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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:
londonrach · 30/12/2016 15:50

No

CoteDAzur · 30/12/2016 21:40

"I think a relevant question for anyone on this thread is not 'would you ove to the US' but 'would you move to any other country than where you are now'"

I have moved to another country and am happy here.

And I wouldn't live in the US.

mygorgeousmilo · 30/12/2016 21:43

Nooe

Sybys · 30/12/2016 22:34

"I think a relevant question for anyone on this thread is not 'would you ove to the US' but 'would you move to any other country than where you are now'"

I've moved from the UK to Canada, and it has reaffirmed why I would not want to move to the US. There are things about Canada I like more than the UK and vice-versa, but the most of the things I don't like about Canada are common to (and more pronounced) in the US (like the lack of a proper NHS, inadequate welfare state, crap worker's rights, economy barriers to education, etc.). Add in gun control, the prominence of the Christian-right and Donald Trump and it's far too many negatives for me.

StrangeLookingParasite · 30/12/2016 22:38

But even if the place was looking all amazing, it is still 'OTHER', it is still not YOUR culture, and so it will always in some way be alien or external, and it is incredibly hard, and takes a huge amount of effort to ever truely feel at home.

I moved to a different culture and felt more at home in the first two weeks than I had in forty years in the culture I grew up in.
I acknowledge I may be a bit peculiar in this.

Atenco · 31/12/2016 01:05

I moved to a different culture and felt more at home in the first two weeks than I had in forty years in the culture I grew up in

I know what you mean.

DarthPlagueis · 31/12/2016 01:07

Good bit of evidence regarding the "land of opportunity" myth:

hbr.org/2016/12/research-how-subtle-class-cues-can-backfire-on-your-resume

MakeItStopNeville · 31/12/2016 01:13

We moved to the US. Best thing we ever did. Whenever we go away, I get a sense of "I'm home" every time we land back on US soil. I appreciate it's not for everyone but our lifestyle is a infintely better here. And I've never seen a gun this whole time.

Pallisers · 31/12/2016 03:47

*"I think a relevant question for anyone on this thread is not 'would you ove to the US' but 'would you move to any other country than where you are now'"

I have moved to another country and am happy here.

And I wouldn't live in the US.*

I have moved to the US and am happy here.

It is entirely possible that I wouldn't live in your country of origin nor the country you happily moved to.

who cares about these entirely subjective opinions?

Andylion · 31/12/2016 04:38

Also, even most Canadians I know don't want to go to Toronto.

Hey Toronto is terrific. Smile It's not New York or London, (two cities I love), but it's a really great place to live.

Tangfastics · 31/12/2016 04:58

*"I think a relevant question for anyone on this thread is not 'would you ove to the US' but 'would you move to any other country than where you are now'"

I think this is a good point.

I'm from the uk and have lived in the Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Seoul, Brussels, and am now in New York.

I've been happy everywhere as it's really what you make of it. I'm a bit of a nomad though I appreciate that doesn't suit everyone.

But I can't get my head around slagging off another country (and the USA being a vast one at that!) just because you'd prefer to stay at home.

I love New York. I actually find it much more friendly than London!

Tangfastics · 31/12/2016 05:06

What I forgot to say is this thread (forgive me I've not rtft) has been mainly depressing in respect of people's prejudices, lack of knowledge, unwillingness to learn/experience other countries or cultures.

However, I was tickled by the poster who said something along the lines of the only place they wanted to visit in the USA was Argentina Grin

HermioneWoozle · 31/12/2016 05:15

The USA would be the last on my list to live out of any modern democratic country. Especially under Trump.

CallarMorvern · 31/12/2016 05:26

In the minority, but I would love to live in California...the weather, the outdoors, the food, friendly people and the positivity.
I'm always amazed at the small mindedness of Mumsnet when it comes to the US and feel mortified by the thought of any Americans reading it.
I hate the UK, the narrow mindedness (very evident on this thread), the greyness, the negativity, the government, appalling education for many, NHS can be brilliant, but can also be a postcode lottery and fail horribly and the awful class snobbery.

I stay because my family is here and DH wouldn't move.

HermioneWoozle · 31/12/2016 06:10

There are clear cut and entirely sensible reasons for not living in the US. It isn't necessarily prejudice. No one here, as far as I can tell, is saying the UK is the best country in the world either, there is a good case to be made for not living here as well.

Facts such as the US having the worst ranked health care system in the developed world, the worst (by far) for gun and violent crime and that it punches well below its weight in the education system are generally acknowledged and not prejudice or unfair criticism.

HermioneWoozle · 31/12/2016 06:13

And people like the OP's friend I hope do read this thread and others like it. Good!

MetalMidget · 31/12/2016 07:53

Yeah, there are plenty of countries I'd like to live (Canada, lots of places in Europe), but the US isn't one of them. There's a lot of stuff about America I like, but their gun laws, employment laws, Republican erosion of women's rights, terrible healthcare system and now electing a racist, self-confessed sex predator are deal breakers for me.

Visit, yes. Live there? Hell no.

CoteDAzur · 31/12/2016 09:06

Tang - That post says "I have nothing against US citizens but I would not want to live there. Other parts of America, maybe, I like Argentina and Uruguay." So is clearly talking about America, the continent.

CoteDAzur · 31/12/2016 09:08

Callar - I've got the weather, the outdoors, and all that in the South of France. California isn't the only place by the sea with good weather.

bummymummy77 · 31/12/2016 09:17

Guns in every home. Oh no please, only one family I know has guns in their house.

I choose to move here as ds will have the freedom I had growing up and a much better schooling and quality of life.

I live in a part of America that people are relocating to from all over though, there are other parts I wouldn't live in.

Annoying how people are making blanket statements. Very uneducated, the place is huge and very diverse.

CallarMorvern · 31/12/2016 11:31

CoteDAzure - I imagine there's lots of sunny places near the sea in the world 😊 But why shouldn't I like California? We have friends there and their views are pretty much the same as ours - horrified at Trump, don't own guns, liberal and well educated.
Tbh, I struggle with France, I'm pretty much vegetarian and don't find that's tolerated hugely and I've no hope of speaking the language after years of attempts.

Lweji · 31/12/2016 11:44

California has earthquakes!!!
And part of it is about to sink.
Severe draughts and fires.

I'll stick with the Algarve. You could move there and never have to speak a word of Portuguese. (Sigh!)

CoteDAzur · 31/12/2016 13:48

Of course you can like wherever your heard desires, Callar. I only commented re climate/sea elsewhere because it looked like you were saying you would want to live in California because of the weather.

I like California area, too, but it has the unfortunate disadvantage of being in the US and on the other side of the world, nearly a half day in time zone difference to most of my family which means even phone conversations would be difficult to organise, let alone visits. Also, I much prefer the Mediterranean Sea to the oceans - it's much safer and more pleasant to swim here.

DarthPlagueis · 31/12/2016 13:58

I love California, it would be a great place to live. Although last time I was there I asked for a 2nd glass of wine at a lunch with a friend and some of her Californian mates, and was asked how long I had been an alcoholic Shock

Tropezienne · 31/12/2016 14:13

I dont want to live there, but I do admire the American constitution. Its culture and it's freedoms. American people, I do find a little odd TBH..

This person who said "Everyone wants to come here!" Where does he think all these people are coming from and what kind of people?

Everyone, as in every continent, every country?