An Aussie in NY
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An Aussie in NY
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Re: An Aussie in NY
#2It's a pretty spot on comparison. I moved here from Sydney about 3 years ago and feel basically the same. Though I don't have the same aversion to tipping that he has, probably because I (having grown up in the US before immigrating to Oz) understand how to work the system—particularly in bars. As for the unicycle/mustache thing, I lived in Newtown in Sydney, and that sort of thing wouldnt have garnered more than a doubletake there either ;)
Still, I miss my four weeks of vacation and my stress free access to medical care. Oh yeah, and the extremely efficient government agencies. The difference between Aussie immigration (DIMIA) and American (DHS) is striking.
Re: An Aussie in NY
#3I too am an Aussie in NYC, having moved last November for work (in my case, Google).
NYC is an amazing city, particularly if you're willing and able to pay the exorbitant Manhattans rents. Or you're sufficiently socially skilled and/or lucky to partake in the great private welfare system that is rent stabilization (and rent control but that's mostly irrelevant these days).
To me NYC exemplifies Western capitalism, both the good and bad parts. There'd is incredible commerce--and wealth--here. But there's also poverty and homelessness for those tha have fallen through the cracks in the system.
One thing America excels at is service, whether it be retail, restaurants, businesses or whatever. Ther are of course exceptions but for those Americans who complain about service: compare it to most other Western countries and you'll appreciate it that much more.
Despite all that the American experiment seems broken--eve dying. Health care is a disaster (not that I'm necessarily advocating public health care). Social security is a ticking time bomb. Most governments are in serious debt, even to crisis levels. Once you see cities and possibly states default (or just require a bailout) you'll see a fresh eave of financial scandals.
Wall Street seems addicted to debt, to the point of being the engine of financial collapse. Most Americans live beyond their means. America has a number of engineering marvels from the 20th century that look like not being repeated any time soon. They're simply not economical anymore. Think the Moon landings, the Golden Gate bridge, the Hoover Dam, etc.
A lot of the country seems to be in decay. The culture seems increasingly fractured. Honestly it reminds me of the dying days of the Roman Empire. I'm sure there was incredible wealth in Rome the day before it was sacked.
Still, it's hard to argue with a fresh mozzarella slice from Bleecker Street Pizza.
Oh as far as tipping goes, I agree it's strange and I often have to check tipping etiquette in various situations but remember it isn't mandatory (built in service charges in restaurant bills notwithstanding). Example: last week I took a cab from SFO to Mountain View (expensive!) and the driver had no clue. He kept going the wrong way, asking for directions from my phone, ignoring me telling him which exits to take, etc. I didn't feel bad stiffing him on the tip although he still felt entitled to it.
Re: An Aussie in NY
#4I think this article perhaps focuses a little bit too much on the negatives :)
I'm an Englishman living in California, and I don't really plan to leave here. I like it here. I like the people, I like the weather, and I like the way things generally work from day-to-day. It's really easy to latch onto things that seem, to my eyes, badly broken, like health care, but forget that otherwise, things are pretty sweet.
Sometimes, people ask me what I think of the US. And I might mention health care or something, and they'll reply, "Yeah, the US sucks, huh?" My usual response is "If I didn't like it, I wouldn't be here."
What I don't really understand is that, at least in California, it seems most people see all the bits that are broken, and know they are. And then you get a President who is actually trying to at least place a band-aid over the wounds, and you get cries of Socialism and Nazis. That's the insidious bit of America that I can't stand: America is a country that constantly wants to, and tries to, reinvent itself. To always move towards betterment, as individuals, and as a country. And yet there are a great many vocal people who succeed in holding it back. The ills of today could be gone tomorrow, but they won't be, and that's a shame for everyone.
Re: An Aussie in NY
#5As an American who worked in Australia, I can vouch that you guys (luckily) don't share our same crazy work ethic. I was practically alone in the office of a large corporation once the clock struck 4pm on a Friday. I think you'd fit in well in New York though because they have the same teasing sense of humor that I found everywhere down under.
Re: An Aussie in NY
#6I too am an Aussie in NYC, having moved last November for work (in my case, Google). NYC is an amazing city, particularly if you're willing and able to pay the exorbitant Manhattans rents. Or you're sufficiently socially skilled and/or lucky to partake in the great private welfare system that is rent stabilization (and rent control but that's mostly irrelevant these days). To me NYC exemplifies Western capitalism, bo…
Your use of the phrase "the American experiment" is pretentious, especially when you call it broken.
We're a country and people with fundamental, albeit continually debated, beliefs. We have a governance system with which people can engage directly and peacefully to affect almost any aspect of their lives. Hence, the saying "thing's are broken" is entirely empty. The magic of America is that you can shape the system; it's a matter of persistence.
Things are not perfect, but we're riding on a solid foundation and I wouldn't bet against that.
Re: An Aussie in NY
#7I too am an Aussie in NYC, having moved last November for work (in my case, Google). NYC is an amazing city, particularly if you're willing and able to pay the exorbitant Manhattans rents. Or you're sufficiently socially skilled and/or lucky to partake in the great private welfare system that is rent stabilization (and rent control but that's mostly irrelevant these days). To me NYC exemplifies Western capitalism, bo…
Forget manhattan, outer boroughs are much better.
Re: An Aussie in NY
#8I too am an Aussie in NYC, having moved last November for work (in my case, Google). NYC is an amazing city, particularly if you're willing and able to pay the exorbitant Manhattans rents. Or you're sufficiently socially skilled and/or lucky to partake in the great private welfare system that is rent stabilization (and rent control but that's mostly irrelevant these days). To me NYC exemplifies Western capitalism, bo…
Your use of the phrase "the American experiment" is pretentious, especially when you call it broken. We're a country and people with fundamental, albeit continually debated, beliefs. We have a governance system with which people can engage directly and peacefully to affect almost any aspect of their lives. Hence, the saying "thing's are broken" is entirely empty. The magic of America is that you can shape the system;…
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Re: An Aussie in NY
#9I too am an Aussie in NYC, having moved last November for work (in my case, Google). NYC is an amazing city, particularly if you're willing and able to pay the exorbitant Manhattans rents. Or you're sufficiently socially skilled and/or lucky to partake in the great private welfare system that is rent stabilization (and rent control but that's mostly irrelevant these days). To me NYC exemplifies Western capitalism, bo…
Forget manhattan, outer boroughs are much better.
The outer boroughs are different, not better or worse (except Staten Island, that's worse).
I love Brooklyn and Queens, but I am very happy living in Manhattan. It doesn't have to be a pissing contest, NYC is a big place with a whole fuckload of awesome going on; it'd be silly to limit yourself either way.
Re: An Aussie in NY
#10I too am an Aussie in NYC, having moved last November for work (in my case, Google). NYC is an amazing city, particularly if you're willing and able to pay the exorbitant Manhattans rents. Or you're sufficiently socially skilled and/or lucky to partake in the great private welfare system that is rent stabilization (and rent control but that's mostly irrelevant these days). To me NYC exemplifies Western capitalism, bo…
Mate, I think you're making too many generalizations based on things that feel true, you know, 'cause that's what everybody says.
Statements like "social security is a time bomb" belay a misunderstanding of what you're talking about. SS is just fine, there are many other, more real issues—but I don't want to get into a policy debate. My point is that you've been here 4 months and should give it a few years before making such sweeping, half-informed judgements.
Anyway, drop a line sometime if you want to grab a beer. I live in the WV as well and I can point you toward much better pizza than anything you'll find on Bleecker.