Here are some of my reasons:
- Openly striving to be the best in any endeavour is quite accepted, and common. Here in Australia we have something called "tall poppy syndrome"- whereby anyone, for example, voicing their opinion in class or standing up to achieve something, is considered a 'show-off'. You are expected to show humility and not embarrass yourself. I love how there are so many determined, confident people standing up and doing whatever they need to do to succeed/get noticed. I love the sense of ambition, drive, and grandiosity. Most of all I love how it is separated from "ego"- you can be both passionate AND humble.
- I love that university/college learning and teaching is quite discursive. In Australia, we get talked at in lectures, not interacted with. And again, even if we were allowed, people are too shy to put their hands up/give input, for fear of being 'noticed'/wrong/considered egotistical. I love the university culture & system- i.e. most people living on campus at 18. Most people here commute to uni from their parents house, and it's just not the same. The lifestyle is completely different and can be quite isolating, depending on your situation. I love the graduate/professional school system whereby most people get a broad liberal arts or sciences undergraduate degree BEFORE they are allowed to specialise (in grad school). This makes far more sense then letting people start a full medical or law degree at the age of 17. You are just a baby at that age! I love the history of so many of the universities in the States. Our oldest university is about 140 years old (just a baby like those 17 year olds!). So many of the campuses/buildings at universities in the states are just divine, to study in places like that would just be magical
- I love that there is so much to do and see, particularly as far as arts/culture is concerned. Australia is a country of natural beauty, we have amazing beaches, great weather and some interesting flora and fauna. What we don't have is much by the way of history and art. Sure, we have a couple of fine companies (e.g. the Australian Ballet), but that's about it, and you're lucky to see a performance twice a year. When your main interests lie in the arts/literature/dance/galleries etc, Australia isn't the best place to be. I remember being absolutely overwhelmed when I was in the States at the plethora of culture I was able to devour on a daily basis. I love that there are so many people that love and work in the arts, and so many people willing to sacrifice stable living (financially, for example) to follow their passion for the arts.
- It's so much cheaper than where I live!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This may surprise you, but with the exception of housing, which is about on par, everything else is so cheap!!! Clothing, food, cabs, etc- I couldn't believe it when I was there. Sydney prices are absolutely ridiculous. (Of course, this isn't unique to America, just another thing that came to mind!) Having said that, I suppose the more important/expensive things are NOT cheaper- such as health insurance, college tuition etc.
- I love it how everything is BIG and grand. Everything is celebrated. This may be a generalisation, and I've only seen two states, but I was in NYC and Boston at Christmas time and it is just done so much better than we do it here!!!!! More lights, more paraphernalia, more people out and about. People go 'all out'- for Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, 4th July etc. To me it just reeks of enthusiasm, and I love that. Why not live big? Why not be enthusiastic?
- Architecture. Along the same lines as what I was saying about universities, I just love so much of the architecture in places I visited. That comes with history. We have a few nice buildings here, sure, but nothing like the USA or Europe, and not to the same scale.
- Like someone else said, the diversity of people. By race, interests, demographics, style, personality, lifestyle. I feel diversity, difference, eccentricity is celebrated in the USA. Again with the tall poppy thing here, people don't want to stand out. We are very much clones of each other. This stifles creativity and makes me feel slightly suffocated.
