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I've become obsessed with living in America. What are the pros and cons?
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dddd
Must be actors. No one thinks that the Berlin Wall is in Israel
Oh, you have much to learn. Never underestimate ignorance.
I bet you I could find 10 Americans who have never even heard of the Berlin Wall in a matter of minutes.
carpediem2
Private universities are seriously expensive with a price tag around $45-$55K a year. The financial aid is dwindling right now b/c the economy sucks.
I don't see why you include living costs with the price of tuition. Students in every country have to pay living costs. And you'd still have to pay for food and rent whether you went to college or not. Pell grants are not just for the extremely poor. One's parents would have to have a salary far above the national average in order for someone not to get a grant at all.
Your private university costs are way off as well. Firstly, the tuition is $30-40k a year. Secondly, most people get some kind of scholarship, so few actually pay the entire cost. If I had to guess, I'd say the average student in a private college pays perhaps $20-25k a year in tuition when college and external scholarships are included.
Anyway, to answer your question OP--
cons:
-public transportation sucks/doesn't exist except in very large cities
cons:
-public transportation sucks/doesn't exist except in very large cities
The same is true in most countries.
-the weather is only good in parts of the country
The US is on average much warmer than northern Europe.
-seriously ignorant people
example: a kid in my US HISTORY class in HIGH SCHOOL asked if the Revolutionary war came before or after the US Civil war
example: a kid in my US HISTORY class in HIGH SCHOOL asked if the Revolutionary war came before or after the US Civil war
And I talked to Brits who didn't know anything about WWI or who Lenin was. Hard to believe that there are ignorant people in every country, eh?
-people don't care about world events
Same is true in much of the world.
-blinding patriotism -- the US is the best country God's ever given to man, etc
Hardly something that affects anyone's quality of life.
Cyclone33
Boo. Who's in it? New England..again?
I'd watch the Superbowl for the commercials only.
I'd watch the Superbowl for the commercials only.
Nah, this year it's Arizona and Pittsburgh. To normally crappy teams, it makes no sense.
And the commercials haven't even been that good the last few years!
carpediem2
I wish. The $8-$15K doesn't include living expenses, which are around $10K more.
Actually, as I said earlier, I'm going to a state school and I'm paying about $14-15,000 a year including living expenses.
Bubbles*de*Milo
No health service!
Delta Usafa
Nah, this year it's Arizona and Pittsburgh. To normally crappy teams, it makes no sense.
And the commercials haven't even been that good the last few years!
Actually, as I said earlier, I'm going to a state school and I'm paying about $14-15,000 a year including living expenses.
And the commercials haven't even been that good the last few years!
Actually, as I said earlier, I'm going to a state school and I'm paying about $14-15,000 a year including living expenses.
Sorry, I mean, no NHS. Ie, you have to pay a ton in Med insurance to get decent coverage.
EducatingBrogan
Hahaha, sex tapes. One of these days, "One night in Oxford" will be hitting a laptop screen near you... pahaha.
Oxford seems lovely but when you're here it's so tiny and boring! It really is. The colleges are pretty but that's literally it. I'd rather be here than South Wales (yuck), but I've still not found where I really feel I belong and am happy.
Oxford seems lovely but when you're here it's so tiny and boring! It really is. The colleges are pretty but that's literally it. I'd rather be here than South Wales (yuck), but I've still not found where I really feel I belong and am happy.
Brogan does Bruges, I'd buy a pirate copy.
Ah, I'll never find where I'll truly belong. I don't belong anyway. (Aww, woe is me!
) I prefer to observe and move around and critique than fit in. I'm an outcast! 
I bet Oxford can be quite claustrophobic though, to be honest. Everywhere has its quirks and flaws. Come to think of it, California doesn't sound all that bad after I've just floated down my stream of pessimism -- I'd happily lie on muscle beach reading Heat magazine in a thong. Should I have said that? Oops!
Bubbles*de*Milo
Sorry, I mean, no NHS. Ie, you have to pay a ton in Med insurance to get decent coverage.
But compare that to much higher taxes in countries where there is universal health care.
Now I'm all for NHS, but I don't necessarily see our system as a bad thing.
Delta Usafa
But compare that to much higher taxes in countries where there is universal health care.
Now I'm all for NHS, but I don't necessarily see our system as a bad thing.
Now I'm all for NHS, but I don't necessarily see our system as a bad thing.
Well, indeed. It's the simple, and plain, fact that the rich don't benefit directly from taxes, whilst the poor don't benefit directly from not having taxes. There's inherent conflict.
Delta Usafa
But compare that to much higher taxes in countries where there is universal health care.
Now I'm all for NHS, but I don't necessarily see our system as a bad thing.
Now I'm all for NHS, but I don't necessarily see our system as a bad thing.
It is for the thousands of poor people in your country with no insurance/no health care whatsoever... At least here everyone is entitled, not just those who can afford it. In the States health is something only those with money can afford...
Bubbles*de*Milo
Sorry, I mean, no NHS. Ie, you have to pay a ton in Med insurance to get decent coverage.
No, you don't. A vast majority of Americans get their health insurance through their employer.
Bubbles*de*Milo
It is for the thousands of poor people in your country with no insurance/no health care whatsoever... At least here everyone is entitled, not just those who can afford it. In the States health is something only those with money can afford...
It's something that nearly all people with a non-minimum wage job get automatically...I won't even mention the fact that the quality of US healthcare is far superior to that of the NHS, due to far more technology, higher doctor and nurse salaries, patient-oriented practices, etc.
Bismarck
No, you don't. A vast majority of Americans get their health insurance through their employer.
Ok fair enough (sorry OP). I fully admit I know v. little about the States.
While I know that most of you are joking, the amount of stereotypes and insults being thrown around this topic is disheartening, to say the least.
Both the UK and the US are wonderful places to live, and both have fantastic aspects as well as serious problems.
To be obvious, one of the main differences between the US and the UK is that the US is much, much larger. 300 million people spread over nearly 4 million square miles. A wealth of beautiful natural reserves and national parks dot the landscape, and there are many areas of the country where it's only wilderness for hundreds and hundreds of miles. Every climate type is represented within the physical spread of the country, from the Chihuahuan Desert in the southwest to the tropical areas of Florida and Hawaii to the bitter tundra of Alaska. If you're like me, you find all of this variety and wilderness refreshing and fascinating.
While the US also has dense areas, the UK is considerably more dense overall. It's a very crowded place, which creates problems in some areas. On the other hand, the small size of the commonwealth means that a big city (and the countryside) is never far away. Whereas it takes 30+ hours to drive the US north to south, the UK can be crossed in about 6.
As for the differences in people, it's simply ridiculous to say that all Americans are gun-owning, God-fearing, ignorant bozos, as some of you seem to suggest. There is tremendous diversity in this country, often to extremes, and it seems like every city or town you come across has a new perspective on the world to show you. Some areas are heavily religious (the Southeast) and some areas are fiercely liberal and largely reject religious customs (the East and West coasts).
The quality of secondary education (high schools) in the United States can vary wildly from region to region. Overall, though, US high schools allow students a flexibility and freedom of expression that I have not yet seen in most UK schools. As for universities, both the US and the UK boast some of the best in the world, but the US wins for sheer number of quality and variety of universities. Education IS outrageously expensive here though, no doubt about it, and that's a problem that needs fixing quickly.
Healthcare needs reform in both countries, though some of the healthcare problems in the US are downright shameful. Insurance companies are sharks, and an alarming number of Americans remain uncovered by the system. However, if you can pay for it, the quality and speed of healthcare and surgical procedures in the US is unmatched. Waiting lists and outdated equipment can be a problem in some areas of the UK.
As for obesity problems, both the US and the UK have very similar statistics. Both nations are having severe obesity problems, and I frankly think it's silly anyway for someone to avoid a nation because a certain percentage of people are overweight in it.
Both people in the UK and the US are very friendly and hospitable, with Americans perhaps being slightly more so. People in the US LOVE Britons, and the general view over here is that British citizens are all intelligent, cultured, and live idealistic lifestyles in a beautiful country. While it may not be the complete truth, you guys are pretty cool.
The UK and the US are hard to compare, and it's impossible to make a fully researched recommendation to anyone without having visited every region of each country. However, I can say that both countries provide a great standard of living, though both have problems that need to be sorted out.
Hope I was able to help out some.
Wherever you end up living, come by and visit El Paso, Texas sometime! It's not the best city ever, but the cultural experience here is fantastic, and the Mexican food is unbeatable.
Both the UK and the US are wonderful places to live, and both have fantastic aspects as well as serious problems.
To be obvious, one of the main differences between the US and the UK is that the US is much, much larger. 300 million people spread over nearly 4 million square miles. A wealth of beautiful natural reserves and national parks dot the landscape, and there are many areas of the country where it's only wilderness for hundreds and hundreds of miles. Every climate type is represented within the physical spread of the country, from the Chihuahuan Desert in the southwest to the tropical areas of Florida and Hawaii to the bitter tundra of Alaska. If you're like me, you find all of this variety and wilderness refreshing and fascinating.
While the US also has dense areas, the UK is considerably more dense overall. It's a very crowded place, which creates problems in some areas. On the other hand, the small size of the commonwealth means that a big city (and the countryside) is never far away. Whereas it takes 30+ hours to drive the US north to south, the UK can be crossed in about 6.
As for the differences in people, it's simply ridiculous to say that all Americans are gun-owning, God-fearing, ignorant bozos, as some of you seem to suggest. There is tremendous diversity in this country, often to extremes, and it seems like every city or town you come across has a new perspective on the world to show you. Some areas are heavily religious (the Southeast) and some areas are fiercely liberal and largely reject religious customs (the East and West coasts).
The quality of secondary education (high schools) in the United States can vary wildly from region to region. Overall, though, US high schools allow students a flexibility and freedom of expression that I have not yet seen in most UK schools. As for universities, both the US and the UK boast some of the best in the world, but the US wins for sheer number of quality and variety of universities. Education IS outrageously expensive here though, no doubt about it, and that's a problem that needs fixing quickly.
Healthcare needs reform in both countries, though some of the healthcare problems in the US are downright shameful. Insurance companies are sharks, and an alarming number of Americans remain uncovered by the system. However, if you can pay for it, the quality and speed of healthcare and surgical procedures in the US is unmatched. Waiting lists and outdated equipment can be a problem in some areas of the UK.
As for obesity problems, both the US and the UK have very similar statistics. Both nations are having severe obesity problems, and I frankly think it's silly anyway for someone to avoid a nation because a certain percentage of people are overweight in it.
Both people in the UK and the US are very friendly and hospitable, with Americans perhaps being slightly more so. People in the US LOVE Britons, and the general view over here is that British citizens are all intelligent, cultured, and live idealistic lifestyles in a beautiful country. While it may not be the complete truth, you guys are pretty cool.
The UK and the US are hard to compare, and it's impossible to make a fully researched recommendation to anyone without having visited every region of each country. However, I can say that both countries provide a great standard of living, though both have problems that need to be sorted out.
Hope I was able to help out some.
Wherever you end up living, come by and visit El Paso, Texas sometime! It's not the best city ever, but the cultural experience here is fantastic, and the Mexican food is unbeatable.
Bubbles*de*Milo
It is for the thousands of poor people in your country with no insurance/no health care whatsoever... At least here everyone is entitled, not just those who can afford it. In the States health is something only those with money can afford...
Well yeah. But there are ways to get free health care when you need it and can't afford it.
Delta Usafa
Nah, this year it's Arizona and Pittsburgh. To normally crappy teams, it makes no sense.
And the commercials haven't even been that good the last few years!
Actually, as I said earlier, I'm going to a state school and I'm paying about $14-15,000 a year including living expenses.
And the commercials haven't even been that good the last few years!
Actually, as I said earlier, I'm going to a state school and I'm paying about $14-15,000 a year including living expenses.
I missed last year's Superbowl and their commercials! I remember this one commercial that shows Cedric the entertainer doing that designated driver gesture. It was too funny.
$14,000 tuition+living cost does happen in California. But for foreign students, education costs higher for them.
If they go to community college, a semester is up to $2000 in tuition alone.
I know a foreign student that goes to UCLA and she has to show the potential finance of $60,000 in order to attend the school.
In a CSU system, it's probably around $20,000
Bismarck
No, you don't. A vast majority of Americans get their health insurance through their employer.
It's something that nearly all people with a non-minimum wage job get automatically...I won't even mention the fact that the quality of US healthcare is far superior to that of the NHS, due to far more technology, higher doctor and nurse salaries, patient-oriented practices, etc.
It's something that nearly all people with a non-minimum wage job get automatically...I won't even mention the fact that the quality of US healthcare is far superior to that of the NHS, due to far more technology, higher doctor and nurse salaries, patient-oriented practices, etc.
They take money out of your paycheck for the insurance, though.
Delta Usafa
Well yeah. But there are ways to get free health care when you need it and can't afford it.
And then Brits accuse Americans of ignorance. The people who don't have health care in the US are predominantly the young and the self-employed. The poor get free healthcare. The rich don't need insurance since they can pay out of pocket. The middle class gets insurance through their employers. The people with a problem are those who hold low-paying jobs, which often don't provide insurance.
Rainfaery
They take money out of your paycheck for the insurance, though.
No, they don't. Though one can assume that if the company didn't have to pay for insurance, it might be willing to give workers a higher salary.
- california is one of the most expensive states to live in. the cost of a nice house in a nice neighborhood ranges from $5,000-$10,000 per month. and that's for people with excellent credit. not sure on the monthly rent for a flat though. i didn't work in that part of real estate.
- california weather is nice but some areas are more prone to earthquakes and forest fires than other areas.
- healthcare is horrible here, even with insurance.
- some areas have better high schools than others. (something to take into consideration if kids are involved in the move)
- the vehicles are okay here. the size of the gas tanks are on the large size. (something to take into consideration especially when gas is $4.00+ per gallon and your vehicle has a 20 gallon tank.)
try studying abroad and during your stay gather all of the information you can (i.e. the cost of buying a house, renting a flat, buying a car, the price of gas, insurance, and food, etc) as if you were looking to settle down. and then estimate what kind of income you'd need to live comfortably. and even if you can't study abroad, just vacation there for a while and gather the same information.
hope this helps. gosh, i need to do the same thing about living in London. lol.
- california weather is nice but some areas are more prone to earthquakes and forest fires than other areas.
- healthcare is horrible here, even with insurance.
- some areas have better high schools than others. (something to take into consideration if kids are involved in the move)
- the vehicles are okay here. the size of the gas tanks are on the large size. (something to take into consideration especially when gas is $4.00+ per gallon and your vehicle has a 20 gallon tank.)
try studying abroad and during your stay gather all of the information you can (i.e. the cost of buying a house, renting a flat, buying a car, the price of gas, insurance, and food, etc) as if you were looking to settle down. and then estimate what kind of income you'd need to live comfortably. and even if you can't study abroad, just vacation there for a while and gather the same information.
hope this helps. gosh, i need to do the same thing about living in London. lol.
Cyclone33
I missed last year's Superbowl and their commercials! I remember this one commercial that shows Cedric the entertainer doing that designated driver gesture. It was too funny.
Ah, well you didn't miss much! It was cool watching the Patriots lose, but the game was pretty uneventful and the commercials put me to sleep.
$14,000 tuition+living cost does happen in California. But for foreign students, education cost higher for them.
It does happen, but it all depends on what kind of school and where you live. If you're going to say UCLA, where you have to put up with both the costs of a UC as well as living in a ridiculously expensive urban location, it's going to be a lot more expensive (although this is one of the cases where living in dorms can keep the costs pretty low). But if you're going somewhere like a CSU in a less densely populated area, like San Marcos or something, it's not that bad at all.
And it's gonna be more expensive for international students no matter what country they go to, really.
teily
- california is one of the most expensive states to live in. the cost of a nice house in a nice neighborhood ranges from $5,000-$10,000 per month. and that's for people with excellent credit. not sure on the monthly rent for a flat though. i didn't work in that part of real estate.
I assume people here don't plan to get a house in Beverly Hills. Houses in parts of California are expensive, but not nearly as expensive as you claim (especially since prices fell by a good 30-40% in the last two years). And generally speaking, housing is cheaper in the US than in Britain since the US has a far smaller population density (more available land).
- the vehicles are okay here. the size of the gas tanks are on the large size. (something to take into consideration especially when gas is $4.00+ per gallon and your vehicle has a 20 gallon tank.)
You're telling this to people who are used to paying $6-8 per gallon...
Rainfaery
Yes, they do. Every two weeks on my mother's pay check, she has a certain amount deducted for health care.
Anecdotal evidence for the win.
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