ljaw2002uk

Knowing what you now know, and given the chance to turn back the clock, would you still emigrate from the UK?

dbj1000

After nearly 8 years here it's a strong YES for me... but I can tell you that for a long time it was an equally strong HELL NO!

I've written a lot about culture shock on these boards in the past. If you're someone affected by it, it really can hit hard.

N1cky

I'd do it again, but now I know some of the areas that we went wrong in and would do things slightly different. Hopefully that way I would have felt more settled and happier sooner.

Poppy girl

I would do it again and I am happy here, only thing I would of changed is the ex-husband, notice I state ex

lisa67

It was tough at first and took me longer to settle than I thought it would but I'm definitely glad we stuck it out and couldn't imagine going back to the UK, but never say never

Bob

Yes.

But, I wouldn't have done it when I did, but later on in career and I certainly wouldn't have moved to the east coast, but dived straight into a decent hub such as Oregon/Washington or northern California.

I'm not miserable here, but I'm not jumping for joy either. It just is, what it is. I'd have done better to have not moved straight after uni though.

Oh well, no point dwelling on spilt milk, nothing you can do to change it.

You do, you live, you die.

kimilseung

It's funny, but I don't really think of myself as having emigrated. That's what people do when they go to Australia, make a point of moving as a family for a better life. An A to B upheaval. Odd how my own understanding of the word is of a limited meaning.

I have been here 5 years now, I would say in the words of Zhou Enlai, "its too early to say". Sadly Agamemnon might have it right - don't say you made the right decision until you are on your death bed.

When push comes to shove: I voted YES

caleyjag

I would do it over again in a heartbeat.

I was lucky, and came over here initially as a student, when it's probably easier to meet people, costs are minimal and healthcare doesn't cross your mind even once.

Not only would I do it all again, I'd do anything to turn the clocks back to 1999.

For me, the West Coast is the best place on earth.

london66

Yes I would

A little background - I never thought of living and working over here, I was lucky the company I worked for in the UK were closing our site and I was being laid off, 2 days later I got a phone call for my resume (I've become so American), I sent it, got an interview, got a job offer, knew nothing about visa's ect, but accepted the position. The funny thing is that a lot of people ask about the interview at the embassy in London - her was my first, being stopped by a policeman with a gun asking me what I was doing - it was just after September 11th 2001. All I had to do was hand my documents to a hand that appeared out of the door, 3 to 5 days later I received my passport with my H1-B in it back.

During this time I talked to my mum and dad about moving to the states and I will never forget the words my dad said to me

"take the opportunity, you can always come back but will there be that opportunity again!"

I'm glad I did it and don't regret a thing.

Brendan

Sally Redux

No way.

Scott33

This.

Don't know if I would do it again. I would however make considerable changes to certain things if I did.

nethead

No. Like Bob I don't hate it, and I'm not miserable but I wish we had stayed in the UK.

Jerseygirl

No.

ljaw2002uk

I wouldn't do it again, knowing what I do now. Even so I couldn't leave the US, but I will forever miss the UK, and especially the being close to family and not being there for so many things.

CAdreaming

Only been here since March so early days - missing family, mum poorly back in UK which is very hard but YES would do it all again and YES glad im here...

Met a fellow Brit who had been in US 40 years and in Northern CA 20 of them. He said it is the only place in US which has the closest weather to the UK ---makes me feel right at home!!!