Is the grass really always greener on the otherside?

Posted: February 5th, 2011 | Author: admin | Filed under: Open Opinions | Tags: 1040nr, grass is always greener, physical presence usa, Pub 519, substantial presence, the grass is always greener on the otherside, us tax, US territorial waters | No Comments »

Esta misma entrada blog esta disponible en español aquí

Hi everybody it’s me Juan your friendly US Colombian Expat living in Bogota.

Allow me to introduce myself. I was born and raised in Miami Beach, FL I’m 29 years old this month so get your birthday wishes ready.

Today I want to talk about an old phrase;

“the grass is always greener on the other side”

and does it still apply today?

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Additionally in this blog/open discussion, how it applies to the Latin American culture and our fascination with the United States and its American dream. I don’t intended to devalue the US and the opportunities it offers foreigners but I would like to analyze and create the launch pad for an open discussion or debate on the state of mind that makes people crave living in the US, Europe and or any other country other than their own.

I’d like to site some pretty compelling articles on the topic that I found and I think are relevant and make a good point on the matter. I like fair and balanced arguments from different points of view so I’ll try and provide articles or links that either counter my view or propose a positive where maybe I see a negative.

Ok so now that I got that out of the way allow me to spill my guts on the matter!

I think one important observation is where the migration is coming from and where it’s going to.

From what statistics are showing the highest concentration of immigrants are coming from either Latin American, Central American, Asian and some European countries and they’re heading to the states primarily and Europe. So what’s this all due to?

Now as a disclaimer a lot of this part is purely my conjecture and opinion. However I also speak from experience as living here in South America specifically Colombia and even more specifically in the capital city of Bogota I am constantly bombarded by Colombian nationals, friends, colleagues, Associates or people just passing by who simply revel in the United States, it’s style of life, malls, television, food choices, clothing and work opportunities. With the exception of the latter when you review what these people are interested in the United States for. You realize after having lived there, that there is nothing being mentioned of any real substance or benefit to the overall human experience. I mean really a shopping mall? Television? And then for food choices Burger King, ARBY’s, McDonald’s, Kentucky fried chicken? Are you kidding me? And that’s when I have to take a step back and applaud the work the effort and dedication that the marketing agencies of the United States have put into worldwide exposure of all their nice shiny crap, preconditioning people worldwide.

Me on the other hand Living here in South America, Colombia I have not only had the opportunity to enjoy homemade meals just about every day of the week for $6 thousand pesos (approximately $3 dollars) I look back at the times when I would pay 20 dollars to get poisoned at a drive thru! Organic food in this country is cheap and accessible.  Something that we call here a Criollo (organic) chicken for example which is a chicken that was raised without any hormones fed corn and other natural vegetable products. Chicken that is not associated with thyroid cancer, hyperthyroid, hypothyroid, attention deficit disorder in children and massive rapid obesity in adolescents… Just a few of the side effects associated with eating that unnaturally fat 13-day-old chicken.

So I guess basically the point I’m getting to in this short blog and that I would like to open up for debate.  Is that at this point in my life I can’t help but stand in awe at the power and reach that propaganda has achieved and its ability to make people all over the world over look the ugly reality of the situation. I understand its position and the part it plays in our capitalist society and the need that companies have to utilize these machines in order to increase their profit. My question here would be what’s the effect it’s having on human evolution and the development of our society? Is the future going to be like the movie wall-e proposed? Worldwide?

Again this Blog is written by Juan and his opinions are entirely his own and not those of 1040NR tax returns unless you agree with him (lol)

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