Reply to: America

[expat]

If you work for a decent company health insurance will be good and the holidays fair.

One lilkely problem is a starting period (e.g. 6 months) where dental treatment is not covered. So do get known dental work done before you go, if you can find a dentist.

OTOH the American dental work seems to be higher quality: after 20 years in my mouth it's all still there. Not true of later work done back here.

[Mustang]

I signed up for 2 years and ended up staying for 5!! I loved it - but then I was single and had a "cute englsh accent" according to the local lasses!!

The cost of living is better and, despite the lack of holidays, the quality of life is better. I lived in Dallas and, despite the heat, there was a lot to do and being very central, easy to travel. I do project work so travelled all over. I loved in DC for a couple of months and in the Bay area for 6 months.

If you work for a decent company health insurance will be good and the holidays fair. I worked for a European Co and so got my UK holiday entitlement although my salary was purely local but had an uplift plus housing paid for.

Cars are cheap - I ended up buying a Mustang and now have it here to drive around in.

I would go back in a heartbeat! You do need to be prepared to adapt. In areas where you don't want to or cant adapt, you can usually brush it off as quaint English traditions!!

Bottom line: go for it. I would be very surprised if you regret it!

[ratewhore]

yeah - she carries a gun now...

[expat]

Schoolgirl moves to the US to escape bullying at school Safer than here apparently.

[ratewhore]

I think you go abroad for the experience rather than the technical challenge or financials.

Go for it and remember to post back and tell us how wonderful your expat life is. We won't be jealous at all...

[lilelvis2000]

make sure you've got a good company health plan. Don't forget to lease a mustang while you're there. Lakeside is quite nice. Live on the north side of Chicago...definetly stay away from the south side.

Make your goodbyes...I doubt you'll be back.

[lilelvis2000]

international experience always looks good on your CV.

Yeah right.

[Forumbore]

I loved living in the US, no matter what you might think of American's overall it's a fantastic place to live in, the standard of living is just higher than pretty much anywhere in the world, a couple of countries excepted, and definitely higher than here.

Fair point about the dollar's value, but that's a deliberate policy by the current administration, and it might well change - the currency experts here should put their money where their mouths are and speculate if they're so sure it'll crash, but in general the economy is on a major upturn at the moment. Kind of something I keep an eye on given I've got a US property and shares etc there.

In terms of employemnt contracts, you'll be full time same as here, with a chance of getting sacked, true - but they don't just go around firing people for no reason normally, and you have some breathing space to trabsfer your visa if that does happen. Holidays depends - 2 weeks is worse case, 3 weeks is normal and 4 or more isn't unheard of. Really depends on the company you work for, and if you can negotiate from here then negotiate your holidays as you'd expect. Forget contracting, it hardly exists over there and def not on a visa.

I lived in NY for a few years, but my firm had an office in Chicago so I was out there a fair bit (Several times a year) and I liked it, it's similar to NYC but on a slightly smaller scale - least it feels smaller, lot's of people I know preferred it for that reason. Think say London vs Manchester. For travel it's great cause you're right in the middle and America is amazingly diverse, you've no real idea until you've spent sometime there.

If you've got the chance I'd say take it, give it 6 months and if it doesn't work screw it, come home.

First positive post on this site this year, well done snaw.

[expat]

If you've got the chance I'd say take it, give it 6 months and if it doesn't work screw it, come home.

I signed up for min 1 year, with mental reservations that I might quit after 6 months and pay my own fare home. Stayed 4 years.

[snaw]

I loved living in the US, no matter what you might think of American's overall it's a fantastic place to live in, the standard of living is just higher than pretty much anywhere in the world, a couple of countries excepted, and definitely higher than here.

Fair point about the dollar's value, but that's a deliberate policy by the current administration, and it might well change - the currency experts here should put their money where their mouths are and speculate if they're so sure it'll crash, but in general the economy is on a major upturn at the moment. Kind of something I keep an eye on given I've got a US property and shares etc there.

In terms of employemnt contracts, you'll be full time same as here, with a chance of getting sacked, true - but they don't just go around firing people for no reason normally, and you have some breathing space to trabsfer your visa if that does happen. Holidays depends - 2 weeks is worse case, 3 weeks is normal and 4 or more isn't unheard of. Really depends on the company you work for, and if you can negotiate from here then negotiate your holidays as you'd expect. Forget contracting, it hardly exists over there and def not on a visa.

I lived in NY for a few years, but my firm had an office in Chicago so I was out there a fair bit (Several times a year) and I liked it, it's similar to NYC but on a slightly smaller scale - least it feels smaller, lot's of people I know preferred it for that reason. Think say London vs Manchester. For travel it's great cause you're right in the middle and America is amazingly diverse, you've no real idea until you've spent sometime there.

If you've got the chance I'd say take it, give it 6 months and if it doesn't work screw it, come home.

[sunnysan]

Hmmm

Thats what I am thinking

I am not intending to sell my hovel in tower hamlets, but if I can live in a nice downtown loft apartment in Chicago for +/-$800 and save cash for two years, why not.

If I can rent it out (no problem) and basically get a UK salary and have US cost of living, for two years I think I can handle it

[expat]

Also, what is it being permie in the USA? AFAIK their employment laws are pretty much like divorce in Islam - you can be fired on the spot and you will be expected to work as a permie with 2 weeks (!) of holidays per year.

They don't call it permanent. They just call it having an employment contract; or even just having a contract.

As a foreigner you can't practicably do what we call contract work, even if the client will give you an employment contract, because the visa is employer-specific and it takes longer to get than contract clients/employers will wait.

2 weeks per year is classic standard, but it's possible to get more, and get it put in your contract. Or take unpaid leave. And many jobs have up to 10 days personal time too, for those things that you have to do for your personal life during working hours, but don't want to use up annual leave for. So it's not as bad as it looks: you should be able to use your vacation time for pure vacation.

[sasguru]

Keep your property in the Uk if you have one. If prices keep on rising you'll be priced out. Apart from that the standard of living is higher in the US, especially if you're not in New York. Decent flats are much more affordable to rent than here. Poor holidays and long working hours may be a problem - but if it's only for a year or two, international experience always looks good on your CV.

[DimPrawn]

A mate of mine is on an expat deal in the US for several years.

Paid in the UK bank his usual salary.
Rent and expenses paid in the US.

He lives on the expense in the US and effectively save 100% of his UK salary every month. His house is being let out.

Result is that when he returns next year, his savings pay off his mortgage and he is free to go contracting.

Nice one.

[sunnysan]

Money

Considered this and will try to make the entire jaunt a "secondment" and stay on the UK payroll.

I have UK passport so I dont think there will be to many problems considering the firm is global. In fact it may even count in my favour as it will be motivation to keep me on the UK payroll.

The two weeks holiday sux.