Hello!

I’ve seen a few posts praising the US and I can’t deny that I’ve also had a very concrete goal of moving permanently to the US eventually. I’m from the EU so the “reality” that I have of the US comes mainly from the media. With this being said, I’d like the brutally honest opinions of those that experienced the US first-hand, whether you’re American, have always lived in the US and absolutely hate it, or if you moved from the EU to the US and are loving the experience.

  • As expats, I think we’re all running from something from our home country (work conditions, family situations, etc). What made you move to/out of the US?
  • Do you feel your QoL (quality of life) has improved with your move to/out of the US?
    • If so, would you attribute this to working conditions/salary? Or living conditions such as more free time, good pension/retirement, etc
  • Do you plan on going back to your home country? If so, what is the main driver of that decision?

Last, but not least, for those living in the US, do you believe that the pros of having more/better career opportunities (at least for skilled labor/PhD level) in the US outweigh the cons of living there, namely:

  • poor/expensive healthcare
  • extremely high tuition fees for colleges
  • high crime rates (naturally highly dependent on the place you live)
  • small amount of time for maternity leave (I don’t mind the small amount for paternity leave, but in Scandinavian countries mothers can have up to a year of maternity leave which I believe is very beneficial for the kids. I do value countries that value and protect the family structure)
  • … and a general low work-life balance? (This last bullet point is not as important to me as I do like and appreciate the hustle culture of the US which makes effort/skills be more appreciated and compensated)

Thank you all! Apologies in advance if this has been asked multiple times before, but I’d like to condensate different perspectives in a single thread if possible as it might be helpful for others as well! :)

  • Bull_City@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    Yup. It’s been better in the past, but the US is still one of the best places to try to make your bones in the western world.

    Its rougher to be poor here for sure, but you’d be hard pressed to find a better place to be upper middle class and above in the western world - and even though it’s still inaccessible for a lot of people, it’s still more accessible than in other developed countries. The healthcare here is whack, but if you can get insurance - it’s likely to be at least on par with elsewhere.

    If you’re willing to become a doctor, lawyer, programmer, or general professional here - you’re gonna make more than your home country no doubt. But don’t come here as a line worker thinking it’ll be better.

    I lived in New Zealand for a while, and love it much more than the US. But there is no doubt materially I am more well off in the US. As middle manager in the US I make more than my old CFO back in NZ, all adjusted for inflation/ppp

      • Bull_City@alien.topBEnglish
        1·
        1 year ago

        For sure. That’s why I like New Zealand much more. But given I am here for family at the moment, those are the few positives and appeals to a lot of people. I know kiwis who left and won’t ever go back because they can work and make money they couldn’t imagine in NZ.

      • LyleLanleysMonorail@alien.topBEnglish
        1·
        1 year ago

        You are technically correct, but the reality is that money can get you the lifestyle and environment you want. It’s better to be rich in the US than to be poor or lower middle class in Europe

        • hahyeahsure@alien.topBEnglish
          1·
          1 year ago

          no, that’s just wishful thinking. being rich in the US can simulate a middle-class european lifestyle, but it would still lack in the actual environment sector unless you paid most of your income on rent to live in a walkable city that invested in transit and aesthetics instead of strip malls and sprawl.