I wouldn't be so sure on the firearm possession part being a deterrent. It doesn't seem to work in Chicago, nor Nebraska though I can't speak for other parts of the country. Most places that I have seen it seems to be socio-economically related where you see the most gun violence...on the Northside of Chicago is affluent and considerably safer and has much less gun crime than some of the Southside neighborhoods that are impoverished.

My great-uncle lives in Reston, and though I haven't been out to visit I understand it is quite nice out there :-). I've never been to DC myself and I hope to get out there at some point.

/me *gets up on soap box*

Reasons for leaving this tiny little hell hole well...

1) The youth of today.
2) The Youth of today
3) The sheer cost of living *try buying a house*
4) Claustrophobia
5) General Apathy of the folks around me to be content with their lives
6) People using *its to far* as an excuse not to come visit when they can drive...

Reasons for wanting to live in the US

1) My Love is there
2) My New Family is there
3) The cost of Living $ for £ you ge alot more for your money. Nicer too
4) Outside of cities subburbs even you have a sense of space
5) The Whole "Lets just do it attitude" ( i work for a US firm and they all have it..)
6) Im not in the UK.


Be aware these are personal views and not to be trolled. You cant shoot a man down for answering honestly. On the trips ive been to the states. Ive deliberatly NOT done the Tourist thing I've tried hard to keep my time with BMJ as real and family orientated as possible ,yes we've been to the cinema, which couple doesnt. Yes weve been to a resteraunt, again which couple doesnt. but weve just done the day to day living stuff. Heck weve even done the family trip to disney (man what a blast). My current view of life in the states is as true as I can have made it. I have no delusions of the grass is greener ! Im expecting it to be tough. but its wher I want to be so its where I shall be.

By hook or by crook.

For (Xaos) Mark and I he is all for moving here. He is looking at the whole land and housing thing here. I however would almost rather move there as would my oldest daughter. My younger two are not as thrilled with living in the UK because they do not want to have to wear uniforms to school (I love that idea)
Some drawbacks though I have found is that I have talked to a few people who have young children in the UK and they are not allowed to video record their kids performaces. Why the heck not???
I like the idea that guns are not legal there.
Before working in the IT field Mark was a security guard in Southampton HMV. He really hated it after a while and was really dismayed at the rising rate of crime and how the criminals kept getting younger and younger.
One of the main reasons I wanted us to move to the UK was so that Mark could still have his life. Not that he wont here, it is just that he has a lot of friends in the UK and as a single working and going to school mom I havent had much time for friends. It would be nice to become a part of Mark's world and be able to hang out with his friends. Another reason is I am fasinated with different lifestyles and cultures. I also think it would be an amazing experience for me and the kids to live in another country without having to worry overly much about language barriers.
One of the drawbacks of us moving there is I am almost finished with my AA then I will be heading on to my BA then it is off to Montessori training so I can become a Montessori teacher. While I might be able to continue going to school in the UK, I do not think I would be able to get any funding and I am sure it would cost an arm and a leg.
So there are good points to move and good points to stay. I am just worried because of the money exchange rate, that unless we are doing really really well for ourselves, it would be hard to move back to the UK, should we ever choose to. However, if we go now, since he already has a job there and everything it would be easier and then after we lived there a while if we wanted to move to the USA then we would be coming over with a lot more money.
Another thing that would bother me is if we moved over there soon, then all the kids would go, and if we waited a few years I would feel bad for leaving some of the kids behind (the oldest two are 17 and 16 currently).
For the moment we will try to get Mark over here, maybe I will feel better about staying here when we have saved enough money for a downpayment and can buy a house. Either way would be ok for me. I am not overly close to my family so that isnt an issue. But thinking of how close England is to everything (other countries) seems wonderfully exciting. Maybe I have a bit of gypsy blood in me, or its my love of travel, but I would be 100% ok if we moved to the UK

I'm moving to USA as my partner is in the US Air Force. I can't imagine staying in the UK whilst he's over there. Plus I have no future here. I still live with my parents and can't afford to move out, my job isn't really going anyway, I have a Forensics degree I can't use. I could go on lol.

As the USC I lived in England for 2 years with my husband right after our wedding. As a painter and decorator he made really good money. More in 1 week than I made in a month in retail! My dream would have been to work in a British library, but I would have had to take numerous classes and go through extensive training. I wanted out of my inlaws house pronto- so I took a job in retail. I could not believe that I would only receive a paycheck once a month! The same day that our rent was due? We lived in Letchworth and paid 550 pounds a month. My husband was getting less and less jobs painting, so we knew that we needed to move to America. We just couldn't afford England. I wanted my own house, and I knew that was possible in America. Also my family is financially more supportive than his.

I'm thankful that I lived in England for 2 years because I was able to take frequent holidays to Italy, Cyprus, and Spain. I saw so much of England too. I really love how companies give their employees so much holiday. But really, if we had continued to live in England, we wouldn't be able to afford holidays anyway. The cost of living is just insane in my opinion. I mean really, a television tax? You've got to be kidding!!

Cost of living is a huge factor for us, not that it helps living in Plymouth salaries arent comparable to cost of living due to the high rents because of tourism dont even think about trying to get on the rpoperty ladder its crazy.

Being able to potentially afford a starter house is a huge draw we would love to have our own place.

Someone said about there mum crying all the time. We recently found out that Joni's mum has been crying for the best part of the teo years we have been gone and is very unhappy without her around. Her family need her more than my family need me. Im one of four and Joni is one of two so we need to support them.

Also just general silly things weather different foods tall buildings pancakes for breakfast free refills . and like milwaukeegirl said less tax

Not that there aren't any in the US, but it seems to me the UK has a lot of ridiculous laws that seem to be almost overprotective of the citizenary.

For example, Nicky's uncle couldn't believe some of the clunker cars on the road. I guess there are certain standards for vehicles in the UK and if they don't meet them you have to junk it? Man, if that were true I think only 1 of the cars I've ever outright bought would have been ok enough to not junk right off!

That is just my opinion...I sometimes wish the US had a few more safety laws on the books but to me it seems the UK goes overboard in that way.

The television 'tax' is in fact a licence fee. Without kicking off a big debate, it actually pays for NON commercial televison (and radio). The British Broadcasting Corporation, aka the BBC, aka Aunty Beeb.
I think that actually may be one of the things I will really miss.

You're talking about an MOT test. In my opinion they are essential for the safety of drivers, passenger and anyone else around. My first car was declared a danger to drive it at the MOT test I took it to. Shook me a bit to think I'd been driving it for 8 months in that state.



I'll miss Cadbury's chocolate, custard creams, hob nobs, yorkshire pudding, the BBC, Radio 1 to name a few!

WHAT I HAVE IN THE US:

1. residential custody of my two young kids
2. an ex who would never let me take the kids out of the country
2. a four-bedroom house full of all the furniture and housewares we could ever need
3. my mom and dad, and brother, who help out in any way they can
4. a crappy job

WHAT HE HAS IN THE UK:

1. no children or exes
2. a one-bedroom flat
3. both parents deceased, no siblings
4. a great job


So except for the job thing, it's a no brainer for us.

well hopefully he can find a just-as-great-job in the US, and it'd be 4 for 4!

I guess in the UK it would be easier (in many places) to get around if you didn't have a car. Where I grew up, we couldn't afford nice vehicles and I had to drive 10 miles to school with no bus service. Same went for jobs. I guess it is a good idea to have MOT's in theory here, but there would be a lot of hardship on rural folks if that were the case.

The public transport is that great here. One thing I won't miss!

After living in England for 2 years, I'm aware what the tv tax is to cover the NON commercial BBC. I respect the fact that you miss the BBC, but I never watched their programming and didn't think it was fair that I had to pay for them. Here in America, our public television relies on voluntary donations from the public.

My husband recalls that BBC 3 and BBC 4 on satellite programming had adverts. So they were getting funding there besides. Plenty of my British coworkers and relatives hated paying the licensing fee as well. It wasn't just me.

I hate paying taxes but I still have to. I pay for schools & public transport & public pools & libraries I don't use as well. I'm not going to lose sleep over £140.

The BBC is also funded by its commercial arm, BBC Worldwide, not just the license fee. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (PBS, National Public Radio) receives about 20% of its funding from the government, not just viewer contributions so you do pay for it (although more indirectly) through taxes in the US.

I also missed having screens on windows. I didn't have a cat while living in England because I didn't want an indoor/ outdoor cat- would worry about him too much! Anyone know why the British don't have screens?

There was mold all over our flat- had to buy a dehumidifier and regularly clean mold off of the windows.

Hopefully my response won't offend anyone this time, as my last opinion did. Didn't know the BBC was such a sensitive issue! In the future I'll refrain from making comments about religion, politics, and British programming.

i think we dont have screens because thats what they do in the colonies

I know all about mold i fight a running battle with it and it drives my DW the usc up the wall shes a minnesotan and she says the only thing they have to put up with is dry rot of all things.