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Posted

Hi

Just thought that this would be an interesting topic to throw out there....................................

I've been in the US about 15 months now and I have a nice big house - bigger than I could have afforded in the UK AND LIFE IS GREAT BUT............................................

the more I live here I wonder if it would have been better to have got my husband to move to the UK ! He didn't want to so that wasn't an option.

I had a great job in the UK and used to earn equivalent of $55,ooo with a company car and worked from home and travelled to the main office in London twice a week. I had a good 20 years pension with my Company too. I had my own house which was small but cozy and had free health care !

I have a decent job here in the US for around these parts and earn a decent wage $25,000 plus bonus ( should earn approx 28,000 or 29,000 by the year end but the responsibility I have here - the equivalent UK pay would be at least $35000 uk equivalent.

When I first came I still had UK money so everything seemed so cheap but now it seems a lot more expensive and healthcare is expensive here too.

It's not the land of milk and honey everyone expects here with low cost and high wages.

It's certainly going to be expensive to take a trip back to the UK unless exchange rates drop !

Just my input

What do you think ?

Me - Gloucester England Him - Green Bay Wisconsin

1/10/05 Adjustment of status applied for for my son and I

1/19/05 Documents received and process started in Chicago

2/24/05 Fingerprinting and Biometrics done in Milwaukee

3/4/05 received in the post

3/7/05 Applied at local office in Green Bay for SSN

3/8/05 Received a print out of SSN number from the office and card is on it's way !

3/10/05 Got a job ! Server at Smokey Bones - will do for now while I'm looking for the right job !

3/16/05 card arrives

3/18/05 Got state ID Card

5/20/05 Appt interview letter received for 29th June 2005

6/16/05 After 3 interviews with Associated Bank have been offered a Personal Bankers Position to start on july 5th - excellent news 40 hours !!!

6/25/05 Passed my driving test !

6/29/05 APPROVED - Adjustment of status interview - Milwaukee

7/8/05 Green cards arrived for both my son and I

05/10/07 documents sent to lift conditions

05/24/07 letters rec'd extending green card and biometrics letters rec'd for 06/11/2007

06/11/07 Biometrics done in Milwaukee

04/11/08 letters received from UCIS transferring case to California from Nebraska service centre

Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline
Posted (edited)

My husband works for the government in Washington State, so he has excellent medical insurance..... but EVERY SINGLE TIME I get one of those "Explanation of Benefits" in the mail..... I shudder!!!! We always owe something every time we go to the doctor or, gawd forbid.... the hospital!!!!!

I'm used to medical care costing NOTHING in Canada and I doubt I will EVER get used to that part of U.S. life. I too had to take a significant cut in pay working here from what I made in my union position in health care in Canada.

But, I suppose for the opportunity of being with the greatest guy in the U.S. (sorry, girls)..... it's a small price to pay!!!!

Edited by raymaga

"THE SHORT STORY"

KURT & RAYMA (K-1 Visa)

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KAELY (K-2 Visa)

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We're NOT lawyers.... just your average folks who had to find their own way!!!!! Anything we post here is simply our own opinions/suggestions/experiences and should not be taken as LAW!!!!

Filed: AOS (apr) Country: Canada
Timeline
Posted

Yeah the healthcare part is the one that scares me/bothers me the most about coming to the states.. I'm terrified that one of us will get sick or end up in an accident since we have NO health insurance at all.. (can't really afford it) My husband knows a guy from work who lost his house due to health care costs.. its awful..

Posted

Lot of immigrants come and stay here from economic reasons, but your case is different. Regardless why you are here now, you will certainly miss home at some point. This is only natural. Home is always home. One cannot move somewhere else and leave everything behind. Things just don't work out that way.

But because you haven't been here very long, you're probably experiencing a "culture shock" now. I don't know how you'll feel later, but you'll get accustomed to a lot of things. Personally, nothing shocks me anymore! :lol: For instance, prejudice was something that was completely new to me. Europeans are usually more opend-minded I think. Ironically, I feel a lot more free at home than I do here. I don't pay attention to what people say or do anymore. It doesn't matter much, really. I know that I'll go back home some day in the near future. Not because I am deceived of what is here, but just because I want to "rest" in my place.

But hey, things are different for everyone. I don't know. Don't worry.

Sometimes I think I know everything, and I regain consciousness. Seen it all, done it all, forgot most of it....

So much plenitude, yet so much emptiness

everest-summit.jpg

The Journey, Part I: I-129F (K-3)

I 129F sent to Chicago 11/14/05

NOA1 12/14/05, received by snail mail 12/23/05

NOA2 01/17/06, received by snail mail 01/20/05

Received Packet "3" 02/17/06

Medicals done in Nairobi 03/22/06

VISA APPROVED in Nairobi 03/30/06

Husband arrives ni USA!

The Journey, Part II: EAD and AOS

EAD mailed to Chicago 05/17/06

horserun.gif

Filed: Country: England
Timeline
Posted (edited)
I'm used to medical care costing NOTHING in Canada and I doubt I will EVER get used to that part of U.S. life.

It's my understanding that healthcare is paid for through taxes...thus not REALLY being free.

oh, and yes, we made the right choice.

But here is something to through out there...what makes people think that if the US spouse moved to "insert country here", that THEY would find an equal paying job that they left in the US?

Edited by Frances

Co-Founder of VJ Fluffy Kitty Posse -
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31 Dec 2003 MARRIED
26 Jan 2004 Filed I130; 23 May 2005 Received Visa
30 Jun 2005 Arrived at Chicago POE
02 Apr 2007 Filed I751; 22 May 2008 Received 10-yr green card
14 Jul 2012 Citizenship Oath Ceremony

Posted

Can only speak from my daughter's point of view (until we get out there) but she would neve move back to the UK.

Yes life was not easy for her in the beginning, her hubby was in the Navy for the first few years of their married life and was away quiet a lot, so she was on her own. But since then despite having their ups and downs both financially and emotionally, she has worked hard is in a very good job with excellent benefits, has two great kids, her husband is now going steady in his own business, so yes America has been good to her but she has also contributed in her community.

All in all I think she would say that she has a better standard of life in the US than she would have had in the UK.

[The reason god put spaces in between your fingers was so another person's hands could fill it up.

CHERISH YESTERDAY, LIVE TODAY AND DREAM TOMORROW

Life is like a song... Sing it.

Life is like a challenge... Pursue it.

Life is like a sacrifice... Offer it.

Life is love... Enjoy it.

Posted

There are many things that I think are better done in the UK compared to here for sure but I cant argue that the standard of life here is so much better. Back in London I was commuting for 3 hours a day, could only afford to live in a dingy studio flat, weather was #######. Now I am living in a 3 bed house, garden the size of a football field, sun shining every day, going out to eat twice a week, etc. So for me, its definately a better standard of living here even though alot of other things like the healthcare, TV, etc suck!

LONDON TO CALIFORNIA ....

K1

May 5th 05 - K1 petition sent to CSC

August 23rd 05 - Visa Approved!!!

AOS and EAD

December 5th 05 - AOS and EAD sent

December 16th 05 - NOA's received for both AOS and EAD

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"Never believe that a few caring people can't change the world.

For indeed, that's all who ever have."

Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Canada
Timeline
Posted

Hope to move back to Canada in 6 years time when he retires - only because I have 2 adult daughters there, he has no kids here. I also have my aging parents back there as well. Also the matter of healthcare. The level of care has been excellent here, no complaints however I worry about anything major happening to either one of us.

Filed: Timeline
Posted

Only thing I cant get into my head is how my health care works..... I am never sure if I go to the doctors and have anything done if I will receive a bill in the mail.....

I have to have surgery in the spring so all this not understanding has me on edge.....

But I don't regret moving here at all.....

Kezzie

Filed: Timeline
Posted

Sure, we have to pay for healthcare BUT! We're going to get ALLLLLL of the tax we paid last year back! And we earn quite a lot of money so that's AWESOME! That would never happen in the UK.

The people I work with here in the US are sooooooooooooooooo much nicer than anyone I ever worked with in the UK. The attitude is better, my friends are nicer, the food is better, the weather is better, opportunities are greater and nothing can hold me back! woooo!

Filed: AOS (pnd) Country: Ireland
Timeline
Posted (edited)

I hope that is the case. We are moving to the states in 3 weeks from ireland.My fiance(american citizen) earns close to 60k dollars here in ireland and me close to 40k. She is a senior OT working for the healthboard.

She has a few interviews already when she goes back but the money isnt as good to what she earns here in Ireland. She would be starting on just over 40k with benefits. But we dont regret the decision to move as ireland is just so expensive now. We cant wait, better lifestyle, hopefully more money in the long run for both of us, better weather, cheaper the list goes on. We still have our 3 bedroom house in Ireland if we ever decide to move back.

Edited by galwayman

I-751 - Removal of conditions

10-20-2008 - Sent package via usps - overnite mail

10-22-2008 - Package received and signed.

10-28-2008 - Cheque cashed

12-02-2008 - Biometrics in Boston

10-03-2009 - Transferred to CSV

10-04-2009 - 10 year GC on the way

Posted
The people I work with here in the US are sooooooooooooooooo much nicer than anyone I ever worked with in the UK. The attitude is better, my friends are nicer, the food is better, the weather is better, opportunities are greater and nothing can hold me back! woooo!

I agree about the weather and the food, relatively (what can be worse than pudding and acid rain? Just kidding please...) But for the rest, I'm not so sure. Brits may be colder than their Americans cousins, but not necessarily less friendly after all. At least if they like you, they mean it.

How long have you been living here?

Sometimes I think I know everything, and I regain consciousness. Seen it all, done it all, forgot most of it....

So much plenitude, yet so much emptiness

everest-summit.jpg

The Journey, Part I: I-129F (K-3)

I 129F sent to Chicago 11/14/05

NOA1 12/14/05, received by snail mail 12/23/05

NOA2 01/17/06, received by snail mail 01/20/05

Received Packet "3" 02/17/06

Medicals done in Nairobi 03/22/06

VISA APPROVED in Nairobi 03/30/06

Husband arrives ni USA!

The Journey, Part II: EAD and AOS

EAD mailed to Chicago 05/17/06

horserun.gif

Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: England
Timeline
Posted

Swings and roundabouts. I like it here in the US; the opportunities for my hubby and I are far better than they would have been had we moved to the UK, and I think that ultimately we'll be in a financially better position here (as long as we don't visit the UK too often - the exchange rate would kill us!).

That being said, there are things that I dislike here (the cost of health care being one) and there are things which I miss about the UK.

On balance, yes I'm happy to be in the US of A, and I would have to think very hard about relocating back to the UK now.

Make sure you're wearing clean knickers. You never know when you'll be run over by a bus.

Filed: AOS (apr) Country: Brazil
Timeline
Posted

Here's a new twist for you...I'm the USC and I intend to move with my wife back to Brazil one day. We intend to wait until my son is grown and, sadly, until after my parents pass. Even as the USC I hate our health care system! A recent example...I have a great job and make plenty of money...we are both healthy and typically never "use" health insurance so we never meet deductibles. This past december, I hade to take wife to the emergency room and the doctor reccommended a terribly expensive proceedure. Well the insurance company send one of those EOBs indicating patient responsibility of 100% of the bill of $2500(minus the negotiated discount of $263)! This being because we had not met our "deductible" for the year. So...being december (end of plan year) we are stuck with the entire amount AND must start all over again for this year! This really cramps our family planning budget.

Yeah, I know...my company deductibles are much too high (actually, our insurance really sucks) but my company is a very young 8a and has some improvement as it grows. Oh well...

 
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