3 ms·

Thanks for sharing your inspiring and encouraging story. I suspect that very few people would be brave enough to go as far out on the limb as you have. But you

• lproven 5y ago
  There are quite a few of us knocking around out here. I have many friends in their 40s through to one in his 80s (!) who got sick of the West for various reasons and came out here and found a better life. It's not just the rampant ageism. In the UK, nowadays, if you actually want to leave the office and go for lunch, that is frowned upon. Especially in the financial sector, dedication means eating at your desk and a few hours of unpaid overtime every day as standard. Here, my bosses chase me out of the office for lunch every day. Many locals bring their own food in, in which case, you're expected to go for a walk for half an hour or something. It's the law: you must take a break. It's a far healthier working culture. Also, of course, Americans need to remember that you get at least 4 weeks of paid time off every year and free unlimited healthcare with no restrictions. Women get a minimum of one year of paid maternity leave, which can be extended to 3 or 4 years (but the same fixed amount of money is spread out over that time, so the longer you take, the less you get each month... But still...)