Problem is that I've only ever lived here - you need advice from expats ... oh look - . That site look pretty good, and its full of American ex-pats who have made the change. The only experience of the States that I have is watching Baywatch, the Simpsons, and two weeks holiday (vacation) in Orlando last year - frightening place
So, America is full of yellow people with enormous breasts and you are expected to tip everyone inside or outside of a Mickey Mouse costume.
What I would say is although Americans and Brits have a common language (or at least parts of it), and we get on ok (as long as we both avoid talking politics), we do have certain cultural differences that would probably shock both parties. I would be interested in knowing what it really is like for either to change sides of the Atlantic. Economics - yes, we are probably a higher tax economy and petrol (gas) prices are unbelievably high (you get used to it, relax). However, there are few pluses - you don't need health insurance, thats one reason that it is a higher tax economy, because we have a national health service - its not faultless, but it works most of the time. We have reasonable welfare systems - the state pension is gradually being forced out, but for the time being, it still works. We don't allow firearms, and you rarely see the police carry them outside of airports.
Whatever I think about saying about living here, I realise that its tainted by my limited knowledge of what it might be like to live in the States, so its really difficult to tell you much unless you have any specific questions.
Its not a bed of roses here or probably anywhere else - I
think that it is a pretty
safe country, at least I feel
safe. There are areas that might be considered
unsafe, but they are located in small urban areas - on various urban housing estates on the edges of cities. It really isn't that bad. However, there are 60 millions of us on the island and 21st century globalism has its stresses. Most of that population is centered on London and the larger cities and towns. Rural areas of England, Scotland, Wales etc are still beautiful and relatively quiet.
Education. State schooling is provided from age 4 to 16 - or extended to 18 for further education - and then there is university etc, or on to the big wide world. Private education is a much smaller affair, and is very expensive. By the way, the term 'public school' is confusingly reserved for private schools such as Eton! It goes back in time to when they were the only schools. How good are UK schools? Well, I really don't know how they compare. Some state schools in urban areas are going to be under various stresses, and are not going to perform that well. Performance really does vary across the state schools tremendously. By the way, the schools all have to produce annual performance records - so in terms of test results etc - they can all be openly compared. When a state school fails badly - it is put under 'special measures', with a caretaker 'superhead' etc, until it improves.
I have to go to work now, so I'll have to end - just ask further if I can be of any help.
