Dang Puff, I didn’t even know it was that bad. I’m going to copy that entire post and send it to my brother. I’m sure he’s a lifer at this point but what the heck.
OP, I haven’t followed the topic or read any posts, I only popped in 'cause Puff tagged me, but here’s some of my perspective.
I moved to Washington state from California just over 20 years ago. I took a slight pay cut but nearly immediately I felt a huge financial burden lift from my shoulders. As a young man in Ca I would work for months and months to save a thousand bucks. Then my car would breakdown and I’d be back to zero. In Wa I saved 16 grand in my first full year, and that doesn’t even count retirement savings. It was cold hard cash in the pocket. My wife, btw, at the same time was in grad school and with her stipend and grants she was able to pay off her school loans from undergrad in Southern California.
Regarding St. George Utah, it’s a great place to live and very beautiful. If you are not Mormon it might be difficult to find a job and if you have kids it might be hard to integrate. I could be wrong about this, it’s just a vague impression I get. It doesn’t matter much for my retired parents and it won’t matter to me if I retire there which is pretty likely. I’m sure Salt Lake is much diverse with more opportunity though.
Knock your significant other up and have her give birth in the USA. Easiest and almost 100% effective. I fly international so much I’ve seen babies getting born in airport terminals. My wife (an OB/GYN) was always freaking when she sees 8.5 month pregnant women flying. Now we know the drill.
Alternatively, have a buddy who is a US citizen form a company that requires a very specific skills set. Must know Gaelic and lift weights. Have him apply for H1B employer status, saying he can’t find any Gaelic speakers and desires to start a school teaching Gaelic. You apply and “work” for him, while getting a job elsewhere. This works 100% of the time, as well. Or so I’ve heard.
I’ll say Salt Lake City is pretty cool and very chill. I spent some short amount of time there coaching a lifter at the USAW Natl Champs.
One thing that will absolutely freak you out though–near complete lack of crazy traffic. A lot of main city streets are like 8 lanes wide, like they were built for London or LA. I was driving down these with maybe a few other cars for company and it felt like a ghost town there was so little traffic compared to what I’m used to haha.
Regarding Mormons, I am fairly sure you will not have any difficulty getting a job, as long as you don’t drink and curse during the interview process. Mormons are, by and large, some of the nicest and most genuine people I’ve ever met. Many are a bit uptight though (for obvious reasons)
At any rate, Utah is absolutely beautiful, cheap to live in, and you have skiing and hiking within a few hours travel. Pretty much the Trifecta, although I am partial to Colorado myself.
Anywhere in the midwest you really can’t go wrong unless you go to downtown Chicago, which is far too big for my tastes. Love the city, I could live there for a couple years but after that I would be dying for some open spaces. That and the liberal government
They were designed so that the big mule team wagons of the day could turn around in the street without having to back up the mules to make a three point turn (which apparently is a pain in the ass*).
You can even be an owner, but you have to be careful not to own more than 49% of the company yourself. (The US citizen has to be the majority owner – note, however, that profits do not necessarily have to flow parallel to ownership.)
I like Colorado, although there are a lot of CA transplants there so it’s become more blue. If I were relocating, I would seriously look at Texas. That HGTV show set in Waco makes me want to move there for the housing, and I think Chip and Joanna Gaines would be awesome neighbors.
Just because it’s funny, and we’ve been talking about Utah. FYI, Studio C is a comedy group from BYU. Most early members of the LDS (Mormon) church were from the UK or Scandinavia. It’s now much more diverse.
Moved from California to Utah for college in 96’ and I am NEVER fucking going back. Not ever.
That state is overrun with liberal bullshit and sanctuary cities. Taxes up the ying yang and more illegal immigrants in the state prisons than any other… CRIME, GRIME and SLIME…ect. ect.
Utah on the other hand, is totally different. Low taxes, a very low cost of living…and REALLY safe. Being Mormon helps at first, but it is by no means a deal breaker.
The outdoor recreation opportunities are literally endless, and you can buy a 2200sf. house on .30 acres for under 200K in the college town I live in.
And don’t let the stories about the LDS church freak you out…they are pretty normal for the most part.
And the Salt Lake City metro area is one of the fastest growing tech centers in the country with Google, Adobe, Micron, Flash, and Novell building huge hubs here.
Out of interest, are you a member of the LDS church? It certainly wouldn’t detract from your point in any way, given the glowing endorsement of Utah for prospective entrants.
A work visa is a good way to get your feet into the door. For you can get one that is extended and if you are earning and paying taxes, a green card for permanent residency.
The best thing to do is contact or go to the American Embassy and simply ask them.
Do you have a job opportunity? Do you even need a Visa to come from Ireland? I think you can just travel without a visa to the U.S.
“People vote with their feet. It’s how it’s always been. With rare exception people use their feet to move towards freedom – and towards the resulting prosperity.
The article below details this all-important vote Americans make when it comes to where they live and work. Every top ten progressive state – where Hillary got her best vote margins – has been losing population at a brisk clip, while the top ten small government states have been steadily receiving many if not most of these domestic U.S. refugees.
It’s the most accurate barometer I’ve seen that demonstrates the failure of Big Government. Democrats have no coherent answer to this ‘vote’ by Americans. Their strategy is a … push to ruin the more freedom-oriented states, so Americans have no place to flee to within the U.S.A.” - Richard Rider, economist.
Also applies to @dchris and his thread about Portland’s punish the rich policies. Watch those companies, and high income earners head for Boise.
