How is your American dream working out for you?
Mar 19th 2008, 7:13 pm
#62
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,170
Re: How is your American dream working out for you?
Of course it depends on where you live, but that's still pretty crushing for many places.
Mar 19th 2008, 7:34 pm
#63
gurt mint nit?
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: In my shed
Posts: 2,776
Re: How is your American dream working out for you?
Been in the US since 1990, im in the Orlando area.
the worst thing for me now is the homesickness
and the TV is shite here except for a few gems (like Seinfeld )
I now with my US wife download,burn to DVD and watch nothing but UK shows.
we are downloading around 12 hours a week of UK tv. (we are up to date with EE, Doc Martin, new tricks ,casualty etc)
and as you can now buy region free DVDs you can order UK dvds to your hearts content. so that goes a little ways to ease the pain.
But.... I STILL want to go home, and we are actively talking about it.
I still think my childen will have a better education in the uk and as myself and wife are both history buffs, it will be great to jump in the car and spend the weekend in Amsterdam or Brussels, and for travelling Europe.
on top of which my wife loves the way of life over there , the pubs the social aspect etc-here we all pull up into our driveways and go in and shut the door to the outside world.
plus Ive been reading at how the UK standard of living is now HIGHER than the US-although the US is still a cheaper cost of living (but for how long?)
we like Florida (especially the winters) and the people I work with are Diamonds, I just miss home so much and the way of life-we are looking at the home counties to move back to.
the worst thing for me now is the homesickness
and the TV is shite here except for a few gems (like Seinfeld )
I now with my US wife download,burn to DVD and watch nothing but UK shows.
we are downloading around 12 hours a week of UK tv. (we are up to date with EE, Doc Martin, new tricks ,casualty etc)
and as you can now buy region free DVDs you can order UK dvds to your hearts content. so that goes a little ways to ease the pain.
But.... I STILL want to go home, and we are actively talking about it.
I still think my childen will have a better education in the uk and as myself and wife are both history buffs, it will be great to jump in the car and spend the weekend in Amsterdam or Brussels, and for travelling Europe.
on top of which my wife loves the way of life over there , the pubs the social aspect etc-here we all pull up into our driveways and go in and shut the door to the outside world.
plus Ive been reading at how the UK standard of living is now HIGHER than the US-although the US is still a cheaper cost of living (but for how long?)
we like Florida (especially the winters) and the people I work with are Diamonds, I just miss home so much and the way of life-we are looking at the home counties to move back to.
Have you been following the financial news on both sides of the Atlantic recently? It might be a toss-up as to who will be the first out of a recession, US or UK.
Mar 19th 2008, 9:14 pm
#64
Not dead yet
Joined: Apr 2004
Location: In a world of my own where I know everyone
Posts: 15,042
Mar 20th 2008, 1:23 am
#65
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: Oz -> UK -> San Diego
Posts: 9,912
Mar 20th 2008, 2:27 am
#66
gurt mint nit?
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: In my shed
Posts: 2,776
Re: How is your American dream working out for you?
.
Mar 20th 2008, 3:04 am
#67
Who?
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Stepford
Posts: 3,098
Re: How is your American dream working out for you?
Rubblish food, education and closed mindedness, one thing I have learnt on visiting is you can't have a debate british style flinging arguments left, right and centre, they take it as a personal attack on them and therefore America (free speech my backside)and the most mind boggling for a secular state RELIGION don't even go there!
Humour! cold and heat
Humour! cold and heat
I worried I would loose those wonderful, wine fuelled debates around the kitchen table, full of good natured argument and sarcasm.
Luckily the education is better than the UK, the debates and humour are just as good, infact anything goes and we don't always wait until the sun goes down to crack open a bottle and the food is not bad either.
Mar 20th 2008, 4:56 pm
#68
Country Member
Joined: May 2003
Location: Moved from Georgetown to Round Rock, Texas. 15 miles closer to civilization.
Posts: 936
Re: How is your American dream working out for you?
Six miles to the nearest pub, but I'm struggling on......
Mar 20th 2008, 7:32 pm
#69
You Are All Diseased
Joined: Feb 2004
Location: Farnham, UK
Posts: 4,511
Re: How is your American dream working out for you?
I had my "American Dream" but I had to be asleep to get it.
As for real life, there are weeds on both sides of the fence. The USA is better in some ways and less in others. I think I have more opportunities here but England will always be home.
I learned the hard way that most of the women here have waaaaay too many issues.
As for real life, there are weeds on both sides of the fence. The USA is better in some ways and less in others. I think I have more opportunities here but England will always be home.
I learned the hard way that most of the women here have waaaaay too many issues.
Last edited by rincewind; Mar 20th 2008 at 7:35 pm.
Mar 20th 2008, 8:29 pm
#71
Unmitigated Gall
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: it's still too dark to tell
Posts: 16,162
Mar 20th 2008, 11:32 pm
#72
A Cockney Floridian
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: Originally-Leyton E10,London, then Harlow new town, Essex, and eventually ended up in Orlando area
Posts: 164
Re: How is your American dream working out for you?
I have read that now the standard of living is now higher in the UK than the US, although its still a cheaper cost of living here.
Mar 20th 2008, 11:57 pm
#73
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 120
Re: How is your American dream working out for you?
The education and brit style debate and humour concerned me a bit before we moved.
I worried I would loose those wonderful, wine fuelled debates around the kitchen table, full of good natured argument and sarcasm.
Luckily the education is better than the UK, the debates and humour are just as good, infact anything goes and we don't always wait until the sun goes down to crack open a bottle and the food is not bad either.
I worried I would loose those wonderful, wine fuelled debates around the kitchen table, full of good natured argument and sarcasm.
Luckily the education is better than the UK, the debates and humour are just as good, infact anything goes and we don't always wait until the sun goes down to crack open a bottle and the food is not bad either.
Mar 21st 2008, 12:50 am
#74
Who?
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Stepford
Posts: 3,098
Re: How is your American dream working out for you?
Education does vary from place to place. We are in SW PA and our schools are really good.
Mar 21st 2008, 3:23 am
#75
Joined: Jun 2006
Location: Aspen, CO
Posts: 9,845
Re: How is your American dream working out for you?
I didn't have an American dream or any expectations and as it turns out I am really happy to have moved, I love it here..