Lots of good advice from some experienced folk!
I would re-emphasize the "pay nothing upfront" recommendation. Many would-be pilots have lost lots of cash that way. Pay as you go! If you have the cash sitting there, put it into an interest-bearing account.
Flying in winter is fabulous - better visibility than almost any other time of year, and the view of snowy fields etc from 2000 feet is a delight.
Remember it's icy, though, and listen to what the instructor says about airframe and carburettor ice. On my qualifying cross-country, I got out of the aircraft at Biggin and fell flat on my face on the ice. The aircraft taxied quite well on the slippery surface, but I didn't!
Learning abroad is good if you're in a hurry, but there are disadvantages too. There's lots about that in old threads - use the "search" tool at the bottom of the page to look for "Florida" and "California" and the like.
As one who has flown lots in the USA, I can tell you that it is a great place to fly, and if you have a full JAA PPL, they'll issue you an FAA one with only some paperwork to be done.
Flying in California, Arizona, Utah etc is nothing short of fabulous.