To think about emigrating to the USA? 🇺🇸

[Rainbow1234]

I have posted in living overseas but don’t get much of a response so thought I would look for some opinions here.

So my dh is originally from Texas but moved to London 15 years ago when he was 16. We have 2 dc aged 4 and 7 (both have dual nationality). He assured me when we got married that he wasn’t bothered about ever moving back to the US and that he preferred England. Now he has been offered a really good job in California where his family live and wants me to think about us all moving out there but I’m so unsure, the job pays almost double what he is earning here but the area we would need to live in is more expensive than where we are now so financially we would be about the same. I was born and brought up in London, my mum dad and sister all live within 30 minutes of me and they are the only family I have in the whole world and I would feel so guilty about leaving them especially my mum, she’s 70 this year and in very good health (works full time) but I know she won’t be around forever but I can’t help thinking life could be better for my kids out there, anyone?

I generally assume people who want to live in Florida are basing it on their holiday to the theme parks.

Or having lived there for 40-plus years, as in my case. And I haven't been to a theme park in over 20 years. There is a lot more to Florida than theme parks.

It's one hell of a red state.

No. Florida is a purple state, or swing state in national elections. We went for President Obama twice. And we have one Democratic senator and one Republican senator.

Obamas gun laws were blocked by Congress. He did sign an executive order to prevent people with recorded mental health issues getting guns. Trump got rid of it.

britinnyc1 My experiences accord with yours. Despite being a long term Labour supporter, I’m very much politically centrist compared with my friends and neighbors. It really does depend where you are...my city is usually is the Top Five US Cities for standards of living, good health, great education, outdoor amenities, culture etc. if I lived in, say, Lubbock, Texas, for example (a shithole if ever there was one) then I’d feel differently. Just as the experiences of people living in Richmond or Kensington will vary greatly from those living in Blackpool or Gateshead.

"Their non-existence health care"

Presumably you forgot to qualify it by saying "non existent free healthcare". Of course health care isn't non existent, it's very much in existence and it's very big business. And in my experience it's a vastly superior level of care and service than what's provided in much of the UK by the crumbling NHS. The system of delivery and payment for care is of course administered in a vastly different way through the insurance system (much of which is heavily subsidized by employers) but I'd take the American system over the NHS any day. I don't have to wait 3 weeks for a GP appointment here. Consultants, specialists, tests, treatments and results within days here not weeks or months.

I am dual national and wouldn't consider ever, ever moving back. California is crazy expensive and the public schools can be dire. I lived there growing up and have cousins there still. I would never move back to a country where I could lose health coverage.

The American system of health care is great when you have a good health care plan and some money, its not so great for the 28 million plus (and fast rising) without any health insurance. Medical poverty is a huge problem, and 50,000 people a year at least die directly because of lack of insurance. And that's not even starting on those with insurance, but not enough, or doesn't cover them properly, etc.

Yes, America does have some of the very finest healthcare in the world, with fast turnarounds and access to specialists easily etc....but not for everyone. Not by a long shot.

I'm a British ex-pat. I've been in Switzerland for the past 7 years but have also lived in several countries in Asia and elsewhere in Europe. One place I wouldn't consider is the USA on the healthcare situation alone.

Healthcare in Switzerland is private, but a reasonable package covers everything, even things like acupuncture. It's just paid for my DH to have Invisalign dental treatment. I couldn't sleep at night if I knew that one serious illness could bankrupt us.

There are a lot of Americans in Geneva. None of the ones I know want to go home!

My parents have private health care and Can frequently not get appointments with specialists fir weeks. I can nearly always get a quicker appt on BUPA here.

I have friends who literally couldn't afford to become parents because of the cost of childbirth (insurance not covering all costs) and childcare after. it's heartbreaking and a disgrace. I have another friend with three kids and no coverage- DH between jobs. I also have incredibly wealthy friends with great lifestyles who think the only good country in the world is the US. So tiresome.

Not fir anything would I move back.

Work life balance? Are some of you deliberately ignoring the many people that actually live or have lived there saying heir work life balance and quality of life is way better?!

I lived in the UK for 36 years. Nothing could make me go back, my life is 100 times better here.

Are some of you deliberately ignoring the many people that actually live or have lived there saying heir work life balance and quality of life is way better?!
Are you ignoring that the people who don't have a good work life balance are not posting on MN? Of course they do, they have great jobs and pots of money and great healthcare, as they are telling us....but three people is hardly indicative of the entire country!

Agreed - there are still way too many people who don't have access to or can't afford insurance and adequate healthcare and it's utterly appalling in this day and age. My comment was more aimed at this opinion that tends to come out of the UK that the NHS should be held up as some shining example of how healthcare should universally operate. They're so blinkered by their entitlement to free care that they just can't imagine an alternative system, albeit one that's perhaps as flawed as the NHS for different reasons.

I don't think anyone currently dealing with the NHS thinks it is a shining example of how healthcare should be!

They tend to think that the ideal version of the NHS though is a much better system than the US one. At least with the NHS the intent is that poor people are as entitled to healthcare as rich ones, unlike the US.

I've not RTFT but it was lack of holidays that stopped us going.
The package DH was offered was 2 weeks, possibly could have negotiated more.
However I knew we would use 2 weeks minimum coming home to visit - so possibly no other holidays ever!

Several of DHs relatives have become poorly/died (including his DM) in the time we would have been over there - not sure if he would even been able to get back to see anyone.

The health care issue would scare me. What if your H lost his job? how would you keep up health insurance premiums which are insane! I can't believe that people are expected to find that much money for health insurance.

America, no way. Can’t think of one redeeming feature only bad ones.
Gun culture, racism, Trump, lack of affordable health care, cheeze in a can and corndogs are more than enough to put me off.

Corndogs are awesome!

@TheJoyOfSox where have you been in America?

People from a country full of folk who eat beans for breakfast have no business dissing corndogs.

Haha. Beans for breakfast,wet boak. Big cuppa tea,porridge.thats a breakfast

my DP brother and sister in law moved out there to Washington years ago for a really good job he got, they have 2 DC who were both born over there so they have dual nationality. They come over here to visit every few years. They seem very happy and are all doing really well.
If I had my way I would move over there but I know that’s not possible for a number of reasons. If you’ve got the opportunity go for it 😊 it’s a risk worth taking.

Some things are nicer: weather, space, money. But it’s very unforgiving. Step even slightly off the straight and narrow and your life turns to shit. Get sick and your life turns to shit. And everyone works very hard, with very little holiday. Quite a lot of people are very religious.

Ihavebrillohair, that's ridiculous assumption. I don't think many people go through all the expense and stress of emigrating to the US or Australia for theme parks or weather and swimming pools alone. Although I emigrated to Australia, and the weather and swimming pool is a bloody good bonus, as well as the better paid jobs, better healthcare and generally much higher quality of life that we enjoy.

We don't work that hard and we get a lot of holiday. The same as lots of others we know. So no, not 'everyone.'

Re the anti-intellectual sentiment. I get why people would think that from just watching the news/Trump etc and of course it will vary from state to state and place to place, but:

My kids are at the local public elementary:

*They are worked considerably harder than in their outstanding UK primary school.
*They are at school for more than an hour extra per day compared to U.K.
*They have at least two hours homework a night (primary school)
There is considerable pressure to learn and achieve and to attend a good university.
In Texas all children from third grade (8-9yo) sit several externally marked four hour long state achievement tests each year, under proper exam conditions.
*They have a fully equipped science lab and tech lab in their school with specialist teachers and hands on experiments and experiences.
*There are competitive robotics, math and engineering teams working to high standards.

• There are science fairs, science weeks, book fairs, literature weeks, coding weeks throughout the school year. *A well thought out Gifted and Talented programme accessible via extensive testing. *There is no automatic progression, children who do not pass the year repeat. *Significant daily assistance and coaching for children with additional needs eg dyslexia and ADHD to bring them up to standard.

Our neighbourhood is full of engineers, doctors, professors and geologists. The PTO is filled to the brim with SAHM with extremely impressive qualifications and work histories.

I doubt if you live in the sticks you might see a different picture but “anti intellectualism” certainly isn’t universal.

The country that elected DT prez isn't anti-intellectual. Oh go on. Pull the other one.

The electoral college elected him. The majority of people who voted in that election did not vote for him.