A question for Americans?

Question

I was just wondering how welcome I would be in your country. I'm British, just finishing University (degree in Archaeology). It is my ambition to come and live and work in the USA as I have loved your nation since I was there as a child at the age of 7.

I would of course be qualified and eager to start work straight away, I would like to enter in to the environmental/ conservation sector and get a steady job that would push me hard. I have friends I could stay with until I had enough money to get a place of my own, they are kind enough to see me through while I settle in.

Am I likely to recieve a warm reception? I would be arriving alone and would throw myself straight in to work (providing job already arranged), using weekend time to hunt for housing etc etc.

PS, any blinding cultural differences I should be aware of? Social do's and do-not's that might be different to the UK?

Thanks a lot!

PS, not sure yet which part of the USA I'd most like to settle in to!

Answer 1

You can say fanny here much more often/don't ask for a light for your f-ag/ don't offer to knock anyone up. Learn how to tip at least 15%.

Americans love the English, we love the accent and find them to be generally well-educated and similar in culture.

Americans will be very very friendly up front and may lose interest very quickly. As opposed to many foreign cultures that wait a bit and then make genuine overtures of friendship. But nothing that you will do will freak out americans, you've seen our movies, you prob have a good sense of us.

Answer 2

I'm an American and live in England. Yes, you would be welcomed because we love the English. As for your job.it would be a very good idea to see what kind of jobs the universities offer there first before you even start. We, in Chicago, where I am from, have a wonderful uni AND a great museum called The Field Museum. Look it up on the net. The archaeology there is different from here. Mainly paleontology and in the desert! It gets VERY HOT in the day and VERY COLD at night.
Also you will have to have a green card to work there. They are given out in a lottery type fashion so I would ring the American Embassy about them. GOOD LUCK!!

Answer 3

I'd welcome you with open arms. We Americans love the British. Other than the fact that most British seem to be better educated than their U.S. counterparts, the small slang differences don't seem to amount to much IMO. You may not see the same enthusiasm for British sports here but that has changed quite a bit to the positive in the past decade.

I'd say take your pick - the South or California, depending on what particular slant your personal philosophy is - California being in general the more liberal although Southern cities like Atlanta are not as conservative as formerly. The Mid-Atlantic (Maryland, Virginia, Washington. D.C) and Coastal South (beach areas in Virginia, North and South Carolina and Georgia) are also quite charming. North Carolina is home to Duke University - the per capita ownership of books is the highest in Georgia in all the States, contrary to the red-neck ignoramus stereotype that has been out there for decades. The Mid-west is ok but you might find it boring and too cold in winter. Chicago is a real melting pot - many different ethnicities with their dazzling arrays of foods, plus Chicago's famous blues, etc. Seattle is good - it will remind you of home with all the rain plus a slight reminiscence of Switzerland with the Cascade Mountains. Boston is a great town, not only for culture but for architecture -Vermont is quaint if you like solitude - both get cold in the winter, though. I've been to New York (both city and state) too many times to count, and I have a love-hate thing going on. I anticipate going there eagerly each time and then when there realize why I can't move - too hectic, in generally people are litterbugs, the zoning is slap-dash with beauty salons, gas stations, houses, etc. all jumbled up together in an unaesthetic mix (IMO). The desert areas are nice to travel thru but not to live in (IMO).

As far as manners and social customs go, most U.S. residents are not as socially poised as the Brits, and the youth (IMO) can be at times rude and crude - but I'm sure than some in the UK are that way as well. Canadians pass with flying colours, though. Sorry if I babbled on about all of this (LOL)!

Answer 4

There will always be some with a mean attitude (especially Americans, I'll admit) but there's no reason people shouldn't accept you as long as you're legal. That's what this country is all about- a mix of culture. The only thing I can think of that you shouldn't do is joke about the war in Iraq and I wouldn't bring up the American Revolution. I hope you enjoy your life in the US. Good luck!

By the way, I wouldn't worry about changing your personality to fit in because everyone is different--that's a good thing!

Answer 5

From my point of view, I think you would feel quite at home either in the LA/Santa Monica area, San Diego, or the SF bay area, all in California. Not sure about the pay scale or the job availability, though and California is VERY expensive. There are many environmental companies and agencies in the state, however, and it is a gorgeous place. Lots of Brits of course, and I know that Santa Monica has some great English restaurants. Good luck with what ever place you land. I for one would welcome you.

Answer 6

As an American I lived in the UK, Cambs, while serving in the USAF, and I was welcomed there with open arms. I am a native New Englander living near Boston, Massachusetts. IT gets cold here in the winter, but we have smaller cities and towns much like England. You would find many of those towns with the same name as in UK. Our Univercities are among the best in the world, Harvard, MIT, etc. Someone mentioned to start to get your work permit as soon as possible. And remember we are two people separated by a Common Language. Good luck!

Answer 7

If you're coming over legally COME ON OVER LOVE TO HAVE YOU DINNER AT MY PLACE.

Really, despite what you're hearing in the news, it an election year and the Politicians need jobs, we on a whole love people who want come to America, most of us just want people to follow the rules.

Don't call cigarettes fags please, and we tend to drive everywhere. We still don't do metric. Other then that have a good laugh when we do something strange, we'll do the same when you do something strange, so don't be offended. Have a good time enjoy life.

If you're going to live in the northern states bring a warm jacket, it can get cold here.

Good luck have fun.

Answer 8

Ok, not american but putting my two-penneth in.
The american people are fantastic and will be warm and welcoming, have yet to meet one that I haven't liked.
Homeland security/ department of immigration are a different matter, and I wish you the very best of luck in trying to get a work visa for the US, it's almost impossible.
You need to visit the online immigration site to get the information you need, good luck!

Answer 9

Oh common! Why would you want to live and work here? I visited U.K. a lot of times,and believe me your country is a lot better. I've been in almost every European country,and let me tell you-just stay where you are right now.Not because you will not be welcomed,but because life in states is not as great as you might think.... Especially government,which makes people poor day by day.
Think about it!!!!!!!!!

Answer 10

Life in the USA is based upon Income. In my opinion if your income is high enough you will feel wecolmed by the middle classes. If your income is lower you will feel what the Underpaid feel. Untalked about "Lost of Rights." I do not know iwhat section of USA will accept you the best. But personally the better I accept myself, the better I am accepted.

Of course I haven't gone outside of the USA. But I was born in Conn and now live in Maine. Maine seems to accept people better than Conn in my book.