Would you do it again?
Sep 19th 2006, 5:40 pm
#61
Re vera, potas bene.
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: Cape Cod MA..Davenport FL
Posts: 2,405
Re: Would you do it again?
Originally Posted by Bob
money, money, money, me, me, me, money and me....all keeping up with the jones, you'll find a lot of that in CT....and big hair 
Sep 19th 2006, 5:42 pm
#62
Re vera, potas bene.
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: Cape Cod MA..Davenport FL
Posts: 2,405
Re: Would you do it again?
Originally Posted by Bob
and that's where I think I'm pretty lucky, and it has made it a lot better since getting this job.
Sep 19th 2006, 5:43 pm
#63
Slight chance of Showers
Joined: May 2006
Location: Norfolk,UK ->Memphis,TN
Posts: 1,158
Re: Would you do it again?
Originally Posted by Elvira
- I like watching opera in the buff, and I miss that so much.
Sep 19th 2006, 5:45 pm
#64
Homebody
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: HOME
Posts: 23,181
Re: Would you do it again?
Originally Posted by dan_alford
Truth is out at last
I've been hiding that well haven't I
Sep 19th 2006, 5:59 pm
#65
Slight chance of Showers
Joined: May 2006
Location: Norfolk,UK ->Memphis,TN
Posts: 1,158
Re: Would you do it again?
Originally Posted by Elvira
I've been hiding that well haven't I
Sep 19th 2006, 6:00 pm
#66
Account Closed
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 8,266
Re: Would you do it again?
Originally Posted by Angry White Pyjamas
No kids you see.
Personally if I had a 4, 2 and 3 month old I'd be wanting to see more not less of them.
Personally if I had a 4, 2 and 3 month old I'd be wanting to see more not less of them.
AWP, it is quotes like this that makes our hormones race *wink*
Sep 19th 2006, 6:06 pm
#67
Banned
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Santa Monica,CA from Birmingham, UK
Posts: 18,402
Re: Would you do it again?
[QUOTE=Elvira- Distance from family
- Spending an absolute fortune on travelling to and from the UK, which leaves no $$$ or time for proper family vacations (you know, going somewhere different just for the fun of it)
- I miss my friends as I have never really been able to 'connect' with Americans; most have a very different mind-set, and they're all so very busy.
[/QUOTE]
Got to agree with Elvira on these issues, especially the travel one
e.g I still haven't been to Hawaii despite having lived on the West coast for 20 years. With the 2 or 3 weeks annual vacation I usually end up going to visit family in the UK and/or Finland........... again
I will say that with today's rates at least it's so much cheaper to telephone home. I remember paying $1.00 a minute for UK calls when I first came here and having ridiculous phone bills as I was young and homesick, now it's pennies per minute.
Also the world is a much smaller place than when I first arrived, with the internet you have instantaneous UK news and live football.
I used to get results from football games a week or more old or pay $3 for yesterday's old UK newspaper as a 'special treat' back then..................... do I sound old or what
:scared:
- Spending an absolute fortune on travelling to and from the UK, which leaves no $$$ or time for proper family vacations (you know, going somewhere different just for the fun of it)
- I miss my friends as I have never really been able to 'connect' with Americans; most have a very different mind-set, and they're all so very busy.
[/QUOTE]
Got to agree with Elvira on these issues, especially the travel one
e.g I still haven't been to Hawaii despite having lived on the West coast for 20 years. With the 2 or 3 weeks annual vacation I usually end up going to visit family in the UK and/or Finland........... again
I will say that with today's rates at least it's so much cheaper to telephone home. I remember paying $1.00 a minute for UK calls when I first came here and having ridiculous phone bills as I was young and homesick, now it's pennies per minute.
Also the world is a much smaller place than when I first arrived, with the internet you have instantaneous UK news and live football.
I used to get results from football games a week or more old or pay $3 for yesterday's old UK newspaper as a 'special treat' back then..................... do I sound old or what
:scared:
Last edited by Lord Lionheart; Sep 19th 2006 at 6:18 pm.
Sep 19th 2006, 6:09 pm
#68
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,170
Re: Would you do it again?
Originally Posted by krizzy
Hubby gets a lot of time off ...thats makes this job worth hanging onto...
Sep 19th 2006, 6:10 pm
#69
Account Closed
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 8,271
Re: Would you do it again?
Originally Posted by TouristTrap
AWP, it is quotes like this that makes our hormones race *wink*
Sep 19th 2006, 6:14 pm
#70
Account Closed
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 6,196
Re: Would you do it again?
Originally Posted by lionheart
..... do I sound old or what :scared:
:scared:
Sep 19th 2006, 6:18 pm
#71
Account Closed
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 8,266
Re: Would you do it again?
Some afternoon delight?
Sep 19th 2006, 6:21 pm
#72
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 3,338
Re: Would you do it again?
I don't have this problem of spending a fortune nipping back and forth to the UK, because I just don't think the 2 weeks off is enough for that. So its been a case of hardening the heart and not going. Now we've got a newborn, I can't foresee when we'll be going back to the UK next at all. This will no doubt cause some bleating back home, but if they want to see the baby, they will have to come here.
As has been said life is what you make it, so having taken the "going on vacation to a place a long way away ever again" option off the table, I think it makes it easier to deal with. We look for short breaks away and closer destinations for holidays now.
That said, my singlemost annoying point about the country remains the lack of time off, as has been said its criminal and I would say grossly negligent of US socitey to treat its people the way it does. Headed for an implosion in the future, yes it is, not just about this but about all the other aforementioned points about "Me, me, me, selfish inward lookingness", which is not only a personal thing but a national thing as well. Greedy Roman/Egyptian empire reincarnated; they're not about nowadays and eventually the US will go the same way.
I really do have a love/hate relationship with the place, AWP's "Materially rich, socially poor" statement really does sum it up. Have some good friends here, but it just does not feel the same.
As has been said life is what you make it, so having taken the "going on vacation to a place a long way away ever again" option off the table, I think it makes it easier to deal with. We look for short breaks away and closer destinations for holidays now.
That said, my singlemost annoying point about the country remains the lack of time off, as has been said its criminal and I would say grossly negligent of US socitey to treat its people the way it does. Headed for an implosion in the future, yes it is, not just about this but about all the other aforementioned points about "Me, me, me, selfish inward lookingness", which is not only a personal thing but a national thing as well. Greedy Roman/Egyptian empire reincarnated; they're not about nowadays and eventually the US will go the same way.
I really do have a love/hate relationship with the place, AWP's "Materially rich, socially poor" statement really does sum it up. Have some good friends here, but it just does not feel the same.
Sep 19th 2006, 6:26 pm
#73
Senior Moment
Joined: Nov 2003
Location: NYC
Posts: 5,008
Re: Would you do it again?
Originally Posted by William Shaw
This forum is full of (generally good natured) observations about the frustrations of life as an expat in the States.
I am going through the process of moving my family to Connecticut in the coming months and am evaluating pros and cons.
I would be interested to hear from you caustic veterans, if you could start again, whether you would have moved to the US at all and if so what you would have done differently.
Also, what was your greatest culture/lifestyle shock?
I am going through the process of moving my family to Connecticut in the coming months and am evaluating pros and cons.
I would be interested to hear from you caustic veterans, if you could start again, whether you would have moved to the US at all and if so what you would have done differently.
Also, what was your greatest culture/lifestyle shock?
I thought it would be an adventure and willingly came to the USA and excitedly looked forward to it, but I gave up everything I had that made me happy in England very quickly and thought that I would be able to achieve the same level of happiness over here. Not so.
If I could rewind back to 2004, I'd have my american husband move to the UK, not the other way round.
Culture shock has been the working world. 40 hours a week 10 days off a year, does not make for a good quality of life, but thats just my opinion.
Also you realise how much more laid back England/Europe is compared to the USA.
Bear in mind that right now, it is not exactly a golden era in the history of the USA and perhaps not the best of times to experience life here.
Everyone's experiences are all very different, and I've just unfortunately had a run of bad luck ever since I got here. I'm still holding out hope that it will change in the next 4 years, but if not, then I'm going home in 2010.
Sep 19th 2006, 6:28 pm
#74
Banned
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Santa Monica,CA from Birmingham, UK
Posts: 18,402
Re: Would you do it again?
Originally Posted by Sarah
No I wouldn't repeat it. The pro's that I've experienced whilst being here, unfortunately don't outweigh the cons. I think the life of an immigrant is essentially quite a lonely path to choose.
I thought it would be an adventure and willingly came to the USA and excitedly looked forward to it, but I gave up everything I had that made me happy in England very quickly and thought that I would be able to achieve the same level of happiness over here. Not so.
If I could rewind back to 2004, I'd have my american husband move to the UK, not the other way round.
Culture shock has been the working world. 40 hours a week 10 days off a year, does not make for a good quality of life, but thats just my opinion.
Also you realise how much more laid back England/Europe is compared to the USA.
Bear in mind that right now, it is not exactly a golden era in the history of the USA and perhaps not the best of times to experience life here.
Everyone's experiences are all very different, and I've just unfortunately had a run of bad luck ever since I got here. I'm still holding out hope that it will change in the next 4 years, but if not, then I'm going home in 2010.
I thought it would be an adventure and willingly came to the USA and excitedly looked forward to it, but I gave up everything I had that made me happy in England very quickly and thought that I would be able to achieve the same level of happiness over here. Not so.
If I could rewind back to 2004, I'd have my american husband move to the UK, not the other way round.
Culture shock has been the working world. 40 hours a week 10 days off a year, does not make for a good quality of life, but thats just my opinion.
Also you realise how much more laid back England/Europe is compared to the USA.
Bear in mind that right now, it is not exactly a golden era in the history of the USA and perhaps not the best of times to experience life here.
Everyone's experiences are all very different, and I've just unfortunately had a run of bad luck ever since I got here. I'm still holding out hope that it will change in the next 4 years, but if not, then I'm going home in 2010.
Sep 19th 2006, 6:30 pm
#75
Account Closed
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 8,266
Re: Would you do it again?
The political climate might have been different, but everything else was the same.
Dan, congratulations on the birth of your baby
Dan, congratulations on the birth of your baby