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> Now, why is it that it is so expensive to live in America? Why do we
> need to make more than $12/week to live?
Actually, Michele, it is NOT so expensive to live in America!!! I moved
to the UK two years ago and had a RUDE awakening. Housing here is
roughly 2 to 3 times the cost of housing in Dallas, Texas. Salaries are
about half here what they were in Dallas. In fact, as a technical writer
I'd be lucky to make that half! I've only been doing a few odd freelance
jobs here and am very, very lucky to get 15 pounds per hour (less than
$30), and that's only when and IF I can find anyone who knows what
technical writers (here called 'technical authors') even do! Gas (for
cars) is close to $5.00 per gallon. So far, I've found NOTHING here that
is cheaper than in America.
Yes, we do have 'free' medical care, but we have waiting lists: a heart
bypass is about 6 weeks, a hip replacement is 18 months, etc. Most
people, if they can afford it, opt for private health insurance.
And now all the big banks and multinationals are taking their work
offshore (mostly India) as well.
