Living in America
While the American authorities have tended to reduce immigration numbers across the board over the last few years there are still many people who look at America as their long-term homeland. There is a thread in the American forum which is fairly new and poses an interesting question – “What do you like best about America?”
Is America the land of opportunity?
While there are a number of comments about Mexico, Canada and other countries around the US, one element which shines out like a beacon from the forum is the fact that many people believe that America is actually the land of opportunity. Whether this is actually true across the board, for all nationalities and ethnic minorities remains to be seen that there is no doubt that businesses in America are encouraged and finance is often more readily available than in many other countries around the world.
When you also consider that the likes of the US authorities have recently agreed to invest billions of dollars into the electric car market, offering substantial subsidies to many electric car companies, there are new opportunities arising on a regular basis.
The customer is always right
One member of the forum has posted on this particular thread highlighting their experiences overseas, as an American national, with regards to taking goods back to a store to be replaced or to receive your money back. Even though in the likes of the UK you will be required to show your receipt for good you are taking back, it appears as though this is not the case in America where quite literally “the customer is always right”. To many people, this perfectly illustrates the culture of US businesses and how they treat their customers.
While these are the main two benefits which have been posted so far, we hereby enclose a number of others for you to consider:-
Personal protection
Everybody around the world is well aware that US residents all have a right to carry a gun for protection, even if this does not receive overall acceptance across the board. While many people would see this as a benefit when living in America, because of the rising crime rate, this is something of a double edge sword as we often hear about accidents or incidents involving personal firearms.
We also hear about lawsuits in relation to the right to own guns but this is something which is so deep within the US Constitution that it is unlikely to change in the short to medium term – if ever!
The climate
The weather in America is very often one of the main reasons why some people even consider the country, with many of the Sunshine States attracting great numbers of tourist, visitors and expats. However, it must be remembered that the weather in states across America does vary widely and as normal, it is vital that you do your homework before choosing your final destination – assuming you are able to gain entry!
Standard of living in America
If you’re moving from a country such as the UK, where the general standard of living is currently relatively high, you may not see an awful lot of difference in your standard of living in America. There will likely be more choice with regards to food, goods and services and ultimately it is the people who move from countries which are either undeveloped or have very poor areas who will actually see the greatest improvement in their standard of living.
We hear regular stories of immigrants who have moved from places such as Mexico to America and made a success of their lives, often creating significant wealth along the way. However, under the surface of the “successful American dream” is the reality for many people who do not make it into the big time and may struggle day to day to feed themselves and their families. The streets of America are not always paved with gold!
Education in America
Even though standards of education up to the age of 16 can be very similar in countries across the world, it would appear that the education system for those over 16 is far better in the US than many other countries around the world. It is no secret that many students travel thousands of miles to join the various American education facilities for overseas students, which offer an experience and standard of education which many countries fall short of.
Education in America is often taken for granted by those who live there but to many outsiders looking in it can be a godsend and literally allow them to escape from years of hardship and heartache.
The American multicultural society
It is almost impossible to list all of the different cultures and ethnic minorities present in the US, a country which is seen to have one of the most multicultural societies in the world. However, it is also worth pointing out that there are various ethnic enclaves dotted around America where perhaps “natural Americans” are not willing to or have not for some other reason welcomed various immigrants with open arms.
Again, like the situation with personal firearms, the American multicultural society can be something of a double edge sword as there have been problems and friction in many areas of the country. However, on the plus side it does appear that in general there are no restrictions on race, skin colour or religion.
Conclusion
The United States of America is a country which has a lot going for it, which is the obvious reason why it is so popular amongst expats. However, in a country the size of America there will be areas of fiction, problems with crime and the issues which can take the “shine” off a move to America. However, there are so many different places to choose to live that it is easy to match your requirements regarding your standard of life and type of living with a particular state of America.
The United States of America is very much a country of extremes although there is no doubt that it is also the “land of opportunity”.
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