ironporer

One wonders how with such a positive attitude and award winning personality you show here, how in the world you don't feel welcomed.

I suppose that if when I lived in Spain I continouslyy accentuated the negative and minimized the positives of the country and it's people people; whined about every single injustice I or other's suffered at their hands; I would have treated me like an ungrateful piece of shit too. Seems like to be your friend would entail a continuous berating of all things American...which would get old quick.

JMHO

Franklin

Thanks for the words of encouragement Steppke! You are right, got a good business plan ... just have to stick with it. The light at the end of the tunnel is slowly getting bigger! So long as this recession doesn't get bigger or there is some big blowout.

CEO DMF

Just want to put another positive in here for all those who are thinking of coming out here and are reading all these bad news stories - think more people would but they fear they are being insensitive with so many being dissatisfied....

Anyway, my husband and I moved out here 18 months ago, we move around a lot with his job, we just rent an apartment but always get a nice one with lake view, gym etc. We love visiting all the different places around the places we are working at - we go away and have a "mini-holiday" every other weekend.

My husband was sponsored by his company to come here, so getting a job was not an issue, and he loves his job, worked his way up after college for a number of years, then worked part-time and holidays at the same company to pay for his degree studies, then went back fulltime to the same company after his degree. Then they offered him a project position over here for a number of years. With the living expenses etc we get as we are treated as an overseas employee we are managing to save a lot.

I am a graduate and have chartered accountant and other qualifications and so I used to work much longer than full time hours in a very stessful career - now I don't have any of that stress - out here I got a substitute teaching licence - which means I teach when I want and don't when I don't want, and the job moves with us whenever my husbands job moves.....

The money we made when we sold our house in the UK allowed us to buy 8 smaller houses which we rent out via an agent in the UK and they manage them for us too, so we have property we can either sell to buy a house if we go back to the UK or have extra income out here.......

We love it, for us things have turned out great and life out here is a long holiday........

RoB1833

Not everyone likes it in the US. This board is a place where they can voice their opinions with people who might be going through the same things. If you don't like reading criticism of your country why bother reading the posts of ex-pats?

veryfunny

Very well said.

Duncs

You know suggesting that America could do better is not anti-American. You confuse my criticism with dislike.

Yes I have been dissapointed by my life in america so far. I had a better life in the UK. Its a fact not a comment on the USA. Lots of people have a different experience to me and besides its only been 10 months. It is hard to have to come to terms with the fact that i am a newbie and have to earn my way back to success here. I had achieved things in the UK and to go from there to a completely new slate in the USA represents a psychological and cultural shock rolled into one. Its been hard and at times i have been very down about it. This board can be a good place to vent those frustrations and steel yourself to fight on again.

However i will be clear about this, i dont hate America (i dislike americans like you) but i dont hate America. I actually think the 'idea' of America is wonderful and does represent a beacon to all of humanity but i have found the reality of America so far to be a dissapointment. But hey its a work in progress right? so one critiques, criticises and complains and trys to get it changed for the better. Sorry if that irritates you so much.

callé

hi all. I dont usually post on this side, mainly on the Oz side, but I did want to put my opinion in here. I am 49, have been here since I was 5. my parents emigrated here. I never wanted to come, I was very close to grandparents and other rellies. but yes, I was very young. still, I never felt home here. I always asked my daddy when we could go home. a few years later they divorced and we were sort of stuck here. life goes on, I excepted it but never felt happy about it. I cherished more in my youth, my visits from my grandparents, more than anything else. in time I married an american, had 2 children, then divorced. then remarried and had 2 more children. after all these years I have finally come to realize that I dont have to stay here. It will be hard but not impossible. luckily my children all want to move also. We are trying to get get PR to Oz but UK still tugs at my heart. very torn at times. but I just know that I have never liked the way of life here. Im not trying to put America down, its just not for me. I never wanted to be here, and still dont after all this time. I do have 2 sisters who are quite happy here. My point in all this, is dont waste so many years. try to go where your heart is. If you feel strongly about it, it probably wont change. Its scary, Ill be basically starting over at my age. but you eventually learn whats really important.