Episode 37: Why do people in the U.S. move so often?

[00:00:00] Welcome to English, please the podcast where we explore captivating topics in under 10 minutes, in clear, intermediate English. I’m your host, Christopher. I live and work in New York City, and I’m a language enthusiast who has always been interested in the best ways to learn a new language. 

First of all, thanks for listening. I said in episode 36 that I’m sending occasional newsletters to assist you on your journey to fluency. If you’re interested, you can sign up in the show notes. 

I also mentioned that, in a future episode, I’m going to answer questions that I’ve received since I started English, please over a year ago. If you have a question, please [00:01:00] send it either when you sign up for the newsletter at comullen.com/pod, or you can send it directly to english.please.podcast@gmail.com. I am still working through the many great questions I’ve received about learning English, about New York City, ~uh, ~about my thoughts on some of the things happening in the USA lately, and about many other topics. I think I’m going to answer them on the next episode, so send any last questions soon! It should be fun. 

Now, on with this episode! 

My job has been incredibly busy, and also stressful, over the past two weeks. The reason for this is two of my colleagues (who are also my friends) recently moved away from New York. One of my colleagues moved to Seattle, on the West Coast, [00:02:00] with his family, and the other moved with her boyfriend to Chicago Because we now have less people on my team at work, things have been piling up. But it also got me thinking about how often people in the USA move to another city or region —in general, far more often than people who live in other parts of the world. In fact, the average person who lives in the United States moves eleven times throughout his or her life. When I think about my own life, I’ve moved more than eleven times, and I’ve lived in five different regions of the United States. I was speaking to a friend in France last week, and she understandably was shocked at this number. 

Hollywood movies and popular American books often [00:03:00] represent moving as a new start and a chance to change your life. In many films, characters pack up their lives and hit the road hoping for a better future. For example, movies like Thelma and Louise show road trips as a way to escape old problems and find freedom. In literature. Stories like On the Road by Jack Kerouac are about people traveling across the United States in search of adventure and self discovery. These stories, and more, celebrate the idea that moving to a new place can be exciting and full of new opportunities.

And this idea is not just in art. It is a real part of life in the United States. Many Americans, like my two colleagues, move several times during their lives. [00:04:00] And I’m going to talk a little bit about why people in the United States move so frequently.

The US has a long history of moving and the exploration of new lands. When the US was first settled, many people left their old homes to find new places where they could live and work. They moved west following the promise of a new life in a vast, open land. This history created a kind of cultural belief in freedom and new beginnings. In simple words, many Americans believe that moving can help them start over. They see change as a way to improve their lives.

One big reason Americans move is for work. The United States has a large and changing economy. Different parts of the country have different kinds of jobs. For [00:05:00] example, a person might live in a small town where there are few jobs, and then move to a big city where many industries are located. Cities like New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago offer more chances for a good career.

Job offers often require people to leave their current home and move to a new city or state. In the US, many people see moving as a way to earn a better salary or find a job that fits their skills. When someone gets a job far from home, they might pack up and leave without thinking twice. People in the US on average stay in a job for four years. In most of the world, the average time at a job is over 10 years! 

The housing market makes it fairly easy for people to move. People can choose between apartments in [00:06:00] a city or houses in the suburbs. While it’s similar in a lot of the world, the suburbs in the US, for better or worse, grew a lot after World War II, and they make up a huge part of the housing options now. Many families over the years have left the crowded cities to find homes with more space, better schools, and a safer neighborhood.

Even today, many Americans move from cities to suburbs, or sometimes back to cities, as their needs change. When a family grows, they may need a bigger house, but later in life, when children leave home, people might want to live in a smaller place, or in a community designed for older adults. The housing market that supports this attitude reinforces the idea that moving is a normal part of life.

American culture is rooted in a [00:07:00] strong belief in the power of change. People in the US frequently think that moving to a new place can make life better. In the US, therefore, moving is rarely viewed as something negative.

Instead, it is often thought of as a chance to start fresh. People believe that by leaving behind the old and embracing the new, they can improve their lives. This idea of reinventing yourself is a common theme in American culture, and you can hear and see this in many movies and books, in popular music, and even in everyday conversation.

The vast size of the country also plays a big role. The United States has many different regions with different ways of life. For example, life in the busy streets of New York City is quite different from life in a quiet town in the Midwest. [00:08:00] Because there are so many options, people can find a place that matches their lifestyle and values.

This freedom to choose where to live, encourages people to move again and again. And don’t forget, the vast majority of people speak English, so adapting to a new place doesn’t require learning a new language (although there are significant cultural differences in traditions, and also regional phrases and local slang). 

Even though moving can bring new opportunities, it also does come with challenges. Leaving behind friends, family, and familiar places can be hard. Moving is always stressful, and the process of finding a new home, putting your things into boxes, and adjusting to a new place is not always easy. 

However, many Americans see these challenges as part of the adventure. They learn to [00:09:00] adapt to new environments and meet new people. Each move brings new experiences and lessons. Over time, many people grow stronger and more confident because of the challenges they face during each move. 

For people who live outside the USA. In other parts of the world, life is often more stable. People frequently live in the same city or town for many years. The deep historical roots and long family ties in other countries can make moving seem unusual. Of course, people living in a place for generations is precisely what makes so many cities, towns, and villages in the world, interesting and full of traditions and with a real identity. This is sometimes missing here in the United States.

In the end, moving during life [00:10:00] is a part of the American story. From the early settlers who moved westward in search of new lands to the modern professionals who move for work, the desire for change and to improve oneself is deeply rooted in American society. Whether it is driven by work, family, or the simple desire for change, moving is a way that life continues to shape the American experience. The negative part of this is that there is less history in the US, and a lot of times that makes parts of American culture feel a bit shallow or simplistic.

But, after my two colleagues moved away, it definitely has made me think a little about moving, too. 

I hope you were able to understand most of the English in this episode. As always, there is a transcript available to help you with your understanding. You can find the link in the [00:11:00] episode notes. Try listening again with a transcript to help with anything that wasn’t clear.

Again, I’m Christopher and I want to invite you to join me in future episodes of English, please to hear about a variety of topics all focused on helping you with your English. Subscribe now wherever you listen to podcasts, and let’s embark on an adventure together in clear, understandable English.

Sincere thanks as always for listening and send those questions. 

See you soon.