Possible move to the States

Come to Colorado! Housing prices are low because of several years of overbuilding. Many bargains are to be found. Over 300 days of sunshine a year (vs. the eight or nine that you Brits get!) Four distinct seasons with any number of activities to improve your attitude. Boating, Skiing, Climbing, Driving...you can jump out of a plane if you'd like. Lots of open space left. Wonderful mountain roads to cruise your machines on. People still say hi (or howdy) to strangers. Your skills would be in high demand in this growing area. Don't tell your wife, but chicks here dig a British accent! Just can't help on the Health and Safety paperwork though...we're just as bureaucratic as you guys...I suspect we learned everything from you folks...then doubled it!
Let me know if you want to visit. We'll put you up for a few of days!
Mooso

Phil,

Canada would be the natural choice. Just enough stupidity and rules to make you feel at home (we are one of the "colonies"...) and yet not so far gone as to be unbearable. We generally frown on shooting our neighbours and passers-by, and our doctors are so busy trying to keep up with healing people that they don't have time to blow stuff up. We have lots of big open spaces, affordable (by UK and most US standards) housing and low-ish population density.

Engineers are always in demand here too. Pretty much all of what Mooso offers (chicks, skiing, boating, nice roads etc.). Our taxes are higher than the US, but free health care and better social programs generally mean a more even standard of living (less really rich and really poor).

Oh, and if you don't like cold weather, choose you location carefully. One other consideration is that while job opportunities abound in Calgary (Alberta), from what I hear from ones who have left there, the cost of living is outrageous now (as in Vancouver).

Let me know if you do jump the pond. I did when I was dragged here in the 60's when my Dad emigrated.

Quote - "and our doctors are so busy trying to keep up with healing people that they don't have time to blow stuff up"

Funny you should mention that. 2 of them lived and were arrested less than 3 miles from where I live!

Hey Phil,

I hear all the horror stories every week when I speak to family back in the UK, there is no way you would ever catch us going back, we've been gone 10 years now.

I don't know what a 2075 is that you refer to, but the biggest problem with the US is just getting in (unless you come North across the Rio Grande, of course). You have to find employment first and with a company that is prepared to sponsor your visa and they have to show they cannot find an American for the position. Then when you get it it's only temporary (3yrs renewable for another 3, then you have to leave the country) and you can only work for that one company, quit and you have 10 days to leave the country. Of course if you are still single, then theer are multiple opportunities , but INS is even checking on that nowadays.

What Mooso forgot to say was 300 days of Sunshine, but generally US employess only get 10 days vaacation to enjoy them, whereas Canada is more akin to the UK with 20 days!

Canada is easier to get into for us Brits, I have a Canadian Permanent Residency Card, but the process to get it can be slow. You'd be better get a job offer and temporary work visa, then converting to PR status becomes pretty easy. Taxes are certainly higher in Canada and the cost of living in many of the major cities is now damned high. For example I'm supposed to be moving later this year to Calgary, but I'm going to lose 20% more in taxes and have a 40% higher cost of living than Reno.

Good luck,

If I can offer anything more from my experience, then PM me.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Joules5:


I don't know what a 2075 is that you refer to, You reckon that is Phils' serial number of his Pantera? come on Joules....

Phil,

If 2075 is your Pantera, you might as well plan on selling it to a British mate or an Aussie, because North America is all left hand drive.

The municipal water systems in the states are going through a period of growth, lots of capital being invested in the infra structure in order to comply with new federal laws, landing a job here might not be a problem for you. Sell yourself to a big engineering firm that is based in the area where you are considering relocating. Or perhaps a municipal water company.

My advice would be to avoid the big american cities, because you'll find the same traffic, air pollution, over priced housing and traffic cameras that you have in the UK. North America is a big continent. We have lots of country with low population density, small town americana, even open land outside any city limits.

The american public keeps giving up more of their privacy and freedom to president Bush in the name of national security. I understand that the cia can enter a citizens home now at any time and extract a sample of brain tissue without probable cause or court order. While they're at it, they confiscate your computers hard drive just in case you have some child pornography on there they haven't seen yet.

Our privately operated health system may be a shock to you, the people you Brits refer to as the seriously injured, we refer to as an outpatient. In case you don't recall, some beggar shot president Reagan almost point blank, and the pres told reporters "he only grazed me". Actually, the pres probably felt safer with that bullet lodged in his body than going to the emergency room. You see, the emergency room is manned by a young doctor fresh out of med school, he's just pulled 6 straight shifts without relief because the emergency room is understaffed, to stay awake the young man is wired on so much speed that he's incapable of coherent speech.

We drink our beer cold too. Now that's culture shock!

You'll have to learn a new language, after all, over here its tires, not tyres. Wrenches not spanners. Etc...

Canada? If you don't like London fog, I somehow don't think you'll be amused by this Canadian weather feature...

you could move to Midland, Nebraska... What you see coming on the pic is sand, mega tonnes of sand...now you have a clearer (sic) view.

quote:

Originally posted by Cowboy from Hell:
If 2075 is your Pantera, you might as well plan on selling it to a British mate or an Aussie, because North America is all left hand drive.

There is no problem with that in Canada. As long as you are actually ON the road, we pretty much don't care about sides..

quote:

The municipal water systems in the states are going through a period of growth, lots of capital being invested in the infra structure in order to comply with new federal laws, landing a job here might not be a problem for you. Sell yourself to a big engineering firm that is based in the area where you are considering relocating. Or perhaps a municipal water company.

Which is how George can afford such a nice car.

quote:

My advice would be to avoid the big american cities,

Probably very good advice

quote:

We drink our beer cold too. Now that's culture shock!

Not really. Since Lucas stopped making refrigerators years ago, everyone in the UK drinks cold beer now.

quote:

You'll have to learn a new language, after all, over here its tires, not tyres. Wrenches not spanners. Etc...

Of course, in Canada, we speak British and also know how to spell colour.

quote:

Canada? If you don't like London fog, I somehow don't think you'll be amused by this Canadian weather feature...

Actually, I think that was Norway, but the one up-side to winter is that we get to work on our cars and when spring comes, we really enjoy them.

MONTECARLO296 ... I think we are in similiar industries ... but my advise is the same as Georges ..you need to find a job first. As of now it shouldnt be to hard. There is the begining of a boom ..at least in the north east for Water and Sewer treatment plants ..so with that said there is also a great demand .. but my advise is NOT to move to NY ... traffic taxes and high cost of housing is at its peak... althought there are some mighty nice places ..so post on MONSTER.COM and I;m sure you will find an opportunity. I my self use this to find employees.

Ron

I'm fond of California, the scenery keeps me here...

no wonder there is a shortage of semiconductor chips...OOPS sorry, they use Silicon not Silicone!!!