Question for the Europeans: why choose the US over Europe?

[AnGeLxX 154]

I moved because I feel more happy and at home here than I did in my home country. The way I see it is: every country has it's ups and downs, there is no perfect country. What matters is that you are happy wherever you are.

[USAUAinCZ 38]

I moved because I feel more happy and at home here than I did in my home country. The way I see it is: every country has it's ups and downs, there is no perfect country. What matters is that you are happy wherever you are.

Couldn't of said it any better myself. Every country that I have lived in has had it's pros and cons for me and every time I leave one place I miss a lot of things about it. I wish I could combine all my favorite things about all the countries I have lived in and live there otherwise I'll just have to stick to moving around to different countries once I get bored.

[millefleur 5,047]

Couldn't of said it any better myself. Every country that I have lived in has had it's pros and cons for me and every time I leave one place I miss a lot of things about it. I wish I could combine all my favorite things about all the countries I have lived in and live there otherwise I'll just have to stick to moving around to different countries once I get bored.

Hit the nail on the head. I've lived/spent significant time in five countries (including the States) and it's so true. There is no utopia on Earth...sadly!

[Dutchster 1,107]

Same here. Does it mean I don't miss the streets in Amsterdam? I do miss the nice walks in the parks there or wherever but I feel so much more me here, so home. And at least now I can totally rock the i-dont-give-a-dang- look when I go to Walmart without being judged. Back home I'd be judged lol.

[N-o-l-a 7,168]

And at least now I can totally rock the i-dont-give-a-dang- look when I go to Walmart without being judged. Back home I'd be judged lol.

We only go to Walmart a few times a year (Target is way better in my opinion), but last time I went my husband and I were taking bets on how long it be before we saw someone in pajamas. We didn't even pull into a parking space before we encountered pajama pants.

[Dutchster 1,107]

We only go to Walmart a few times a year (Target is way better in my opinion), but last time I went my husband and I were taking bets on how long it be before we saw someone in pajamas. We didn't even pull into a parking space before we encountered pajama pants.

Hahah! I rather go to Target, much better indeed in my opinion too but con of living in the middle of nowhere: 67 miles away from the first Target 'close to us' lol! Plus, I have done it yesterday - pajama pants-ish (I see them as lazy pants), my husbands darth vader shirt and a big sassy top-bun. No one bats an eye! Amazing!

Edited October 19, 2016 by stephadams

[ceisenbruch 53]

I thought the reusable bag was "in" now in the States? Maybe that's only a No-Cal/Pacific-Northwest hippie dippy thing?

I remember the whole "I Am Not A Plastic Bag" trend a while back. I thought Americans were getting more green and eco-friendly.

i'm loving this thread, lol

i'm from Los Angeles and in quite a few counties it is the law to charge for plastic bags, which is why we all have reusable bags now.

I believe some companies opt to "pay for" the bags so they don't have to charge the customer, like Target, but most companies will also pay you to bring your own bag.

I studied abroad in Sweden and my first time at the market, of course i didn't have any bags and i didn't even realize you could buy their plastic bags... so i ended up taking my groceries home in, i kid you not, those tiny plastic bags they use for fruit and stuff.

[millefleur 5,047]

i'm loving this thread, lol

i'm from Los Angeles and in quite a few counties it is the law to charge for plastic bags, which is why we all have reusable bags now.

I believe some companies opt to "pay for" the bags so they don't have to charge the customer, like Target, but most companies will also pay you to bring your own bag.

I studied abroad in Sweden and my first time at the market, of course i didn't have any bags and i didn't even realize you could buy their plastic bags... so i ended up taking my groceries home in, i kid you not, those tiny plastic bags they use for fruit and stuff.

Yep, I've done that before here, too! You have to buy bags here in Russia and when my Russian skillz were basically zero, I couldn't articulate how many bags I wanted to buy, so I also ended up bagging everything in those tiny lil' bags as well.

[ceisenbruch 53]

Yep, I've done that before here, too! You have to buy bags here in Russia and when my Russian skillz were basically zero, I couldn't articulate how many bags I wanted to buy, so I also ended up bagging everything in those tiny lil' bags as well.

it was an adventure, to say the least! talk about culture shock.

i noticed someone on here said they were curious to note the amount of UK posters... since when isn't the UK considered Europe?? LOL

I have lived in Europe (Sweden) and travelled extensively while there. I miss it a lot and i wished i could go back. Our choice to stay in the US was mostly situational; i had just got hired to a really really good job, and my fiance hated his job and his boss, and his family just got divorced. When we met originally, he said he had no intention to leave the UK for some time- but it just ended up working out better for us as a family to move and live here.

interesting to see the POVs from the Scandinavians too. Sweden was such an interesting culture to live in as an American. I got harassed at a pub for being American and it was, interestingly enough, a Norwegian who stuck up for me. And being around Swedes and Norwegians talking all the time about how the Danes are extremely xenophobic and intolerant was interesting too. As an American, you have this pre-existing conception of how Europeans are likely to view you.

basically, i'd have to say it is way easier to be a European in America than it is to be an American in Europe. Obviously this depends on where you live in America; because like someone else said, it's like saying life in Spain v UK v Poland v Netherlands or something. I'm in SoCal which is a much more multicultural location than some of the others I've seen here.

[ceisenbruch 53]

I'm being told by my fiance that the availability of, i kid you not, V8 motors were highly influential to his decision to move to the US.

[millefleur 5,047]

I'm being told by my fiance that the availability of, i kid you not, V8 motors were highly influential to his decision to move to the US.

Hey, we all have our reasons.

[TBoneTX 45,663]

"And, fer th' last cotton-pickin' time, Verleen, I am NOT takin' my transmission OUT of the bathtub!"

[mallafri76 1,012]

I thought the reusable bag was "in" now in the States? Maybe that's only a No-Cal/Pacific-Northwest hippie dippy thing?

I remember the whole "I Am Not A Plastic Bag" trend a while back. I thought Americans were getting more green and eco-friendly.

Austin, Texas, don't allow them either. In fact, Walmarts in Austin were the first Walmarts to remove the plastic bags. ? Now they sell paper bags or you can bring your own bag. Same with WholeFoods and HEB (which I guess is just a Texas grocery store?!) You wouldn't think so since it's in Texas, but Austin is actually very liberal, open-minded and Eco-friendly. We have bike lanes, a good public transport system, recycling, no plastic bags, no smoking within 30 feet of building entrance/exit, I believe no smoking in parks either, very active gay community, friendly police force... It really is the perfect place to live, if it wasn't for the looooooong, hot summers. ?

[millefleur 5,047]

Austin, Texas, don't allow them either. In fact, Walmarts in Austin were the first Walmarts to remove the plastic bags. ? Now they sell paper bags or you can bring your own bag. Same with WholeFoods and HEB (which I guess is just a Texas grocery store?!) You wouldn't think so since it's in Texas, but Austin is actually very liberal, open-minded and Eco-friendly. We have bike lanes, a good public transport system, recycling, no plastic bags, no smoking within 30 feet of building entrance/exit, I believe no smoking in parks either, very active gay community, friendly police force... It really is the perfect place to live, if it wasn't for the looooooong, hot summers. ?

I've always heard good things about Austin! I'm shocked that even Walmart follows the bagless rule there!

Good public transit, really? Do they have a light-rail, buses, etc? I'm intrigued since most places in the States have awful public transit.

[TBoneTX 45,663]

The official (?) city slogan is "Keep Austin Weird."