As for the Americans loving the place, I can see why I guess, it is beautiful and does fit the image that they might have, also there is a strong link between the 2 countries. Perhaps if you look at a place for so long it loses its beauty, in my mind going to American is going to be the best thing but you might think different.
The grass is greener is a common expression here. The idea that some other place is better than this one. Cows will do it. They will get on the other side of a fence to eat the same grass they've been eating. Anyway, America is the land of opportunity but our economy has been soft lately, too. Personally, I've been unemployed since 3-17-09, though I did have about two weeks' work through a temp agency. People's attitudes here are just weird. Every business day, I put out two to for apps for posted ads. I'm not just walking into a place and asking for work, I'm answering posted ads for jobs. I have experience in just about everything, am licensed, and have done it for a while and I have been willing to take upto a 3 dollar an hour pay cut in order to get hired. And no one will hire me. I think it's because my license is to big. I keep my hair short, bathe, use deoderant, speak only when spoken to, find things we can agree on, display my knowledge just enough to show that I know exactly what I am talking about. I have a resume with all the big hits of the career, including supervisory roles, technical skills, including secondary skills, such as having a card to be a forklift operator to drive the heavy machinery we sometimes use. I will dig the ditch or supervise others digging the ditch, whatever you want. I have troubleshooting experience that many don't have. Most any company I've worked at, I'm the go to guy when something can't be figured out. I've studied electricity and electrical theory since 1974. I started doing electrical work in 1983. I have 11 years of doing electrical on schools. I've done residential (houses and apartments) and commercial (schools, retail stores) and industrial service calls (recently, paint factories, class 1 division 1 hazardous location). And I can't get hired. So, my view of the job market is skewed.
OTOH, part of why America is the land of opportunity is that, until recently, it was relatively wild and free enterprise, as strong a capitalism as one could find anywhere with relatively low taxes for most of the working class. Pres. Obama is wanting to change that and socialize us more through many government programs that require more taxes. In reality, I pay about 20 percent, including federal witholding out of a paycheck. I get some back in a refund. So, generally, I'm paying 15 to 17 percent tax, federal. Texas does not have state income tax. And refused Obama's bail-out money. We will pay things for ourselves rather than owe money. Anyway, the op echelon of money, the truly rich, pay 50 to 75 perecent tax, already. So, to say that the rich aren't paying enough tax is in dispute. But if our pres gets his way, then our great grandchildren will be paying for what we borrow today. The cost of living is different in each region. Right now, gas is $2.19 a gallon but the wages are low. You can get a job in a grocery store for about 8 dollars an hour. Which is not enough to support yourself, considering what rent and utilities cost. And increasing taxes will not help because that tax money will not go to help the people who need it. It winds up in general fund so some political fat cat can fix the sewers in Washington, D.C. And other pork barrel spending. They talk about giving the people a stimulus check. How's about letting us keep that money in the first place instead of taking it away just to give it back to us? Anyway, not wanting to get into politics. Many have come here penniless and made their own fortune. It's a big, wide, beautiful country and the nice thing is that no one can tell you what you must do for a living. That's all up to you. You have the right to pursue your dream. It's not a guarantee of success. But it is a right to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.
