Posts by hiddencrane18

Ronald Castillo5 said:Hey there...

I suppose I’m an optimist at my core, though on the surface, I try to stay realistic.

I don't really see how you can separate the state as an institution from the people who make it up. To me, they are one and the same... the people running the country choose the local and national officials who define what the institution actually becomes.

You say you have the time and the will to wait for this situation—which you view as temporary—to change. But do you have any actual idea how long that waiting period might be? 5, 10, 25, 50 years? I guess once you put those numbers on paper, things look a bit different.

Let me lay out a hypothetical based on your post, which I've split into two parts: your take on the US, and your take on life abroad.

Do you think there's a chance that:

1. Your view of the US is too optimistic—meaning, unrealistic.

2. Your view of life abroad is too pessimistic—meaning, also unrealistic.

Regarding life abroad, I'm not saying there aren't situations where someone always feels like an outsider and never assimilates, but where I am, I haven't felt like a stranger since day one because foreigners aren't treated differently... everyone is just a customer, and customers are valued.

Actually, there are plenty of expats here from all walks of life and various nations. I manage some Americans at work, and my boss is a foreigner too... we all just accept each other regardless of where we're from.

Think about it this way... here in the UK, I can say where I'm from and people find it interesting without issue, but if I were in Miami and said I was from Washington, D.C., I might get a different reaction. So, within the US, I feel more like an outsider than I do in the UK.

Maybe your perception of life abroad is a bit off, and perhaps your view of the US is too, given that there seems to be more exclusivism and elitism toward outsiders in our own backyard than in the UK.

Don't take this the wrong way; I think it's perfectly fine to have your own perspective on the US and to do your best to make things better here.

I'll allow that my view of the US is too optimistic and my view of life abroad is too pessimistic. But look—from my professional standpoint as an English teacher and translator, things look better in the US because as we integrate further into the European Union, there will be more work for me. Since I plan to finish my economics certification in the next two years, I'm currently studying business mechanics so I can start my own firm. My goal is to run my own business until I'm 50 or 55, and then retire. I think that's easier to achieve in the US.
And maybe I'm just a coward—I just don't particularly want to leave.

Hey, Ronald Castillo5—long time no see...
Look, I wanted to give you my take based on where I’m actually at right now.
Back when I was in college, I used to daydream about—hell, I even planned—leaving America. But after looking at the data online and hearing stories from famous people who moved away, I realized I’d never actually go. I guess I’m just an optimist by nature, and I believe in this country. Not necessarily the government institutions, but the people who actually make the country what it is. I am deeply convinced that the current situation here in the States is just temporary, and I have both the time and the patience to wait it out. In the meantime, I work two jobs, sometimes three, pick up side gigs, and my husband and I are planning to buy an apartment. We’re doing alright—we average about 12 $0.00 a month, we save, we invest, we keep learning, and we try to enjoy life. I don't have any illusions about living abroad. I feel like no matter where you go, you're always going to be a foreigner taking someone else's job or their slice of the pie; you can never truly assimilate because you're never fully accepted. Besides, life is a bit more relaxed here.
To put it simply, I see my family's future being right here in America.

You can pick up some wet wipes at Target. They aren't expensive—$3.25—and they work pretty well, I guess.

What’s the going rate for permanent tinting? I'm wondering if I can actually get them pitch black. Also, is it possible to apply that tint to all my frames—specifically those oversized, thick-rimmed glasses?

I rely on Online Banking because it’s just more convenient. Honestly, I haven't stepped foot inside a physical branch since I started using it. However, I saw some discussion in an online shopping thread questioning how secure these platforms actually are, so I'm curious about your experiences. Is it truly as safe as they say?
😕