Best things about living in the States?

Hazys

For me, its the 24/7 sports over here. Mostly Football but i love watching the NHL and NBA playoffs also.

The weather also. In the Northeast, we get 4 proper seasons....unlike the one season back home aka the rainy season.

Yours?

silja

Property prices. We bought our 4 bedroom home with large yard for 1/3 of the price of our one bed flat in Dublin.
Family friendlyness, very important when you have three little ones, though it comes tied up in evangelical christianity.

cena

Are houses much cheaper than here in Ireland

cena

Hazys wrote: »

For me, its the 24/7 sports over here. Mostly Football but i love watching the NHL and NBA playoffs also.
The weather also. In the Northeast, we get 4 proper seasons....unlike the one season back home aka the rainy season.

Yours?

This is one of the reasons I really want to move over to the states. I really got to move over there.

Hazys

cena wrote: »

Are houses much cheaper than here in Ireland

Completely depends, America is huge so it has many different housing markets....Boston is more expensive than Dublin, but you can buy a house in Detriot for $200. There are also 1 acre lots of land in New Mexico which you can buy on Ebay for pennies.

cena wrote: »

This is one of the reasons I really want to move over to the states. I really got to move over there.

I think there are only on average 4 days out of 365 where there is no major sport game being played (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL). If you are stuck for anything to watch when you come home for work, there is always a game on...not to mention about 5/6 different 24/7 sports channels.

cena

Hazys wrote: »

Completely depends, America is huge so it has many different housing markets....Boston is more expensive than Dublin, but you can buy a house in Detriot for $200. There are also 1 acre lots of land in New Mexico which you can buy on Ebay for pennies.

What condition would the houses be for that price. Its more new york brooklyn I would be looking at. To be near the family I have over there.

I think there are only on average 4 days out of 365 where there is no major sport game being played (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL). If you are stuck for anything to watch when you come home for work, there is always a game on...not to mention about 5/6 different 24/7 sports channels.

I Just love the nfl and nhl. I do watch the nba and mlb.

Hazys

They are doer-uppers, once you kick the crack heads out:

http://www.businessinsider.com/houses-for-1-dollar-2010-12

happyclapper

We are hoping to move to the states later this yr. I cannot wait. I just lvoe the freedom in the US, my hubby has a job lined up and hopefully I will get something. Fingers crossed. Want to work in office work so hopefully that will happen easily.

Everything is so much more accessible there. I cant wait to have everything on our doorsteps rather than travelling an hour to get to the cinema!!

silja

happyclapper wrote: »

Everything is so much more accessible there. I cant wait to have everything on our doorsteps rather than travelling an hour to get to the cinema!!

Well, that depends a LOT on where you are... I have friends who are 30 mins from the nearest grocery store, way more than that from a cinema or hospital.

happyclapper

We are moving to a city so that wont be a probs for us! I hope!

Fr Tod Umptious

I lived in the US when I was in my mid to late twenties, making lots of money and had no commitments like family of mortgage

I loved the availability of consumer goods.

If at 8pm on a Tuesday evening you decided you needed a new laptop you could just head down to Best Buy at get one.
I found you got good value for money in America.

I am not sure I would love it as much now though.
I would most likely be living in the suburbs with a mortgage and 20mins from the nearest shop.
That's why I moved home.

There are only two days in the year by the way without one of NFL, NBA, NHL or MLB on
They are the days before and after the MLB All Star Game in mid July.

cena

So jealous of all ye that are living or have lived there.

sleepyescapade

I love the variety here, so many different things to try, so many different things to choose from in the supermarkets.

Corrimbla

I feel the cost of living is alot more affordable..price of clothes etc. is a fraction of what you'd pay back in Ireland..same for food!!

Also love how gullible some american's are and the craic you can have with them..Once told an american that I dug up a potato so big I had to roll it home!!:D of course she believed me

Also gonna miss how easy it is to pull here aswell with the brogue!! :rolleyes:

HavingCrack

The diversity of the place (in the cities anyway). When I lived in New York I used to love wandering from a Spanish speaking Dominican district full of mom and pop delis into a Jewish area full of bagel shops and on into a university area full of college bars etc. All in the space of a 20-30 minute walks.

I'm moving to San Francisco for a short term work contract in a month or so and can't wait to start exploring a new city again.

Twee.

Delicious, quality but cheap food! I ate so well over there! I never understood why in movies/TV New Yorkers were always eating out but it's just so cheap, and the apartments are too small for the smell of cooking It all made sense!

Following that, the delis. My nearest was UNREAL. Just wow. Two days lunch or your dinner out of one wrap from that place!

$20 manicure-pedicures, amazing. Go in, pick your colour, no chit chat, job done. Here just a manicure is €30+ along with the "going anywhere nice on holiday" etc.

Commission based retail, a great way to earn extra money. At times I was doubling my basic wage with commission. Haven't seen it too much here, or it's conditional, like you only earn % after hitting a weekly target.

Super nice people, they really are. I lived on Avenue C, or Loisaida, in New York and it was a real community culture with all the gardens in the area. Even the construction workers next door would say hello to me every morning!

Can't wait to go back.

rockonollie

cena wrote: »

Are houses much cheaper than here in Ireland

We're looking around for a house right now near cincinnati......on average you can get a 4 bed/2 bath with attached garage in the 120-150k range. so less that 100000 euro

InTheTrees

The space.

There's so much free space in the USA that they dont need the myriad of regulations that are needed back home to control what people do with it.

So often in Ireland the answer to many questions is "no, you cant do that...", while in the US its "Sure, give it a go..."

Also the scenery. I used to think the west of ireland was remote and wild. LOL.

But before I sound too paved-in-gold, there's a lot of negatives too.

BorneTobyWilde

The beautiful women, who are not all 5.4
plus they have nice smiles,

Stalin and rugby

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

The beautiful women, who are not all 5.4
plus they have nice smiles,

They also happen to ignore you unless your successful (or so I can tell from the movies I've watched:D) birds here in Ireland are easier

HavingCrack

InTheTrees wrote: »

The space.

There's so much free space in the USA that they dont need the myriad of regulations that are needed back home to control what people do with it.

So often in Ireland the answer to many questions is "no, you cant do that...", while in the US its "Sure, give it a go..."
.

In the Sunbelt it's like this definately (big problems with sustainability there though, local municipalities won't provide water to new developments in Phoenix for example). The "old" Eastern cities are a lot stricter on development and zoning control.

Stalin and rugby wrote: »

They also happen to ignore you unless your successful (or so I can tell from the movies I've watched:D) birds here in Ireland are easier

Nah, definately not true. I found American women (actually Americans as a whole) to generally be a whole lot friendlier and more open to 'dating' than Irish people. The Irish accent is also generally loved nearly everywhere. I'd find it hard to believe any Irish man would find it difficult to find American women who are interested unless he's seriously boring.

Caliden

You can strike up a conversation with anyone and it's considered the norm whereas back in Ireland people get a bit freaked out by talking to strangers when they are sober.

Frankly my dear

Right on red! I can't live without it.

InTheTrees

Frankly my dear wrote: »

Right on red! I can't live without it.

I've done it a few times in Ireland...just out of habit.

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

Hot Puerto Rican women

Caliden

InTheTrees wrote: »

I've done it a few times in Ireland...just out of habit.

Left on red would make sense, right on red would be dangerous! haha
It's a good rule and there's already a set of traffic lights in Galway that uses it (along the Tuam road near Calibro motors factory)

InTheTrees

Caliden wrote: »

Left on red would make sense, right on red would be dangerous! haha
It's a good rule and there's already a set of traffic lights in Galway that uses it (along the Tuam road near Calibro motors factory)

ha ha ha!

you're right... i mean the way it works reversed(?) when ones back home...

:rolleyes:

Frankly my dear

InTheTrees wrote: »

I've done it a few times in Ireland...just out of habit.

Almost did it a few times myself when I was back in 2010, everyone else in the car started freaking out asking what I was doing

ProudDUB

Twee. wrote: »

Delicious, quality but cheap food! I ate so well over there! I never understood why in movies/TV New Yorkers were always eating out but it's just so cheap,

100% agree. The cost of eating out there compared to here is next to nothing. I had fajitas in TGI Fridays in Dublin last week, and they were 20 euros or $30. The same thing in the US would be $10-12. It just breaks my heart how expensive it is to eat out here & for food that is pretty basic fare, not exactly gourmet fare.

Also loved how each American city or region was so different from each other. I lived in Atlanta for years. Within a 3-6 hr drive of me were Memphis/Nashville, or New Orleans/Biloxi, or the Florida Gulf coast, or Savannah & Charleston on the Atlantic coast, or the Great Smokey Mountains. Going on road trips were so much FUN ! There was so much to see and do and experience from what I did in my day to day life in Atlanta. In Ireland, you just don't have that kind of diversity. America is such a huge and diverse country, it is a very stimulating place to live or visit especially if you make the effort to get out there and see and do stuff.

InTheTrees

ProudDUB wrote: »

100% agree. The cost of eating out there compared to here is next to nothing. I had fajitas in TGI Fridays in Dublin last week, and they were 20 euros or $30. The same thing in the US would be $10-12. It just breaks my heart how expensive it is to eat out here & for food that is pretty basic fare, not exactly gourmet fare.

It doesn't help that the $ is in the toilet so euro prices seem really high to those of us earning dollars.

Darren1o1

InTheTrees wrote: »

It doesn't help that the $ is in the toilet so euro prices seem really high to those of us earning dollars.

Ummmmm is it not the opposite. It was 1 euro to $1.50 when I first came, today it was 1 euro to $1.29. Probably the cheapest or close to I've seen it in 5 years here...

InTheTrees

Darren1o1 wrote: »

Ummmmm is it not the opposite. It was 1 euro to $1.50 when I first came, today it was 1 euro to $1.29. Probably the cheapest or close to I've seen it in 5 years here...

Certainly an improvement the last few weeks but it should be even lower.

Killer Wench

Frankly my dear wrote: »

Right on red! I can't live without it.

And don't forget pedestrians have the right of way at street corners!

InTheTrees

Killer Wench wrote: »

And don't forget pedestrians have the right of way at street corners!

This is something I've never got used to.

They wander out into the traffic because they have right of way and yet every day here there's stories of pedestrians being killed, hit and runs, etc.

I'd have thought teaching pedestrians a healthy fear of traffic would be much safer.

dave2pvd

Everything is negotiable.

[-0-]

1. Land is CHEAP. I mean it, too. I'm going to buy land in the south in the next 5 - 6 years. As it stands I could buy a 30 acre farm and build a house on it for less than 100 grand USD. Granted it's the south, and that is not for everyone, but I have always wanted a farm of my own in a great climate.
2. People are friendly. Before moving here I wasn't so sure about how welcoming people were. Being Irish, I'm loved here. For instance, my dentist stopped one day after seeing me walking down the road and gave me a lift. I had only met her once and she recognized me so she pulled over and drove out of her way to bring me to where I was going.
3. If you're single (which I'm not) and have an Irish accent you will love it here. I get chatted up by girls all the time, even if I'm just shopping and they manage to hear my accent. If you're a single guy thinking of moving here, I would definitely recommend it.
4. It's cheap here. I bought 4 pairs of suit pants, a shirt, a tie, and two pairs of jeans for 120 dollars.

Word of warning - in a year I put on 2 stone. The portions here are huge, just make sure you work out regularly. I used to box 4 times a week in .ie and go to the gym 6 days out of 7. It took me a while to get into that here but the weight is falling off thankfully. Gyms are open 24/7 in most places, so if you work shifts it's pretty sweet.

HavingCrack

[-0-] wrote: »

1. Land is CHEAP. I mean it, too. I'm going to buy land in the south in the next 5 - 6 years. As it stands I could buy a 30 acre farm and build a house on it for less than 100 grand USD. Granted it's the south, and that is not for everyone, but I have always wanted a farm of my own in a great climate.

To be fair, land prices in the US vary massively depending on location. Prices for land in New York/Boston/San Francisco/Chicago/DC etc. are all very expensive. It's like Europe-your farm in Andalucia or Calabria is going to be way cheaper than your land in Paris or Vienna.

Land is only cheaper in rural areas because less people want to live there to be fair.

shamrock55

im off to new york soon for the summer staying in queens anybody got any tips for me as in do'es and dont's

Frankly my dear

Killer Wench wrote: »

And don't forget pedestrians have the right of way at street corners!

They do?!? Well that explains a few things...

Killer Wench

Frankly my dear wrote: »

They do?!? Well that explains a few things...

Yep, and jaywalking can carry heavy fines depending on the city. Or even a punch to the face.

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/96353934.html

Killer Wench

[-0-] wrote: »

Word of warning - in a year I put on 2 stone. The portions here are huge, just make sure you work out regularly. I used to box 4 times a week in .ie and go to the gym 6 days out of 7. It took me a while to get into that here but the weight is falling off thankfully. Gyms are open 24/7 in most places, so if you work shifts it's pretty sweet.

This is something that I disliked about Ireland, and perhaps greater European culture. If I go to a restaurant, order a meal, and I can't finish it all, I expect to take home what I didn't eat. I paid for it.:mad:

[-0-]

Killer Wench wrote: »

This is something that I disliked about Ireland, and perhaps greater European culture. If I go to a restaurant, order a meal, and I can't finish it all, I expect to take home what I didn't eat. I paid for it.:mad:

If you don't take the food home here it's an insult.

dave2pvd

[-0-] wrote: »

If you don't take the food home here it's an insult.

That's right: "can I get you a to-go box?". You hear this all the time. No stigma attached.

For giggles, try asking for a doggie bag.

InTheTrees

[-0-] wrote: »

If you don't take the food home here it's an insult.

I know. You say "no" and its like you've just said you hated the food.

InTheTrees

[-0-] wrote: »

3. If you're single (which I'm not) and have an Irish accent you will love it here. I get chatted up by girls all the time, even if I'm just shopping and they manage to hear my accent. If you're a single guy thinking of moving here, I would definitely recommend it.

All true.

Almost everyone will engage you in conversation just to hear your accent.

I've also found the accent breaks down race barriers as well. In america there can be(!) tension between races which we're not really part of so the accent tends to set you apart and establishes a little trust.

Or maybe its just me who's happy enough talking to anyone...

dave2pvd

InTheTrees wrote: »

All true.

I've also found the accent breaks down race barriers as well. In america there can be(!) tension between races which we're not really part of so the accent tends to set you apart and establishes a little trust.

Or, you are part of it. Until you speak.

InTheTrees

dave2pvd wrote: »

Or, you are part of it. Until you speak.

Well unfortunately yes, thats true as well.

Killer Wench

InTheTrees wrote: »

Well unfortunately yes, thats true as well.

Are you in the South?

InTheTrees

Killer Wench wrote: »

Are you in the South?

No. Same as you. Pacific Northwest.

:cool:

sleepyescapade

Pacific Northwest here too!

Killer Wench

Really? Where?