Tell me to wise up - immigration

[kingstefan21]

Just back from our trip to Orlando. Somehow we’ve managed 5 years back to back which is thanks to a lot of saving and a lot of credit card usage.

It’s been 4 days and I’m really struggling and think it would be a far better life over there. I understand It won’t be parks and restaurants every night and il need to get a job etc but just can’t shake this feeling. It’s been getting more and more difficult to leave and I’m already pricing another trip.

Can someone tell me I’m mad and it’s just a fairytale 2 weeks per year that I should just enjoy and move on please!

[Billy Beatnik]

If you’re talking about living over there won’t you need a green card or visa?

[kingstefan21]

Originally Posted by Billy Beatnik

If you’re talking about living over there won’t you need a green card or visa?

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Yea but it’s my understanding these can be gained via working visa if sponsored by a company

[Elmhurst 5]

No America working without a green card, unless you are going via a job transfer very difficult to get and a green card almost impossible unless you have a skill the US desperately need. Do you think you love the holiday and the lifestyle whilst you are there so much, that it's not just the Florida blues. I know whenever I go, I want the. VIlla and the pool and the sunshine every day I'm back home. Only its just a nice dream and can never be reality.

[Bad Pink Tink]

I feel like that too, except I go every year to California and Disneyland. I have a friend from Ireland who lives in California and we have often spoken about the difference between UK and Ireland and California.

There is one thing which she has noticed more and more when coming home to visit her family in Ireland, its that over here there is a distinct line between things that adults do and things that kids do.

Take for instance Disney. In America Disney is part of their culture, so its very normal in day to day life to see adults wearing Disney merchandise, or hear people on the street talking about their next Disney holiday, or even know someone who works for Disney. Its very normal for adults to have Disney merch on display in their houses, to have Disney merch in their cars etc etc. Here in UK and Ireland, if you did some of those things, people would look, cos Disney is a kids thing, and adults dont do that here.

Anther thing my friend has noticed is that especially in Ireland, everyone wears very muted colours, that 50 shades of grey is an actual real thing, that if you are on a bus or walking down a high street that everyone is wearing some variation of black, blue, grey, brown.

Also that life in general is much more that you conform to certain milestones by a certain age. That by your mid 30's you should have the long term relationship, 2.4 kids, the mortgage etc, and you just do the 2 week package holiday to Spain.

There is a very different attitude to life over there, and I think part of it is due to the sunshine. Our winters are so dark and damp that it affects peoples way of life and they dont realise it.

[tigerfee]

Sometimes I think about this too, but it's just a daydream. In reality I wouldn't be able to face the facts of life in a sub tropical climate. My chance of encountering snakes spiders cockroaches and alligators increase 😂
I'm scared of lightning...couldn't live in the lightning capital of the world!
Hurricanes, constant frizzy hair and makeup that won't stay on my face. I'd also put on 10 stone with the size of the dinners 😂
I find reminding myself of these "issues" really helpful in keeping it at a 2 week holiday

[lizzie145]

Their actual working conditions are very different to ours - pay, holidays expectations, hours etc

[Bad Pink Tink]

Also regarding working over there, it is possible just very difficult. My friend gets a 5 year work visa. She is employed by a European company and works for them in California. Every 5 years she has to come home and go to the American Embassy in Dublin to get her Visa renewed. She has to have documents from the European company and there are certain restrictions on her work visa.

I know other people who were employed by American companies in Ireland and then transferred to an American branch. Again they have restrictions on their work visa, for example their entitlement to live and work in America is tied to their employment with that company. So if you were employed by Microsoft in Ireland and then got a transfer to a Microsoft office in San Francisco, you would have to stay working for Microsoft in order to stay in America. You could not leave Microsoft and get a new job with Google.

[ChrisS]

Consider, depending on how many are in your family, circa $2k+ a month for health insurance, which may involve a co-pay where you meet the first $x amount of thousands of any claim. We have Fl friends unable to afford health care, one had a heart attack earlier this year - $69k for helimed, emergency surgery to fit stents, ICU, meds etc., means she's looking down the barrel of, circa, $300k health bill she has no chance of paying. Another friend couldn't afford his stroke medicine $500 a month and had another stroke.

Quoting yourself, yes, you may be mad but if you're determined you need to do copious research. Ensure you're generous with the cost of living as in many instances it's higher than here now... or, enjoy your yearly holidays and remain in the UK.

Whatever you decide, good luck

[duchy]

My ex did it via a job transfer, it is quite complicated and expensive. Takes ages too ... and when you get there you only get two weeks paid holiday a year so less holiday time to do stuff.
If you are serious look at renting Airbnb in a non tourist area to get a feel for "normal" life next time.