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Getting the **** out of dodge


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I'm emigrating to the States in exactly one week. I've been spending the last couple of weeks catching up with pals and telling them how much I'll miss them. 

f**k it, this is a thread to tell me that I won't pine for the absolute clowns back home. TELL ME I WON'T.

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It's 25 years since I emigrated and the world has advanced a lot since then. The Internet and specifically, the much maligned Social Media make it much easier to keep in touch with the folks back home.  You can also follow fitba easily, order food that you miss and even keep up with television shows if you want. However, the things I missed the most were...

Pub culture. Unless you're moving to the centre of a major city, there just isn't the same type of socialising you might be used to. Now that I'm older that's not such a big deal but it bothered me at first.

Having one large group of friends and doing everything with them. Nowadays, I have workmates, cycling friends, hiking friends and other friends I hang out with while doing various activities. But there isn't much overlap between the groups. 

Free time. As a rule, Americans work longer hours and have less holiday time than Europeans. My company is more generous than most and my length of service means I do quite nicely but starting out, you won't get much time off.

The politics can be downright ugly. Particularly right now. I'm not sure what your politics are but I learned fairly early on not to refer to myself as a socialist unless I wanted people to back away in horror. Even admitting to being a liberal is iffy in some regions.

Spicy food. Get used to seeing the "hot and spicy" label on restaurant menus for dishes that would be safe to serve a baby.

One the positive side - the locals are for the most part, pretty friendly. Outside the aforementioned city centres, the cost of living is generally more manageable. And the food's usually pretty good (although not as good as the locals think it is.)

I'll probably think of more but I'm off to bed now.

Where are you moving to?

 

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I'm emigrating to the States in exactly one week. I've been spending the last couple of weeks catching up with pals and telling them how much I'll miss them. 
f**k it, this is a thread to tell me that I won't pine for the absolute clowns back home. TELL ME I WON'T.

You stayed through Scottish independence (or lack of) and Brexit but the Tynecastle delays have claimed a scalp. It is frustrating, isn’t it?
Anyway, it’ll be pish and you’ll hate it. Nae tennents. f**k that.
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1 hour ago, Granny Danger said:

Can't understand anyone wanting to move to the USA, now more so than ever.  Nonetheless good luck, I hope no one shoots you.

TBF, he'll get his hole more than the rest of us combined, once they hear his accent.

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WhatsApp is somewhere between a godsend and a nightmare. Magic for keeping in touch with everyone but when there’s a big night out Or the likes it’s a pain in the c**t for pointing out everything you are missing. Even worse is the 15-30 second delay when watching a sporting event and some c**t always ruins the fucking goal that’s coming up.

The social aide of things is the biggest difference for me. Much harder after a shit day at work to send a text knowing that the recipient will gladly go for a bevvy or similar. The drinking culture in that respect is vastly different here.

If you are single, get on everything going and rattle anything that moves. I moved here with my missus when she moved back, and haven’t done any of that shit here but there have been so many times that it was on offer simply because I am not a local. Take advantage of being seen as exotic, because it sure as fucking hell wont last forever.

All that said, i find that by and large, life is very much the same for me. You spend most of it working and sleeping. The main differences is the weather(and the money is also nice).

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6 hours ago, Shotgun said:

It's 25 years since I emigrated and the world has advanced a lot since then. The Internet and specifically, the much maligned Social Media make it much easier to keep in touch with the folks back home.  You can also follow fitba easily, order food that you miss and even keep up with television shows if you want. However, the things I missed the most were...

Pub culture. Unless you're moving to the centre of a major city, there just isn't the same type of socialising you might be used to. Now that I'm older that's not such a big deal but it bothered me at first.

Having one large group of friends and doing everything with them. Nowadays, I have workmates, cycling friends, hiking friends and other friends I hang out with while doing various activities. But there isn't much overlap between the groups. 

Free time. As a rule, Americans work longer hours and have less holiday time than Europeans. My company is more generous than most and my length of service means I do quite nicely but starting out, you won't get much time off.

The politics can be downright ugly. Particularly right now. I'm not sure what your politics are but I learned fairly early on not to refer to myself as a socialist unless I wanted people to back away in horror. Even admitting to being a liberal is iffy in some regions.

Spicy food. Get used to seeing the "hot and spicy" label on restaurant menus for dishes that would be safe to serve a baby.

One the positive side - the locals are for the most part, pretty friendly. Outside the aforementioned city centres, the cost of living is generally more manageable. And the food's usually pretty good (although not as good as the locals think it is.)

I'll probably think of more but I'm off to bed now.

Where are you moving to?

 

You should buy a gun. Then you'd have something in common with everyone..

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7 hours ago, JamieThomas said:

I'm emigrating to the States in exactly one week. I've been spending the last couple of weeks catching up with pals and telling them how much I'll miss them. 

f**k it, this is a thread to tell me that I won't pine for the absolute clowns back home. TELL ME I WON'T.

You'll be fine other than missing the odd thing about life back home. Like others have said, you'll get used to your new environment after a while and keeping in touch with friends and family is easier than ever nowadays. 

My advice, go for it and give it your best shot. You can always move back home if it doesn't work out. 

Good luck mate.

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8 hours ago, JamieThomas said:

I'm emigrating to the States in exactly one week. I've been spending the last couple of weeks catching up with pals and telling them how much I'll miss them. 

f**k it, this is a thread to tell me that I won't pine for the absolute clowns back home. TELL ME I WON'T.

If anything or anyone here meant a thing to you, you wouldn't be going. Don't dress it up as some sort of dilemma. You obviously think you'll be better off and happier elsewhere. Everyone left will just need to muddle along the best they can without you.

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9 hours ago, JamieThomas said:

f**k it, this is a thread to tell me that I won't pine for the absolute clowns back home. TELL ME I WON'T.

Depends on what you make of it. The US is generally fucking ace - get stuck in and busy and the thought of living in Scotland again will over time give you the heebie jeebies.

Good luck!

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8 hours ago, Richey Edwards said:

If you ever find yourself missing Scotland, just remember that, for a country with such a small population, it must surely have one of the highest concentrations of absolute tossers and perma-losers.

Good luck with your emigration and all the best.

Sounds like Somerset Park tbh.

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3 hours ago, banana said:

Depends on what you make of it. The US is generally fucking ace - get stuck in and busy and the thought of living in Scotland again will over time give you the heebie jeebies.

Good luck!

Do you live there?

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