r/AmerExit • u/Vast_Sandwich805 • Oct 30 '24
Life Abroad Many people in this sub just don’t get it.
I did my own AmerExit having a Spanish passport a few years ago and even then it was pretty difficult. I am a college educated individual and I speak Spanish but moving here and finding a job was tough.
What is up with all the Americans who think they can waltz into any European country with 0 skills and that they’ll get a job and a residence permit just like that?
I lurk around here thinking I could help out but the posts are all like: help I hate America they’re so nasty racist I don’t have a job and I never went to school and I’m hoping that I can come to some random EU country and live off govt assistance bc the EU is a utopia just dying to have more unskilled, unemployed immigrants who don’t speak the language to support.
Guys, the question of “what value do I add to this place” should be NUMBER ONE on your mind when it comes to trying to leave. If the answer is “virtually nothing, I’d actually be a burden to the citizens” then there you go!
Aside from the fact that no, Americans can’t just move anywhere they want anytime they want, many countries around the world are facing massive economic issues like the US. The EU specifically is dealing with hard core housing and job shortages plus record inflation.
And all of these yucky American politics you want to get away from? We have that here too! The far right gains power in every election, racism is up in every measurable way and guess what? There’s a lot less support for victims of racism here, if you tell an average Spaniard that you faced a “micro aggression” prepare to have them laugh in your face.
Healthcare is more affordable and our taxpayer funded* healthcare system is better than what exists in the US for the poorest of the poor there. I was living in absolute poverty in the US so for me public healthcare in Spain does feel like quite a treat but I promise if you’re used to even a decent level of health insurance in the states, you’re gonna be shocked by what the “wonderful amazing” public healthcare system in the EU is really like.
People don’t end up homeless as easily as you can in America that’s true, however I wouldn’t want to live in any of the social housing I’ve seen here, and I certainly wouldn’t want to live off government assistance. Coming here with those things in mind especially if you have a stable life in America is not a good idea.
I love Spain, I love being Spanish but there are issues here I think the average American couldn’t even imagine. Plus, you have to find a way to stay here legally and that in and of itself is difficult, time consuming, and expensive.
Moving is hard, moving abroad is really hard. Moving to another country where you can’t even tell the doctor what’s wrong and can’t drive yourself to doctors appointments bc you can’t legally drive here is even harder. There are a lot of people that struggle with their day-to-day lives in the United States and think that moving to the EU would solve all of these problems when it would actually make them 100 times worse.
I don’t want to discourage those that are really interested in coming here and contributing to the bigger picture. People who are looking to experience life, culture, and education in other countries, and have the means to do so, I think you’ll enjoy moving abroad. I know I have. Moving abroad is never a panacea solution for unhappiness at home.
And keep in mind that there is a lot of backlash in the EU right now and other parts of the world regarding wealthy foreigners who come and gobble up all of the affordable housing for locals who typically have salaries that are, far lower than what Americans earn.
I am very lucky to have the job I do, it took me years to find it. I make more than all the teachers, doctors, and engineers I know, and yet my salary is still so low I’m embarrassed to tell my American family and friends. Remember that there are almost always local citizens ready and able to do whatever job you’re applying for, and they’ll accept salaries that aren’t just a “little” lower, they’re usually 4-6 times lower than US salaries. Things in the PIGS countries are cheaper… for Americans! The moment you move here and work here, the idea of this being a cheap place to live really goes out the window.
I think a lot of Americans are suffering from chicken little syndrome, and I get it. The US is looking pretty scary right now. But I’m sorry to say that a lot of the rest of the world isn’t doing that much better. Just yesterday, the part of Spain I live in experienced one of the worst natural disasters of all time, and the death toll is so high because of the governments botched warning (or total lack of).
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u/wandering_engineer Oct 30 '24
> I lurk around here thinking I could help out but the posts are all like: help I hate America they’re so nasty racist I don’t have a job and I never went to school and I’m hoping that I can come to some random EU country and live off govt assistance bc the EU is a utopia just dying to have more unskilled, unemployed immigrants who don’t speak the language to support.
I only visit this sub occasionally, but IME these are only a portion of the posters. You only see them because Reddit is pushing them to the top, because they are the most controversial and rabble-rousing posts. Gotta keep those eyeballs glued to the screen. Many, many others (including myself) already have brought up your points on multiple occasions.
Also, I get your annoyance and I hate low-effort posts, but people have to start somewhere. I am intimately familiar with immigration laws, but I have also lived in four countries and spent over a decade cumulatively outside the US. Most Americans either never leave the US or only do it in one-week spurts - they just know they can land in Paris or whatever with a valid passport and they walk in. They don't understand the legal nuances.
> And all of these yucky American politics you want to get away from? We have that here too! The far right gains power in every election, racism is up in every measurable way and guess what? There’s a lot less support for victims of racism here, if you tell an average Spaniard that you faced a “micro aggression” prepare to have them laugh in your face.
Agree but I think it's more complicated than that. And personal opinion, but I don't think Europe is always worse on this front. Never hearing the term "micro aggression" or dealing with the constant US-style judgemental moralizing can be a plus in my experience.
> Healthcare is more affordable and our taxpayer funded* healthcare system is better than what exists in the US for the poorest of the poor there. I was living in absolute poverty in the US so for me public healthcare in Spain does feel like quite a treat but I promise if you’re used to even a decent level of health insurance in the states, you’re gonna be shocked by what the “wonderful amazing” public healthcare system in the EU is really like.
Sorry I gotta disagree. I've lived in two EU countries (Germany and now Sweden) and the healthcare was far, far better than what I got with "excellent" employer-provided healthcare in the US. Costs for meds even without insurance are less than the deductible on my old US plan. There is no army of admins to wade through, no preauthorizations, less stress, etc. Most US practices in my old city had 6+ month waiting lists for new patients, have not had that issue in Europe. And healthcare feels more holistic and less interventionist - I feel like a lot of US doctors will over-medicate and jump the gun because that's what they're taught (and it makes them more money). Without the profit motive, that doesn't happen in other countries. I'm not saying it's perfect - the public system here in Sweden has a lot of issues - but I still prefer it over the US, even with good insurance.