How We View the US After Living Abroad for 12 Years

"The US is really good at advertising — they've convinced people it's a good place to live". This is really bang on.

I lived in US and moved to Europe. I do not regret it. Having a health care system that works is a plus. The food is much better in Europe and no GMO.

Thank you for this! I'm from USA but live in Cyprus. Most Americans don't even know where it is.... I'm now 65, have been here 9 years. Visits to 🇺🇸 have been scary without medical insurance!

Former American here who left the U.S. and moved to France many years ago, and became a French citizen. You can always purchase a travel insurance policy that also includes healthcare coverage in the U.S. provided that you don’t stay for more than 90 days in the country when visiting your family and friends back home.

I first left the U.S. by way of military. I was never the same. Korea, Philippines and Europe opened my eyes to all the possibilities. Do I love my country, you bet! But as a thinking rational person with only one life to live, leaving my home country, traveling abroad and exploring other cultures is what living for me is really all about. The people, the genuineness, the openness is like moving to another planet, not just a country. I’ve come to the conclusion that we as Americans overthink life and living. Having lived with so little in my travels has opened me up to just breathing, laughing, crying and living all in their simplest deepest forms. Shed the cars, the boats, the bills the rudeness the self pity and live to the fullest your one life! No regrets, no looking back and no overthinking how to really live. P.S your family and friends will become un relatable. no matter how much you love them, because you wear different glasses. You see in a different way. You have breathed in the air of a world traveler.

I'm an Australian living in Adelaide, South Australia. On Christmas Day I spent all day, and night, in the Flinders Medical Centre. I thought I was about to have a heart attack so I caught a cab to Emergency. I had x-rays, CT Scans, blood tests, countless hookups to monitors, blood pressure tests every hour, they gave me my own room for the night and tried to feed me breakfast as I was leaving - ALL FREE. The doc eventually told me everything was fine, but said that I shouldn't hesitate to come back at any time if I needed to. Thank the stars I was born in the right country.

I'm glad we paid off our house a few years ago. The crazy thing now is that Health Insurance costs twice what our mortgage used to.

Your perspectives are familiar (I left the US with family 14 years ago, healthcare being the primary driver). One thing you did not mention that we observed almost immediately upon establishing residence in Europe is how much less waste we were generating, largely due to the more conservative packaging of products in Europe; we estimate that we reduced our waste by between 60 and 75 percent, and that has remained the case. We have become more conscious of waste with regard to water and energy usage and have lived happily car-free ever since moving abroad. Ultimately we feel more comfortable (and safe) living in an environment where national policies are more in line with our personal values.

I retired from the US Air Force after 24 years. During my time in the service I spent 12 years in oversea assignments. In all of my assignments I lived off the base and on the local economy. I was also the only American living in any of the villages so the locals got to know me pretty well. So after living in England, Germany, Turkey and Kuwait and visiting France, Spain, Luxemburg, Israel, Mexico, Canada and the Bahamas I found that I really didn’t have a lot in common with any of my old friends back in the states. They just didn’t share the interests or knowledge that I had learned and were only interested in their “world”. So, at least in my experience, the old saying is true- once you leave home you can never go back! Of course you can go back but it will never be the same as before you left. Keep up living YOUR life as YOU want and be happy. Myself, I’m taking my wife on her first overseas trip, to Munich GE, and I can’t wait for her to see what it’s really like! Who knows maybe we’ll stay! Cheers

I like the line, " we can live with very little". This is very true.

By the way the life expectancy as of 2024 of US male is 77.5 years US female 80.2 years. Australian male 83.73 years. Australian female 85.56 years Infant mortality rate USA 5.12 per 1000 Australia 3.00 per 1000

Most Americans find it hard to retire comfortably amid economy downtrend. Some have close to nothing going into retirement, my question is, will you pay off mortgage as a near-retiree, or spread money for cashflow, to afford lifestyle after retirement?

I have been living outside of the US for more than 30 years... the best decision I have ever made for my family.

I am 55 years old and my father was in the military while I was growing up, so I was with him most summers and I have been to most places in the U.S. and Europe. 2 years ago I sold my house in Florida to travel and I had every intention of coming back, however, after seeing the world as an adult, I can't go back to live in the U.S. on a permanent basis. You are right on all points! I have friends who think that because you say something negative about the U.S., then you must hate it so you need to leave! I can love my country and have good memories of growing up in the U.S., but still not want to live there because of the direction that I see it going. I have been in Mexico for the past 2 years and I'm on my way to Thailand to explore Asia with a base in Bangkok. The media makes American's fear other places and quite frankly, I have had people ask me, why on earth I would want to live in another country. It's amazing how ignorant most Americans are of other cultures and the world in general. I can live in Mexico and Thailand for less than $1500 per month for EVERYTHING and the people are just nicer imo. Great video!

Watching from Australia it was very refreshing listening to your commonsense approach to life and the quality of your life ❤

I got a very bad case of the flu while living in in Japan. I got an IV, hospital stay, saw 2 specialists and medication for $120. I had no Japanese medical insurance. A few years ago, I had one mole removed from my skin in the USA. It involved two $40 co-pays, and about $180 for a biopsy = $260 for my portion. The doctor did a 3 minute surgery and charged the insurance about $1100. The $260 for my part was on top of the $600/month I pay for insurance.

In Denmark, we have paid maternity leave, free healthcare, and a free educational system paid over taxes. The taxes are high, but they do so much for us.

Generally speaking, Americans who travel outside of the US often are more open minded and receptive to different pov, cultures and peoples. They also realise their media are not as trustworthy compared to those who have stayed in the US their entire life. Having different experiences in other countries whether as tourists or residents is cathartic when they realise that places they thought as backwards before they travel isn't at all! That's what some of my American colleagues said.

Congratulations to you both! It's so refreshing to hear 2 Americans who possess the insight to understand the shortcomings of your society. Very few of your countrymen have the capacity to do that.

I lived in Kenya for 5 years. I can vouch for every single thing said here. I can especially relate to the part about making friends back in the US. When I came back no one EVER asked me about any experience I might have had and the glazed eye look is absolutely real.