To be a bit envious of this lifestyle? (USA)

[ThePinkPonyClub]

I've just watched School Swap: UK to USA on Channel 4 and have ended up feeling a teensy bit jealous of the kind of lifestyle that's possible over there.

Even normal, non wealthy families seemed to be able to live really outdoorsy lifestyles where they can hike and hunt and boat amongst the gorgeous scenery. I feel like in the UK, even rurally it isn't possible as everywhere is so densely populated especially when the weather is nice. The weather is also a limiting factor!

I'm obviously not jealous of the MAGA/Trump craziness or the crappy healthcare and all the rest of the political stuff but purely the lifestyle side of things, it seems so much more possible to live in that free, outdoorsy kind of way.

And the schools seemed to have a much more positive, enthusiastic culture with things like school sports and dances, compared to the UK teens in their drab uniforms staring at their phones the whole time in their miserable, run down secondary school.

aibu? Anyone live this kind of life in the UK? If so, where?!

I agree that American health care is a nightmare for the uninsured, nit I am genuinely puzzled about the bankruptcy risks for those with good insurance. Would you mind explaining your fears that cancer would bankrupt you? I don’t doubt you, I simply don’t understand.

We were always in Health Maintenance Organisations centred around excellent university hospitals offering great treatment. We had the co-pays but few if any other expenses over the course of some significant episodes. We felt cushioned from financial worries on the health care front.

@mathanxiety that’s interesting, I always got the impression in the US there was a lot more space available to use, people doing motocross etc with what appears to be unlimited space. What land are they on or are they just trespassing?
The woodlands you mention sound really nice. I feel like these spaces might be less crowded than they are here somehow, just the population difference.

No, really?

I was talking about the show. Which contrasted the life of secondary students in rural Arkansas with South London.

I imagine a few of the S London students would have rural Devon equally eye-opening in terms of space and outdoors living.

I grew up in a Midwestern city. V different to rural Arkansas, but many similarities as well. Which I don't think the show much delved into.

I don't think it touched at all on the curriculum.

You also have reproductive rights. Win.

I was also struck by the US school that was featured. It seemed to have a very positive outlook with loads going on and the kids seemed confident although I’m sure there are also all of the problems previous posters have mentioned. I wonder if they tried to pick like-for-like schools (I haven’t seen the first episode, only a later one).

I like in the Lake District and loads of my friends go out fell walking, kayaking, wild swimming, paragliding etc but I am an indoor cat and it is not for me. Loads camping and have caravans too, but again that’s not for me.

Well if you consider how much having a baby costs for an uncomplicated birth AFTER insurance imagine what cancer would cost or anything long term or pre existing condition, or a tricky birth….

I saw something a while ago where a couple read off their bill after their insurance had paid their bit.It was eyewatering $30k for a straightforward birth that needed an induction. They were even charged for the baby to stay in the room they were already paying thousands of dollars for. It just slept in a cot.The induction injection was insane. Americans are being fleeced. They pay massively more than anywhere else even for simple medication like paracetamol or anti histamine. Americans are incredulous when they pop into pharmacies over here.

No bloody way would I want to live with that. And that is people who can afford the rip off insurance .
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jan/16/why-does-it-cost-32093-just-to-give-birth-in-america

We enjoy sailing and hiking here effortlessly. The countryside is spectacular here in the U.K. I don’t know why you can’t see what is in front of your own eyes? It’s possible to get to the sea from any point in the U.K. for a day trip! We have ancient woodland, world class wildlife and vistas. I just find threads like this ridiculous tbh

The thing that struck me most about that show was that poor American girl who just seemed liberated in London, freed from the racism she had to deal with back home.

@Strawb3rrypinkI gather that your knowledge of the US is gleaned from indirect sources as opposed to lived experience?

Money is everything in the US. If you’ve got it you are living like a king, except the bit where your kids could get shot in the head during second period History.

If you don’t have money you can die in thousands of ways. There’s no help. Your kids could still get shot in the head during second period History though, so that’s something.

Both. We have family there and close family who left for a variety of reasons. The healthcare system being one.

What I’d really hate is being so reliant on a job. If the job goes you don’t just have your house at risk but the healthcare for all your family too!

You implied that all of the US is like Arkansas, hence my comment about lack of nuance in your perception.

I'm living in a large midwestern city and my own DCs' lives and those of hundreds of thousands of others are very different from the lives of the kids in Arkansas.

I personally think the producers should have chosen a more urban or suburban school, to offer a better comparison of lifestyle and ethos.

Again, quite a broad brush there.

Your kids or their teacher could be clobbered by a chair flung by a student in many a British classroom any day of the week, and woe betide any student with SEN who will wait years for a diagnosis and have to fight tooth and nail for an appropriate educational environment. Tell me I'm wrong.

@mathanxiety Your kids or their teacher could be clobbered by a chair flung by a student in many a British classroom any day of the week

That can happen anywhere. There was a case last year (?) where a student at a top boarding school whacked some dorm students over the head and permanently damaged one of them. These things are unavoidable in the sense they are unexpected.

But in general, money rules in the US. Guns rule in the US. Financial nets are more common here. Poverty is somewhat less terrible here.

Thanks for this link. It is interesting, but vague - and in line with what I already knew.

The mum of triplets had the misfortune to find herself using out of network specialists (how, we are not told). After bringing in the medical expense specialists (which I agree was an extreme step that should have been unnecessary) her expenses became reasonable.

Otherwise we are only told what patients are formally billed vs what insurance covers. The article implies, but not very clearly, that this could just be double-speak: insurers negotiate lower rates. Patients don’t pay the full difference. Indeed the article says at the bottom that in 2013 (the article is old) patients paid about $3000 on average for a vaginal birth. Steep compared to the NHS! But nothing like that full difference.

Again, thank you for sharing. I found this interesting and enjoyed reading it, and learned a bit. I suppose out of network care can easily go awry. But I basically remain mystified.

Yes it's like those naive people who go on holiday and think living there day to day is going to be the same, so they up sticks and move and then wonder why it's not like what it was on holiday...erm that's why it's called a holiday, an escape from working and hum drum of everyday life!

No basements are very common a I for. Know anyoen who didn’t have one. And swimming pools were more common. Laundry rooms are in newer houses or in thr basement. Much more likely over there than a NH house.

Teschers anfd kids were never threatened in my sons school
Yes SEN is patchy across the UK but the American facebook. Group for kids with with severe/ profound autism and learning disabillities suggest its far from perfect in America too,
One young man went to ER for a mild condtion and rather than work with family to manage his behavior
Staff sedated him and placed him on mechanical ventilation!

I agree - the UK is fantastic for an outdoor lifestyle.

Probably because it is mystifying, vague- and grim.Here is an overview. No wonder healthcare is the highest cause of bankruptcy in the US!

Healthcare costs in the USA, even with insurance, can vary significantly. While insurance helps offset these costs, individuals still face out-of-pocket expenses like deductibles, copays, and coinsurance. The average annual cost of health insurance is around $7,739 for individuals and $22,221 for families, with employers typically covering a large portion. Additional costs for medical services can add up, with a consultation costing $200-$300, a hospital stay averaging $3,000 per day, and an emergency room visit costing $2,168, according to Expatriate Group.

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

1. Insurance Premiums:

The average annual cost of health insurance can vary widely based on factors like age, family size, income, location, and plan type, according to Forbes.

Employers often contribute to health insurance costs, but individuals may still have to pay a portion of the premium.

1. Out-of-Pocket Expenses:

Deductibles: This is the amount you pay for healthcare services before your insurance starts covering costs. Copays: These are fixed amounts you pay for specific services, like doctor's visits or prescription drugs,. Coinsurance: This is the percentage of the cost you pay for services after your deductible is met. Out-of-Network Costs: If you receive care from a provider outside your insurance network, you may have higher costs.

1. Specific Healthcare Costs:

Doctor's Visits: A consultation can cost between $200 and $300.

Hospital Stays: A hospital stay can cost around $3,000 per day on average.

Emergency Room Visits: The average cost of an emergency room visit is $2,168, according to Expatriate Group.

Surgery: Surgical procedures can significantly increase hospital costs, according to Debt.org.

Medications: Prescription drugs can also be a substantial expense.

1. Factors Affecting Costs:

Your Health: Chronic illnesses or conditions can lead to higher healthcare costs.

The Type of Plan: Different insurance plans have varying deductibles, copays, and coinsurance.

The Provider Network: Choosing in-network providers can help lower your costs.

The Specific Procedure or Service: The cost of different medical procedures and services varies.

I did not imply that the whole of the US is like Arkansas. I specifically referenced educational attainment in Arkansas and wondered about being gay in that particular school.

There are some broad truisms about high school in the US v UK that the show highlighted: sports, dances, facilities, cultural references (learned patriotism in Mena; an unrepresentarive view of the UK as flawlessly multicultural), an undercurrent of concern about school shootings even if the overwhelming likelihood is that you as an individual will never be affected. There was no real mention of curriculum (including the power of local education boards in the US).

My high school was not like Mena. Your dc's won't be either. And comparing S London to rural Arkansas is going to throw up the starkest possible differences, which is no doubt why it was chosen.

My son was diagnosed with Diabetes two years ago
His insulin and dexcom and all the other medication and equpiment he needs to stay alive are all funded by the NHS
On the American Diabetes groups im on people are worrying daily about affording their medication and use old out of date insulin etc and are reusing many times lances and needles that are supposed to be one time use
So for all its faults im glad of the NHS.

You must be fun at parties… plenty to say on the subject just not in this thread… in fact feel free to post stalk me and you’ll find lots on the subject.

Back to the thread at large…
To get back on the subject of this thread… the average county I live in which contains the the state’s largest urban city also has 15,000 acres of county run parks and there are over 100 miles of trails (paved, mountain bike, water). We’re also a bit unique in that we have 9 public beaches to choose from.

Oh and we have almost 4000 bus stops

All this in an urban county of 1100 mi 2 with a population of ~1M

Not too shabby on the outdoorsy side for a boring flyover state 😁

I will say I agree with some of the earlier posters… I loved Scotland and all of the opportunities to get out in nature.

I’m in the us. The schools cover a wide gamut. My DD’s school is amazing. I couldn’t find a better school even if I sent her to private. There are also places I wouldn’t possibly let my child attend. It’s all about money. Do you have the money to buy a house in a catchment that has a parent organization that does large amounts of fund raising for the non-essentials. Does your student population have their primary needs met by their parents or does the school have to fill the gaps?