The Americans: Prejudices and enlightenment of an emigrant

“Personally, I feel very comfortable here. For me, the positive things outweigh the negative aspects. Everyone has to make this decision for themselves,” sums up Monika Wilson (†), who immigrated to the USA in 1990. She is happy to share her experiences below. What I particularly like here is the extremely pleasant working environment. Within a company, you feel like a community and a big family and there is hardly any competition. Everyone helps everyone – as a matter of course and without making a fuss.

Envy-free and helpful cooperation

Even outside the company, people tend to treat each other rather than play each other off against each other. They live by the motto: “I’m ok and you’re ok”. No one tries to lecture the other. Everyone is valuable, regardless of their social status. If someone is rich, you are happy for him or her. If they drive a big car, it’s seen as beautiful but not as something special. If someone is poor, he or she is just like you and me. Or if someone drives an old battered car, nobody turns up their nose. The dustman is just as important as the manager of a large company.

Disabled people of all ages are naturally part of the community. Neighborly help is very important and taken for granted. For example, the unemployed neighbor is asked to mow the lawn or run a few errands – due to lack of time, of course. He is paid generously for this. This way, he doesn’t have to be embarrassed by the gifts, but feels good about having done something for the money he has received and doesn’t look like a loser.

Charitable and foreign-friendly

Almost all events here serve a charitable purpose. For example, motorcycle tours are held in aid of a sick child who needs organ transplants. Or people organize a car show to benefit sick veterans and a dog walk is undertaken for the animal shelter.

In our company, we donate ten percent of all commissions to “Easter Seals”, which provides camps and vacations for sick children. All of this is a matter of course here. People find new citizens interesting. They are not seen as outsiders, whether in the neighborhood, at work or at school. Many supermarkets here are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – which I also like. But now to some prejudices:

You often find artificial friendliness, such as in restaurant service or from sales clerks. As a customer, however, I would rather have the fake friendliness than meet a grouch. I also believe that in most cases this friendliness has become second nature to most people, that it is also meant seriously to a certain extent. I have many acquaintances and fewer friends here: I don’t feel any of this superficiality with them. Real friends are there for each other here too.

There are not only the well-known fast food chains like McDonalds or family restaurants like Perkins. There are also really good restaurants. Many Americans have European roots. Accordingly, there are also very good Italian, Greek, French, Japanese and German restaurants where you can eat very well.

I don’t even know where to start: American culture is diverse and influenced by many immigrants and natives.

One day, for example, I phoned a Fedex International employee and asked her which form I had to fill out for a parcel to Germany. Her answer: “Is Germany overseas”? The news here mainly reports on what’s happening in the USA and a little bit of Canada.

There is only European reporting when something extraordinary happens there, for example when Paul, the soccer world cup squid, died or other serious things. Many people here certainly don’t know all the capitals in Europe or who is currently Chancellor in Germany. However, the USA is so big that the events here already fill the broadcasts. However, there are also pure news channels where you can get a good overview of world events.

The school system here is extremely good. Both my children went through it from kindergarten onwards. My mother, who was a teacher in Germany, was totally amazed at what the children were able to do at a very early age. Later, she was amazed at the subject matter covered here. The school system is certainly academically comparable to that in Germany. I found the organization of the lessons here in SW Florida to be better than in Germany.

The children receive a general education here, but are also supported according to their aptitudes. For example, if a child is a failure in mathematics and is above the class average in English, they are placed in a mathematics support class until they reach the class average. In English, on the other hand, the child is placed in a remedial class, which provides further support in this area.

These children always stay together in one class and are only separated and given special support in these particular weak or strong subjects. Here in Florida there is a centralized evaluation system where children, teachers and schools are evaluated. Every school strives to achieve good results, because the better the school performs, the more it is supported by the state and receives additional funding.

In some high schools, children can learn a profession such as veterinary assistant. After high school, they can start working for a vet straight away. University classes are also preferred at some high schools, which saves the children the basic courses at university later on. Universities and colleges are very expensive and have to be paid for by the parents.

Some children get a scholarship. This is much easier than in Germany: many companies, clubs, institutions and private individuals offer such scholarships, meaning that almost every child with reasonably good high school results has the opportunity to receive a scholarship. They can also receive state student grants, which they have to pay back later.

Well, that is certainly true, but not as bad as it is often portrayed. There are, of course, health insurance policies and here, too, employees are mainly insured by the company. It doesn’t matter whether they have pre-existing conditions or not. The employee can also insure their family there. If you are self-employed, you must of course insure yourself and pre-existing conditions play a role here.

For example, my husband and I pay USD 480 a month for both of us together for health insurance. We have a deductible of USD 1000 per year, but this only applies if we have to go to hospital or need special tests. Visits to the doctor and “normal” tests are covered without a deductible. However, neither of us has any pre-existing conditions. A colleague of mine has a husband with a heart attack and she also gets insurance for him. However, she pays almost 1000 USD and has a deductible of 5000 USD per year.

Because rental insurance with a low deductible is very expensive, many providers offer rates with deductibles ranging from $1,000 to $5,000. Make sure your boat rental company has coverage with the lowest available deductible of $500.

Other social benefits are also available here, such as unemployment benefit for up to 2 years, housing benefit, food vouchers and social assistance. Not as much or as comfortable as in Germany, but they do exist here. In addition, Americans are very active as volunteers in numerous aid organizations. For example, I myself go with my dog Ghia to homes for the dying, where we visit the sick. As already mentioned, our company subsidizes Easter Seals and every broker gives ten percent of their commission to this aid organization voluntarily (we are not forced to do so).

It is true that it is legal to have a firearm in your home in Florida. However, this is not possible without a firearms license. This must be applied for and the person who wants to buy a gun must also take a course and pass a background check. The weapons are registered. Not every American can buy a gun indiscriminately and there are certainly Americans who are not allowed to buy a gun. Criminals obtain guns illegally on the black market, just like anywhere else in the world.

It is also against the law to shoot people unless your own life or the life of another is in direct danger. A fleeing burglar is not a threat. Personally, I don’t like guns either, but I have three alert German Shepherds and I would certainly have no problem if they caught a burglar and “accidentally” took a nibble. However, my dogs recognize an acute danger to life. If this is not the case, they would first confront the burglar and give him a fright.