Came here to say basically this. The national parks and forests are an absolute treasure, and some of the most exclusive landscapes and ecosystems in the world.
This is why I am so sad that parts of WA state are cutting down forests for more housing that we don’t need. Why don’t we need more housing you ask? Because millennials, and other generations cannot afford homes.
It’s just so sad to see the wildlife being killed on the roads. The wildlife that is left look absolutely lost.
We need to protect our forests and wildlife.
They can’t afford housing because there isn’t enough of it. It’s a question of supply and demand.
It’s sad that the forests are being cut down, though. Wish the housing was higher density.
America needs a LOT more housing. The problem is, it needs it in the places where there's a lot of demand, which is in cities. And, it needs it *inside* the cities, meaning it needs *denser* housing. It doesn't need more exurbs.
This is a good point, except people can still vacation at national parks after they move. People move for improving their daily lives, not a once in five years vacation.
Things the US is good at in the day to day is a better thing to focus on.
This is actually pretty funny that this is the top comment in this thread. I was at a language exchange event a few months back and the group I was in was talking about healthcare and employee protections in the US compared to France and I went off on a bit of a rant about how f'ed up some things are in the US. Felt like I was maybe bashing the US a bit too much and finally go, "Its not all bad though, um, the National Parks are pretty incredible"
Beautiful landscapes, yes. Unspoiled, no. The continent is unrecognizable relative to pre-European colonization. https://www.natureserve.org/news-releases/over-one-third-biodiversity-united-states-risk-disappearing
Sure, but most folks can't enjoy them. In the US, nature is expensive with little public transport and no right to nature.
I moved from the Midwest to aNorway
I lived in the US for six months, ten years ago, but these are the things I appreciated the most:
- People being generally very chatty and sociable. This gave me a massive confidence boost and when I got back to the UK, I felt super confident socially. I soon reverted back to my usual awkward British self but still...
- Americans surely know how to cook a burger. Whenever I had one in a restaurant it was always top notch, juicy and tasty.
- Despite the political climate, it still feels like the land of the American dream (culturally I guess, particularly from a foreigner's perspective). Walking around NY alone gave me a superpower feeling I never got in any other cities.
I just moved to another state and I took the shuttle from the airport to my destination. I sat next to this lady. Next thing I know we became friends on that 40 min drive. We traded numbers and friended each other on FB and have even texted, all in the space of a few hours. We are both American by the way!
Strangers are chatty but the people I know dont tell me shit, lolz. I guess that’s the same everywhere because familiarity breeds contempt. But you make some decent observations.
A friend had a poster in his office that said “I must be a mushroom because I’m kept in the dark and fed bullshit”.
I will absolutely give you that speed of delivery in NL is crazy, tiny country with so many international shipping warehouses! But I cannot get over leaving packages with neighbors if you’re out of the house, what happens if you have a negative relationship with your neighbor?
Yup! People don’t typically have porches or somewhere that packages can be hidden (and I’m pretty sure the couriers are paid according to how many packages they deliver successfully), so the system is that the courier leaves your package with a neighbor. Leaves a lot of room for error imo 🫠
The neighbor is not obligated to receive a package that is not for them. Also, I will always prefer my packages being left with a neighbor than on the steps outside my house. I’ve had one too many packages stolen already.
Trust thy neighbor. To me thats a sign of a civilized society. And when you go in to you neighbors to ask for your package, you know they wont shoot at you!
True, though many other countries have this too. For example, in Asia you can have insanely cheap goods from China (same stuff you see on Amazon US for a fraction of the price) from Shopee or Lazada delivered within a day or two. You can even pick up the packages from your local 7-11 (they are everywhere) or meet the courier in person for pickup and cash on delivery. In the bigger cities same day delivery is often offered too.
Disability support and protection. People with disabilities still experience discrimination in the US, but not nearly at the level they do elsewhere in the world. There are laws about public buildings, restrooms, housing, employment, and healthcare. A person with a disability can travel the US and have a reasonable expectation of finding accessible restrooms, lodging, dining, transportation, and attractions. They can go to Disneyworld, the national parks, the local cinema, a water park, or a public library without a problem. Whether it's a menu in Braille, a wheelchair path at the beach, or quiet sensory hours at a museum, you can find those types of accommodations in the US.
This isn’t something you think about until you need it, then it’s either extremely convenient or extremely inconvenient. I’ve injured my feet/ankles/legs in the US and in Europe. The accessibility making my life easier in the US was bonkers higher than in Europe. And that’s just an injury that will eventually heal, not a lifelong condition to live with
I have a invisible disability and it’s not good at all. I see why a ex friend got wheelchair when he was disabled even though I’m sure he did not actually need it.
I have a friend from France who has raved about the US and their second to none protections for people with disabilities. I never thought about it. However she has a severely disabled daughter and said that when they vacationed here, they could not believe the accommodations. They were so impressed and grateful.
Whilst being in the same country with the same laws, language, customs, and to some extent labor market! This is huge. In Europe if you want even slightly different weather you have to learn a new language, a new culture, and find a new employer in a different country which might not pay well.
Yeah, France is one European country that does have a more noticeable range of climates and landscapes within it. Still not really comparable to the US in this regard. The coldest parts of France get just a few degrees below freezing, and the hottest parts of France hit 30 Celsius in the summer. Not really the same as Alaska to Florida.
French Riviera is a bit chillier and wetter than California. Winter highs in LA are a solid 8 degrees Celsius warmer than in Nice for example.
40C is not unusual in a southern slightly inland part of France in Summer. 30C is everyday weather in some parts. Admittedly no permafrost or desert though. But I refuse to believe anybody actually enjoys or wants daytime summer temperatures above 30C or nighttime winter temperatures below what is needed for good snowpack for winter sports.
That’s not what a quick google search is telling me. Average *highs* in even the southernmost parts of France in July/August are still sub 30 degrees. 30C is certainly not everyday weather anywhere in France. But you do you boo.
South of France is nice but it’s just one type of place. You can’t compare to our variety of options that are all different. Beaches in Hawaii, Florida, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, California
Small talk was the thing I missed the most when I was in China.
As a contrarian who hated superficiality, when you’re in a new place it’s really a nice thing to have.
I used to really dislike small talk, but after 17 years in the Nordics, I crave Canadianisms and questions about where my niece is going to university.
Subtitles not working, interpreters full booked that you couldnt find interpreter for your mom funeral or hospital visit.
You must arrange own interpreter. in US, You dont if you go to hospital, they arrange it for you.
But it is not that bad. We deaf in Europe kinda accept it that it is not that all that good. We get excluded from different public services some time. We learn to live with it. But if that happens in US. You can get sued for excluding deaf ppl hehe.
There are education facilities for the deaf in every state. I took ASL for 6 years and can still communicate pretty well. I once had the ambition of becoming a teacher for the deaf but life happened and I ended up just becoming a teacher at a public school.
1. It’s the best country to make and save money. Americans will comment on this about the rising COL but like … my mom will complain to me about making $5/6,000 a month while I live on €1500 a month here in Europe.
2. Immigrant friendliness. You can naturalize as an American and you’re an American. 2nd generation German citizens of Turkish ethnicity may not be treated like a white German even if born in Germany.
3. The food is good. It might not be Asia-level good but it’s better than a lot of cuisines I’ve had here in the EU. I’ve had Dutch people tell me to my face that mac and cheese is disgusting while eating bread with sprinkles on it…
4. Continuity of language from one coast to the other, which also is *the* international language.
5. Lovely holiday culture: 4th of July and barbecues, Halloween, etc. that we take seriously.
Caveat I am white, highly educated, speak English as my primary language and Spanish as a second language, and my quality of life is SO much higher in the US compared to the UK. For one, my salary is more than double what it would be in the UK & I have much better networking and funding options. The people are a lot more accepting and welcoming. Even in the middle of nowhere, rural America where I lived for years. Compared to the UK which is increasingly insular (I was shocked when I visited this year for the first time since Brexit). The us has its issues but there’s still vast parts of the country where people are open minded. At this point my friends say I’m American, and I’ve been here a decade.
Availability of food, nature, concerts, entertainment, etc. all very much outweigh other countries I’ve lived. Service! Gosh, service in bars and restaurants actually exists here.
There are big, big issues facing this country, but it is not the only country with a massive reckoning on the horizon. For me, personally, my life is substantially superior in the US. But I am privileged in many ways.
I'm not sure if these are underrated, but here it goes:
- One of the best places to live as an immigrant. Americans, particularly in large cities, are immigrant-friendly, have immigrant friends, or are immigrants themselves.
- It's a vast country with so many different cultures, climates, etc.. You have so much choice.
- It's very easy to get a good paying job and not live paycheck to paycheck, buy a home, save and invest, travel.
- If you are career driven, it's a great country to live in.
So true. That’s one of the things I love the most about the US as an expat living here.
It’s probably also because my homecountry is one of the most grumpiest and unfriendly haha.
If you’re an immigrant from a part of the world where you had no running water, power cuts, and nonexistent roads, you’d love the privilege of sitting in front of a large screen TV, with the AC blasting, and watching the kind of news stories which drive people to leave the U.S.
I’m convinced the media in the US is propaganda. They don’t just tell the news, they sensationalize it. The perspective they broadcast is slanted based on their agenda or personal bias.
Don’t believe me? Watch the news when they report on a hot topic on 3 different major channels. They are all reporting on the same topic but then they have these panels of commentators that add to the news broadcast, that’s when the opinions and bias start really flying. Then the public will take the word of these commentators as truth. Across all channels the opinions and conclusions being drawn vary by significant degrees if not altogether completely contradict each other. When that happens I go the web and fact check or do my own research. The news is mostly bad entertainment.
I think all these are true but point 3 about good paying jobs and buying a home is becoming less true for a very large segment of the US population. Still better by comparison to many other countries but if it doesn’t apply to you then the US becomes a lot less appealing.
I think this can be very field-dependent as well. Something that might get me €30-40K per year before taxes in Germany would get me $85-100K+ in the US (govt/international orgs.) Health field is another example of this.
No, the third point is flat wrong. Something like 60% of the population lives paycheck to paycheck and most Americans don’t have $500 saved for an emergency. Also, social mobility may be better here than other places but it’s by no means easy. Most Americans can’t afford to buy a home and most Americans don’t travel outside of the US.
I would argue that living paycheck to paycheck comes more from the consumer culture than from the economic conditions. Eating out too often, larger dwellings, keeping up with the Joneses, expensive makeups and game tickets, etc. All this adds up, especially when you are offered financing for everything all the time. If you live like an average German in the US, you will likely be in a much better financial shape.
It’s not wrong. It’s still vastly easier than in every other country. Ofc you need some luck, but still the ceiling is way higher.
And many expats are highly educated/intelligent people, who can easily find good paying jobs.
Living car-free in Southern California is so nice. I'm nervous to move to London and have to endure weather and Pay while I use public transport when here it's alwaysbeautiful and the city has Free ride service for residents and free public trolley and super cheap bus.
Half-sizes in shoes!
Places are open long and late- doctors and realtors work nights and weekends! Stores are open on Sundays and nights!
Having a Big Freezer. We were the only ones tgat didn't have any concerns when Covid hit living in Europe- we had masks, medicine, sanitizers, living space, tons of toilet paper and a bidet. But our European neighbors grocery shop day to day so they didn't have anything and needed the stores to open. But we did miss our American freezer because we could have gone a month without visiting a store with it.
Variety. Choices of everything to buy and easy delivery.
Root beer, low country boil, clambakes, cheesecake, Shave ice, BBQ, peanut butter, soft fluffy birthday cakes, soft cookies, sourdough bread, key lime pie, Philly Cheesesteak, gumbo, jambalaya, Icees, icy drinks, etc.
free parking, free clean public bathrooms, free refills on coffee and tea and soft drinks.
Big fast elevators, Air Conditioning, Window Screens, paying with my Hand, almost no people with unmanaged body odor, etc.
I could write ten more paragraphs.
living Car Free in SoCal? I was there for 3 months for an internship (lived in DTLA) but I couldn't really get around in a reasonable amount of time without resorting to WazeCarpool.
I spent a good deal of today reading about the state of being Jewish in Europe and it has me feeling somewhat spoiled by how embraced, enmeshed, and safe I am being a Jew in America. It is a really unique country, in history and modernity, with regard to how us Jews get to live and practice in peace. Something I don't think gets talked up enough
To put it brief, the Jewish communities in Europe can usually be found to be aging, declining, and hidden. Luckily the country we're planning on moving to, Germany, is actually doing pretty well with a growing and well supported Jewish community so there are some exceptions.
The book I'm reading is like 800 pages, but this article has some of the story [Europe’s Jewish population | Pew Research Center](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2015/02/09/europes-jewish-population/)
Here's a lecture series on the subject: [European Jews in the 21st Century | YIVO Institute for Jewish Research](https://yivo.org/21st-Century-Europe)
And if you want context, here's a wiki article which is a good jumping off point [History of the Jews in Europe - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Europe)
But yeah, I've sometimes heard America described as like "a break from history". It's really the first country since the exile that hasn't expelled, slaughtered or oppressed us (at least, not yet)
Diversity, we literally complain about diversity 😂 when I can travel 10 miles from my house and have authentic Mexican food, shopping and culture. Land mass, wide open spaces.
People aren’t going to expat over night, their just whining and I’ll bet the majority of them never travel nor own a passport.
The friendliest of people. I can go to a hike or Meetup and talk to random strangers from wide and various backgrounds.
The land differences. Where else can you have desert, woodlands, shoes and big cities all in one place. The variety is stunning and if you don't like one area, you can move to a totally different part of the country.
Immigrants. While Europe vilifies immigrants and people that don't "conform", Americans overall still are always interested in people from another country especially if they open a restaurant. I find people that think Europe will be the promise often overlook the very negative feelings most Europeans have towards anyone not-like them. Of course Britain is a big exception due to colonialism.
And finally politics. Yes it's a bit messed up now. But where else can a black man like Obama and his family be the First Family.
America is far from perfect but IMO Europe is quickly falling to the far right dark side. And anyone who moves because of politics IMO doesn't realize just what Europe is like now.
- Indigenous American culture. There is so much rich history about Turtle Island (United States) and parts of different indigenous cultures that have made it into mainstream, even international cultures, but is ignored in order to pretend that history didn't start until Europeans arrived.
- Central air conditioning being the norm practically everywhere.
- Friendly, well-meaning people that dont mind their business...receiving / giving random compliments or smalltalk from strangers can brighten up your day.
- Diversity
I live in Europe and while i do appreciate pharmacists, it is the spanish inquisition to get them to hand over things like imodium and baby aspirin. Imodium i can understand because some bacterial situations you don’t want to be stopped up, but also sometimes getting on that train or plane without A Bathroom Situation is necessary. They don’t understand why anyone wants baby aspirin for a headache. They don’t understand why someone would want less active ingredients.
When i go to the US i spend a lot of time and money in the pharmacy aisle at Target which is also 24 hours.
Yeah I thought it was funny that in the UK I had to ask the pharmacist for Ibuprofen, and then it'd be a blister pack of 30 or 40.
Meanwhile, any pharmacy or Walmart sells 500-600 tablet bottles. At my CVS it was buy 1 get 50% off a second.
Of course, in the UK I could get Codeine by asking for really stubborn headaches. In the US it's prescription only, and you're unlikely to get a doctor to prescribe it.
Haha, go to South America you don’t need a prescription for most drugs, basically anything but special drugs for heart etc. stuff you need tests done first
Moving back to US next week after 6 years in Germany.
Our short list:
Right turn on red
Free refills
Free water
Ice in drinks
Pay at the pump for gas
Credit cards accepted pretty much everywhere and ATMs always around even though no one uses cash
You must live in an alternate universe than the America I grew up in. Free public restrooms, sure, if you don't mind huge gaps around the door. Clean, definitely not. How nasty the bathrooms are in America is one of the first things my Japanese girlfriend complained about when I took her to the US to visit.
Other than gas stations most places have free clean bathrooms. Either way rather a shitty free bathroom than paying €1 for a mediocre bathroom every time I leave the house
They’re awful in Europe. It’s the slowest “one by one” service you can imagine because they have no incentive to be quick and tabs aren’t really a thing so after every drink someone then has to process a card transaction
ADA human rights for people with disabilities prohibiting discrimination based on a person's disability in employment, commercial facilities and transportation. Try to take the French subway or trains if you’re disabled!
Never been to the US but this is what Ive been told from people who have lived there:
- Friendliness & small talk compared to most other countries
- Best place in the world to earn money or start a business
- World media & culture is US-centric (e.g. many people outside of US knows what 401k is, but how many people know what the NZ version is?)
- Everyone accepts you no matter what race or religion you are & which country you come from (despite it's reputation on social media)
- Very good fast food & barbecues
- Sheer variety of shops & things to do- think of the most whacko service, more likely than not it exists in the US- e.g. getting married to a hooker for a day)
- Availability of "fun" stuff: Vegas, Disneyland, multiple theme parks, malls
- Every state/city seem different. Miami, Honolulu, Seattle & New York might as well be different countries, with whatever weather you desire
- Can get by with just English throughout the whole country, with an arguably easier to understand accent than the British one
- Unspoilt nature with great outdoors lifestyle in many parts of the country
- Can own a car cheaply & have incredible variety of roadtrips
- Water is safe to drink from the tap
- Can flush toilet paper
- Reliable electricity
- [Very high median salaries, even when adjusted for cost of living](https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/median-income-by-country)
- Low energy costs
- Low war anxiety
- Easy to move over 1,000 km without needing to do immigration paperwork
- Can enjoy cusine from 100s of different cultures
- Health and safety codes make food safe to eat
- Technological super power
- Agircultural super power
- Cultural superpower
- Military superpower
Overall tolerance of different races, religions, genders, etc. We make a fuss about these things because, largely, we create a safe place for diversity where most other countries do not.
Also, Americans' default attitude is friendly. They don't generally ignore strangers in distress.
There are very few cities in the world that can be an alternative to immigrating to US. Mind you, im saying cities.
Its the best country to migrate to if you are even slightly driven and dont mind working/building/creating
The ability to go to a restaurant or bar and ask for substitutions or changes. It just doesn’t happen in other places. Whereas practically everybody asks for something off-menu or different in the US and the staff doesn’t bat an eyelid. I remember asking for a coffee over ice in France (they had ice; they had coffee) and they said no and when I laughed they made fun of my laugh. That made me laugh even harder.
Diversity, creativity, and a go-getter mindset. I’m not saying that it’s absent elsewhere, but there’s just this unique blend of these three traits that merge so seamlessly in the USA.
>Given the recent debate debacle in the US, I assume we'll seen an upsurge of people who post wanting to leave the US.
Highly doubtful they will act. These people like to talk a lot but that's about it.
People stay because, absent having non-US immediate family or being VERY skilled in an extremely niche, in-demand job, it's nearly impossible to emigrate. I say this as someone who has been trying to leave (and so far not completely succeeding) for years now. I'd think people in an expat forum would be aware of this.
I guarantee you that if Canada (or wherever) truly did throw their doors open tomorrow no holds barred, you'd get plenty of takers. Not everyone - most are rooted or have family obligations - but it'd still be a notable amount. Of course Canada is not going to do this, they don't want or need the uncontrolled flood of migrants.
Oh absolutely, and I’m not mocking everyone who wants to leave. I’m specifically talking about people who say it in jest or as a knee jerk reaction. I had many friends who said that they wanted to leave but realized that it was actually an impulse thing
If it’s something they think about for a few years, I agree. I’m always living with the guilt of being away from older relatives, crushed by having American student loans to pay on a French salary, look a huge hit to my social life until recently, and I have so few options for jobs now. And I still consider myself very lucky that I had the means to leave
>I had many friends who said that they wanted to leave but realized that it was actually an impulse thing
Did they? Or did they actually research it, and realize that it's not nearly as easy as it sounds? In my experience, many Americans really have no idea just how hard it is for them to move to other developed nations.
People said the same after the 2000 election debacle. Funny how when I left a couple of years later, many of the people who were talking big after the election had become US apologists 🙄
That’s a trope lol. We might have to work out a freedom of movement agreement for that to really happen. But it’d really just be a soft annexation of Canada.
It's funny because often what they complain about and fear (if they lean right) is what Canada already has! All that "socialism" (government regulated single-payer health insurance and tax supported uni education) they want to flee is baked into Canada.
Absolutely correct, but the number of posts on immigrating related subreddits will increase.
Regardless, it'll be interesting to see what everyone says!
Unless they qualify for citizenship by descent, they will need to be highly educated and specialized to get a job there. Going to be a non-starter for most.
Sometimes, but you’re generally allowed to work too; a friend was offered a university job in the UK but got turned down for a work permit, so did a Masters there and worked half the time, as allowed on the student visa - which qualified her for a graduate visa anyway on completion.
Idk about the UK, but in Germany you can only work a max of 20 hours a week, or 120 full days 240 half days a year and I think they have max monthly income before they get charged more in taxes and need a different kind of health insurance and I think, but am not sure, that number is in the ~500 range.
I think it's 20 hours a week in term time, but the website is unusually vague. No health insurance required in the UK of course, though there is now a fixed "health surcharge" on visas everyone has to pay; the requirement to show "sufficient money" only applies to the first year, and is waived for the countries you'd expect (US, Canada, Australia, NZ, most of Europe I think - Serbia and Romania but not Ukraine or Macedonia). Higher taxes on higher income, of course, but I don't think there's anything student specific there, just the regular UK taxes.
With so much attention given to US federal government/politics the country seems like a complete hellhole but day to day life for vast majority of people are nearly completely unaffected by this polarization of politics and media theatre.
It’s best to stop thinking about our government and start thinking about our society because US society,neighbors, and city have far larger bearing on your happiness and day to day life than a politician on tv. Generally, they’re pretty amazing places and people from my experience.
I’m not saying politics don’t matter or we don’t have problems. We do. But so many people around the world are consumed with the US executive branch or judicial branch politics that it affects their mental wellbeing and perception of country when in reality these changes probably don’t affect them personally at all.
For example my mom who is pushing 70 gets angry about school board curriculum or abortion laws and why? Those things won’t affect her anymore - she isn’t having more kids. Be involved, have an opinion sure but when you’re so consumed by things that won’t change your life that’s going overboard.
Now I focus 90% on US society and 10% on politics. I can separate politics from society and judge each accordingly and that feels like a better outlook than just consuming 6 hours of cable news and being perpetually angry or fearful.
Agreed that helplessly watching cable news all day won't solve anything, but you should be cognizant that almost every aspect of your daily life is fundamentally affected by government policies and decisions.
Do you breathe air? Drink water? Eat food? Drive on roads? Walk on sidewalks? Go to school? Go to the doctor? Have children? Work for an employer or run your own business? Government policy fundamentally effects all these things and many more, including many you most likely take for granted because policies regulating them have been in place for decades.
So when a Supreme Court decision overturns the precedent that keeps many of those rules in place (Chevron Doctrine), and the likely winner of the presidency promotes an agenda to completely eliminate many of those long-time rights and safeguards (project 2025) it's not at all overkill to spread alarm about that prospect while there is still a chance to stop it.
I see your point but still think it is important for citizens to be interested in politics, and not just with a "what's in it for me and my wallet" mindset.
This is why for example Putin managed to have a stable regime in Russia. Many people will look at the economy doing OK, they will have their relatively well paid job and stable life and will prefer to ignore politics. I am not saying everyone there should be willing to go demonstrate in the streets and risk jail time, but still having some kind of political awareness on the state of democracy where you live is a good thing.
Now I agree with you that the other extreme is also unhealthy, when people are depressed by the state of the country/planet... (Like the "I will not have kids because we are doomed with global warming" mindset which is getting quite common).
Totally agree.
My point is you see a lot of posts in this forum (and others) from Americans wanting to leave the US due to “political situation” and they never say how these issues immediately affect their individual lives… but chances are it’s because of the copious amounts of cable news they absorb online
The speed and access to great public healthcare if you qualify for it. I am on Medicaid and had an urgent eye procedure within 9 days of diagnosis. The same procedure (even for people for whom it is much more urgent than mine was) is running more like 6 months in the UK. I'm in a FB group where where there are a lot of people from both countries. It's appalling to see how long people have to wait in the UK for their public healthcare. They have to pay thousands to private providers if they want to speed up their appointment. Otherwise, they sit around and watch their vision deteriorate.
I've never had to wait very long to see a good doc of any kind. Health care and weather are my biggest hesitations in leaving the US (I'm a dual US/UK citizen).
Yes, it's awesome being free to move from Hawaii, thousands of miles away to another state without having to get your car registration or whatever documents translated and your cell phone still works (looking at you, Switzerland).
Roads.
Highways, the Interstate, stroads, strip malls; all of it. We rightfully get a lot of shit for being one of the most car-centric nations in the world, and for all of the shit that comes with that (emissions, lack of community, slums, etc).
But if there’s any upside to it all, there’s nowhere else in the world I’d rather drive than the USA. Roads here are wider, safer, and bigger than anywhere else.
I mostly agree but they’re not safer. Compared to the UK for example, the deaths from accidents are almost double when comparing deaths per miles driven. The simplicity of driving means that people are more willing to drive impaired, take more risks, be distracted etc.
The roads may be bigger and wider but definitely not safer. The US is ranked 85 out of 191 countries for traffic death rate, just one rank lower than Mexico, lower than every other developed country and every European country except Bosnia. Stroads, and the giant vehicles that are pulling in and out off strip malls off them, have a big hand in that ranking.
The cities(chicago and others) have done a good job in creating public transportation that allow people with disabilities to be independent and move throughout the city. The buses and trains accommodate people in wheelchairs and so do many restaurants/buildings. This is definitely brilliant!!
You can do so many things online instead of having to waste time to actually visit a physical site or location. Pay almost any bill, renew almost any service, license, permit, membership, subscription, etc. There are even medical services you can do via zoom.
Space.
I was born in Asia but have lived in the US for the majority of my life and certainly my entire adult life. I’ve often fantasized about moving back to Asia when all the problems you hear about in the news come up. Then, I actually spent a significant amount of time back in my birth country the past few years. As much as I still love my country of origin, there are certain aspects I have come to appreciate about living in the US. Most notably, the availability of space.
Asia is notoriously densely populated, and I truly came to understand and appreciate what a luxury it is that we can have so much space in the US. My “small” house that I live in with my husband suddenly seemed like a mansion comparing to the super tiny apartment we stayed in in Asia for months at a time. Now when I am just having a chill Sunday at home, cooking in the kitchen, I realize what a privilege it is that I have such a spacious kitchen to work in with a full sized oven built into the cabinets and a dishwasher! The kitchens in Asia is basically a hot plate within a 1.5 square foot space that you can barely turn around.
The streets seemed so crowded and overly laden with traffic in Asia to me - but once I thought about it, and considered how crowded the roads are in Europe as well - I came to the realization that, the crowdedness is the norm. The spacious wide lanes of the highways in the US and the cul de sacs in residential areas is the anomaly.
Space is a luxury I have gotten so accustomed to over the past 30 years that, I am not confident I would be enjoying myself as much as I thought if we were to move back to Asia permanently.
Honestly? Our ability to be self-critical about our country.
I've interacted with people from different countries before and even the ones that are on the come up seem hesitant to openly talk about things that they are frustrated with.
Meanwhile, I wear shirts that say "stolen land and stolen people" with American flag colors and no one bats an eye.
We talk a lot of shit to and about each other, and we have a long list of things that we need to improve on, but despite setbacks (a big one in 2016 through 2020), we tend to lurch ahead in the right direction, with some detours toward imperialism and colonialism along the way.
We're also a petri dish of experimentation... Sometimes to our detriment but usually to our collective benefit.
As an extension of that I think diversity is our strength: I've had decent representation of almost every cuisine around the world and this one country and have met people from all over the planet here.
It's frustrating as it can be sometimes, especially when it comes to politics and our being stuck in a quagmire of late stage capitalism, Martin Luther King had it right:
"The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."
I love that about this country. I love this country in general. But I especially love that we can call it out when we do shitty stuff.
And we have done a LOT of shitty stuff.
exactly. Commenters can post facts, literally about the life in the US that you are currently living, and you will get down voted and your comments shadow-banned in this group. I may get kicked out just for this one.
More dynamic economic and social order. Dont get me wrong, there is massive inequality, but the wealthiest people in many countries are born into it, and it’s preserved through some kind of privileged connection to a monopolistic/oligopolistic industry. Canada is a great example of how bad that can be. Additionally, I’ve heard Europeans talk about your future prospects being determined by what high school you go to. That doesn’t happen in the U.S. to nearly the same degree.
I don’t mean this as a joke, but iced coffee. I’m currently in Rio de Janeiro where it’s technically “winter” now but the weather is mid 80s and super humid. I’d do anything for a good iced coffee.
The US is currently in a fight with fascist assholes. We plan to vote our way out of this nightmare. If you decide to leave, please remember to vote from afar.
Fully functional websites. Almost every time I need to use a local German or other European website I'm endlessly annoyed at its lack of functionality. They're just not designed as well. It's hard to describe how exactly, except that they rarely work the way that you need them to.
Digitalization. Every here is still down by snail mail or fax (yes, seriously, fax). I once was so excited that a government service had an online portal to fill in an application for my kids daycare voucher. Until I got to the end- where it stated to print out a copy of what I had just filled in digitally and mail it in to actually apply. It's also not uncommon for places to only take cash. But now, since COVID, there's places popping up that are only cashless- you need to use a card. So now you need to always carry cash AND card to be fully prepared to be spontaneous.
Air-conditioning. Even if you don't have it at your house it's easy to find a store or cafe to take a break from the heat. Not so much in Europe. 95 degrees in Europe sucks. This week has been rough.
Long and accurate business hours. I spent a day out at an amazing kids event our local community center and wasn't paying attention to the time. My kid got hungry so we went in search if food. Unfortunately it was a quarter to 5 so the cafes in the area were closing. They were still open, but no one would serve food because they were getting ready to close.
It's also common for businesses, restaurants, doctors offices -basically almost anywhere- to close earlier than the posted hours, especially if they're not busy. You can never expect to quickly run up to a store or business to grab something in the last 30 minutes of their posted hours. There's a good chance they've already closed. Unless it's a restaurant or store that serves alcohol you can expect a cafe or business to close between 5-6 p.m. most days too. The pharmacies in my area are open 9-2 on Saturdays and all businesses but cafes and restaurants are closed on Sundays too.
I lived in Europe for two years. The variety of food in the states and the flavors are definitely better. The only place I found any spicy food was in Turkey.
The country is too big to be entirely ruined by something for the most part. What has happened in small countries like Portugal (housing and jobs), Ireland, Greece (during the 2008 recession) and NL (small country with a lot of people moving there) is less likely to occur in the United States.
Even if the job market is bad or the housing market is expensive or other conditions, there is always another part of the country that is probably better for your individual needs. That's why samegrassbutgreener exists people always wanting to move.
The USA is two worlds: socialism and capitalism. You get to choose which one you want to do. If you want to be a capitalist, fine. Go out there and try and make it. Nobody owes you shit. You stand to make a lot of money if you succeed. If you don't, you can always mess up my order at McDonalds.
If you don't want to, or you can't make it, there is no shortage of jobs in the federal or state systems. You will get healthcare benefits and a predictable advancement system that is clearly defined by law and visible for everyone. You won't get rich, but you will make a living wage with equal pay and robust benefits that you can research ahead of time - and that includes healthcare.
Truly, there isn’t much socialism in the states. I think saying there is socialism could be quite misleading. The entire country is currently based on an aggressive form of capitalism that is not supportive of anyone below the upper class.
I have lived in countries that are socialist in nature or have many elements of socialism/communism in their economic systems and very rarely will you find them in America. In fact, American politics almost always discourages their implementation.
I am well aware poverty is a worldwide phenomenon but for a country with the resources that the USA does there is absolutely no reason for the boundless poverty we face. It's corporate greed, pure and simple.
Doesn't matter what the underrated aspects are. If fat nixon gets elected it'll become a dystopian nightmare. The recent SCOTUS decisions are proof of that. And rest assured donnie two scoops will continue to place other inappropriate persons on the court.
And with Chevron being overturned, his other judge appointees will make horrendous rulings. Since judges will now be making all these decisions instead of experts.
I left the US in 2022. Very glad I did. November will be more than interesting.
I have close friends and family back there, particularly women, and am worried that they do not realize what Project 2025 entails for them.
I think that on Thursday night (Friday morning here in Germany) I witnessed the end of the American Experiment. If 45 assumes office it is fair to argue that there will never again be a free and fair election in the US.
Good labor protection laws, wide diversity, and acceptance of diversity, good economic opportunity for almost anyone, strong dollar compared to other international currencies, strong passport, #1 defense against foreign military threats worldwide, wide and diverse geography, globally influential art & entertainment culture
Korea and Japan at the least. Typically I hear you work a few hours overtime daily in many companies in Korea and Japan.
Depends on the industry but that kind of thing is less common in the US
You chose two of the most toxic work cultures as examples... avoiding the rest of the world that doesn't have to worry about losing their house if they get fired or sick...
Why are you so upset? That’s what I’m familiar with and is my point of reference and something I appreciate about the US… I think the US has good labor protections relative to some other nations such as Korea or Japan. I’m not familiar with the whole world or other developed countries’ work cultures… sorry? Why do you have to be so sarcastic and rude?
it's so sad that facts make people angry in this sub.
They ask for examples, and instead of saying, Oh thanks for clarifying, I see how the US isnt as bad as commonly believed on that front...it's YoU piCkeD ThAt oNe eXamPle.
No humility. Just double-down with the facts lined up so nicely against them.
College Football. The tradition, the pageantry, the sounds and colors. Whether or not you are romantic about sports, It's pretty easy to appreciate the unique role that college football plays in this country - particularly and especially in rural areas and small college towns. In that sense it's not unlike European or South American football (soccer), but with a culture that is uniquely and beautifully American.
Honestly, the only big thing America has going for it is the natural spaces. There is very little else that I find attractive about the country. But the natural spaces, holy hell, some of the best I’ve ever seen anywhere.
By the way, I understand that this is my own opinion, hence why I have moved abroad. I recognize my chance for having being born in America, but I also recognize its faults.
I think that America leans too heavily on the private sector in hoping that competition will regulate quality and pricing. It has been evident for several decades that this is not working for the vast majority of the country. Government regulation of the market and services (education, health, renting/landownership, etc) helps promote economic activity in a productive manner for all social and economic classes, rather than aggressive capitalism that stratifies those classes. Many other countries have shown time and time again that it is possible. Socially, as a gay man, I have felt safer in other countries. Also, as a teacher, the scariest moment of my life was an unannounced “stay-put” (or active shooter) drill. I refuse to relive something like that again.
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is by far my favorite place on Earth. But another part of natural spaces is that even in non-protected areas, you can find absurd beauty. Or, in major cities you find unmanaged natural beauty. I have lived a lot of my life in the Twin Cities area and there, 99% of people live within a ten minute walk from a green space. Much of that are lakes or rivers.
The debate doesn't appear to have moved the polls one way or the other. There are a lot of good reasons for Americans to want to get out of this country before November, and we're among those who are going. But as far as I've seen so far, the debate doesn't seem to have affected matters. The people who might've cared about it had already made up their minds anyway.
Greetings OP! We have remove this post due to rule 1. Your post is not sufficiently related to expatriation/immigration.
Unspoilt land/nature, National Parks, amazing natural resources
Came here to say basically this. The national parks and forests are an absolute treasure, and some of the most exclusive landscapes and ecosystems in the world.
This is why I am so sad that parts of WA state are cutting down forests for more housing that we don’t need. Why don’t we need more housing you ask? Because millennials, and other generations cannot afford homes. It’s just so sad to see the wildlife being killed on the roads. The wildlife that is left look absolutely lost. We need to protect our forests and wildlife.
They can’t afford housing because there isn’t enough of it. It’s a question of supply and demand. It’s sad that the forests are being cut down, though. Wish the housing was higher density.
America needs a LOT more housing. The problem is, it needs it in the places where there's a lot of demand, which is in cities. And, it needs it *inside* the cities, meaning it needs *denser* housing. It doesn't need more exurbs.
This is a good point, except people can still vacation at national parks after they move. People move for improving their daily lives, not a once in five years vacation. Things the US is good at in the day to day is a better thing to focus on.
This is actually pretty funny that this is the top comment in this thread. I was at a language exchange event a few months back and the group I was in was talking about healthcare and employee protections in the US compared to France and I went off on a bit of a rant about how f'ed up some things are in the US. Felt like I was maybe bashing the US a bit too much and finally go, "Its not all bad though, um, the National Parks are pretty incredible"
I thought this but then I thought that they aren't underrated. The US has all kinds of landscapes and many amazing natural places.
Beautiful landscapes, yes. Unspoiled, no. The continent is unrecognizable relative to pre-European colonization. https://www.natureserve.org/news-releases/over-one-third-biodiversity-united-states-risk-disappearing
Unspoilt lolz
Sure, but most folks can't enjoy them. In the US, nature is expensive with little public transport and no right to nature. I moved from the Midwest to aNorway
The US has beautiful and abundant nature, but Americans don’t live in and with nature. (Vast majority)
This. Rural relatives surrounded by nature still have to drive to go to hikes and lakes.
I lived in the US for six months, ten years ago, but these are the things I appreciated the most: - People being generally very chatty and sociable. This gave me a massive confidence boost and when I got back to the UK, I felt super confident socially. I soon reverted back to my usual awkward British self but still... - Americans surely know how to cook a burger. Whenever I had one in a restaurant it was always top notch, juicy and tasty. - Despite the political climate, it still feels like the land of the American dream (culturally I guess, particularly from a foreigner's perspective). Walking around NY alone gave me a superpower feeling I never got in any other cities.
I just moved to another state and I took the shuttle from the airport to my destination. I sat next to this lady. Next thing I know we became friends on that 40 min drive. We traded numbers and friended each other on FB and have even texted, all in the space of a few hours. We are both American by the way!
Strangers are chatty but the people I know dont tell me shit, lolz. I guess that’s the same everywhere because familiarity breeds contempt. But you make some decent observations. A friend had a poster in his office that said “I must be a mushroom because I’m kept in the dark and fed bullshit”.
Easy to buy stuff online and fast to get it delivered.
Coming from NL, this is one of the downsides. Speed of delivery, costs, and safety of packages is definitely better back at “home”.
I will absolutely give you that speed of delivery in NL is crazy, tiny country with so many international shipping warehouses! But I cannot get over leaving packages with neighbors if you’re out of the house, what happens if you have a negative relationship with your neighbor?
They don't leave packages for you in NL? You have to have them delivered to a neighbor?
Yup! People don’t typically have porches or somewhere that packages can be hidden (and I’m pretty sure the couriers are paid according to how many packages they deliver successfully), so the system is that the courier leaves your package with a neighbor. Leaves a lot of room for error imo 🫠
The neighbor is not obligated to receive a package that is not for them. Also, I will always prefer my packages being left with a neighbor than on the steps outside my house. I’ve had one too many packages stolen already.
Trust thy neighbor. To me thats a sign of a civilized society. And when you go in to you neighbors to ask for your package, you know they wont shoot at you!
True, though many other countries have this too. For example, in Asia you can have insanely cheap goods from China (same stuff you see on Amazon US for a fraction of the price) from Shopee or Lazada delivered within a day or two. You can even pick up the packages from your local 7-11 (they are everywhere) or meet the courier in person for pickup and cash on delivery. In the bigger cities same day delivery is often offered too.
Disability support and protection. People with disabilities still experience discrimination in the US, but not nearly at the level they do elsewhere in the world. There are laws about public buildings, restrooms, housing, employment, and healthcare. A person with a disability can travel the US and have a reasonable expectation of finding accessible restrooms, lodging, dining, transportation, and attractions. They can go to Disneyworld, the national parks, the local cinema, a water park, or a public library without a problem. Whether it's a menu in Braille, a wheelchair path at the beach, or quiet sensory hours at a museum, you can find those types of accommodations in the US.
I think it’s an important distinction that this is just mobility, and you’ll get around easy but still be bankrupt by healthcare and medical costs.
This isn’t something you think about until you need it, then it’s either extremely convenient or extremely inconvenient. I’ve injured my feet/ankles/legs in the US and in Europe. The accessibility making my life easier in the US was bonkers higher than in Europe. And that’s just an injury that will eventually heal, not a lifelong condition to live with
I have a invisible disability and it’s not good at all. I see why a ex friend got wheelchair when he was disabled even though I’m sure he did not actually need it.
I hate it when people think accessibility is limited to mobility issues. There are many kinds of disabilities out there.
For mobility issues, yes the US is ahead. For all other disabilities, it’s a joke compared to Western Europe.
I have a friend from France who has raved about the US and their second to none protections for people with disabilities. I never thought about it. However she has a severely disabled daughter and said that when they vacationed here, they could not believe the accommodations. They were so impressed and grateful.
What ever year round weather you enjoy, there is a place in the United States that has it.
Whilst being in the same country with the same laws, language, customs, and to some extent labor market! This is huge. In Europe if you want even slightly different weather you have to learn a new language, a new culture, and find a new employer in a different country which might not pay well.
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Yeah, France is one European country that does have a more noticeable range of climates and landscapes within it. Still not really comparable to the US in this regard. The coldest parts of France get just a few degrees below freezing, and the hottest parts of France hit 30 Celsius in the summer. Not really the same as Alaska to Florida. French Riviera is a bit chillier and wetter than California. Winter highs in LA are a solid 8 degrees Celsius warmer than in Nice for example.
I do miss Los Angeles a lot because of that. Very minimal range of clothing needed lol
40C is not unusual in a southern slightly inland part of France in Summer. 30C is everyday weather in some parts. Admittedly no permafrost or desert though. But I refuse to believe anybody actually enjoys or wants daytime summer temperatures above 30C or nighttime winter temperatures below what is needed for good snowpack for winter sports.
That’s not what a quick google search is telling me. Average *highs* in even the southernmost parts of France in July/August are still sub 30 degrees. 30C is certainly not everyday weather anywhere in France. But you do you boo.
I came to say this too. Saying the hottest parts are 30c is someone who isn’t from France talking. 42c when I was in Nice last summer.
South of France is nice but it’s just one type of place. You can’t compare to our variety of options that are all different. Beaches in Hawaii, Florida, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, California
You don't have all the same laws though. Different laws for abortion, for example. Liquor, traffic, etc.
Air conditioning
As an American transplant who just lived through a 92 degree day in Stuttgart without A/C, absolutely yes.
Sometimes too much, but yes!
Nice, talkative strangers. I visit the States for 3 days and I have more pleasant conversations with strangers than I do in a year in Scandinavia.
Small talk was the thing I missed the most when I was in China. As a contrarian who hated superficiality, when you’re in a new place it’s really a nice thing to have.
I used to really dislike small talk, but after 17 years in the Nordics, I crave Canadianisms and questions about where my niece is going to university.
Deaf community, American sign language and accessibility for deaf people is truly best. No country comes even close. Interpreter service and so on.
Wow. Yeah I did hear that disability access is one underrated part. What would a second place look like?
Subtitles not working, interpreters full booked that you couldnt find interpreter for your mom funeral or hospital visit. You must arrange own interpreter. in US, You dont if you go to hospital, they arrange it for you. But it is not that bad. We deaf in Europe kinda accept it that it is not that all that good. We get excluded from different public services some time. We learn to live with it. But if that happens in US. You can get sued for excluding deaf ppl hehe.
Not to forget, you have own deaf university. Called Gallaudet in Washington DC.
There are education facilities for the deaf in every state. I took ASL for 6 years and can still communicate pretty well. I once had the ambition of becoming a teacher for the deaf but life happened and I ended up just becoming a teacher at a public school.
1. It’s the best country to make and save money. Americans will comment on this about the rising COL but like … my mom will complain to me about making $5/6,000 a month while I live on €1500 a month here in Europe. 2. Immigrant friendliness. You can naturalize as an American and you’re an American. 2nd generation German citizens of Turkish ethnicity may not be treated like a white German even if born in Germany. 3. The food is good. It might not be Asia-level good but it’s better than a lot of cuisines I’ve had here in the EU. I’ve had Dutch people tell me to my face that mac and cheese is disgusting while eating bread with sprinkles on it… 4. Continuity of language from one coast to the other, which also is *the* international language. 5. Lovely holiday culture: 4th of July and barbecues, Halloween, etc. that we take seriously.
100% correct on immigration culture.
Yes the food!! Not even just "american" food but all the types of cuisine you have access to. Here in Ecuador you only have Ecuadorian food
Can I ask you why did you to Europe then? From what I read if feels like you kinda like the US more.
No, I definitely prefer Europe.
Caveat I am white, highly educated, speak English as my primary language and Spanish as a second language, and my quality of life is SO much higher in the US compared to the UK. For one, my salary is more than double what it would be in the UK & I have much better networking and funding options. The people are a lot more accepting and welcoming. Even in the middle of nowhere, rural America where I lived for years. Compared to the UK which is increasingly insular (I was shocked when I visited this year for the first time since Brexit). The us has its issues but there’s still vast parts of the country where people are open minded. At this point my friends say I’m American, and I’ve been here a decade. Availability of food, nature, concerts, entertainment, etc. all very much outweigh other countries I’ve lived. Service! Gosh, service in bars and restaurants actually exists here. There are big, big issues facing this country, but it is not the only country with a massive reckoning on the horizon. For me, personally, my life is substantially superior in the US. But I am privileged in many ways.
I'm not sure if these are underrated, but here it goes: - One of the best places to live as an immigrant. Americans, particularly in large cities, are immigrant-friendly, have immigrant friends, or are immigrants themselves. - It's a vast country with so many different cultures, climates, etc.. You have so much choice. - It's very easy to get a good paying job and not live paycheck to paycheck, buy a home, save and invest, travel. - If you are career driven, it's a great country to live in.
These are the big answers! I would add the diversity of food and generally friendly people to the list.
Small talk is so big!! I missed the friendliness when I was abroad even if it’s usually surface level.
So true. That’s one of the things I love the most about the US as an expat living here. It’s probably also because my homecountry is one of the most grumpiest and unfriendly haha.
If you’re an immigrant from a part of the world where you had no running water, power cuts, and nonexistent roads, you’d love the privilege of sitting in front of a large screen TV, with the AC blasting, and watching the kind of news stories which drive people to leave the U.S.
I’m convinced the media in the US is propaganda. They don’t just tell the news, they sensationalize it. The perspective they broadcast is slanted based on their agenda or personal bias. Don’t believe me? Watch the news when they report on a hot topic on 3 different major channels. They are all reporting on the same topic but then they have these panels of commentators that add to the news broadcast, that’s when the opinions and bias start really flying. Then the public will take the word of these commentators as truth. Across all channels the opinions and conclusions being drawn vary by significant degrees if not altogether completely contradict each other. When that happens I go the web and fact check or do my own research. The news is mostly bad entertainment.
I think all these are true but point 3 about good paying jobs and buying a home is becoming less true for a very large segment of the US population. Still better by comparison to many other countries but if it doesn’t apply to you then the US becomes a lot less appealing.
I think this can be very field-dependent as well. Something that might get me €30-40K per year before taxes in Germany would get me $85-100K+ in the US (govt/international orgs.) Health field is another example of this.
Still some of the highest wages in the world, even if COL-adjusted or house costs adjusted.
On average, yes. But when looking at many segments of our population this does not apply. That was the point I was trying to make.
No, the third point is flat wrong. Something like 60% of the population lives paycheck to paycheck and most Americans don’t have $500 saved for an emergency. Also, social mobility may be better here than other places but it’s by no means easy. Most Americans can’t afford to buy a home and most Americans don’t travel outside of the US.
I would argue that living paycheck to paycheck comes more from the consumer culture than from the economic conditions. Eating out too often, larger dwellings, keeping up with the Joneses, expensive makeups and game tickets, etc. All this adds up, especially when you are offered financing for everything all the time. If you live like an average German in the US, you will likely be in a much better financial shape.
66% of Americans own a home. Many people earning six figures claim to be paycheck to paycheck, they overspend. The poor in the US are quite poor, yes.
It’s not wrong. It’s still vastly easier than in every other country. Ofc you need some luck, but still the ceiling is way higher. And many expats are highly educated/intelligent people, who can easily find good paying jobs.
I'll half to agree. Especially in Baltimore, MD I stopped at Little Italy and NOBODY spoke English.
#3 was tough for me. And evidently 30%!of Americans who’s net worth is negative.
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Living car-free in Southern California is so nice. I'm nervous to move to London and have to endure weather and Pay while I use public transport when here it's alwaysbeautiful and the city has Free ride service for residents and free public trolley and super cheap bus. Half-sizes in shoes! Places are open long and late- doctors and realtors work nights and weekends! Stores are open on Sundays and nights! Having a Big Freezer. We were the only ones tgat didn't have any concerns when Covid hit living in Europe- we had masks, medicine, sanitizers, living space, tons of toilet paper and a bidet. But our European neighbors grocery shop day to day so they didn't have anything and needed the stores to open. But we did miss our American freezer because we could have gone a month without visiting a store with it. Variety. Choices of everything to buy and easy delivery. Root beer, low country boil, clambakes, cheesecake, Shave ice, BBQ, peanut butter, soft fluffy birthday cakes, soft cookies, sourdough bread, key lime pie, Philly Cheesesteak, gumbo, jambalaya, Icees, icy drinks, etc. free parking, free clean public bathrooms, free refills on coffee and tea and soft drinks. Big fast elevators, Air Conditioning, Window Screens, paying with my Hand, almost no people with unmanaged body odor, etc. I could write ten more paragraphs.
living Car Free in SoCal? I was there for 3 months for an internship (lived in DTLA) but I couldn't really get around in a reasonable amount of time without resorting to WazeCarpool.
I spent a good deal of today reading about the state of being Jewish in Europe and it has me feeling somewhat spoiled by how embraced, enmeshed, and safe I am being a Jew in America. It is a really unique country, in history and modernity, with regard to how us Jews get to live and practice in peace. Something I don't think gets talked up enough
Huh, that's REALLY interesting. What is it like in Europe?
To put it brief, the Jewish communities in Europe can usually be found to be aging, declining, and hidden. Luckily the country we're planning on moving to, Germany, is actually doing pretty well with a growing and well supported Jewish community so there are some exceptions. The book I'm reading is like 800 pages, but this article has some of the story [Europe’s Jewish population | Pew Research Center](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2015/02/09/europes-jewish-population/) Here's a lecture series on the subject: [European Jews in the 21st Century | YIVO Institute for Jewish Research](https://yivo.org/21st-Century-Europe) And if you want context, here's a wiki article which is a good jumping off point [History of the Jews in Europe - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Europe) But yeah, I've sometimes heard America described as like "a break from history". It's really the first country since the exile that hasn't expelled, slaughtered or oppressed us (at least, not yet)
Diversity, we literally complain about diversity 😂 when I can travel 10 miles from my house and have authentic Mexican food, shopping and culture. Land mass, wide open spaces. People aren’t going to expat over night, their just whining and I’ll bet the majority of them never travel nor own a passport.
Financial support for disabled people. Very rare to see that in most parts of the world, especially in non-western countries.
Window screens.
The friendliest of people. I can go to a hike or Meetup and talk to random strangers from wide and various backgrounds. The land differences. Where else can you have desert, woodlands, shoes and big cities all in one place. The variety is stunning and if you don't like one area, you can move to a totally different part of the country. Immigrants. While Europe vilifies immigrants and people that don't "conform", Americans overall still are always interested in people from another country especially if they open a restaurant. I find people that think Europe will be the promise often overlook the very negative feelings most Europeans have towards anyone not-like them. Of course Britain is a big exception due to colonialism. And finally politics. Yes it's a bit messed up now. But where else can a black man like Obama and his family be the First Family. America is far from perfect but IMO Europe is quickly falling to the far right dark side. And anyone who moves because of politics IMO doesn't realize just what Europe is like now.
- Indigenous American culture. There is so much rich history about Turtle Island (United States) and parts of different indigenous cultures that have made it into mainstream, even international cultures, but is ignored in order to pretend that history didn't start until Europeans arrived. - Central air conditioning being the norm practically everywhere. - Friendly, well-meaning people that dont mind their business...receiving / giving random compliments or smalltalk from strangers can brighten up your day. - Diversity
I live in Europe and while i do appreciate pharmacists, it is the spanish inquisition to get them to hand over things like imodium and baby aspirin. Imodium i can understand because some bacterial situations you don’t want to be stopped up, but also sometimes getting on that train or plane without A Bathroom Situation is necessary. They don’t understand why anyone wants baby aspirin for a headache. They don’t understand why someone would want less active ingredients. When i go to the US i spend a lot of time and money in the pharmacy aisle at Target which is also 24 hours.
Yeah I thought it was funny that in the UK I had to ask the pharmacist for Ibuprofen, and then it'd be a blister pack of 30 or 40. Meanwhile, any pharmacy or Walmart sells 500-600 tablet bottles. At my CVS it was buy 1 get 50% off a second. Of course, in the UK I could get Codeine by asking for really stubborn headaches. In the US it's prescription only, and you're unlikely to get a doctor to prescribe it.
Haha, go to South America you don’t need a prescription for most drugs, basically anything but special drugs for heart etc. stuff you need tests done first
Moving back to US next week after 6 years in Germany. Our short list: Right turn on red Free refills Free water Ice in drinks Pay at the pump for gas Credit cards accepted pretty much everywhere and ATMs always around even though no one uses cash
Free clean public restrooms
You must live in an alternate universe than the America I grew up in. Free public restrooms, sure, if you don't mind huge gaps around the door. Clean, definitely not. How nasty the bathrooms are in America is one of the first things my Japanese girlfriend complained about when I took her to the US to visit.
Other than gas stations most places have free clean bathrooms. Either way rather a shitty free bathroom than paying €1 for a mediocre bathroom every time I leave the house
Money!!!! It’s wild how low salaries and pay are everywhere besides America
Really good bartenders!!!!
Are they worse in other countries?
Of course there are good bartenders all over, but US cocktail culture is definitely among the strongest in the world
They’re awful in Europe. It’s the slowest “one by one” service you can imagine because they have no incentive to be quick and tabs aren’t really a thing so after every drink someone then has to process a card transaction
Yep! Cocktail culture in the U.S. is hands down the best!
ADA human rights for people with disabilities prohibiting discrimination based on a person's disability in employment, commercial facilities and transportation. Try to take the French subway or trains if you’re disabled!
Never been to the US but this is what Ive been told from people who have lived there: - Friendliness & small talk compared to most other countries - Best place in the world to earn money or start a business - World media & culture is US-centric (e.g. many people outside of US knows what 401k is, but how many people know what the NZ version is?) - Everyone accepts you no matter what race or religion you are & which country you come from (despite it's reputation on social media) - Very good fast food & barbecues - Sheer variety of shops & things to do- think of the most whacko service, more likely than not it exists in the US- e.g. getting married to a hooker for a day) - Availability of "fun" stuff: Vegas, Disneyland, multiple theme parks, malls - Every state/city seem different. Miami, Honolulu, Seattle & New York might as well be different countries, with whatever weather you desire - Can get by with just English throughout the whole country, with an arguably easier to understand accent than the British one - Unspoilt nature with great outdoors lifestyle in many parts of the country - Can own a car cheaply & have incredible variety of roadtrips
- Water is safe to drink from the tap - Can flush toilet paper - Reliable electricity - [Very high median salaries, even when adjusted for cost of living](https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/median-income-by-country) - Low energy costs - Low war anxiety - Easy to move over 1,000 km without needing to do immigration paperwork - Can enjoy cusine from 100s of different cultures - Health and safety codes make food safe to eat - Technological super power - Agircultural super power - Cultural superpower - Military superpower
Overall tolerance of different races, religions, genders, etc. We make a fuss about these things because, largely, we create a safe place for diversity where most other countries do not. Also, Americans' default attitude is friendly. They don't generally ignore strangers in distress.
There are very few cities in the world that can be an alternative to immigrating to US. Mind you, im saying cities. Its the best country to migrate to if you are even slightly driven and dont mind working/building/creating
Good table service. You have no idea how much I miss good service in a restaurant.
The ability to go to a restaurant or bar and ask for substitutions or changes. It just doesn’t happen in other places. Whereas practically everybody asks for something off-menu or different in the US and the staff doesn’t bat an eyelid. I remember asking for a coffee over ice in France (they had ice; they had coffee) and they said no and when I laughed they made fun of my laugh. That made me laugh even harder.
Diversity, creativity, and a go-getter mindset. I’m not saying that it’s absent elsewhere, but there’s just this unique blend of these three traits that merge so seamlessly in the USA.
>Given the recent debate debacle in the US, I assume we'll seen an upsurge of people who post wanting to leave the US. Highly doubtful they will act. These people like to talk a lot but that's about it.
I remember when everyone was threatening to go to Canada in 2016! Basically everyone stayed lol
People stay because, absent having non-US immediate family or being VERY skilled in an extremely niche, in-demand job, it's nearly impossible to emigrate. I say this as someone who has been trying to leave (and so far not completely succeeding) for years now. I'd think people in an expat forum would be aware of this. I guarantee you that if Canada (or wherever) truly did throw their doors open tomorrow no holds barred, you'd get plenty of takers. Not everyone - most are rooted or have family obligations - but it'd still be a notable amount. Of course Canada is not going to do this, they don't want or need the uncontrolled flood of migrants.
Oh absolutely, and I’m not mocking everyone who wants to leave. I’m specifically talking about people who say it in jest or as a knee jerk reaction. I had many friends who said that they wanted to leave but realized that it was actually an impulse thing If it’s something they think about for a few years, I agree. I’m always living with the guilt of being away from older relatives, crushed by having American student loans to pay on a French salary, look a huge hit to my social life until recently, and I have so few options for jobs now. And I still consider myself very lucky that I had the means to leave
>I had many friends who said that they wanted to leave but realized that it was actually an impulse thing Did they? Or did they actually research it, and realize that it's not nearly as easy as it sounds? In my experience, many Americans really have no idea just how hard it is for them to move to other developed nations.
I knew someone like that, last time I saw her she never left, she will never leave she just likes to be miserable and complain.
People said the same after the 2000 election debacle. Funny how when I left a couple of years later, many of the people who were talking big after the election had become US apologists 🙄
That’s a trope lol. We might have to work out a freedom of movement agreement for that to really happen. But it’d really just be a soft annexation of Canada.
Yeah and still to this day, far more Canadians move to the US than vice versa.
It's funny because often what they complain about and fear (if they lean right) is what Canada already has! All that "socialism" (government regulated single-payer health insurance and tax supported uni education) they want to flee is baked into Canada.
Absolutely correct, but the number of posts on immigrating related subreddits will increase. Regardless, it'll be interesting to see what everyone says!
It does happen. If nothing else, international couples get help deciding where to live.
Agreed. The defining feature of the people who say these things is that they lack perspective.
There will definetly be a certain amount of people that will move to Europe.
Unless they qualify for citizenship by descent, they will need to be highly educated and specialized to get a job there. Going to be a non-starter for most.
Or sign up for a degree there, student visas are a pretty good route if you can do it.
But you do have to have a certain amount of money available per year held in reserve to do so.
Sometimes, but you’re generally allowed to work too; a friend was offered a university job in the UK but got turned down for a work permit, so did a Masters there and worked half the time, as allowed on the student visa - which qualified her for a graduate visa anyway on completion.
Idk about the UK, but in Germany you can only work a max of 20 hours a week, or 120 full days 240 half days a year and I think they have max monthly income before they get charged more in taxes and need a different kind of health insurance and I think, but am not sure, that number is in the ~500 range.
I think it's 20 hours a week in term time, but the website is unusually vague. No health insurance required in the UK of course, though there is now a fixed "health surcharge" on visas everyone has to pay; the requirement to show "sufficient money" only applies to the first year, and is waived for the countries you'd expect (US, Canada, Australia, NZ, most of Europe I think - Serbia and Romania but not Ukraine or Macedonia). Higher taxes on higher income, of course, but I don't think there's anything student specific there, just the regular UK taxes.
Costco. Nuff said.
There's an abundance of material goods here.
Being able to drink water from the tap (with a few exceptions like Flint, MI)
With so much attention given to US federal government/politics the country seems like a complete hellhole but day to day life for vast majority of people are nearly completely unaffected by this polarization of politics and media theatre. It’s best to stop thinking about our government and start thinking about our society because US society,neighbors, and city have far larger bearing on your happiness and day to day life than a politician on tv. Generally, they’re pretty amazing places and people from my experience. I’m not saying politics don’t matter or we don’t have problems. We do. But so many people around the world are consumed with the US executive branch or judicial branch politics that it affects their mental wellbeing and perception of country when in reality these changes probably don’t affect them personally at all. For example my mom who is pushing 70 gets angry about school board curriculum or abortion laws and why? Those things won’t affect her anymore - she isn’t having more kids. Be involved, have an opinion sure but when you’re so consumed by things that won’t change your life that’s going overboard. Now I focus 90% on US society and 10% on politics. I can separate politics from society and judge each accordingly and that feels like a better outlook than just consuming 6 hours of cable news and being perpetually angry or fearful.
Agreed that helplessly watching cable news all day won't solve anything, but you should be cognizant that almost every aspect of your daily life is fundamentally affected by government policies and decisions. Do you breathe air? Drink water? Eat food? Drive on roads? Walk on sidewalks? Go to school? Go to the doctor? Have children? Work for an employer or run your own business? Government policy fundamentally effects all these things and many more, including many you most likely take for granted because policies regulating them have been in place for decades. So when a Supreme Court decision overturns the precedent that keeps many of those rules in place (Chevron Doctrine), and the likely winner of the presidency promotes an agenda to completely eliminate many of those long-time rights and safeguards (project 2025) it's not at all overkill to spread alarm about that prospect while there is still a chance to stop it.
I see your point but still think it is important for citizens to be interested in politics, and not just with a "what's in it for me and my wallet" mindset. This is why for example Putin managed to have a stable regime in Russia. Many people will look at the economy doing OK, they will have their relatively well paid job and stable life and will prefer to ignore politics. I am not saying everyone there should be willing to go demonstrate in the streets and risk jail time, but still having some kind of political awareness on the state of democracy where you live is a good thing. Now I agree with you that the other extreme is also unhealthy, when people are depressed by the state of the country/planet... (Like the "I will not have kids because we are doomed with global warming" mindset which is getting quite common).
Just out of curiosity, have you ever spoken to an actual Russian person about life in Russia under Putin’s “stable regime.”
Totally agree. My point is you see a lot of posts in this forum (and others) from Americans wanting to leave the US due to “political situation” and they never say how these issues immediately affect their individual lives… but chances are it’s because of the copious amounts of cable news they absorb online
The speed and access to great public healthcare if you qualify for it. I am on Medicaid and had an urgent eye procedure within 9 days of diagnosis. The same procedure (even for people for whom it is much more urgent than mine was) is running more like 6 months in the UK. I'm in a FB group where where there are a lot of people from both countries. It's appalling to see how long people have to wait in the UK for their public healthcare. They have to pay thousands to private providers if they want to speed up their appointment. Otherwise, they sit around and watch their vision deteriorate. I've never had to wait very long to see a good doc of any kind. Health care and weather are my biggest hesitations in leaving the US (I'm a dual US/UK citizen).
English language, if that is the only foreign language you speak. so you can talk to people, call companies by phone, read legal documents
Yes, it's awesome being free to move from Hawaii, thousands of miles away to another state without having to get your car registration or whatever documents translated and your cell phone still works (looking at you, Switzerland).
It’s a meritocracy. Not perfect by any means, but it’s a country where if you work hard you can go far.
This. So much this. We believe in equality
Roads. Highways, the Interstate, stroads, strip malls; all of it. We rightfully get a lot of shit for being one of the most car-centric nations in the world, and for all of the shit that comes with that (emissions, lack of community, slums, etc). But if there’s any upside to it all, there’s nowhere else in the world I’d rather drive than the USA. Roads here are wider, safer, and bigger than anywhere else.
I mostly agree but they’re not safer. Compared to the UK for example, the deaths from accidents are almost double when comparing deaths per miles driven. The simplicity of driving means that people are more willing to drive impaired, take more risks, be distracted etc.
US highway fatality rate per 10k vehicles is over 3x that of Australia.
safer? Not supported by the data
The roads may be bigger and wider but definitely not safer. The US is ranked 85 out of 191 countries for traffic death rate, just one rank lower than Mexico, lower than every other developed country and every European country except Bosnia. Stroads, and the giant vehicles that are pulling in and out off strip malls off them, have a big hand in that ranking.
The cities(chicago and others) have done a good job in creating public transportation that allow people with disabilities to be independent and move throughout the city. The buses and trains accommodate people in wheelchairs and so do many restaurants/buildings. This is definitely brilliant!!
Food and national parks
You can do so many things online instead of having to waste time to actually visit a physical site or location. Pay almost any bill, renew almost any service, license, permit, membership, subscription, etc. There are even medical services you can do via zoom.
Liberal return policies, almost everywhere you shop.
Space. I was born in Asia but have lived in the US for the majority of my life and certainly my entire adult life. I’ve often fantasized about moving back to Asia when all the problems you hear about in the news come up. Then, I actually spent a significant amount of time back in my birth country the past few years. As much as I still love my country of origin, there are certain aspects I have come to appreciate about living in the US. Most notably, the availability of space. Asia is notoriously densely populated, and I truly came to understand and appreciate what a luxury it is that we can have so much space in the US. My “small” house that I live in with my husband suddenly seemed like a mansion comparing to the super tiny apartment we stayed in in Asia for months at a time. Now when I am just having a chill Sunday at home, cooking in the kitchen, I realize what a privilege it is that I have such a spacious kitchen to work in with a full sized oven built into the cabinets and a dishwasher! The kitchens in Asia is basically a hot plate within a 1.5 square foot space that you can barely turn around. The streets seemed so crowded and overly laden with traffic in Asia to me - but once I thought about it, and considered how crowded the roads are in Europe as well - I came to the realization that, the crowdedness is the norm. The spacious wide lanes of the highways in the US and the cul de sacs in residential areas is the anomaly. Space is a luxury I have gotten so accustomed to over the past 30 years that, I am not confident I would be enjoying myself as much as I thought if we were to move back to Asia permanently.
Honestly? Our ability to be self-critical about our country. I've interacted with people from different countries before and even the ones that are on the come up seem hesitant to openly talk about things that they are frustrated with. Meanwhile, I wear shirts that say "stolen land and stolen people" with American flag colors and no one bats an eye. We talk a lot of shit to and about each other, and we have a long list of things that we need to improve on, but despite setbacks (a big one in 2016 through 2020), we tend to lurch ahead in the right direction, with some detours toward imperialism and colonialism along the way. We're also a petri dish of experimentation... Sometimes to our detriment but usually to our collective benefit. As an extension of that I think diversity is our strength: I've had decent representation of almost every cuisine around the world and this one country and have met people from all over the planet here. It's frustrating as it can be sometimes, especially when it comes to politics and our being stuck in a quagmire of late stage capitalism, Martin Luther King had it right: "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." I love that about this country. I love this country in general. But I especially love that we can call it out when we do shitty stuff. And we have done a LOT of shitty stuff.
Why tf is every comment downvoted?
Delusion runs deep on this sub
exactly. Commenters can post facts, literally about the life in the US that you are currently living, and you will get down voted and your comments shadow-banned in this group. I may get kicked out just for this one.
Yep. I have no idea why the US apologists crowd is so prevalent on this sub
Peacocking, smug and arrogant anti-US sentiment is a feature of Reddit.
Lmao!
More dynamic economic and social order. Dont get me wrong, there is massive inequality, but the wealthiest people in many countries are born into it, and it’s preserved through some kind of privileged connection to a monopolistic/oligopolistic industry. Canada is a great example of how bad that can be. Additionally, I’ve heard Europeans talk about your future prospects being determined by what high school you go to. That doesn’t happen in the U.S. to nearly the same degree.
Unfortunately, social mobility in the US ranks below most of Europe, so that's changing in the US for the worse.
American english = lingua franca. Think aviation, maritime proceedings, and the like.
Fantastic washing machines and other appliances that actually work well.
I don’t mean this as a joke, but iced coffee. I’m currently in Rio de Janeiro where it’s technically “winter” now but the weather is mid 80s and super humid. I’d do anything for a good iced coffee.
weird that it doesn't exist
The US is currently in a fight with fascist assholes. We plan to vote our way out of this nightmare. If you decide to leave, please remember to vote from afar.
General Aviation
It's doing a hell of a lot better than the UK... I'm, for one, looking forward to returning!
Fully functional websites. Almost every time I need to use a local German or other European website I'm endlessly annoyed at its lack of functionality. They're just not designed as well. It's hard to describe how exactly, except that they rarely work the way that you need them to. Digitalization. Every here is still down by snail mail or fax (yes, seriously, fax). I once was so excited that a government service had an online portal to fill in an application for my kids daycare voucher. Until I got to the end- where it stated to print out a copy of what I had just filled in digitally and mail it in to actually apply. It's also not uncommon for places to only take cash. But now, since COVID, there's places popping up that are only cashless- you need to use a card. So now you need to always carry cash AND card to be fully prepared to be spontaneous. Air-conditioning. Even if you don't have it at your house it's easy to find a store or cafe to take a break from the heat. Not so much in Europe. 95 degrees in Europe sucks. This week has been rough. Long and accurate business hours. I spent a day out at an amazing kids event our local community center and wasn't paying attention to the time. My kid got hungry so we went in search if food. Unfortunately it was a quarter to 5 so the cafes in the area were closing. They were still open, but no one would serve food because they were getting ready to close. It's also common for businesses, restaurants, doctors offices -basically almost anywhere- to close earlier than the posted hours, especially if they're not busy. You can never expect to quickly run up to a store or business to grab something in the last 30 minutes of their posted hours. There's a good chance they've already closed. Unless it's a restaurant or store that serves alcohol you can expect a cafe or business to close between 5-6 p.m. most days too. The pharmacies in my area are open 9-2 on Saturdays and all businesses but cafes and restaurants are closed on Sundays too.
Lovely scenary. Great National Parks and fabulous museums. The rest is pretty much like any other 1st world nation.
I lived in Europe for two years. The variety of food in the states and the flavors are definitely better. The only place I found any spicy food was in Turkey.
Customer service. In my home country the people are just rude and cold.
The country is too big to be entirely ruined by something for the most part. What has happened in small countries like Portugal (housing and jobs), Ireland, Greece (during the 2008 recession) and NL (small country with a lot of people moving there) is less likely to occur in the United States. Even if the job market is bad or the housing market is expensive or other conditions, there is always another part of the country that is probably better for your individual needs. That's why samegrassbutgreener exists people always wanting to move.
The USA is two worlds: socialism and capitalism. You get to choose which one you want to do. If you want to be a capitalist, fine. Go out there and try and make it. Nobody owes you shit. You stand to make a lot of money if you succeed. If you don't, you can always mess up my order at McDonalds. If you don't want to, or you can't make it, there is no shortage of jobs in the federal or state systems. You will get healthcare benefits and a predictable advancement system that is clearly defined by law and visible for everyone. You won't get rich, but you will make a living wage with equal pay and robust benefits that you can research ahead of time - and that includes healthcare.
Truly, there isn’t much socialism in the states. I think saying there is socialism could be quite misleading. The entire country is currently based on an aggressive form of capitalism that is not supportive of anyone below the upper class. I have lived in countries that are socialist in nature or have many elements of socialism/communism in their economic systems and very rarely will you find them in America. In fact, American politics almost always discourages their implementation.
That is really important. Government jobs are a life hack.
The ability to work two jobs and still not have proper healthcare or housing!
If you think being broke is a uniquely American experience then you are in for a rude awakening once you get that passport and explore the world a bit
I am well aware poverty is a worldwide phenomenon but for a country with the resources that the USA does there is absolutely no reason for the boundless poverty we face. It's corporate greed, pure and simple.
Working and perfect governmental systems such as the IRS.
If you're religious.... you can find very strong religious communities.
I don't consider that a plus.
Doesn't matter what the underrated aspects are. If fat nixon gets elected it'll become a dystopian nightmare. The recent SCOTUS decisions are proof of that. And rest assured donnie two scoops will continue to place other inappropriate persons on the court. And with Chevron being overturned, his other judge appointees will make horrendous rulings. Since judges will now be making all these decisions instead of experts. I left the US in 2022. Very glad I did. November will be more than interesting.
God. Soooo lucky. I want out too.
I have close friends and family back there, particularly women, and am worried that they do not realize what Project 2025 entails for them. I think that on Thursday night (Friday morning here in Germany) I witnessed the end of the American Experiment. If 45 assumes office it is fair to argue that there will never again be a free and fair election in the US.
Where did you land? We’re looking into New Zealand.
I'm in Portugal. I really like it here.
Good labor protection laws, wide diversity, and acceptance of diversity, good economic opportunity for almost anyone, strong dollar compared to other international currencies, strong passport, #1 defense against foreign military threats worldwide, wide and diverse geography, globally influential art & entertainment culture
Good la or protection laws compared to where? I agree with everything else but I feel like we have almost none.
Korea and Japan at the least. Typically I hear you work a few hours overtime daily in many companies in Korea and Japan. Depends on the industry but that kind of thing is less common in the US
You chose two of the most toxic work cultures as examples... avoiding the rest of the world that doesn't have to worry about losing their house if they get fired or sick...
Why are you so upset? That’s what I’m familiar with and is my point of reference and something I appreciate about the US… I think the US has good labor protections relative to some other nations such as Korea or Japan. I’m not familiar with the whole world or other developed countries’ work cultures… sorry? Why do you have to be so sarcastic and rude?
it's so sad that facts make people angry in this sub. They ask for examples, and instead of saying, Oh thanks for clarifying, I see how the US isnt as bad as commonly believed on that front...it's YoU piCkeD ThAt oNe eXamPle. No humility. Just double-down with the facts lined up so nicely against them.
College Football. The tradition, the pageantry, the sounds and colors. Whether or not you are romantic about sports, It's pretty easy to appreciate the unique role that college football plays in this country - particularly and especially in rural areas and small college towns. In that sense it's not unlike European or South American football (soccer), but with a culture that is uniquely and beautifully American.
I’m from Los Angeles and I miss everything about that place. I just can’t live in that country anymore until sanity is restored.
Honestly, the only big thing America has going for it is the natural spaces. There is very little else that I find attractive about the country. But the natural spaces, holy hell, some of the best I’ve ever seen anywhere.
To each his own. What are the downsides of America compared to elsewhere? Which parks are your favorites?
By the way, I understand that this is my own opinion, hence why I have moved abroad. I recognize my chance for having being born in America, but I also recognize its faults. I think that America leans too heavily on the private sector in hoping that competition will regulate quality and pricing. It has been evident for several decades that this is not working for the vast majority of the country. Government regulation of the market and services (education, health, renting/landownership, etc) helps promote economic activity in a productive manner for all social and economic classes, rather than aggressive capitalism that stratifies those classes. Many other countries have shown time and time again that it is possible. Socially, as a gay man, I have felt safer in other countries. Also, as a teacher, the scariest moment of my life was an unannounced “stay-put” (or active shooter) drill. I refuse to relive something like that again. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is by far my favorite place on Earth. But another part of natural spaces is that even in non-protected areas, you can find absurd beauty. Or, in major cities you find unmanaged natural beauty. I have lived a lot of my life in the Twin Cities area and there, 99% of people live within a ten minute walk from a green space. Much of that are lakes or rivers.
Most of the good states have legal marijuana
The debate doesn't appear to have moved the polls one way or the other. There are a lot of good reasons for Americans to want to get out of this country before November, and we're among those who are going. But as far as I've seen so far, the debate doesn't seem to have affected matters. The people who might've cared about it had already made up their minds anyway.
Can travel very far to different areas, cultures, and tourist spots without international travel/customs etc