I'm considering moving to the U.S. (East Coast) and work as a software engineer there... Any Europeans in this newsgroup who moved from Europe to the U.S. ? Any experiences you would like to share? Is it worth it? What's the work culture like, work environment, benefits, vacation etc.?
DSP Engineer, Moving from Europe to the U.S. ?
Started by ●December 12, 2009
Reply by ●December 12, 20092009-12-12
On 12/12/2009 1:11 PM, John wrote:> I'm considering moving to the U.S. (East Coast) and work as a software > engineer there... > > Any Europeans in this newsgroup who moved from Europe to the U.S. ? > > Any experiences you would like to share? > > Is it worth it? > > What's the work culture like, work environment, benefits, vacation etc.?Regarding that last question, I think you'll find it hard to generalize just like it would be almost anywhere. The work environment, benefits, vacation, etc., will depend entirely on the specific employer, and likely specific site. There's so much variance I don't think a general assessment could be useful. -- Eric Jacobsen Minister of Algorithms Abineau Communications http://www.abineau.com
Reply by ●December 12, 20092009-12-12
> Regarding that last question, I think you'll find it hard to generalize > just like it would be almost anywhere. The work environment, benefits, > vacation, etc., will depend entirely on the specific employer, and likely > specific site. There's so much variance I don't think a general > assessment could be useful.Thank you for your reply. I understand that it doesn't make any sense to make generalizations when it comes to the U.S. because it is such a big and diverse country. However, I always think it is worth hearing about other people's experiences (bad and good) to get an idea about what it _might_ be like. So I'm not looking for generalizations, but more individual experiences. Americans who've moved the other way (from the U.S. to Europe) are welcome to join the discussion.
Reply by ●December 15, 20092009-12-15
On Dec 12, 3:11�pm, "John" <J...@yabadabadooo.com> wrote:> I'm considering moving to the U.S. (East Coast) and work as a software > engineer there... > > Any Europeans in this newsgroup who moved from Europe to the U.S. ? > > Any experiences you would like to share? > > Is it worth it? > > What's the work culture like, work environment, benefits, vacation etc.?why would you want to give up single-payer health care for whatever this mess is in the US? r b-j
Reply by ●December 15, 20092009-12-15
>On Dec 12, 3:11=A0pm, "John" <J...@yabadabadooo.com> wrote: >> I'm considering moving to the U.S. (East Coast) and work as a software >> engineer there... >> >> Any Europeans in this newsgroup who moved from Europe to the U.S. ? >> >> Any experiences you would like to share? >> >> Is it worth it? >> >> What's the work culture like, work environment, benefits, vacationetc.?> > >why would you want to give up single-payer health care for whatever >this mess is in the US?In most parts of the developed world we have had our health care costs largely underwritten by public financing for most of our lives. We just take it for granted than someone will pay at least the bulk of the costs. Its quite a shock to see the priority people in the US attach to health care financing. Its probably something non-US people don't give adequate weight to when considering working in the US. Steve
Reply by ●December 15, 20092009-12-15
On Tue, 15 Dec 2009 02:49:47 -0600 "steveu" <steveu@coppice.org> wrote:> >On Dec 12, 3:11=A0pm, "John" <J...@yabadabadooo.com> wrote: > >> I'm considering moving to the U.S. (East Coast) and work as a > >> software engineer there... > >> > >> Any Europeans in this newsgroup who moved from Europe to the U.S. ? > >> > >> Any experiences you would like to share? > >> > >> Is it worth it? > >> > >> What's the work culture like, work environment, benefits, vacation > etc.? > > > > > >why would you want to give up single-payer health care for whatever > >this mess is in the US? > > In most parts of the developed world we have had our health care costs > largely underwritten by public financing for most of our lives. We > just take it for granted than someone will pay at least the bulk of > the costs. Its quite a shock to see the priority people in the US > attach to health care financing. Its probably something non-US people > don't give adequate weight to when considering working in the US. > > Steve >Someone will; your employer. Certainly, at least, at any job worth moving across a fairly large ocean to take. This isn't saying that US health care isn't a mess, but if you're in a professional position working for a company of at least marginal size, it's not a mess that directly affects you personally. So long as you can keep the job. And don't decide to strike off on your own as a consultant. And don't forget to mention any pre-existing conditions (such as acne when you were 12) that may provide them an excuse to drop your coverage after the fact. But other than that it's fine. -- Rob Gaddi, Highland Technology Email address is currently out of order
Reply by ●December 16, 20092009-12-16
>On Tue, 15 Dec 2009 02:49:47 -0600 >"steveu" <steveu@coppice.org> wrote: > >> >On Dec 12, 3:11=A0pm, "John" <J...@yabadabadooo.com> wrote: >> >> I'm considering moving to the U.S. (East Coast) and work as a >> >> software engineer there... >> >> >> >> Any Europeans in this newsgroup who moved from Europe to the U.S. ? >> >> >> >> Any experiences you would like to share? >> >> >> >> Is it worth it? >> >> >> >> What's the work culture like, work environment, benefits, vacation >> etc.? >> > >> > >> >why would you want to give up single-payer health care for whatever >> >this mess is in the US? >> >> In most parts of the developed world we have had our health care costs >> largely underwritten by public financing for most of our lives. We >> just take it for granted than someone will pay at least the bulk of >> the costs. Its quite a shock to see the priority people in the US >> attach to health care financing. Its probably something non-US people >> don't give adequate weight to when considering working in the US. >> >> Steve >> > >Someone will; your employer. Certainly, at least, at any job worth >moving across a fairly large ocean to take. > >This isn't saying that US health care isn't a mess, but if you're in a >professional position working for a company of at least marginal size, >it's not a mess that directly affects you personally. So long as you >can keep the job. And don't decide to strike off on your own as a >consultant. And don't forget to mention any pre-existing conditions >(such as acne when you were 12) that may provide them an excuse to drop >your coverage after the fact. > >But other than that it's fine.So, if the stress of being laid off brings on a heart attack you're screwed. Sounds like a great scheme. Our son was majorly premature. When he was born, I read an American book about people's experiences with premature births. Most of the cases in there centred around the financial burden. It broke some of the families. It stopped siblings going to college. Most of the new parents thought their baby's bills were covered by their insurance, until the found otherwise the hard way. This doesn't sound a very civilised society to people from many countries. Steve
Reply by ●December 16, 20092009-12-16
On Dec 16, 2:38�am, "steveu" <ste...@coppice.org> wrote:> >On Tue, 15 Dec 2009 02:49:47 -0600 > >"steveu" <ste...@coppice.org> wrote: > > >> >On Dec 12, 3:11=A0pm, "John" <J...@yabadabadooo.com> wrote: > >> >> I'm considering moving to the U.S. (East Coast) and work as a > >> >> software engineer there... > > >> >> Any Europeans in this newsgroup who moved from Europe to the U.S. ? > > >> >> Any experiences you would like to share? > > >> >> Is it worth it? > > >> >> What's the work culture like, work environment, benefits, vacation > >> etc.? > > >> >why would you want to give up single-payer health care for whatever > >> >this mess is in the US? > > >> In most parts of the developed world we have had our health care costs > >> largely underwritten by public financing for most of our lives. We > >> just take it for granted than someone will pay at least the bulk of > >> the costs. Its quite a shock to see the priority people in the US > >> attach to health care financing. Its probably something non-US people > >> don't give adequate weight to when considering working in the US. > > >> Steve > > >Someone will; your employer. �Certainly, at least, at any job worth > >moving across a fairly large ocean to take. > > >This isn't saying that US health care isn't a mess, but if you're in a > >professional position working for a company of at least marginal size, > >it's not a mess that directly affects you personally. �So long as you > >can keep the job. �And don't decide to strike off on your own as a > >consultant. �And don't forget to mention any pre-existing conditions > >(such as acne when you were 12) that may provide them an excuse to drop > >your coverage after the fact. > > >But other than that it's fine. > > So, if the stress of being laid off brings on a heart attack you're > screwed. Sounds like a great scheme.steve, if only you knew...> Our son was majorly premature. When he was born, I read an American book > about people's experiences with premature births. Most of the cases in > there centred around the financial burden. It broke some of the families. > It stopped siblings going to college. Most of the new parents thought their > baby's bills were covered by their insurance, until the found otherwise the > hard way.... oh, i guess you do. r b-j
Reply by ●December 16, 20092009-12-16
robert bristow-johnson wrote:> On Dec 16, 2:38 am, "steveu" <ste...@coppice.org> wrote: >>> On Tue, 15 Dec 2009 02:49:47 -0600 >>> "steveu" <ste...@coppice.org> wrote: >>>>> On Dec 12, 3:11=A0pm, "John" <J...@yabadabadooo.com> wrote: >>>>>> I'm considering moving to the U.S. (East Coast) and work as a >>>>>> software engineer there... >>>>>> Any Europeans in this newsgroup who moved from Europe to the U.S. ? >>>>>> Any experiences you would like to share? >>>>>> Is it worth it? >>>>>> What's the work culture like, work environment, benefits, vacation >>>> etc.? >>>>> why would you want to give up single-payer health care for whatever >>>>> this mess is in the US? >>>> In most parts of the developed world we have had our health care costs >>>> largely underwritten by public financing for most of our lives. We >>>> just take it for granted than someone will pay at least the bulk of >>>> the costs. Its quite a shock to see the priority people in the US >>>> attach to health care financing. Its probably something non-US people >>>> don't give adequate weight to when considering working in the US. >>>> Steve >>> Someone will; your employer. Certainly, at least, at any job worth >>> moving across a fairly large ocean to take. >>> This isn't saying that US health care isn't a mess, but if you're in a >>> professional position working for a company of at least marginal size, >>> it's not a mess that directly affects you personally. So long as you >>> can keep the job. And don't decide to strike off on your own as a >>> consultant. And don't forget to mention any pre-existing conditions >>> (such as acne when you were 12) that may provide them an excuse to drop >>> your coverage after the fact. >>> But other than that it's fine. >> So, if the stress of being laid off brings on a heart attack you're >> screwed. Sounds like a great scheme. > > steve, if only you knew... > > >> Our son was majorly premature. When he was born, I read an American book >> about people's experiences with premature births. Most of the cases in >> there centred around the financial burden. It broke some of the families. >> It stopped siblings going to college. Most of the new parents thought their >> baby's bills were covered by their insurance, until the found otherwise the >> hard way. > > ... oh, i guess you do.The screw-individuals-we-have-to-keep-the-economy-strong crowd should realize that the US's reliance on employer-paid health coverage puts our companies at an competitive disadvantage vis-a-vis overseas companies. Jerry -- Engineering is the art of making what you want from things you can get. �����������������������������������������������������������������������
Reply by ●December 16, 20092009-12-16
On 12/16/2009 2:23 PM, Jerry Avins wrote:> robert bristow-johnson wrote: >> On Dec 16, 2:38 am, "steveu" <ste...@coppice.org> wrote: >>>> On Tue, 15 Dec 2009 02:49:47 -0600 >>>> "steveu" <ste...@coppice.org> wrote: >>>>>> On Dec 12, 3:11=A0pm, "John" <J...@yabadabadooo.com> wrote: >>>>>>> I'm considering moving to the U.S. (East Coast) and work as a >>>>>>> software engineer there... >>>>>>> Any Europeans in this newsgroup who moved from Europe to the U.S. ? >>>>>>> Any experiences you would like to share? >>>>>>> Is it worth it? >>>>>>> What's the work culture like, work environment, benefits, vacation >>>>> etc.? >>>>>> why would you want to give up single-payer health care for whatever >>>>>> this mess is in the US? >>>>> In most parts of the developed world we have had our health care costs >>>>> largely underwritten by public financing for most of our lives. We >>>>> just take it for granted than someone will pay at least the bulk of >>>>> the costs. Its quite a shock to see the priority people in the US >>>>> attach to health care financing. Its probably something non-US people >>>>> don't give adequate weight to when considering working in the US. >>>>> Steve >>>> Someone will; your employer. Certainly, at least, at any job worth >>>> moving across a fairly large ocean to take. >>>> This isn't saying that US health care isn't a mess, but if you're in a >>>> professional position working for a company of at least marginal size, >>>> it's not a mess that directly affects you personally. So long as you >>>> can keep the job. And don't decide to strike off on your own as a >>>> consultant. And don't forget to mention any pre-existing conditions >>>> (such as acne when you were 12) that may provide them an excuse to drop >>>> your coverage after the fact. >>>> But other than that it's fine. >>> So, if the stress of being laid off brings on a heart attack you're >>> screwed. Sounds like a great scheme. >> >> steve, if only you knew... >> >> >>> Our son was majorly premature. When he was born, I read an American book >>> about people's experiences with premature births. Most of the cases in >>> there centred around the financial burden. It broke some of the >>> families. >>> It stopped siblings going to college. Most of the new parents thought >>> their >>> baby's bills were covered by their insurance, until the found >>> otherwise the >>> hard way. >> >> ... oh, i guess you do. > > The screw-individuals-we-have-to-keep-the-economy-strong crowd should > realize that the US's reliance on employer-paid health coverage puts our > companies at an competitive disadvantage vis-a-vis overseas companies. > > JerryThat and taxing breathing (e.g., cap and trade), and increasing taxes on the wealthy, seems to have the predictable end of a lot of industries and talent moving out of the US in the future. There are a few glimmers of hope in current U.S. politics; one being a clamp-down on lobbying. I fear it's too little too late, though. Nevertheless, these things have a way of working out, so it's hard to predict what might actually happen. It's weird, though, that just today on an unrelated list a group of diverse people I know spontaneously started a conversation about the best country to retire in...i.e., this was all US citizens looking to go elsewhere. The future doesn't look so bright here to a lot of people. -- Eric Jacobsen Minister of Algorithms Abineau Communications http://www.abineau.com
