Tayna, I would give the US a go, experience things first hand and not just from hear say. I went back home on vacation expecting to see the US falling off the face of the earth, not what I saw. Shopping malls were full no parking spaces, restaurants have long wait lists, and people I know have jobs. Not saying everything is rosy, but life is still going, and good I might add.
Anthony have you considered the Fiancee visa first? Its a quicker process to get to the US, but then you would need to be married within a given period once there. I believe its 6 months.
u could marry me and get a British passport!!!!
-- No monopolies?? Soooooooo funny.
And I'm NY born and raised, not some holiday America hater.
Quality of life is entirely dependent on how you define quality...By the most commonly held value system for Europeans, I scarcely believe anyone could make a legitimate argument in favor of the US over Suisse when it comes to quality of life
There are aspects to life there that trump living in Suisse much less most other countries...but depends on how you define quality for yourselves
Interesting point.
it seems that job is mentioned as a major factor, but if you ignore that as a factor (let's say you're given 15kCHF a month) would it change your decision?
Still another 6 weeks before hurricane season's over, though
A good question...
Hmmm. Let me guess.
a) Democrats
b) Hippies
c) Socialists
d) Communists
e) Liberals
f) Progressives
g) Enviro-nazis
h) Femi-nazis
...
As much as people romanticize a past America that did not exist, they also seem to be imagining a present America that does not exist either.
A Swiss Passport is definitely gold compared to a US Passport, especially tax-wise!
yeah it is 3 months, and Id like to do everything here . My buddy did the fiance thing and it is just a hassle he said...everything went to quick....
[QUOTE= -- No monopolies?? Soooooooo funny.
And I'm NY born and raised, not some holiday America hater. [/QUOTE]
well of course there is but not as apparent as here I must say....much more choice and the monopolies dont really come down to the consumer as they do here i find.
Also a permit will never be an issue. I have Belgian citizenship and will be married to a Swiss-American but at the moment I have no intent on ever returning to working in CH if we were to leave....
Time will tell....
indeed even more interesting this one !
Yea Detroit is a must
As an American who grew up in Wisconsin, lived in Chicago and various parts of Indiana for a long time, and spent much time in Iowa and Minnesota, I can tell you that there are lot of stupid people, greedy (i.e. "money driven"), crazy politics, etc. etc.
As with everywhere, what you experience will largely depend on your social circle and your desires. If owning a house is key to your dreams, then by all means go - houses are insanely cheap in the US in most places right now, in a way that Switzerland just can't compare to. If you value relaxation (for example, if you find the Zürich work environment to be too stressful), the comfort that comes from a social safety net, or just plain reasonable volumes in public, then America is definitely not the place to go.
In any case, remember that unemployment is above 9% (which is very high for the US). I certainly know people that are succesful there at the moment, and maybe I'm becoming too Swiss (i.e. risk adverse), but I would have some savings built up before you go. Jobs are much more volatile there, and if the situation changes, you may be let go with a week's notice and almost no unemployment benefits.
That's a tornado! ;-)
Heh. I strongly recommend for Europeans who have not experienced American city life before to stay out of Detroit. Until you learn what's safe and what's not in a relatively safe place like Chicago, Detroit after dark is probably not the smartest option.
The aforementioned points are all solid. Being from California, specifically N. Cal, Mill Valley, I wouldn't second guess going back. It's the person that creates the opportunity for him/herself, not the opportunity 'calling' you personally.
The Bay Area is a nest, a very unique one, for supporting entrepreneurialism, and if this is your field, then super. Further, SF's tech. industry, at least according to my friends who are presently working in it, is doing very well. Moreover, the BioTech industry is also doing well.
Quality of life in and around Nor.Cal., specifically Sausalito, Tiburon, Mill Valley, Belvedere, is superb, especially its proximity to endeavoring into more multi-'culturalistic' events in San Francisco. Though these places are also expensive to buy a home, compared to what you receive here in Swiss, there's simply no comparison.
But, and as you know, there are no 'silver spoons' anywhere; so if you're considering going to the US--you'll need to go 'full gas' in creating the space, place and friendship base your interested in having and maintaining.
As a side note, Craiglist.com, which its founder and place of business is in SF, would be a solid start to looking at job possibilities and rentals in and around SF mostly, but includes broader California as well.
I wish you luck in your decision, and you having the opportunity to decide between Swiss and US is really a fortunate one.
Cheers.
6 weeks of paid maternity leave is mandatory in all states.
Quality of life is a personal thing. For each person, it is something different.
This is excellent advice, especially if you have not visited the US previously. You owe it to yourself not to go into a move such as this blindly and without the benefit of loads of research about the place(s) to which you are considering moving.
There are so many other factors to consider, IMO, in addition to your concern about housing prices in Switzerland, which seems to be the primary issue with which you are struggling, according to your posts. Do you and your partner find yourselves dissatisfied here after a year? If so, is that dissatisfaction weighing upon you often and having an effect upon your quality of life? If so, I think you should definitely consider a change of some sort. Uprooting and moving across the globe, though, especially without the benefit of a job awaiting you (and possible relocation benefits) is a huge and possibly risky undertaking and should be done only with the proper amount of due diligence.
Of course, your current financial situation and your profession play an important part in your decision and its level of spontaneity.
In the end, the replies and advice you will receive here will fall all across the spectrum. What you will receive will likely be mostly opinion or advice limited by personal experience. There will always be someone to counter any positive or negative point about Switzerland or the US. So the best advice I would give you is to think long and hard about why you want this, visit any city to which you are considering relocating, and do not act upon impulse. Also, take any extreme opinions with a grain of salt!
Best of luck to you and yours!
Could be said, as well, that SF & the Bay Area is among the least American locales in America...A good thing, btw
I am a huge fan of the US, with its positives and its negatives. Of all the places I lived in the country and the world, San Francisco is the one place that holds a special spot in my heart. I was truly happy there, and developed myself and my life in a wonderful way in the direction I wanted.
I am glad I have this chance to experience Switzerland now, and I cannot say that I am unhappy here at all, but I will tell you this, if my family wasn't in Europe and/or they were willing to move to the US, I would not hesitate one minute and go back to Northern California.
Yes, taxes are higher, the pace of life is less relaxed, and there are a million other reason why one would choose Switzerland over the US, but ultimately one must live in the place where one is comfortable and wakes up happy everyday to be there. To me, this trumps any salary increase, tax savings, or other factors.