Those who moved to the US - yay/nay?

[helpimcrap]

I have to admit this thread interests me but like some of the others it's just the attitudes I can't be doing with. Sadly those same attitudes are becoming more prevalent in under 30's in the UK..... hence why I want to leave and go to another country!

Oz or Canada (but couldn't do Canada because of my injuries and the weather) appeal to me.

 

[V F]

Even if you can find 6 TV shows a week with the amount of commericalbreaks that would eb strecth out to like 40 hours of watching time.


No, US TV is a complete joke and seem to head downhill. i remember things like the discovery channel and weather were half reasonable but even they are just filled with so much crud now.

Luckily there is Netflix.

I was shocked when I heard some of the movie celebrities wives coming over to the UK for premieres and such saying, they think UK TV is better than the US. As well as saying the amount of cursing we can get away with and less political correctness.

Personally I truly believe UK TV is the pits and this nation is very politically correct. It doesn't take much to set off a storm here.

 

[thedoc46]

I've just relocated my business to the US, though I'm not based there, the company is. I'd move over here (currently working 2 weeks in Salt Lake City) but would be West Coast somewhere. I'm used to having to pay for healthcare in France/ Switzerland so for me that's nothing new.
My wife isn't too sure about relocating out here now (doesn't want to leave friends and Switzerland is beautiful, so much to see) but I would potentially split my time here. Another thing is schooling which she isn't too sure about, but equally we think the French school system sucks as well, so hey.

You're already in one of the best and most picturess places in the world. France / Switzerland. Not sure I'd move from there either.

Actually, if it wasn't for the language barrier (though I speak fluent French, I can't read or write it very well, and i would have been limited in finding a job) I very well may of been living in France.

Also, as I get older and older, and near retirement age, I may very well move there to see off my final days. Somewhere near the alps, not too far from the Cote D'Azur will suit me just fine !

 

[randomshenans]

This is my plan too. Business for me is suited in the US for what I do. The market and money is there. It's not in France and France is awful on a number of ways (red tape/ crap to deal with) which obviously would be easier with a better detailed grasp of the language but even then, I have friends who are French and struggle.
Switzerland is where I would like to retire. Have a house somewhere by one of the lakes. I always thought by lake Geneva, Montreux side, but there are some many spots I would love.

I'm only 29 though, and business is business. The market for what I do isn't in France or Switzerland, really. We're setting up an office over in the US (more than likely shared) so will see what that means for me and my movements/ living. It is harder, obviously, making a proper move (visa wise etc) but also with relocating wife, 3 kids and a dog.

 

[Rroff]

This is my plan too. Business for me is suited in the US for what I do. The market and money is there. It's not in France and France is awful on a number of ways (red tape/ crap to deal with) which obviously would be easier with a better detailed grasp of the language but even then, I have friends who are French and struggle.
Switzerland is where I would like to retire. Have a house somewhere by one of the lakes. I always thought by lake Geneva, Montreux side, but there are some many spots I would love.

I'm only 29 though, and business is business. The market for what I do isn't in France or Switzerland, really. We're setting up an office over in the US (more than likely shared) so will see what that means for me and my movements/ living. It is harder, obviously, making a proper move (visa wise etc) but also with relocating wife, 3 kids and a dog.

US loves money/success you'd have a much easier time getting in and staying in if you have a decent operational (profitable) business than someone looking to make the move there and look for a new job, etc..

 

[roadie]

I spent a year out in the States studying and have been over them numerous times on holiday. I really, really enjoy visiting it.

I find that superficilally it is a fantastic place, which is great for a relatively short period of time like a holiday. I remember coming home over Christmas and thinking how small, grey and dirty everything seemed compared to the pristine campus I was studying on and large apartment complex I was living in.

However, scratch beneath the surface and things aren't so rosy. When I returned full time after my year of studying, I had a new found appreciation of how good the UK is.

 

[acemastr]

I'll just sit here watching the sea out of my work window as the sun shines

 

[dowie]

Thought I'd update this thread, with my experience from yesterday. Really comparing the US healthcare system vs the NHS.

Over the weekend, I was in bad pain in my lower abdominal area. Wasn't going, so decided to go to a quick care first thing Mon morning. Within 30mins I had an xray, pee'dd in a cup and had my blood drawn. Tested for everything within that facility. While waiting for the results, they were in the process of booking my CT scan a few miles up the road, while maknig me knock back a few drinks and putting in an IV for me to prepare for the scan and so that there wouldn't be any waiting around, when i got to the image diagnostic place.

Got there, literally walked right in. (felt first class, given there was a waiting room full of people) Scan was done.. Was told to drive back to the quick care clinic, to which they'd have the results by the time i got there.

Drove back, by which time the CT scan doc had called and given the results to the ER / quick care doc.

Turns out i have some rare inflammatory colon / appendix condition, that's not going to kill me, requires no surgery and nothing to worry about for now.

Cost was $20 for the quick care and $150 for the CT scan.. Yes i have insurance, but the good thing about the entire ordeal was the speed and efficiency.

Left home at 8:30 and by noon I was back home, with all the results.

Yes I was out of pocket of $170, but when you're experiencing a pain, thats not normal like that, and thinking the worst, its the best $170 you'll spend to get the answer you want then and there.

Im guessing it would have been weeks to get the same answer from the NHS. While i appreciate some of the benefits of a socialised health care system, it fails in so many others.

They're a bit causal about exposure to radiation etc.. over there - mostly down to the threat of lawsuits hanging over every doc.

Yes in the UK you're not going to get a CT scan every time you've got a tummy ache and as you've found out you've got nothing to worry about. On the other hand if you actually had something seriously wrong with you then you'll find that you can get access right away to expert medical care on the NHS too... and if you end up with a terminal illness that results in you having to leave work you get treated too.

 

[gradyhawks]

On the other hand if you actually had something seriously wrong with you then you'll find that you can get access right away to expert medical care on the NHS too

+1 here, nothing but NHS love from me. Had my tonsillies out, 2 days later I was at my mums out and about and I could taste blood... didn't think to much of it as it stopped after 5 mins. During dinner had more blood taste and went to the kitchen sink to spit it out but it kept coming. 10 mins later it hadn't stopped and I had filled up a pint glass of blood.... Mum phoned ambulance 15 mins & 3 more pints of blood later I had doctors and nurses around me forcing stuff down my throat to stop the bleeding and getting me ready me for theatre.

Woke up with an oxygen mask on and got to go home later that day and it didn't cost me a penny (aside from the taxes I pay). If I had to pay for treatment like that, it would have cost a fortune, 6 pints of blood transfused, various chemicals and an ambulance trip. I can say that if there was the thought in the back of my mind that I would have had to pay as soon as I called the ambulance I would have maybe waited a little longer and for another pint of blood!

(For those interested, turns out I had nipped my jugular at the back of my throat with some food.... as an adult with a tonciletamy, 1 in 15,000 die!!!)

 

[Ev0]

Slight bump, damn this thread for making me think about this again and doing something about it

Decided to have a chat with someone at work a week or two ago and looks like there's a chance for me to go over to the US.

Having a call with someone tomorrow to see what's up, but little bit scary going from just sending an email to see what's possible to someone saying yeah we want someone over in this particular location lets chat about it.

 

[smr]

Clearly never been to Tampa or Orlando then Big big cities, not sure about the cash needed though.

I was thinking the same, I've holidayed in Orlando and Tampa for a month in total, a few years back. Very chilled out and relaxed places. I loved being there, beautiful weather, nice people, cool things to see and do. Can't think of a reason why I wouldn't want to live there other than being away from my family and friends, that though is enough to put me off the idea.

 

[JBod]

Slight bump, damn this thread for making me think about this again and doing something about it

Decided to have a chat with someone at work a week or two ago and looks like there's a chance for me to go over to the US.

Having a call with someone tomorrow to see what's up, but little bit scary going from just sending an email to see what's possible to someone saying yeah we want someone over in this particular location lets chat about it.

Good luck It happened for me due to my North American job equivalent quit while I was visiting the Los Angeles office. The bosses all then turned to me and spent the rest of the week convincing me what a lovely place to live California is!

They then handled and paid for all the lawyer visa application stuff and I ended up coming over on an H1A with my wife and two children. It did still involve a decent amount of leg work for my wife and I - particularly the visit to the US embassy.

 

[Ev0]

Thanks, just had another phone call with the guys who have the vacancy and sounds like a very good fit.
Initially the guy hiring said he'd also be open to someone being based in Europe covering things, but now looks like they are leaning towards someone being based in the US.
So if they do indeed offer me the role (an internal move) I'd have to move to the US if I accepted.
All got a bit real rather quickly, but will wait and see if they even offer it to me yet...

 

[Ricochet J]

Ignore.

 

[Ev0]

My thing is still progressing, just waiting on someone to return to the US office as he's been working in another country for a year so we can sort out how it would potentially work with me.

 

[Scougar]

Good luck!

What area of the states is the role based?

 

[Tefal]

I spent a year out in the States studying and have been over them numerous times on holiday. I really, really enjoy visiting it.

I find that superficilally it is a fantastic place, which is great for a relatively short period of time like a holiday. I remember coming home over Christmas and thinking how small, grey and dirty everything seemed compared to the pristine campus I was studying on and large apartment complex I was living in.

However, scratch beneath the surface and things aren't so rosy. When I returned full time after my year of studying, I had a new found appreciation of how good the UK is.

Why what was there if you scratched beneath the surface?

 

[JBod]

Why what was there if you scratched beneath the surface?

I have only lived and visited California so baring that in mind my experience is that it is the small things...

Dreadful food in the regular supermarkets (Tesco/Sainsbury style places). You can't get what we would call normal Hovis bread. Everything is full of High Fructose Corn Syrup or regular sugar and packed with salt. Things we consider basic food items are non-existent, picked onions, baked beans and salad cream (to name a few). Bags of crisps (sorry chips) are HUGE. What we would think is a bulk purchase of individually wrapped crisps are actually just big ass bags of crisps here.

Drivers are far worse than I have seen in the UK - but this could just be the famous LA traffic problems.

There are far more ghettos and down trodden areas than you realise watching US television, I know we have our own such places - Birmingham, Liverpool... for example but here I am seeing more beggers than I ever saw in central London.

There have been over 700 people killed by police officers so far this year, just think about that for a second.

Here in LA, I often wonder if that weird shaking is an earth quake, or that smoke on the horizon is a wildfire, or if those tsunami warning signs at Malibu should be taken seriously.

Then you get into their backwards banking and taxation system. All the utility bills that you have to pay because there is no council tax.... by cheque (sorry check ). Oh you can eventually setup online billing but they don't have "direct debits".

When you get your job you have to setup your own tax and do things like a W4 to best guess how much tax you should be and hope that you are right by the end of the tax year!

Someone mashed the rear bumper of my brand new Ford Fusion yesterday, of course no CCTV and no witnesses.

 

[Tefal]

I have only lived and visited California so baring that in mind my experience is that it is the small things...

Dreadful food in the regular supermarkets (Tesco/Sainsbury style places). You can't get what we would call normal Hovis bread. Everything is full of High Fructose Corn Syrup or regular sugar and packed with salt. Things we consider basic food items are non-existent, picked onions, baked beans and salad cream (to name a few). Bags of crisps (sorry chips) are HUGE. What we would think is a bulk purchase of individually wrapped crisps are actually just big ass bags of crisps here.

Drivers are far worse than I have seen in the UK - but this could just be the famous LA traffic problems.

There are far more ghettos and down trodden areas than you realise watching US television, I know we have our own such places - Birmingham, Liverpool... for example but here I am seeing more beggers than I ever saw in central London.

There have been over 700 people killed by police officers so far this year, just think about that for a second.

Here in LA, I often wonder if that weird shaking is an earth quake, or that smoke on the horizon is a wildfire, or if those tsunami warning signs at Malibu should be taken seriously.

Then you get into their backwards banking and taxation system. All the utility bills that you have to pay because there is no council tax.... by cheque (sorry check ). Oh you can eventually setup online billing but they don't have "direct debits".

When you get your job you have to setup your own tax and do things like a W4 to best guess how much tax you should be and hope that you are right by the end of the tax year!

Someone mashed the rear bumper of my brand new Ford Fusion yesterday, of course no CCTV and no witnesses.

thats kinda weird to read, always think of the us as being very forward then forget for a lot of thinsg they seem miles behind (chip an pin etc)

cool though thanks for sharing

 

[randomshenans]

No lane etiquette in the States, but that's the "rule" so you have terrible driving. It's awful. I find the same in supermarkets, but you kind of get that anywhere outside the UK (France is just as bad until you find the shops with the things you want in).

You have to do the same with cheques and taxes here, it's retarded. The French systems are so bloated and old, much like the US in fact, but at least here you can use online banking fairly well. It's like it's been put together by a 4yr old, but it's there.
My business account in the US I was trying to get money in to it and they were like how's it going to arrive? I was like bank transfer... the guy was like... wa? I was like wire... he said oh, so someone will come in here and do it? *slaps forehead*