Moving to America despite hating it
Aug 29th 2014, 1:56 am
#46
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Re: Moving to America despite hating it
Also, regarding work, I think NY is one of a couple states that will allow you to take the bar exam without having had to study here. Wouldn't be easy, obviously, but there is potential if you had niche skills/knowledge to get in on a large firm who might have UK dealings. Just something to consider.
Aug 29th 2014, 2:27 am
#47
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Re: Moving to America despite hating it
Your mind sounds pretty made up based on very little evidence of what life is actually like here, and as someone else already said you're probably not going to enjoy the US if you have a closed mind.
Plenty of people on here who love the US also love Europe, and feel very European. It's possible to do both, but I think you've already decided it isn't.
Plenty of people on here who love the US also love Europe, and feel very European. It's possible to do both, but I think you've already decided it isn't.
Aug 29th 2014, 2:28 am
#48
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Re: Moving to America despite hating it
And BTW I love living in the US (well, the bit I live in) and I loathe Disney.
Aug 29th 2014, 3:16 am
#49
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Re: Moving to America despite hating it
Was thinking of moving to the East Coast to be closer to the UK and Europe. And to get away from the crazy CA gubmint.
(After we spend two years by the beach in Orange County first.)
Would you recommend Maine?
(After we spend two years by the beach in Orange County first.)
Would you recommend Maine?
Aug 29th 2014, 3:19 am
#50
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Re: Moving to America despite hating it
You talked about Newtown, and it's since then that I've wanted to leave the US. Why? Because of the reaction of so many Americans to the shooting of so many small children. The reaction wasn't "this is terrible, we need less guns here in the US", it was "the Government is going to take away my right to own an assault rifle so I need to go out and buy one now while I can".
Aug 29th 2014, 3:36 am
#51
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Re: Moving to America despite hating it
To the OP ..... I think if you come with an open mind and ready to give life in the US a go, you may well find that it's not too bad after all. In my opinion it's people that make a country. You obviously don't have a problem getting along with Americans as you've married one. Me, I've been here 14 years, came over full of hope and excitement looking forward to enjoying all that the US had to offer, only to find that I couldn't get along with the people. Try as I might to fit in I just couldn't, so now I can't wait to move back to the UK and back to the many friends I left behind. Good luck to you 
Aug 29th 2014, 3:50 am
#52
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Re: Moving to America despite hating it
I'm with you on several of those things, and I've been living here 15 years or so. I'd like to move back to the UK for a few reasons, two of which are the health care/insurance system here and also the gun culture. With regard to guns, it's not that I'm afraid of people shooting me - I never see guns being carried around and have only witnessed one shooting incident (although that's too much) despite being in a State that is very conservative and gun loving. You talked about Newtown, and it's since then that I've wanted to leave the US. Why? Because of the reaction of so many Americans to the shooting of so many small children. The reaction wasn't "this is terrible, we need less guns here in the US", it was "the Government is going to take away my right to own an assault rifle so I need to go out and buy one now while I can". So while I'm not exposed to guns on a daily basis, I don't like the idea of living in a country where that attitude exists.
The health care issue is a complicated one. Basically, if you're earning enough to afford great health insurance, or are given it by your employer, then its no big deal and you'll get great service from the medical professions. But if you have no insurance or even average insurance, you can expect to be out of pocket by thousands of dollars even for minor medical issues.
Having said that, if you do come to the US, I would just treat it as a big adventure. So many Europeans say that the US has no culture or history, which is complete BS. Firstly, it ignores thousands of years of Native American culture and history. Secondly, the contribution to the world by the US in terms of music, art, film, writing and so on is immense. And NYC would be about the best place in America to immerse yourself in those things. If you end up living here, just make sure you find some nice liberal friends that you can have some good moans to about the crazy right wing regressives. I was doing it this morning (in relation to the 9 year old and the uzi incident), and its good to blow off some steam. And with regard to travelling, there are some spectacular places to see in this country, and you're much closer to Central and South America and the Caribbean.
The health care issue is a complicated one. Basically, if you're earning enough to afford great health insurance, or are given it by your employer, then its no big deal and you'll get great service from the medical professions. But if you have no insurance or even average insurance, you can expect to be out of pocket by thousands of dollars even for minor medical issues.
Having said that, if you do come to the US, I would just treat it as a big adventure. So many Europeans say that the US has no culture or history, which is complete BS. Firstly, it ignores thousands of years of Native American culture and history. Secondly, the contribution to the world by the US in terms of music, art, film, writing and so on is immense. And NYC would be about the best place in America to immerse yourself in those things. If you end up living here, just make sure you find some nice liberal friends that you can have some good moans to about the crazy right wing regressives. I was doing it this morning (in relation to the 9 year old and the uzi incident), and its good to blow off some steam. And with regard to travelling, there are some spectacular places to see in this country, and you're much closer to Central and South America and the Caribbean.
Lower than very blue Oregon or Washington.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_violence_in_the_United_States_by_state
Aug 29th 2014, 3:56 am
#53
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Re: Moving to America despite hating it
Sounds like Canada is pretty easy to get a spouse into compared to the US and UK....
Aug 29th 2014, 6:25 am
#55
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Re: Moving to America despite hating it
Lots of interesting responses for the OP to consider.
I lived in London for 6 years before coming here, and adored it. I was then (and still am now) a liberal, and disliked US politics and - especially - US foreign policy. Reagan was president when I arrived - not someone I admired. I don't like guns and don't like the US attitude towards them. I don't like the healthcare system here (although I've always had fantastic coverage through work, and I strongly welcome 'Obamacare' and think it is a huge step in the right direction).
But I love it here and have recently passed the 30 year mark. Wild horses would not drag me back. I think I've been to Disneyland once, when family from UK visited with kids - an ok event but not exactly a highlight of living here.
You can jump on a plane and go to Europe cheaply and quickly, if you so desire - especially from NYC. But that's not where I would put my energies. This is a vast continent with many attractions. I'm west-coast-centric, and can't talk to the east-coast attractions specifically, but out west you have Yosemite, Grand Canyon, and more beautiful national parks in Utah alone than I can count. The US has had more history in the past few hundred years than Europe - man on the moon; exploration and development of the west; the gold rush; Martin Luther King; etc. And then there is technology ... is there a UK version of Google? eBay? Intel? Apple? Amazon? Tesla? Cisco? Oracle?
Most significantly, though, it comes down to the people and the work environments (for me). I have found the people here to be simply more enjoyable, and the work environments to be more challenging. Your enjoyment will come down to whether you enjoy the people or not. Hopefully your wife is a good start
Perhaps even more significantly, I wanted to come here, and it was my choice; I got a job offer in Silicon Valley and it was a dream come true. If you are a reluctant, drag-along spouse, the cards are stacked against you big time.
Interesting times ahead for you ...
I lived in London for 6 years before coming here, and adored it. I was then (and still am now) a liberal, and disliked US politics and - especially - US foreign policy. Reagan was president when I arrived - not someone I admired. I don't like guns and don't like the US attitude towards them. I don't like the healthcare system here (although I've always had fantastic coverage through work, and I strongly welcome 'Obamacare' and think it is a huge step in the right direction).
But I love it here and have recently passed the 30 year mark. Wild horses would not drag me back. I think I've been to Disneyland once, when family from UK visited with kids - an ok event but not exactly a highlight of living here.
You can jump on a plane and go to Europe cheaply and quickly, if you so desire - especially from NYC. But that's not where I would put my energies. This is a vast continent with many attractions. I'm west-coast-centric, and can't talk to the east-coast attractions specifically, but out west you have Yosemite, Grand Canyon, and more beautiful national parks in Utah alone than I can count. The US has had more history in the past few hundred years than Europe - man on the moon; exploration and development of the west; the gold rush; Martin Luther King; etc. And then there is technology ... is there a UK version of Google? eBay? Intel? Apple? Amazon? Tesla? Cisco? Oracle?
Most significantly, though, it comes down to the people and the work environments (for me). I have found the people here to be simply more enjoyable, and the work environments to be more challenging. Your enjoyment will come down to whether you enjoy the people or not. Hopefully your wife is a good start
Perhaps even more significantly, I wanted to come here, and it was my choice; I got a job offer in Silicon Valley and it was a dream come true. If you are a reluctant, drag-along spouse, the cards are stacked against you big time.
Interesting times ahead for you ...
Aug 29th 2014, 6:52 am
#56
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
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Re: Moving to America despite hating it
This is a ridiculous and even offensive thing to say. A small (very small) minority of gun nuts may had had this reaction but the overwhelming response was one of shock, horror, grief and seeking to help. If you couldn't see that, I suggest that you're blinded by your own prejudice.
Aug 29th 2014, 7:11 am
#57
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Re: Moving to America despite hating it
What surprises me more is that the debate about a total ban just never seems to come up. Nutmegger mentioned Dunblane - just look at how the UK reacted to that with widespread public support. Would something that sane ever happen in the US?
Aug 29th 2014, 7:19 am
#58
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Re: Moving to America despite hating it
Exactly. The size of the NRA lobby has real impact, just as the Irish-American lobby encouraged the US to grant political asylum to murderers during the Troubles.
What surprises me more is that the debate about a total ban just never seems to come up. Nutmegger mentioned Dunblane - just look at how the UK reacted to that with widespread public support. Would something that sane ever happen in the US?
What surprises me more is that the debate about a total ban just never seems to come up. Nutmegger mentioned Dunblane - just look at how the UK reacted to that with widespread public support. Would something that sane ever happen in the US?
Aug 29th 2014, 7:20 am
#59
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Re: Moving to America despite hating it
I wonder how most of you put up with so much stupid.
Aug 29th 2014, 7:28 am
#60
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Re: Moving to America despite hating it
True and I spent an enjoyable gap year backpacking around that region. Never been to the Caribbean except Cuba. Speaking of which.. how dumb is it that America effectively bans its own citizens from travelling there? That and the gun issue give further evidence of the sclerotic nature of US politics, ridiculously beholden to large lobbying groups.
I wonder how most of you put up with so much stupid.
I wonder how most of you put up with so much stupid.