I've lived in the states for 10 years now, and let me tell you: stay in Canada.
I actually loved living in Iowa, and Boston is great too (Philly sucked, but that's another story).
But about 5 years ago my wife became seriously ill, and that really brought home for us a few things:
1. You don't want to be sick in the U.S. Even if, like us, you have good insurance.
2. You pay more here for worse care than you get in Canada.
3. Getting sick can make you go from a very comfortable lifestyle to just getting by.
Add to that the fact that I pay way more tax here than I would in Canada (don't let anyone tell you different--taxes here are BRUTAL, especially payroll taxes) and it's a home run. I also, now that I'm a parent, want to be closer to my family and my roots, and want my daughter to grow up as a Canadian.
It's not smug; Canada's far from perfect. But the U.S. has so many obstacles to a good quality of life that for anyone in the middle class, you're better off north of the border. The question should be this: should you take advantage of the chance to live in Canada rather than having to live in the states?
The answer is yes. And I'll be coming home next chance I get.
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