Bluegrass Lass

I think telling someone to think long and hard about a move to the US is a very practical thing. If you've lived outside the US for a long time, then things have definitely changed. People are more divided now than ever before, and people on the Right are more extremist in their views than ever before.

jenninedinburgh

People will tell you similar about the UK - that things have really changed if you haven't been here in a while. The sad reality is, it's bad everywhere right now. As said, there's no utopia. Each person has to do what's right for themselves. I am definitely in agreement that it's a good idea to help those with rose coloured specs, but this OP seems to understand what he's in for, so my point was to tell him to follow his heart at the moment - as really that is what he will do regardless of what people say here. He in fact stated such.

Bomjeito

Yes, I know, and I specifically did not want to address visas but his American Dream, but at some point in the future, don't you think he'll want to find work? He'll still have to negotiate a package of benefits like any other PR/Citizen in the USA. I don't think he's coming to marry his sugar-mamma, but I'm just assuming.

ETA: I'm American by birth and still negotiate a month's paid leave a year or I don't take the position. Its not an expat privilege.

Bomjeito

Ha - 'Tis true. A born Texan will draw arms if considered "South." And probably shoot as well if considered "SW." They tend also to consider their role in the Confederate Army as helpmates, not true confederates. I think they thought if the South won the war, then maybe Texas could become their own country again.

ps: The Texas Civil War museum in Fort Worth is quite worth a stop to see.

fromthemanorborn

Not strictly true. There are plenty of instances where the war set brother against brother and secession from the Union was a far from unanimous decision.
Scott County, TN even went as far as to secede from the state (and so the Confederacy) after its populous voted overwhelmingly against leaving the Union. This resulted in the formation of the Free and Independent State of Scott. It's location on the border with KY made it a route out for the many loyalist East Tennesseans and eventually became a safe route in for General Burnside's army to take back Knoxville from the Confedrates.

Bomjeito

Bluegrass Lass, you have a good point here. I've been out of the US for almost 20 years, bar 3 years in the mid-2000s. The reason why I left again in 2008 was because things have changed so much.

Healthcare is more tricky to navigate and expensive. However, its some of the best I've seen worldwide. (Yes, I've been in NHS hospitals and treated in one.) One of the main reasons to take the move to Houston from Aberdeen was that we needed some medical assistance that NHS didn't offer and we didn't want to travel to London all the time for private pay assistance. So we are the lucky ones, we can afford the health system here in the USA - for now.

The atmosphere in the USA the past decade has been very politicized. (Is that a word?) Its become all about us vs. them, red vs. blue, rising taxes, cost of living rising faster than inflation, poor savings incentives, banking issues, etc. etc. It seems like nothing is easy anymore, then either a state or federal government changes everything again.

Add that to the urban problems, recession, poverty and a seeming general state of lessening manners (a general observation.)

Now I live in a huge city so I have to deal with this every day. I miss stomping around the green of Scotland (okay, with wellies and a weatherproof) but there isn't the honk of a horn or someone yelling at someone else. Here, we fly up to New England and calm down again. However the job situation in the USA is not geared toward small town living in idyllic settings so we are here in Houston.

If the OP and his fiance have a shared requirement for a liberal or left-leaning community, then they can find many all over the USA. And I'm assuming they need to work (her or him or both) so that too can be factored in on where to move. So to the OP: its an opportunity! Take it, try it, and work with it with sincere desire to make something work.

The big thing is: have you discussed all this with your fiance and what they are willing to do/sacrifice if you don't find your American Dream and want to move back to the UK? Is she willing to relocate to the UK?

Just thoughts. Any country is what you make of it. People look at me like I'm insane when I say that one of the best places that I've lived long term was Pakistan. So go figure. Its all what YOU make of the place.

Bluegrass Lass

Oh, I agree. The same advice to think long and hard about relocating applies to just about any country. Each country has its good and bad, and it's a good thing to know, ahead of time, those differences in order to take some of that rosiness away to know what you are getting yourself into. By all means he should follow his heart, that's what my hubby did when he joined me here over 8years ago, and that's what I'm doing now going back to Scotland. He should just be aware of the upcoming culture shock.

HumphreyC

Interesting. That would be well down my list of places to live. What were the pluses ?

Bob

Cost of living, the food, the scenery...well according to a couple of mates that have moved out there, well one just moved over to India after a couple of years.

They both went out there to set up companies in software development and found loads of help available and are loving it.

Neither have any family type ties to the regions.