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US is closed and that is it?

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    #62
    él statutorio
    Registered Users Posts: 1,259 ✭✭✭él statutorio


    2pacshakur wrote: »
    Same as anywhere them really. Was in California and liked the place myself.

    Were you living in a ****e area when you were there or something?

    Yeah, that's the bit I can't understand, previous poster makes is sound like it's a post apocalyptic wasteland.

    It's not without its problems but it's once of the most beautiful places I've ever spent time in.


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    #63
    Pmacv1
    Registered Users Posts: 179 ✭✭Pmacv1


    él statutorio wrote: »
    In terms of public services, California is the closest you'll get to what Europeans would consider entry level services.It's getting better all the time.

    Yeah right. The public transport in California makes Dublin bus look like the best in the world.


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    #64
    jme2010
    Registered Users Posts: 974 ✭✭✭jme2010


    Don't be feeding these trolls. I doubt anybody here except él statutorio has lived in California.

    What was with that misspelling of "Commifornia" over and over again. Back to your bridge, troll.


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    #65
    jme2010
    Registered Users Posts: 974 ✭✭✭jme2010


    Pmacv1 wrote: »
    Yeah right. The public transport in California makes Dublin bus look like the best in the world.

    Hey, numpty. Did you just compare the public transport of a fcuking entire State to Dublin City. Get out of here.


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    #66
    TeaBagMania
    Registered Users Posts: 1,192 ✭✭✭TeaBagMania


    2pacshakur wrote: »
    Same as anywhere them really. Was in California and liked the place myself.

    Were you living in a ****e area when you were there or something?

    Its ok when you visit on holiday, but to live there on a day-to-day basis is a different story.
    The area i lived was great and the politics were sorta OK back then but even still i saw the writing on the wall with taxes and real estate, its just not sustainable on middle class income and still have quality of life.

    It was all over for Commifornia when O-Dumbass in DC introduced the affordable care act


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    #67
    Pmacv1
    Registered Users Posts: 179 ✭✭Pmacv1


    jme2010 wrote: »
    Hey, numpty. Did you just compare the public transport of a fcuking entire State to Dublin City. Get out of here.

    Yes, public transport in California cities is famously bad.


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    #68
    2pacshakur
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 58 ✭✭2pacshakur


    TeaBagMania wrote: »
    Its ok when you visit on holiday, but to live there on a day-to-day basis is a different story.
    The area i lived was great and the politics were sorta OK back then but even still i saw the writing on the wall with taxes and real estate, its just not sustainable on middle class income and still have quality of life.

    It was all over for Commifornia when O-Dumbass in DC introduced the affordable care act

    As people have mentioned there's no point going over if you are on average income or getting the same wage as in Ireland.

    You want a good quality of life and be able to live. My company nearly doubled my wages while I'm on the Visa and I have a good quality of life over here.

    Before the OP goes over he needs to calculate everything and see what the company would offer him. If it's worthwhile and he's interested then he should go. If he's going to barely make ends meat then you would have to decide whether it's a good idea.

    If the OP gets a three year Visa and getting a good wage and dine his research then there should be no issue with California.

    If he doesn't like it can always come home


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    #69
    NSAman
    Registered Users Posts: 3,386 ✭✭✭NSAman


    TeaBagMania wrote: »
    Its ok when you visit on holiday, but to live there on a day-to-day basis is a different story.
    The area i lived was great and the politics were sorta OK back then but even still i saw the writing on the wall with taxes and real estate, its just not sustainable on middle class income and still have quality of life.

    It was all over for Commifornia when O-Dumbass in DC introduced the affordable care act

    I am sure that those in Compton were also glad to see you go!


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    #70
    2pacshakur
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 58 ✭✭2pacshakur


    Pmacv1 wrote: »
    Yes, public transport in California cities is famously bad.

    Ever hear of a car?


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    #71
    Stenth
    Registered Users Posts: 64 ✭✭Stenth


    2pacshakur wrote: »
    As people have mentioned there's no point going over if you are on average income or getting the same wage as in Ireland.

    You want a good quality of life and be able to live. My company nearly doubled my wages while I'm on the Visa and I have a good quality of life over here.

    I agree with this. My life is a lot better in California than it was in Ireland. (And I'm paying property taxes for a house in Bay Area. The difference in salary for doing the same job more than makes up for it.)
    But, well, people are different. If it is not for you, it is not for you. Luckily there are hundreds of other countries and 49 other states to move to if you are unhappy.


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    #72
    Fr Tod Umptious
    Registered Users Posts: 15,009 ✭✭✭✭Fr Tod Umptious


    Threads about moving to the US are usually a mix of people who have actually lived there giving real advice and people who have not lived there going on about lack of health cover, social welfare, gun violence etc etc

    But this thread is way off the charts.


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    #73
    TeaBagMania
    Registered Users Posts: 1,192 ✭✭✭TeaBagMania


    jme2010 wrote: »
    Don't be feeding these trolls. I doubt anybody here except él statutorio has lived in California.

    What was with that misspelling of "Commifornia" over and over again. Back to your bridge, troll.

    I try catering to our fellow board members with sub average IQ ratings by using small words, clearly i have failed you.

    Let me attempt to dumb-it-down another step

    (mansplaining on) California's politics are inline with Communism, hence the play on words... "Commifornia" (mansplaining off)


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    #74
    TeaBagMania
    Registered Users Posts: 1,192 ✭✭✭TeaBagMania


    Pmacv1 wrote: »
    Yeah right. The public transport in California makes Dublin bus look like the best in the world.
    Pmacv1 wrote: »
    Yes, public transport in California cities is famously bad.

    gonna have to disagree there, its really not that bad.
    I can get from LAX to my cousins house in Canoga Park via public transport, and if you're not familiar with the greater LA area...that's a long haul.
    Free bus from LAX to the train station, two train transfers and im within walking distance to her flat, not bad for a big city and probably faster than i could drive


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    #75
    él statutorio
    Registered Users Posts: 1,259 ✭✭✭él statutorio


    TeaBagMania wrote: »
    I try catering to our fellow board members with sub average IQ ratings by using small words, clearly i have failed you.

    Let me attempt to dumb-it-down another step

    (mansplaining on) California's politics are inline with Communism, hence the play on words... "Commifornia" (mansplaining off)

    Just to clarify because you're really struggling with your own invented big words.

    California's politics are in line with (a very watered down version of) Socialism, not Communism.

    But seeing as though you've already made your own politics clear with references to O-Dumbass you're unlikely to understand the difference anyway.


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    #76
    Stenth
    Registered Users Posts: 64 ✭✭Stenth


    TeaBagMania wrote: »
    gonna have to disagree there, its really not that bad.
    I can get from LAX to my cousins house in Canoga Park via public transport

    California is a place that's five times the size of Ireland and 7 times the population. Stuff wildly differs depending on region.

    Bay Area has OK but not great public transportation - it takes me 20 minutes to get from home to work by bus and I cross three city limits during that journey.
    In other places there are no public transport at all and you are lucky to get a greyhound bus between cities.


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    #77
    TeaBagMania
    Registered Users Posts: 1,192 ✭✭✭TeaBagMania


    él statutorio wrote: »
    California's politics are in line with (a very watered down version of) Socialism, not Communism.

    and we all know socialism leads to communism, just keep your head in the sand and tell yourself "everything is fine" seems to have worked for you thus far


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    #78
    Gaspode
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional Midlands Moderators, Regional Midwest Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators, Regional North Mods, Regional West Moderators, Regional South East Moderators, Regional North East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators, Regional South Moderators Posts: 8,007 CMod ✭✭✭✭Gaspode


    Leave out the personal attacks and name-calling please folks


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    #79
    él statutorio
    Registered Users Posts: 1,259 ✭✭✭él statutorio


    TeaBagMania wrote: »
    and we all know socialism leads to communism, just keep your head in the sand and tell yourself "everything is fine" seems to have worked for you thus far

    Most of Europe must not have got your memo that they were supposed to be communists by now.


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    #80
    Brian?
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 20,775 Mod ✭✭✭✭Brian?


    jme2010 wrote: »
    Listen carefully OP. It is yourself from the future here. I had an identical post to yours just a couple of years ago. What if I told you, that you could be living in America, sipping margaritas on a sunny southern Californian beach in 5 years time?

    I worked as a Software Engineer (not developer). I thought devs had a better chance at getting transfers. I did all my research and asked the question on Boards 'why the F*** can't I work in America ....blah blah blah.'

    The responses on here were similar and they said 'why the obsession with America why don't you try blah blah blah.' Of course I dismissed their silly notions immediately as I was gonna live the 'American Dream'. I felt cheated that a lovely, educated, Irish man would be denied the land of the free home of the brave. After all I had spent thousands vacationing every year in most big US cities, come on, just let me in.

    Two or three years passed along with visa lottery applications etc. Keeping my eye on all the US visa news and posts. Still visiting the US each year. Then funnily enough in 2017 I was watching 'bowling for columbine'. All the gun violence and mass shootings in the news still stood up to the 2002 movie. One of the next scenes changed my life. The camera pans across a Sh*ty Detroit street and over the Detroit river to Windsor, Ontario, Canada. 'There was zero gun deaths in Windsor last year, just across the US border' the voice over says. A few light bulbs went off for me. Firstly how much safer and saner the Canadians were. They owned more guns per person than America. That city suffered worse unemployment than the neighbouring US city. And you could see America.

    'Wow' I thought, 'If I lived there I could visit America all the time. Now to address some of the points above.



    False - Toronto hit 40C this summer. You can wear shorts+t-shiirt from start of June till end of September. On average temps are mid 20's and weeks of 30's weather are normal. Basically Spain during the summer here in Toronto, think jet skis, beaches and babes.



    False - Any Canadian citizen may work for any American employer without the need for sponsorship / greencard / hoop jumping. All you need is a job offer. Simply nail an interview and boom you're living your American Dream.



    You should get one. It's easy to be approved but not "easy" to get as there is lots of paper work but the online wizard keeps track of everything. Google 'IEC visa'

    My buddy from Ireland has citizenship now - 5 years after leaving Ireland. Could work in the states if he wanted but loves Alberta too much now.

    I'm starting PR application because I'm sick of Dublin scanger, junkies, kip holes and nanny state bollocks.

    Any questions?

    The winters in Toronto, or anywhere in Ontario or Quebec, are horrific. The summers are warm, ok. But it’s regularly in the -20s in the winter. I’ve experienced it first hand, many times, I won’t go in the winter anymore even though my wife is Canadian.

    they/them/theirs


    And so on, and so on …. - Slavoj Žižek




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    #81
    the-island-man
    Registered Users Posts: 488 ✭✭the-island-man


    OP I am a Software Engineer with 9 years experience. I noted that you are currently an I.T Admin\Systems Engineer. I can't speak specifically about your skillset but for a Software Engineer there are a wealth of options available to you.

    I also used to idolise America and also tried to emigrate there. While no one would deny California is the Mecca for I.T if it is more about making money than working on the latest and greatest then there are probably better options where you can still get really good pay, normal allocation of holidays and not get the b*llocks worked off you.

    I spent 2 and a half years in Switzerland and while I'm not stinking rich it did give me a head start so that I can live comfortably in this country. It is crazy the amount of tax we pay here. Although you can get decent contracts that lessen the tax burden but then you have no security.

    But besides Switzerland I would also rate these places as good places to earn decent money as a Software Engineer:
    - Norway
    - Singapore
    - UAE

    Then there's also the following tax havens you could look at:
    - Jersey
    - Guernsey
    - Brunei
    - Gibraltar
    - Monaco

    And also to answer your second question about experience, it is better to get experience in Ireland first. At least 2-3 years. It's funny though. It's when you're young and carefree you want to travel with work but you don't have the experience to get going. It's usually when you're older and experienced the company want you to go to other sites. At that point it's more a pain in the ass as most people would have a family!


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    #82
    jme2010
    Registered Users Posts: 974 ✭✭✭jme2010


    Brian? wrote: »
    The winters in Toronto, or anywhere in Ontario or Quebec, are horrific. The summers are warm, ok. But it’s regularly in the -20s in the winter. I’ve experienced it first hand, many times, I won’t go in the winter anymore even though my wife is Canadian.

    But we can dress fot the winter here. I wear a t-shirt under a big heavy parka.

    We also can ice skate for free in large outdoor icerinks for the next 3 months.
    Snow shoeing up north, cross country and downhill skining - smores over fires - apres ski. All that lovely stuff.

    And Torotno doesn't get nearly as bad a winter as some of the closer citys due to the lake effect of lake ontatio - we have no snow on the ground a lot of the time downtown but 30 mins north they would.


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    #83
    Blind Eagle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 79 ✭✭Blind Eagle


    Brian? wrote: »
    The winters in Toronto, or anywhere in Ontario or Quebec, are horrific. The summers are warm, ok. But it’s regularly in the -20s in the winter. I’ve experienced it first hand, many times, I won’t go in the winter anymore even though my wife is Canadian.

    Have you any experience of Victoria out west? Is it the same?


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    #84
    Wompa1
    Registered Users Posts: 8,165 ✭✭✭Wompa1


    Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »
    Threads about moving to the US are usually a mix of people who have actually lived there giving real advice and people who have not lived there going on about lack of health cover, social welfare, gun violence etc etc

    But this thread is way off the charts.

    Just returned to Ireland from the US. I spent 8 years in Arizona. I also work in IT.

    Arizona is a right to work state which means you can be fired with no notice or reason given with no recourse.

    In my first job in Phoenix, the company loved firing people. A few weeks into the job there, we were in a team meeting. One of the women on the team was called out of the room by a manager. The manager then came into the room at the end of our meeting to tell us the woman was fired and as it was close to lunch time, if she tries to talk to anybody in the parking lot please just don't engage.

    My first friend I made also worked at that company. He was 60 years old. He got written up 3 times in quick succession, all of which were BS reasons. The third of which seemed like a clear setup. Called out of hours by our manager to flip something to production that hadn't been tested. It caused problems, he got the write up. When he saw this in his email the next morning, he walked out. Sadly, he died less than 2 years later having never found another job (tough for someone his age in IT). The stress likely played a part. Last I talked to him, he was $40k in debt from his cancer treatment...(the treatment killed him)

    The same company setup meetings and 1:1s over several days as part of an investigation into who and how emojis were enabled in Microsoft Communicator 2007. It was a mental place.

    My 2nd job in the US was with a fortune 15 company. We were encouraged to work at least 10 hours extra a week (of course verbally, not written). A colleague worked a second job in the evenings to try and pay back debt incurred from the 2008 collapse. He got fired for not putting in enough effort...

    While in that job, there was also a workplace shooting. It wasn't in my part of the campus. It was the next street over. A female employee's husband found out she was having an affair with a co-worker. He went to the guy's apartment that morning and shot and killed him. He then drove to the office, managed to get inside, found her in the breakroom and shot himself in front of her. Two of my colleague's reaction: OMG! We should look her up in the employee directory. "Awwww...she's definitely not worth a murder suicide!" :eek:

    That same job had two divisions. One retail the other pharma. During negotiations, I told them I wanted more PTO than they had offered. They claimed they couldn't offer more as it was outside the range and was not permitted. Eventually they agreed. Now, more fool me for this next part but they asked me to re-apply for the same position when they made the offer but the location was in a different state, they explained it was just for organizational structure reasons and that I would be based in Arizona. What they were really doing was putting me in the Retail division. They agreed to give me my extra PTO but by moving me to this other division, they took away my days off for public holidays!!!

    My 3rd job in the US was really good. It was a small cloud oriented startup. Unfortunately, the main stake holder in the company ousted some of the senior leaders and shareholders, fired everyone in my group except me and one other guy. The two of us talked to each other and both decided to quit as a show of solidarity and from concern that something like that could happen. Our boss has put his life savings into the company, he told me he was not going to get paid out and had no say in the change of direction.

    Anyway, this is already getting too long. Suffice to say, it's a f'kin sh1t show in the US. I'd still say go for it for a few years but have an exit strategy.


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    #85
    Wompa1
    Registered Users Posts: 8,165 ✭✭✭Wompa1


    TeaBagMania wrote: »
    and we all know socialism leads to communism, just keep your head in the sand and tell yourself "everything is fine" seems to have worked for you thus far

    That could be on the bumper stick of a Ford F150. Yeeehawww!


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    #86
    jme2010
    Registered Users Posts: 974 ✭✭✭jme2010


    Wompa1 wrote: »
    My first friend I made also worked at that company. He was 60 years old.
    -- having never found another job (tough for someone his age in IT).

    Sorry to hear about your bad luck in the States.

    I think in my sector (software development, especially) there is zero age-isim. The best developers and architects are all 40+ with bags of experience.


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