One thing I'd wish I'd known before going to the USA......

[RGN1]

Hey all you wonderful nurses who have made the journey across the pond, or are nearly there bar the flights! I thought it might be fun/interesting/helpful if you could post something along the lines of "One thing I wish I'd done/known when going to the USA....."

It could be funny/informative or both & could encompass learning to live in the USA or work or the immigration process: whatever you think..........

You never know, it might end up as the best sticky on the site

Of course I can start it off (although I don't actually qualify as I'm not there, or even nearly yet) by saying "I wish I'd known how long it was going to take!":)

Now over to y'all..................

[kenny b]

I'll reply for my dh (from Pakistan).

He dearly wishes he'd known that the 'great' salaries here do not mean you will have more spending money. It is all taken up (and then some) in the high cost of living.

He also is utterly amazed at how, well unfriendly sounds too strong, but how 'self-involved' Americans tend to be. He comes from a culture where you always have a house full of people. You cook and share with the neighbors, know everyone on your block etc. Here we tend to stay in our homes and keep to ourselves. No one here appreciates folks just dropping in to visit.

I'm not sure where you are right now. However, there are communities like the one you long for. There is such a wide diversity of people, cultures and communities here that it pays to explore. I know it can be difficult to move and I don't really know your situation. But if you're relatively mobile, you might consider travel nursing. It pays well and affords you the opportunity to explore different communities 8 to 26 weeks at a time until you find one that suits you.

My wife and I are homeschooling and we don't allow our children to watch TV. We are also horrible parents because we require that they take naps! (shocking!) It's tough because the children in our community are often on the TV and very few take naps. As a result, our children do not yet have regular playmates because activities are typically scheduled right through nap time. We hope to find a community conducive to our lifestyle through travel nursing.

Rgds,

Kenny B.

[english_nurse]

I'm not sure where you are right now. However, there are communities like the one you long for. There is such a wide diversity of people, cultures and communities here that it pays to explore. I know it can be difficult to move and I don't really know your situation. But if you're relatively mobile, you might consider travel nursing. It pays well and affords you the opportunity to explore different communities 8 to 26 weeks at a time until you find one that suits you.

My wife and I are homeschooling and we don't allow our children to watch TV. We are also horrible parents because we require that they take naps! (shocking!) It's tough because the children in our community are often on the TV and very few take naps. As a result, our children do not yet have regular playmates because activities are typically scheduled right through nap time. We hope to find a community conducive to our lifestyle through travel nursing.

Rgds,

Kenny B.

hi kenny, i just wondered how old your children are?

[kenny b]

I always tell my family to bring bread when they fly over here. I Germany we had a bakery on every corner and in a morning you can smell hot, fresh bread from your window....what a memory.

The German exchange students at my High School brought some of that bread with them and I'll never forget it.

It looks like there's a huge market for that with the people who miss it.

Have any of you considered throwing over nursing to fill that need? I'll bet you could make a fortune opening a bakery and shipping bread within the US to all those who miss it.

Just a thought. I'd place the first 10 orders!

[kenny b]

hi kenny, i just wondered how old your children are?

Four and five. So we'll probably be finished with naps soon. But there are other lifestyle issues we'll face. It's always nice to be surrounded by people who share your views.

Rgds,

Kenny B.

[english_nurse]

thats a relief, i had visions of your 12 year old having to have afternoon naps!!

i think i should have had more sleep today

[RGN1]

thats a relief, i had visions of your 12 year old having to have afternoon naps!!

i think i should have had more sleep today

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

[kenny b]

thats a relief, i had visions of your 12 year old having to have afternoon naps!!

i think i should have had more sleep today

I thought you may have. No biggie. But many (probably most or almost all) of the folks around here have decided that their children do no need naps after perhaps the age of 2. Seems that naps are inconvenient for the parents. I can remember taking them in elementary school and we were all 6 back then (and we all slept).

It's very frustrating to go out in beautiful weather and find the city parks empty in a city of 500,000+.

I can recall an episode of The Simpsons in which Marge (the mother) campaigned successfully to get a violent cartoon thrown off of the air. The children were so bored that they actually went outside to play. Then the network managed to get the ban removed and everything went back to the way it was.

Ah well. cest la vie. I think I'll go take a nap.

[celeste7767]

what i would like to know is how can an US nurse go to another country to work? maybe switzerland, canada, or some remote island. being an "older" american I can say it is not the land it use to be.

i dream of winning lotto to have money to move my family away. or i am just having the 'grass is always greener' syndrome?

I am 57, been a RN since 1975. I can relate to your statement, "it is not the land it used to be." I have noticed ads in some of the nursing journals regarding nursing in other countries. There even were one or two travel companies that offered the option of overseas nursing which would make the obligatory red tape with licensure etc. much less painful I am sure.

I am permanently disabled and receive Social Security Disability which will eventually be my Social Security Retirement; I know that I can move to all but 8 countries and still get my payments sent to me whereever I am. My husband is 60 and we have been exploring several different countries to which to expatriate. After hearing the many comments made by our colleagues from other nations, I DON'T THINK YOU ARE HAVING THE 'GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER' syndrome. In this case, I believe that the grass is greener in many other nations.

In fact, don't take my word for it, I just read an article in the July, 2006 issue of THE SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE entitled, "INTERVIEW, Joe Robinson, Vacation Advocate, Santa Monica, Calif." by Jennifer Drapkin. (page 26). Facts from the article include that Americans take fewer days off than the Japanese, Chinese, British and all continental Europeans. Also, even though 40% of us work 50 hrs a week, workers from Holland, France, Norway, Belgium and Ireland are more productive per hour than we are and THEY ALL HAVE 4 OR 5 WEEK VACATIONS. American workers are highest in per person productivity only when all the overtime they do is taken into consideration, according to Mr. Robinson who is a journalist and founder of a group Work to Live. The article confirmed for me what I have long suspected just by virtue of being a member of the American workforce since 1965 when I had my first job at age 15 as a carhop at a drive-in hamburger joint. Because the nature of my personality virtually COMPELLS me to do everthing that my job required I worked those 12 hour shifts usually without breaks, without lunch, and generally into the 14th hour. I am now the inhabitant of a body that at the age of 57, and with no insurance, is unable to perform any task for a prolonged period of time. Severe Carpal Tunnel of both hands with nerve entrapment at the elbows as well which requires surgery that I am unable to have done, compression fractures of the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae that have decreased my height from 5'8" to my present 5'6" and which causes intermittent but severe pain to my back, ribs, and my iliac crests bilaterally, chronic swelling of my lower legs and ankles due to vasculitis of both feet and varicosities of my legs, and traumatic arthritis to my left knee from prior injury while hiking which necessitated a meniscectomy (when I still had insurance and was working). I also have a "growth" on my thyroid but in the Great State of Arizona, I make too much money to qualify for their woefully inadequate and pathetic version of Medicaid, known by its acronym, ACCHCS, which stands for Arizona Cost Containment Health Care System and yes, they certainly do contain the costs, at all costs.

Am I cynical?? Yes. Disgusted?? Yes. But there is still hope; my husband and I can and will leave for those greener pastures.

Good luck to you as well!!

[groundinghubris]

I am 57, been a RN since 1975. I can relate to your statement, "it is not the land it used to be." I have noticed ads in some of the nursing journals regarding nursing in other countries. There even were one or two travel companies that offered the option of overseas nursing which would make the obligatory red tape with licensure etc. much less painful I am sure.

I am permanently disabled and receive Social Security Disability which will eventually be my Social Security Retirement; I know that I can move to all but 8 countries and still get my payments sent to me whereever I am. My husband is 60 and we have been exploring several different countries to which to expatriate. After hearing the many comments made by our colleagues from other nations, I DON'T THINK YOU ARE HAVING THE 'GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER' syndrome. In this case, I believe that the grass is greener in many other nations.

In fact, don't take my word for it, I just read an article in the July, 2006 issue of THE SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE entitled, "INTERVIEW, Joe Robinson, Vacation Advocate, Santa Monica, Calif." by Jennifer Drapkin. (page 26). Facts from the article include that Americans take fewer days off than the Japanese, Chinese, British and all continental Europeans. Also, even though 40% of us work 50 hrs a week, workers from Holland, France, Norway, Belgium and Ireland are more productive per hour than we are and THEY ALL HAVE 4 OR 5 WEEK VACATIONS. American workers are highest in per person productivity only when all the overtime they do is taken into consideration, according to Mr. Robinson who is a journalist and founder of a group Work to Live. The article confirmed for me what I have long suspected just by virtue of being a member of the American workforce since 1965 when I had my first job at age 15 as a carhop at a drive-in hamburger joint. Because the nature of my personality virtually COMPELLS me to do everthing that my job required I worked those 12 hour shifts usually without breaks, without lunch, and generally into the 14th hour. I am now the inhabitant of a body that at the age of 57, and with no insurance, is unable to perform any task for a prolonged period of time. Severe Carpal Tunnel of both hands with nerve entrapment at the elbows as well which requires surgery that I am unable to have done, compression fractures of the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae that have decreased my height from 5'8" to my present 5'6" and which causes intermittent but severe pain to my back, ribs, and my iliac crests bilaterally, chronic swelling of my lower legs and ankles due to vasculitis of both feet and varicosities of my legs, and traumatic arthritis to my left knee from prior injury while hiking which necessitated a meniscectomy (when I still had insurance and was working). I also have a "growth" on my thyroid but in the Great State of Arizona, I make too much money to qualify for their woefully inadequate and pathetic version of Medicaid, known by its acronym, ACCHCS, which stands for Arizona Cost Containment Health Care System and yes, they certainly do contain the costs, at all costs.

Am I cynical?? Yes. Disgusted?? Yes. But there is still hope; my husband and I can and will leave for those greener pastures.

Good luck to you as well!!

we have very similar situations, i too became disabled at age 49. i am very grateful for your reply and message. and yes our country has changed, it is very sad and frightening where it is headed. i will check out your suggestions. thank you

[RGN1]

Enough of the grass is greener etc. I just want stuff from nurses who have been through the UK to USA thing (or at a slight stretch may work with nurses who have come from another country & have something helpful to add) & have funny/informative/helpful things that they wish they'd known.

[madwife2002, BSN, RN]

I wish I'd known that people didnt understand me but just nodded anyway and smiled, rather than appear rude and say I haven't a clue what you just said. Similar words have disimilar meanings.

[english_nurse]

I am 57, been a RN since 1975. I can relate to your statement, "it is not the land it used to be." I have noticed ads in some of the nursing journals regarding nursing in other countries. There even were one or two travel companies that offered the option of overseas nursing which would make the obligatory red tape with licensure etc. much less painful I am sure.

I am permanently disabled and receive Social Security Disability which will eventually be my Social Security Retirement; I know that I can move to all but 8 countries and still get my payments sent to me whereever I am. My husband is 60 and we have been exploring several different countries to which to expatriate. After hearing the many comments made by our colleagues from other nations, I DON'T THINK YOU ARE HAVING THE 'GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER' syndrome. In this case, I believe that the grass is greener in many other nations.

In fact, don't take my word for it, I just read an article in the July, 2006 issue of THE SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE entitled, "INTERVIEW, Joe Robinson, Vacation Advocate, Santa Monica, Calif." by Jennifer Drapkin. (page 26). Facts from the article include that Americans take fewer days off than the Japanese, Chinese, British and all continental Europeans. Also, even though 40% of us work 50 hrs a week, workers from Holland, France, Norway, Belgium and Ireland are more productive per hour than we are and THEY ALL HAVE 4 OR 5 WEEK VACATIONS. American workers are highest in per person productivity only when all the overtime they do is taken into consideration, according to Mr. Robinson who is a journalist and founder of a group Work to Live. The article confirmed for me what I have long suspected just by virtue of being a member of the American workforce since 1965 when I had my first job at age 15 as a carhop at a drive-in hamburger joint. Because the nature of my personality virtually COMPELLS me to do everthing that my job required I worked those 12 hour shifts usually without breaks, without lunch, and generally into the 14th hour. I am now the inhabitant of a body that at the age of 57, and with no insurance, is unable to perform any task for a prolonged period of time. Severe Carpal Tunnel of both hands with nerve entrapment at the elbows as well which requires surgery that I am unable to have done, compression fractures of the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae that have decreased my height from 5'8" to my present 5'6" and which causes intermittent but severe pain to my back, ribs, and my iliac crests bilaterally, chronic swelling of my lower legs and ankles due to vasculitis of both feet and varicosities of my legs, and traumatic arthritis to my left knee from prior injury while hiking which necessitated a meniscectomy (when I still had insurance and was working). I also have a "growth" on my thyroid but in the Great State of Arizona, I make too much money to qualify for their woefully inadequate and pathetic version of Medicaid, known by its acronym, ACCHCS, which stands for Arizona Cost Containment Health Care System and yes, they certainly do contain the costs, at all costs.

Am I cynical?? Yes. Disgusted?? Yes. But there is still hope; my husband and I can and will leave for those greener pastures.

Good luck to you as well!!

good god 4-5 weeks holiday a year no way

i have 8