Hotscot

I was quite happy living in Scotland until my job moved to California so I moved with it.
I've mostly enjoyed being here and certainly made far more money than I would have in the UK but after 12 years ready to move home to enjoy the UK and Europe before we get too old. I miss the pubs, walks, restaurants, music venues etc..

I really have enjoyed all the travel over here, especially driving in the deserts, Death Valley, Nevada etc because it's so different from back home.
Also obtained citizenship so whatever's in the future at least there's plenty choice of where to live. The idea is to go back for long enough so that at least my American wife will obtain her UK citizenship.

If you measure quality of life by how content and happy you are, I've not felt that much difference between California and the UK. Different yes but not particularly better.

Chrisdc

I think that is the key to success....

Exactly how I felt before I came here too! I was pleasantly surprised. Possibly because I was lucky to find some great, worldly American friends when I first moved here.

GeoffM

Kind of where most of the jobs are though!

MarkCowan

Having being very lucky and worked and lived in various countries over the last 20 years and worked throughout many states in the USA, I would only ever live where I am presently and will be forever.

Coming from Scotland originally, the weather is a huge factor difference for me - putting a smile and a skip into your day when the sun shines 95% of every morning. Having the beach within a short bike ride and the snow mountains within a couple of hours compares to nothing else I have experienced.

Wanting to be part and having/building a community of great friends Brits and Americans and also playing a sport that bonds you every weekend with family and friends is what keeps you happy and grounded in the place you live. If you want to be a sour puss and complain about your job, living in america and your only doing it for you hubby or wife and etc etc etc etc - then dont complain at all.
You will never be happy and most likely you will never be happy no matter where you live.

Negative people belong in the crappiest of countries with the crappiest of weather and economy - there you can thrive on the negative outlook that greats you with the chirping of the birds on your fine drookit morning!!!!! Rant over.

I love my country of birth and will never forget my roots, I love my life and where I live now, I embraced it with head and heart, all or nothing. You get exactly what you put into life.

Bink

Oi! Don't forget about us Houstonians!!!

FlyingDutchman6666

Let's not forget the people who just want to *visit* the US for a holiday, but can't for one reason or another. The amount of inconvenience some subject themselves to in order to be able to visit the States is, frankly, astounding. Waivers, travels to & interviews in unfriendly embassies, police checks, letters of recommendation, etc. etc.

Why not just go to Disneyland Paris instead of Florida? Or the Caribbean if it's heat & sunshine you're after? Amazing...

Michael

IMO, currently the US is a dream more for people from third world countries than for people from developed countries. In the US, no matter what third world country you may be from, there is always a community in the US with people like you (as an example. Fremont CA has a very large Afghan community and Minneapolis MN has a very large Cambodian and Somolian community).

However what had surprised me was that when I worked at a Japanese company, when I asked one of the Japanese mangers about how he like his time in Europe (he previously was an expatriate in Europe), he said he preferred living in America since he felt Europe was similar to Japan. That surprised me since I don't see any similarity between Europe and Japan but I guess that is in the eyes of the beholder.

GeoffM

I meant big cities in general! If the majority of professional jobs across the country are concentrated in big cities rather than small towns then of course most of the threads are going to be about going to the big cities.

Apfelkuchen

It's how I felt too until I met my husband/made a number of close American friends during my PhD and actually bothered to learn something about US history and culture for myself instead of relying on the blinkered perspective of the European news media. I still expect the culture shock to be bigger that when I moved to France, Austria or Germany, but I will consider it an education . Plus I am excited about having a large fridge with an ice maker. Not that I am superficial or anything .

Apfelkuchen

That wasn't the sentiment of what I wrote (and I don't think it was COSPhil's either). I AM only making the move because it's where my husband needs to be but that doesn't mean I can't and won't enjoy the experience as well. I quite agree that you get out of these situations what you put in.

COSPhil

Correct - I am exceedingly fortunate to have some friends already in the city I am moving to due to my job with the Olympics I've spent the last few years working with, to be marrying a wonderful lady, and to be moving to a beautiful part of the country where I feel like I fit in quite well.

MarkCowan

you will have a great time. I have Lots to be grateful for living in the USA.

Bink

Don't underestimate the happiness a fridge/freezer with an icemaker can bring!! I LOVE my kitchen here. You just can't have a big kitchen with a big fridge/freezer in many houses in the UK.

MarylandNed

jackattack

I lived on the East Coast for a year when I was 18, and I can safely say that the US was not in my master plan for where I wanted to live when I grew up.

At Uni in the UK, our whole house used to watch Neighbours and Home and Away and Australia definitely featured in places we wanted to go and live. The USA never entered anyone's head.

Now 3 out of 4 of us actually live in the US. Go figure!