I’m not sure if what I said makes sense, it’s kinda hard to explain.
I moved to Europe seven years ago. At first, our motivation was the ability to have children without going into debt. After living here for a few years, we were able to buy a house and live a lifestyle that was once considered ‘the American dream.’ I also found that life is less materialistic here. People still have gardens and walk to places they want to go to. I just find it to be a more sustainable environment for my family.
Having lived in England, Sweden, Japan, Argentina, and Uganda; I can assure you that it’s great! Honestly all Americans should spend at least a year abroad at some point. Most people here have such an insular view of the world and have been brainwashed to believe that we are somehow the “best.” People are great and experiencing different cultures and ways of life can truly help you relate to others in a much more altruistic way.
I live in Berlin now, and I’m still trying to get used to my five weeks of vacation. All vacation is paid vacation, and it’s standard everywhere. I also get a two-hour lunch and have a 32-hour workweek. All of this adds up to years that I can spend with my family. It just makes the quality of life so much better.
I moved to Europe and always thought I would go back to the US one day. That changed when I had kids. As weird as it is for someone who grew up being fed the whole ‘land of opportunity’ narrative, Europe simply provides more opportunity, more security, and a better quality of life for my kids. Staying here for them has been a no-brainer.
I moved to Europe and my favorite thing about living here is that it’s so easy to pick up and travel somewhere completely different. In America, you have to travel a long way to get to a place with a different culture. But here in Europe, in just a few hours I can drive to France, the Netherlands, or Germany. And in a few hours on a plane, I can be in Italy, Greece, Spain, or Portugal.
My husband and I moved to Germany for my work. We loved every minute of it. We lived in a small farming village, walked the dogs in the national forest almost daily, bought bread from the bread truck that drove through town, had the best neighbors, loved everything about the area and the culture. We would have lived our entire lives there if my work contract hadn’t ended. At one point we considered getting citizenship and giving up our US citizenship. Maybe one day we’ll get back, but it’s a difficult move to make, especially with pets (we brought our 3 dogs: 2 German shepherds and a Labrador, and our 2 guinea pigs with us, it was quite a challenge!).
Expat in Germany for the past 5 years. I moved out here for graduate school and now work at a university and am married with a kid on the way. For the most part I really love it here, but there are of course drawbacks.
Positives:
– cost of living (I have never once felt like I had to sacrifice other expenditures just to pay my rent, in contrast to the US)
– healthcare affordability and quality (had my appendix out last year for a grand total of 50 €, had an MRI in the US once and it cost $800)
– work-life balance (30 days vacation and no one makes you feel like a lazy POS for taking off. Also i am very happy that my wife will not be expected to go back to work after only 6 weeks of maternity leave)
– safety (granted that I am a 6’5″ white male, i find that german cities are MUCH safer than US ones. I was mugged twice in two different cities in the US and had a gun pulled on me once. In general I find it far more comforting that not everyone is able to have a gun here.)
– public transport actually exists and is useful and well-maintained
– being able to travel to really incredible places that are relatively close by
Negatives:
– I do miss my family back home, but at least there is social media and I can call any time. It is mostly rough not being there in person for big events.
– Nosy neighbors. Everyone is watching what you are doing, which can be quite annoying.
– Finding friends is a bit difficult because Germans are quite reserved as a rule. This is especially hard because I am not the most extroverted person
– The bureaucracy can be very annoying. Especially if you have some special circumstances that require perhaps a bit more thought for a solution.
– Nationalism is definitely still a thing here. While it is maybe not quite as openly flaunted as it is with many Americans, there are definitely quite a lot of people who still hold the ‘Deutschland über alle’ mentality, they just are not as vocal about it.
– Food is a bit mixed in quality.
Moved to Norway for work 10 years ago, right after getting married. Best decision we’ve ever made. Great life here. So peaceful, relaxed, comfortable and secure. Have absolutely zero desire to move back to the USA. There were things we missed at first, mostly #firstworldproblems stuff like favorite restaurants and Costco, but we’ve found ways to cope without those things and in most cases realized we don’t need them at all. We’ve had 3 kids since moving here. They know they’re American but, to them, Norway is home. America is the place we go on vacation to visit Grandma and Grandpa. It’s kind of weird sometimes when I realize that we’re now the immigrant family making a new life in a foreign country, but it’s really put a whole new perspective on the many friends I had growing up whose parents made that same choice coming to America. I have a much more profound respect for them. The struggles of integrating, of learning a new language, of trying to adapt but not lose your national identity entirely, of trying to educate your children about their heritage… the list goes on. Despite the struggles, I would encourage everyone (especially those who have never lived away from “home”) to move to a foreign country to gain a broader perspective of the world.
I lived in Armenia for 3 years and loved it after the initial adjustment. My biggest life regret is moving back to America. I miss it every day and fully intend to go back when my child is grown to live out the rest of my life there.
My wife and I have been living in Japan for the past few years (wife’s job had a temporary overseas opening). We actually are moving back to the US this year. We love it here.
Living in Japan has been the best time of my life. The language barrier was hard, but we picked up enough to manage. Being outwardly polite as the social norm is really nice. Driving has been also a big change, no one is in a hurry, everything is so chill, and driving in the city wasn’t stressful at all (well at least where we live, can’t speak for all of Japan). Not looking forward to the craziness of US city drivers when I get back.
We also live right by the beach, so we go snorkeling on the reef all the time in the summer. I’ll miss that, and taking a walk on the beach after dinner to watch the sunset with my wife. We realized that we are going to have to retire and live next to the ocean, we never get tired of looking at it.
The main thing I’ll probably miss most, besides snorkeling, is the food. It lacks variety that the states has, but it is delicious. There were some local items specifically that are not easily found outside the area, I’ll have to bulk buy stuff before I leave.
That being said, it is very apparent we would always be considered outsiders and treated differently, even if we lived here. There is a general mistrust of foreigners that some people have, it has caused a few problems since we arrived.
Japan has its fair share of problems like any other country, and as much as I love it here, I doubt I would actually want to live here permanently.
Moved to Japan three years ago with my wife. Her family is here and this is where we wanted to start our family. I’ve loved it a lot.
We have a house in a mid sized city in west Tokyo. I have a job that is flexible with me taking Japanese classes and my wife can work from home. The transportation is reliable, the healthcare is affordable, the food is great. It’s no perfect country by any means, though.
Fact is, no matter how long I live here and how well I speak the language I’ll always be kept at a certain distance. But I knew what I signed up for and it doesn’t bother me all that much.
I’ve got a good life that we managed to carve out and it works for our situation. I can’t speak for anyone else’s experience but I have no plans of moving back to America.
My wife and I immigrated from USA to Netherlands about 6 months ago. Work has been great and the people very friendly. Getting our two boys integrated into Dutch schools was a little challenging at first, but it’s gotten much easier lately. My wife and I are still learning the language but we’ve noticed things generally become much more enjoyable with each word we learn.
This was intended to be a permanent move for us. We sold nearly everything we owned in the states before moving out here. 10/10, highly recommend!
Living in the Turks & Caicos and can’t see myself ever going back to live in the US. Only been off island once in the last 15 years.
Been living abroad for 11 years in several countries. Currently in Thailand. It’s better in almost every way. I can afford to go to the hospital anytime, food is less processed, I save more money, and no guns = no shootings.
Simple things like dealing with the electric company can be frustrating. Language barriers.
Every country has its drawbacks. I say live where you have the most positive connections(friends/family).
I moved to New Zealand a year before the pandemic… I consider myself incredibly lucky every single day.
I’ve lived in Spain for about 9 years now – and it’s wonderful. Spoke (nearly) fluent Spanish before moving, so really never had a problem with the language. Now I feel more comfortable speaking in Spanish than in English, ha. Having “free” (paid for through taxes) healthcare is such a huge difference, but sometimes doctors seem rushed and don’t pay as much attention to you as they should. Even in Spain, the private healthcare system is much, much more effective and comfortable to deal with (at least in my experience). Being vegan, sometimes it’s difficult to find things other than tomato, bread, and simple iceberg lettuce salads in small town bars or restaurants – but the bigger cities are full of more options than I could ever have dreamed of. In the beginning, I had to explain to people time and time again that, no, ham and tuna are not, in fact, vegan.
I miss houses in the middle of countryside that don’t have huge walls around them or bars in the windows.
Since I’m living in the south of the country, I miss wild forests and swimable lakes.
And sometimes I wonder when I’ll stop being looked at as “guiri” – I am not a tourist, never really was since I came here to live. Will people continue speaking to me in English even when I’m an 80 year old grandma and have been living here for around 60 years? So far my solution is just to pretend I don’t understand their English and respond in Spanish, but it’s a little annoying to think that you’ll have to continue explaining where you’re from to people for the rest of your life – especially when most always ask you exactly where but then are confused when they don’t know “New Hampster.”.
People assume moving to France has been like going on permanent vacation. Every time I complain about something a friend says, ‘but you’re living in France!’ I have to remind them that it’s cool, but it’s still real life. I have to work just like anybody else. And it’s even harder here because there are fewer jobs available to someone who doesn’t speak French perfectly.
Been in Vietnam for over two years now. Amazing country with an incredibly low cost of living. Honestly too many great things to say about it, but I’ll list a few:
– the people! The Vietnamese are hardworking, kind, and very open-minded towards foreigners. Many locals will walk up to you at the beach or the park and ask to have a conversation to practice their English. Especially younger Vietnamese, which there are many. It’s a very young country.
– very affordable rent (Currently paying $350 a month for a massive one bedroom with a huge balcony and private rooftop)
– AMAZING and incredibly cheap local food, as well as a growing international food scene in all the major cities
– commuting/traveling by motorbike. It’s just what you do here, and it’s a really fun way to experience a country.
– strong internet (I teach online and the internet has never been a major issue.)
– affordable travel. Flights around the country can be as low as $50 roundtrip. Probably even lower if you book at the right time.
Things I’m still getting used to:
– the language. It’s incredibly hard to learn due to it’s tonal diversity. One word can mean like 10 different things if the tone is changed on a particular sound or letter.
– the weather. Summers are brutal here. Humidity like I’ve never felt in my life. Winters can get cold as well in the north, which isn’t fun when you’re commuting via motorbike
– pollution in certain parts (Hanoi especially). It can almost take your breath away how smoggy the capital of Hanoi can be. Sometimes it’s the worst in the world according to pollution index measurements. Let’s just say that wearing a mask was pretty common here even before COVID…
– lots of construction in major cities. Of course this isn’t a bad thing though. The country is really seeming to boom and rightfully so. Vietnam is going to be a country of the future, no doubt.
I moved to England about 3 years ago and I feel like the only way to describe it is the grass is always greener on the other side. I felt so trapped and bored in America that England felt like the place to be but I think we romanticize places we aren’t from. I do of course, love it here. I love the history that’s literally everywhere, I love the amount of sheep and dogs I’ve seen, and everyone is so kind (albeit not like it is in the south). As Americans we expect to be able to find everything we love in the super market, but you’ll find british equivalents or things just don’t exist (Corn tortillas! Nearly impossible to find and I so took that for granted). There’s always an adjustment period/learning curve and I’m still learning new “English” words everyday at work but overall, it’s been such a good and positive experience.
I moved to Sweden for love 3 years ago (my partner is Swedish).
Things I like
1. The system works so well here. Paying taxes takes no time at all and I’ve had really positive health care experiences. I have an infant and so far, everything from getting in line for daycare to scheduling check ups has been a dream.
2. I’ve learned to appreciate the weather in a whole different way. Sunny? I’m outside. Raining? I’m outside. Snowing? I’m outside. This is true for everyone from toddlers to retirees.
3. Swedes are notoriously hard to get to know but once you have a Swedish friend, they are a real friend.
4. The quality of life here is unmatched in terms of what a normal person can attain. You are encouraged to take all of your vacation days (unlike the US) and even working class people can afford vacations.
Things I dislike
1. I want to preface this by saying that I speak Swedish with a difficult-to-place accent (I’ve heard German, Norwegian or Belgian). Swedes say they are open minded and accepting but I don’t think that’s entirely true. I have been told in interviews for English speaking positions that they’d rather hire a Swede. I know dozens of people who have moved here with doctorates or Masters who work as interns, baristas or warehouse staff. Swedes usually say that it’s because you need a very high level of Swedish to compete in a highly bilingual society. I don’t think that’s true. I think that because Sweden was, up until recently, homogeneous and is still consensus driven, foreigners can be seen as rocking the boat too much.
2. Because of jantelagen, there’s pressure to not stand out. In some ways, this is great because you don’t hear people bragging or trying to one-up each other. However, this means that sometimes, success or excellence is downplayed; my partner won’t tell his parents about his raise or promotion.
Overall, I like living in Sweden and I’ve managed to create a happy, fulfilling life here.
We just moved back from Madrid last summer due to covid. We were there for only 2 years but lived in the south of Spain for a year in 2015. I loved it. So much. Yeah it was hard being away from family and spend days I’d think “what am I doing here, this isn’t home” but it did feel like some sort of home. Like some else said on here it’s not perfect but god, the lifestyle was SO much better. Their way of life, cost of living, etc. I think it’s worth mentioning that that might come from a place of privilege. My husband kept his American job so was making American money, and I was working so we were living really well. That’s not common at all and there are a lot of problems in Spain with work (pre covid) and salary. But I think the lifestyle keeps people there. It’s beautiful, most of Europe in general just feels nice to be in. I had my son there, c-section even and didn’t pay anything. Even gave birth at one of the best hospitals there but nope, no bill! If you anyone is ever thinking of moving aboard, just do it! Even if you move back after 3 months bc you miss home, who cares just do it!
I think I may be one of the very few that moved to Turkey. I met my wife through a friend who married a Turkish woman. I’ve been here in Turkey 6 years now. I am a military veteran and spent time overseas and such so I thought things shouldn’t be too difficult. My first few years were tough socially and getting adjusted then to top it off we had a failed coup. Now we are having a difficulty time with the economy well before COVID. Financially I am good because of disability compensation through Veterans Affairs. My wife had our son 4 years ago and i quit work to take care of her and him while my wife works. It’s been really tough because I worked since i was 14 and enjoy working. I plan on getting my citizenship soon and then maybe get back in to the work force.
As far as the Turkish people and Turkey I cant speak highly enough of their hospitality. I’ve never had any problems and always treated as family. The landscape is amazing and historical areas are fascinating. The beaches are amazing and seen some of the bluest waters. Food is out of this world. ( Much much more than döner kebaps lol). I am always trying to get friends and family to come visit but everyone is always too nervous about it.
I’m not the one who moved, but I live in Serbia and I’ve met numerius people from the US who came to Belgrade, Serbia either for professional reasons or they stumbled upon Belgrade in their travels, and amazingly, they all stayed.
Most of them have got married, have children… They are all happy, even more than that, they are amazed by the way of life here. Which is really surprising for most of us here, as no Serb will ever tell you they’re happy living here, unfortunately.
The most interesting thing which is recurring pretty much every time I’ve spoken with an American living here is they mention they enjoy the “real freedom” of living here and the people. I’ve probably heard the exact term “real freedom” from three or four different people. This is interesting to me because the US boasts of being the land of freedom. Having never been in the US, I guess these expats seem to believe the freedom there is somewhat artifical?
I don’t know, I wouldn’t really say we have real freedom here in the sense of true democratic processes, but they seemingly mean the freedom of expression and living life your own way. I don’t know, just found that very curious.
If you don’t want to miss Costco, move to Australia. Pretty good other than being so far from everything, and too many people emulating America, the good and the bad. You be you Australia, or just copy it and make it better!
I lived in Switzerland for 5 years and Singapore for 2 (and now a digital nomad who’s been living in roatan, Honduras for 3 months).
You miss the convenience of America and the fact that you can get literally anything you want whenever you want it. You also miss being able to rely on the power/internet working (obviously, this is a Honduras problem and not a Switzerland/Singapore problem). That said, it’s nice to be insulated from the many problems in the USA as well as your new adopted home, as well as to experience a new culture/language/way of doing things.
Living in France and the cheapness and availability of healthcare is insane. When i first moved here i didnt believe my friends who told me that going to the doctor without insurance is 25€ for everyone…
I moved from the US to the UK 12 years ago. I have had an immensely hard time fitting in and finding friends. I firmly believe I will never truly be anything but a novelty here. Isolation is a huge problem for me here.
It’s technically moving abroad but feels more like moving to a second home. I started living in South Korea after I graduated university, which was around the beginning of 2012. Both my parents are Korean, but my mom received her US citizenship while my dad always worked in Korea, sending money to the US. So there was this weird reunion when my family somehow all ended up being together again, except this time in Korea. And it’s sort of been this way ever since.
It’s good here, but I seriously miss America at times. The food, the multicultural atmosphere, the people. Everything. I often get nostalgic. I got married last year and things have gotten interesting, but there are some very Korean things I can’t get over. I still really like it here, of course, and it definitely feels less like I moved to another country and more that I moved to an extension of what I’d call home.
I have loved ex-pat life. I’ve been abroad for almost a decade now, mostly living in China and Korea, and I’ve really enjoyed the new cultures, experiences, and people I’ve met. For me the hardest part is not the isolation, but the fact that so many of the close friends I do make move so often. Ex-pat life can be very fluid as people come and go. On the whole, however, daily life is not so different than it was back home. I wake up, go to work, exercise, and go home. The weekends can be a bit more exciting and the travel opportunities are much better than being back home in the states.
I have been living in Switzerland but am moving back to the US in a month due to three main factors: Better job opportunities, a language barrier, and social integration. I think everyone fantasizes about how great it is to move from the US, but they totally overlook the challenge of social integration and a worse job market. The US has one of the best job markets in the world, and I think that’s overlooked. Although I make more money in Switzerland, the growth opportunities here can be limited. Worker’s rights, though…that’s another story.
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