10 people to invite! I'm sure it works for other people and they have a grand old time here, but socially for us it's mainly been just the 5 of us and we're all badly in need of other people and other peoples' lives tbh.

AtlantaJohn

Being "in" is exactly right both here and in the UK. You have to try and go direct if possible.

Hilda Ogden

I am glad you have some folks to discuss this with now instead of bothering my head with it all the time you twiglet!

he he he

Hilda Ogden

That has got to be the toughest thing for you, with the children and their dad. We grew up in England with a dad in the US (he wouldn't have been much cop anyway but as a kid you dream!). I am now in a bit of a situation as I have a Brit son who lives here with me and has his dad back in the UK and a US daughter here. I still live with her dad but often wonder what I would do if I didn't and had a mad urge to go home to the UK (no stirrings yet).

Long story short too late, if you really want to come back to the US, you should, but guilt is the biggest force of motherhood and you should do it for you, happy mum makes happy kids an all that.

That rambling said, I really do love it over here, my true Brit son is missing the US already as he is spending the long hols over there with his dad.

I grew up on a council estate and lived on one with my son, just feel that I (personally) can offer a much better standard of living over here for my kids - thankfully we have really good benefits or else not so much.

(I'm new to this so forgive my blethering).

Hilda Ogden

I just read this, and I know I would feel the same in your position which is why I did not let any pangs at the beginning of my move send me to rash decisions. I say come back over here! Also, you should tell that Hayley to stay put!

(I am Hayley's sister by the by).

Hilda Ogden

Sup?

Adam7

Hi,

I've been lurking here a few days and wanted to chime in. I'm a Londoner and my wife's American, we lived in the UK for a few years then married and moved to SF just over 3 years ago. I got tired of England (all the usual complaints) and jumped at the opportunity to move here as I've always loved visiting.

But after three years, I'm still not settled. We're both young (late 20s) with no kids, but I miss my friends and the social life I had back home. California is very beautiful, but it can be a little boring day-to-day. I also have a lot of the same complaints as above - feeling like a performing seal (!), American parochialism, terrible healthcare and a disagreeable work culture. To be honest, I wanted a bit of a break from my family but now I do miss them. I've had some great visits back to London, but of course I realize that they have essentially been holidays, no horrible commutes and endless days without sunshine. Like others here, I had hoped that moving would give me more freedom but I feel hemmed in and cut off. I miss the rush and the feeling of being immersed in a big city like London.

I also miss having more than two seasons (NEVER thought I'd say this!) and feel pretty alienated by US people and culture. For the first year or so, I tried to fit in but found it very hard. I've never been patriotic, but have grown proud of where I am from and often have to resist the urge to defend and talk up my homeland to Americans, for fear of seeming like a snob. I have come to accept that I am no longer making any effort to "become" more American in order to feel at home here. I will always be British and don't want it any other way.

So obviously I am giving some thought to moving back, but I have yet to discuss it with my wife. Her family are all in the Midwest and we see them once a year, as we do mine. She is happy here but also enjoyed living in London. I have mentioned on a few occasions that I am homesick but we have not talked about it at length. To make things more complicated, we are due to move to LA next year as I am going to graduate school. I am hoping that this change may warm me up to living here, as I am excited about that prospect. Though long-term (i.e. after I graduate), I do not feel like I want a life here. We don't have much in the way of money for any potential move but then we don't have many possessions either! I also think that when we eventually have kids, I would like them to grow up in the UK.

So I guess this was't really a question, but I have found this forum to be very thought-provoking and helpful. I'll keep checking in, and good luck to everyone!