We are NEVER going back to the UK | Long Live the American Dream | Brits Living in the USA
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- čas přidán 4. 06. 2024
- A British couple who moved to the USA discuss why they cannot return to the UK.
Remember this is just two people journeys, perspectives , outlooks and points of view.
Life Journeys and opinions may vary 🙃.
Why we can never go back to the UK | Is the American Dream real for British people?
We are NEVER going back to the UK | Long Live the American Dream | British Couples opinion
As a Brit living in the US for the past 5 years I share your sentiments entirely.
I won’t even break anything down - just everything you said.
I won’t ever go back by choice.
Great to know we are not alone in our thoughts! Thanks for sharing.
hmmm. I did the reverse but economically US is much better for professionals. HOWEVER, culturally the US is a trash bin. I chose to move to UK to raise my kids. Too much segregation in US; too much division; too much crazy politics on both sides and at least where I am from (New York Cty area) too much focus on $$$. I assume the couple in the video have no kids...
We like how you merged trash and bin :) Not quite a "trash can" not quite a "bin".
We definitely would not disagree with your points on politics here. We are fairly lucky that in Vegas, as it is a very transient city that we do not get that feeling of political divide or the culture of being super $$$ driven.
We can absolutely see why you would want to raise kids in the UK. We have often say you want to start life in the UK, and then come to the US as an Adults. And correct, we do not have kids.
As a New Zealander who is now an American, a lot of this resonated with me. When I visit NZ everybody says they wouldn't want to live in the US because the people are workaholics and too ambitious, meanwhile they are living with flatmates at 40 and can barely afford to pay rent and put food on the table.
Glad to read this resonated with you.
We had not realised until this video the similarities in attitudes in NZ to the UK.
I am a New Zealander too and I note that New Zealand is a pretty much perfect example of a country that has embraced free market economics, but which has failed to deliver good living standards.
In recent years, we have been top of the world for non-microstates for economic freedom (Singapore and Hong Kong have tend to be tops). We tend to be at or near the top for ease of setting up a business. We have pretty much the highest rate of self-employment in the developed world. We had Rogernomics and Ruthanasia that gutted everything except the agricultural sector (which needed a kick up the backside and is now thriving), but other sectors haven't really found their way.
During my early visits to New Zealand, wages were lower, but living costs were a tiny fraction of those of the UK. These days, New Zealand's living costs are horrific.
If you believe the Tea Partyists who go on about how all governments do is obstruct economic growth, you only have to look at New Zealand. We should be rolling in cash (according to such people), but we work some of the longest hours in the developed world and it isn't resulting in better living standards. I looked at statistics for GDP per hour worked and I was shocked (or maybe not so shocked) to find our figure is only slightly higher than that of Türkiye.
Do you think Americans aren't struggling to pay the rent and put food on the table?
@@jimbocho660 Of course some are, but I don't know of any 40 year old professionals here in the US that need to live with roommates. In NZ I know of plenty who do.
I know plenty of folks in their 40s+ who are sharing living arrangements and expenses. The housing situation is pretty rough here in the northeast at least. The rental rates (and purchase rates) just continue to skyrocket. My grandparents are parents are seeing a lot of their friends struggle to keep up with rent, home owners insurance and spiking property taxes.
I live in the UK and, OMG you're so right! You guys are always having such valid points! Love watching your videos. I have always dreamed about moving to the US but I am so afraid of failure... watching you gives me the kick I need! ❤
You take care and never stop your success!!! Xx
We just moved to the US on L1 visa and it’s our 3rd week here. Already, we noticed our stress level has plummeted in our daily life. So much space, less traffic, abundance of shops and food choices, service is quicker, people are nicer, less crowded, nicer weather, more supportive society. It feels like anything is possible here if you work hard. Don’t get me wrong, I do miss seeing old cottages, the heritage as well as sarcasm and British humour but I agree with you that back home, everyone is going through the motion and living from day to day with no real aim. No one can or should do better than the other person. If you do, their jealousy shows. Progression at work feels impossible even if you perform well because the management culture is toxic. Look forward to our new life and glad to know we share the same opinions!
vlog and document if possible, and welcome !
Always great to read comments from others who have made the move too and get their initial impressions. We pretty much felt the positive difference of living in the US right away. Hope you are settling in well and would love to hear more of how it is going for you.
Im an American leaving this country for various reasons such as politics, safety and many more. Im moving to the UK and I couldn’t be more excited.
Im happy for both of you loving it here in usa
Good luck with the move. We have always said to those in US, that if you get the chance to experience living in parts of England definitely do it. Especially London, it is a special. Everyone's experiences, wants and likes are different. We have our reasons why it is not the better place for us, that does not mean it will not be for others.
We hope you love living in the UK. Where will you be moving to?
Arriving this Friday on a L1A visa, having just spent my last weekend saying goodbye to friends and family and constantly listening to complaints of high prices in the shops, poor service from everywhere, pot holes, doctors receptionist being rude, energy costs, weather that is to hot or to cold, I can not wait to leave not only the UK but the negative attitude, coupled with but couldn’t do what your doing mentality so I will just keep on complaining. Like Ant I have never understood the UK and having travelled the world for work have a balanced view on what is ultimately possible for those who are prepared to take a chance in a better way. I wish you continued wealth & health through your journey. Chris from Northamptonshire so to be Florida.
Thank you and congrats on your move to the US! We hope you enjoying living in Florida and are settling in okay so far. We considered buying in Sarasota a while back.
@@ANTSEL Yes I remember the video of you visiting Sarasota, I live in north central Florida in an area call The Villages, an active over 55 community which you do not need to be over 55 to live here. It is a beautiful 60 sq miles consisting of 46 golf courses, 72 swimming pools, 100+ tennis and pickle ball courts, 40 recreational centres for indoor activities, this is a golf cart community with a master planed road network just for golf carts, we have 100+ good quality restaurants, supermarkets, 4 town squares with live bands 365 days a year. All this for an amenity fee of less than $200 per month everything included including the golf. It unbelievable, it could never exist in Europe certainly not in the UK. No wonder it has been voted the master planed community of the decade in the US. Although I do still travel a bit I am base at home which is great, clock off for lunch or early afternoon 30 second golf cart ride to 2 pools, I wish I had done this many years ago, everyone is happy and positive about life it gives you great energy! Keep up the good work!
Great video - made the journey back to the UK for a job opportunity… working to find a way back - one day. The attitude in the US is some much more positive than the UK and miss it every day.
Thanks! Hopefully you can make it back to the US.
FYI I’m an American who has moved to the UK. I actually agree with you when you described the attitude of British culture and that pay is low. There is also a lot of inequality in the UK too but there is a safety net for the poorest even though it is not funded as well as other European countries.
Agreed. We often say that neither the UK or US system is perfect. I think the only thing anyone can do, if they are fortunate enough to have the choice, is to pick the system that suits them the best.
I used to want to live in america, but america is falling just like uk, both have the same issues. High Tax, high crime, tyrent govs. I moved to isle of man, best thing i ever did
Unless you are a high flying techie the US is much worse than the UK.
Did the opposite, US to the UK. We are loving it. Such a simpler lifestyle, more opportunities to walk and explore lovely history. With the rest of continental Europe at our doorstep. I don’t make as much but I feel like my quality of life and stress level are much better off here! To each their own.
Absolutely! Glad you enjoy living in the UK.
So true. Been in the UK for 34 years. One of the 1st things that struck me was the sports teams, always losing, and the brits were just used to that. Then, I noticed that if a child was doing well at a sport, he/she was accused of showing off! No wonder they could never win a game! When I played any sport here, I'd tone down my skill. Otherwise, I'd stand out and being an American, I had the fear of being disliked because I was "showing off". Ridiculous attitudes.
That is interesting that you say you felt the need to tone down your skills. Funny how the culture in the UK made you feel that you needed to do that. Agreed it is ridiculous.
I lived in France for 6 years . Although the country was beautiful and the people were wonderful, I could not imagine staying there. First, I could never be accepted as French, I would always be an outsider. Here, being an American is an idea, not an ethnicity or defined by birth. But more importantly to me anyways, in the U.S we are free to be ourselves and we can be accepted for who we are. Also our culture genuinely loves when people achieve some big success, or overcome failure. In France people instead seemed resentful of the success of others. For us, there is no jealousy, instead a person will think, I hope someday it happens for me too, or if not for me, I will create the foundation so it happens for my children. So, I hope that you both find happiness here for yourselves and your family. God bless and good luck with your American dream.
Thanks for sharing your perspective. We love comments like this and also learning where else it applies to.
We are the same in that we only try to share what we are learning and hope others can be inspired their way of living too.
Thank you for you well wishes. We hope you can make it a reality for you and your children too :)
Tall Poppy Syndrome is really exhausting in the Uk, Australia and NZ
That is another new phrase we have learnt along with "crab mentality".
We had not appreciated the similarities between the UK , Australia and NZ until this video. A few people have commented the same.
Exactly why I want to leave Australia and head over to the USA 🇺🇸
So glad to see that I finally got a honest opinion about the Uk. Most people be lying!
Thanks! we always say this is our opinion and some may not agree, but has been interesting to see many others agreeing with us.
The saying "The grass is always greener" comes to mind, this couple, she being dominated by the male, who has some sort of problem with the UK, that he is not mentioning. And how do you know there giving you a honest opinion, you sound like you have been waiting for this opinion to turn up for sometime, how sad.
It's funny how you blame the woman when the man clearly stated he wanted to leave more than she did.@Philcoxon
Thank you guys please keep posting these, you inspire me in making my decision
Living in the south of England, my wife and I are both Project Managers in our mid 30’s with two children under 4. I’m desperately looking for a way to move to the US. The mood here is dire. Britain feels like it’s lost at sea. I’ve always been proud to
be British, but not in these recent years.
Thanks for sharing. Many of our friends say the same.
Hopefully some of our other videos can help with a way to the US. You are young enough to make it happen.
@@ANTSEL I’ve watched all of your videos on the topic and really appreciate your insight. I’ve already taken steps at work to increase and highlight my value in anticipation of an opportunity in the US. Fingers crossed! Thanks again to you both for your brilliant videos.
I'm British, and you both completely nailed it.
Thanks!
Love your contents guys - Living in the UK for more than 10 years now, paying %45 income tax (actually the amount which deducted from my salary each month is near to what I take home, which is painful). never used NHS and most of the time end up with private health care and insurance. I think the tax system are somehow very unfair to some people, I don't even want to try to get higher position and more salary because I know that might only add £500 to my payslip end of each month. Thanks for the video
Thanks for sharing your experience in the UK. Yep... that UK income tax...
I remember the discussions in the past, where you wonder if the "promotion" (with extra work/responsibility) was worth it when the net difference to your take home was negligible.
You nailed it. The system tax you heavily when you try to enlarge your coast and work hard, all to substitute for mediocre that wouldn't work in a bit to keep everyone on the same level. A system that keeps everyone on same level is a no no for me. I am a strong advocate of proper reward for hard work and America provides you with such.
Good job guys and best of luck to whatever you do. Yes, if you are willing to work hard and go that extra mile, the American dream is attainable to most people. However, that dream can be different for everyone. For some folks, it's as simple as owning a home, nothing over the top but just a nice home, for others it's just being able to enjoy life and do most of the things they want.
Thanks Will. Me and Ant were just discussing this and saying that is ultimately comes down to having the chance to chase something, the "dream" whatever that may be.
One of my sisters--in-law and her husband both retired from New York State Department of Education, at the age of 55 and 58, respectively. Their pension from the State alone totals about $200,000. That does not count their social security, which will add another $80k-$90K a year when they claim at their full retirement age, and their personal investments. Not bad for someone who only went to a community college and another with a four-year degree. Their health insurance carries on in retirement, provided by their former employer.
Thanks for sharing this. We are learning about this more and more. This is the side of the US, that is often not shared or understood that is even possible.
@@ANTSEL I know. I work for the federal government and have iron-clad job security, no stress, guaranteed health insurance coverage, which extends to my husband should I pass away ahead of him as long as we've been married for 10 years or more, and a comfortable six-figure salary. I tell Europeans and Canadians on Quota about my benefits (a pension, social security, 4 weeks of vacation to be increased to 5 weeks in 2 years, and teleworking 4 days a week) and they think I'm making stuff up. It's just funny to me how they THINK they know about the US more than someone who lives here does.
I do love the USA, I live in the UK but my Bussiness is based in the US and it's given me and family a great life in the UK. Just the taxes are stupidly high in the UK
Its couples like you who will ensure our American dream continues into the next generations. I wish you all the best!
Thank you! we can only try :)
I lived in England (metro London) for six years and I absolutely loved everything almost everything about it - and I still do. (I'd move back in a heartbeat!) I hated coming back home to America. Having said that, during my stay I could never quite explain to others the common sentiment that I picked up on all the time, the one you've explained so eloquently: they don't admire success, they almost begrudge it. Instead of cheering people on when they're doing very well, it's like a switch is flipped and they have to be brought back down to "reality" because they dared to go too far. For me, this was the most bizarre concept and I could never get my head around it. It was a bit depressing to witness. Welcome to America, by the way!
Firstly thank you for welcoming us :)
Thank you for sharing your experience on living in the UK. It is something that you definitely do not appreciate until you have experienced living in both countries.
Whilst we would never choose to go back, I still feel that London is a special place. The only place I would choose to live, if we had to go back.
Love love love this! I’m from Germany and I’ve been trying to work and live in the US for 14 years, for the exact same reasons. I just feel like the sky is the limit there, as opposed to Germany where the status quo is so comfortable you don’t dream of more.
Thank you! We really was not sure how people would feel watching this video but reading comments like this, lets us know we are not alone in our thinking.
And you are absolutely correct, the sky is the limit here which is a huge fundamental difference to the UK, and as you say in Germany too. Thank you for sharing your perspective too.
i went to the US for a 10 day solo travelling holiday. came back to the UK. you nailed it! its programmed into us that the states is full of violence and gun crime. in my 10 days, i only saw a gun on a cop and i saw people who shared and expressed love for all and were always trying to help each other.
Great to hear you had a positive experience of the USA on your trip. Where in the USA did you visit?
north carolina, Austin and Chicago@@ANTSELnorth carolina was my favourite
Nice. We haven’t been to North Carolina yet, but heard it’s really nice there.
I don’t know what he does, but this mate should be a radio presenter.
Haha yes! I have often said that. Sel
British Dream: have a nice little job, nice little home/flat, nice little pension, retire and drink cups of tea and biscuits and keep warm.😂😂😂 (also remember to scrimp and scrimp some more to meet the minimum to live, and u will be "fine enough")😂😂
Exactly! I have to admit though, I do like my tea and biscuits. I will keep that part of the british dream!
Sel
@@ANTSEL 😂😂😂👍🏾
Nothing wrong with it
What a great video guys! I am in the process of beginning my journey to move to Florida ( in which scenario I am not yet sure but will deal with that with my moving solicitor ) reading some of the comments is a little sad but also shows that everything you said is true. British culture is way different to the US, in the UK most people are more subdued, don’t look outside their box and have little to no ambition as money is perceived the devil but money is the gateway to everything, whereas in the US most people are a little louder, prouder and want to chase some resemblance of the dream. Would love to drop you guys an email to ask some more niche questions regards your initial part of the moving thought process
Thank you for commenting and sharing your plans to move to Florida.
Yea, we expected some people to not like our video but we are being honest about our experience.
We have lots of videos sharing how we moved and advice for others, that may be helpful.
Feel free to message on our instagram if you have any specific questions too.
We are from Costa Rica and we’ve been living in the UK for 9 years.
We’ve been feeling and discussing the same things between ourselves, it was great to hear it from someone else.
We agree 100% with what you guys said. Thanks for speaking out about it.
Its hard to talk about this things with British people that have not lived in another country before.
I’ve notice how you can’t say anything bad about the NHS, how the BBC only shows people struggling but never praise the people that are wealthy. This generates a feeling that you should be happy were you are (middle class) because there are others worse than you.
You can even see it when people roll their eyes each time they see a expensive car drive bye.
I was comparing the experience of Americans who moved to the UK vs the Britons who moved to the US.
I could not find a single video of any Brit who moved to the US. After diving deep into the search results and spending 2 hours watching video, I find this video buried deep beneath. I don't know why the algorithm has not picked your video very well.
Glad you found our video! We never know how the YT algorithm works.
Thank you guys for this video, totally agree with you, am glad I found your channel.
We are in the process to migrate to the USA soon from the uk.
We had enough now time to move. 🥰
Our pleasure! Wishing you all the best as you start the process to migrate. Make sure to update us, on how your move is going, when you do.
I'm new to your channel and I really love it. I love seeing people come to this country and chase their dreams. I cannot express to you enough how much it is drilled into kids from day 1, at home, in school, and throughout your life here that you can be anything you want to be. That anything is possible and you are expected to go grab it as soon as you can. As soon as you're old enough to know what a job is, parents are playfully asking you what you're going to be when you grow up. Now the dream is further away for some due to many factors like student loan debt, lots of competition for the highest-paying jobs, etc. But you never stop believing that it's possible, whether you achieve it or not. And we really do root for success, for everyone. It's ingrained in us.
I've traveled quite extensively as a former flight attendant for 12 years. All international, close to 60 countries and I love the UK and most of Europe. I can't really speak to what the attitude towards success is there, but here it really is this idea that your trajectory is limitless, if you work hard enough.
Welcome to the channel! Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We love reading comments like this and understanding different people’s background and experiences.
We still like aspects of the UK, but we have just seen such a different push in the USA for people to “chase their dreams” and we love that attitude.
@@ANTSELthank you. I just thought about something here that sums this up. Every American parent expects their kid to grow up to be exceptional; rich, educated, the President, a CEO, a superstar athlete, a doctor, etc. All these sometimes unrealistic things. Even if they themselves didn’t. But it’s never to be mediocre or just ok enough until you can start to earn a pension.
Also, I moved back to L.A. from Sumnerlin a year and a half ago. Moved right before the pandemic for my job, then quickly ended working remotely the entire time there. So I never really got to know Vegas or the people there like I should have. But my home was beautiful there. It’s a very nice area. Good luck with everything while you’re there.
I’m currently 19 years old living in UK, I’m British citizen rn, and I’m planning to leave UK soon. I currently don’t like living in here but I am trying to do further research to see which Visa I can get and then will apply for actual green card if I enjoyed being in there.. Anyways that’s a good video and I appreciate it. :)
Thanks for posting your video! I love listening to other peoples perspectives. We are actively looking to move out of the US (have lived up and down the east coast) to the UK and was interested in hearing from folks doing the OPPOSITE in hopes to change my mind!! Ultimately though for me as a parent, my reason for wanting to leave the US is that I can no longer stomach the gun culture. Even if I don't read the news to learn about the daily shootings that took place, my kid tells me about the active shooter drill they had to do in school :( Maybe one day things will change for the better here.....
Hi Sarah, thanks for sharing your thoughts on this video and your situation. We do not think the UK is all bad. There are still positives and it depends on where you are at in life.
The gun culture of the US is a major downside, and whilst many in the UK will say it is not as safe as it used to be, it is much safer than the US. So we fully understand your perspective.
We actually have another video where when we initially started it, it was to highlight reasons to live in the US vs UK, but as we spoke through the points the UK came up more favourable for its own reasons.
czcams.com/video/JxRrPPqB-UM/video.htmlsi=F2xe0-xkIIAvaqqz
I understand u so much. I am a mom of two and for this same reason we homeschool our children. My husband who is a teacher does not like the school system here in USA. I have an American friend who had surgery and has $5000 in debts. My mother who lived in Italy same surgery was free.
I struggle sometimes with the idea of being here forever and worry about healthcare guns in school etc. Moving to Italy is not an option and I am not sure I would like to live in Uk with the weather being always gray.
@@mr.wright9867I think you are a little to in your own head. I don’t know how old you are but in your whole life have you ever witnessed someone or yourself being shot at, because it’s very rare. You are much more likely to die in a car accident. around 20,000 people are killed by guns every year, which is a lot for a developed country but in a population of 340 million it’s highly unlikely, unless you’re in a dangerous neighborhood.
As a UK family with an uncle who’s lived in the US since he was 18, I’m really struggling to find a visa to get into the USA. It seems unless you are highly educated or in the upper levels of management, there isn’t any options for skilled blue collar workers? Have you got any advice on this? Thanks guys
Hi! Unfortunately it is hard to get a visa to move here and you are correct that for that category of workers there are no visas we can think of.
Our suggestion would be to look into other options, such as the student route, family or diversity lottery (if you qualify). An immigration attorney might be worth while to look at your options too.
We have a few video that explaining the the visa types and general advice on what we would have done if I did not get the visa through my work.
czcams.com/video/kBp6GJclUhQ/video.htmlsi=RFTupUOgOBWoqLJC
Love you guys, continue to chase your dreams.
Aww, thank you Will. We know we can always can count on you for support.
@@ANTSEL Absolutely you probably the ages of my kids, and I love to support young people who are trying to go somewhere in life and follow their dreams.
I absolutely love your content - the most relatable. Your'e 100 percent right when you mention there is no such thing as 'the British dream'. The amount of times ive heard the phrase - 'London is bad Vibes'. No one is really happy lol. I want out please LOL. Please hire me or adopt me loool
The way you feel about not going back to the UK is the same exact way I feel about going back to SoCal. I love living in Vegas and proud to be a Nevadan!
That is great to hear! We are glad we chose to live here too.
Older American here. Funny you should talk about population density. According to the 2020 Census the population density of New Mexico, where I live, is roughly 17.5 people per square mile. The actual number of people per sq. mi. is probably less than that in the southern half of the state where I live.
The state of New Mexico is 1.3 times larger than the UK. It has an area of 121,312 sq miles or [314,196 sq. kilometers]. Just for reference, the total area of the UK is 94,354 sq. miles or [244,376 sq. kilometers]. The UK has a population density of 700 people per sq. mile. The population density of New York City is 29,302 people per sq. mile & 4,525 people per sq. mile in Las Vegas, NV. NM averages 310 days of sunshine each year. Like you said, there are options. 😎
I think exactly the same! You’re 100% right
Hello Anton and Selina, rewatched this video with my Mum just now. Anton is right, the British dream is non existent - right now, myself and everyone else that I know is trying to “escape” it in some way. Whether that’s by travelling, fulfilling hobbies and passions, home improvements to create a sanctuary to escape to!! It’s a really sad, harsh reality when you stop and take a hard look at all what you have invested into “the system”, in relation to what you get back. Day by day, I feel that London (where I’m from and live), is just way too much for my senses. I live in a London suburb too. Looking ahead, things are looking ever more bleak and no-one cares! I can see on both of you that life in the US is going well, 😊 so for now, I’ll live a Summerlin life, vicariously through you two!! 😂
Haha, we are happy for you to live that Summerlin life through us :)
Honestly until we got here we never fully appreciated this. I know Ant had always known something was off about living in the UK, but we still have some scepticism about the US because of what the media and some people like to portray. The USA may not be the right place for everyone but it has really opened our eyes to a new reality that is possible for people.
Here is hoping you find a way to join us!
USA charges up to 40% Estate / Death Tax and about $10K p.a. in tipping. Come to live in Australia - especially Sydney. There are only 27M people here in Oz. More relaxed, great weather and beautiful beaches. No death tax, no guns, no crazy hospital bills, family friendly and ZERO tipping!
You've got to be a multi millionaire to pay an estate tax in America. Otherwise there's no estate tax.
I’m so glad I found people that feel the same and voice it. 100% agree with the crap attitude in Britain here. It’s contagious as well and encouraged it seems!
Very true - the Uk has cognitive dissonance mindset and I thought it was certain people. The British dream is about caution, stability, balance aspirations and mindset of knowing your place.
It’s between American dream is about Economic Liberty, freedom and chance to succeeed and European dream of social stability, stagnation and obeying authority. In the UK limited mindset if said out loud be consider but your sharing good news and obsession with hierarchy. Real Mobilty to wealth, resources and living in what your lifestyle wants, I never left Europe but I always had a American dream mindset of turning dirt into gold.
Great comment! Just shared this with Ant and we both agree. Probably one of the best descriptions we have read.
16:47 I have noticed people using drugs to mask that feeling you describe in that time caption.
Again this is great. Thanks
Thanks again!
i am a doctor in the uk. I hate the UK mindset. I am now engaged to a US citizen, i have to start from medical school again to move to the USA, i constantly debate if it worth it. Your video confirmed all of my opinions, thank you for sharing.
Glad our videos have been useful. Living here has been eye opening for us. Do you know for sure you have to do your medical studies again? I am not sure but thought there were exams you would need to take to convert your qualification to practice medicine in the USA. Doctors appear to be very well paid here. Definitely worth moving if you can do it.
We’ve been binging your videos tonight- loving them! Have you thought about visiting Virginia? I live in Williamsburg and would love to see your take on what’s the birthplace of the United States! ❤
Thanks! Virginia is on our list of places to go. We hear it’s super scenic and pretty.
@@ANTSEL Truly! And the history is so well-preserved! I know you’d both appreciate it all.
what happens when you get to retire, how will health insurance work as you don't have an Employer covering it?
Some people's (former) employers cover their health insurance even in retirement. Many federal, state, local governments provide such benefits to their employees, including teachers, police, firemen, etc. Alternatively, many people are covered by their spouse's plan. At 65, Medicare, which offers low-cost health insurance for seniors, kicks in.
still not great though@@zhenli2345
This is actually a slightly more complex answer to get across. Firstly if you are a business owner you can take private insurance. There are also scheme's such as FSA's and HSA's where you can put money away for healthcare costs.
There is also Medicare, as mentioned already, so your insurance will be a top up to that.
The part that is more complex is understanding across your working life, the impact of less tax and what that means in terms or the wealth accumulated to then be in a much better position to afford healthcare anyway. In our case it is less tax and more income. We may do video on this to illustrate.
I am British, live in London, and am 'killing it' as the Americans say. It may you were around the wrong people. I like the US too, obviously it is a great country
The difference I see in UK vs US is collective vs individualistic mindset. UK people are unhappy because the government is not showing them where the country is heading, and NHS, etc. US and America dream is a culture for individuals. People think for themselves more in US because they are on their own to a much larger extent. The issues you talk about are more about mindset and attitude rather than physical differences on the ground. What prevents you guys from chasing the American dream, with the right attitude, in the UK?
It is a mindset and attitude but the socio-economics plays massively into this, with the government policies. This greatly impacts the outcome of how individuals are ultimately living.
I would add, that people in the UK are not just unhappy due to the lack of direction but are often unhappy as they do not feel they are getting enough from the government in terms of housing, benefits etc. Ant knows this well as he grew up on an council estate and he also worked in social housing for 14 years. They want more but choose not to work or input into the system. This greatly impacts those who genuinely needs help.
On the other side, you have people that are working very hard and struggling to live well which lack of opportunity or incentive to do well. We know people in England struggling to pay their bills each month.
I think we like to believe that because we have the NHS, and welfare system in the UK that we are as a nation are not selfish, unlike the US.
The reality is that people in the UK want to help others, at others expense.
Unfortunately we have a system where if you are greedy you can take, and if you are hard working you may struggle to do enough for others.
It is all a matter of perspective.
The US is individualistic but it offers more chances for people to attain a significantly better way of living.
Why would be not try to chase the American dream in the UK? It is simply not possible due to the constraints that are in place in the UK. No mindset and attitude, can magic the impact of what a substantially increased household earnings can do to how you live.
It is like saying why can you not live the British dream in the US? The physical difference of the US will not make that possible. I kid you not, we have had people on our channel say they want to move to the US, but have not worked a day in their life in the UK and want to continue doing so in the US. Can we help them get a visa?! Shocking but that is how some people want to live.
We can do more for our family and friends, and give back here. We have also noticed that people in the US do more for friends, family and others in general. I do not believe their attitude is different to our friends in the UK, but we believe they have the capacity to do it, so they do. They are individualistic but choose to give to those they want. In the UK, people often do not have this choice.
We are not saying either system is better for everyone. We have just found that the US has suited us better.
Because it's a myth. Reality is different. We are grounded in reality.
I have to disagree with you guys berating the "British" dream. As a Bangladeshi immigrant, my parents and myself (their eldest child) came from Bangladesh. This country enabled my father to start a business (father owned a indian restaurant for 20 odd years in St Albans). It enabled him to buy vast amount of land / property in Bangladesh, buy a property in the UK (no mortgage). And now his children are benefiting from it. My father speaks broken english and has no formal education. If my father stayed in Bangladesh I don't know what our fate would be ... he probably would have been a rickshaw driver. So as you can see in our case and many others in the south asian community the "British Dream" is just that, it took us out of poverty. We are middle class in the UK all my fathers children are educated with degrees, dual nationals, working and we are rich (zamindars) in Bangladesh. All thanks to the UK and my father / grandfather for having the balls to move here despite not being able to speak the language.
you guys are awesome, from the UK too couldn't agree more
Ever thought of moving to the US then?
Thanks! :)
thank you for the video it's very helpful
I'm leaving the UK soon
Glad it was helpful!
You just explained the mentality of socialism. The UK, has that mentality. Everyone I listen to that has left the UK says the very same thing you’re saying. We are a people’s s constitutional republic, that’s the difference, and that’s the reason why the thinking in our country is different than it is in the UK. That, and the main reason, we were allowed as a People’s republic to understand that our rights are God-given, and not Government given.
Thinking about moving to the US or Australia from Scotland 🏴 im an electrician in my late 20s and my missus is a nurse. Would you recommened the US for a better waybof life in this line of work ? All i want is a house with a decent bit of space and a good toen to raise a family and a good attitude also 🤠
I’ve always said everything you guys said to my American family and friends. 😊 Happy for you guys. Really Looking forward of getting my USA citizenship.
Thank you!
I need to leave London. It’s too negative here. And the people are not happy
Completely agree. It's why we left the UK as well.
In regard to your green card video - I'm on a L1A visa too and wondering how much evidence you provided for the i140? To show that you are managing rather than doing the work?
Hi Chris, the job requirements for an L1A is the same as an EB1C. Both are for managerial or executive positions. So what ever they used for your L1A, to show you are working at that level will be the same for the EB1C, I-140 petition.
The only difference I found for the EB1C, was that the attorney took extra time on the paperwork to ensure we did not get an "RFE" (request for evidence), this can happen if you have not submitted enough proof of the levelling/scope of your role, as apparently they scrutinise this more.
Like with the L1A, we submitted the org chart, with the managers, and teams in my organisation. We detailed my direct reports, and some of their reports roles and responsibilities. Plus we used work emails to show the level I was working at. We found this worked really well, and my green card was approved in 10 months with the interview waived. I hope this helps.
@@ANTSEL thanks very much!
I'm waiting for my lawyers to send me the forms to start the process off. They said, like you did, they check much more. So I thought about including a larger org chart this time with dotted lines with people I work with as well maybe?
I'm a functional manager rather than people manager so a lot of my work is done on jira and slack - so wondering how many screenshots of me assigning tickets, asking people to do work, them replying and me checking I'm going to need as proof this time around?
I am on an L1A from the U.K. and have just submitted my RFE for my EB1C, I hope to have my green card by the end of the month. If you qualified for the L1A you are highly likely to also qualify for the EB1C with no extra effort. Good luck.
As a functional manager, I would definitely show the dotted lines on the org chat. In my application I created a table with these teams/ individuals where I explained their role in the context of mine.
Emails can help with evidence of this, showing the approval workflow, assignment of tasks etc.
@@ANTSEL thanks very much! Will start on the org chart now. I don't really have emails but they accepted screenshots from jira work flow last time with comments and history of the ticket.
I'm an American and I'd love to go work in the UK, but I'll probably have to wait until my student debt and mortgage are paid off and the kids are grown first. The American dream is to live on your own terms as much as possible.
As much as we say we prefer it here, we would always say if you get the chance to live in the UK do it for the experience.
❤
Morning guys, Back to the UK after another 2 week holiday in Florida & im at an all time low 😏 which braught me to the video lol...Feel so depressed about being back in the uk feel like as soon as we left the plane the fun/happiness just gets sucked straight out of you 😅 would love one day to be able to move over to the US but with our kids being 12 (academy football player) & 7 (going to high level in gymnastics) my fiance' thinks its not right & we shouldnt break our routine. Plus how hard it is getting visas etc Other worry would be job security she would be fine i guess as shes a qualified school nurse but im a self employed wall & floor tiler.
So for now i guess its just a dream 😢 & or just try and snap out of the holiday blues 😂
Thanks scott 👍🏼
We definitely remember that feeling, especially Ant! I was travelling when we lived in the UK, so I guess I was escaping the UK blues alot.
You have to do what is right for your family, which could be staying or moving here. Hopefully your fiancee would at least be open to the move to see if there is a better life to be had here.
Totally agree with everything you say . .UK People hate someone who is successful but moan that they don't have any money because they can't be arsed to get off their butts. .Everything is broken here, roads (literally), education, NHS, energy costs, EVERYTHING.
That is so true about roads! I swear we had roads in the SE that were constantly being repaired.
My grandma started driving school bus here in the US when she was 18. In south carolina we have a shortage so they let retired come back. She has retired two times from the school district and shes 70.😂
People need to look into other countries and not just America as there are so many opportunities in different countries and alot of people don't know it at all,I went to Africa and I was blown away by the amount of opportunties and wealth that is there
Thank you for your positive mindset about America. The American bashing is so intense. It’s nice to hear about the positives.
Absolutely! :)
Everything you say about the UK is true. And I say this to people and they think I'm the deluded one.
It's like I'm just expected to get an okay house, and drink tea & watch tv all my life. And I don't even watch tv or like tea.
And people say; "Oh in the US you don't get this or that to help you, that's not freedom". And I'm like "That's exactly what freedom is 🙈"
Anyway I'm 30 and I want to get out of UK so bad, there's nothing here for me anymore. I'm going to make a 4/5 year plan to get out of here & move to the US. I'm thankfully visiting Pennsylvania in July so I can get a little taster.
We still like tea, but have our tea and watch TV with the sun shining. lol.
Glad you are making a plan to leave. We always say, if you are not happy in the UK, it is worth trying somewhere else. The UK will always be there.
We have never been to Pennsylvania, hopefully you enjoy it.
Im Black British moving to New York Long Island. Im married to a Black American women waiting forever for my Visa to process.
I’ve wanted to move out of the UK for as long as i can remember. I’ve never been happy here.
I’m really hoping my partner comes on board with planning to move to the US. As I can’t leave and take our child without his consent, so I’d need him to come. It’ll take some time but my god. I want to get out before it’s too late
Ant was very much like you. Never truly happy in the UK.
You definitely need your partner on board. Is your partner not so keen on moving here?
Here is hoping you can convince him.
01:50 Yes. A very spiteful mindset in that respect...
I'm moving to usa in April may
Congrats! Where will you be moving to?
Everything you say in this video is 100% correct , i have frequently looked into trying to relocate to the USA but as a self made businessman i hit regular brick walls in possible ways to get a visa, however the feeling in the uk with the state of government , healthcare and immigration people you speak to even the positive ones really do not want to say anything positive.
Apply for an E2 visa . . Easier way to move here
The American Dream means different things to different people. Originally, it was about home ownership but I think it has evolved to mean so much more. To me, it means you are limited in achieving only by your desire and abilities. You can truly achieve as much as you want to and are able to through your own efforts and ingenuity. I am a workaholic but I don't mind it because I enjoy my work. Our work ethic is what has allowed us to become the wealthiest nation on Earth. There is no stigma to overachieving or underachieving and everyone respects what you choose in that regard. But, it's not a perfect system and there are those, like in GB, who are resentful that they have not achieved what they think they should and blame others, including the system, for that, which I think is totally bogus.
Hi Colleen, thank you for watching. Completely agree with this statement. This is what we are trying to get across in this video.
Race and crime in America is a big thing in America for alot of people
dream we don,t dream because we are awake
in britain we dont have a dream because we are awake al murray
LOL
Hi I normally like your content however I have to disagree with you saying that the American Dream is alive for everyone. There are record numbers of inequality in the USA. Infant and maternal mortality is so much higher than other developed countries and what you mentioned about working well past retirement age that is so much more prevalent in the USA where if you are working class or poor you can end up bankrupt or homeless if you get sick and you don’t have insurance. I think what you are detailing here is only true if you are a high earning professional with strong personal and professional networks. If you are working poor in the USA the quality of life would be some much worse than the UK.
They're talking from their perspective anyway. I don't see anything wrong with what they said
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. We are fully agreed that our comments do not speak to the inequality issues of the US. 100% with you on that and that is why we would say the UK serves as a better place for all, overall, by having a better safety net, with healthcare, looking out for those who do not work (whether by choice or not). You are always generally supported in the UK. Plus knowing the NHS is there, means you do not have to worry about your income covering healthcare.
But, it is at the expense of the economy, our ability to deliver healthcare effectively, and bringing those who could be a experiencing a better quality of life down. Which is why we say it is a good enough system.
Whilst we may house, and provide healthcare we often make it harder for those on low incomes to live well, often they struggle the most and often they are far better off seeking benefits. Therefore perpetuating the problem of the divide that the UK has. Which is granted, very different to the USA.
In this video we are very much only speaking to our experience, with the professions we have.
Thank you for sharing this comment to give another perspective, as we have not spoken about the negative side of the US in this video (we have in others). Only our reasons why we would not want to return to the UK (by choice).
:)
I agree with this completely. The US is going downhill unbelievably fast and getting worse by the week right now.
In the long term I think the things about the uk and USA, will change. Th
Ey not as refined as British, manners, is so different etc. It shows with time.
Tha's a beautiful home!
Haha! we do have a couple more videos coming on Australia. In one of the videos we answer whether we would move... watch this space :)
Poor Buggers! I've lived in the US and the US life is total crap!
American from Atlanta, Ga here. This was a really insightful video! I will say the comments about retiring are interesting. Be weary when you meet Boomers and Gen X enjoying retirement with lots of investments and retirement savings because that is a lost dream for Millenials (which I assume you both are) and Gen Z. Boomers and Gen X had way better pensions and many were able to sustain their household on one family income now many Americans are barely staying afloat with two household incomes let alone one. Social Secruity is a distant fantasy for the younger of us as well. The American Dream was real a few decades ago but unless you you grew up here as a Boomer or older Gen X its now a fallacy.
Thank you for watching. Always interesting getting different perspectives. We are Millennials. Agreed that opportunities were different for the boomer generation but at the same time things have changed in terms of opportunities for people of different backgrounds.
In regards to the American dream not being real now, I think coming from the UK, we see there is still a much greater opportunity ( much better than UK) to live a much better quality of life with early retirement. In the UK there is very limited opportunity.
Haha more great escapers like me 😊.They finally understood what I saw and left the UK economics quiksand trapnet in February 2000 😅😂 way before they planted fascist Brexit 21 years later.
Love it. Great escapers! 😂
i did not know there was a British Dream.
You will probably get some pushback for this video, but you are right. The truth is this nation was built by men and women who would not settle for "good enough". This could be argued created a double edge sword in how inequality manifested. But I think you have correctly observed a real aspect of the culture.
It is interesting to look at the growing gap between European and American GDP (30%-80% depending on where you look!). It does not tell you everything, but it definitely tells you something
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
We knew this video would be a bit controversial. It would have been hard for us to explain honestly about why we would not return without explaining this aspect, as we see it. Fully agreed on the double edge sword.
We thought the GDP aspect was interesting too. What we recognise, is this is a very complex topic.
In the end, we are simply trying to make the best of what we can and sharing that with others in hopes it may help or inspire. But also recognise what we think or experience, may not be the same for others.
As a Brit, its uncomfortable to hear what you say but you are right. I think it all stems from the class system, together with the welfare state. To me, government has bent overbackwards to feed the welfare state because they know that the wage structure is based on a low earning economy. Hence the envy of those who have escaped that economy. If fact the envy is played upon by the Labout party saying successful people earn to much! discounting themselves of course. If I was young, my first priority would be to emigrate. Not to America, because there its the exact opposite. ie. if your poor its your fault no matter what. I can see from your surroundings that you have done well, I would warn, make sure you have a very large cushion of cash behind you, try to earn as much as you can in cash and put it preferable off shore- not in a house or Bank or anything materialistic-it can be taken. Get finacial advice, thats very important. Try not to let the government know to much. I have met many people, highly able and through no fault of their own, hit skid row. So while life is good, take care, there is ALWAYS the unexpected. Arm yourself for that because you are in a very unforgiving society. Me? I'm one of the elite, comfortable and secretive.
Thanks for sharing. Elite, comfortable and secretive ... we like it :)
We suspected people would feel uncomfortable hearing what we are saying. I even felt uncomfortable initially admitting these things.
Thank you for the advice too. The US has its definite downsides. Fortunately between Ant and I, I believe we are sensible and wise (as much as we can be) with our choices.
Sel
I am from the uk and you are so right and i'm saving my money and investing in business and going to move away from the uk
My wife and I are retired school teachers. We each made six figure salaries prior to retiring at age 55. We have guaranteed pensions, 403B investment accounts, and future Social Security benefits. We were able to fully pay for all 3 of our childrens' college education. There is NO country on this planet that could have provided this quality of life. The American Dream is exactly what you have experienced.
This is not so true for teachers now. I have friends I went to college with who are teachers in NYC and the salary would no way near pay for 3 college educations while this might have been true 20 or 30 years ago.
The best part of the American Dream is that salaries and experiences are not the same. There are those that make far less. I never meant my comment as an insinuation that this is what all teachers make.
Thanks for sharing your experience @markt.
Wow, that is great to read about and know. Retiring at 55 is amazing.
I have to admit, I am surprised about this being your experience as a teacher. It is the only profession in the US that we hear is lowly paid and more like the UK, but as you say this can be variable.
Either way, what you describe is our point in terms that it is possible. Perhaps not for everyone but there is a chance!
Just curious how two teachers get ss benefits when they get pensions for teaching. Is it because you worked other jobs during the summer or maybe plan to work outside of government jobs so you can collect ss? I don't understand why teachers say the pay is too low when you earned at least 100,000 each for 180 days work per year. Not saying it's too much, but rather curious how that works ss and all. Seems like a great deal. I know some states pay much better than most such as Alaska, California and Massachusetts so maybe that's why your pay was so high. I think teachers earn every penny they get if they are good at their job. They have to put up with so much.
@@ANTSELTeachers are paid based on education and this varies by state. If you have a doctorate and years of experience or go into administration, you can make 100K. I taught with masters degree plus 30 grad hrs, almost 15 years ago, and started at just under 50k. I only did it for two years but I noticed that most of the teachers at the school I taught at only had bachelor’s degrees….those things are a difference…some are significantly less than me and I was brand new with no experience.
The British dream is moving to Spain when you retire 😂
haha! very true!
How about the cost of medical care in the USA?
I guess your employer's cover your health care?
Our Employer covers a large portion of our health plan. Overall healthcare is much cheaper for us.
I didn’t like this review, I prefer the British mindset over the American mindset.
The attitude that you like watching rich people act rich and poor people remain poor, it’s amplified in America and minimised in the UK
Interesting that is your take away from this video. We think the opposite is more true. We recognise the issues of America, but have seen that the US has more opportunities for individuals to do exceptionally well. In the UK there is a limit to how well you can do.
could not agree with you guys more around the British mentality. I really hope I can find a path to moving away from this place. I have worked my back side off since 14 and I am now an Ops manager.. still can barely get by lol! I know people on benefits that in total get more than me yet I slug 50 - 60 hour weeks and have a number of people putting me down.
Thanks for sharing your perspective too. We hope our channel helps and inspires others to make the move like we have.
Different horses for different courses, not everybody values material wealth nor cares about 'success' you seem perfect for America and I'm sure you guys will do well. To me that is hell, I don't need 'stuff' or 'success' to be happy. America is great when you're a success and terrible when you're not. Britain is great when you're upper class, average when you're successful and fine when you're just getting by.
Agreed! Ultimately it comes down to what you personally want. We just filmed a follow up to this video in response to some of the comments. Money is fundamentally important to how we all live, but we never actually speak about the money in the context of material wealth nor do we define what success is (that is a very individual thing). We speak more about the quality of life it can drive and the difference we have seen for people, in terms of the opportunity here.
The Brits took over the world because misery loves company Anton 😭😭
Haha!
The main issue with living in the USA is crime and healthcare and lack of a support system. Once you overcome these obstacles live can actually be very good.
100% agreed.
Healthcare in America has actually been improving since Obamacare
Britain has gone to hell. I'm British and came to the US almost 40 years ago. I lived, until recently, in a gorgeous place, out in a small town on Lake Superior. Now I live in South Florida and it's totally aweful but I would never move back to England. I much prefer France, there way of life is so much better and the cost of living is so much lower, including housing costs. Most Americans live on credit, well beyond their means. I'm with you on the retirement thing, I quit work when I was 45 and a very comfortable. Remember then US is not a country it's a business.Brexit fu**** me over and what pissed me off I wasn't even allowed a vote.
Why should you be allowed to vote if you've been out of the country for nearly 40 years?
@@Psmith-ek5hq because the brexit referendum directly affects me; the changing of immigration rules in which I have no representative voice as a British citizen directly affects me as I cannot return to the UK and bring my white college educated English speaking wife with me as according to arbitrary financial rules imposed by Theresa May as Home Secretary I don't qualify - I'm retired. - I am now registered to vote in the UK.
@@JohnPilling25 If you could afford to retire at 45! I don't see how the "arbitrary financial rules" would prevent you from returning to the UK if you wished. What's the colour of your wife's skin got to do with it? Is your wife an American? If so, I don't see how Brexit would have anything to do with it. In your previous post you said you weren't allowed to vote in Britain, now you're saying you can. So which is it?
@@Psmith-ek5hq the current rules are 18,600 pounds/annum, my private work pension is 22,000 dollars/annum - current rate is 1.29 dollar/pound. I get US social security at the same amount but if I leave the us then the us govt won't pay it as I am not a citizen and will lose my residency if I leave. The rate is going up to 35,000 pounds per year. I can live on my private pension as I own 2 homes,no mortgage, one in the us, one on the uk. I don't waste money on home insurance in the US - I have no debt no children etc so need very little to live on my wife can easily get a job in the UK as she has a business degree speciiLISING IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS. Her income does not count , only mine. It is very complex. We will not sell our US home as that is hers - we live there in the winter as it's in Florida. The key to retiring at 45 is having no debt and no children and not buying extravagant homes cars and toys. I love the outdoors and cycling. I am healthy and do not eat processed food - I do not have medical insurance . It was a priority to buy a modest home for cash.
@@JohnPilling25 A bit risky having no medical insurance in the US, isn't it? How come you haven't become a naturalized citizen having lived there for nearly 40 years?
As a life long American with ancestors back to 1636 coming from London. I appreciate you guys giving voice to our freedom. I'd love to sit down and discuss our experiences.
I totally diagree with you. The British, generally speaking, do not like to see people left behind economically. They mainly agree to pay higher taxes to look after the most vulnerable. The reason the UK is in decline is because all manufacturing was moved to China etc. The UK was a civilised society despite having an upper class. In American the idea appears to be winner takes all and to hell with everyone else. I'm not British either.
That is fine to disagree and we welcome apposing views to ours. We have just filmed a follow up where we speak about this.
There are lots of reasons why the UK is in decline it is not only due to manufacturing moving to China.
@@ANTSEL I look forward to watching that. Thank you.
OMG! It's like! You.know. Soooo different. Uk's so sht so we fkd orf.
Trumps economy saved USA. Have you been out.much.? Loved how East end accents dropped farst.
How successful people are in life is mostly down to luck.
There is a degree of luck, timing, right place right time but luck can not happen on its own. You have to be trying and doing something in the first place. Not to mention, the definition of "success" is unique to everyone.