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Anyone On Here From The Us?

Discussion in 'Lounge' started by Advikaz, Feb 18, 2018.

  1. Hi guys,

    Me and the wife have been seriously considering moving to America for sometime, we are out in nyc in a few weeks seeing relatives but have our eye on California - of which we are also checking out soon..

    So anyone from the USA ?
     
  2. There's loads. And the question is why?
     
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  3. Just look on gunz map that he shows newbies
    https://www.zeemaps.com/map?group=1768775
     
  4. One son (a Yorkie) lives in Boise Idaho - he married a girl from there and we have 2 grandchildren there now.
    Off to visit in May on a roadtrip from San Francisco.
    The only drawbacks (as I see it) are health insurance , which can be very expensive, and if you move to an area with severe weather potential like hurricanes/forest fires/tornados.
     
  5. And mass shootings for no good reason. Don't forget that.
     
  6. Yes, you have to buy and carry a couple of Uzis if you need to go to the Mall :):upyeah:
     
  7. Plus the political drama is never ending. Clinton was facing impeachment (over a blow job) which went on and on, ruining the coverage of OJ's trial. Then the moronic George Dubbayah couldn't take office because of alleged vote rigging in Florida which had to be resolved by the Supreme Court. Obama arrived but wasn't American according to the current President who plagued the entire country with endlessly for eight years with the so called "Birther Movement". Now there's Trump...

    Are you sure you could stand it?
     
  8. I lived there on and off for 3 years and would go back again. Their media is as bad as ours but move away from the touristy areas where the real people are at (are there anything but fakes in cali?) and you find they are great people, more positive than most brits and you get a real sense you can achieve there in a way we do not like in the U.K. That is a generalisation but it is reasonably accurate

    I'm sure you've looked into the type of visas but generally it will involve a visit to the embassy. I seem to remember my U.K. driving licence would last upto a year before I had to take a U.S. licence.

    There should be plenty of ex pat forums for the states. Watch out for some of the immigration lawyers, they do charge quite a few thousand to help but you may decide to go it on your own with the paper work, it is doable. The Americans generally still do have a good relationship with Brits.

    California is a large chunk of land so you can get many climates so be sure you are aiming for any area you are aware of.

    Despite the media gun obsession, in 3 years I only saw guns at the range or cops wearing them
     
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  9. Thanks, as for reasons why, why not?

    Me and my wife are both fairly bored and fed up with England, the whole ‘everything is shit glass half empty attitude’ crap weather and over populated south east gets us both down and we just fancy a change.

    Plenty of the world to explore, why not explore it? Remit was English speaking but better weather and not miles from a race track (#lagunaseca) with a good work prospects.

    Now I have family in New Zealand as well as America but that really is too far away for us & it does rain a lot lol!

    I couldn’t give a toss about politics to be honest I don’t even watch the news, but I’d say it’s rare that in my day to day life I actually come across what I’d say are ‘happy people’ everyone just seems miserable, which is funnily enough what my relatives abroad always say when they visit the uk lol
     
    #9 Advikaz, Feb 18, 2018
    Last edited: Feb 18, 2018
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  10. As most of you know I operate in "the construction market" (loosely speaking) and firstly I agree that Americans are more positive than most Brits. I also agree that you get a real sense that you can achieve. Now ask me whether they actually DO achieve. Well they talk a good fight.

    And in CA they achieve less than anywhere else in the world because of bureaucracy.

    I don't doubt that they believe their hype but IME whenever someone says something will happen in 30 days I hear 90 days. When then say something will happen in 90 days I hear a year. And guess who will be closer to the truth.

    I've often said on here that I've been dealing with American space cadets. These space cadets aren't kids or ski bums (though a few are). Most are businessmen, developers, bankers, fund raisers etc. Some people that allegedly manage millions of $$$ of funds/peoples money. I can only assume that they gamble and sometimes the financial gamble pays off. Because they sure as hell don't understand the real world. It was no surprise to me when the financial markets collapsed back in 2008. I'd said as much to my friends and colleagues two years earlier. I wasn't being clever, but I just couldn't see how it was sustainable and it was all caused by these phenomenally greedy "space cadets". They have no concept of creating something for the long term. It's all about flipping something to earn a quick buck.

    Even my agent in the USA who is a die hard Trump'ite says Americans are full of shit.

    This is MY experience of dealing in the USA for the past 15 years you understand.
     
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  11. I forgot to clarify a point on the immigration lawyers. I have a B1/B2 visa which allows me into the states for 6 months at a time and lasts for 10 years. I did not need an immigration lawyer for this or company assist. The immigration lawyer was only involved when the move was to become permanent.

    I only mention this as it is an option for you to stay out there for 6 months and see how things are and if you want to lookie before you buyee so to speak. I did and without challenge, return for 3 months then when back for 6 months again. It also allows you if you own your own house, to rent it out to keep it going and keep it as a failsafe if it doesn't work out.
     
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  12. Can't argue with that.

    I'm considering Australia on a similar basis but many of my only remaining direct family are over there, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide.

    Early days yet though and I wouldn't mind knocking about for the next referendum, the Scottish one ;)
     
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  13. Australia is another one but my missus has a huge issue with snakes and spiders even more so. Like a huge issue..
     
  14. Plenty of them in California. Tarantulas love hanging out on hot tarmac. The go nicely flat when you run them over.
     
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  15. Ha, it’s funny because now you mention it I know they have a fair amount of nasty critters but it completely escaped my mind.

    Hopefully you don’t run into them too much in residential areas
     
  16. Nah you'll be fine :upyeah:

    IMG_0458.JPG

    IMG_0459.JPG
     
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  17. Interesting point that about everyone being miserable and noticeably miserable to visitors.
    I think the media has a lot to do with it as well as weather and the pressurised life style.

    I stopped taking a newspaper because I couldn't stand the miserable bile. Disaster is lurking at every point, item, moment of the day. We should all definitely be dead from AIDS now. They assured us we would be.

    I did a project with 'The Sun' newspaper many years ago. The editor at the time told us that they were either 'Outrageous or outraged'. Which pretty much summed it up. No balance what so ever.

    Nowadays I struggle with the TV news which also has no balance. I call it 'The death destruction and misery program'.
    Everything is so bad. No wonder the populous gets depressed.

    Brexit is another example. "It's going to be a terrible disaster!'
    they tell us. It won't be. We'll work it out. We'll most likely be better off just like when we stayed out of the Euro. Albeit after an initial period. I wish they'd just shut the f*** up and get on with it and stop depressing us.

    Add to that the weather and the pressure that most people I know seem to work under it's not that surprising. I believe we work harder in the UK than pretty much every country I've ever been to.

    I found the Americans don't work like we do. They were always off for long weekends. Good for them. They said they worked hard but the Advertising Agency I considered working for in the States was empty by 12.30 on a Friday. Empty! I couldn't believe it and the MD was as surprised by my reaction, so it wasn't an abnormal situation for them.

    Your observation doesn't surprise me that much. I don't blame you going to have a look for something better. Surround yourself with positive people. It makes a huge difference. Seemingly impossible things do get to happen and when they do you feel really happy.

    It's a cliche but 'Life is a journey not a destination. Travel it well'.
     
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  18. Thanks mate, pretty much summed everything up nicely there and exactly where I’m coming from as well
     
  19. You're probably at a good age for it.
    Do you have kids?
    Can you export your skill set?
    Do you want the same old same old or...
    something different?

    Most people are scared of change and they tell you why you shouldn't.

    Change is good. Change works. Change is exciting.
     
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  20. “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”
    Leo Tolstoy
     
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