I'm Moving to America :-)

[d21lewis]

[e-mail] said:

d21lewis said:

-No idea what my health insurance is. My company provides it. I just pay like $30 out of pocket whenever I've gone.

-I have a great job. Made almost $75k last year and didn't even go to college. I joined the Airforce instead. Got out, became a cop, and then applied for a job at a nuclear power plant and got it. AND I'm among the lowest paid people there. 

-I carry my wallet everywhere I go. I sit outside on my porch at night and look at the stars. I own my own land and I'm buying my own house. Should be paid off in about a decade.

-The only debt I have is my home and basic utilities. Everything else is paid off except for my fiance's (she's white) engagement ring. I can pay it off right now but I like how the money looks in my bank account.

 

-I rarely, if ever, get sick. Sorry. My daughter (with my ex--she's black) goes to the hospital all of the time, though. Almost weekly. She has "Peach Care" so it's not expensive at all.

 

-Never been beaten up by a racist. People seem to love me and they're pretty nice. Not saying it didn't exist. I just don't see it, personally.  Then again, I don't go looking for it.

 

-I love meat. I may eat too much of it. My fiance is an excellent cook.

 

-I own an acre of land. My taxes were about $900 last year. 4 bedroom, two bath. Well water.

-*edit*: I made a thread a long time ago called "What's the poorest you've ever been".  My family was dirt poor. I just kept a good attitude, worked hard at every job I ever had, and avoided stupid mistakes. I can pay virtually all of my bills in a single paycheck. My fiance dropped out of school, went back and got her GED, and she's successful, too.  The only thing keeping me from moving into a better home is that I have a 30 year mortgage that began in the year 2000 and I don't want to rent my home out and haven't tried a realtor. It'll probably happen soon, though.

Again, I'm not very religious but I do feel blessed!

You're very fortunate. I lived in the US for 5 years as I met the woman of my dreams. I worked my ass off. Bought a 1,200 sq ft house with property tax of $3,200 a year. Commuted an hour to work every day. Worked for the state as I stupidly thought it would stop people from telling me that my kids should carry a passport around with them as "Der daddy don't have no american assent".  Instead I put up with ridicule on a daily basis and was often told to go home and give my job to a young american. Some interviewers asked me things like "What makes you think you can come in here and take a job", on more than one occasion.

I paid $100 a month for insurance at the begginign with my employer paying $1,200. That was their excuse to not give me a good raise. 6 promotions in 5 years and I was earning less than when I started with increased state taxes, health insurance of $400 a month and an employer contribution of $1,500 monthly. The last straw was when we had our second kid and we had to pay $3,000 out of pocket. Meanwhile our property tax increased to $4,000 a year. They cut 4k in the local public school and they were threatening to lay off people at my University while cutting the budget massively. Land of opportunity? Not for everyone.  And those are just a few of the issues I had. Not to mention that half the people I knew were popping pills to deal wth life. Very sad.

I stole away a good american. My wife. And we moved home.  She wanted to go 5 or 6 years ago and I didn't listen. Working 70 hour weeks and 2 jobs has probably aged me 10 years. Thanks America. We are very happy and life is so good now.

It really depends on the state. Like Ireland V Poland. All the states are different.

I believe you.

I've moved away to different areas a few times--never on my own--to different parts of the country but my family is in Georgia so I always came back home.  When my daughter was born in 2001, I knew I was never leaving again. It's pretty good, here.

I was actually born in Chicago when my mom went there for college. She lived with her sister (who told me the story about how she was so dumb to the world, she thought the garage was somebody else's house!). Anyway, my family from Chicago just retired to Georgia and they were shocked how cheap everything is. It's like they've found some sort of promised land!

 

Most of what we know is based on our experiences. Even I can't pretend to know much about the rest of the world aside from what the media tells me. I'm glad you guys are happy, though! I really am sincerely sorry about your experience, here.

 

*lost my cousin/best man on Saturday to a heart attack. He was only 43. Has nothing to do with this thread but I've been much more sincere and understanding about a lot of things lately. Take care, brother. :)