**Living in a new country**

[The Atlantian islands]

Well, I've recently moved and am living in a new country/culture. (Which is a main reason I haven't been as active, as of late...to those that know me). The change wasn't very hard because I already have a good handle of the language, am very social so have already made friends, and am living in a seriously awesome city.

However, there are a few things that are problematic, and make me glad that I won't have to live here forever.

To start with, things are more dirty here and that is tolerated. Food sits out and gets (in my opinion) nasty, streets are dirty, houses aren't too clean and dishes and glasses that are considered 'washed/clean' would still be considered dirty.

Efficiency and progression, everything is slower here, or broken, or outdated and the name of the game seems to be taking it easy at the expense of updating, progression and a clean, efficient, working system. The economy here sucks as well, so there is alot of unemployment and homelessness, and because of the siesta, during which society shuts down between like 12 and 17:00, people just sit around and smoke hash. Not everyone, of course, but it is more than just a few.

But, really, aside from that, I am really having a great time, studying, partying and just exploring and discovering, and am glad to have moved to this new city. I really enjoy living here for now, but think that there are serious problems with the culture/socio-economic system that exists here, and am glad I won't have to spend my life here.

So, NSG, I want to hear about memorable experiences that you have gone through or are going through? Have you ever moved to a different country, and if so, what was it like? Did you end up staying, or moving back to your home country? What were the immediate things you liked and things you disliked?

I am living and studying in southern Spain.

[DrunkenDove]

Efficiency and progression, everything is slower here, or broken, or outdated and the name of the game seems to be taking it easy at the expense of updating, progression and a clean, efficient, working system.

Yeah, Spain rocks.

Can't help you out much, the only long term move I've ever made was from Ireland to Scotland, and each culture just stole everything from each other so there wasn't much to adapt to at all, except for a pathetically minuscule minimum wage.

[Sibirsky]

I moved from the Soviet Union to the United States in 1991. It was shocking and amazing. In stores, shelves have products for sale on them. Everything imaginable. People are nice and courteous. A lot of people don't lock their doors. Ever. One of my good friend's family never locked their front door. NEVER. It was in a nice area and crime was not a problem, but such a thing would never happen in the USSR. The roads are well maintained, with few potholes. Cars are nice. Drivers are courteous. People live in nice homes. In summary, the drastic difference of the standard of living is visible at first sight.

[The Atlantian islands]

I moved from the Soviet Union to the United States in 1991. It was shocking and amazing. In stores, shelves have products for sale on them. Everything imaginable. People are nice and courteous. A lot of people don't lock their doors. Ever. One of my good friend's family never locked their front door. NEVER. It was in a nice area and crime was not a problem, but such a thing would never happen in the USSR. The roads are well maintained, with few potholes. Cars are nice. Drivers are courteous. People live in nice homes. In summary, the drastic difference of the standard of living is visible at first sight.

How old were you when you moved? So THAT explains why you are so capitalistic, ha! Awesome.

And I'd like to hear the negatives in the U.S. as compared to the Soviet Union.

[The Atlantian islands]

Can't help you out much, the only long term move I've ever made was from Ireland to Scotland, and each culture just stole everything from each other so there wasn't much to adapt to at all, except for a pathetically minuscule minimum wage.

Why did you move to Scotland? Which country do you prefer?

[Sibirsky]

I moved from the Soviet Union to the United States in 1991. It was shocking and amazing. In stores, shelves have products for sale on them. Everything imaginable. People are nice and courteous. A lot of people don't lock their doors. Ever. One of my good friend's family never locked their front door. NEVER. It was in a nice area and crime was not a problem, but such a thing would never happen in the USSR. The roads are well maintained, with few potholes. Cars are nice. Drivers are courteous. People live in nice homes. In summary, the drastic difference of the standard of living is visible at first sight.

How old were you when you moved? So THAT explains why you are so capitalistic, ha! Awesome.

And I'd like to hear the negatives in the U.S. as compared to the Soviet Union.

Yes, I would say that is the major reason for me being a capitalist. I was 10 years old. Negatives? You have to work. In the Soviet Union, there is a joke, we pretend to work, and they pretend to pay us. Which is obviously an exaggeration, but it's based on the truth. Of course that negative is one of the major reasons for America's success.

[The Atlantian islands]

I moved from the Soviet Union to the United States in 1991. It was shocking and amazing. In stores, shelves have products for sale on them. Everything imaginable. People are nice and courteous. A lot of people don't lock their doors. Ever. One of my good friend's family never locked their front door. NEVER. It was in a nice area and crime was not a problem, but such a thing would never happen in the USSR. The roads are well maintained, with few potholes. Cars are nice. Drivers are courteous. People live in nice homes. In summary, the drastic difference of the standard of living is visible at first sight.

How old were you when you moved? So THAT explains why you are so capitalistic, ha! Awesome.

And I'd like to hear the negatives in the U.S. as compared to the Soviet Union.

Yes, I would say that is the major reason for me being a capitalist. I was 10 years old. Negatives? You have to work. In the Soviet Union, there is a joke, we pretend to work, and they pretend to pay us. Which is obviously an exaggeration, but it's based on the truth. Of course that negative is one of the major reasons for America's success.

Fascinating to hear. Really.

[DrunkenDove]

Why did you move to Scotland? Which country do you prefer?

A rain Sunday afternoon inspired thoughts of "I've got to get the fuck out of here". One week and internet job search later, I was in Scotland. As for comparisons, first I loved my new home, but once the novelty wore off, It's pretty much a series of trade offs: Better nightlife vs worse surfing, that sort of thing. It's honestly felt like moving to different city with Ireland than anything else.

[Post-Unity Terra]

Why did you move to Scotland? Which country do you prefer?

A rain Sunday afternoon inspired thoughts of "I've got to get the fuck out of here". One week and internet job search later, I was in Scotland. As for comparisons, first I loved my new home, but once the novelty wore off, It's pretty much a series of trade offs: Better nightlife vs worse surfing, that sort of thing. It's honestly felt like moving to different city with Ireland than anything else.

Why would anyone move to Scotland?

[The Norse Hordes]

...People are nice and courteous. A lot of people don't lock their doors...The roads are well maintained, with few potholes. Cars are nice. Drivers are courteous.

Dude...thats not the US.

[The Atlantian islands]

...People are nice and courteous. A lot of people don't lock their doors...The roads are well maintained, with few potholes. Cars are nice. Drivers are courteous.

Dude...thats not the US.

Hey dude, how have you been? Coming to Europe?

[Sibirsky]

...People are nice and courteous. A lot of people don't lock their doors...The roads are well maintained, with few potholes. Cars are nice. Drivers are courteous.

Dude...thats not the US.

Dude, are you calling me a liar? Have you been to the Soviet Union?

[Sibirsky]

I moved from the Soviet Union to the United States in 1991. It was shocking and amazing. In stores, shelves have products for sale on them. Everything imaginable. People are nice and courteous. A lot of people don't lock their doors. Ever. One of my good friend's family never locked their front door. NEVER. It was in a nice area and crime was not a problem, but such a thing would never happen in the USSR. The roads are well maintained, with few potholes. Cars are nice. Drivers are courteous. People live in nice homes. In summary, the drastic difference of the standard of living is visible at first sight.

How old were you when you moved? So THAT explains why you are so capitalistic, ha! Awesome.

And I'd like to hear the negatives in the U.S. as compared to the Soviet Union.

Yes, I would say that is the major reason for me being a capitalist. I was 10 years old. Negatives? You have to work. In the Soviet Union, there is a joke, we pretend to work, and they pretend to pay us. Which is obviously an exaggeration, but it's based on the truth. Of course that negative is one of the major reasons for America's success.

Fascinating to hear. Really.

Thanks. It was fascinating. You get used to good things quickly however.

[The Norse Hordes]

...People are nice and courteous. A lot of people don't lock their doors...The roads are well maintained, with few potholes. Cars are nice. Drivers are courteous.

Dude...thats not the US.

Dude, are you calling me a liar? Have you been to the Soviet Union?

Um, no. I was joking about American roads not being well maintained, and the people actually being dicks. Plus the cars we make here are crap.

I was joking that you werent really in America, because America doesnt have those things. See? Funny. Hahaha.

[Sibirsky]

...People are nice and courteous. A lot of people don't lock their doors...The roads are well maintained, with few potholes. Cars are nice. Drivers are courteous.

Dude...thats not the US.

Dude, are you calling me a liar? Have you been to the Soviet Union?

Um, no. I was joking about American roads not being well maintained, and the people actually being dicks. Plus the cars we make here are crap.

I was joking that you werent really in America, because America doesnt have those things. See? Funny. Hahaha.

The cars made here are fine. The cars made here are amazing compared to Soviet cars. The roads are well maintained compared to Soviet roads. The people are nice compared to Russians. There is trust, I explained in another thread how UPS just leaves packages, sometimes with valuables, at the door. That would never happen in the Soviet Union, because they would be instantly stolen. Street lights that actually light the streets. Because some hooligans don't constantly break them. I am in America and your joke is anything but funny.

[The Norse Hordes]

...People are nice and courteous. A lot of people don't lock their doors...The roads are well maintained, with few potholes. Cars are nice. Drivers are courteous.

Dude...thats not the US.

Dude, are you calling me a liar? Have you been to the Soviet Union?

Um, no. I was joking about American roads not being well maintained, and the people actually being dicks. Plus the cars we make here are crap.

I was joking that you werent really in America, because America doesnt have those things. See? Funny. Hahaha.

The cars made here are fine. The cars made here are amazing compared to Soviet cars. The roads are well maintained compared to Soviet roads. The people are nice compared to Russians. There is trust, I explained in another thread how UPS just leaves packages, sometimes with valuables, at the door. That would never happen in the Soviet Union, because they would be instantly stolen. Street lights that actually light the streets. Because some hooligans don't constantly break them. I am in America and your joke is anything but funny.

Chill the fuck out man.

[Treznor]

Um, no. I was joking about American roads not being well maintained, and the people actually being dicks. Plus the cars we make here are crap.

I was joking that you werent really in America, because America doesnt have those things. See? Funny. Hahaha.

The cars made here are fine. The cars made here are amazing compared to Soviet cars. The roads are well maintained compared to Soviet roads. The people are nice compared to Russians. There is trust, I explained in another thread how UPS just leaves packages, sometimes with valuables, at the door. That would never happen in the Soviet Union, because they would be instantly stolen. Street lights that actually light the streets. Because some hooligans don't constantly break them. I am in America and your joke is anything but funny.

In other words, you live in a nice part of the US. There are some very not-nice parts of the US where everything you attributed to the Soviet Union would be true.

[Sibirsky]

...People are nice and courteous. A lot of people don't lock their doors...The roads are well maintained, with few potholes. Cars are nice. Drivers are courteous.

Dude...thats not the US.

Dude, are you calling me a liar? Have you been to the Soviet Union?

Um, no. I was joking about American roads not being well maintained, and the people actually being dicks. Plus the cars we make here are crap.

I was joking that you werent really in America, because America doesnt have those things. See? Funny. Hahaha.

The cars made here are fine. The cars made here are amazing compared to Soviet cars. The roads are well maintained compared to Soviet roads. The people are nice compared to Russians. There is trust, I explained in another thread how UPS just leaves packages, sometimes with valuables, at the door. That would never happen in the Soviet Union, because they would be instantly stolen. Street lights that actually light the streets. Because some hooligans don't constantly break them. I am in America and your joke is anything but funny.

Chill the fuck out man.

I am chill. Watch your mouth.

[The Norse Hordes]

...People are nice and courteous. A lot of people don't lock their doors...The roads are well maintained, with few potholes. Cars are nice. Drivers are courteous.

Dude...thats not the US.

Dude, are you calling me a liar? Have you been to the Soviet Union?

Um, no. I was joking about American roads not being well maintained, and the people actually being dicks. Plus the cars we make here are crap.

I was joking that you werent really in America, because America doesnt have those things. See? Funny. Hahaha.

The cars made here are fine. The cars made here are amazing compared to Soviet cars. The roads are well maintained compared to Soviet roads. The people are nice compared to Russians. There is trust, I explained in another thread how UPS just leaves packages, sometimes with valuables, at the door. That would never happen in the Soviet Union, because they would be instantly stolen. Street lights that actually light the streets. Because some hooligans don't constantly break them. I am in America and your joke is anything but funny.

Chill the fuck out man.

I am chill. Watch your mouth.

Fuck no.

[Sibirsky]

Um, no. I was joking about American roads not being well maintained, and the people actually being dicks. Plus the cars we make here are crap.

I was joking that you werent really in America, because America doesnt have those things. See? Funny. Hahaha.

The cars made here are fine. The cars made here are amazing compared to Soviet cars. The roads are well maintained compared to Soviet roads. The people are nice compared to Russians. There is trust, I explained in another thread how UPS just leaves packages, sometimes with valuables, at the door. That would never happen in the Soviet Union, because they would be instantly stolen. Street lights that actually light the streets. Because some hooligans don't constantly break them. I am in America and your joke is anything but funny.

In other words, you live in a nice part of the US. There are some very not-nice parts of the US where everything you attributed to the Soviet Union would be true.

And those parts are still better than the Soviet Union. A lot better. Yes, obviously a country as large as the US will have very different standards of living from place to place.

[The Atlantian islands]

...People are nice and courteous. A lot of people don't lock their doors...The roads are well maintained, with few potholes. Cars are nice. Drivers are courteous.

Dude...thats not the US.

Dude, are you calling me a liar? Have you been to the Soviet Union?

Um, no. I was joking about American roads not being well maintained, and the people actually being dicks. Plus the cars we make here are crap.

I was joking that you werent really in America, because America doesnt have those things. See? Funny. Hahaha.

The cars made here are fine. The cars made here are amazing compared to Soviet cars. The roads are well maintained compared to Soviet roads. The people are nice compared to Russians. There is trust, I explained in another thread how UPS just leaves packages, sometimes with valuables, at the door. That would never happen in the Soviet Union, because they would be instantly stolen. Street lights that actually light the streets. Because some hooligans don't constantly break them. I am in America and your joke is anything but funny.

Chill the fuck out man.

I love him. I won't even claim as to understand just how he feels, but I know that everytime I come back to America after spending time abroad, I always appreciate it so much more. I've been to Russia and former Communists countries and talked to other people like him, so I beleive what he's saying is the truth.

[Sibirsky]

...People are nice and courteous. A lot of people don't lock their doors...The roads are well maintained, with few potholes. Cars are nice. Drivers are courteous.

Dude...thats not the US.

Dude, are you calling me a liar? Have you been to the Soviet Union?

Um, no. I was joking about American roads not being well maintained, and the people actually being dicks. Plus the cars we make here are crap.

I was joking that you werent really in America, because America doesnt have those things. See? Funny. Hahaha.

The cars made here are fine. The cars made here are amazing compared to Soviet cars. The roads are well maintained compared to Soviet roads. The people are nice compared to Russians. There is trust, I explained in another thread how UPS just leaves packages, sometimes with valuables, at the door. That would never happen in the Soviet Union, because they would be instantly stolen. Street lights that actually light the streets. Because some hooligans don't constantly break them. I am in America and your joke is anything but funny.

Chill the fuck out man.

I am chill. Watch your mouth.

Fuck no.

You need to compare America to real world places. Not some utopia Karl Marx described.

[Sibirsky]

...People are nice and courteous. A lot of people don't lock their doors...The roads are well maintained, with few potholes. Cars are nice. Drivers are courteous.

Dude...thats not the US.

Dude, are you calling me a liar? Have you been to the Soviet Union?

Um, no. I was joking about American roads not being well maintained, and the people actually being dicks. Plus the cars we make here are crap.

I was joking that you werent really in America, because America doesnt have those things. See? Funny. Hahaha.

The cars made here are fine. The cars made here are amazing compared to Soviet cars. The roads are well maintained compared to Soviet roads. The people are nice compared to Russians. There is trust, I explained in another thread how UPS just leaves packages, sometimes with valuables, at the door. That would never happen in the Soviet Union, because they would be instantly stolen. Street lights that actually light the streets. Because some hooligans don't constantly break them. I am in America and your joke is anything but funny.

Chill the fuck out man.

I love him. I won't even claim as to understand just how he feels, but I know that everytime I come back to America after spending time abroad, I always appreciate it so much more. I've been to Russia and former Communists countries and talked to other people like him, so I beleive what he's saying is the truth.

Thank you. Most Americans don't go abroad and just don't understand how good they have it.

[North Suran]

The cars made here are fine. The cars made here are amazing compared to Soviet cars. The roads are well maintained compared to Soviet roads. The people are nice compared to Russians. There is trust, I explained in another thread how UPS just leaves packages, sometimes with valuables, at the door. That would never happen in the Soviet Union, because they would be instantly stolen. Street lights that actually light the streets. Because some hooligans don't constantly break them. I am in America and your joke is anything but funny.

In other words, you live in a nice part of the US. There are some very not-nice parts of the US where everything you attributed to the Soviet Union would be true.

And those parts are still better than the Soviet Union. A lot better. Yes, obviously a country as large as the US will have very different standards of living from place to place.

You mean like the USSR?

[Sibirsky]

The cars made here are fine. The cars made here are amazing compared to Soviet cars. The roads are well maintained compared to Soviet roads. The people are nice compared to Russians. There is trust, I explained in another thread how UPS just leaves packages, sometimes with valuables, at the door. That would never happen in the Soviet Union, because they would be instantly stolen. Street lights that actually light the streets. Because some hooligans don't constantly break them. I am in America and your joke is anything but funny.

In other words, you live in a nice part of the US. There are some very not-nice parts of the US where everything you attributed to the Soviet Union would be true.

And those parts are still better than the Soviet Union. A lot better. Yes, obviously a country as large as the US will have very different standards of living from place to place.

You mean like the USSR?

No. The worst place in America was better than any place in the USSR not reserved for the ruling elite.