American Living In Germany Lists All The Reasons Why He Wouldn’t Go Back, And It’s Painfully Accurate
The U.S. Department of State estimates that about 9 million U.S. citizens are living abroad. Moreover, nearly 1 in 4 American expats are “seriously considering” or “planning” to renounce their U.S. citizenship, a survey from Greenback Expat Tax Services found. So you can’t help but wonder what exactly there is across the sea so appealing for Americans that they decide to settle down there for good.
This candid TikTok video from an American guy living in Berlin may bring us some answers. Jacobarthur30 has recently shared a video in response to another TikToker who asked “If you’re an American living abroad, please tell me why you would never go back?”
So he listed all the reasons why that may sound really straightforward and somewhat painful to hear, but they will surely make you stop and reflect on all these things that have been normalized in the American way of life.
This American guy living in Berlin has recently shared a very candid video explaining why he doesn’t want to go back to the States
@jacobarthur30But I do miss the Mexican food #stitch with @Brittney Ariane Vela #usa #america #americaningermany #emigration #germany♬ original sound – An American human in Berlin
Here are all the reasons he listed in a video, making us wonder
Image credits: jacobarthur30
First off, we should take into account the dreaded tax season that puts a strain on filers every year. It turned out that Americans overseas face such a burden with US tax filing requirements that 4 out of 10 say they’re willing to ditch their citizenship because of that. This is because U.S. citizens and resident aliens must file taxes and cover what they owe, regardless of where they live. In some cases, that means that expats are obliged to pay taxes in two places, which is stressful just thinking of it.
The second reason may have to do with the fact that many expats were dismayed by the U.S. government. The same Greenback survey showed that not only the coronavirus pandemic may have motivated some to stay abroad long term, but that a majority, 60% of respondents, disapproved of the American government’s crisis management. What’s even more shocking is that 85% of expats felt like they were not represented fairly by the government.
When it comes to reasons why Americans decide to go abroad, it turns out they have to do more with lifestyle and its quality rather than work or career opportunities. According to The Future of Working Abroad report, Americans are inclined to move abroad for love and seek out adventure in the first place.
In a survey of 8,313 working expats living in 175 destinations, just 36% of Americans said their primary reason for moving abroad was related to their job, compared with 47% of global expats who gave the same reason.
Having said that, a better work-life balance abroad is also a huge motivation for leaving the US. A recent Gallup report found that American workers are among the most stressed employees in the world, with rates of daily stress, worry, sadness and anger trending upward since 2009 and made worse during the pandemic. Expats who work in the US think their own work-life balance is worse (29% negative) than those of expats working anywhere else (16% negative), according to the Internations report.
Image credits: jacobarthur30
And this is what other people commented
i just don't understand how a lot of Americans can say their country is the greatest in the world with all that i do feel sorry for them
Because that is what they're being told, from young age on, and a lot of people simply don't and won't question it, as it is unpatriotic and that is a greater sin than anything else. It's the same mechanisms that work in countries like China. Indoctrination and only basic education for many of them. Most Americans will never leave their country and therefor can't compare what they have and what others have. Many Americans, even presidents, think of the rest of the world as undeveloped sh**holes and it's simply impossible that there's something better. And if there's something better, it's probably socialism, which always gets confused with communism. That being said - Not all Americans are like this. Sadly, those who are willing to question and to seek for answers are in low numbers.
its crazy the only thing i can compare it to is someone in an abusive relationship who was brought up with an abusive family to everyone its abusive and toxic but to them its normal because its all they have every known i feel bad for them living like that but like you guys said they get bent out of shape if you criticise
My cousin grew up in USA and said his biggest surprise after moving to UK (besides dozens other cultural shocks) was that UK news report on important events outside UK. He said he never heard about any major world events on USA news, unless it was directly affecting USA. The average citizen has no idea how the rest of the world live.
I'm one of the USA citizens, and I have NEVER been "told" we are the greatest country. I am FULLY aware of the problems in my country. So DON"T assume EVERY American born citizen think we are the GREATEST country because many of us are PAINFULLY aware of our shortcomings. Speak ONLY about those that you have spoken to PERSONALLY and know personally. Leave the REST of us to try to muddle through our lives since we don't have the MEANS to move to another country.
Everything you said is just sad. You have our pity.
America IS exceptional. There is NO other country in the world, with our population size, that is as diverse, ethnically, religiously, and racially. No where comes remotely close. Is it messed up in a lot of ways? of course! That does not diminish the reality that there is no legit comparison.
thank god (there is no comparison)
That's a BS argument and also not true. For example: the Netherlands is one of the countries with most people per km2. Amsterdam, together with Antwerp (Belgium), are the most diverse ranked cities in the world.
If they keep saying it they don't have to question it.
The guy touched on it in his piece. Many Americans haven't traveled at all, most haven't lived abroad; they have nothing to compare it to, and believe the lies and half-truths they've been told since birth. Even reasonable people get their noses out of joint if you criticize the place. They've been told for so long they're the best that they can't handle evidence to the contrary.
Not for you to understand and comprehend. Why does it bother you that someone can be so proud of something beyond your comprehension. No one needs your pitty sorrow when your the one who can't understand. Most of us just like to live our lives without people sticking their opinions in it and think they know what's best or how we should be or think. Other are small minded and don't see beyond the negative of someone else's point of view.
Indoctrinated propaganda about their own country, it's pummeled into you from all directions the day you're born. They're also taught that socialism and communism are the same things, many Americans i've met actually think we run all of western europe under communism. When I arrived and questioned the whole "greatest country in the world" when I saw all the serious problems here, the response from Americans was that I was hating on their country and I got a lot of abuse. When I questioned why America doesn't move into free education like back in my home country, the response was "If you can't afford education, you don't DESERVE education" (I nearly punched the fuc*ing guy). The whole mentality taught here is a toxic "be an ostrich, stick your head in the sand, and just keep repeating This Is The Greatest Country In The World until you die". I feel if we could wake those Americans up out of that mentality, we could motivate all the citizens to forcing change. It's time.
It's the greatest country in the world that they know anything about. Many Americans are knowledgeable about the world but the Fox News and no news have little knowledge that there are countries outside the US with civilization
He actually got away from his family. Good for him. That bit about black friday after thanks giving is very true. I'm afraid it will never get any better in the USA because of the bible thumping ignorance and intolerance. The politicians don't care. I really feel bad for the many americans having to deal with this sh!t and sincerely hope that one day it WILL get better. Merry Christmas.
As a German, my impression is that this was definitely more about his family than the country itself. And we have a lot of the same or similar problems that the US has here anyway.
No actually we don't. Healthcare, education and social system work totally differently.
Germany is a country that was "lucky" to go through the Third Reich, which was so shockingly gruesome, that the whole world afterwards decided, this should never happen again (surprise, we are back on the way there again ...) so they established a constitution, whose main focus were universal basic human rights. We were also lucky that for fourty years the Soviet Union was just around the corner, which meant that a) there basically was little to no low-wage sector because cheap products were imported from the GDR, where they were produced in undignified conditions and b) corporations always had to fear a socialist uprising if they tried to exploit the workers too much (the communists wanted their precious corporate money, which is the only thing they're afraid of), thus a social market economy was established, which is basically capitalism with certain social benefits for the people. For about 30 years actively realized social democracy in the German government led to the only period
in German history that led to a reduction in wealth difference. However, ever since the fall of the Soviet Union, corporations were basically let loose, social democracy was replaced with neoliberalism and influence over politics by corporations grew massively. We have a two-class healthcare system, unemployment aid is massively reduced after one year and tries to punish you for everything while you can barely make a living off it, pension has fallen so low, you can't live from it anymore, many politicians are involved in excessive lobbyism, fight against transparency, the new chancellor is incredibly corrupt, there even was a case of a corporation actively taking part in writing a law. Yes, we have a pretty solid social foundation but corporations and selfish politicians work tirelessly to destroy it, and it crumbles. I'm glad I'm not living in the US but our country does sadly take the same path, we just haven't come as far.
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America foots the bill for for most European countries militaries I’m not sure but I’m pretty sure Germany is one of those. What happens should we pull out of European politics? Much of Europe is aging and few babies are born than will be able to grow up to work and pay for the generations before them. Older generations will begin to take more money from the welfare system than they put in as well. American has a stable growth rate (not declining but not rapidly increasing). However I will acknowledge, as an American, that America is a garbage fire.
Sorry to disagree. I'm also an American who moved to Germany. Everything he said is 100% true -- and he didn't even touch on the maturity of Germans compared to Americans (because of movements like FKK, if you body-shame an old or fat person everyone knows the real problem is YOU). People here keep asking me when I plan to return to America and my honest answer is over my dead body.
As an American who has lived here my entire life, I have to say I agree with OP! I'm ashamed to be from America at times.
Just after Trump was elected, someone put up a petition on change.org for Minnesota to secede and join Canada. I'm from Minnesota. I signed, along with about 10,000 people. It wasn't serious of course, but it was a nice daydream. Not that Canada is perfect, but seems better than here. About the only two good things I see about the US now is 1) National parks, and 2) How we integrate refugees into society instead of locking them up in camps. In my metro area (St. Paul, Minnesota), we have a long history of taking in refugees from all over the world. Minnesota has the most refugees per capita of any state. (18 percent of children in Minnesota is either a child of an immigrant or were themselves born.I grew up in a neighborhood with a lot of Vietnamese, Laotian, and Hmong refugees and no place truly feels like home until I'm back in that area and see their faces. (I'm of Norwegian descent myself.) Now we have a huge population of Somalis and Ethiopians. Minnesota is the great melting pot.
Same.
Go live in elsewhere
People like you are making us a backsliding democracy. Being able to criticize the government and politics and capitalism but no you'd rather no one be able to do that. The most patriotic thing you can do in the USA is freely and openly talk about the problems in our country and start to change it. You'd rather no one be able to say anything?
i just don't understand how a lot of Americans can say their country is the greatest in the world with all that i do feel sorry for them
Because that is what they're being told, from young age on, and a lot of people simply don't and won't question it, as it is unpatriotic and that is a greater sin than anything else. It's the same mechanisms that work in countries like China. Indoctrination and only basic education for many of them. Most Americans will never leave their country and therefor can't compare what they have and what others have. Many Americans, even presidents, think of the rest of the world as undeveloped sh**holes and it's simply impossible that there's something better. And if there's something better, it's probably socialism, which always gets confused with communism. That being said - Not all Americans are like this. Sadly, those who are willing to question and to seek for answers are in low numbers.
its crazy the only thing i can compare it to is someone in an abusive relationship who was brought up with an abusive family to everyone its abusive and toxic but to them its normal because its all they have every known i feel bad for them living like that but like you guys said they get bent out of shape if you criticise
My cousin grew up in USA and said his biggest surprise after moving to UK (besides dozens other cultural shocks) was that UK news report on important events outside UK. He said he never heard about any major world events on USA news, unless it was directly affecting USA. The average citizen has no idea how the rest of the world live.
I'm one of the USA citizens, and I have NEVER been "told" we are the greatest country. I am FULLY aware of the problems in my country. So DON"T assume EVERY American born citizen think we are the GREATEST country because many of us are PAINFULLY aware of our shortcomings. Speak ONLY about those that you have spoken to PERSONALLY and know personally. Leave the REST of us to try to muddle through our lives since we don't have the MEANS to move to another country.
Everything you said is just sad. You have our pity.
America IS exceptional. There is NO other country in the world, with our population size, that is as diverse, ethnically, religiously, and racially. No where comes remotely close. Is it messed up in a lot of ways? of course! That does not diminish the reality that there is no legit comparison.
thank god (there is no comparison)
That's a BS argument and also not true. For example: the Netherlands is one of the countries with most people per km2. Amsterdam, together with Antwerp (Belgium), are the most diverse ranked cities in the world.
If they keep saying it they don't have to question it.
The guy touched on it in his piece. Many Americans haven't traveled at all, most haven't lived abroad; they have nothing to compare it to, and believe the lies and half-truths they've been told since birth. Even reasonable people get their noses out of joint if you criticize the place. They've been told for so long they're the best that they can't handle evidence to the contrary.
Not for you to understand and comprehend. Why does it bother you that someone can be so proud of something beyond your comprehension. No one needs your pitty sorrow when your the one who can't understand. Most of us just like to live our lives without people sticking their opinions in it and think they know what's best or how we should be or think. Other are small minded and don't see beyond the negative of someone else's point of view.
Indoctrinated propaganda about their own country, it's pummeled into you from all directions the day you're born. They're also taught that socialism and communism are the same things, many Americans i've met actually think we run all of western europe under communism. When I arrived and questioned the whole "greatest country in the world" when I saw all the serious problems here, the response from Americans was that I was hating on their country and I got a lot of abuse. When I questioned why America doesn't move into free education like back in my home country, the response was "If you can't afford education, you don't DESERVE education" (I nearly punched the fuc*ing guy). The whole mentality taught here is a toxic "be an ostrich, stick your head in the sand, and just keep repeating This Is The Greatest Country In The World until you die". I feel if we could wake those Americans up out of that mentality, we could motivate all the citizens to forcing change. It's time.
It's the greatest country in the world that they know anything about. Many Americans are knowledgeable about the world but the Fox News and no news have little knowledge that there are countries outside the US with civilization
He actually got away from his family. Good for him. That bit about black friday after thanks giving is very true. I'm afraid it will never get any better in the USA because of the bible thumping ignorance and intolerance. The politicians don't care. I really feel bad for the many americans having to deal with this sh!t and sincerely hope that one day it WILL get better. Merry Christmas.
As a German, my impression is that this was definitely more about his family than the country itself. And we have a lot of the same or similar problems that the US has here anyway.
No actually we don't. Healthcare, education and social system work totally differently.
Germany is a country that was "lucky" to go through the Third Reich, which was so shockingly gruesome, that the whole world afterwards decided, this should never happen again (surprise, we are back on the way there again ...) so they established a constitution, whose main focus were universal basic human rights. We were also lucky that for fourty years the Soviet Union was just around the corner, which meant that a) there basically was little to no low-wage sector because cheap products were imported from the GDR, where they were produced in undignified conditions and b) corporations always had to fear a socialist uprising if they tried to exploit the workers too much (the communists wanted their precious corporate money, which is the only thing they're afraid of), thus a social market economy was established, which is basically capitalism with certain social benefits for the people. For about 30 years actively realized social democracy in the German government led to the only period
in German history that led to a reduction in wealth difference. However, ever since the fall of the Soviet Union, corporations were basically let loose, social democracy was replaced with neoliberalism and influence over politics by corporations grew massively. We have a two-class healthcare system, unemployment aid is massively reduced after one year and tries to punish you for everything while you can barely make a living off it, pension has fallen so low, you can't live from it anymore, many politicians are involved in excessive lobbyism, fight against transparency, the new chancellor is incredibly corrupt, there even was a case of a corporation actively taking part in writing a law. Yes, we have a pretty solid social foundation but corporations and selfish politicians work tirelessly to destroy it, and it crumbles. I'm glad I'm not living in the US but our country does sadly take the same path, we just haven't come as far.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
America foots the bill for for most European countries militaries I’m not sure but I’m pretty sure Germany is one of those. What happens should we pull out of European politics? Much of Europe is aging and few babies are born than will be able to grow up to work and pay for the generations before them. Older generations will begin to take more money from the welfare system than they put in as well. American has a stable growth rate (not declining but not rapidly increasing). However I will acknowledge, as an American, that America is a garbage fire.
Sorry to disagree. I'm also an American who moved to Germany. Everything he said is 100% true -- and he didn't even touch on the maturity of Germans compared to Americans (because of movements like FKK, if you body-shame an old or fat person everyone knows the real problem is YOU). People here keep asking me when I plan to return to America and my honest answer is over my dead body.
As an American who has lived here my entire life, I have to say I agree with OP! I'm ashamed to be from America at times.
Just after Trump was elected, someone put up a petition on change.org for Minnesota to secede and join Canada. I'm from Minnesota. I signed, along with about 10,000 people. It wasn't serious of course, but it was a nice daydream. Not that Canada is perfect, but seems better than here. About the only two good things I see about the US now is 1) National parks, and 2) How we integrate refugees into society instead of locking them up in camps. In my metro area (St. Paul, Minnesota), we have a long history of taking in refugees from all over the world. Minnesota has the most refugees per capita of any state. (18 percent of children in Minnesota is either a child of an immigrant or were themselves born.I grew up in a neighborhood with a lot of Vietnamese, Laotian, and Hmong refugees and no place truly feels like home until I'm back in that area and see their faces. (I'm of Norwegian descent myself.) Now we have a huge population of Somalis and Ethiopians. Minnesota is the great melting pot.
Same.
Go live in elsewhere
People like you are making us a backsliding democracy. Being able to criticize the government and politics and capitalism but no you'd rather no one be able to do that. The most patriotic thing you can do in the USA is freely and openly talk about the problems in our country and start to change it. You'd rather no one be able to say anything?