YankeemovingAbroad

Many people from around the world want the dream of living in America so they can improve their lot in life, but not all of those people want to make a impact by helping to improve the country.

Do you agree that once deciding to move to America that you should accept American traditions and way of life and add your input to improve the country? Or do you think it ok to live in America and associate with mostly people from your birth country and live as a expat and not assimulate fully?

That question pertains to no particular immigrant just want your thoughts on the subject.Many people move to the States and like the quality of life but some don't want to make the emotional transition which allows them to accept the idea that living in a different country mean intergrating into a new culture.

Mallory

It depends. If you marry an American, and you come over here you usually have a ready made family. MIL, FIL, siblings, grandparents, nieces and nephews. You join in the family celebrations, and meet OH's circle of friends.

If 2 Brits come over together, they don't know anyone, they carry on their Brit traditions and way of talking. Harder to meet people.

I married an American, and found it easy to join in. Never felt American though, always feel English. Don't hang around with Brits - only know one. See her at exercise class and chat. Sometimes we talk about UK, and sometimes talk about other stuff.

Tracym

Well I'm the septic, and I'd say - whatever you want. Which is somewhat what the U.S. is about, imo - the freedom to do whichever you want.

If you like some of us and become friends - terrific. If you find your friends amoung expats - that's cool too.

And I personally love to see traditions from home countries kept - the U.S. is "the melting pot" after all, and I love the history and diversity of other customs.

Pharrya

I'm another one who married an American, so I didn't neccessarily come here with the goal of improving my lot in life as many people do, It just seemed easier for us if I was to move here, rather than the Mrs. moving to the UK.

As for accepting American traditions, while I may not always agree with some of them (and neither do plenty of native born americans) in general yes I do accept them, after all these are what make America what it is. I have friends who are both American and British - in both cases we have shared interests and experiences.

Assimilation I think is a lot easier in America, where there is a high percentage of foregin born folks, than most other countries in the world. I'm not sure how I've done, but my family in the UK seem to think I have quite a lot. But I'm not going to completely abandon my roots - after all, I still have family in the UK, and I try to pay attention to what goes on over there.

Many Americans, even those whose ancestors came here hundreds of years ago, still refer to themselves as Irish or Italian or whatever.....

Maz

Ever tried asking them where they're from in Ireland or where they're from in Italy? Took me a little while to understand that they really mean that their heritage is from there. They've usually never stepped foot in the country, or have the slightest clue where their rellies were from.

dbj1000

I just want to live here. I have less than zero interest in "being American".

After a while, we'll probably move somewhere else. Perhaps elsewhere in the US, perhaps to another country. Once you've upped sticks and emigrated, the next move doesn't seem so daunting.

YankeemovingAbroad, the tone of your question and others you've asked shows that our Expat wining and whinging here on BE gets on your nerves, and you wonder why we all moved here. There are probably as many answers as there are people on these boards.

For me, I moved for a career opportunity, and have found many positive aspects to living in the US. However, none of them make me want to assimilate or become "more American". I'm happy with, and proud of, my nationality. My children will be American, but I will always remain British. Neither means very much really. Certainly neither nationality has enough compelling features for me to want to be more like the other.

Maz

Hey there

Actually I would advise you to take US citizenship when you're able. If you move abroad (ie. out of the US), your children will still be US citizens, and if they decide to return to the place of their birth when older, you might have problems getting residency later on if you wanted to be near them. You are allowed dual citizenship, as are your children - it's worth getting all the passports you can assuming the countries all recognise having more than one citizenship!

Circus-of-Power

I was born English ...and thats what I will always be ....I have wondered about becoming a septic ...but why? I was born in Wigan, England ..thats all I'll ever be ..and thats enough for me

conisby

Circus, thats something we both have in common, im a Wiganer as well mate, i'm not far away from you either, im Downtown Chicago. Gotta sat though Wigan is a dump at the moment, more Chav's than you can shake a stick at, its a dam shame.

YankeemovingAbroad

Sound like less than half of you want to be American or even want to be in America.Maybe its just a choice of economics? If I were to move to England I would fly the Union Jack more than the Old red white and blue because I would owe it to the country which gives me shelter and took me in as one of their own.But that is just me.

dbj1000

What does that say for your famous American patriotism?

I certainly don't owe this country anything. If anything, given the skills I bring to this country, America owes me!

dbj1000

Maz, I didn't mean that to sound like I wouldn't take Citizenship. Of course I will. It may be against the whole spirit of the thing, but I'm not going to be trapped in GC limbo after all the trouble it's taken to get this far!

jaytee

i'm not sure what your question is

if people don't want to "assimilate fully," then they'd only be limiting themselves

People are who they are. I'm not sure what you're expecting of them.

Tootsie Frickensprinkles

I woudnt even determine economics necessarily, circumstance and obligations seems to have more to do with it.

Correct me if I am wrong, but that sounds to me like an opinion of someone who has never lived abroad. It just doesn't work like that.

I wouldnt expect an American to want to be a Brit. Wouldn't matter who you were or where you were going. In fact I'd worry more about somene who wanted to ditch their prior nationality to pro-actively become something else.

Tootsie Frickensprinkles

Joining in, and assimilating are two quite different things. Not doing the former would be limiting, not doing the latter is a matter of choice.