Good question,

Things are changing in the US, and not in a good way. Housing is too expensive in the cities, our political system is ruined beyond repair-- more theater and lies than anything. Not that the UK is much better, but the neo-cons here have gone off the deep end. Quite scary with the Patriot Act and all the other missnamed plans. Like the Clean Skies inititive, which will allow complanies to polute MORE!!

I first planned to leave the midwest and head to the west coast for a more liberal enviroment, but with the current situation, and the discovery of NZ WHV i decided otherwise.

But I am going on the WHV, so my stay is not permanent. However, I'm planning on graduate school in Sweden after leaving NZ. But I'd be a likely canidate to live permenently in NZ. I enjoy fishing, scuba diving, having a clean environment, and a slower pace of live. I feel a bit out of place in the US with everyone running about, constantly checking the time, and happy for their meager two weeks vacation a year. Not how I want to live.

Jon