“You Will Very Quickly Get Burned Out And Hate It Here”: Person Shares That Moving To Sweden From The US Is Not As Amazing As People Think
As an American, I’ve always viewed Scandinavia through rose-colored glasses. The home of gorgeous scenery, excellent education and healthcare, and systems that seem to work efficiently and actually benefit taxpayers, who wouldn’t want to move there?
However, there are pros and cons to living anywhere, so one expat who moved to Sweden nearly a decade ago recently detailed on Reddit why the land of pop music and IKEA might not be right for every American. Keep reading to find their thoughts, as well as a conversation we were lucky enough to have with Meagan Nouis, another American who calls Sweden home.
It’s common for Americans to romanticize the idea of moving to a Nordic country
Image credits: Anete Lūsiņa (not the actual photo)
So this expat has broken down some of the ways moving to Sweden may not be exactly what Americans expect
Image credits: Catalina Johnson (not the actual photo)
Image credits: anon
The expat later shared an update explaining what they love most about living in Sweden
Expats should expect to encounter many cultural differences anywhere they relocate to
To learn more about what it’s like to live in Sweden as an American, we reached out to YouTuber Meagan Nouis, who was kind enough to have a chat with us about her life in this beautiful country. First, Meagan shared what inspired her to make the move to Scandinavia. “When I was studying abroad in Rome, Italy in 2012, I used my free time to travel around Europe,” she told Bored Panda. “I visited Stockholm during this time, and I felt an overwhelming sense of belonging. Think ‘Disney movie’ moment where I realized my dream was to live here! Since that one visit, I studied the language and decided the best way to live here was to study for my master’s degree.”
Meagan went on to explain that her experience in Sweden has become much easier over time, as her understanding of the culture has deepened. “You can find plenty of articles and videos talking about ‘what to expect in Sweden,’ which are broader descriptions of the culture, but it’s the small stuff like how to make a doctor’s appointment, doing self-checkout at Pressbyrån, and getting your American phone to work that are much harder to learn until you have to do it for the first time,” she explained.
Meagan also opened up about some of the most challenging aspects of living in Sweden. “Everyone says it, but the winter darkness and the weather are some of the hardest parts,” she shared. “Coming from Minnesota, I thought I’d prefer the Swedish darkness over the freezing cold weather in Minnesota (we’re talking over a month straight below 0° F). I was wrong. The darkness is miserable and really wears you down after months and months of it!”
Image credits:Erik Odiin (not the actual photo)
“Even if Swedes are typically reserved, they are so friendly once you get to know them!”
“Of course, I miss family and friends the most, but I’m grateful that it’s so easy these days to stay in touch with Facetime and family group chats,” Meagan added. “Culturally, I miss the efficiency of customer service [in the United States]. Typically, the first person you talk to will do everything they can to assist! I also miss how easy it is to joke around with complete strangers.”
And as far as Meagan’s favorite parts about living in Sweden, she says there are plenty of them. “The people are incredibly nice. Even if Swedes are typically reserved, they are so friendly once you get to know them!” she told Bored Panda. “I also love the efficiency of paying for things with Swish and using Band ID to make logging into accounts easy. The Swedish summers are beautiful. The coffee is so good and so cheap!”
“In Stockholm, one of my absolute favorite parts is how beautiful the city is,” Meagan added. “I will never get tired of seeing all of the boats on the water and Nordic architecture along the island coasts!”
Meagan also shared that she has learned a lot through her journey of trying to move to Sweden, which included being kicked out by Migrationsverket at one point, and then moving back again. “Here are my tips for Americans who want to move here, and what I wish I had known ahead of time,” she told Bored Panda. “Hands down, the easiest way to initially move here is through studying at a university. If this is what you want to do, save as much money as you can. Not only do you have to pay tuition (which is still MUCH cheaper than tuition in the States), but you need to prove to the migration office that you have enough money saved or that you earn a stable income. It’s easiest when you have the required amount already saved.”
“If you study, do a two-year degree,” Meagan continued. “One of the most essential things you’ll need to even function in daily Swedish society is a personnummer. I found out the hard way that a one-year master’s program was technically only nine months, and the migrations office won’t give you a number if your visa is for less than a year. If you do a two-year program, you’re guaranteed a personnummer right away. Save yourself the headache!”
Image credits: Quintin Gellar (not the actual photo)
Moving to Sweden certainly comes with challenges, but assimilation is possible with an open mind and determination
Meagan also warns readers to be prepared for lots of frustration trying to settle in and adjust to Swedish life. “The biggest thing that will help is getting a personnummer,” she says. “From there, I recommend getting a Swedish/European phone that can use a Swedish SIM card since you’ll be using apps for everything! Also getting a Swedish bank account (but you’ll need the personnummer first).”
Despite all of the frustration Meagan has faced, however, she loves living in Sweden. “Sweden is amazing, and the more you learn about the intricacies of the culture, the more you’ll appreciate it! You’ll be frustrated with some of the differences, but that’s true no matter where you go in the world,” she told Bored Panda, adding a few recommendations for those who visit or move to Sweden. “Make sure to try pizzasallad. Drink lots of coffee (with milk, not creamer!). Go berry and mushroom picking. Swedish ‘miles’ are 10 kilometers and not the same as US miles. Never forget to take a queue ticket at the post office, pharmacy, and doctor’s office!” If you’d like to learn more about Meagan’s adventures in Sweden and check out some of her informative and hilarious videos, be sure to visit her YouTube channel right here!
We would love to hear your thoughts on this post in the comments, pandas. Have you ever lived in Sweden? Have you ever wanted to? Feel free to share about your own experiences in the birthplace of IKEA and countless pop songs, and then if you’re interested in reading another Bored Panda article discussing cultural differences an American mother noticed after moving to Denmark, you can find that story right here!
Image credits: Jon Flobrant (not the actual photo)
Many people joined in on the conversation, discussing the importance of having reasonable expectations when relocating to another country
I think that people in general really overestimate what it takes to emigrate anywhere. They just have no concept how different things AND people are elsewhere. They totally ignore the fact that the difference isn't just a different language and a few cultural quirks. It's going deeper. Between countries with different languages it's an often vastly different way of thinking, different values and different preferences far above regional differences. I'm not saying this in a judgemental way. I'm not judging other cultures. I'm just saying expect huge differences and prepare to be open for new ideas that are going much deeper than you expect.
I think the problem with this example is that he would be well paid in the US, which covers a lot of his complaints. The costs, the wage, the tax, the housing. But if he was a POOR person in the US vs a poor person in Sweden, that would be an interesting comparison. Not many people would argue againt the fact that being rich in the US would be awesome.
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Lesson no. 1 when moving abroad: you're not in your home country anymore, so don't expect to be able to live like you are. That said, it's fully valid to dislike the way of living in another country.
I also emigrated to Sweden (from another EU country, but a more southern one). I absolutely love it here. I made a lot of friends, get invited over a lot (for lunch, dinner, fika) and can't see the reserved people comment. That said, I learned to speak Swedish and try my best. It isn't fluent, but I try real hard. I also plunged myself into everything this town has to offer. Football club, folketshus (village home), I help at the church, museum and am a member of the sports club. I jumped in. I have little contact with other immigrants from my country. So the stereotype? That's on you. They are awesome friendly humans and very willing to meet new people. Just leave your home country at the border, where it belongs.
I have lived in 3 different counties and studied in a fourth. When i say lived, I thus mean for an extended period (>5 years) and not a 6 month exchange or a few years as expat. The reality is that moving counties is great, it can give you new opportunities and new insights and experiences. However it is also hard, it is learning a new language (if you don't want to learn the language, better don't bother moving), it is learning a new culture, a new bureaucracy and building up a whole new social network from scratch and all those things at the same time of a new job, the actual move etc. It is always extremely demanding and tiring and it can be extremely rewarding if done well. It is not just rainbows and sunshine. A lot of people get stuck though. Either they are not ready or prepared or they get stuck in what I like to call "the blues". The blues is that all the effort you have to put in, which tires you to the bone (at least for a while), combined with the lack of a social
life, some (small) setbacks and some home sickness you get down. The worst thing to do in such a case is to spend your time with other people that are also down and you'll just pull each other further down and you start putting posts like the above on reddit. Every country has advantages and disadvantages. Expectations are always better than reality.
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This is probably going to be an unpopular opinion but this person sounds so negative and exhausting. It sounds like they have went there not expecting to compromise on anything. I mean how do you manage to turn free or very cheap healthcare into a negative? Surely even having to wait a bit to see your regular physician is still better than not being able to afford to get treatment at all ?
"It's not quite as good of healthcare as you would get if you're a skilled worker" That's great. What about the other 80 percent of the planet?
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I know several ex-pats really struggeling with the weather/dark hours here. Yes, in winter daylight is only around 7 hours - and less the further north you are, but remember, complaining about the weather is a national sport here and that helps a lot, you can always find someone to complain with😊
I love how people think all Americans assume everything is better here than in other countries. That's a pretty big generalization to make especially with the way Europe is glamorized to us to make it seem like it's so much better than America. Different countries have different cultures. Not all of us here in American are condescending a holes. I've traveled the world, I can appreciate what they have to offer. I've lived in Europe and I didn't find it all that much different than living in the states.
It must be a huge letdown that the locals don't want to include you. It seems another problem is loneliness exacerbated by darkness.
It depends, I never had a problem in Sweden. Im Australian though
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I moved from New York City to Berlin. The health care point is weird: yes, care would be better in America. Here, though, there's very little deductible. I paid maybe $200 for a week in the hospital. In big cities, it's difficult to have a car. Same with NYC. The public transport, though, can be excellent & cheap ($55 a month for a pass in Berlin). And yes, German is a difficult language. For me, it might come down to politics. The political system is broken & far too much of America is controlled by idiots (see the David statue controversy). Europe values intelligence, and for that reason alone there's no way I could go back.
Aren’t the vast majority of us going to struggle in an environment that’s not close to our home country? Looking over the fence from the U.K. I can see plenty of countries that have a certain appeal to me, I have always loved travelling around foreign countries and I enjoy learning enough of the languages to get by, but I know that the adjustment from tourist to living in a country can be a huge challenge. To move to any country that has an extreme of weather / daylight hours is expecting your body to go through a huge adaption, that’ll mentally drag you down to begin with. The language barrier is only as bad or good as you make it, put the hours in and you will benefit. The U.S. is at one end of the spectrum when it comes to consumerism and if that is a big deal for someone to lose that then why make your own life hard? If you want an easier move then stick to English speaking western nations and see if you can adapt. To jump into Sweden is a big ask!
An interesting read. To me, this article says a lot more about the problems of American mindset than those of the people of the Nordic countries. Being a Nordic person myself (but trying to limit my bias), I agree on the darkness and the cold climate, the hard-to-get-to-know locals and other things being issues for people trying to settle here. But what I also see is Americans are just too spoilt, too materialistic, too entitled, too whiney, too demanding and unable or unwilling to comprehend and accept thr "hygge/lagom" concept necessary to survive in this part of the world. The author of the article does, in a way, admit to this by saying "the few Americans who managed to thrive over here are curious, adventureous and open-minded". So it's the typical American mindset, without generalising too much, that is the issue here, after all.
What got me was the "my salary isn't high enough!" Really? Not high enough for... what exactly? Comfortable, safe life isn't good enough, not only for them but also for their kids? They enjoy earning the big $$$ just to spend it on basics like health, safety and education? What else even is there to spend money on? Of importance, I mean. So if those three things are taken care of by the society you live in, why would you need to make insane amounts of money to be happy?!
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As a British immigrant to Canada 56 years ago I can honestly say this is true for most immigrants and not just for Americans. Even if the language is the same the culture isn't, and you have to learn the new ways to fit in. We came here when I was 22, and I'm now 78. I still miss quite a few things from my home in Northern Britain. Spring is spring there and I won't see it here for another 6 weeks, flowers I loved can't grow, and I get seasonal affective disorder aka SAD every six month prairie winter, and I miss my extended family, always will. Unless you're leaving a terrible situation like war or famine changing countries is a wrench, and even then it's not easy. But at least when you emigrate you chose that, not being forced to move due to circumstances beyond your control. Even those who made that choice might decide it was a mistake and go home again. The familiar can be a huge comfort to the soul. My advice would be never burn your bridges because you might need them again.
An immigrant here - generally, the younger you are when you move, the better. If you move somewhere to attend school/undergrad it's the best way to learn culture and figure out if you want to stay there further. Moving as an adult with adult expectations will be much harder in any country, even similar places. We see this all the time - older immigrants who stick to their same cultural circles and do not assimilate well
One of the reposts talked about the, 'Seattle Freeze', as a cultural phenomenon that happens in Seattle. I suspect it has to do with the cultural influences of generational Nordic families and Nordic people who live/lived here. I moved here from Vancouver, BC for work and been here 15 years. I have made two Seattle friends outside of work. I didn't expect to experience culture shock moving to a US city. I quickly realized people became suspicious of you instantly if you're too friendly, and every coffee invite was the exit strategy to ghost you. It's intentional and understandable; people value their privacy and solitude here. Seattle has the most single person living dwellings in all of the US. Friendly talk, no matter how good is expected to be single seving. The weather & landscape in WA mirror nordic countries such as Norway. Seattle is proud of their Nordic roots that we even have a big Nordic Museum and the Nordstrom (stores) family is from WA.
I too travel to Nordic countries often and there's definitely social connection to the Seattle Freeze. I think if you can survives a solid year of Seattle or one of WA's many small towns, it can give you some perspective on how isolating it can get in a Nordic township. And I don't mean to discourage anyone to not come here or move to another country For all the rain and gloom, it is beautiful here and people are friendly, just keep expectations to a minimum that all great conversations lead to friends. This place is a haven to introverts that I, myself, have assimilated from extrovert to introverted extrovert, lol.
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Hold up a second. You have to wait weeks or months for a doctor's appointment? That's supposed to be extreme? I've got pretty decent insurance, and I can't get an appointment in less than a month at BEST. Usually, the wait is more like two months -- sometimes more. Does this guy think you can just call their primary for a checkup and be seen the next day here?
Similar in Denmark. As an American living in Denmark, the transition is difficult. I have lived long-term in several other countries as well. Of all of them, Denmark is the most culturally SIMILAR to the US so should have been the easiest but it isn't. The reason it isn't the easiest isn't because there ARE differences, its because of WHAT the differences are. There are great things about the country: everything is very organized, there is very little crime or poverty, and the people are polite. But it is extremely difficult to make friends with Danes, everything is expensive, there is very little diversity, and the long dark winters do take their toll. My saving grace are the other foreigners who have a tendency to cling to each other for support as they struggle through these things.
Are you saying the Danes are polite? I thought they were proudly calling thelselves the rudes people in Europen "even ruder than Dutch people" :-D Having said that, I love Denmark and my Danish friends :-) (and im Dutch)
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Easy solution: move to Canada. 80% of the population lives within 200km of the US boarder, half of the population is South of Seattle. We also have about zero school shootings on average every year.
Yeah, as others have pointed out, you can't live the same in another country. I've moved frome the states to Canada and even though they are pretty similar, there are definitely differences. The high car insurance is killing me, I swear. I moved here for a PhD program but will eventually live in Japan for a bit due to my research. I have been to Japan multiple times and have been saving pins on pinterest for, at least, a decade in hopes of living there for a year. I'm using this time in Canada as a 'preview' for moving to a vastly different country, of which I'm not fluent in ... yet.
Reminds me of an acquaintance who moved to Hawaii from the mainland U.S. after a few vacations there, and ended up hating it because it was very difficult to integrate into regular life there, she was viewed as an outsider, plus being so far away from friends and family in the U.S. Overall, it was a large cost to eventually move back.
American"lifestyle"+"expectations."I wonder how applicable those concepts r when dealing w someone who grew up rural+in deep poverty.(Not that many of us ever get the opportunity2travel.Most of us never leave home+die very young in comparison2the rest of the country.)I remember talking2someone about possibly going2school in south/central America+he was warning me about the poverty I'd see there+was talking about outhouses+dirt floors+I'm like,my family only upgraded2indoor plumbing 30ish years ago+we still have dirt floors.My good friend down the road2this day still doesn't have running water in his home.As adults,there's more duct tape on our shoes than there is shoes+we go barefoot2save what's left whenever possible.I wonder how much better European countries are than what we have here in our part of the USA, and I flat out can't imagine ever being able2afford2live there,as just2survive here we literally scavange4trash.Just food4thought on my part.
I have to disagree with just about everything in this article. I live in a rural area and moved to marry a Swede, so my experience is different than hers. But I love it here. Compared to the US, it is amazing. Sure, we pay higher taxes, but we get much more for the money (more than just a bloated military). Honestly, with all of the withholdings I had from my paycheck before I moved, it is nearly the same. I have a house, a car, wonderful family, friends, and workmates. The only setback I had was the trouble finding a job in my specialized career. But even that has been resolved, and I would not move back. If you move here expecting it to be the US of the North, you will be disappointed. If you want to make a shitton of money, fight for overpriced housing, live in crowded cities, dodge bullets, and go broke because you got sick, enjoy the US. Best of luck to you!
I have to disagree with nearly everything in this article. I live in a rural area, and I moved here to marry a Swede, so my experience is different. That said, I find the country to be fantastic compared to the US. I didn't move here expecting it to be the US in the North. I am not materialistic, either, although I do enjoy nice things. I love my car, my house, my family, friends, workmates. I have had setbacks, especially because I have a specialized education that made finding a job challenging. But I finally did find one, and I couldn't be happier. The life here is wonderful. Sure, we pay taxes, but we get significantly more for our taxes. If you want to make a butt-ton of money, live like you did (assuming you had a good paying job that included health insurance), dodge bullets, fight for overpriced housing, and stick to the cities, more power to you. Stay in the US.
Truth. You can't move from America to a foreign country and expect to still live like an American... Plus, the more you idolize a country, the more you're going to grow to hate that country as life goes on and you discover that country's problems for yourself. NO country is perfect - they ALL have their pros and cons.
I think it is very sad that you all haven't found the peace here you wanted. . I have lived here for 33 years. Yes, it's not USA, and things are different. It should be, its not USA How many have bothered to be fluent? Yea, taxes are high, dark winters and prices are well HIGH, but most educated jobs pay well, Speaking and writing in Swedish is almost required for all jobs. Look for the similarities instead of the differences. Often I hear ex patriots speaking English in the shops while therir kids are bilingual. If the kids can learn so can you. Most Americans I meet speak poorly and blame it on that everyone understands English, well, yea they do, But show respect and speak in Swedish, you will find Swedes are more receptive and great people, and will want to practice their English. And you will be able to speak English anyway
So what I'm reading is "I wanted to live in the USA with all the USA stuff that I'm used to but instead I moved to Sweden and refused to integrate. And I don't like it here" There seems to be a tendency for North Americans to move to my country (The Netherlands) and then make YouTube channels praising how much better stuff is here. And then more Americans/Canadians come over and start YouTube channels. And as a Dutch person I just want to say: please stay away. We don't need more influencers hogging our scarce houses. We'd much rather take in a refugee in your stead thank you very much.
So what you're saying is that Americans prefer the ability to own own own. Ownership is an illusion. This post kind of comes across as winey and entitled. Why move somewhere and expect the same lifestyle as back home? Getting used to riding a bike and eating healthy food sounds like an amazing change of pace.
I agree with the person that mentioned pnw. When i moved to wa state from Tennessee. I was in culture shock. People are so rude! No please, no thank you, shoving, no personal space, horrible drivers, i could go on and on. They are Just overall hateful and dismissive. Oregon people are even worse.
This may be the most useful piece I've read on Bored Panda. Most of them are just fun bubble gum prose. Of course I have my bias as an expat American and enjoy this subject. I've been living in central eastern Europe; mostly in Montenegro, Hungary, and Ukraine (yes I'm involved in the war effort). I would move back to the States or Australia before moving to "expensive Europe". The former communist countries have a lot of problems with their bureaucracies, but over this way I've been able to live comfortably on investment income while enjoying higher quality dining and cultural experiences, because it's a lot more enjoyable. I think this part of Europe is more friendly and much more fun. (I've at least been to every one of the 40-some countries of Europe at least once, but most many times.) I'm one of those Yanks that is adventurous and loves the new experiences. I doubt I will ever return to the States, not because the life isn't better, but because it's still too familiar.
I migrated from western Europe to southern Europe. And even though I moved to live with my then girlfriend (now wife of over 20 years), and even though, as a European, I understand the myriad of cultures and differences, moving country is just very hard. You have to unlearn and relearn so many things - and you'll leave your family and friends behind. And in time, your native country becomes more alien. Which means that you're always unhooked. The weather is absolutely fabulous though.
Incredibly the writer admits to wanting to live like an American in another country! As a military veteran I lived in Germany and guess what? I had no problem finding an off post apartment, making friends, etc.. Then i retired to Finland with my Finnish instructor after 20 yrs service in 97. Been here over 25 yrs and got an apartment easily, drivers license within a week and paid only about $15.00. Of course before hand i had gotten an International drivers license in USA and with that and my stateside drivers license was issued a license good for 25 years. Health care is of a high standard. I should know as I worked as a nurse in several hospitals over here until I retired again. We never ask for medical insurance because if they are citizens of EU, the State covers most of the bill. I paid about $300 for an emergency appendectomy and that included a semi-private room, all the medications, lab tests, x-rays, scans and the surgical team. my taxes are NOT mutch higher than USA taxes.
Snr San Miguel, thanks for your service. I do think you misread the article. The writer of the article is also different from the writer who made the original post, but neither were writing of their own experience in Sweden regarding "living like an American." I believe the author of the original post said the people who struggled the most were those who tried living like Americans (whatever that means) in Sweden. Beyond that, there are substantial differences between Germany or Finland and Sweden. This article isn't about moving to Greece or Andorra. It's about Sweden. I think the strength of the piece on the original reddit post is that it tries to look at the experiences of a handful of expats, and not just his/her own. As for the taxes in Finland vs the US, sure the income tax is similar but the benefits and pension tax are much higher. You're looking at all taxes being over 50% of gross income plus a VAT of 20% on most purchases. An American making $40k would be about half that.
Load More Replies... This sounds like less of a problem with Sweden and more of a problem with American Culture, and I say that as an American. The issue isn't that Sweden isn't a more functional than America, it's that Americans are already conditioned to function under disfunction. With that said, I do think we need to acknowledge that Sweden is still a capitalist country, so living there is still hell.
Moving anywhere takes adjusting. some more than others. It can be difficult to move to another state in the USA. North Carolina is not like South Carolina. Vermont is not like its border state New Hampshire. It's more like Oregon. Texas and Florida are similar - guns, god and beer. It's emotional -excitement and fear.
As an American who has been living in Sweden since 1993 I think this person is talking about Stockholm where as a capital city it is expensive. Just like it is in the US, but the basic standard of living for blue collar workers is much higher than in the US. Europeans live in smaller spaces and arent as fixated on owning lots of stuff. My car insurance is 400 bucks a year for full coverage so I dont know how that us expensive. Petrol, particularly diesel, is more expensive duebto enivironmental taxes, but public transport is extensive, cheap and very safe. So you dont need a car. Car sharing is also reasonably priced. Driving a manual...seriously just figure it out. And as for most cars veing diesel...need to see the stats on that. Also what you are out of pocket in the US for childcare, multiple insurances, health care etc you end up paying sugnificantly more than in Swedish taxes. Personal safety is also much much higher. Much higher. The dark winters are an issue.
The grass is greener where you water it. We dream of escaping because the work to simply exist (let alone maintain democracy) is really difficult, especially these days. I don't blame people for wanting to flee, but disabled people, ill people, the elderly, etc. can't. Most countries won't take disabled immigrants. We need to water our own grass or it will die.
I'm a swede born in the states but now reside in Sweden, yes things will always be different in another country and I lived in several. But it's not all that bad, every place you move to you need to adjust. If you don't like it here quite your whining and crying and move back to the states! Honestly I would never move back to the states again, I'm settled here, have friends and I love it here.
One thing we need to stop...is referring to people as "Expats". You're immigrants. Period. The very people demonized by so many governments, but always seen as coming from places like Syria, Mexico etc. I'm a German living in France. I'm not an "Expat". I'm an immigrant. Life can be hard, and even more difficult with language barriers and different cultures/values. But that applies anywhere you go where you're not a native. Comparisons don't apply, because the US and Sweden are continents apart.
I hate these Kinda of artikles träning to show how bad some countries are. Neither is bad, just different from what you are used to. And if you are moving to another country, especially far away, its gping to be different.
Damn you autocorrect. It should be trying not träning. I dont know how to edit the comment.
Load More Replies... I had to roll my eyes at this post. Of course living somewhere else is going to be very different than u.s. and the comment on anything other than Canada will be different is accurate. Not sure what they were expecting when making the decision to move to a very different nation and global position but simple research would have illuminated them on the darkness times of the year and the social structures of Scandinavian cultures. Big tip - embrace the darkness. As a Finnish Canadian myself I get the best of both worlds. And really I just want to add Finland has been voted happiest country in the world six years in a row so there is something to being up there. This guy sounds like he should have just joined a sports team. How does any adult anywhere make friends really..
This is why I started traveling full time in 2014 and have ever since. I get burnt out on anyplace, if I'm there for too long. A month or two is always enough for me.
Live in Northern Minnesota first. I spend most of the Winter trying to calculate how fast I would die in relation to the temperature. If that doesn't happen to you, you might be ok in other sunless wastelands.
I absolutely believe it's harder than you think.... But.... What about those things are different from living in the US? Cost of living - I wish I had ever spent as little as 40% of my income! Car is a luxury - It is. It is a luxury. It's expensive and a lot of work. Doctor waits - Yeah, that's how doctors work... you somehow don't need to wait? how? Etc
This sounds much like culture shock. In a different country, things will be different - who would have thought. Well, yeah, it is important to speak the language of the country you live in. Yes, it takes time to adjust your taste buds to foreign food. Apparently, owning a car / obtaining a driving license will be more difficult than in the US, a culture in which you are not a person if you don't own a car. And what is wrong with living more frugally?
This reminds me of when I watched House Hunters: International. My favorite episodes were the Americans that probably lived somewhat comfortably here (maybe upper middle class) decide they want to move somewhere overseas because they think they can get more for less, when really they will just get less for the same, if not higher prices. Americans are so obsessed with having a giant master suite and kitchen/living room spaces but really, most common housing in Europe and even southern countries are much smaller because it's just a house. You don't need an apartment sized bedroom just to sleep in. I really enjoy the essential sized homes of Europe. No wasted space, just what you need
i wonder how Europeans do when they move there. I know Sweden (and Norway) is very popular in the Netherlands. One thing.. i dont get the car thing? So many cars in Sweden???? I never noticed there are less cars in Sweden than anywhere else??
Living in the US, there is a very strong attachment to our lifestyle and it's very difficult to assimilate into other cultures. We're creatures of habit and convenience. It's a part of why there are so many issues with immigration here. Some find other cultural behaviors somehow 'wrong' and the expectation is that if you come here, you should assimilate into our culture and they consider it almost insulting if you don't. It's not unreasonable to expect people to learn basic laws, the language, certain cultural norms and standards to live here permanently. But sometimes Americans can get downright racist/biased about it. And at the same time, I think it's probably harder for Americans to assimilate to other cultures than anyone else, lol. I used to travel a lot for work and I wouldn't get mad that someone didn't speak english in their own country, but I'd be annoyed that I couldn't find an ice machine, or the food I liked, or consistent utilities.
Yes. I’ve seen so many people complain about the small size of European fridges and pantries without acknowledging that local markets and shops are common and generally higher quality than they are in the US so you don’t *need* to do a mega shop once a month instead.
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Hmm... I'm Swedish and I have to say that the people that complain the most are usually Americans. No, not all of us regard your country as heaven on earth. We also don't need to know that you're American in every conversation. We can tell and usually not in a good way. Stop complaining and move back to 'the land of the free' if it offends you that we don't see it like that.
Well your comment shows you didn't read his article. At the end, he said he actually likes living there, but was telling us about what most Americans don't like about it. He's allowed to have an opinion. Geez. I know America isn't perfect, but if someone complained about living here, I wouldn't get stupidly defensive and tell them to go home. It's so funny you accuse of him of being offended, when again he said he liked it there, but YOU got really offended.
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Question: I was just looking at a go fund me set up by a guy on fb for his MEDICAL EXPENSES. He lives somewhere in Europe and he's battling kidney cancer. Just wondering what's up with your perfect FREE healthcare system? Why is this poor dude trying to get his meds and fix his dinosaur car over there in Utopia???
" somewhere in Europe " yeah but WHERE ???? Europe is a continent, not a country ! and one case doesn't make a generality !
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Wow, what a nasty thing to say. So you're saying an entire country doesn't want someone because they may be struggling with home-sickness and taking time to assimilate to another culture and way of life? As an expat myself who has lived in many different countries, people from ALL OVER THE WORLD have trouble assimilating to another country-- it takes time and there will always be periods of loneliness, confusion and frustration. Yes, you certainly have to do your research when you move to a new place, but to tell someone who is struggling is pretty darn cruel. I come from Scotland, another country that is also renown for having some pretty miserable long, dark winters. The main University has a whole little intro "class" and resources for new students from outside of Scotland to help them acclimate to the country and get through the winter. We don't throw people out just because they struggle.
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I don't know how long and how often you've been reading Bored Panda but I would suggest you do a search for stories on the US. There are loads and virtually all of the are negative, far more so than this one (which I don't consider bad at all).
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I think that people in general really overestimate what it takes to emigrate anywhere. They just have no concept how different things AND people are elsewhere. They totally ignore the fact that the difference isn't just a different language and a few cultural quirks. It's going deeper. Between countries with different languages it's an often vastly different way of thinking, different values and different preferences far above regional differences. I'm not saying this in a judgemental way. I'm not judging other cultures. I'm just saying expect huge differences and prepare to be open for new ideas that are going much deeper than you expect.
I think the problem with this example is that he would be well paid in the US, which covers a lot of his complaints. The costs, the wage, the tax, the housing. But if he was a POOR person in the US vs a poor person in Sweden, that would be an interesting comparison. Not many people would argue againt the fact that being rich in the US would be awesome.
Load More Replies... Lesson no. 1 when moving abroad: you're not in your home country anymore, so don't expect to be able to live like you are. That said, it's fully valid to dislike the way of living in another country.
I also emigrated to Sweden (from another EU country, but a more southern one). I absolutely love it here. I made a lot of friends, get invited over a lot (for lunch, dinner, fika) and can't see the reserved people comment. That said, I learned to speak Swedish and try my best. It isn't fluent, but I try real hard. I also plunged myself into everything this town has to offer. Football club, folketshus (village home), I help at the church, museum and am a member of the sports club. I jumped in. I have little contact with other immigrants from my country. So the stereotype? That's on you. They are awesome friendly humans and very willing to meet new people. Just leave your home country at the border, where it belongs.
I have lived in 3 different counties and studied in a fourth. When i say lived, I thus mean for an extended period (>5 years) and not a 6 month exchange or a few years as expat. The reality is that moving counties is great, it can give you new opportunities and new insights and experiences. However it is also hard, it is learning a new language (if you don't want to learn the language, better don't bother moving), it is learning a new culture, a new bureaucracy and building up a whole new social network from scratch and all those things at the same time of a new job, the actual move etc. It is always extremely demanding and tiring and it can be extremely rewarding if done well. It is not just rainbows and sunshine. A lot of people get stuck though. Either they are not ready or prepared or they get stuck in what I like to call "the blues". The blues is that all the effort you have to put in, which tires you to the bone (at least for a while), combined with the lack of a social
life, some (small) setbacks and some home sickness you get down. The worst thing to do in such a case is to spend your time with other people that are also down and you'll just pull each other further down and you start putting posts like the above on reddit. Every country has advantages and disadvantages. Expectations are always better than reality.
Load More Replies... This is probably going to be an unpopular opinion but this person sounds so negative and exhausting. It sounds like they have went there not expecting to compromise on anything. I mean how do you manage to turn free or very cheap healthcare into a negative? Surely even having to wait a bit to see your regular physician is still better than not being able to afford to get treatment at all ?
"It's not quite as good of healthcare as you would get if you're a skilled worker" That's great. What about the other 80 percent of the planet?
Load More Replies... I know several ex-pats really struggeling with the weather/dark hours here. Yes, in winter daylight is only around 7 hours - and less the further north you are, but remember, complaining about the weather is a national sport here and that helps a lot, you can always find someone to complain with😊
I love how people think all Americans assume everything is better here than in other countries. That's a pretty big generalization to make especially with the way Europe is glamorized to us to make it seem like it's so much better than America. Different countries have different cultures. Not all of us here in American are condescending a holes. I've traveled the world, I can appreciate what they have to offer. I've lived in Europe and I didn't find it all that much different than living in the states.
It must be a huge letdown that the locals don't want to include you. It seems another problem is loneliness exacerbated by darkness.
It depends, I never had a problem in Sweden. Im Australian though
Load More Replies... I moved from New York City to Berlin. The health care point is weird: yes, care would be better in America. Here, though, there's very little deductible. I paid maybe $200 for a week in the hospital. In big cities, it's difficult to have a car. Same with NYC. The public transport, though, can be excellent & cheap ($55 a month for a pass in Berlin). And yes, German is a difficult language. For me, it might come down to politics. The political system is broken & far too much of America is controlled by idiots (see the David statue controversy). Europe values intelligence, and for that reason alone there's no way I could go back.
Aren’t the vast majority of us going to struggle in an environment that’s not close to our home country? Looking over the fence from the U.K. I can see plenty of countries that have a certain appeal to me, I have always loved travelling around foreign countries and I enjoy learning enough of the languages to get by, but I know that the adjustment from tourist to living in a country can be a huge challenge. To move to any country that has an extreme of weather / daylight hours is expecting your body to go through a huge adaption, that’ll mentally drag you down to begin with. The language barrier is only as bad or good as you make it, put the hours in and you will benefit. The U.S. is at one end of the spectrum when it comes to consumerism and if that is a big deal for someone to lose that then why make your own life hard? If you want an easier move then stick to English speaking western nations and see if you can adapt. To jump into Sweden is a big ask!
An interesting read. To me, this article says a lot more about the problems of American mindset than those of the people of the Nordic countries. Being a Nordic person myself (but trying to limit my bias), I agree on the darkness and the cold climate, the hard-to-get-to-know locals and other things being issues for people trying to settle here. But what I also see is Americans are just too spoilt, too materialistic, too entitled, too whiney, too demanding and unable or unwilling to comprehend and accept thr "hygge/lagom" concept necessary to survive in this part of the world. The author of the article does, in a way, admit to this by saying "the few Americans who managed to thrive over here are curious, adventureous and open-minded". So it's the typical American mindset, without generalising too much, that is the issue here, after all.
What got me was the "my salary isn't high enough!" Really? Not high enough for... what exactly? Comfortable, safe life isn't good enough, not only for them but also for their kids? They enjoy earning the big $$$ just to spend it on basics like health, safety and education? What else even is there to spend money on? Of importance, I mean. So if those three things are taken care of by the society you live in, why would you need to make insane amounts of money to be happy?!
Load More Replies... As a British immigrant to Canada 56 years ago I can honestly say this is true for most immigrants and not just for Americans. Even if the language is the same the culture isn't, and you have to learn the new ways to fit in. We came here when I was 22, and I'm now 78. I still miss quite a few things from my home in Northern Britain. Spring is spring there and I won't see it here for another 6 weeks, flowers I loved can't grow, and I get seasonal affective disorder aka SAD every six month prairie winter, and I miss my extended family, always will. Unless you're leaving a terrible situation like war or famine changing countries is a wrench, and even then it's not easy. But at least when you emigrate you chose that, not being forced to move due to circumstances beyond your control. Even those who made that choice might decide it was a mistake and go home again. The familiar can be a huge comfort to the soul. My advice would be never burn your bridges because you might need them again.
An immigrant here - generally, the younger you are when you move, the better. If you move somewhere to attend school/undergrad it's the best way to learn culture and figure out if you want to stay there further. Moving as an adult with adult expectations will be much harder in any country, even similar places. We see this all the time - older immigrants who stick to their same cultural circles and do not assimilate well
One of the reposts talked about the, 'Seattle Freeze', as a cultural phenomenon that happens in Seattle. I suspect it has to do with the cultural influences of generational Nordic families and Nordic people who live/lived here. I moved here from Vancouver, BC for work and been here 15 years. I have made two Seattle friends outside of work. I didn't expect to experience culture shock moving to a US city. I quickly realized people became suspicious of you instantly if you're too friendly, and every coffee invite was the exit strategy to ghost you. It's intentional and understandable; people value their privacy and solitude here. Seattle has the most single person living dwellings in all of the US. Friendly talk, no matter how good is expected to be single seving. The weather & landscape in WA mirror nordic countries such as Norway. Seattle is proud of their Nordic roots that we even have a big Nordic Museum and the Nordstrom (stores) family is from WA.
I too travel to Nordic countries often and there's definitely social connection to the Seattle Freeze. I think if you can survives a solid year of Seattle or one of WA's many small towns, it can give you some perspective on how isolating it can get in a Nordic township. And I don't mean to discourage anyone to not come here or move to another country For all the rain and gloom, it is beautiful here and people are friendly, just keep expectations to a minimum that all great conversations lead to friends. This place is a haven to introverts that I, myself, have assimilated from extrovert to introverted extrovert, lol.
Load More Replies... Hold up a second. You have to wait weeks or months for a doctor's appointment? That's supposed to be extreme? I've got pretty decent insurance, and I can't get an appointment in less than a month at BEST. Usually, the wait is more like two months -- sometimes more. Does this guy think you can just call their primary for a checkup and be seen the next day here?
Similar in Denmark. As an American living in Denmark, the transition is difficult. I have lived long-term in several other countries as well. Of all of them, Denmark is the most culturally SIMILAR to the US so should have been the easiest but it isn't. The reason it isn't the easiest isn't because there ARE differences, its because of WHAT the differences are. There are great things about the country: everything is very organized, there is very little crime or poverty, and the people are polite. But it is extremely difficult to make friends with Danes, everything is expensive, there is very little diversity, and the long dark winters do take their toll. My saving grace are the other foreigners who have a tendency to cling to each other for support as they struggle through these things.
Are you saying the Danes are polite? I thought they were proudly calling thelselves the rudes people in Europen "even ruder than Dutch people" :-D Having said that, I love Denmark and my Danish friends :-) (and im Dutch)
Load More Replies... Easy solution: move to Canada. 80% of the population lives within 200km of the US boarder, half of the population is South of Seattle. We also have about zero school shootings on average every year.
Yeah, as others have pointed out, you can't live the same in another country. I've moved frome the states to Canada and even though they are pretty similar, there are definitely differences. The high car insurance is killing me, I swear. I moved here for a PhD program but will eventually live in Japan for a bit due to my research. I have been to Japan multiple times and have been saving pins on pinterest for, at least, a decade in hopes of living there for a year. I'm using this time in Canada as a 'preview' for moving to a vastly different country, of which I'm not fluent in ... yet.
Reminds me of an acquaintance who moved to Hawaii from the mainland U.S. after a few vacations there, and ended up hating it because it was very difficult to integrate into regular life there, she was viewed as an outsider, plus being so far away from friends and family in the U.S. Overall, it was a large cost to eventually move back.
American"lifestyle"+"expectations."I wonder how applicable those concepts r when dealing w someone who grew up rural+in deep poverty.(Not that many of us ever get the opportunity2travel.Most of us never leave home+die very young in comparison2the rest of the country.)I remember talking2someone about possibly going2school in south/central America+he was warning me about the poverty I'd see there+was talking about outhouses+dirt floors+I'm like,my family only upgraded2indoor plumbing 30ish years ago+we still have dirt floors.My good friend down the road2this day still doesn't have running water in his home.As adults,there's more duct tape on our shoes than there is shoes+we go barefoot2save what's left whenever possible.I wonder how much better European countries are than what we have here in our part of the USA, and I flat out can't imagine ever being able2afford2live there,as just2survive here we literally scavange4trash.Just food4thought on my part.
I have to disagree with just about everything in this article. I live in a rural area and moved to marry a Swede, so my experience is different than hers. But I love it here. Compared to the US, it is amazing. Sure, we pay higher taxes, but we get much more for the money (more than just a bloated military). Honestly, with all of the withholdings I had from my paycheck before I moved, it is nearly the same. I have a house, a car, wonderful family, friends, and workmates. The only setback I had was the trouble finding a job in my specialized career. But even that has been resolved, and I would not move back. If you move here expecting it to be the US of the North, you will be disappointed. If you want to make a shitton of money, fight for overpriced housing, live in crowded cities, dodge bullets, and go broke because you got sick, enjoy the US. Best of luck to you!
I have to disagree with nearly everything in this article. I live in a rural area, and I moved here to marry a Swede, so my experience is different. That said, I find the country to be fantastic compared to the US. I didn't move here expecting it to be the US in the North. I am not materialistic, either, although I do enjoy nice things. I love my car, my house, my family, friends, workmates. I have had setbacks, especially because I have a specialized education that made finding a job challenging. But I finally did find one, and I couldn't be happier. The life here is wonderful. Sure, we pay taxes, but we get significantly more for our taxes. If you want to make a butt-ton of money, live like you did (assuming you had a good paying job that included health insurance), dodge bullets, fight for overpriced housing, and stick to the cities, more power to you. Stay in the US.
Truth. You can't move from America to a foreign country and expect to still live like an American... Plus, the more you idolize a country, the more you're going to grow to hate that country as life goes on and you discover that country's problems for yourself. NO country is perfect - they ALL have their pros and cons.
I think it is very sad that you all haven't found the peace here you wanted. . I have lived here for 33 years. Yes, it's not USA, and things are different. It should be, its not USA How many have bothered to be fluent? Yea, taxes are high, dark winters and prices are well HIGH, but most educated jobs pay well, Speaking and writing in Swedish is almost required for all jobs. Look for the similarities instead of the differences. Often I hear ex patriots speaking English in the shops while therir kids are bilingual. If the kids can learn so can you. Most Americans I meet speak poorly and blame it on that everyone understands English, well, yea they do, But show respect and speak in Swedish, you will find Swedes are more receptive and great people, and will want to practice their English. And you will be able to speak English anyway
So what I'm reading is "I wanted to live in the USA with all the USA stuff that I'm used to but instead I moved to Sweden and refused to integrate. And I don't like it here" There seems to be a tendency for North Americans to move to my country (The Netherlands) and then make YouTube channels praising how much better stuff is here. And then more Americans/Canadians come over and start YouTube channels. And as a Dutch person I just want to say: please stay away. We don't need more influencers hogging our scarce houses. We'd much rather take in a refugee in your stead thank you very much.
So what you're saying is that Americans prefer the ability to own own own. Ownership is an illusion. This post kind of comes across as winey and entitled. Why move somewhere and expect the same lifestyle as back home? Getting used to riding a bike and eating healthy food sounds like an amazing change of pace.
I agree with the person that mentioned pnw. When i moved to wa state from Tennessee. I was in culture shock. People are so rude! No please, no thank you, shoving, no personal space, horrible drivers, i could go on and on. They are Just overall hateful and dismissive. Oregon people are even worse.
This may be the most useful piece I've read on Bored Panda. Most of them are just fun bubble gum prose. Of course I have my bias as an expat American and enjoy this subject. I've been living in central eastern Europe; mostly in Montenegro, Hungary, and Ukraine (yes I'm involved in the war effort). I would move back to the States or Australia before moving to "expensive Europe". The former communist countries have a lot of problems with their bureaucracies, but over this way I've been able to live comfortably on investment income while enjoying higher quality dining and cultural experiences, because it's a lot more enjoyable. I think this part of Europe is more friendly and much more fun. (I've at least been to every one of the 40-some countries of Europe at least once, but most many times.) I'm one of those Yanks that is adventurous and loves the new experiences. I doubt I will ever return to the States, not because the life isn't better, but because it's still too familiar.
I migrated from western Europe to southern Europe. And even though I moved to live with my then girlfriend (now wife of over 20 years), and even though, as a European, I understand the myriad of cultures and differences, moving country is just very hard. You have to unlearn and relearn so many things - and you'll leave your family and friends behind. And in time, your native country becomes more alien. Which means that you're always unhooked. The weather is absolutely fabulous though.
Incredibly the writer admits to wanting to live like an American in another country! As a military veteran I lived in Germany and guess what? I had no problem finding an off post apartment, making friends, etc.. Then i retired to Finland with my Finnish instructor after 20 yrs service in 97. Been here over 25 yrs and got an apartment easily, drivers license within a week and paid only about $15.00. Of course before hand i had gotten an International drivers license in USA and with that and my stateside drivers license was issued a license good for 25 years. Health care is of a high standard. I should know as I worked as a nurse in several hospitals over here until I retired again. We never ask for medical insurance because if they are citizens of EU, the State covers most of the bill. I paid about $300 for an emergency appendectomy and that included a semi-private room, all the medications, lab tests, x-rays, scans and the surgical team. my taxes are NOT mutch higher than USA taxes.
Snr San Miguel, thanks for your service. I do think you misread the article. The writer of the article is also different from the writer who made the original post, but neither were writing of their own experience in Sweden regarding "living like an American." I believe the author of the original post said the people who struggled the most were those who tried living like Americans (whatever that means) in Sweden. Beyond that, there are substantial differences between Germany or Finland and Sweden. This article isn't about moving to Greece or Andorra. It's about Sweden. I think the strength of the piece on the original reddit post is that it tries to look at the experiences of a handful of expats, and not just his/her own. As for the taxes in Finland vs the US, sure the income tax is similar but the benefits and pension tax are much higher. You're looking at all taxes being over 50% of gross income plus a VAT of 20% on most purchases. An American making $40k would be about half that.
Load More Replies... This sounds like less of a problem with Sweden and more of a problem with American Culture, and I say that as an American. The issue isn't that Sweden isn't a more functional than America, it's that Americans are already conditioned to function under disfunction. With that said, I do think we need to acknowledge that Sweden is still a capitalist country, so living there is still hell.
Moving anywhere takes adjusting. some more than others. It can be difficult to move to another state in the USA. North Carolina is not like South Carolina. Vermont is not like its border state New Hampshire. It's more like Oregon. Texas and Florida are similar - guns, god and beer. It's emotional -excitement and fear.
As an American who has been living in Sweden since 1993 I think this person is talking about Stockholm where as a capital city it is expensive. Just like it is in the US, but the basic standard of living for blue collar workers is much higher than in the US. Europeans live in smaller spaces and arent as fixated on owning lots of stuff. My car insurance is 400 bucks a year for full coverage so I dont know how that us expensive. Petrol, particularly diesel, is more expensive duebto enivironmental taxes, but public transport is extensive, cheap and very safe. So you dont need a car. Car sharing is also reasonably priced. Driving a manual...seriously just figure it out. And as for most cars veing diesel...need to see the stats on that. Also what you are out of pocket in the US for childcare, multiple insurances, health care etc you end up paying sugnificantly more than in Swedish taxes. Personal safety is also much much higher. Much higher. The dark winters are an issue.
The grass is greener where you water it. We dream of escaping because the work to simply exist (let alone maintain democracy) is really difficult, especially these days. I don't blame people for wanting to flee, but disabled people, ill people, the elderly, etc. can't. Most countries won't take disabled immigrants. We need to water our own grass or it will die.
I'm a swede born in the states but now reside in Sweden, yes things will always be different in another country and I lived in several. But it's not all that bad, every place you move to you need to adjust. If you don't like it here quite your whining and crying and move back to the states! Honestly I would never move back to the states again, I'm settled here, have friends and I love it here.
One thing we need to stop...is referring to people as "Expats". You're immigrants. Period. The very people demonized by so many governments, but always seen as coming from places like Syria, Mexico etc. I'm a German living in France. I'm not an "Expat". I'm an immigrant. Life can be hard, and even more difficult with language barriers and different cultures/values. But that applies anywhere you go where you're not a native. Comparisons don't apply, because the US and Sweden are continents apart.
I hate these Kinda of artikles träning to show how bad some countries are. Neither is bad, just different from what you are used to. And if you are moving to another country, especially far away, its gping to be different.
Damn you autocorrect. It should be trying not träning. I dont know how to edit the comment.
Load More Replies... I had to roll my eyes at this post. Of course living somewhere else is going to be very different than u.s. and the comment on anything other than Canada will be different is accurate. Not sure what they were expecting when making the decision to move to a very different nation and global position but simple research would have illuminated them on the darkness times of the year and the social structures of Scandinavian cultures. Big tip - embrace the darkness. As a Finnish Canadian myself I get the best of both worlds. And really I just want to add Finland has been voted happiest country in the world six years in a row so there is something to being up there. This guy sounds like he should have just joined a sports team. How does any adult anywhere make friends really..
This is why I started traveling full time in 2014 and have ever since. I get burnt out on anyplace, if I'm there for too long. A month or two is always enough for me.
Live in Northern Minnesota first. I spend most of the Winter trying to calculate how fast I would die in relation to the temperature. If that doesn't happen to you, you might be ok in other sunless wastelands.
I absolutely believe it's harder than you think.... But.... What about those things are different from living in the US? Cost of living - I wish I had ever spent as little as 40% of my income! Car is a luxury - It is. It is a luxury. It's expensive and a lot of work. Doctor waits - Yeah, that's how doctors work... you somehow don't need to wait? how? Etc
This sounds much like culture shock. In a different country, things will be different - who would have thought. Well, yeah, it is important to speak the language of the country you live in. Yes, it takes time to adjust your taste buds to foreign food. Apparently, owning a car / obtaining a driving license will be more difficult than in the US, a culture in which you are not a person if you don't own a car. And what is wrong with living more frugally?
This reminds me of when I watched House Hunters: International. My favorite episodes were the Americans that probably lived somewhat comfortably here (maybe upper middle class) decide they want to move somewhere overseas because they think they can get more for less, when really they will just get less for the same, if not higher prices. Americans are so obsessed with having a giant master suite and kitchen/living room spaces but really, most common housing in Europe and even southern countries are much smaller because it's just a house. You don't need an apartment sized bedroom just to sleep in. I really enjoy the essential sized homes of Europe. No wasted space, just what you need
i wonder how Europeans do when they move there. I know Sweden (and Norway) is very popular in the Netherlands. One thing.. i dont get the car thing? So many cars in Sweden???? I never noticed there are less cars in Sweden than anywhere else??
Living in the US, there is a very strong attachment to our lifestyle and it's very difficult to assimilate into other cultures. We're creatures of habit and convenience. It's a part of why there are so many issues with immigration here. Some find other cultural behaviors somehow 'wrong' and the expectation is that if you come here, you should assimilate into our culture and they consider it almost insulting if you don't. It's not unreasonable to expect people to learn basic laws, the language, certain cultural norms and standards to live here permanently. But sometimes Americans can get downright racist/biased about it. And at the same time, I think it's probably harder for Americans to assimilate to other cultures than anyone else, lol. I used to travel a lot for work and I wouldn't get mad that someone didn't speak english in their own country, but I'd be annoyed that I couldn't find an ice machine, or the food I liked, or consistent utilities.
Yes. I’ve seen so many people complain about the small size of European fridges and pantries without acknowledging that local markets and shops are common and generally higher quality than they are in the US so you don’t *need* to do a mega shop once a month instead.
Load More Replies... Hmm... I'm Swedish and I have to say that the people that complain the most are usually Americans. No, not all of us regard your country as heaven on earth. We also don't need to know that you're American in every conversation. We can tell and usually not in a good way. Stop complaining and move back to 'the land of the free' if it offends you that we don't see it like that.
Well your comment shows you didn't read his article. At the end, he said he actually likes living there, but was telling us about what most Americans don't like about it. He's allowed to have an opinion. Geez. I know America isn't perfect, but if someone complained about living here, I wouldn't get stupidly defensive and tell them to go home. It's so funny you accuse of him of being offended, when again he said he liked it there, but YOU got really offended.
Load More Replies... Question: I was just looking at a go fund me set up by a guy on fb for his MEDICAL EXPENSES. He lives somewhere in Europe and he's battling kidney cancer. Just wondering what's up with your perfect FREE healthcare system? Why is this poor dude trying to get his meds and fix his dinosaur car over there in Utopia???
" somewhere in Europe " yeah but WHERE ???? Europe is a continent, not a country ! and one case doesn't make a generality !
Load More Replies... Wow, what a nasty thing to say. So you're saying an entire country doesn't want someone because they may be struggling with home-sickness and taking time to assimilate to another culture and way of life? As an expat myself who has lived in many different countries, people from ALL OVER THE WORLD have trouble assimilating to another country-- it takes time and there will always be periods of loneliness, confusion and frustration. Yes, you certainly have to do your research when you move to a new place, but to tell someone who is struggling is pretty darn cruel. I come from Scotland, another country that is also renown for having some pretty miserable long, dark winters. The main University has a whole little intro "class" and resources for new students from outside of Scotland to help them acclimate to the country and get through the winter. We don't throw people out just because they struggle.
Load More Replies... I don't know how long and how often you've been reading Bored Panda but I would suggest you do a search for stories on the US. There are loads and virtually all of the are negative, far more so than this one (which I don't consider bad at all).
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