I'm trying to like the USA
Dec 21st 2012, 3:00 pm
#91
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Re: I'm trying to like the USA
Well that's an excellent and very positive attitude to have.
Nowhere is perfect - particularly a country as vast as the US - but it's important to balance the pros with the cons.
The problem really arises when the cons overwhelm the pros and then it's very easy to lose sight of reality.
For what it's worth I'm firmly of the belief that in many cases
it's the individual and not the country that's a fault.
People who are a failure in life in one country hope that by moving to another it will change things - reality bites when it doesn't.
Nowhere is perfect - particularly a country as vast as the US - but it's important to balance the pros with the cons.
The problem really arises when the cons overwhelm the pros and then it's very easy to lose sight of reality.
For what it's worth I'm firmly of the belief that in many cases
it's the individual and not the country that's a fault.
People who are a failure in life in one country hope that by moving to another it will change things - reality bites when it doesn't.
Dec 21st 2012, 3:29 pm
#92
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Re: I'm trying to like the USA
I still am trying, believe it or not (hence the thread). I haven't completely girl up on the US just yet, but I'd be lying if I said that it's not a major struggle.
Some people clearly don't know much about immigrant in general. It can take 2 generations in some cases to completely assimilate. Look at Latin Americans for example here in Miami - they're US citizens, but are proud of their roots and fly their flags in addition to the US flag.
The difference with us Brits and some other European groups is that there are no defined British-American communities for newly arrived immigrants to fall back on, in order to make the assimilation process easier. We are scattered across the country and rely on groups like these to seek out fellow expats. A Cuban in Miami would not have that issue. He/she would be among his/her people.
I suspect that many Brits and other Europeans here who are completely happy are those who are financially secure, have good health insurance and perhaps never felt that Britain was "home" in the first place, despite being born there.
People emigrate for various reasons. I did so solely to marry a USC. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I'm still here almost 10 years later. Whatever happens, no one can say I didn't try hard enough or that I threw in the towel too soon.
Some people clearly don't know much about immigrant in general. It can take 2 generations in some cases to completely assimilate. Look at Latin Americans for example here in Miami - they're US citizens, but are proud of their roots and fly their flags in addition to the US flag.
The difference with us Brits and some other European groups is that there are no defined British-American communities for newly arrived immigrants to fall back on, in order to make the assimilation process easier. We are scattered across the country and rely on groups like these to seek out fellow expats. A Cuban in Miami would not have that issue. He/she would be among his/her people.
I suspect that many Brits and other Europeans here who are completely happy are those who are financially secure, have good health insurance and perhaps never felt that Britain was "home" in the first place, despite being born there.
People emigrate for various reasons. I did so solely to marry a USC. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I'm still here almost 10 years later. Whatever happens, no one can say I didn't try hard enough or that I threw in the towel too soon.
Dec 21st 2012, 3:40 pm
#93
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Dec 21st 2012, 3:45 pm
#94
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Dec 21st 2012, 3:47 pm
#95
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Dec 21st 2012, 3:53 pm
#96
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Dec 21st 2012, 3:59 pm
#97
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Dec 21st 2012, 4:04 pm
#98
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Re: I'm trying to like the USA
I seem to have touched a raw nerve.
Don't get me wrong,old cock, it's entirely understandable that someone wishes to retain their national identity when moving to a foreign country and reminiscing is all part of that.
But when what you're missing actually begins to affect your life in a new country then you've got problems.
Some posters on here appear to loath the US so much and miss the UK so much you wonder why they stay.
Or why they didn't think about what they're missing BEFORE they moved to a new life.
Don't get me wrong,old cock, it's entirely understandable that someone wishes to retain their national identity when moving to a foreign country and reminiscing is all part of that.
But when what you're missing actually begins to affect your life in a new country then you've got problems.
Some posters on here appear to loath the US so much and miss the UK so much you wonder why they stay.
Or why they didn't think about what they're missing BEFORE they moved to a new life.
Dec 21st 2012, 4:12 pm
#99
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Re: I'm trying to like the USA
I've also got businesses in two of them.
If you're trying to intimate that I don't know what it's like to emigrate you'd be quite wrong.
Dec 21st 2012, 4:15 pm
#100
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Re: I'm trying to like the USA
It is amusing that for a lot of Brits who naturalise do it to then bugger off, whilst it seems the number one reason for many other nation nationals seem to be to bring family over.
Dec 21st 2012, 4:15 pm
#101
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Re: I'm trying to like the USA
Still I don't think you can compare spending a good chunk of the year in your home country and visiting/staying in two others...to emigrating.
Dec 21st 2012, 4:18 pm
#102
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Re: I'm trying to like the USA
Now I've done it, I realised (especially this year) that it makes much more sense than being a long term PR.
Dec 21st 2012, 4:38 pm
#104
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Dec 21st 2012, 4:44 pm
#105
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Re: I'm trying to like the USA
