What do you love about the US?

[X Factor 1,112]

[Stranded 0]

Good things? Steak,booze,hot summers,barbeques.

Bad things? Holy moly! Paying health insurance,anything medical,a lot of taxes,job limitations,building credit,arrogant drivers,going to school and putting yourself in a lot of debt and end up with a low paying job,amongs other things lol.

Get lucky and get a job if you can find one that pays good and does not need a degree,and you will be set.

[kiwibelcanto 3]

be able to go over the speed limit without a bloody speed camera taking pictures of you

being able to drive around at night without a breatherliser straw being poked in your mouth

I do not miss speed cameras at all! I think they are far more sneaky in Aus & NZ about things to catch you doing things you shouldn't with all of the speed cameras and having to speak into a breathalyzer at a strategically placed checkpoint - I love not having those things here! You can just drive around normally here without feeling like cops are "out to get you" like they are in NZ. As long as you're not speeding, blowing through stop signs/red lights or not turning from nearest lane to nearest lane, they pretty much leave you alone. Which is nice because American cops are terrifying.

[X Factor 1,112]

Four p.m. cheeseburgers with extra onions

[X Factor 1,112]

I love going to the bank and not being there for HOURS just to deposit money.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Talking about my area

1. That Chicago is only 3 hours away (don't like that traffic in Chicago makes it a little bit longer but still handy!)

2. Garbage disposals! I like that I don't have a lot of food product in the bin.

3. KitchenAid mixers are cheaper here By a significant amount!

4. The weather. It's weird to have 4 seasons and I definitely feel them here. I now understand "spring cleaning" (house is so stuffy after being all closed up over winter), and why people buy clothes seasonally (though it bugs me that over warmer months finding "cold" clothes is hard.. long jeans was harder than it should have been!)

5. Random gadgets. They have gadgets or shortcuts for just about anything!

6. Some pharmaceutical drugs are a lot easier to get here (sleeping aids), though some are harder (coedine)

7. I like living in a small town. While yes gossip is sometimes fun to deal with (some random woman in the post office said hi and asked how I was going finding a job 'cause she'd heard I wasn't working atm :S) it's also a nice slow pace but conveniences are still relatively close by (15 or 30 min drive depending on what you want)

8. Ditto to previous comments about people being more pet-obsessed here. Seeing I love my puppies/babies it work for me

There's more I'm sure but that oughta do for now

Edited March 16, 2012 by Vanessa&Tony

[X Factor 1,112]

I love the US for the Whoppers

[Visitor 90]

Kennard leave it to you to always put a smile on faces with funny posts and photos.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE all the National Parks in the US. I've seen many of them but still so many to see and they are all different and all scattered across the country.

A warning to sea level Aussies who may want to visit Bryce Canyon. It tops out at 9,000 feet which made it difficult for me to breathe. I woke up in the middle of the night in our hotel room gasping for air but it was oh so worth it. AMAZING place! NZ Kiwis and Canadians shouldn't have any problems with that as they are probably used to mountains. The deserts are truly beautiful and sunsets/sunrises there are breathtaking. If you get the chance to spend time in a US desert just do it. Sure Australia has a nice big red rock in the middle of the country (and of course The Bungle Bungles) but the unique scenery in the US National Parks is always a jaw dropping experience.

In America even their National Parks are supersized. Deserts, canyons, waterfalls, caves, lakes, rivers and trees - all super sized.

Having said all that, however, I'm looking forward to taking my husband back to OZ and flying over Birdsville and Alice Springs (Henley on Todd) on race days. At our ages we don't dare land in that mess but will be fun to see from the air.

We're nature lovers.

Edited April 10, 2012 by Outback Annie

[MissK 5]

I don't live there yet but have visited many many many times over the years.

What I like (not really important, but fun anyway):

Cheap clothes! The department stores,outlet malls, Target and I already love amazon.com!

Cheap hair products and make up!

Actually being able to buy (cheap) wine and beer any time I want and at the grocery store! (In Norway you can't buy beer after 8pm on weekdays.....true!)

The bookstores

The restrooms at rest stops, so clean!

Community indoor and outdoor pools.

What I love:

People are so friendly and polite. The "vibe" is different,I feel like people mind their own business. I love the "Yes you can" and "Good for you" when people accomplish great things!

(And I just have to add: the water, the bread and health care sucks!)

Edited April 10, 2012 by MissK

[Psoas10 17]

My wife likes being US, because it is almost the same to the Philippines. Sometimes I wonder if I am still am in PI at times here.

[N M 96]

Good things? Steak,booze,hot summers,barbeques.

Bad things? Holy moly! Paying health insurance,anything medical,a lot of taxes,job limitations,building credit,arrogant drivers,going to school and putting yourself in a lot of debt and end up with a low paying job,amongs other things lol.

Get lucky and get a job if you can find one that pays good and does not need a degree,and you will be set.

Huh? How can anyone from the UK think that American taxes are higher?!

In the UK:

I paid way more in Income Tax than I do here

I paid significantly more in Council Tax (than I do here with Property Tax)

VAT is 20%

Gas is $9 a gallon

Road Tax was far more than I'm charged here

[X Factor 1,112]

Kennard leave it to you to always put a smile on faces with funny posts and photos.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE all the National Parks in the US. I've seen many of them but still so many to see and they are all different and all scattered across the country.

In America even their National Parks are supersized. Deserts, canyons, waterfalls, caves, lakes, rivers and trees - all super sized.

Having said all that, however, I'm looking forward to taking my husband back to OZ and flying over Birdsville and Alice Springs (Henley on Todd) on race days. At our ages we don't dare land in that mess but will be fun to see from the air.

We're nature lovers.

Thanks Outback Annie. Did you get a chance to see the super sized canyon known at the Grand Canyon? It will take your breath away. Like you I love nature ... canyons, waterfalls, caves, lakes etc

Edited April 13, 2012 by kennard

[B & G 200]

The one main I love about the US is the open-spaces! I was raised in Melbourne Australia, in the suburbs but you still have neighbors and then moved to Athens Greece and have been living in apartments ever since! My fiancee lives in Southern MD. His house is in the middle of the woods, 15mins to the nearest grocery stores, absolutely no public transport and I wouldn't change anything for the world! I love the privacy, the fact that I walk outside and all I can hear are birds, the occasional car and a dog bark. I love how on my last visit I trained the squirrels in his yard to eat peanuts off our porch!

[Mr. Borkström 63]

I like how cheap clothing is here. Anything from discount stores to the most expensive stores sells clothes 2-3 times cheaper than the same type of stores in Russia. The same thing with cameras, laptops, cars...

And shoes!

[pat & angela 1]

i see none mentioned it but how about chinese food??? Its funny how you can find it in every mall, at the food court

of course, Burgers

Then clothes are so cheap than Albania

I miss how in every restaurant AT LEAST in one of the tv's they would have a channel just talking about sport

People's ritual, how are you today, how can i help you

Its a good place to be at!