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Why people from developed countries immigrate to USA?

Re stupid people - maybe better termed as wilful ignorance ...because of ...a certain factor that has nothing to do with beaches.

Yesterday I was chatting to 2 other now-local couples, one from elsewhere in the US, one from a European country (one of the damp ones). We kind of concluded there was nowhere really you'd want to leave to once you'd ended up in NorCal ;)

Do you mean "nowhere really you'd want to live..." - if so I would agree....
 
cause we are all brain washed by US propaganda :eek:

my reasons are better job opportunities and big open spaces.
 
I'm moving to the USA just for fun.

I second this. There is no deep visceral reason why we would like to move other than life is meant to be lived and I don't want to get to 80 and think 'I wish'. This way, I'll get to 80 and say 'Remember when'.

It does sound selfish because, for many, this journey is about building a better future for them and their kids. My reasons are decidedly first world. But that's the very nature of the DVL. It's about diversity.
 
To be honest I don't think it's an easy question to answer. It's very difficult to quantify because for those of use that have not lived in utter horror and war torn countries it would seem crazy that we would want (dare I say it, greedy?) to move to another "promised land". But we humans all, without exception, seek that which is the best for ourselves and our own circumstances. Me not entering the DVL doesnt make it more or less likely that someone from a difficult circumstance would get picked. It's a random lotto after all. And anyway, most of the people that are selected from countries that are poor and war torn usually don't have the right educational backgrounds and funds available to be successful at interview, so ultimately we just have to remember it's a lotto and leave it at that...
I've got many reasons why we want to relocate from the UK to the USA but they're unique to our own set of circumstances so I'll leave it there. ;)
 
Re stupid people - maybe better termed as wilful ignorance ...because of ...a certain factor that has nothing to do with beaches.

Yesterday I was chatting to 2 other now-local couples, one from elsewhere in the US, one from a European country (one of the damp ones). We kind of concluded there was nowhere really you'd want to leave to once you'd ended up in NorCal ;)

Well la-di-da! You can keep your perfect weather, your Kerouac tomes, your beautiful scenery and internationally renowned universities. I'll take driveway shovelling and 'Winter is Coming' ;)
 
I will put my two cents worth in (yes, I still lurk about in here....this October I will be back in with an entry!). Our reasons probably don't make a lot of sense when compared with the experiences (and especially challenges and hardships) of others, so perhaps just taking the reasons on face value without comparison might be good :) I study, and I love study, particularly research. Having lived in South Bay, CA for a couple of years I would look at Berkeley longingly never thinking I would go there. Fast forward 5 years and I am now about to graduate at Uni in Australia and am considering a PhD so for me, that dream that was as likely as unicorns, might just eventuate :) Also, my hubby's career pre Australia was in Silicon Valley, and Australia is soooo far behind in that field (seriously doubt we will ever catch up sometimes) that if we ever returned, he may be able to return to the work he did before. Also, I experienced so much difference when I lived there that I have not been able to shake the longing to return. Australia is incredibly expensive, and the choices are limited compared to CA regarding goods and services. I kind of have to agree with the post above too...Australia CAN get dull...truly! It's pretty, it's hot, it's quaint...but it is a hell-of-a-long-way from anywhere, and there are some issues, culturally, under the surface that only Aussies really know about; they are an ugly side to our society...and they are not ever shown in the glossy, blue sky, gorgeous beach tourist commercials. :) I read once, you get one life, try not to have regrets. I have lived half my life....given the choice (or rather the chance), I would like to have a different one for the second half left.

Q
 
there are some issues, culturally, under the surface that only Aussies really know about; they are an ugly side to our society...and they are not ever shown in the glossy, blue sky, gorgeous beach tourist commercials. :)

Yes, I agree so much with this. There are just cultural problems and frustrating (and ignorant!) ways of thinking that permeate Australian society, but they are things that tourists or visitors would never really notice. You have to have lived a significant portion of your life here to really have them affect you.
 
In fairness, every society / country on earth has an underbelly. Australia is no different to any other country in that regard.

Definitely, but I think one thing that makes Australia's underbelly different from other developed countries like the U.S. is that there's very little dialogue in this country about what's wrong with it. In the U.S., people really mobilised after events like Ferguson and got out there to continue the conversation about the police and race. If anyone ever speaks up against the problems in this country you'll just get the immature response of: "well, if you don't like it, leave!"
 
Or the 'you're just a racist, I know better' response.

I agree that we are an immature country in terms of conversations of national importance. You're either a leftie hipster who knows nothing or a red neck racist who knows nothing. Neither side covers themselves in tolerance glory unfortunately.

And when you're like me - who is kind of in the middle and believes that people should just respect each other and not insult each other, live and let live - it ends up being deflating when neither side can have a discussion without the insults being hurled.
 
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