- Living in the US has increased my self -esteem, but I’m ready to move to another country.
- I grew up in the United Kingdom and find the balance of European work and life is significantly better than the US.
- I try to maintain a healthy equilibrium of work and life in the US but it is a constant battle.
I am from London and I moved to the US 20 years ago. While I am grateful for the doors that opened after I moved to the US, I have never been fully regulated by the life and culture of American work.
The only benefit to work in the SH.BA is the salary
The work culture here, especially on the east coast where I live, is unhealthy border compared to Europe and many other countries with which I have traveled for my career in hospitality marketing and travel journalist.
Work does not consume people in some European countries as it does in the US
Getting to know this makes it difficult for me to return to SH.BA whenever I’m away. In fact, the only benefit to live in the US, for me, are wages.
The average annual salary for UK employees is about $ 30k to $ 40k, while in the US, I have made from 50k to $ 85K in various industries.
With the high cost of living on the east coast, it is useful to have a little extra money to enjoy everyday luxury like dinner with friends and family and travel.
The money comes at a high price, however.
I try to apply a healthy balance of work and life, but it is a constant battle
Sometimes it feels like my work has the advantage over everything else in my life.
For example, once I had to stay back at work around 7am for one night at school and had to cancel my plans in the city.
To keep myself healthy, my general rule is not an e -mail response before 8:30 am or after 5:30 pm, UK working hours are the same, but it has a meaning that never takes the work at home.
Awakening up to some emails sent in the middle of the night is not something I have ever predicted when working here.
I have worked in teaching, marketing, travel, law, and everything has been the same in my experience – dozens of emails sending overtime, which leaves me defeat the next morning.
In the past, colleagues even wrote me while I was out because I didn’t respond immediately to an evening email.
I try to get lunches with free time and often end up eating alone
Often, I feel like the promoter of the office balance in the office.
My associates seem scared when I tell them I’m taking my full lunch hour to go for a walk or sit in a cafe.
Of course, I always lay an invitation or use them to do the same, but there are always “more you have to do”.
I try to go out as much as possible, but if it rains, it is often left to eat alone, which feels quite lonely.
I have been at work for years and I still feel like I never knew my associates.
My parents worked in the United Kingdom for more than 30 years and always showed how the holidays were about 1.5 to 2 hours and often involved a pub with co -workers.
When I travel home again, I see what they understand. The most loaded times in the city are during working hours when 9-5ers accumulate in local watering holes for a chance to get out of the office.
Living in the SH.BA has given me confidence, but I hope to move to another country in the future
As British, I love the way Americans do everything to feel exciting – their nature at the exit is almost infectious.
Living here increased my faith and confidence that I could achieve anything.
However, it feels almost impossible to find real connections.
I live in Boston – my favorite American city with its green spaces, cobblestones, history and ocean views – but people rarely talk to each other on the streets.
In fact, it’s so rare that when people eventually talk, I’m almost caught by the guards.
I wish for simplicity and real connections. I would like to move out of the SH.BA in the future. Looking at the quality of life, culture and retirement abroad, I see so many benefits to leave.
In the meantime, I will continue to be the fans promoter in my workplace in the hope of telling others that there are more important things in life than just work.