Re: The American Obsession...
 

Alot of you guys seem to focus on the negatives and dare I say it, sound slightly homesick. There are many positives to USA.

For me Canada is too cold and Australia too sparse. Vancouver may tempt me, but I would like to visit it first. My trip to Australia next year may change my opinion of that country and I qualify for 3 different visas there, 2 permanent and 1 temporary.

Besides, doesn't every Irish man have an emigration gene?

Re: The American Obsession...
 

When I was 15 I said I'd never go on a plane, nor to the US. Two years later I was on a plane to the US (Summer Camp). Now I live in the US!

In terms of location we're 8 timezones away from my parents and 9 timezones in the opposite direction away from my wife's parents.

Re: The American Obsession...
 

I can't wait :rofl:. The fridge in my current apartment is so small that none of the shelves is tall enough for an upright jar of pickles.

EDIT: And when I live in America my pickles will come in bucket sized jars.

Re: The American Obsession...
 

Love, work or weather are the big three. Or there is something you can do that you can't do where you come from.

Canada and the US are different countries, you can't really equate the two although people try to (I mean I knew a lot of people spoke French and they were more left-leaning). I thought this to some extent before I moved to Canada but it is culturally, legally and in many other ways a very different place. I would say the gap is definitely larger than it is between say, GB and Ireland. Even France and Germany share various similarities because of the EU that the US and Canada do not.

Even if you go into an American chainstore there are differences. You think aha, I'll go into a Burger King. Prices are twice what they are in the US, they sell poutine, they use the InterAC system for payments, currency is different, the staff are more likely to be Indian or Filipino than they are in the US where they are often latino, etc.

I'd say a Burger King in the UK has less differences, frankly.

Re: The American Obsession...
 

Good question, there have been so many recently with the 'lifelong dream' thing going on. I would guess it is mostly down to movies/TV shows and possibly music from the US which present a glamorous image. When I am back in England, people generally assume that salaries are higher, vacations longer and absolutely everything is cheaper in the US than the UK. They don't understand any of the healthcare problems and lack of workplace rights either.

Re: The American Obsession...
 

I'd agree with that. Apart from Florida.

Re: The American Obsession...
 

Depending on the time of year, my wife is 11 or 12 time zones away from her mother. The reason for her obsession? "There's not enough room for two queens in the castle."

Regards, JEff

Re: The American Obsession...
 

and they said "Beasts of the Southern Wild" was all fiction

Re: The American Obsession...
 

Seriously? Ok, between TO and Buffalo, I can imagine. But wages in Buffalo are way lower. What about a like-for-like comparison?

Re: The American Obsession...
 

I wish they sold that in the fast food chains down here. I had some in an A&W a few years back in BC and loved it.

Re: The American Obsession...
 

The American obsession is an interesting thing. I see many people here enthusiastic about moving to the US. I too was once that way but have the benefit of experience. The US is not a bad place overall. Frankly, the people here can be very friendly especially IMHO when you get away from the big cities NY, LA, SF. But the two countries UK and USA are very different. I think many people come here not recognizing any differences or ambivalent to them at first.

The difference between coming to the US because you have to (third world, nowhere else to go, your country has just blown itself apart) and being a volunteer from a modern western European state cannot be underestimated. It has always fascinated me that the statistical studies generally show most Western European's return to their countries of origin about 10 years after emigrating to the US. Sounds about right to me, because once you weigh up, or wise up, to the differences and start comparing you were likely better off in your original country.

All kinds of things are different here: Benefits, workplace attitudes, laws and rules. At will employment is no joke to the vast majority of US citizens who in a safe place would confess that they know that their employer's know this and use it to exact more work, as a proverbial 'Sword of Damocles' over the employees head. As every employer in the US knows employees, especially those with families, need healthcare. And healthcare is the one thing that cannot just be procured in the US v's Europe where its generally free at point of service. Consequently, employees become 'slaves' to the job. There is no throwing caution to the wind, hedonistic acts such as 'I'll quit tomorrow' for most people here, as quite simply they cannot afford to both medically and monetarily.

For the newbies trying to come over I know this does not register but once you become ingrained in the lifestyle here you realize that what you had was likely quite a lot more than what you have. Perhaps its all a matter of timing and perspective?

Ultimately, its choice. I am always amazed at the number of people wanting to come here and the equally large number (like myself) trying to get back. I really would trade tomorrow if it were possible to do so.

Re: The American Obsession...
 

Y'know that Vancouver is in Canada, right? If you're willing to give Vancouver a try, then you can't really make a blanket statement that Canada is too cold.

Ian

Re: The American Obsession...
 

Y'know that Vancouver is also in Washington state, right? Probably one of the few, if not only, train rides in the world where one can catch a direct train between two identically-named cities.

Re: The American Obsession...
 

I noticed a lot of shirts and underwear etc. in a Walmart store in Canada, manufactured in Cuba..

Re: The American Obsession...
 

Why the obsession?(for Brits anyway) My guess, in some cases is that, since apparently so many people do emigrate to US, once one looks into it and finds that it is not actually possible for "just anyone" to come, there is an element of indignation.

"What do you mean, of course I must qualify for one of the visas, just tell me which one, I am British don't you know."

And inter EU migration is essentially unrestricted, so why would anywhere else be different.