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Twiggy,
I am sorry that you feel that way about America. From an immigrants point of view ; because thats the only one I have. Let me tell you our little story.
America is a wonderful country.We came here at 21 and 22. We came here with nothing ; my dh had $300 in his pocket, I had to work my first week back to pay for my airfare from my employer. We didnt have health ins until we were here about 10 years. We just worked and worked. Took vacations when we could but mainly it was camping vacations (the cheapest ones). We worked our behinds off because we knew we didnt want to move home and we didnt want to go back to our situation when we first came here. We didnt have a car, or a stick of furniture and we slept on the living room floor in a 1 bed apt with my sil and her dh who fought all the time.
In 1991 we got a lucky break and bought a business that my dh had worked in for a few years. We went deep into debt, worked 16 hours a day side by side. Eventually we were lucky enough to have a downpayment for a house and even get health ins. Well it was a good thing as my dh then got cancer, I got pregnant and that year was spent going to chemo treatments etc. If we lived in Ireland, people would have given up and my dh's cancer wouldnt have been found and he would probably be dead by now. The health system here is great. While being self employed we had to pay $1400 per month for it. But we got wonderful treatment.
Two years later dh is great but I am pregnant again and hospitilized for a month, had a premmie baby and he spent a month in hospital. Again, due to the wonderful health ins, we were fine.
Fast track to 7 years later. Moved house, still working hard and still getting ahead. Trying to make the business work for us now at this stage. Its still hard work but its showing our children that with hard work you can get ahead. I still dont call in sick even though I certainely could.
Ireland is not as wonderful as it seems. The grass isnt always greener on the other side.
Hopefully your quality of life will improve soon.
d
I don't quite understand your story. Did you come from Ireland to America, or America to Ireland? It sounds hard where ever you are. I know how you feel. I have 3 kids, on the last Pregnancy I was caring for my mother after a stroke and my father with Alzheimer's, had 2 other kids and had no health insurance. It cost me 4,000 dollars to give birth to my son and I was only in the hospital for 14 hours. Thats 300 dollars and hour to have him. He was worth it, don't get me wrong! All the prenatal also cost around 4,000 so in totally it cost me 8,000 dollars for the year. But, like you said health insurance would have cost me 1400 a month, so that would have been more expensive.
At the same time a kid died here from a abscessed tooth because he was denied treatment from lack of insurance. Dying from a tooth ache! Yikes. I guess it's just bad all over.
I would like to understand your post better. It sounds like you immigrated to America, am I right?
Yes I did immigrate to America in the 80's when lots of us in our early 20's came. Some stayed, some went onto different countries, some went home, some went home and came back to the USA again.
Its hard to settle down again once you leave.
dorothy
Maybe I should just stay put on my side of the green grass!
Twiggy, are you basing this decision on the negative personal experiences of 2 Internet users?
The Economist magazine named Ireland as the best country to live in the world not only because of income but on other factors like health, freedom, climate, security, family and community life. Issues considered important to people’s satisfaction and well-being.
From the Economist:
"Ireland wins because it successfully combines the most desirable elements of the new, such as low unemployment and political liberties, with the preservation of certain cosy elements of the old, such as stable family and community life."
Today, it is widely admired by the EU's newest members, and has become a model for what they hope to achieve.
Lugh
I dont know if you could say my experience of home is negative. Everyone is entitled to write what they think.
Just today, I was telling my sister in Cork that I am about to get a new car. The car I would like is a Toyota suv ; her comment was ; do you really need a car that big??
Here people pat you on the back for getting ahead, at home, they knock you. I do know one person at home who dosnt knock me ; he is my brother who is a successful cpa in Dublin. Yes, some people get ahead and I am so proud of them when they do.
Maybe your experiences are different. Seeing as Clongirl and I explained our reasons, maybe you can shed some light on your reasons.
dorothy
Again, Ireland IS a great place to live depending on your own experiences/needs- I can't argue with yours LUGH. Well, health care- If you read any of the Irish papers you'll know that there are huge shortages of hospital beds and people contracting that MRSA bug after simple operations. I've read all the nasty stories of really disgusting unclean hospital rooms but I haven't seen for myself. I'm not knocking the Irish health care system in general simply because it exists and I suppose if you don't have insurance, you won't lose your house over it. SO for the general population it's good overall- compared to maybe another not so fortunate country.
The whole unemployment thing is also great- but is it enough? Being stuck in the same job your whole life because there aren't any other choices or opportunities for advancement? I honestly haven't met one Irish person that finds it easy to change jobs, get promotions or change careers altogether. Both of my brothers-in law would love to get out of their field even though they both have good paying jobs. No other positions have been available for years. But hey- low unemployment- it does count for a lot.
Okay, climate- Well I suppose it's not Siberia or the Sahara! Haven't you noticed how darn happy and chipper everyone is around January/Feb- Oh, fab weather! I just adored camping with my four kids in the muck and rain in the summer too. What a getaway!
Political liberties- well okay, I'll give 'em that. And all of those helpful tribunals. I think people just don't really care that much in terms of politics there like the US, Nothing gets done! Yes, Ireland has freedom.
Keep in mind that the "Economist" survey is just another opinion- Isn't it a magazine about economies? Hey, People ranked Brad Pitt at one time as being the sexiest man alive- Did the guy get less sexy since he didn't win this year? If Ireland doesn't "win" this year does it mean it's no longer true?
Hey, I'm just playing devil's advocate LUGH. Ireland in my opinion is one of the most stunningly beautiful countries. There are really so many good things about Ireland. But you gotta take these polls with a grain of salt. I'm sure someone out there just thinks the current president of the US is doing fine job too! Hey the US isn't all roses either- there are many,many things I dislike about it too ,but my fingers are hurting...
This thread was not about the relative merits of Ireland. The OP asked for advice from those who had moved back to Ireland from the US.
The thread has strayed way off the original point.
Perhaps it's time this one was closed.
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