Did you have any preconceived ideas about America, that you have since been unfounded - for Good or Bad? e.g quality of life, community relations, Taxes, Health etc
Is there really any thing like the American dream? Hah!

yes, it's a dream.

The view that Americans are openminded and tolerant. In general, if you look at the media, FCC and prominent citizen groups, I'd say most Americans are not openminded.




NC Penguin

100% correct

taxes are barely different from the UK and I assumed that i would take home a higher net proportion of my income - not the case once you factor in

social security
medicare
medical insurance premium
dental insurance premium
state income tax
city income tax

(some of the above are dependent on you location)

I thought there'd be more crime and that everyone carried a gun. I had the "starsky & hutch" vision of America.

Yes, Social Security in particular annoys me - I used to hate paying national insurance in the UK, but at least there is something to show for it - with social security, there is nothing and chances are will be nothing in several years time. Daylight robbery.

Sign your karma folks! Thank you to the mystery karma giver.

Me too. I also thought that they tended not to put up with being treated badly by companies but it turns out they put up with a lot more than we do.

The only thing I got right was they don't queue.

-tom

You think Americans don't queue? I have to disagree.

I only have to remember the queues I've been in at:

SouthWest Airlines (no assigned seats), at the Post Office (not even before a major holiday either), at the grocery store, etc...




NC Penguin

I guess so.... DMV = worst queue imaginable. In that case none of my preconceptions were right.

-tom

I live in Orange County Southern California - Very surprised how religious everyone is. How many churches there are. I also thought Americans were self assured and confident but I now think that they are very insecure, they put on a pretty good act though!

Greatest queue (line !) ever - DMV in Pasedena - its not that they dont queue its just they dont know how ! 4 hours of chaos to get an appointment for a driving theory test with no ss#

Other suprises:
Agree on taxes - in total I take home less
Cost of utility bills :scared: in LA our monthly electricity, gas and water in the summer was over $600
Crime - there does'nt seem to be any where we live
Cost of groceries - $5 for box of cornflakes, $3 for a very bad loaf of bread :scared:

Didn't really think about America (as a nation) before coming here. Had preconceived ideas about specific American cities, e.g., NYC, SF, Houston, Chicago, Detroit burbs, and Vegas. NYC was the only place that diverged significantly from my preconceived ideas.

Yes, there are things that speak to the American Dream ... there are plenty of people here who have got ahead based on hard work.

Well, duh? It was built to be a gambling town. The promotion of the city emphasizes the gambling and the partying.

What did you make of it all anyway?

Anyone you know personally though?

The Sales Director of our company left high school with no quals, had a kid at 19 and started work for us packing boxes - worked her ass off, did a degree at nite school and is now,20 years later, top of the tree

Not convinced this would happen in the UK ..