Do you like the country you currently live in?

Originally Posted by globetrotter

Click to expand...

the vast majoirty of issues people raise against the US are raised because the person hasn't lived outside the US.


Or expats who have left the US for their own reasons. I know a lot of Americans who while "successful" in career and social lives, chose to leave the US and are very critical of the state of the country. Sometimes we are also very critical of things we know well.

While I loved my upbringing in America and will always love the US and my visits home, I dont think that at this time in my life I can live there.

Right now I get so much out of living in Europe that I cannot get in the US.

(with the exception of good fried chicken and buffalo wings)

K

Originally Posted by m@T

Click to expand...

ya, but there are phases of expatriate Brian, and you are still very much in the first phase of elation.

Next phase is where it all collapses around you and you hate everything about Asia and plot the deaths of every single person you deal with every day.

It normalises after that, and you kinda get to like it.

Great nutshell summary of the expat experience, exactly what I found during my five years in Mexico City. Then again, in Miami, supposedly an American city, I never got beyond step 2.

Oh, very much. The weather generally sucks (humidity) but it is the world capital of smugness, after all, eh?

Originally Posted by VKK3450

Click to expand...

Or expats who have left the US for their own reasons. I know a lot of Americans who while "successful" in career and social lives, chose to leave the US and are very critical of the state of the country. Sometimes we are also very critical of things we know well.

While I loved my upbringing in America and will always love the US and my visits home, I dont think that at this time in my life I can live there.

Right now I get so much out of living in Europe that I cannot get in the US.

(with the exception of good fried chicken and buffalo wings)

K

good point - although I don't know that I knew many expats who had "left the states" as opposed to "gone someplace else" if you know what I mean. most of the expats I knew and know lived abroad because they wanted to live abroad, not because they dind't want to live in the US. there are, of course, exceptions.

but I was refering, specifically, to those americans who feel america is more X or Y or Z than other countries - I believe in most cases it is because they don't know that much about other countries.

Originally Posted by globetrotter

Click to expand...

good point - although I don't know that I knew many expats who had "left the states" as opposed to "gone someplace else" if you know what I mean. most of the expats I knew and know lived abroad because they wanted to live abroad, not because they dind't want to live in the US. there are, of course, exceptions.

but I was refering, specifically, to those americans who feel america is more X or Y or Z than other countries - I believe in most cases it is because they don't know that much about other countries.
Our wimminz are hot, so I like it here (Hungary) Most frustrating thing I've heard from an American expat: "Oh, I lost that American 'thing' a long time ago. I'm 'European' now." When did self-loathing get to be so cool?

Tough question for me. The Philippines is where my grandparents migrated to escape poverty in China. Our family has done pretty well in this country, and we are lucky to be well off. I also find satisfaction in this age that I am living in a place where I am surrounded by a slew of family and friends, and the people in this country are truly and genuinely very nice people.

On the other hand, this country has been wallowing in its 3rd world state because of its own making. I don't need to go down the details but suffice to say this country has all the potential to be prosperous and be more than what it is right now but somehow growth has been hindered because of its own making.

Its truly heartbreaking specially now that I am a parent and of course you always want a better environment for your kid/kids. The only consolation is that people here are starting to realize that a country's future is dictated by the choices everyone makes and perhaps in time the country can get out of its rut.

And we still don't have a BB store here! Boooo!

Originally Posted by tiger02

Click to expand...

Our wimminz are hot, so I like it here (Hungary)

Most frustrating thing I've heard from an American expat: "Oh, I lost that American 'thing' a long time ago. I'm 'European' now." When did self-loathing get to be so cool?

Since James Joyce.

Originally Posted by Coho

Click to expand...

Are you referring to New Zealand?

Sorry, didn't spot this. Yes, I am referring to New Zealand, but more specifically one place here, as I haven't lived anywhere else since I moved here in 2006 and although I don't really want to live anywhere else in NZ right now, I can't really judge other places having only spent a few days here and there elsewhere.

Originally Posted by globetrotter

Click to expand...

good point - although I don't know that I knew many expats who had "left the states" as opposed to "gone someplace else" if you know what I mean. most of the expats I knew and know lived abroad because they wanted to live abroad, not because they dind't want to live in the US. there are, of course, exceptions.

but I was refering, specifically, to those americans who feel america is more X or Y or Z than other countries - I believe in most cases it is because they don't know that much about other countries.

Yeah, maybe 'left the states' was the wrong way for me to put it. I have come across people who have jumped on an opportunity to live abroad, or who have purposefully sought employers or career paths for their likelyhood of moving abroad. Some because they just want a bit of an adventure, but a couple because they just did not like their lives in America or the state of the country.

I think America is more X or Y than alot of countries. But alot of countries are also more A or B than America.

Originally Posted by VKK3450

Click to expand...

Yeah, maybe 'left the states' was the wrong way for me to put it. I have come across people who have jumped on an opportunity to live abroad, or who have purposefully sought employers or career paths for their likelyhood of moving abroad. Some because they just want a bit of an adventure, but a couple because they just did not like their lives in America or the state of the country.

I think America is more X or Y than alot of countries. But alot of countries are also more A or B than America.

sure - I lived most of my life in differnt countries, and if my wife had agreed to it my preference would be to live in a differnt country every 3 years or so for the rest of my life. every country I've lived in has had its advantages. but I wouldn't say that I moved because I wanted to get away from one country or another.

I also know a few american ex-pats who just don't enjoy living in the US. I remember a friend who had lived about 10-12 years in Prague (at the right time) and then Mumbai (also at the right time). he got a job in arkansas, and within a couple of months he was going crazy, he felt he had nothing in common with his nieghbors or co-workers.

Originally Posted by VKK3450

Click to expand...

Yeah, maybe 'left the states' was the wrong way for me to put it. I have come across people who have jumped on an opportunity to live abroad, or who have purposefully sought employers or career paths for their likelyhood of moving abroad. Some because they just want a bit of an adventure, but a couple because they just did not like their lives in America or the state of the country.

Originally Posted by globetrotter

Click to expand...

I also know a few american ex-pats who just don't enjoy living in the US. I remember a friend who had lived about 10-12 years in Prague (at the right time) and then Mumbai (also at the right time). he got a job in arkansas, and within a couple of months he was going crazy, he felt he had nothing in common with his nieghbors or co-workers.

I have traveled quite a bit and lived for short times (a month here, a month there) in other countries. Having had those experiences, I would say that I sympathize with the types of people you are describing. I love the adventure of having to learn the tricks of a new place. It's very stimulating. I've also seen how a new country can drive a man crazy and that "the grass is always greener on the other side" is an easy generalization to make. No country is actually perfect and, as someone said, a desire to leave can in part be a projection of unhappiness with one's own life circumstances.

That being said, the places that I've lived in the US have really disappointed me in terms of the general level of cultural sophistication of the populace and I've often felt that I don't have much in common with my neighbors and co-workers in these areas.


I'll probably move in a couple of years to an international "cultural" capital like Paris or maybe Sydney (which I have been fantasizing about as of late . Being young, it's a good a time as any to experiment with living in new places!

Meh, I'm perfectly aware of the phases of being an expat. *Right now* I like it. But it's not difficult to like any reasonably clean, reasonably nice big city over suburban America. There were things I liked, but as a living experience when you're 24 it sucks.

dizzhizz, I'm is wild_whiskey from superfuture. The Seoul thread might be a better medium to see my opinions about SK.

If anyone cares, living in the UK is driving me nuts today.

Crappy customer service / locally made products - particularly in light of the high prices

Low quality workmanship and productivity - construction on the house and various professional services (note, I find E. European workers do great work for less money)

Attempted air of unjustified superiority - Sorry, but ordering a **** bottle of Cava in a Soho pub and calling it Champers or Bubbly doesnt make a junior marketing assistant or administrative assistant anything like Posh Spice (not that one would want to be Posh Spice). Your Primark skirt and Croyden accent give you away. Drink up and head back to your flatshare in Clapham.

Sorry, those are not totally justified, but just a bit of venting.

K

Personally, I've always been a big fan of the 22 century. But that's Just me.

Signed
Astor

I love living in New Jersey and probably will not live anywhere else full time the rest of my life. I might some day get a vacation house down south (South Carolina or Georgia) where I might spend parts of the year. Also, my family owns a home in the old country (Macedonia) which is a good place to go for a few months out of the year.