hammersmith_cockney

Hello everyone! I have spent nearly 3 years in the USA, and having established myself here, have come to the conclusion that the USA is no better off than the UK.

The only thing that is cheaper in USA is gasoline/petrol. Currently its $ 2.59 a gallon and rising. I work too many hours for a large DIY company and the pay is measly at $ 9.50 ph. People of England beware! You have no Easter breaks, no Christmas breaks and no New Year Breaks. Be Warned. You have to work a full year before even being entitled to a week off.

Health Insurance is a rip-off and quite frankly, I wish I'd never come to America. Food is quite expensive here. Please , please do your homework before coming to the USA. I will not be taking permanent residency here or becoming a US citizen. Don't get me wrong, America is a beautiful place and the people here are just lovely. Its just too much of a culture shock.

Before anyone asks, I have lived all over the world as a child and the USA is just too "in your face" and bombastic with flag waving.

scrubbedexpat099

How have you been working for the last 3 years if you are not a PR?

Elvira

Let me guess - H1b?

L1?

+ a few other possibilities...

fatbrit

@ 9.50/hr! I think not

Elvira

Note to self: re-read OP before replying.

I guess he's a former K1 or K3 whose still stuck in AOS?

scrubbedexpat099

Give it time.

scrubbedexpat099

3 Years?

ian-mstm

Hmm... Easter, Christmas and New Years are all federal holidays. Other people get them, so let's not make a fuss just because you don't.


Umm... no, that's not necessarily true. I accrue vacation pay at a rate of 1.5 days per month... so I got a week off after fewer than 5 months. You must work for a shitty company... doesn't mean the rest of us do!


Don't let the door hit you on the arse on your way out!

Ian

hammersmith_cockney

I became a PR with conditional status upon marriage, and two years later, life isn't as rosy and the grass certainly isn't greener.

I am rather perturbed by senior citizens who HAVE to work, sometimes past 75 years of age, because Social Security cannot make up the difference.

As for the recent replies, everyone that comes to the USA, look at it with open eyes and not rose tinted ones.

Elvira

Ever the diplomat... :curse:

scrubbedexpat099

I would agree, by the very nature of these boards you only tend to hear the positives.

Many people here are on Work Visa's that imply a higher standard of living.

Bob

Holidays, that's a whole big mess, and your lucky, not everyone gets holidays straight up, I started with 21 days from day one, but I know I'm lucky...the missus at her last place got sod all for a year, then it was 10 days, which included sick days and a public holiday...yeah, it was a crap job, but also with a major credit card issuing bank.

It is certainly a case of the haves and have nots, and it's crap when you don't have it.

hammersmith_cockney

I agree with the fact that the Americans work way too hard and work way too long.

I'm full of admiration for my fellow American workers and its a case of big business dictating the pace of work/life balance.

My biggest shock was working Easter Sunday , thats unheard of in UK.

My only hope that the US Government lifts the minimum wage even further past $ 7.25 and gives EVERYONE in USA,a minimum 4 weks off a year.

Thanks !

Ray

Sfunny ...I found out all this before I arrived 10 years ago ...
Perhaps your only worth under $10 an hour ...
sounds like the wife dumped you for whining all the time ..

Elvira

ts ts........ so today is not one of them "let's be nice to newbies" days then?