The reason Kambuckta hasn’t been back in is probably because it’s almost 1:30 am over here and she’s more than likely in bed.
I’ll also vouch for her not being a troll, and don’t see anything particularly trollish in the OP. YMMV, but how about you wait for her reply before pre-judging 
Well, I would love to move out of the U.S., but unfortunately it’s easier said than done if you’re not independently wealthy. But if I ever become the sort of Eccentric but Distinguished Scholar who gets job offers from foreign universities, I have every intention of taking them up. (Australia, however, is not all that high on my list of choices – I have the impression it’s too new and too isolated from other countries, much the same as the U.S., although I would very much like to go there on vacation someday.)
I would move to most European countries in a heartbeat, with Spain, Italy, and the U.K. at the top of the list.
And BTW, smiling_bandit, one of the reasons this American is seriously thinking about leaving is the fact that so many of my compatriots take even the mildest criticism of the U.S. as a personal insult. It’s not an appealing national trait, and in fact it can be damned scary at times.
Precisely. If I were forced to leave my home country I would view a political climate not to my liking as a major negative.
I know many Westerners who have lived in China with no problems. Sure, it’s frustrating and irritating, but then again so is everywhere else in various ways. It’s certainly not the hell-hole certain (uninformed?) posters are making out.
I’ve lived in the US, Hong Kong, England, and Ireland, and I’m afraid the US comes 4th in my personal preference, and I don’t think I’d live there again.
Not of course that anyone should give a fig whether I liked it or not. Also, I realise it’s a huge damned place, and I’ve only spent significant amounts of time in TN, CT and TX, which might not have given me the best impression.
Coldfire, I’m not threatened. No sir. There are many and huge problems with the US, and I can easily understand why someone would want to move someplace with different, huge problems.
I do think the OP was a troll, by virtue of using the phrase “wouldn’t live there in a pink fit”.
Fretful, I love criticizing the US of A! Don’t go. We need all the able-minded critics we got.
First thought- who says we would take you anyway kambuckta.
Second thought- have you been here, or are you just stereotyping?
Third thought- we have a ton of Aussies in my town- good folks. The trouble is not getting them to come here, rather its the getting them to go back (Visa issues, ect.)
Fourth thought- not sure if the intent of the OP was trollish or not. There is support for either side. Still, a bit of the :rolleyes: in that one.
Sadly, too many. Go to the Pit sometime. Post counts indicate an excess of free time and opinions, not wisdom (except for Coldie, of course ;)).
Well, I’m curious to see Kambuckta explain herself. It’s hard for me to see how the rest of the world views us.
As far as I’m concerned, if I had to live somewhere else, it’d be Australia or New Zealand. The only thing I’ve ever read about them which makes me not want to go there are the airfare prices.
I was only offended by the OP to the extent that it implied that the U.S. was such a godforsaken shithole that every other place on Earth was preferable. It’s simply untrue, as a moment’s reflection should make clear. As to the sentiment, well, who cares? You don’t want to live in the U.S., don’t live in the U.S. No skin off my back – I don’t think that anyone should have to live somewhere they don’t want to.
Me, I consider myself lucky. I’ve lived in a lot of places in the U.S, thanks to my being an Army brat, and I’ve lived in Europe. I figure that with 6 billion people in the world, and only a quarter of a billion of them living here, I lucked out. I could have been born in a lot of places, but I wasn’t. I was born in a country with an amazing variety of landscape from coast to coast, an incredible amount of freedom compared to most places in the world, terrific opportunities for success and personal growth, and all sorts of other benefits. Stuff like the Bush presidency I just consider burps, temporary glitches in the system that will go away.
Would I live somewhere else? I might, maybe. I visited Australia for two weeks last year and loved it. The people, the cities, the landscape, everything. I could easily imagine myself living there. Adelaide and Melbourne, particularly, I found absolutely charming and wonderful. But I have no compelling reason to ever emigrate – I like living in the U.S. If I were forced to, though, Australia would be my next choice.
I’ve never visited the UK, so I have no feelings about living there. Germany, I really, really like – especially the history and the people. But in the cities, they like tobacco just a little too much for me. France, I totally dug, especially in the south. I once spent a week with a friend’s family in their home outside of Lyon, and it was great. Don’t know if I’d want to live there, though.
Amen!!!
Guys, when talking about emigration, don’t forget that living in some countries as an expat is different from living there as a native-born citizen. My six months living in China makes my US life look absolutely dreary, though I have it better here than most Chinese citizens.
I don’t think it’s possible to say “America is this” or “America is that.” America is honkin’ big, and every part of it is different. Even just the state of TEXAS is impossible to sum up. I’m moving to East Texas soon. I’ve lived in Mississippi. I’ve grown up in upstate New York. None of these places really have that much in common. The language has subtle differences. The general mindset of the people is different. People act different. The climate and landforms are different.
“Actually, Mexico looked like a fantastic country to live in to me, thinksnow.”
The only problem is when you learn that things we Americans take for granted like property rights don’t exist down there. Many people that have bought their dream retirement homes have found out that the’ve been booted out by the govt because some high placed native decided he wanted the place for himself. I’ve read about it several times.
I grew up in northeast TX, racinchikki. I hope you like pine trees.
I don’t think I’d move to Mexico. It’s a very, very poor nation overall. Considering how many of their citizens consider it worth risking their lives to sneak across the border, it has to have some serious problems.
I think I’d like Australia, but the only country I’ve ever visited is the Bahamas, so I don’t know much about AU. I’d probably also like England, but I’m used to warm and dry. Not sure how I’d handle cold and wet.
I think I could live pretty happily in Canada, though the winters woul take some adjustment. I lived in England for 6 months as a student, and while I’m glad I went, I wouldn’t live there again. But I wouldn’t live in New York City or Los Angeles either.
Even though I get disgusted and discouraged sometimes, I like my little corner of the U.S. It’s useful to remember that there are yahoos and good ol’ boys everywhere, though they may go by different names.
Working in central London as I do, I see a lot of American tourists. And yes, a lot of them do look and act a bit bizarre by English standards. But the many that I have spoken to over the years are unfailingly charming and friendly people.
And I shudder to think of the image that is projected by some of our British tourists in places like Miami and Disneyland … please, we’re not all like that!
I hope I didn’t come across as “uninformed” when I questioned the OPer’s favoring China over the U.S. I don’t imagine it to be a hell-hole, I was just wondering what element of Chinese life is superior to – or more familiar to an Australian than – that of the United States? Of all the bad bits of American life that have been so far adduced, China, I think, has got it worse. Pollution? What about the noxious “brown cloud” we’ve been hearing about? Unilateralism? Think about Chinese bullying in the Spratly and Paracel islands. Rudeness? I’ve heard stories about the Chinese service industry…a handbook has been distributed by the government containing common phrases of salespeople no longer to be used – “Hurry up and pay” was my favorite. Guns? Well, not in as many private citizens’ hands, but enough in the army and state police. Etc., etc.
Back to the OP, I just can’t see how an English-speaker, living in a western democracy with elections and a free press and all can find life in the U.S. forbidding. People, the U.S and Australia are about as alike as two countries on opposite sides of the globe can be reasonably imagined. What would be so unbearable about living here?
I haven’t been to the States yet, so I dunno. I’m sure it’d be okay though. Arizona looks interesting (we Aussies need our space).
I’d also like to add that, while I don’t know Kambuckta’s reasons for making the OP, I can vouch for her as one cool and intelligent lady. I’ve met her, and she’s a regular on the G’Dope board. Ain’t no troll.
Well, I guess the thing I find most surprising about the OP is that she simultaneously rejects the idea of living in the U.S. and herself lives in Australia – as if it is cuturally, politically, or socially far removed from America.
I have never been to Australia (though I hope to go someday), but from everything I have seen and heard and everyone I have met who was from there or has spent a lot of time there – it’s not that different from the U.S. New nation, lots of space, yer basic Western democracy, pretty casual atmosphere overall, rather opinionated but generally friendly populace, fabulous standard of living (but world standards), English as the chief language. To me, the OP only makes marginally more sense than if I (an American) said that I wouldn’t live in Canada in a pink fit (whatever that means). Why? Too much like home?
As a female, I think I won the cosmic lottery the day I was born an American in the 20th century. I might feel the same way about Australia if I had been born there (or in any of a number of Western European countries), but I wasn’t. Frankly, about the only criticism I have heard about Australia is that the men tend to be sexist, so it can be a tougher to be dealt with equally or respectfully if you are a woman. So, you Aussies: Is that true, or not?
G’morning all. Sheesh…I wake up to find I have metamorphosed into a troll! I REALLY do apologise to those who took offense to the OP, because it was not meant in any way to cast aspersions upon the US or her people. It was not a judgement, I was merely pondering the prospect of where I would choose to live if I had to leave Australia.
America seems like such an intimidating place to ME (this IS IMHO afterall). Perhaps this is just the way that America is portrayed overseas (I have not been there) but the unerring confidence of Americans and all things American is a bit frightening. I understand that there are big regional differences and that NY is VERY different (socially) to some of the smaller states, but I believe I would find it most difficult to make the US my ‘home’.
Sure, there are many similarities between the US and Aus, but I sense that there are also some major fundamental differences in the ways that the two nations approach the rest of the world. The US in particular (from my experience) tends to take itself very seriously, while Aus and the other countries on the top of my list are more aware of their relative ‘insignificance’ in the big scheme of things! We laugh at our shortcomings and stuff-ups. (No need to inform me that this is a gross overgeneralisation…I know!!) But this is only my opinion, and while I admit it is garnered from limited experience, I have found it to be reinforced on too many occasions to be invalid.
Anyway, American beer is crap…I could NEVER live there!! 
Hong Kong, the place just buzzes for me.
As a fall-back I could see myself living in Auckland, NZ (heh, woolly as a JAFA … if anybody tells **Ice Wolf ** I’m history)
I’m not a snow/cold climate person so northern Europe is out unless it was for a job with megabucks. Ireland maybe or the Agean islands.
The US? Well been there a number of times, though not recently. Enjoyed myself immensely, overwhelmed with hospitality, expect to return periodically but never really feel comfortable enough to stay. My loss. The first time I was there was during the time Reagan bombed Libya, so it’s an eirie parallel to current times.
BTW kambuckta ain’t no troll, but she does come from Melbourne, which is on balance is probably worse 