ShawHawk

Allot of media and people tell you, America is a beautiful country.

Only it is better suited, for a holiday, and terrible to live.

Is this true? Is it really a country going to ruins, and has a long road ahead of it self, to rebuild it`s previous pride.

The American people, are so diverse and in general awesome, but the country, gun laws/health care look very bad.


I`d like to read some experiences, of living in the UK versus America, from some members of the board here

dunroving

The US effectively has 50 different countries, so it is very difficult to generalize. Some of the 50 "countries" (states) are really going down the tubes economically, others are not as bad. Some states are extremely liberal, others are overrun with Christian fundamentalists who want to ban the teaching of evolution in science lessons, etc,. etc.

I lived in 4 different States over 16 years and loved most of my time there, and go back every year for conferences. I have been back in the UK for 5 years and 80% of that time I have been completely miserable.

The next person responding will probably tell you the exact oppposite. Good luck with making cohesive sense of it all.

uknobby

Its 2 totally different places completely different lifestyles but if you just comparing gun laws/ healthcare well gun laws: so more people in the US carry guns legally theres probably more people in the UK carrying guns illegally than you think. Crime there's just as much violent crime in the UK as there is in the US but it is dramatised more here in the media than in the UK for sure. I see no real difference between the two just as many people struggling in UK as here. As for healthcare yes it costs you here but at least you get seen too now the UK do you really want to spend 5 years on a waiting list for a serious operation hmmm lemme see I dont think so. Taxes here are way less than in the UK so leading to a better lifestyle but of course alot of these things depend on what you really come to the US for everywhere in the world is different and theres pros and cons to them all I still call the UK home and always will I love to be on approach to LHR and look out the window see the land trees etc but I hate getting of the plane and paying 80 gbp to fill up my car and 4 pound for a beer and realising how many years I was screwed on taxes for, I love it here in the USA and would never plan to return to the UK to live.

CAdreaming

Very interesting thread- I have no experience of living in the USA so keen to hear peoples experiences v UK. As my time draws ever nearer to going I am naturally apprehensive of leaving behind familiarity so look forward to hearing what people have experienced

ian-mstm

Yes... or no. It depends on who you talk to! Every country has its good and bad points - you won't find any concensus here!


No, far from it! The economy is hurting just now, as is the economy in the UK but, as with all things, that'll change.


I quite like the gun laws here. There will always be idiots who kill for no good reason... but I fancy the idea that I can kill an intruder in my home and not worry about being charged with a crime!

Healthcare... well, that's a whole topic in itself. Suffice to say that a single hospitalization can bankrupt you if you don't have health insurance. Sadly, many don't. If you can afford a good policy, you'll be fine. If you can't... you may find yourself in deep sh*t.

Ian

Derrygal

OMG - I can't believe what I'm reading - so you would have absolutely no qualms about shooting someone dead?

BILDER

I bet you, a surprising number of us have a handgun hidden somewhere in our homes... just in case.

Englishman43

It's no different than any other country in as much as it has it's good and bad points. On a personal level it cost me more to live here than where I'm from and coming from England the way the health system here works takes some getting used to.

Have I enjoyed living here ? Yes.

Knowing what I know now would I do it again if I could turn the clock back ? More than likely not.

Derrygal

That's exactly how I feel. I don't hate it here, but the older I get, the more I wish I hadn't come here. I dread getting old in this country.

md95065

Have you already read all of the existing threads on this topic?

There seems to be at least one a month so you should probably be able to find at least a hundred of them ...

AmerLisa

Sally Redux

Unbelievable isn't it, quite a common fantasy though it seems.

I agree America is nice for a holiday, certainly wish I'd stuck to that.

ian-mstm

If that someone was an intruder in my home, I wouldn't think twice about it. The gun is in a drawer behind my pillow, clip attached, one in the chamber, and safety on!

Ian

AmerLisa

Oh dear..... Well, I don't own a gun, and I'm sure I'm never going to....in fact I don't know anyone who has admitted to me that they own a gun. Well except for the police officer neighbor a couple of doors down, but that's his service gun. But, if someone were coming into my house, I might wish I had a gun.....

CAdreaming

I have indeed dipped in to this topic - It is just interesting to read a current thread on this topic.