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To those who've made the move -- what are the biggest pros and cons?

To those who've made the move -- what are the biggest pros and cons?

Old Oct 29th 2019, 11:21 am
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Default To those who've made the move -- what are the biggest pros and cons?

I was hoping that some ppl who had made the move from the UK to the US could chime in with what the biggest gains and losses have been, for you.

Especially curious to hear from those with children. Do you feel you made the best choice for them? How are they doing post-move?
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Old Oct 29th 2019, 11:45 am
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Default Re: To those who've made the move -- what are the biggest pros and cons?

This is a hugely subjective question, everyone will have a different answer.

For me:

Pros - I have more now, a larger house, a larger car, more time outdoors in the sun, and I genuinely like where I live, despite the politics of living in the Deep South. I earn more now than I ever have, mostly because under-performance is punished more here with dismissal than in my old Government job back home.

That breeds open positions for people to move into, and I have taken advantage of that. 5 promotions in 6 years.

Cons - I work more than I used too as a Civil Servant. Vacation time is much less, After 6 years at my company I have just been bumped up to 17 days a year vacation, and that is pretty generous for the US. The cost of healthcare is astronomical (and I work in healthcare)
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Old Oct 29th 2019, 11:48 am
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Default Re: To those who've made the move -- what are the biggest pros and cons?

Many thanks -- I realize that the answers will be subjective. Still, that stuff can be very instructive and valid. In terms of healthcare costs, do you at least feel that the quality of what you get for your money is good?
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Old Oct 29th 2019, 11:52 am
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Default Re: To those who've made the move -- what are the biggest pros and cons?

The quality, generally, is excellent. However for the costs it is no more than what is expected.
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Old Oct 29th 2019, 1:50 pm
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Default Re: To those who've made the move -- what are the biggest pros and cons?

How many more ways are you going to ask the same questions? You've been thinking about this for years in thread after thread. You should make a decision before the kids get any older.
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Old Oct 29th 2019, 2:19 pm
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Default Re: To those who've made the move -- what are the biggest pros and cons?

Originally Posted by Nutmegger
How many more ways are you going to ask the same questions? You've been thinking about this for years in thread after thread. You should make a decision before the kids get any older.
My life is very confusing and sometimes seeing other people's experiences (especially recent ones) can be useful to help me think through my situation.

I kinda thought that's what a forum like this might be good for. Still, lots of people very quick to jump on someone for asking a question again a few years after a thread has been closed.

It's not as if this forum is a raging torrent of conversation -- just a couple of posts a day, from the look of it. Still, sorry if my contribution is too same-y.
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Old Oct 29th 2019, 2:56 pm
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Default Re: To those who've made the move -- what are the biggest pros and cons?

It can get really cold, and the amount of snow, it is however a dry cold that makes it bearable.
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Old Oct 29th 2019, 5:50 pm
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Default Re: To those who've made the move -- what are the biggest pros and cons?

My views are from coastal, northern California:

Pros : Weather is perfect (warm dry summers, mild winters), access to stunning natural wonders and world class snow sports, job and career opportunities (in tech), proximity to Mexico, superb healthcare (if you are lucky enough to have good insurance, however see cons below), the fact that you can get anything/do anything if you throw enough money at it, 2 hour Amazon delivery, everything set up for the convenience of the customer...

Cons: Cost of living is ridiculous (yes, I live in the most expensive place in the US), cost of fresh fruit/veg/bread/milk etc. is mind-blowing, cost of healthcare and the system in general, shallow people, lack of culture and diversity, shitty public (state) education system, abject poverty, the homeless crisis, racism and visible segregation, the 'fake it til you make it' culture...I'll stop as you get the picture. And yes, I'll be leaving the US soon.

I don't have kids but the school system and the constant focus on sport and achievement scares me, as does the religious nuttery and anti vaxxing movement and the fact that it seems that most American kids can't talk in proper sentences until they are 6...
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Old Oct 29th 2019, 6:54 pm
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Default Re: To those who've made the move -- what are the biggest pros and cons?

The most frustrating thing is never really knowing how much things cost until the last second. Your mobile phone bill that you were told was $60 per month actually comes to $75 when they add in all the taxes and hidden fees, plus all the one-off contract fees that they never told you about. Even plain groceries are like this. Heathcare is even worse since they often won't even give you a ballpark figure due to it being commercially sensitive. You have to assume that everything is 10-20% more expensive than the sticker price, and be happy if it is ever less (because sometimes it is more). Tipping is much the same as that, except that no one can agree on who should be tipped and how much. Seems that pizza delivery guys are getting anywhere from nothing to $10 depending on which of my neighbours they went to, and some pizza places pay them a flat fee and some don't pay anything.

You will miss weird things that you took for granted. Like walking? No footpaths near your house. Mmm, chocolate cake - but they used Hersheys. It's like ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife.
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Old Oct 29th 2019, 7:38 pm
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Default Re: To those who've made the move -- what are the biggest pros and cons?

Pros? We were able to afford a bigger house AND plot of land, outside a nicer village, than I could have ever hoped for back in Blighty.
We've found excellent cultural opportunities in one university city an hour away, and even more varied educational, sports, fun adventures available if I'm willing to travel 30 mins farther to an even larger city in the other direction.
Beautiful countryside right there outside my door.

Cons? The winters - cold, with snowstorms a recurring threat, bringing power outages, difficult driving conditions, tall trees waiting to fall, etc.
Healthcare is always expensive & often confusing.
The general work culture is too stressful!
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Old Oct 29th 2019, 7:43 pm
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Default Re: To those who've made the move -- what are the biggest pros and cons?

Healthcare and work culture are the worst things by far IMO. Healthcare is expensive and difficult to navigate and the benefits with regard to time off (including vacation, 'sick time' and parental leave) are significantly less as there are very few federal laws enforcing any leave at all. I've seen many jobs where 7 days vacation per year is considered generous.

Also the unexpected cultural shock really gets you. Despite having been here many many times before moving, I did not realise how different almost every element of life is here and how even after 3 years I'm still discovering things that make me say "but WHY?!"

Also America can not get baked beans, tea or chocolate right and I'm often mistaken for a South African or Australian and people question me when I say tomato.

Pros for me are the guaranteed warmth of months of summer, and my American family, of course.
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Old Oct 29th 2019, 8:01 pm
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Default Re: To those who've made the move -- what are the biggest pros and cons?

Originally Posted by transatlantic_chap
My life is very confusing and sometimes seeing other people's experiences (especially recent ones) can be useful to help me think through my situation.

I kinda thought that's what a forum like this might be good for. Still, lots of people very quick to jump on someone for asking a question again a few years after a thread has been closed.

It's not as if this forum is a raging torrent of conversation -- just a couple of posts a day, from the look of it. Still, sorry if my contribution is too same-y.

.... but it is not as though you have never lived in the US - you lived here from 1998 to 2010 (married and had 2 children) and then moved back to the US because you were homesick. You then had remorse about moving to the UK

Your questions sound as though you have not experienced living in the US and need a lot of information in order to make a decision as to whether to live there or not.

The US has not changed much in 9 years (apart from the political scene. and maybe the health insurance market )..... so I don't see how getting other people's experiences are going to help you if you are still contemplating returning.

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Old Oct 29th 2019, 10:32 pm
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Default Re: To those who've made the move -- what are the biggest pros and cons?

Originally Posted by transatlantic_chap
I was hoping that some ppl who had made the move from the UK to the US could chime in with what the biggest gains and losses have been, for you.

Especially curious to hear from those with children. Do you feel you made the best choice for them? How are they doing post-move?
More info would be good. . Are you married, kids...what ages, what state/town/city etc are you interested in?
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Old Oct 29th 2019, 10:46 pm
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Default Re: To those who've made the move -- what are the biggest pros and cons?

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl
More info would be good. . Are you married, kids...what ages, what state/town/city etc are you interested in?
He's given all this in his previous posts over the years.......
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Old Oct 29th 2019, 11:10 pm
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Default Re: To those who've made the move -- what are the biggest pros and cons?

Originally Posted by SanDiegogirl
He's given all this in his previous posts over the years.......
I know...but who has the time or inclination to search through his past posts?
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