Ask an immigrant.

[Brian37]

"Immigrant" is a selfish word when you move merely amounts to taste. Immigrant when you can't feed yourself or are escaping violence or starvation makes sense.

But the truth of our species, is that we move, like any other species, for both selfish and and survival reasons.

[Napoléon]

Ask me about my experiences moving to / living in the land of the free.

How are you getting on without proper bacon?

[Tiberius]

Aside from obvious stuff like which side of the road you drive on, what are some of the subtle differences you've noticed in day-to-day life between the U.S. and the U.K.?

Tipping is still something I'm getting used to, as well as having more paper money than coinage in my wallet. Other than that, the price of things (gas, food, clothing) is very different because it's so much cheaper. Oh, and not having a booze aisle in the supermarket, and not being able to buy alcohol before 11am on a Sunday...that's odd.

And where in he U.S. do you reside?

I live in Massachusetts.

How hard is it for you to understand those thick New England accents?

Not that hard at all.

What is the thing you miss the most from the UK?

Steak & Kidney pie, though my wife bought me some for my birthday from a British imports store, and then a couple of weeks ago we found a kidney in the meat section of the the supermarket, so we bought it and froze it for future pies.

Was it a pain getting your belongings across the pond?

Pretty much, but that was only because the company I used were fucking awful. When I called I asked if they would do delivery to my new address in the US and they told me they would. I paid their fee and thought all was well. They collected my stuff and packaged it up with no issues. Then for some reason they missed the shipping date and didn't tell me until a week later. Then my stuff got "delayed" in the US as customs apparently had to open it up (though when I got it the package was sealed). When it cleared customs, I was hit with a $500 charge for admin and transporting the package to Boston which they had neglected to tell me about, but it was one of those "pay up or you don't see your stuff". Finally, it arrives in Boston, and I phone to ask when it will arrive at my house, and they say that they need an additional $300 for delivery to my street, but I can come pick it up at the harbor for free. I was pissed and ultimately decided to borrow my friend's pickup and get the stuff myself.

So yeah, terrible company, would not recommend. My stuff was picked up on 12th November and arrived about a week before my wedding on the 10th January. Luckily I'd packed all the important wedding stuff (ring, suit, etc.) in my luggage for the plane, but I spent a month and a half living out of a suitcase because of those fucks.

Had a chance to compare the health care differences?

US health care is better in terms of the actual care you receive and also with regard to waiting times, etc. Obviously UK healthcare has its benefits like being "free", and you don't have to worry about co-pays, deductibles, etc. We're on a pretty good plan though, and it's not too much each month.

We do love us some fine consumerism. Any difference in the store types, availability, goods and services?

I already mentioned the whole "no booze in supermarkets" thing which is odd, and the fact that you can't buy alcohol before 11am on a Sunday (at least in Massachusetts). Fireworks being illegal is weird too, but that doesn't seem to stop anyone.

Why did you move the the U.S.? Is that working out for you as planned? Is the U.S. as you expected it to be?

I moved to marry my wife (whom I met on these forums). Everything is working out great so far. The U.S. isn't as I'd expected it to be, but there are both positives and negatives. It's a far friendlier place than most people think, and the cost of living can bite you in the ass if you're not careful.

Have you become a U.S. citizen?

That's a couple of years off. I think I can officially apply in November 2017. I'm still technically not a resident as there is a huge backlog in the immigration system, so I'm in this weird legal limbo where I'm allowed to be here indefinitely, but if I leave the country (e.g. to visit my family in the UK) they could claim I'm giving up on my residency claim and cancel my visa. You can get permission to leave for emergencies though.

Why are you taking away the jobs of MURRICANS?

I actually still work (remotely) for the same UK company I was before, so I didn't take a single job away from any of you.

Also, why have you abandoned Mother Brittannia for her bastard child nation?

Well, I mostly did it for a girl, but I was also tired of the UK, and the US is a much more adventurous place to live.

How are you getting on without proper bacon?

We bought it from a British imports store in Plymouth (the US Plymouth) for my birthday. My wife agreed it was very tasty.

[ignoramus]

C'mon Tibs... cough up the username of the lucky woman!

I take it that she's a nice Christian girl and all?

[Pyrrho]

Wait, you married someone you met online? Is this site going to vanish when she murders you in your sleep?

[Tiberius]

C'mon Tibs... cough up the username of the lucky woman!

I take it that she's a nice Christian girl and all?

Hehe, her username is common knowledge to most of the older members here: Shell B.

[Whateverist]

I suspect you're a coffee drinker anyhow, but if not, have you discovered it is almost impossible to get a passable cup of tea out in the US?

I loved the trains and tube in London. Do you miss good public transportation? If you prefer driving, do you miss driving roads bordered tightly by hedgerows? I could get used to driving on the 'wrong side' of the road, but I am quite glad not to have to navigate these tall green mazes here.

Finally, cold beer. Do you like it or prefer it room temperature? If the latter, do you find it hard to come by when you're out dining?

[Tiberius]

I suspect you're a coffee drinker anyhow, but if not, have you discovered it is almost impossible to get a passable cup of tea out in the US?

Yeah, I've always preferred coffee over tea. You can buy good tea in the US though; they usually stock Twinings and the like in supermarkets, so it's not hard to find the tea bags. I probably wouldn't buy tea from a coffee shop though.

I loved the trains and tube in London. Do you miss good public transportation? If you prefer driving, do you miss driving roads bordered tightly by hedgerows? I could get used to driving on the 'wrong side' of the road, but I am quite glad not to have to navigate these tall green mazes here.

Well I went from living in London to living in South Shore Massachusetts, so I do miss being able to catch a bus from outside my house, or being walking distance from 5 train stations, and of course the usefulness of the underground. However I don't mind driving that much either. Driving between multiple towns and almost constantly having buildings on either side of the road is still odd to me; towns just seem to blend together, unlike in the UK where you have countryside between them.

Finally, cold beer. Do you like it or prefer it room temperature? If the latter, do you find it hard to come by when you're out dining?

I prefer cold beer, though I don't really drink alcohol much anyway.

[Whateverist]

Yeah, I have no problem getting good tea at the market. But tea at a restaurant never goes well. So I always get coffee when we're out and tea at home.

Looks like you're adjusting just fine. Any out-there, religious fringe groups aggressively try to recruit you yet?

[CapnAwesome]

Let me just say that the no booze in the supermarkets is just some east coast bullshit. I buy my booze at the gas station like a good Californian. Speaking of which, have you had a chance to make it out to the best coast? It's also funny to hear Massachusetts described as cheap as it's got the highest cost of living in the US.