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I was born and raised in the United States and I had a pretty happy life there for about 30 years before I moved to England.
Sure, I get homesick for many parts of my American life, but now that I've lived in the United Kingdom for roughly three years, I've noticed that there are a number of things I've been happy to say farewell to.
Here are six things I don't miss about my life in the US.
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I feel incredibly fortunate to now live in a country with a public universal healthcare system, something the US doesn't have.
In the US, my insurance plan was basically the same as many Americans — just hope you don't get sick or prepare to pay a ton of money for testing and treatments.
Now, it's nice to know that if I do fall ill, I can actually afford to seek professional care thanks to The National Health Service in England.
This service certainly isn't perfect, but it does allow me to make doctors' appointments, undergo diagnostic testing, and even visit the emergency room for treatment without worrying about going bankrupt in the process.
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Maybe it's because I grew up watching television, but I never noticed just how many advertisements for prescription medication air in the US until my British partner pointed it out.
Once she did, I couldn't ignore them and these ads began to bother me quite a bit.
From the endless lists of side effects (many of them potentially fatal) to the constant reminder to ask your doctor about pills and prescriptions, these commercials are exhausting and I've found that the absence of these ads has made watching TV more enjoyable and less anxiety-inducing for me.
Sure, there are ads for over-the-counter drugs in the UK, but you cannot advertise prescription-only medication on TV here. Instead, prescription medications are promoted to healthcare professionals and those who actually supply and distribute the products.
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Like many others, I think the US has a serious gun problem, which is especially apparent based on how mass shootings are becoming more frequent and deadlier in America.
And although it didn't make me anxious every single day, the threat of gun violence was something I thought about somewhat regularly while I lived in the US.
Fortunately, I don't worry about gun violence nearly as much in the UK, especially since the UK has stricter gun laws than the US.
Legally obtaining a gun in the UK is a fairly long and pretty arduous process that can take about 60 days. In the US, gun laws vary by state, but they are certainly laxer than the laws in the UK.
For example, in some parts of the US, people can get an instant background check, which can lead to them being legally able to purchase a gun in less than an hour.
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