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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Does everyone want to live in the US?

846 replies

AteRiri · 22/12/2016 19:43

I was talking to an American friend and he made this blanket statement, "Everyone wants to come here!"

Is this true?

OP posts:
squoosh · 22/12/2016 22:44

Er, who was nasty to you FourKids?

bummedmummy · 22/12/2016 22:45

I totally agree with lightningseeds and terramirabilis.

This bizarrely negative thread reminds me of why I miss living in the US so much.

DarylDixonsJockstrap · 22/12/2016 22:45

I would love to live in the US but appreciate that i am the minority. Maybe not forever, but would really like to experience life there.

NoncommittalToSparkleMotion · 22/12/2016 22:45

I'm a Canadian and definitely thought we were the boring cousin of the US.

I like visiting, and the people are wonderful. But for the political and social reasons listed above, no, I wouldn't live there. Except for Boston. I could be persuaded there...

PitilessYank · 22/12/2016 22:51

Woof! Some serious nastiness in this thread. Oh well, it's your website.

Senecafalls: you want to come hang out at my house? I feel very lonely all of a sudden.

Willyoujustbequiet · 22/12/2016 22:52

Been there done that. Moved back home.

Fucked up gun laws and fucked up health care system. Add trump into the mix and no way in hell.

There are some wonderful aspects of America but holidays aside never again.

I really missed our culture and sense of history everywhere. I didn't realise i would appreciate it so much.

AngelaKardashian · 22/12/2016 22:52

Yes @LeadPipe (testing this new @ feature!) that was the one. The amount of them that are actually caught on camera and don't give two hoots just shows how normal it is to them. God knows how many are not caught on camera! They make me sick.

MiladyThesaurus · 22/12/2016 22:55

I'm only interested in moving to the US if I can live in Stars Hollow (or any similar fictional town would probably do). Grin

LaurieMarlow · 22/12/2016 22:56

Pitiless, don't let it get you down.

Europeans get a kick out of being negative about the US. There's an element of insecurity underlying it. It's usually underpinned by very scant actual knowledge of the country.

That's not to say the US doesn't have its problems, it does for sure. But all countries do.

I can't imagine the UK looks particularly attractive to lots of other nationalities thinking about potential emigration destinations.

Moanranger · 22/12/2016 22:56

I am an American who has lived in Britain for around 30 years. Why I prefer UK: single payer healthcare means I don't have to worry about the cost; yes, a bit utilitarian, but U.K. Medics extraordinarily professional. I had 2 C-sections and never felt in better hands. Contrary to the experiences of some posters, the streets in US can feel v threatening. I was in the Mission District in San Francisco & felt it was at least as dangerous as Quito, in contrast to Brixton, which was near to me in London & I would happily go to night or day-even the Norte Dam Estate (if you know south London.) Outside of big cities, culture (as in art, music) hardly exsists. Ignorance: when I speak to most Americans I have to drop my vocabulary down to child-level, their just incredibly poorly-read & poorly educated. Drugs:HUGE problem there in all classes; I have addict relatives, some dead, friends whose partners became meth addicts & died, & these were "middle class" people, not wasters. I just feel terribly, terribly sad for the country.

PitilessYank · 22/12/2016 22:59

Moanranger-that was the Mission in 1986, 30 years ago. It is tame nowadays. So is the Lower East Side of NYC, etc.

Parts of London were very scary back then as well.

BakeOffBiscuits · 22/12/2016 23:01

"Europeans get a kick out of being negative about the US. There's an element of insecurity underlying it"

How funny! No, there is no insecurity at all. Quite the opposite actually.

NoncommittalToSparkleMotion · 22/12/2016 23:01

Yes! Stars Hollow I'd be there in a minute.

busyboysmum · 22/12/2016 23:03

No. I've been as we have family there but have no desire to return even for a visit. There's no history. It all seems to be about money.

PitilessYank · 22/12/2016 23:04

Moanranger: you seem nice.

Actually, you sound like a snob. And I think you meant "they're", not '"their" just incredibly poorly-read.'

Sybys · 22/12/2016 23:04

LaurieMarlow - I think it's more that Europeans are used to (a) socialized healthcare, (b) a good paid holiday allowance, (c) affordable education, (d) gun control.

I don't know about the whole on Europe, but for British people I would add (e) a good minimum wage, (f) good maternity leave, (g) access to abortion and (h) an adequate social safety net.

Personally, I also find the prevalence of Creationism and the vitriol of some towards the LGBTQ community to be a turn off.

The US has some beautiful countryside and I've enjoyed a few vacations there but there are valid reasons for Europeans to be aghast at aspects of US culture, particularly given the available wealth.

MiladyThesaurus · 22/12/2016 23:04

We were in the mission earlier this year. It was all shops that sell items with no identifiable function to hipsters.

Original poster
AteRiri · 22/12/2016 23:05

I'd live in Stars Hollow too! :P

I'd also live in a tech-centric place, like San Francisco or NYC, if I get offered a job as that's our (mine and husband's) field.

OP posts:
SenecaFalls · 22/12/2016 23:06

Senecafalls: you want to come hang out at my house? I feel very lonely all of a sudden.

Sounds like a plan! Smile Just to show that not all MNers are like some of the nastier ones on this thread, there is a thread asking where people would live if they had to live abroad and some are choosing places in the US (NYC mostly).

PitilessYank · 22/12/2016 23:08

We are a relatively young country.

We are still working shit out!

That having been said, I would love to live in Finland, Denmark, or Norway, but most of the people I love best live here in the US so I must be here also.

BakeOffBiscuits · 22/12/2016 23:10

No one is being nasty! They are just answering the question!

If someone said to all the Americans on MN "would you like to live in the U.K?" I'm certain most would say no. I wouldn't take offence at that or take it personally as many Americans on this thread seem to be doing.

LaurieMarlow · 22/12/2016 23:11

It's typical of humans to site rational reasons for their emotional responses which they find harder to figure out and vocalise.

Ultimately the US superseded Europe as the world's superpower. Subconsciously Europeans react to that and it's typical to not feel entirely positive about those who have assumed the dominance you once thought was yours. Part of the underlying reaction.

I'sm not American by the way, but British/Irish.

Original poster
AteRiri · 22/12/2016 23:12

Yeah, if people get asked "would you like to live in Australia", there'd be answers like "spiders", "snakes", "burning hot sun"...I wouldn't take offence too as these are true about Australia.

OP posts:
squoosh · 22/12/2016 23:12

Having only 10 days annual leave would be a shock to the system.

MontePulciana · 22/12/2016 23:12

It's the New World. They need time to make history! I do sense alot of bitterness to Americans to be honest. I've spent a lot of time over there for work and can honestly say every flight I've been on has been jam packed full of eager Brits. Most love it there! San Diego has a huge ex pat community. People who "left it all" for the sun and sea and never went back. My DB is a hater of all things American but that's because the embassy stopped him from travelling there when they found out about his criminal record. He loved it until that point. I'm going to be applying for a GC soon at the London embassy. Heard the waiting list is very long. So there must be plenty of Brits trying to get there!