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30 Americans Who Left The US Share How Their Lives Have Changed After Moving To Europe
The American way of life is not always exactly a dream. While many really manage to build their happiness in the country they were born in, others decide to try out what the rest of the world is like. After all, something like questionable work-life balance, flawed healthcare system, or impossible student loan debt is something that can keep you awake at night.
So in order to find out the exact reasons why American citizens bid farewell to their beloved land and moved abroad, we have to ask the people themselves. Thanks to this Reddit thread which asks people who want to or already moved to Europe to tell everyone why, we have some very telling responses.
Scroll down below and if it all feels relatable, be sure to add your experiences in the comment section!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Because practicing medicine here feels dirty. I was never in it for the money or prestige. I’ve already started working on my exams to go to the UK. There are pros and cons to the way healthcare is handled in the UK, but I’d rather be able to treat a patient and sleep peacefully knowing that I haven’t financially crippled someone for life. Medicine as a career is much better in the US than anywhere in the world, but I’d rather make much less money and have a clear conscience.
Limey Cheesehead 4 years ago
I was born in the USA and spend my first 25 years there. I've been in the UK over 31 years and prefer it here for healthcare. It's true that if you do need to be hospitalised, you'll end up on a ward with 7-10 other people, but not having to worry about bills if anyone in your family gets sick is such a relief. The NHS isn't perfect (you can forget getting elective surgery for the next 3 years) but no one should have to choose between food/heat/electric or medicine.
Martha Meyer 4 years ago
I guess if you want to be a doctor in the US, you have to leave some of your morals behind or never sleep peacefully again.
Leo Domitrix 4 years ago
Yep. Unfortunately, if I leave, and we all leave, then who gives th e healthcare? The ones who don't care except about $$$$$.
deanna woods 4 years ago
This person sounds like a great person. I wish more thought about careers in medicine this way.
RELATED:
#2
I moved to Europe 7yrs ago. Our motivation at first was having children without going into debt. After living here a few years we were able to buy a house with property. Live a lifestyle that was once considered the American dream.
I important distinction is that we/I found that life was more basic here. Less materialistic. People still have gardens, walk to places they want to go. Christmas is about family and not about how many gifts you got. I just find it to be a more sustainable environment for my family.
Caro Caro 4 years ago
The comment about the American dream. It's true. We actually live it here in Europe and I get so tired of hearing uneducated rants about socialism from some Americans.
Jessica Bertram 4 years ago
as an American who knows the dream is out of reach for most here, and wants desperately to get back to Europe to stay, i second ALLLL of this. I, too, am so very tired of listening to my uneducated countrymen rant about how great it is here and how terrible it is everywhere else. 🙄
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Limey Cheesehead 4 years ago
You definitely don't live in the UK. The is one negative - buying a house is almost impossible for first time buyers. It's very difficult to pay rent in London and save for a down payment on a house. That is the negative side to the UK.
Legen ( wait for it ) dary 4 years ago
Paid parental leave its a thing. Including for Father's.
Libby Tailor 4 years ago (edited)
Yes that break my heart, too. Amd you know what? I think this is about the medical bills of birth, I think. ☹️
Load More Replies... Leo Domitrix 4 years ago
I just have to say this: "Still have gardens, walk, Christmas is about family".... Ummm... I apparently grew up in Europe, and all this time I thought it was the US....
Caro Caro 4 years ago (edited)
It did sound a bit like the USA after being bombed to smithereens.. I think they mean space and gardens instead of a yard (fence and grass). Christmas IDK, but walking: The USA is built for cars not pedestrians.
Load More Replies... I I 4 years ago
consumerism and capitalism work hand in hand , capitalism cant survive with out consumerism , we stop buying capitalism stops working , thats why things are no longer built to last a life time
Caro Caro 4 years ago
My coffee pad machine was cr&p.... Now I make old fashioned coffee drip drip drip. 15yo machine, Braun, still works.
Load More Replies... Kt 4 years ago
And that's just for birthing them...they've then got to raise them!
Load More Replies... Klas Klättermus 4 years ago
We have a dream in Sweden too, that our children don't have to grow up being homeless because of no houses or flats available and if you find one it will cost you at least $500.000 even if it is only like 10square meters or 90 square feet
#3
Because I’m so tired of constantly living in fear. Fear of medical debt. Fear of any kind of overwhelming debt. Fear of getting screwed over by a landlord. By a mortgage lender. By a bank. By a corporation. Fear of getting screwed by an employer. Fear of losing my job or getting sick and getting in over my head with expenses. Fear of getting shot. Fear of getting covid due to lax regulations. Fear of getting hurt by a radicalized anti-vaxer. Fear of losing access to civil rights protection (ahem, Texas). Fear of the out of control housing market. Fear of the ramifications of our own civic, economic, and social policies. Fear I’ll finally give in to the despair. Our way of life is… it’s so completely irrational. And it’s seemingly inescapable. I think about this every day.
And generally speaking, I align with contemporary European values more so than contemporary American values (are these even a thing? What are contemporary American values?) Education, culture, a well-rounded life fully lived, travel, prioritizing social good over economic growth. These are the things that I want for myself and everyone. I’ve lived in the US all my life. There are so many things I love about it. Truly. But the older I get, the more it feels like a trap. A trap with a really effective marketing campaign.
Astrowhale 4 years ago
this was very well written, European values are much better for life honestly. like you can walk around towns that are made for pedestrians and bikes, not cars.
L. Murphy 4 years ago
I am desperately trying to figure out a way out of the US myself. I do not feel like I belong here. I have never had a driver's license and ride my bike or walk everywhere. People treat you like a freak in the US if you don't drive.
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Karin Jansen 4 years ago
Though I am European (and proud of it!), this seems to maybe be over-idealizing Europe as a whole. Every country has its issues. We too are dealing with an insane housing crisis, our COVID numbers are through the roof and a couple of weeks a go anti-vac nutcases were rioting in the streets and attacking the police. I also have some doubt as to whether "European values" differ much from the US. Not all European countries allow abortions (looking at you Poland), or same sex marriage for instance.
Lovin' Life 4 years ago
It's very true. And the worse part is that so many have to choose between getting their medicines to help with the anxiety and paying their rent. It's a world of fear here in America.
Load More Replies... Calvin Girvin 4 years ago
700,000 guns sold black Friday. 28 school shootings this year alone. Anxiety much?
Michael Fuhry 4 years ago
Including the shooting in Minnesota this week, the 15 year old boy using a semi-automatic pistol his father bought on...Black Friday. This year's Black Friday.
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Karis Ravenhill 4 years ago
"A trap with a really effective marketing campaign." Ok i'm stealing this line, it's so on point.
Legen ( wait for it ) dary 4 years ago
I couldn't live like this in constant fear that if I get sick ( not even a long term sickness) I can lose my job and all I've worked for.
Kimi Tomminello 4 years ago
It's an all too real fear here on the US. I'm comfortably retired now but I would wake up every morning with fear of getting sick or injured because even 2 weeks out of work would've meant I'd be replaced and the medical bills would drown me while I tried to find another job. It's absolutely horrifying.
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Caspar Teppema 4 years ago
America is a business, not a country, and this is exactly what its all about
Thorfin Wolfsbane 4 years ago
Contemporary American Values: burning the world to the ground in an attempt to 'own the libtards'
Pernille Dyre 4 years ago
OMG. Very well written. I think you hit the nail... Europe is not perfect... but we don't live in fear ❤🤗
Bored Panda spoke with the Redditor Netwelle who moved to Europe 7 years ago. According to his response to the thread, “Our motivation at first was having children without going into debt. After living here a few years, we were able to buy a house with property. Live a lifestyle that was once considered the American dream,” Netwelle wrote. He also added that he found that life was more basic here. “Less materialistic. People still have gardens, walk to places they want to go. Christmas is about family and not about how many gifts you got. I just find it to be a more sustainable environment for my family.”
#4
I live in Berlin. 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 work week. This is is literally going to add up to years more with my family. It just makes the quality of life so much better
Martha Meyer 4 years ago
2 hours lunch is very far from normal, but if you only work 32 hours per week, I guess that's possible. 5 weeks (so 25 days) of vacation is actually on the lower side of what you get in Germany.
Viktor 4 years ago
The legal minimum is 20 days and it's adjusted for part-time work. 25 days for a (probably) 80%-contract is quite neat.
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Mae 4 years ago
In my 28 years of living in Europe, never have I heard anyone ever getting two hours for lunch! An hour max if even that.
Cactus McCoy 4 years ago
On a 32h/week job you can arrange that if it suits your daily routine better, I guess.
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ZAPanda 4 years ago
Here (SA) our laws are generally as follows: 15 minutes tea around 10am. 1 hour from 1-2 for lunch. Start time: 8 or 9, finish time, 4 or 5, depending on which start time you have. 4 weeks paid leave, also special additional leave for family responsibility, moving, bereavement, illness, etc, which do not count from the four weeks. Paid maternity leave. Teachers get much more though. PS. This was advocated for in our Freedom Charter in 1955 already.
ZAPanda 4 years ago
However, and as a disclaimer, if you work in corporate sector, they are just as brutal as they are in USA and they expect you to show company loyalty by working late etc. The way to avoid this is to become a consultant or contractor. Then you can work the hours you want.
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VeryDarkMatter 4 years ago (edited)
I'm from germany and reduced my 40 hours week to a 30 hours week a couple of months ago. I simply didn't want to work so many hours anymore and have more time for ..well, just for myself. I work from 7 til 13 .. thats 6 hours. If you work 6 hours you don't need to take a lunch break. Over 6 hours and a lunch break is mandatory. Before that I worked from 8 til 17 inkluding 1 hour for lunch. God, I am so happy that I dont need to do that anymore! I am free at 13 and can do whatever I like
Rena 4 years ago
when i worked 32h/week i had a 3 days weekend. liked that one even better ;)
Load More Replies... Klas Klättermus 4 years ago
2 hours of lunch means you get to stay at work for 2 more hours unpaid! (Fine you may have time to eat outside of the work place, but it is still 2 hours more spent at work before you get to go home
Legen ( wait for it ) dary 4 years ago
I wish they would say what's the job is. 2 hours lunch it's standard.??
Rena 4 years ago
no, it is half an hour. 2 hours is standards for shops or doctors who have something like "mittagspause" (closed). Most of my friends an me are working flexible: no one cares how long you want to extend your break. as long as you are staying longer.
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Incitatus 4 years ago
Germany in many ways seems like a dream. I understand they have their own problems, but simply the ideas of healthcare, free time and my son not spending $100k on a basic college education are too appealing. It's just seems so hard to get a visa and a job. Why would they want more people to support, after all? I'm just plain tired of American problems, I'd like to experience some other kind of problems for a while.
Dennis S. Lee 4 years ago
2 hrs is alot.. I had 45 min paid Lunch break in Germany. I would bring a sack lunch and sit in a nearby park..I had a 37 hr work week as well, 6 weeks paid vacation and and..
#5
I moved to Spain from the US 6 years ago (initially through a program to teach English, now I'm married to a Spaniard). As much as I deeply love and miss the US -- the nature, the food, friends, the VIBE -- I have no plans to move back.
Healthcare in America scares the bejeesus out of me, especially as I age. I just had surgery on an injury that cost me nothing -- I still feel like I'm getting away with murder.
And the work-life balance is so insane once you see it from the outside. I stopped being able to understand how my mom was slaving away for a company that really didn't pay much for 2 precious weeks of paid vacation a year (and I would describe my family as privileged). COVID really changed my view, seeing everyone in my city dutifully wear the mask even after it's not required, whereas my state in America devolved into a culture war. "Devolving" is, unfortunately, the best word I have to describe the US in the last decade(s).
L567 4 years ago
America is failing. It's become very, very obvious. It has been obvious for years but I once felt optimistic it might change (I'm an American). It will not. I have older relatives who will likely need me at some point, so it looks like I am staying with the sinking ship. If I were a younger person, I'd check on getting out. Believe it or not, I do love my country, but it's not going to change for the better. So much promise -- it's sad.
Astrowhale 4 years ago
Im so glad I live in Australia, I would never afford my surgeries in the US.
Paul V 4 years ago
I questions some of this as I too lived in Spain. There is a work-life balance in that you get more vacation time, but the working hours are on average much longer. Everyone wearing a mask is irrelevant when you have some of the highest rates of people contracting COVID. There is also the fact that at one point the Spanish government kept its citizens under lockdown while allowing tourists to come in. Doesn't exactly seem fair.
Monica Martinez Castañeda 4 years ago
You are aware that, right now, Covid rate in Spain is one of the lowest (if not the most) in Europe, right? I know it's increasing, as well as in every other country, sadly
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Thundercuss 4 years ago
US food is anything and everything. No other country I have been to has that kind of variety. Sure there is a lot of bad food but the good food is some the best you can get anywhere.
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#6
I moved from the US to Europe (Austria) quite some time ago (nearly 20 years). I don't regret it and can't ever see myself moving back to the US. A couple of my friends are still trying to figure out ways to move over where. Just a few things off the top of my head regarding why:
5 weeks of paid vacation
up to 2 years of paid parental leave (including for dads as well)
no such thing as a copay at the doctor
price cap on prescription drugs (like EUR 6)
low crime rate
more well developed social safety net (ie. less poverty)
I once spent 10 days in the hospital and needed emergency surgery. My bill: EUR 0.
Free daycare
Excellent and well-funded public schools
No tuition for college
Carrie Laughs 4 years ago
Interestingly, in England, out of over one billion prescription items dispensed in 2019, close to 90% were dispensed free of charge. Exemptions for those who need them most plus prepaying a fixed fee means you end up with many being free. That said I don't have a problem paying a small fee for a prescription - I'd rather pay something and have the overall system kept going. I would hate to lose the NHS.
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Limey Cheesehead 4 years ago
She forgot to say how beautiful Austria is. The country is just stunning!
Sara Kerschbaumer 4 years ago
Thank you for this 🙂 I CAN only confirm - Austrian live is mostly great ( I live in Vienna)
Kevin Donegan 4 years ago
As an American, if you've ever spent ten minutes traveling in another country, you realize the United States is not that great. If you're not lucky enough to be born white (or male, or with money), you have an uphill battle.
Grove 406 4 years ago (edited)
My mother was Czech. She left Czechoslovakia after the Soviets "liberated" her oppressive regimes. Tell me why almost 3 MILLION migrants crossed the border into the USA since January 2021. Western Europe was lucky the USA was the deciding force that helped defeat the Nazis it wouldn't be the cozy place it is today. Europe has enjoyed the longest period of peace in the past 2,000+ years thanks to the Americans. The EU is rapidly evolving into an all powerful police state with total power and control of the people who live in EU member countries. It's funny you whine about being born white gives people privileges in the USA. Who do you think are the majority in mistaken. country in 1945. She lived through the Nazi era (including 7 years the Soviet/Communist era her family did. America is still a light on the hill for those who live in occupied by the Nazis) and although she didn't live in Czechoslovakia during Europe? If you think Europeans are tolerant you are badly
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Umi chan 4 years ago
Yes good job to moving to Austria my family is form there guten on you! Vienna is in Austria and still is one of the worlds most livable cities in the world! And Austria is a great place sadly I haven’t visited yet for Covid putting delays on my dream family trip. But isn’t it beautiful
Legen ( wait for it ) dary 4 years ago
I don't know in Austria, but in Germany have no free daycare. You pay according to your income.
Martha Meyer 4 years ago
Not true everywhere. Berlin and some other places have free daycare.
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Claudia Newberry 4 years ago
Well, as an Austrian I have to say... true except ... if you go to the hospital you have to pay a few Euros copay per day and there is a tuition fee at universities but that's under 400,- per Semester. None of that is going to break you
“I do believe the 'American Dream' is possible,” Netwelle told us in an interview. “The cost of living in many European cities and certainly villages is much lower. Simple necessities are more realistic. Cell phone bill, electricity, food, housing, etc. My monthly living expenses were 3k in the US and here they are about 1k. My house was 100k (my neighbors thought I was crazy to pay so much) the same piece of property in the states would cost 300-400k.”
When asked what he thinks of the decision to move out of the US after 7 years, Netwelle assured us that he is “very happy with my decision. I enjoy the area I live. Travel opportunities are abundant and we have created a family and home here,” the Redditor said.
#7
I moved years ago for marriage. My life is immeasurably better here in so many ways. My children don't know what an active shooter drill is, I don't question taking them to a doctor when they need it, and I don't have to buy school supplies
I I 4 years ago
i fail to see why Americans think its the best country in the world , they have the most debt so clearly capitalism isnt working so well
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Tamra Stiffler 4 years ago
Agreed! It's one of the things that drives me nuts about this country! Ridiculous!
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SomePeopleCallMeMaurice 4 years ago
My kids have them often. There are armed guards in schools now. My daughter was in a mall shop the other day, and suddenly saw this terrified crowd, screaming and fleeing in one direction. There was a shooter in the mall. We have mass shootings here every week. Dozens a month. Nobody should have to live like this, especially children.
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#8
Because we let idiots storm our own capitol. That was the turning point for me.
Lucifer 4 years ago
They will do it again. Because the ring leaders haven't been & won't be held accountable.
Ripley Dog 4 years ago
And next time they'll do it "for real." This was just testing the waters, and the lack of accountability is all that was needed to confirm how easy it would be. We only have a few years before the Rethuglicans control everything and we hold sham elections in an unfairly gerrymandered country. Add the two stolen seats on the SCOTUS, Drumpsterfire packing the federal judiciary, Democrats general spinelessness and you have a one party proto-fascist state. I give it less than a decade.
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ZAPanda 4 years ago
With apologies if this upsets anyone, just so you know what the rest of the planet (really) thinks about this, kindly consult attached image. Screen-Sho...ec05e3.png 
ZAPanda 4 years ago
so the below posts aren't to hurt our friends, just to show them how the rest of the world sees them. Maybe a hint on what people really think.
Jenn Ryan 4 years ago
Yeah. We know. The sane Americans also feel this way. Problem is we are so divided and half of our elected politicians are so wrapped up in kissing Trumps a$$ that they forgot they were elected to do a job. It's a circus. And no end in sight. So yeah. We know.
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SomePeopleCallMeMaurice 4 years ago
It’s so true. Our educational system here is rotten. In many schools, they just push kids through without any tools to survive in the real world, and without the most basic education, to get them out the door. In many places (I’m looking at you, the American south and Trumpsters), getting an education is actually frowned upon. The attitude is that “you think you’re better than we are?”. Trump himself said he “loves uneducated people”. Literally said that. And he constantly tells people that education (particularly college) is an evil, and indoctrinates people into socialism. I think he likes to keep people ignorant, so they’ll keep following him blindly. And the thing is, his policies only hurt his base - there’s nothing there to benefit them. It’s not only sad, but terrifying. I can’t wait to leave.
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SomePeopleCallMeMaurice 4 years ago
As an American, I agree with this, but I hate to tell you that The Onion is satire!
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Bhadrika Love 4 years ago
This one reminds me of when we had the debacle over the FL vote in 2000 - and Cuba offered to send international observers to help ensure a fair election.
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#9
Quality of life - I hate having to drive everywhere in the US, city parks are usually way worse, and my friends thought I was crazy for not wanting to default to spending money as a way to hang out (restaurants, bars, concerts, nail salons, shopping). I know that exists in Europe but there still seems to be more appreciation for the slow life. That plus being able to walk more and use public transport, long vacations, better social safety nets…I just feel happier and healthier with that lifestyle.
Mazer 4 years ago
I read somewhere the New Yorkers walk more than most other major city slickers
Martha Meyer 4 years ago
New York is one of the very few US cities that is still walkable, unlike many others that were literally razed to the ground and rebuilt to be only for cars.
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Phil DeBlanc 4 years ago
All of this. My wife and I moved to a little village outside Antwerp just over 3 years ago and we are NEVER moving back. We've both lost weight, feel healthier and love being able to easily travel to other countries, often by car.
Emmydearest 4 years ago
I'd say that living in a metropolis or a big city is much different than living in a small town or village, even in Europe. Big cities' public transport systems are much more functional, frequent and organized. Also parking is virtually impossible. So owning a car and driving to places doesn't make sense; just take the train/bus/subway or walk. Also stores/bars/services are more frequently located: within a couple of blocks you can find pretty much everything you need. On the contrary in a small town things are farther, you know. In my town there's just one supermarket. If you live far from it there's no other way than driving there. And public transport is great for long distances, but not for small distances. Everyone in Europe who lives in a small town owns a car and uses as the main everyday transportation.
B-flat 4 years ago
Not in the Netherlands, we use our bike for almost everything within a 10k distance. And now with electric bikes it is even easier to cover larger distances. No need for a car then, not even in smaller towns.
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Megan The Viking Traveler 4 years ago
How can I move??? It seems pretty hard to get a visa in Europe...
Skull in Sky 4 years ago
You need to try getting a job before moving. You can get a teacher job rather easily in some countries for the sole reason you're a native English speaker.
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Karis Ravenhill 4 years ago
I walk everywhere to avoid what I call "car butt". It's a phenomenon I only witnessed after arriving in America. Everyone drives everywhere and never walks, they also spend majority of their time sitting down at work or at home. This causes their butt's to get fat, but not where it sticks out behind them, it kind of spreads out to the sides like a donut peach. After a few years there's a smaller upper body connected to a giant wide butt/hip area which looks like two different people shoved together. Also never seen so many people wearing oxygen masks and dragging tanks of oxygen around with them, American has the most medically sick people i've ever seen, yet is supposed to have some of the worlds best healthcare.
Evelyn Haskins 4 years ago
Here (Australian cities) we drive to shopping malls to walk long long distances from where we managed to park and then walk on hard polished stone/concrete floors. Bloody exhausting and very hard on the feet and knees
However, that doesn’t mean the adaptation after first moving to Europe was quick and easy. “It was a challenge,” Netwelle recounted and added that many things are different there. “Business practices are different, finding and becoming friends with people was difficult and my 'American' attitude made it challenging to get started. Americans are driven, work at a fast pace, want things now, and expect fast results. Life here does not move that way. It took time to adjust.”
#10
My partner and I moved to Sweden two years ago. We were both working extremely long hours in the US and it was killing us. We were both making a lot of money, but it was coming at too great a cost. There's also the political and social situation. Society is extremely polarized in the U.S. Now, we have six weeks of vacation, guaranteed healthcare, and a political system that isn't a complete sh*tshow 24/7. There are also a lot more opportunities here. America is actually extremely toxic for non-unicorn small businesses, so industries are getting consolidated into fewer and fewer firms. Stockholm is internationally known as a tech hub, but unlike the Bay area you can actually afford to buy a house here. Hell, for 18 months we were living comfortably on a single income, which would be impossible in the states.
We don't ever want to move back. Hopefully we'll be able to get our citizenship in 3 more years and we'll never have to.
Wietse Pot 4 years ago
A small business that doesn't offer something unique.
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Sian Edwards 4 years ago
My dad moved to Sweden from the UK in 2005. Best decision he ever made.
Daniel (ShadowDrakken) 4 years ago
I'm looking to move to Malmö myself, but it's hard without sponsorship of a work visa and a good savings account
Klas Klättermus 4 years ago
Lol. The swedes are escaping from Malmö in panic and dispair and you want to move there?
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Gandalf the Pink 4 years ago
Just to make clear, if the downvotes aren't enough: The prime minister didn't quit, she had to step down for a brief period because the parliament couldn't agree on a budget. It was because, not in lack of, the democratic process she had to step down and then could gain the votes necessary for the position again. The red-green coalition could lose the coming election but the social democrats are under no threat of losing forever, they are the party with the most votes after all. There are no talks or plans to cancel the election, in fact, that would go against the Swedish constitution. Speaking of the constitution, it protects human rights in Sweden. Such as the Freedom of the Press Act and the Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression. Then there are other laws that should be considered a human right that isn't in most of the world, like the freedom to roam, clean water and public healthcare. I'm not saying everything's fantastic, I just wanna snuff out the "alternative facts".
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#11
Kinda tired of my medication costing $1000 a month tbh.
Ashlea Saunders 4 years ago
My medication costs me $9.99AUD in Australia and last time I had to buy it in the US when I was visiting family it cost me $289USD. Insane
Lovin' Life 4 years ago
My dad had MS, his medicine was $10,000 per month. Luckily he had insurance but then the insurance company decided to not pay it anymore. He had to just do without the medication. In turn his condition worsened at a much faster pace and he passed away. That's America for ya.
Grant Barke 4 years ago
How is that even legal for an insurance company to do that.
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MagicalUnicorn 4 years ago
as somebody who didn't pay a dime for my meds for over 30 years i support this message
Chancey 4 years ago
My mother's medication was going to be $1700. for a 90 day supply here in the US so I mail ordered it from Canada. Same medication was only $300 for 90 days. Saved $1400!!!
Libby Tailor 4 years ago (edited)
Just yesterday I bought my husband's heart medicines for three months. They costs( three different drugs) about 62 USD/55 EUR. FOR THREE MONTHS. (Hungary)
Bexxxxx 4 years ago
Once, my (Canadian) friend’s dad fell off the roof of a cabin in Washington and broke his right arm. He refused to go to the American hospital, and drove 3 hours back to the border in a truck with a MANUAL TRANSMISSION with a broken arm!! He made it back to the safety of Canada and got treated for free. But it’s garbage that he had to do that or be charged $10,000.
Daniel (ShadowDrakken) 4 years ago (edited)
No joke... Lyrica in the USA, brand name, not generic = $1400/mo, in Honduras $80/mo and no prescription needed. Emergency room visit in Honduras, no insurance, $75 and was in and out in less than an hour, with a doctor that actually paid attention and made sure everything was taken care of, not just "here's meds, schedule an appointment with your primary". A 3rd world country and they take care of their people better than this shithole.
Ragnhild Nilsen 4 years ago
Here (Norway) the cap for copay is approximately $250-$300, depending on diagnosis and income. That includes doctors' visits and prescription medicines.
QuietChaos101 4 years ago
UK resident here - in four years I've had cancer twice, surgery twice and 6 months of chemotherapy twice. It has cost me absolutely nothing. Even my hospital parking is free.
#12
It comes down to the fact that the U.S. does not care about its people — only protecting the capital of the wealthy. There's expensive healthcare, a car-dependent infrastructure, a lack of public transportation, increasing homelessness, etc
Leo Domitrix 4 years ago
I was raised that we should care about each other, and that is what makes us a country. And, at the end of the day, that's what is the real difference. There's no one monolithic Uncle Sam figure making all these choices. Americans make them (I'm American) with how we vote (or don't). We don't care about each other enough to give up a few dollars to make life better for everyone.
Caro Caro 4 years ago
Those few dollars are given by the poor and the middle class. It's those billionaires who pay less in taxes than you who should be ashamed of themselves.
Load More Replies... Kevin Donegan 4 years ago
Everything is set up to support the white, wealthy, and male population of the USA. The rich pay very little in taxes compared to lower income people. The criminal justice system is biased against people of color. Men (white men specifically) hold most of the power. If you don't fall into at least one of these categories, you have a long hard road ahead of you. It's really a messed up society.
Nicholas Kramer 4 years ago
I agree with everything you said, except the White male. There are plenty of others that don't fit that category and don't do anything to help society.
Load More Replies... Cydney Golden 4 years ago
Back in the 1960s some of us realized the government was not operating with people as the priority. That caused a real divide between us and the people who think kneeling and silent protest is anti-American. Back then it was burning the flag and protesting the war...it was considered un-American even though the Vietnam war was as bogus as WW1.
Klas Klättermus 4 years ago
Sometimes expensive health care is better than no heath care like we have in Sweden
What the Redditor really enjoys about the European lifestyle is the sustainability part of it. “If you look at Europe as a whole, it has thousands of years of history. Population density is much higher and land mass smaller. Yet Europe has maintained farm fields and nature. Most families have a garden and share resources with others. Consumer culture has not taken over just yet in the majority of places, and public transportation is fully embraced,” he said and added that “I find these and many other small actions make it a much more sustainable culture.”
#13
Being poor in the US is worse than being poor in Europe.
Caro Caro 4 years ago
I think because we (Europeans) are so used to safety nets that we find it sad and embarrassing when others are poor (and/or homeless).
I I 4 years ago
I think its because we actually care about our fellow country men so we're happy to pay for socialist health care and welfare so our fellow citizens don't suffer in a so called first world country
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Legen ( wait for it ) dary 4 years ago (edited)
Being employed in America is worse than being poor in Europe. I'm poor, but my bills are paid and my fridge is full. And I don't need to stop going to the Dr just because I'm poor. My kids still going to a nice school and we live in a nice neighborhood and not in some gueto because the government helps paying some of the rent.
Remi Flynne 4 years ago
I completely agree with you but there is a big BUT here. Companies absolutely should still be paying a proper living wage. If someone is in full-time employment they shouldn't need to have their government helping them with something like (in the UK) Universal Credit. That is a crappy and actually flawed business model on the part of the company and they're being allowed to get away with it (no doubt because it makes many in the Government richer with their consultant and advisory second jobs, investments etc). I'm very glad that the person gets the support they need to continue living and pay their bills (it's not their fault that companies pay shittily) but it's a system that's gone very, very awry. For those who will cry 'they don't have to take those jobs' - utter rot! Many of them do.
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J Robertson 4 years ago
Because there are safety nets and programs that work to help people get ahead in life. People don't shame you for needing assistance. Of course there are still people who take advantage, we are dealing with humans. People actually care about their neighbors wellbeing. Homelessness and medical bankruptcy should not exist in this world let alone any one country.
Kelly Hartle 4 years ago
Many people here don't understand that "pulling yourself up by your bootstraps" was meant to show that when you're down, you can't generally get up on your own. Just try sitting on the ground and pulling on your shoes to pull yourself up.
#14
Less likely to be shot by a crazy person.
Easier access to medical care.
Easier access to education.
Higher quality education.
Most European nations aren't ebbing dangerously close to a civil war.
About half the US is champing at the bit to install a dictator, and usher in a new age of fascism. They might succeed.
Ripley Dog 4 years ago
It should. Everyone who can get out of the US should... I just hope I can be one of them.
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Jayne Kyra 4 years ago
Slovakia literally has a NAZI party. Poland and Hungary are coming for women´s rights. I have a feeling when people talk about "European countries" they mostly mean the first world and not post-Soviet era countries.
Calvin Girvin 4 years ago
In the 1970's a group of scholars predicted the USA would cease to exist by 2040. I used to disregard that prediction.
Guy MacGregor 4 years ago
What have a singer to do with that? Or is there another meaning to "Usher"?
Brandon Marlowe 4 years ago
To "usher in" something means to bring, conduct, or commence that thing.
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Mandy Delaforce (PC Girl) 4 years ago
They very nearly did. It only came down to his failure at installing the wrong people in the right places. He put people like himself - greedy and self absorbed - instead of fanatics and followers. He could have taken over.. thank the f**k he didn't.
Baali Venomax 4 years ago
"Less likely to get shot by a crazy person?" I dunno, in the UK in the last five years, its not as safe as it used to be. We have our own fair share of nutters. Can't speak for the other countries though as I don't know.
#15
Currently looking at moving to Western Europe from America. I can only speak for myself but these are some of my reasons
• Capitalist Greed in our government • No proper medical coverage • Bipartisan outrage • Poor vacation • Poor work expectations
I’m sure I could go on and on but really government bullsh*t, corporate greed and sh*t healthcare have ruined this country. No one looks up to America anymore, they just go along with it because America has guns and bombs.
Lykke 4 years ago
Dane here. When I was a kid I always heard of how great America was, "the land of opportunity", where all your dreams come true. Yes, America was looked up to. But hearing about the real conditions, Santa Claus is more real...
M O'Connell 4 years ago
American was the "Land of Opportunity" for folks escaping from essentially feudal societies at the end of the 19th Century, but that simply isn't the situation anymore.
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SomePeopleCallMeMaurice 4 years ago
The ultra rich (we call them the one percenters) PAY NO TAXES. You read that right. Gun enthusiasts think the more guns the safer we are.
Airidas Gabė 4 years ago (edited)
"capitalist greed" just stay in US we dont need any more anti-capitalists here :)
Tamra Stiffler 4 years ago
Way to keep the stereotype of "ugly American" alive and well. 🙄
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On the other hand, there are many American things that Netwelle misses. “I miss the pub culture of sitting up at a bar and talking to random people, I miss the friendliness of strangers (even if it is fake), but most of all I miss the food,” he told us.
“America is a melting pot of cultures from all over the world. Food influence and variety makes it possible to have different styles of food every day. I find that in Europe, you get stuck with regional food and attempts to provide something different or exotic are lacking,” the Redditor concluded.
#16
I moved from the US to Denmark in 80 and since then have lived in various European countries, for the last 30 in England.
Culture is better. Not saying that some Americans are not cultured (I am American after all) but things are so much more oriented to enjoying music, theatre, and arts. I had relatives in the US that mocked university education, modern art, and pretty much anything that was not simple patriotism and religion.
F. H. 4 years ago
That depends on where you are. In rural eastern Bavaria, you can walk around for years without seeing any kind of art.
Load More Replies... ZAPanda 4 years ago
In europe they have ticket sales for public philosophy debates. I can't find the link now but it was a similar thing to a sports match.
Remi Flynne 4 years ago
Probably a lot less available due to a lot of things being cancelled due to covid. The Annual Debate in the UK with the Royal Institute of Philosophy and other debates are still accessible in some form I believe.
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David Leick 4 years ago
The very concept of anti-intellectualism has always astounded me. "Hur der stupid smart people, what do they know about anything?" It makes my head hurt.
Randolph Croft 4 years ago
Google: "flash mob ode to joy" and you'll see one example of what you (above) are describing. It's on YouTube. Makes my heart sing.
Klas Klättermus 4 years ago
That happened one time for a youtube video....
Load More Replies... Evelyn Haskins 4 years ago
“I miss the pub culture of sitting up at a bar and talking to random people, I miss the friendliness of strangers (even if it is fake), but most of all I miss the food,” WHAT!!!!!!!! Fat and starch and corn syrup? Sitting in a bar and talking to strangers??? Drunk?? You CAN talk to stranger anywhere you like. Remember too that Europe is a large number of tiny separate Countries so you really don't have to go far to get variety of foods. .
Tiny Dynamine 4 years ago
Yep. Propaganda is strong in the USA. The authorities do not like free thought.
K W 4 years ago
The oligarchs do not like free thought. Many of our biggest problems right now come from money spent by billionares to push government deregulation for their profit. A good portion of our legislation/law making branch is controlled by a few powerful politicians on the payroll of specific conservative billionaires. There's a lot of money in keeping the population stupid, reliant on employer healthcare or chasing ideologies so they don't realize who's shoring up all the money and power.
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#17
Also an American that moved to Spain. Healthcare is my #1 reason why I have no interest in moving back to America. Even though I miss the comfort and ease of the place that I grew up, it’s nothing compared to the peace of mind living here. A lot of people complain about “people being lazy” in Spain. I, for the most part, love how relaxed everyone is here. Coming from NY, where everything needs to be finished yesterday and you get yelled at for not giving your order quick enough in a food line… it’s so refreshing to constantly be reminded to take a break. Deep breath. Fresh air. Take a nap. Get around to it later. I’m sure that it’s helped my anxiety and made me happier for it. One more thing… I just returned from a visit to America today after being away for two years. It could be just me being sensitive to things, but the vibe there felt different. It felt very divisive, fearful and angry. It made me sad.
cybermerlin2000 4 years ago
You are not being sensitive. You have had your eyes opened and saw what America has truly become
Riley Quinn 4 years ago
The US ranks #1 in the world for number of stressed, anxious, and sad people.
Load More Replies... Karis Ravenhill 4 years ago
You're not wrong. The whole vibe here is off, you can feel an undercurrent of wrongness everywhere you go. The people are off-kilter in their heads and hearts, in the same way your gut gets wary when there's a violent junkie around, you'll feel that way constantly around Americans. On edge, fight or flight, a cloud of fear and hatred.
Kimi Tomminello 4 years ago
No, you're 100% spot on. You could cut the tension with a knife here stateside.
De Gueb 4 years ago
The "mañana sindrome" in Spain varies. It can be very frustrating sometimes. I work all over Spain and its true the south can be very laid back (I live in the south, I love it) But sometimes It drives you mad If you have work to do and you can't get the work done because people don't turn up or don't do the work.
Mean Red B 4 years ago
Spaniards are the sweetest people for chilling and vacation but professionally well... I've been cooperating with Spanish companies a while back and it wasn't the most successful unfortunately :( ie my factory has stopped, failure of a single part, Spanish part. I try to contact the company. No one there, nooone responsible. Hell, called the CEO, didn't bother much. For two months! There was a meeting, yes yes we will do our best blabla and what? Nothing. We had to switch to a different process, a lot of money lost. :/ I really love the country and the people but their work culture sucks :(
Load More Replies... Kelly Hartle 4 years ago
Even those of us who try to respect all people get sucked into the hatred spewed out by politicians and the media. When Trump was president I literally woke up every morning to check the news and make sure we weren't at war yet. Other politicians have taken up the banner to please him, but at least they don't have the power to launch nuclear weapons.
Karin Morris 4 years ago
No you are right, thats exactly what the vibe is here now. You can thank Trump
#18
I did about three years ago. I was mentally tired from living in a state of near catastrophe all the time. I had a good job but one medical catastrophe (of which I’d already had a few) could have bankrupted me. I wanted kids but again, it’s one catastrophe away from homelessness WITH kids. And no social support for kids either, like parental leave after the birth, subsidized childcare, subsidized higher education. I hated never having job security despite being excellent at my job.
Basically everything about all of the systems in the US terrified me.
My quality of life is incalculably improved by living in a country that cares about its citizens.
Randolph Croft 4 years ago
I lived like that for more than a decade in Southern California. I couldn't afford to get sick or even consult a doctor. Couldn't sleep much, lying awake thinking about what tools I could sell for rent (which was more than half of what I made, btw - SoCal is terrible for that). Finally gave up and moved back to Canada. I work less, sleep better, and now I'm saving for retirement with real money.
ThEboRedEsTpANdA 4 years ago
Ok so I read 'I died about three years ago' instead of 'I did three years ago'
Jill Pulcifer 4 years ago
As do I, I reread things before I send them and often catch myself using certain words and or phrases multiple times in a row.
Load More Replies... #19
It's easy to get somewhere completely different. In America you have to travel a long way to get to a place with a different culture. 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.
Random Panda 4 years ago
Plovdiv, the oldest city in Europe, has been continuously inhabited for about 8000 years.
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Randolph Croft 4 years ago
You can take a modern, comfortable, inexpensive and fast train to travel from the Renaissance to Ancient History. Then a subway trip to the most modern art museum in the world. In a couple of hours.
Randolph Croft 4 years ago
Oh, and the language and food will be different.
Load More Replies... An Co 4 years ago
Uhm, that is not true. The only thing Europe has is different languages. I assure you that living in Vermont is VERY different culture from living in NYC (about 4 hours away). Both are very different than living in West Virginia (4 hours from NYC), which is hugely different than living in Florida (4 hours from W.V.)
Michael Fuhry 4 years ago
There is truth in this. Heck, you can travel from Saint Louis (where I live), and two hours or less south, you're in the Ozark region. However, these days it's advisable to tread lightly, due to the vast chasm which exists between rural and urban/suburban populations. The rhetoric emanating from the mouths and minds of conservative and rural Americans has crossed over to livid hostility. The implication being "If you're not like us, you're not one of us [American]". And that makes you the enemy, the other. And as history has repeatedly shown, "the other" becomes a target.
Load More Replies... Klas Klättermus 4 years ago
This is a weird reason. I mean in the US you have 50 states spreading all over the continent (and then some) where you can move to or visit different cultures all within your home country and all speak the same language. You could live desert life one year, swamp life the next and kind of an ice age life in Alaska after that or anything in between
#20
America is an increasingly dangerous place to live because of right-wing domestic extremism and white supremacy that threatens to undermine democracy.
Caro Caro 4 years ago
The USA will crumble to nothing if it doesn't watch out and their influence in world politics will dwindle BUT watch out, their influence via internet is vast: anti-vaxxers and anti-abortionists, re-schooling of lgbtqia+, white supremacy and other foul bs is rife.
My Name Is Mars 4 years ago
This country was in trouble well before it happened but I personally feel that January 6th was the final nail in the coffin, so to speak. What was left of democracy here truly died that day.
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Nikki Sevven 4 years ago
Frankly, as a US citizen, I think it's past time for the Balkanization of the US. I don't see any way for us to be the "United" States ever again. The disparities are too great, and there's literally no common ground between the religious fascists and the rest of us. (However, despite the right wing's constant threats of secession, I note that they are the largest beneficiaries of tax money, while the progressive states receive much less than they contribute. We can get along just fine without them, but they would starve without us, a fact they seem to be blissfully ignorant of.)
Leo Domitrix 4 years ago
I'd agree except for the problem inherent in that: Even "progressive" states have significant numbers of proto-fascists, and vice versa, and the lines aren't clear as they were in 1860 along the Mason-Dixon. That said, if all neo-fascists want to move to Texas, I'll help 'em pack...
Load More Replies... Kevin Donegan 4 years ago
Not according to the Republicans ... they call "right-wing domestic extremism and white supremacy" their voter base. Anyone else see a problem with that?
Ian MacFarlane 4 years ago
Racisms are built into our criminal laws, originally to stop blacks from voting (felons lost their right to vote). Many states still have that set of laws, and have found new ways to cheat, such as Gerrymandering.
Klas Klättermus 4 years ago
All we hear about here in Europe is about how the black power movement burn down cities in america. We never get to hear about these right-wing things you mention. We have the same problems here
Kimi Tomminello 4 years ago
That's a shame!! I'm in America and the amount of right wing/ white domestic terrorist threats are definitely more prevalent than the world news will ever cover. It's gotten very bad in the last 5 years.
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M O'Connell 4 years ago
Tell that to the house I have to drive by every day who flies three flags: the confederate flag on top, a flag printed with profanities regarding a former president, and the US flag at the bottom. That should tell you something about domestic extremism. As a proud American, I will defend their right to express those views, however it deeply saddens me that they feel so strongly in favor of white supremacism & fascism. It is unclear to me how either of those political principles will solve problems for anyone.
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#21
I would move if I could for the food alone. Not only does the majority of it taste better in Europe, but it's also more nutritious. Food additives that are illegal in Europe are abundant in the US. Crops have been so modified that they have a fraction of the nutrients. Even baking ingredients like flour and sugar are way less healthy here in the US because of how they are processed
WilvanderHeijden 4 years ago
Just watch some youtube videos of Americans who moved to Europe and they all agree on this. No matter what European country they live in, they all say that food products look better, and taste better.
Random Panda 4 years ago
A friend of mine who lived in the US for a couple of years told me she gained weight without changing her lifestyle or eating habits. There is just too much sugar and other crap added to food in the US.
Caro Caro 4 years ago
If they would just make some simple laws and rules about food safety then the American people as a whole would be healthier. Benefits healthcare too.
Béla Kun 4 years ago
It's funny how the FDA is a roaring tiger if it comes to foreign countries, they even go through trash, but if it comes to murica they are cute little cities, "A food additive you are using possibly causes cancer, no matter you can still use it because you used that for a long time."
Load More Replies... Karis Ravenhill 4 years ago
I stopped eating apples after arriving in America, they're utterly tasteless and have a weird dried-out texture. Then i found out apples are regularly irradiated and then stored in warehouses for up to a year before being sent to the grocery store. I moved from Europe to USA so I could eat my away across the country, arrived only to find none of the food was worth eating, and I now have to buy European imported food at 4x the price just to eat something that tastes nice.
Brandon Marlowe 4 years ago
You should visit the southeast region of the US. We have the tastiest cuisine in the country. Southern food is influenced by Cajun, African, Caribbean, French Creole, etc.
Load More Replies... Klas Klättermus 4 years ago
Well, be happy if you can afford food in Sweden. Our food prices have escalated to the point of ludicrousy. They made all food packages 30-50% smaller and raised the price about 50-100% (not taking to account the smaller amount you get so actualy like 100-200% price raise in a few years)
Isaac Harvey 4 years ago
My dad is part Norwegian and has made his own custom recipe for Norwegian fries. Unlike the fries in the US, they are far from bland, in a good way.
Kevin Donegan 4 years ago
Let's look at what happens EVEN BEFORE THE FOOD IS PROCESSED. The United States government subsidizes farmers to grow corn and wheat. The government also subsidizes farmers NOT TO FARM because of the overproduction of these commodities. What happens with all that corn and wheat ... it's processed into empty nutrition, high calorie food. Wonder why we have an obesity problem? When someone living in a food wasteland, their only choices are fast food (highly processed food). Even if they do have access to a full service grocery store ... they could buy an avocado for $1.99 or two $1 burgers at McDonald's. Which one do you think they're going to pick?
M O'Connell 4 years ago
Farm production subsidies were enacted during the 1930s to stabilize wildly fluctuating commodity prices. Farming is one of the riskiest businesses to be in. By the way, the vast majority of that corn and wheat isn't processed into empty calories, it is fed to livestock. This also dates back to the early 20th Century, before we really had really good understanding of nutrition and meat was deemed an essential part of one's diet which is why meat prices are so low in the US compared to other places.
Load More Replies... #22
American who moved to Europe 15 years ago. There are pros and cons. Lived in Barcelona for 5 years and very much enjoyed the lifestyle. Moved to Gothenburg, Sweden after for 7 years. Actually gained dual citizenship there, which has made being in Europe much easier. A lot of things are great in Sweden, but I couldn’t handle the cold, wet, dark… It gets very hard with the 7 to 9 month long winters (in 2 of my years there summer did not come). I’m back in Spain now, 3 years. Money is much tighter. But life and food suits me better. I always thought I would return to the US, but not so much anymore. Plus, my Italian wife is not interested…
ZAPanda 4 years ago
Yep northern europe is dark. Lived in scotland for a while. Damp, wet, dark. Depressing. Cool to visit, but not really to live. I'm used to the sun in Africa.
Karis Ravenhill 4 years ago
Yep, I left Scotland for America to get away from the cold, wet depressing dark. I have plenty of sunshine here in America, but life is miserable here, i'm eager to return to the cold wet dark of the north if it means I get free healthcare, food worth eating, and fellow citizens who give a damn about each other. One of those "the grass is always greener" that was a complete failure.
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Guy MacGregor 4 years ago
All tastes are in the nature. The cold, wet and dark winters are why I love Scandinavia so much ^^
Anders Hernandez Kristiansen 4 years ago
7-9 month long winters?? Where did you live? Antartica
Kelly Hartle 4 years ago
The weather in parts of the U.S is not much better. Here in Indiana we sometimes have temperatures that very from 100 degrees (37 degrees Celsius) to -20 (about -28 Celsius). I'd rather have the cooler temperatures--you can always put more clothes on.
#23
I’m terrified that the 2024 election, or the one after, or the one after that one will be the point that Democracy fully tanks (beyond just gerrymandering) and this country becomes an autocracy.
Lucifer 4 years ago
To be honest, US never had a democracy. It was more of a marketing strategy. The minority ( old white men) still hold/s the majority of the power.
Kevin Donegan 4 years ago
Gerrymandering is what keeps "bat s**t crazy" people like Matt Gaetz, Lauren Bohbert, and Marjorie Taylor Greene in office. Republicans have a lock on the local legislatures and it will be another generation before anything can happen to change that ... and then it'll be too late. There are a few dozen more "Donald tRump's" waiting in the wings ready to step up and fill his racist, misogynistic, homophobic, authoritarian clown shoes.
Kimi Tomminello 4 years ago
I know it's the truth but somehow reading it written out gave me that wonderful sense of doom and gloom. I really should move to Canada again.
Load More Replies... WilvanderHeijden 4 years ago
The 2024 election will be the return of the Tangerine Turd. Republicans are now in the process of blocking a lot of democratic voters from voting in many states and getting away with it. They really want the Tangerine Turd to rule once more, so it's easier for them to line their pockets and secure their kids some very powerful positions to prevent the Democrats to ever win an election again. The supreme court is Republican. That's why they refused to block the Texas abortion legislation. And at this moment Pence is trying to get Roe vs. Wade overturned by the supreme court and there's a good chance they will agree. Since 2000 the intolerance towards abortions has drastically increased. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-59480917.amp
Karis Ravenhill 4 years ago
Sometimes i've tried to imagine what would happen if America did become an autocracy again - but under a queen (not THE queen, she's about to drop dead, and no one wants Charles for King). One person to finally walk in and say "SHUT. UP. None of this works, we're changing everything. All you old coots doing a crap job in the Senate and Congress etc, you're all FIRED. Get me a bunch of students who want to passionately change and overhaul this country, and they would be happy to be paid in fu**ing ramen noodles!". I'd rather enjoy seeing what changes could be made to America, for the better, with one person who's just had enough of all the capitalist bulls**t and is ready to stop duct taping this place back together, just burn it the heck down, and built a better one.
SomePeopleCallMeMaurice 4 years ago
Bravissimo! Well said and I heartily agree!
Load More Replies... Klas Klättermus 4 years ago (edited)
Well, then imagine Sweden then with probably no future elections at all. No more "choose the lesser evil" for us when we don't get to choose at all!
Laura Capshaw 4 years ago
Don't you worry, dear. The U.S. will become a theocracy long before it becomes an autocracy. Sigh.
Karl Baxter 4 years ago
I hope for the sake of your sane countrymen and women (& the rest of the world that will suffer the fallout) that’s just a sick joke on your part. Otherwise you clearly have no understanding of the political terms of which you speak. Trump, guns and religion are a cancer upon the face of the planet. If he wins again then the idiots will truly have inherited the earth.
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#24
I moved 5.5 years ago because there are better job opportunities in my field of music here. Also, I'm able to afford living in a nice, big city without working two to three jobs.
Pamela Blue 4 years ago
Klas, for goodness sakes! Stop being such an Eeyore! It's getting wearing.
Load More Replies... Guy MacGregor 4 years ago
Glad I could witness your first time then ^^ It is very common around here
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#25
You won't be bankrupt for being sick, your kids won't end up with serious student loans (in most of Europe) or be funneled into a for-profit private prison system. Less chance of a maniac shooting you. You aren't afraid of losing health insurance after a layoff/firing.
Legen ( wait for it ) dary 4 years ago
Being employed in America is worse than being poor in Europe. I'm poor, but my bills are paid and my fridge is full. And I don't need to stop going to the Dr just because I'm poor. My kids still going to a nice school and we live in a nice neighborhood and not in some gueto because the government helps paying some of the rent and school is paid according to your income. I'm poor because even though I have everything, I still have a very tight budget and i can't afford tickets for shows and dinners out. , I can travel through, but I would stay in a hostel or family, friends place.
Caro Caro 4 years ago (edited)
All what you mentioned ensures that your children have a good start in life too with equal rights and opportunities.
Load More Replies... Klas Klättermus 4 years ago (edited)
Well, in Sweden if you for instance get cancer, you may get to stay home for a few months with some financial support (if you don't own any small businesses). Then after 3 months they decide you should be able to work (even though your cancer treatment haven't started yet for another 9-36 months) and then you get put out on the streets with cancer because you can't get treatment to get better and perhaps start working again
#26
My SO and I moved to Greece in 2016. I eat mostly vegan and the quality and price of basic raw ingredients are incredible.
Kevin Donegan 4 years ago
Most low-income people in the United States don't have access to "fresh basic raw ingredients." They live in food wastelands where they only have access to fast food restaurants. Also, if you don't have much money, what choice will you make when you can buy two $1 burgers at McDonald's or one head of lettuce at a grocery store (after traveling miles outside of your neighborhood). That's not much of a choice.
Caro Caro 4 years ago
I find that shocking that fast food is cheaper than fresh produce from a supermarket.
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#27
The quality of life in terms of healthcare, nutrition, work culture, etc
You can travel to so many different countries so easily and experience different cultures, food and people
Everything just looks pretty and cute: especially in terms of architecture
You don't hear too many bad things about Europeans, mostly just how they don't like Americans, which is very telling about us
Caro Caro 4 years ago
We Europeans don't dislike Americans. We dislike the loud, Trump loving, racist, bigot Americans.
Nikki Sevven 4 years ago
Trust me, most Americans dislike them as well. They're embarrassingly ignorant (and unwilling to learn), incapable of critical thinking, think that hatred is a viable motivator, and lack empathy.
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Rez Fidel 4 years ago
We do love most Americans. It´s just that horrible political and economical shitshow you are OK living with which makes us cringe and shivver.
Caro Caro 4 years ago
I'm not sure they are OK living with that shitshow.
Load More Replies... Legen ( wait for it ) dary 4 years ago
Americans I've meet are very friendly, very communicate and very polite. And now I admire them for living under this circumstances. More I know about America less I want to go there to live if I would have a offer to do so.
Kimi Tomminello 4 years ago
It's definitely not worth coming here to live unless you're a multimillionaire/ billionaire with connections. Visiting here can be awesome, though!!
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Eve 4 years ago
I was in the US a couple of times. I met great people over there, made some new friends. But I never want to live there. Because I'll never understand how in the hell they could vote DT for president and I'll never understand why they love guns so much. Hundreds of people die every day, but all they want is more guns. Nobody cares for the victims.
Tamra Stiffler 4 years ago
I live here, Eve, and I absolutely hate the gun situation too. It's utter madness.
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Sheree Hyde 4 years ago
Caro Caro I don't like them either and I live here. They have all gone off the deep end and are trying to take the rest of us with them.
otplus 4 years ago
So you are saying that USA does not have any of the one above, like japanese-american concentration camps, latin children's Concentration camps, most of the intervention of government to put a bloodthirsty dictator, the iran-contra bit, cold war bit, the whole part on iran, irak and Afghanistan, the indigenous people genocide even after independence. I could go on, and all that in what could be call a fraction of the time of existance compared to europe. Do not make a comparison like that, specially when the other is not really innocent of all the above.
Load More Replies... Caro Caro 4 years ago
Sooo if it's negative about the US it's propaganda and if it's all hail US and GOP then it's .....???
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#28
I moved as part of a student exchange and then again to teach English. Spent around 2 years total living in France. Honestly, I loved the culture a ton and could see myself moving there again. The food is bomb, I felt so good while I was there because of the lack of shit in the food. Time off was amazing, the general idea that life and its little pleasures are meant to be enjoyed and that hustle culture isn't the way also attracted me.
Karl Baxter 4 years ago
My wife’s colleague moved from New York to (Old) York and noticed that, as he ate UK food portions, he went down several clothes sizes in the process. He thought the houses were a bit small compared to what he was used to back home but reckoned the culture and food made up for it. His main gripe was that he was paid in US Dollars by the company and the exchange rate wasn’t really in his favour while in the UK.
Nikki Sevven 4 years ago
A chef friend of mine serves HUGE portions. He makes a fantastic lobster mac 'n' cheese...that comes in a 1.5-liter casserole dish. I eat my fill, bring it home, and get 4 more meals from it. So I'm being served 5 meals at once presented as a "portion." And I can't even imagine trying to eat the whole thing. But some do.
Load More Replies... ThEboRedEsTpANdA 4 years ago (edited)
the lack of sh!t in food comment sold me on this. I am never going to the US. (obvs ik that there isn't literal sh!t in the food but ye)
#29
Because Italy has some of the best food in the world.
Legen ( wait for it ) dary 4 years ago
Food/ culture is always a good reason to move somewhere.
Evelyn Haskins 4 years ago
Nah!!!!! Learn to cook -- and cook what you like. Get a good international cookbook. And try to avoid over-sweetening every thing.
Load More Replies... Leo Domitrix 4 years ago
If you take me to Tuscany, you have to force me to leave. Just sayin'.
BrookieTheWookie 4 years ago
My dad is from Italian ancestors, he makes the best pasta Ala oli (I hope I spelled it right) I think it just means pasta in olive oil
Laura 4 years ago
Aglio, olio e peperoncino it's pasta with oil, garlic and chillies
Load More Replies... #30
I can walk to all the amenities I need. People say what they mean. Sh*t works as intended a lot more.
Jessica Bertram 4 years ago (edited)
ummm, that photo...lol. i know they aren't of the right places, and are stock, but, that's the Brown Palace Hotel in downtown Denver, Colorado, USA. i live here, hahaha! to be fair, i, too, can walk to most of the amenities i need/want, but i also live downtown. most people don't. in western cities like Denver, public transport is ...scarcer. and it's a car culture for sure.
#31
Quality of life, the humanity of the citizens, people actually know how to drive and be overall humane. Then you have the socialized healthcare showing that the society cares about the well being of the rest of society…. Yeah, the humanity for the most part draws my attention.
Klas Klättermus 4 years ago
In what part of Europe do you guys find all these things? We have none of it in Sweden
#32
Low crime rate, free healthcare, beautiful cities and amazing architecture.
Kevin Donegan 4 years ago
Every day there is a mass shooting in a school, shopping mall or workplace in the USA. "Anti-vaxxers" scream about how their children are "traumatized" by wearing a mask to school. Not surprisingly, they never want to talk about the trauma faced by our children when they live through a mass shooting event or when they conduct drills for active shooters. The United States does not have long to live ...
Leo Domitrix 4 years ago
Can we not nail the lid shut on the coffin before some of us have a chance to get out? I can't get citizenship till I pass my C-levels, *and* find a job, and it turns out being a volunteer in a pandemic isn't worth anything on my CV.
Load More Replies... #33
We recently moved to Europe for my job. Some of the benefits include lower crime in most places, inexpensive or free healthcare, inexpensive or free higher education, lower costs for cellphone and internet services, and more cultural diversity.
Klas Klättermus 4 years ago
What country do you speak of? I'm looking to leave the tyranny of Sweden and this place sounds nice!
#34
I moved to France 10 years ago and will never move back to the U.S. I have a better quality of life and I'm not worried my daughter will be shot by a classmate
Caro Caro 4 years ago (edited)
It always comes back to: safety for our children, education, healthcare. Imagine waving your child goodbye, off to school they go while wondering if they'll return whole and safe or .....
#35
My kids have a better quality of here. We’re fortunate to live in an area with good schools that are walking distance from our house. They have local school friends which I didn’t have. I lived in a rough area and my parents sent me out of the area so I could go to a good school. I don’t need to drive as much, my work/life balance is better, food is cheaper and of course healthcare.
WilvanderHeijden 4 years ago (edited)
In Europe schools aren't depending on the wealth of the parents. A school in a "poor" neighborhood isn't poor on funds because the government pays them a fixed amount per student. Of course, rich people can decide to send their kids to private schools. But the basic education in those schools won't differ very much from other schools. The only difference would be that kids from rich parents have their own laptops and kids from poor parents work with laptops provided by the school.
Incitatus 4 years ago
The government (of each US state) also pays a fixed amount per student, but school funds are otherwise drawn according to the local property taxes, which as you know yield a wide variety of results. So, poor schools are very poor, rich schools gave few problems. Added to that is a law called "No Child Left Behind," enacted by Bush, that withholds funds from schools that are failing as an incentive to do better. Logical, right? So poor schools get even worse. I don't know if this law is still in effect, does anyone know this?
Load More Replies... #36
The functioning railway system
Karis Ravenhill 4 years ago
Still better than almost no rail network in USA.
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Klas Klättermus 4 years ago
Unfortunately we have no such things in Sweden. If you go on a 5 hour train ride between our two largest cities, you best take into account the 6-7h standard stand still on the way due to the undefined track or "signal" problems
#37
I want to experience life in different parts of the world. Not just go on vacation for a week there
Phil DeBlanc 4 years ago
I live in Belgium and occasionally go to the Netherlands for alcohol and tobacco because it's cheaper. Oh, I should mention, it's twenty minutes away.
Karin Jansen 4 years ago
Haha and we'll come to Belgium for fireworks and gas (sooo much cheaper).
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Legen ( wait for it ) dary 4 years ago
That's a nice idea. I wish to live for 1 or 2 years somewhere new and knowing culture and people all over the world.
#38
To better reconnect with my father’s family in Germany. One of my cousins reached out to me and from there I felt like I had a family that actually cared about my well-being for the first time in a while. It feels like they actually 'get me' in a sense.
#40
Relaxed pace of life. It's far less stressful in the south of Europe than in the US.
Karis Ravenhill 4 years ago
Us Wildlings know how to have a party and a good time in the North.
Load More Replies... Klas Klättermus 4 years ago
The lazy southern europe does however depend on the hard working north to survive and pay their bills! No nice things come easy or by itself, you or someone else always has to do the work
#41
The dating culture isn’t as bad
Stephanie Chapman 4 years ago
I want to live in Europe because all the exceedingly different countries are close together and I just want to roam around and take pics of old buildings and eat yummy food. However, all of the other reasons on this list are valid. - But we need to work together, vote, and push for these changes here in America. We deserve a better health care system that won't put us into debt, free education, a less stressful work week, and better working conditions. Let's work together to make this happen. - My biggest complaint about America is that we are too big. I think it would be easier to implement these things if America was the size of a say England. Our country is so big it is really difficult to get this kind of change across each state. What do you think?
Xenon 4 years ago
I would agree with your last statement. Too big, too diverse to really get anything meaningful accomplished. Plus a plethora of other reasons big change will be difficult if not impossible to do.
Load More Replies... Karis Ravenhill 4 years ago
Agreed. It's so toxic in USA, me and all my female friends have been single for more than 2 years (one finally just gave up and relegated herself to spinsterhood). The european men have a better way about them, and generally respect women more. (minus the insane club spiking episodes happening in england right now, wtf is that even about?)
Ines Olabarria-Smith 4 years ago
On a date the person that invited us not supposed to pay for everything, for example.
Load More Replies... Klas Klättermus 4 years ago
I always found dating in american movies to be so nice. In Sweden the girls are all about the d**k on the first date no matter if you click or not. It would be nice to kind of buid a relationship instead
What do you think ?
Jayne Kyra 4 years ago
Once again "Europe" is not a congealed mass that is the same everywhere. Most of these posts refer to 1st world countries in Europe, or "the west". Post-Soviet countries are rarely mentioned. Xenophobia, extreme racism, literal Nazi marches and political parties, Texas-like removal of women´s rights and/or pushing for it, are only some that come to mind.
Ozacoter 4 years ago (edited)
I think that while this posts are right in the sense that the EU is a better place to live than USA they also romanticize it too much. For example they talk about being more safe if you become ill or poor. But they fail to mention that many europea countries (like belgium where i live now) only allow you to stay here as a migrant if you have a job. In belgium if you are unemployed for 3 months (like due to injury or disability) and you dont have a working spouse you get deported; no matter how long you worked there. It is also impossible to get the nationality unless you work, which makes it impossible for any disabled migrants. I have absolutely no rights here to free healthcare (i need to pay a very expensive private insurance), no kind of benefits for being disabled or ill or any kind of support at all. If i was single i would be kicked out in a couple of months. The cripling xenophobia of this area also makes it impossible to get any kind of advice from the government 1/2
Ozacoter 4 years ago (edited)
If I contact them to ask for any kind of advice their answer is most of the time "no". My partner that is native needs to contact them for us to get any answer. I asked them two times if there was a card to prove my disabilities and they denied it. It turns out that not only there is one but that this branch of the government gives it. Liars. When i became ill I went to the social services to ask for legal, psycological or economical help and I got told that if I asked again I would get my id taken away and deported (which is illegal). I reported this woman but nobody cared. Living in europe is great and as a spanish person i love it. But living here as a migrant is way more difficult that most people thinks. The experiences of migrants in spain are not that different for what i heard. 2/2
Load More Replies... Leo Domitrix 4 years ago
The major complaint seems to be that the US doesn't care about its citizens the way Western European nations do. The problem is not that this monolithic ideal doesn't care. It's that the citizens don't care about each other. I'd gladly play $20 a month more in taxes for better education, infrastructure, healthcare for all. Or even $200, since having all those things would mean (shocker) I wouldn't need to pay for private health care insurance and we wouldn't need a car for everything and and and.... So, care about your country by caring about your fellow citizens, and if you want a country that cares... Care. Vote for caring instead of screaming. Just a thought.
Dystopian Present 4 years ago
Unfortunately the US Constitution allows for a minority to control government. Even if the people who do care about others vote, the Senate, Presidency and state governments are frequently controlled by people who don't give a f**k about others. And those people who don't give a f**k really, really want to screw over those who do.
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Sean Harrison 4 years ago
One thing articles like this don't tend to mention is just how difficult it is for Americans (and probably other nationalities) to move to another country. I can't speak for people of other nations, but leaving the USA for another country is almost impossible, unless you either have money or a company is hiring you and sponsors your move.
Mewton’s Third Paw 4 years ago (edited)
I think lots of places in Europe are dope, and they really have healthcare sorted out too which is awesome and I’m jealous. But for me, I still just love America so, so much. I don’t like the people, but to be honest I don’t like Europeans that much either. Or Africans or Central Americans, or Asians or anyone really. People overall are not my cup of tea. But I like living in America - I like American multiculturalism and I like the way things are here in terms of the typical American “now now now go go go” lifestyle and how you can make lots of money here. I kind of prefer our mixed culture to the homogenous stuff you find in other places. I like our newness to the world, we don’t have too much old-world stuff here. My parents sacrificed a lot to be here, and I just can see why. There’s a lot I hate about America like republicans and stupidity and trashyness of people, I don’t like the schools or medical care here. There’s problems but I have no plans on taking up residence somewhere else.
Gavin Johnson 4 years ago
Horses for courses I’d say! I’m in the U.K. and I love where I live but I can totally see that my friends in the U.S. have a lifestyle that I’d like to try (maybe for 5 years or so), they have gorgeous mountains within an easy drive, they ski regularly during the winter and they love their (your) country. There are huge financial risks if healthcare or health insurance isn’t available to you and that’s a big negative for Americans but there’s a lot more to life than that. BP seems to love a bit of U.S. bashing on occasions and the political mess makes it an easy target but there’s so much to love about America and its people. We need to remember that there are negatives to every country, there are idiots everywhere if you wish to find ‘em, no country is perfect but the individual (wherever they are from) can be awesome, they can make there community a wonderful place to be, America or otherwise. Long may we all enjoy our respective countries!
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Ruth Riegler 4 years ago
I'm Scottish-German and read through these wondering where this Paradise is. I agree that pretty much all European nations, especially in Western Europe, do have far better employment, health and education systems than the USA (as does most of the world), but Europe is 44 nations, not a homogenous entity any more than Asia or Africa, it's not one big lovely welcoming democratic socialist haven of compassion and progressive values or a Ruritanian fantasyland. Currently on the borders of Europe, thousands of refugees, including women and children, are freezing to death or being deported by Frontex, the most heavily funded EU agency, the European version of ICE. Fascism and anti-vaxxers (same difference) are a problem in every nation. In France, lovely liberal Macron introduced legislation outlawing the hijab that Trump couldn't have pushed through in the USA, & his rivals in next year's election include straightforward neo-nazis who have widespread support.
Moisturized Elbows 4 years ago
For South Africa sure. I'm Zimbabwean and i wish i could go anywhere else literally anywhere else and sad to say I would never go back to my home country to be honest
Load More Replies... Jayne Kyra 4 years ago
Once again "Europe" is not a congealed mass that is the same everywhere. Most of these posts refer to 1st world countries in Europe, or "the west". Post-Soviet countries are rarely mentioned. Xenophobia, extreme racism, literal Nazi marches and political parties, Texas-like removal of women´s rights and/or pushing for it, are only some that come to mind.
Ozacoter 4 years ago (edited)
I think that while this posts are right in the sense that the EU is a better place to live than USA they also romanticize it too much. For example they talk about being more safe if you become ill or poor. But they fail to mention that many europea countries (like belgium where i live now) only allow you to stay here as a migrant if you have a job. In belgium if you are unemployed for 3 months (like due to injury or disability) and you dont have a working spouse you get deported; no matter how long you worked there. It is also impossible to get the nationality unless you work, which makes it impossible for any disabled migrants. I have absolutely no rights here to free healthcare (i need to pay a very expensive private insurance), no kind of benefits for being disabled or ill or any kind of support at all. If i was single i would be kicked out in a couple of months. The cripling xenophobia of this area also makes it impossible to get any kind of advice from the government 1/2
Ozacoter 4 years ago (edited)
If I contact them to ask for any kind of advice their answer is most of the time "no". My partner that is native needs to contact them for us to get any answer. I asked them two times if there was a card to prove my disabilities and they denied it. It turns out that not only there is one but that this branch of the government gives it. Liars. When i became ill I went to the social services to ask for legal, psycological or economical help and I got told that if I asked again I would get my id taken away and deported (which is illegal). I reported this woman but nobody cared. Living in europe is great and as a spanish person i love it. But living here as a migrant is way more difficult that most people thinks. The experiences of migrants in spain are not that different for what i heard. 2/2
Load More Replies... Leo Domitrix 4 years ago
The major complaint seems to be that the US doesn't care about its citizens the way Western European nations do. The problem is not that this monolithic ideal doesn't care. It's that the citizens don't care about each other. I'd gladly play $20 a month more in taxes for better education, infrastructure, healthcare for all. Or even $200, since having all those things would mean (shocker) I wouldn't need to pay for private health care insurance and we wouldn't need a car for everything and and and.... So, care about your country by caring about your fellow citizens, and if you want a country that cares... Care. Vote for caring instead of screaming. Just a thought.
Dystopian Present 4 years ago
Unfortunately the US Constitution allows for a minority to control government. Even if the people who do care about others vote, the Senate, Presidency and state governments are frequently controlled by people who don't give a f**k about others. And those people who don't give a f**k really, really want to screw over those who do.
Load More Replies... Sean Harrison 4 years ago
One thing articles like this don't tend to mention is just how difficult it is for Americans (and probably other nationalities) to move to another country. I can't speak for people of other nations, but leaving the USA for another country is almost impossible, unless you either have money or a company is hiring you and sponsors your move.
Mewton’s Third Paw 4 years ago (edited)
I think lots of places in Europe are dope, and they really have healthcare sorted out too which is awesome and I’m jealous. But for me, I still just love America so, so much. I don’t like the people, but to be honest I don’t like Europeans that much either. Or Africans or Central Americans, or Asians or anyone really. People overall are not my cup of tea. But I like living in America - I like American multiculturalism and I like the way things are here in terms of the typical American “now now now go go go” lifestyle and how you can make lots of money here. I kind of prefer our mixed culture to the homogenous stuff you find in other places. I like our newness to the world, we don’t have too much old-world stuff here. My parents sacrificed a lot to be here, and I just can see why. There’s a lot I hate about America like republicans and stupidity and trashyness of people, I don’t like the schools or medical care here. There’s problems but I have no plans on taking up residence somewhere else.
Gavin Johnson 4 years ago
Horses for courses I’d say! I’m in the U.K. and I love where I live but I can totally see that my friends in the U.S. have a lifestyle that I’d like to try (maybe for 5 years or so), they have gorgeous mountains within an easy drive, they ski regularly during the winter and they love their (your) country. There are huge financial risks if healthcare or health insurance isn’t available to you and that’s a big negative for Americans but there’s a lot more to life than that. BP seems to love a bit of U.S. bashing on occasions and the political mess makes it an easy target but there’s so much to love about America and its people. We need to remember that there are negatives to every country, there are idiots everywhere if you wish to find ‘em, no country is perfect but the individual (wherever they are from) can be awesome, they can make there community a wonderful place to be, America or otherwise. Long may we all enjoy our respective countries!
Load More Replies... Ruth Riegler 4 years ago
I'm Scottish-German and read through these wondering where this Paradise is. I agree that pretty much all European nations, especially in Western Europe, do have far better employment, health and education systems than the USA (as does most of the world), but Europe is 44 nations, not a homogenous entity any more than Asia or Africa, it's not one big lovely welcoming democratic socialist haven of compassion and progressive values or a Ruritanian fantasyland. Currently on the borders of Europe, thousands of refugees, including women and children, are freezing to death or being deported by Frontex, the most heavily funded EU agency, the European version of ICE. Fascism and anti-vaxxers (same difference) are a problem in every nation. In France, lovely liberal Macron introduced legislation outlawing the hijab that Trump couldn't have pushed through in the USA, & his rivals in next year's election include straightforward neo-nazis who have widespread support.
Moisturized Elbows 4 years ago
For South Africa sure. I'm Zimbabwean and i wish i could go anywhere else literally anywhere else and sad to say I would never go back to my home country to be honest
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