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What percentage of the folks you know make up Brits and French who came here because they loved it here so much, and how are you in contact with so many Brits and French?
The percentage of Brits and French I know who came here because they loved it here so much, totals exactly 0.
I just asked 2 of my co-workers. For them, the percentage is also 0. If you give me a week or so, I'll manage to ask about 10 more people, and report back to you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BajanYankee
Compare that to when I lived in the suburbs of Paris. My host family had not one but -gasp - two cars. We went to the Carrefour in a car. The parents drove a car to work. Nearly everyone in the neighborhood drove. And we lived in a leeeeetle house that did not have the comforts and amenities of 21st Century American construction.
We're getting way off topic here. You are clearly a Europhile who loves the European way of life, which is fine. But the thread is about Europeans who envy the American lifestyle. You may not see any reason to envy that lifestyle, but I know plenty of French and Brits who have sacrificed a lot (including taking a teaching job in Kansas) to be here.
So yeah, there are things about America that are worth envying.
Baltimore, New Orleans, St Louis and Atlanta, you mean all those murder capitals? You want people raise their family there?
And plenty of people live in those cities and raise families there. The odds of you living in middle class neighborhood and somehow being left for dead in a back alley are low.
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Originally Posted by botticelli
In Europe, not every walkable city is as expensive as Paris or London. Berlin is pretty affordable. So a a bunch of median sized cities. In the US, you will be hard pressed to find 5 where living central city is considered attractive.
I don't know what "pretty affordable" means. In general, the cities there are dominated by childless yupsters just as they are here.
Thanks for mentioning that. I hadn't even thought of it. You're right. With kids, the added expenses of living in the U.S. multiply. And yes, many have to have 2 jobs, which cuts into the life available for enjoyment.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth
This was a point a raised near the beginning of the thread. What appears to be greater disposable income in the US, is not at all disposable. People begin saving for their kids' college education as soon as the kids are born. They pay for health insurance, and there are co-pays on most health expenses, very expensive co-pays for expensive procedures, blood tests, scans, not to mention surgery. Car ownership is a tremendous economic burden, though to be fair, Europeans living in rural areas are in the same situation as most Americans. After all of that is paid for, many Americans don't have much disposable income at all. In some parts of the US, people have to work 2 jobs in order to have disposable income for travel and other extras.
My field is very international. I actually worked with quite a few french, german, dutch, swiss and british people who really love California (SF, LA) and relocated there permanently.
When I was a Youngster I went to the United States and used to live there for a while. I never want to do this again. If you read my other Blogs and threats you will see why.
Canada is not a European Country. You better go back to School again. I was there and there was nothing European, just American Lifestyle like stuffing with Hamburgers and fries, all the other American Food, American architecture and driving automatic. Canada is in the American Continent and the former Name British America whitnesses about that. But there seems to be not much british anymore eather.
But I like the american People (including Canadians). I had a lot of fun with them. They better care more for Soccer. The whole world loves Soccer and the Americans remain Livin in a parallel universe. You've got the best german coaches so come on and leave your American Football aside, no one else in the world cares for that.
OMG, you cannot imagine what you have just done to Canadians on this forum!
Ich lache mich tot!
As for you not envying "American lifestyle", I don't blame you. Why should you? You live in Munich.
Baltimore, New Orleans, St Louis and Atlanta, you mean all those murder capitals? You want people raise their family there?
Pittsburgh and Denver are nice, I give you that. But given the geopgraphic size of the US, it has very limited options when it comes to walkable urban life.
In Europe, not every walkable city is as expensive as Paris or London. Berlin is pretty affordable. So a a bunch of median sized cities. In the US, you will be hard pressed to find 5 where living central city is considered attractive.
Berlin is an international outlier, though. It is I think the cheapest large city in Western Europe. It has something to do with the fact that the East Germans built tons of housing, so housing costs are much lower than elsewhere. Most cities in Europe are more expensive than American cities. That is why Europeans don't seem very shocked when they move to places in the USA that Americans consider expensive.
My field is very international. I actually worked with quite a few french, german, dutch, swiss and british people who really love California (SF, LA) and relocated there permanently.
Everyone loves California. Europeans say San Francisco is a very European city. But SF and California aren't representative of the US as a whole.
If CA became an independent country, I suspect the US wouldn't generate much excitement abroad.
What percentage of the folks you know make up Brits and French who came here because they loved it here so much, and how are you in contact with so many Brits and French?
Much of the Caribbean was under British rule. So nearly all West Indians will have family spread throughout the States, Canada and the UK. Some even make it to Australia (I have no family down under).
I did an exchange program in France, which is how I know most of the people I know there. There are also a number of French expats living in New York.
Yes, all of the people who came here loved it so much. I always tell people that the government should pay me to investigate all of the people living and working here who have overstayed on visas, entered into fraudulent marriages, etc. just so they can be here. I could easily attain a 75% expulsion rate. And that applies not only to people who are from lesser developed Caribbean islands, but from the UK as well.
Everyone loves California. Europeans say San Francisco is a very European city. But SF and California aren't representative of the US as a whole.
If CA became an independent country, I suspect the US wouldn't generate much excitement abroad.
I agree, I do not think most europeans would enjoy Oklahoma.
Although there are people everywhere who might enjoy owning a big suburban house with a yard, which is hard to do in most of Europe, but relatively easy to achieve in the USA.
Everyone loves California. Europeans say San Francisco is a very European city. But SF and California aren't representative of the US as a whole.
If CA became an independent country, I suspect the US wouldn't generate much excitement abroad.
My friends and family are not only impressed with cities like San Francisco and New York. I mean, you've got mad Nigerians and Bajans moving to places like Houston (and loving it). Miami is also tremendously popular.
No matter what country people are moving to, they will generally be attracted to its cities. Most Americans probably have no desire to visit--little less live in--a whole host of small to medium sized cities all over England.
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We went to the Carrefour in a car. The parents drove a car to work. Nearly everyone in the neighborhood drove. And we lived in a leeeeetle house that did not have the comforts and amenities of 21st Century American construction.
