Re: Live in the US, or become a PT?
 

Nor any other form of tax, unless it's a UK resource being consumed - in much the same way that the Canadian or Australian government don't come banging on my door for taxes.

Re: Live in the US, or become a PT?
 

I see the issue here.

I'm stumbled upon the dwelling ground of a feisty middle class.

Re: Live in the US, or become a PT?
 

i would not like to have a permanant home of some kind. If i had millions in the bank and no worries - then I would base myself in a lovely location - and then plan a series of trips away to places i would like to go to - but returning home between. Part of the attraction to home would be that i could do other things, like study something obtuse i might have an interest in, or dabble with making art, or whatever. I mean i could take my current interest and buy all the new fangled equipment and have a real go. If I was in a hotel or short term let all the time - I would not have all my stuff with me - just my few suitcases, and it would be harder to study some things if not in my own language and at my own pace. I would also want to make some friends for life and then see them regulaly.

PT sounds glam but actually i think it would be lonely doing it on your own and living from a suitcase gets tedious.

That said - i am a homebody - so that taints my answer. I also like to particiapte in my environment. By that I mean vote etc. It also means paying taxes. However paying those taxes gives me some rights back (usually!) and its all part of the parcel for me. so for me the answer would NOT be PT.

Re: Live in the US, or become a PT?
 

Wow, this is clearly not the place to be.

I guess I should have expected jealousy and resentment to rear their ugly heads.

And there's me thinking this was a website for British Expats who actually had were interested in intelligible debate surrounding emigration!

Re: Live in the US, or become a PT?
 

Goodbye to you, my trusted friend.
We've known each other since we're nine or ten.
Together we climbed hills or trees.
Learned of love and ABC's,
skinned our hearts and skinned our knees.
Goodbye my friend, it's hard to die,
when all the birds are singing in the sky,
Now that the spring is in the air.
Pretty girls are everywhere.
When you see them I'll be there.
We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun.
But the hills that we climbed
were just seasons out of time.
Goodbye, Papa, please pray for me,
I was the black sheep of the family.
You tried to teach me right from wrong.
Too much wine and too much song,
wonder how I get along.
Goodbye, Papa, it's hard to die
when all the birds are singing in the sky,
Now that the spring is in the air.
Little children everywhere.
When you see them I'll be there.
We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun.
But the wine and the song,
like the seasons, all have gone.
Goodbye, Michelle, my little one.
You gave me love and helped me find the sun.
And every time that I was down
you would always come around
and get my feet back on the ground.
Goodbye, Michelle, it's hard to die
when all the bird are singing in the sky,
Now that the spring is in the air.
With the flowers ev'rywhere.
I whish that we could both be there.
We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun.
But the stars we could reach
were just starfishs on the beach

See ya!

Re: Live in the US, or become a PT?
 

Thank you MsElui - now we're talking...

That's exactly the kind of intelligent critique I had hoped would suffice from an expat community website.

You've painted my situation quite vividly, with concerns raised that are simply apt to me. Part of my reservation is the "going it alone" aspect - but then, I'm curious whether this is a self-perceived notion. After all, even moving to the US *initially* means doing it in solitude. And there are so many people nowadays accepting jobs away and moving around for various reasons, that I'm concerned the longevity of community may not match the preconception.

This was the whole point of me posting here... to hear from people who have moved abroad. Instead, I get branded a troll because I have worked hard enough to actually have options. Sheesh.

Thanks again MsElui.

Re: Live in the US, or become a PT?
 

It's a valid question, nothing to do with class. Have you ever lived here? It's very different to what people think. You will be an immigrant, some people don't care but others don't like it at all. The culture is very different to the UK, it is very much a keeping up with the neighbors. It isn't as easy to mix into the community or to make friends, not casual acquaintances, as a lot of people make out. The political climate is hostile. The economy is not doing so great right now. I've found the country in general, not everyone, to be quite racist, bigoted, narrow minded and arrogant. There are good sides too but to try and move to a country and only take the good stuff into account is quite naive. At the end of the day you can do what you want. If you do end up moving here, it doesn't make a shred of difference to me if you are having the time of your life or are crying yourself to sleep every night wishing you hadn't made the move. I'm just trying to give you some opinion of the country on a day to day basis without looking at it with rose tinted glasses.

Re: Live in the US, or become a PT?
 

No problem, thanks for the apology :)

OK, I understand the problem - the US is a "do it NOW" or don't do it thing for you it appears.

Well, you are 26 right? Young then (yes, I get to say that, I'm older than you :p). So in that case - why not go ahead with the U.S. You can still travel around some, and if you don't like the U.S., you can always leave and do the PT thing.

Seems one option is likely to remain open, and one won't - so to preserve your options, I'd try the U.S. first.

Many folks on this board miss their home, and their fellow Brits - some don't. I have met quite a few Brits who love it here - and some who don't.

It's just a guess on my part - but you sound like you might be one of those who will like it here.

Hopefully you have gotten good advise on the visa - one thing that strikes me, in order for you to apply for the visa - you may have to be RESIDENT in the country where the embassy you apply through is located. Not a citizen, but rather a resident. Not the same thing. I hope you can get that sorted, if it is indeed a problem. I would suggest listening carefully to what Folinsky in particular says - he is quite knowledgeable. Wouldn't want to shoot yourself in the foot with that one.

Also - you have some time between now and September. Why not come over here to the U.S. for 3 months, and see if you still want to move here. Also, there are SO many different places and cultures in the U.S. - another big choice to make.

Cheers :)

Like anywhere else, there's a mix of people and you will get a mix of responses. My suggestion - take the ones that are useful, and don't get too upset by the ones that aren't.

Many many people come on this board and want advise on how to do things illegally, and haven't done any research. You apparently aren't one of them, but folks on the board do see a lot of that.

Re: Live in the US, or become a PT?
 

i'll go ahead and make my first shy post to this forum, a response to this interesting debate :)
Everybody needs a home. I'm a homebody too... I love to travel - when wanderlust bites my ass I have to pack a bag and go, but when all is said and done, I have to have somewhere I can say i'm "going home" to. Even if its your parents place, or a flat you rent out while you're abroad. maybe a houseboat! oooh! okay okay, but you get my point.
Do the PT thing for a while, but don't uproot yourself entirely. You may find that the people you love, friends you had, places you felt at home.. they'll move on, and suddenly home wont feel very much like home anymore. And if something awful happens, where will you turn, if not home.
Not meaning to sound down on the adventure of travelling for a few years.... just expressing how I feel about keeping one foot on the ground. :)

*waves*

T xx

Re: Live in the US, or become a PT?
 

Hello and welcome to the forum. :)

Re: Live in the US, or become a PT?
 

No, I've never lived there - which is why I started this thread.

If I had, I would not be looking for outside inspiration from people who have already made the move, since the experience would be there to internalize.

Of course it makes no difference to you, nor should it. I'm a blank avatar and a few words on the screen. I'm not asking for empathy - only to express experience.

What you posted in this last post is exactly that. Thank you. I have visited the US a handful of times, with my biggest trip lasting 7 weeks (and being a road trip). I wore the rose-tinted spectacles of any tourist. I could not possibly appreciate the nuances of permanent residency from a 3-4 day fleeting visit to each place. The only place I can do THAT about is my home land, the UK.

(Which, to answer a previous post, I have done extensively, in numerous cities and smaller towns.)

That's why I'm asking the question...

Is it better to settle down in the US as a British Expat (the topic of this entire website), or, could carry those rose-tints country-to-country provide a more fruitful way of living?

Re: Live in the US, or become a PT?
 

just because the rest of us don't have the same options as you doesn't mean we haven't worked hard for anything.

Re: Live in the US, or become a PT?
 

Please be aware that someone like you comes along at least once every month on average. Spouting off about moving to the USA, got lots of money, yadda yadda, yadda. then disappears, never to be heard from again (or worse, reappears under a different ID). So you can understand the cynicism. However, IF you are genuine, I second dbj1000's post above. I appreciate you appear to have done a reasonable about of research and seem quite well informed, so giving you the benefit of the doubt, I'd say why risk all your money on an EB-5? Do your worldwide bum thing for a bit, spend 3 months in the US and really try to get a feel for it - this is hard to do as a tourist, however, where its all rosey. Really approach financial institutions, property agents, insurance companies, etc to try and find out what its all about. Then try to decide whether it'd be worth your while or not.

Re: Live in the US, or become a PT?
 

I guess another question comes to my mind in assessing this - why the U.S.?

Why not some European country, or Dubai, or.....?

What do you think is here that appeals to you over the rest of the world?

Re: Live in the US, or become a PT?
 

Thank you T, and welcome.

I agree with you. Unfortunately - as I expressed in a previous post - I'm of the opinion more so nowadays that home/community is a more fleeting entity than it once was.

Maybe I'm just feeling the common youthful scenario that is losing friends to schools, jobs, partners and true callings, but I do not consider my home truly "home" - even now, before I've visited anywhere.

Friends have left the town (or the UK entirely), gotten married and had children, tied themselves to responsibilities and jobs elsewhere and done the same things everyone does at one stage or another.

I'm not alone in this phenomena, of course. It affects everyone. But it does impact my perspective of "home". There's not much of it left... and with increase in youth vandalism, the increasing nanny-mentality of UK politics, the dreary weather and the S.A.D victims it claims... well... I don't have to tell a community of British Expats why I'm looking for an alternative.

So either way... PT, the US or Outer Mongolia, "home" doesn't really feel like anywhere, right now.