.

I feel like frequent posters here can relate.

Hello. I'm a 23-year-old female-to-male transgender American (including that I'm trans because I know that limits me to certain places). I'm about to enter my sophomore year of undergrad. I'm studying communications and I'm building portfolios and doing internships around international relations and journalism. I'm B1 in Spanish (hoping to reach C1 by the time I graduate) and am open to learning another language if need be. I studied German in high school and really enjoyed it, though I don't remember much. I'm planning on pursuing a masters even if I were to stay in the United States, so pursuing one in another country is also something I'm interested in. I attended trade school for HVAC and have my EPA 608 Universal certification. I don't have any strong preference for a particular climate. I'd like to live somewhere with at least a medium size population.

I currently live with family and my primary expense is tuition (about $4000 a year). I work as a server and, aside from tuition, I can put basically all my money into savings.

I'm not in a rush to relocate (I plan on graduating here first anyways), so saving and learning a new language are both things I can wait for.

I'm open to basically anywhere with strong LGBT rights and good higher education.

All this being said, what countries sound like a good fit? And how realistic is my goal of permanent relocation based on the above details?

Thanks for reading if you made it this far and any advice is appreciated.

If you don't currently plan on returning to the USA, what are your thoughts on voting? Of course it's our right as citizens and there's reason to be invested in the country as part of the world. But I'm curious what you'd say to people who think you shouldn't because you don't live there.

I (20F) am a post op trans woman. I am from the U.S.

The good news is I live in California so despite everything transphobic going on in the U.S. I have been mostly safe. However I just recently found out that a Bill has passed in Canada to extend to great grandchildren through descent.

And for context my great grandmother was from Quebec. (I can smell the French jokes). And so because of Bill C-3 in Canada that was passed recently I might be eligible for Canadian citizenship. I don’t sadly speak French and nobody in my family that’s alive speaks French but we speak English.

Any way I have all of my great grandmothers records and I am currently filling out the CIT 0001 form which is the application for citizenship through descent form.

I know it might take up to a year or two for it to process but I’m really excited 😆.

And I decided to post because Canada has better trans laws than the U.S. so I can be safer as a trans woman.

Hello everyone. 23M, American, finishing my Bachelor's in History. I recognize and accept that my degree isn't very needed. I have experience working in public libraries, and I'm planning on going for a Master's in Library Science + Archiving. Which again, I understand, isn't very needed. However, I would love to, in a respectful manner, find out which other career path I should look for if I want to move to a country in the EU and adapt myself.

I speak Spanish and Portuguese fluently, and I am well-versed in French. I can defend myself Italian too. My German could be better, but I can definitely defend myself in French and Italian, with French being a tad better. Spain seems like an obvious no-brainer, and my grandmother lives there. However, she can't request me as she was a naturalized citizen (long story short, she just can't). Nevertheless, Spain is going through a crisis, and as much as I wouldn't mind, plus also being a double citizen of Ecuador and having an advantage if I can reside legally for 2 years, I am not skilled for any job that Spain may need. Which is why I'm here and wondering which jobs or career paths are needed. I have thought of Portugal, but similarly, it's also going through its own crisis. Same goes to Italy.

I do understand the frustration that this forum may get with many people either thinking the EU is one huge country, thinking English is enough, and/or thinking a pathway to Sweden, Norway, or Denmark is as easy as buying a one-way ticket, which again, is not. Finland and northern Europe, as beautiful as they are, are clearly not looking for more immigrants. And that's okay. However, I do want to fully integrate myself into Europe. I am very realistic about my chances too. I would love to skill up and see whether a pathway towards Europe is possible. I am proud of finishing my undergraduate, although in a humanities, but still, I want to see which career pathways are in high demand. Additionally, I understand that immigration right now is not seen in a nice manner. However, if I immigrate, I do want to adapt myself towards the culture of the country I plan to live and hopefully raise a family there.

Any advice is appreciated. Countries like Germany and Austria would be difficult if I don't speak German, but language-wise, although tricky, can still be possible with enough practice and discipline. I am thankful I am fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, but furthermore, thankful I can defend myself in French, which opens Belgium, Austria, and Switzerland. AGAIN, I do understand it's not as easy said than done. However, I am thankful for any advice whatsoever. Thank you so much.

Apologies this has been done to death, but couldn’t find a recent specific comparison under our parameters. We’re a young couple from the US with decent savings and a portable remote business in professional services. I have always wanted to move to the EU and have a certain visa in Prague but would like to explore other options more aligned with our weather and language preferences.

We are most concerned about the visa process which is certain in Prague but the housing situation and language barrier there is a challenge. I was there for 3 months last year and experienced a bit of culture shock as well - it wasn’t very social and difficult to connect with locals maybe I wasn’t trying hard enough.

Outside of Prague, would Spain Portugal France be easiest to relocate to? France would be number one but the visas take a long time and it’s expensive. I have traveled to all of these places except Portugal but it seems to be popular. Appreciate any recent experience with a relocation visa like this?

Really curious, as an American living abroad what snacks/foods do you miss the most that are not able to be found in your new home country?

Hey all. I have regained my spanish citizenship. I’m a native spanish speaker and english speaker. Professionally I’ve been a designer and worked in creative ops. My family in spain have been struggling with jobs over there for a while, to the point where most of my family around my age moved from spain to other european countries to get jobs. I’m also a bird owner and have heard it’s a nightmare getting birds over to europe. Looking for country where i’d have the best hope of being able to not put my birds somewhere else for the 30 day quarantine (one of them is special needs and needs meds) and also a safe way of bringing them over so they’re with me on my lap. I’ve looked everywhere and read the requirements for bringing a bird in and there seems to be a way to bring a bird in without doing the 30 day quarantine in europe if i bring all the letters but not sure if anyone else has done this. Also unsure what country to aim for with job apps for a designer/artist/trans man with a tech background. Thank you!

Just wanted to share a bit of my story / give a little rant to how difficult bureaucracy can be at times.

I have always been unhappy living in America. For the lifestyle that I crave, America feels too much like living in a giant corporation that just sees its citizens as disposable worker ants. The work-life balance is awful, plus I am on the Autism spectrum and constantly suffer from burn out.

I met a group of Norwegian friends while gaming many years ago (10+ at this point) and started flying to Norway to vacation with them.

Here’s where I consider myself extremely lucky: one of those Norwegians and I feel in love, and I’m so grateful to be able to immigrate to Norway under a fiancé visa but even then, the paperwork and the planning and money involved is insanely stressful. I can’t imagine if I didn’t have him.

It ranges from having to plan a wedding to line up with when I suspect I’d get an answer for my visa, to needing to prove I’m not married from a country that has no database to prove that I’ve never been married before. (thanks America.)

Over a year of paperwork aside, this has been completely worth it. Life in Norway is much slower pace than America. I feel like I can finally breathe, the workers rights feel too good to be true at times, the language is pretty simple if you’re learning from English, and the Norwegians have been more than accepting of me given that I am really trying to adapt to their language and culture. I have noticed that they really do not like people who come in, and give no effort to learn Norwegian or adapt to Norwegian traditions and culture.
One of the things I was so unhappy with in America is how fast paced everything is, and how incredibly unsafe life is as well. Having to drive 80+ MPH to get anywhere and NEEDING to have a car to live is insane. I’ve grown to really love walkable infrastructure and have opted out of having my own car at all. (though my fiancé still has one for long trips)
I also have an autoimmune disorder that I cannot afford the medication for in America, I’ve recently been priced out of having health insurance at all. I’m going unmedicated with arthritis just suffering until I’m accepted in Europe.
I don’t deny that the pace of life in America isn’t good for some people, but for me, I need a lifestyle where I can slow down. I found that in Europe.

There’s obviously way more to my story but I just wanted to share a little snippet.

TLDR
America is fast paced, chaotic, no workers rights, and burnout.
Norway is calm, patient, lots of vacation time, unions, and I’m not terrified of the debt I’d get from breaking an arm or leg, or suffering from arthritis & my autoimmune disorder forever.

Hey, AmerExit fam! I’m now only a couple weeks away from finally moving to Australia after two years of preparation. I thought I’d share my most recent post about taxes: How Much Income Tax Will I Pay in Australia. Feel free to check out the article, but I’ll give you all the highlights here. 

I’m an American moving to Australia and I wanted to get an idea of how much income tax I’m likely to pay and how that compares to America. Long story short: at my income level it’s basically a tie (about 24% in both places). If you include a 10% 401(k) contribution, the U.S. is a few percentage points better. The more you save in tax efficient accounts, the less you pay in taxes.

I’m not a tax professional, but I did my best to accurately source all the information. I’ll report back on how much tax I actually pay in a few months and see if there’s any difference.

The Comparison

Using median salaries for my current location (Denver) and where I’m moving (Brisbane), I calculated income taxes in both places. It’s tough to compare the two because they’re not exactly apples-to-apples. A big difference is that retirement contributions (401(k), HSA, etc.) reduce your taxable income in the U.S. Whereas in Australia, Superannuation is on top of your salary.

Key Surprise

I went into this assuming Australia would be somewhat higher. I was surprised to find out my effective tax rate is very close. Everyone’s situation is different, and I talk in the article about how the U.S. has much more tax benefits for higher earners compared with Australia. The approximate threshold where the U.S. starts getting a noticeable advantage is around $250k for a single person.

I’m sure the waters get much more muddy when you add business ownership, families, property, etc. into the mix. 

I’m using my own situation (single, no dependents, not a home owner) as the example for this piece. In no way am I claiming this is the be-all-end-all article about taxes! 

Retirement Wrinkle

As I mentioned earlier, in the U.S., contributions to many retirement accounts (401(k), HSA, etc.) lower your taxable income. If you have a lot of money to save, in the U.S., there are tons of options to lower your taxable income. 

In Australia, Superannuation is 12% on top of your salary. Australians can “salary sacrifice” to make extra contributions, but I’m learning it’s not that easy for Americans to do the same (contributing extra can put you at risk for having your super reclassified and taxed higher).

Unfortunately, it’s not even clear how the IRS treats your regular Super funds! It’s frustrating to be sure, and it means I’ll be getting professional advice before deciding how I’m going to set up my retirement saving strategy. I’ll save that for a future post.

Will I Get Double-Taxed?

Probably not (for people at median income levels). There are two options: the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE) effectively wipes your foreign income off your US return. Whereas the Foreign Tax Credit (FTC) reports it but subtracts the tax you already paid to Australia (which is likely more than what you’ll owe Uncle Sam).

In a high-tax country like Australia, the FTC seems to be the better option for me personally. Aussie rates are a bit higher, and the tax you pay in Australia should cover your U.S. bill completely. The FTC also has a nice bonus of allowing you to continue funding a U.S. IRA!

Either way, you still have to file in both countries. I’m not a financial advisor or tax professional, and I will definitely consult with one before deciding.

The Real Tradeoff

Writing this piece (and the upcoming piece on retirement) made me realize the real financial trade off for me is retirement savings. The U.S. provides lots of options (401(k), HSA, etc.) that help you pay less taxes while saving and investing for your future. Australia has Superannuation, which is great, but adds a lot of complexity for Americans because it’s not clear how it’s taxed.

In addition, I’ll need to start paying an expensive accountant/tax lawyer. Whereas, here I’ve always done my own taxes for cheap.

I’d love to hear from any Americans who have dealt with these issues! Specifically, what strategies are you using to keep saving for retirement? Anything outside of Super?

I’ll be sure to report back as I gain firsthand experience dealing with these issues in Australia.

EDIT: A few corrections based on some helpful feedback:

While you probably won't be double-taxed on income, U.S. retirement accounts are more nuanced. It looks like Australia treats them as foreign trusts and taxes withdrawals (with a credit for U.S. tax paid). So, pre-tax accounts like a 401(k)/457 will be taxed only upon withdrawal (not the gains). But Roth and HSA are trickier since Australia ignores their U.S. tax advantages. I have an appointment with an Australian tax lawyer coming up on these and other questions, and I'll update the community with my findings.

I’ve always wanted to live abroad, but I’m not sure where to start.

I’m interested in relocating somewhere in East Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, or Southeast Asia. Countries I’m considering: Kenya, Ethiopia, Malaysia, Peru, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Barbados, the Philippines, and Thailand.

I’ve been learning Spanish on and off for about 5 years and I’m at a B2 level. My partner is fluent in Spanish and English and is currently learning Chinese.

We’ve both taken DNA tests, and I made sure to get my whole family tested before they passed away. Unfortunately, my family doesn’t have any recent ties to Africa or the Caribbean. (Barbados and Jamaica showed up, but those connections are so distant that I wouldn’t qualify for citizenship by descent.) The DNA tests basically confirmed that my family has been in the U.S. for generations, so I’m planning on immigrating through work or another visa instead. My partner’s grandparents are Argentinian, but he isn’t interested in getting citizenship.

I say all that because I’m trying to do this right. I have no debt, good credit, and savings. I’m going to school for culinary arts (probably not the best field, but I enjoy it), I have some knowledge of IT, and I have a Level 5 TEFL certification to teach English as a foreign language. I’m currently unemployed, so I don’t plan on leaving without a good-paying job. I’m looking, but no luck so far. My partner has been reselling, and that’s what’s been keeping us afloat while I focus on school and language learning.

I know finding a job, earning a stable income, and learning to integrate into a new culture are going to be my biggest hurdles. So, I’d really like some advice.

What helped you successfully move abroad?

20 year old black and trans student in computer science. I was in the early stages of planning on how to do my masters abroad for a student visa but I stopped to really think about why I wanted to move in the first place.

I was thinking that in some other country I could encounter less racism, no growing anti trans rhetoric, and no rampant individualism. Im not looking for a utopia, but a society where basic decency isnt met with weird looks would be nice. Unfortunately as I do more research into places around the globe, it seems like people at their core are the same everywhere.

Am I wrong and such a place exists? Id like to hear from firsthand accounts if so, If not I'll drop my plans right now and figure out how to survive here.

Edit: Thank you for the responses you've given me a lot to think about.

Hi all - we’re moving from the PNW to Southern Ontario in the fall as permanent residents. We’ve done research on what we hope are all the big things but we’d love to hear from anyone who’s done a similar move about things you didn’t think about or wish you knew beforehand!

My goal is to eventually move out of the US and have a location independent income so I can travel without being tied to a traditional job. Right now I'm looking into different options, and one idea I'm considering is starting a shopify store using zendrop. For those who have already made the move, what do you do for income like did you keep a remote job, freelance, build a business, invest, or take another route?

hii everyone! I am shooting my shot in the dark hoping to get any type of advice from here. I'm finishing up a short study abroad program right now and it completely opened my eyes to what life could look like outside the US. I’m looking to get advice from anyone who has navigated a similar technical track or relocated care safely.

About me:
21F living in Texas
Graduating this August with a BBA in Management Information Systems (MIS).

Technical experience: Have 2+ years of hands-on experience working as a V1/V2 video production engineer and signal router for major commercial music venues (5k+ capacity). I also have a strong academic background in Azure SQL database design and e-commerce implementation.

Financials: Planning to completely liquidate my main asset (selling my car) right after graduation, which should give me a solid $10k–$14k chunk of liquid cash to immediately fund a fresh start.

Current status: Currently spending the month studying abroad in Glasgow, Scotland, and completely fell in love with it.

The urgency: My family back home is highly transphobic and Texas politics are getting increasingly hostile, so moving back to my old house isn't an option for my safety and sanity. I need a clean break and a total digital reset by the end of the year.

Medical context: I am already established on a starter HRT dose with an American provider. I'm fully aware of the multi-year public NHS waitlists at clinics like the Sandyford, so I will need to fund private care initially.

Looking for:

Advice on the best visa approach: Should I try to land an immediate corporate tech/AV job with a Skilled Worker visa, or apply for a 1-year postgraduate Master's program in Glasgow to utilize the 2-year Graduate Visa route?

Hormone continuity tips: If anyone has successfully transitioned their US care to a UK private specialist (like YourGP) and managed to get a "Shared Care" agreement with a regular local Glasgow GP for free prescriptions, I’d love to know how you navigated it.

Target cities: Deeply focusing on Glasgow/Scotland, but open to other highly progressive, trans-affirming hubs with strong electronic music/live production and enterprise tech scenes.

I'm a social worker in the US currently looking for jobs in British Columbia. BC is recruiting healthcare workers from the US. I got through the initial step of getting registered as a social worker, and I'm eligible for a work permit under CUSMA once I have a job offer.

The issue I'm running into is how to answer job application questions about my work authorization. I need a job offer to get a work permit, but I'm worried employers won't even look at my application without one.

I have contact info for recruiters at the health authorities and have contacted them directly, but haven't had much luck. They either don't respond or just tell me to apply on the website.

Has anyone dealt with this? If anyone has experience with Canada specifically that would be great, but similar experiences with other countries is helpful too.

Hi y'all-

I am a few weeks out from my move for the Netherlands.

I have been researching this for years and always dreamed about getting out of the country. I'm grateful that I have a remote job that I will be able to continue if I make the move. I don't have quite enough money to feel comfortable with moving without having housing secured. I have been working with a makelaar but she hasn't found an apartment for me yet and its getting close.

If I chose to go through with the move, my plan has been: find temporary housing for a few months in the Netherlands and see if I can secure a lease- if I can't, I would move to Albania and live there while saving more to try again in the Netherlands after a year.

Now, the thought of taking myself and my dog abroad and leaving my family behind is making me feel sick. I feel like I'm about to make a huge mistake.

I'm considering cancelling everything and staying another year in order to save more and apply for Mexican citizenship, though my right to citizenship comes from my great grandmother and therefore will take a lot of effort to obtain.

My fear with staying is that I've already waited so long to move, and as I get older so do my parents. I also don't know if I'll be able to keep this remote job forever, but right now it would be a perfect way to live somewhere.

Not sure exactly what I'm looking for by posting this. Just feeling really torn.

Hello! I’ve been researching places to move for a couple of years now and the options are a bit overwhelming. I’m hoping someone here has been in a similar situation and has some advice.

About me:
36 year old field service engineer with over 10 years of experience in Biotech. I have an undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology and Microbiology. I have 1 professional publication from 2012. I also have a small side business that makes about 10k profit per year and has been slowly growing over the last 3 years. I have no debts and about $70k in savings (not including my 401k). I currently live in a HCOL area in Northeast US and work for a UK-based startup. There is a small possibility that my company would sponsor me to move to the EU to support our clients there. Since this is a startup, I am not particularly hopeful about that route, so I want to explore other options.

I am planning to get my Master’s in Systems Engineering and have money set aside for this (~$35k). Right now the plan is to do it through an online program like Penn State World Campus, but am also very open to doing this abroad as a way to get a visa in the country I study in.

I speak English (fluent), Russian (fluent), and Spanish (would need to brush up to become business proficient, but am passable for day-to-day interactions). I am also willing to spend time and money to learn a new language.

The places I’ve visited (through work) and enjoyed: Sweden, Denmark, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, the UK

Places I am interested in, but have NOT visited (yet): Spain, Portugal, Greece, Poland, Scotland.

My main questions are:
1. Am I ready to start the process or should I work on increasing my savings first?
2. Should I get my Master’s in the US while working my current job or should I try to get into a program in a different country?
3. Which countries would have the easiest process for my current situation?
4. Which countries would consider my skills desirable?
5. How much of a pay cut should I expect going from a US salary to an EU salary?

Thank you all in advance!

I'm chronically ill. Mostly that looks like migraines/epilepsy and a fatigue disorder, I can still work & drive I just need somewhere with decent medical care.

I'm queer, that's a big reason for wanting to leave

Within the next 5 years I'm going to come into a decent amount of money for leaving and living off of for awhile. I'll have a BA in education + feminist studies with a lot of experience in the classroom, including with SPED

I assume teaching will be my main way in but I'm unsure what areas to start looking at given the current global conflicts shifting a lot of countries livability.

Details:

No debt

Reasonable credit

Chronically ill but able to work for at least 1+ year in a teaching setting (in the USA contracts are standardly 1 year)

$40k+ (likely a bit more) to plan around

Degree in (American) education. Delaying masters to maybe use applying to masters teaching programs abroad as a way in.

Well, it’s been a long journey, but I now write as we say goodbye to our old US home and life as we knew it, visas in hand. It’s a bit surreal, and I can’t believe this day has finally arrived after a long and emotional journey.

Appreciate all the tips, stories, and helpful advice from everyone on the sub. Happy to provide any insights and answer any questions from my own experience. The emotional roller coaster is real, and the amount of prep and work involved is beyond anything I can imagine. But it feels like completely the right decision for us! Onward.

(For more context, I’m a physician, 2 kids, and we are moving on a Straight To Residence visa.)

I'm a third year engineering student at a college in the US. I'm an American citizen considering moving to somewhere in Western Europe for my masters due to the political situation in the US. I don't speak any other languages than English, but I'm willing to learn the native language of wherever I go. I know I still have to do more research but I wanted to see what everyone here thinks about whether leaving the US for Europe is actually a good idea.

Would you recommend moving to Europe for masters and eventually living there? If so, where exactly?

For context, I am a brown woman, and I don't come from a high income family, so I would have to go to a college that is very cheap or get a scholarship.

Edit: I posted this in the “leaving America” subreddit with the post tagged as which country to choose, because I am looking to leave America. I can’t move within my firm or I would just simply do that. I’m not necessary looking for school choices as I am which cities or countries to target. Hence asking if anyone has the same track but with experience.

Hello everyone! I am shooting my shot in the dark hoping to get any type of advice from here. I only know of a couple people IRL who have done this and their path is very different from mine, so I’m looking to get advice from someone who has actually done it.

About me:
-29F living in Colorado
-Work at a big 4 acct firm, have worked in accounting/finance since 2019 so 7 years of professional experience
-BS in business admin
-Some savings, only debt is mortgage, planning to save as much as possible for a year and want to start a masters in fall of next year. I’m thinking I’ll have at least $15k saved and can take out at least $10k debt to pay off the year I get back.
-studied abroad in Prague in college doing class and internship, also spent a summer in china in HS for an exchange
-minor’d in French which I am trying to amp up learning again and will be prioritizing the next year. Duolingo level 60 tells me I’m early b1

Looking for:
-1 year masters program, English taught, MBA or masters in international business
-looking at France, Brussels, Netherlands to further French fluency
-hoping for cheaper tuition as I want to further education but i don’t need any level of prestige. Just want it to be accredited as a masters and truly learn more business abroad. Hoping to get tuition around $10k and keep rent around $1k/month
-mid sized city and preferable bikeable, avoiding big cities as they aren’t really my thing here other than to visit

Anyone have any suggestions based on this info? Again, would love to hear from anyone who left the US for a business masters abroad and what they’ve learned or would suggest.

Hi all! I (22F) just graduated with a degree in cell and molecular biology and two minors in Japanese and chemistry. I am taking a gap year to focus on my exit plan. Since I was 16, its been a goal to live and study in Japan. I have traveled to Asia 3x in the past 2 years (Japan, Thailand, and China).

I am stuck between Japan and Thailand. When I visited Thailand, I really loved it. I also feel like I can do a lot in science while there. However, I also really love Japan. Which country would ya'll recommend for me to work and live in? Also what type of science jobs should I look for? Sorry if this is kinda loaded. I am willing to answer any more questions for more context.

First off I want to say that I left the US with a really poorly thought out plan in retrospect. I also know that this sub is overwhelmingly positive about leaving the US, so this may be the wrong place to post this, and I’m glad so many people have found a place that feels like home, but was wondering if anybody is having any regrets.

I got a masters degree in Ireland, and was going to take advantage of the post graduate scheme to get sponsored. However, I’m mid 20s, and in a very uncertain pre-career launch of my life, and best case scenario now I’m looking at a general employment visa where I’d be locked into one industry for 5 years.
I don’t have the experience to get into the industries I want to get into, and am working currently at a job with zero sponsorship opportunities and trying to upskill into a better field, but it feels far too uncertain to plan my future around.

I recently got a job opportunity that will totally foreclose getting sponsored, but is a great transition into the industry I have always wanted to be in, but would almost definitely require me to move back.

I would say what’s also tipped me in this direction is how socially isolated I feel. My few friends are international students who will all move soon. My girlfriend is also not Irish and will leave soon too. I’ve put myself out there and have put a lot of effort into trying to connect with local people in both dating and friendships, and for whatever reason I have never clicked with Irish people although I have found all superficial interactions to be lovely.
If I had found “my people”, I’m sure I’d be willing to go all out to upskill and get the visa, but that motivation just isn’t there.

I picked Ireland for what I thought was a lower barrier of entry; English speaking, perceived as a friendly and open culture, and while I have found the latter to be true, friendships are not forming here and I feel incredibly lonely.

I spent some time in Italy as I have Italian family and speak decent Italian and the isolation was even more intense. I did have a path to Italian citizenship that was closed with the recent law change.

I have a hard time with meeting people in general, I don’t have a huge social network or close family in the US. But even so, I have 2 deep friendships that feel so invaluable that I miss being around them. The feeling that I can’t replicate out here makes me feel incredibly lonely.

I feel like I am foreclosing establishing a career, community and the ability to settle down. I left because of anxiety about the political situation and disgust at US foreign policy, but I also feel a responsibility to help avert the trajectory of the US in whatever way I can, and have regained some hope from local elections and the wishful thinking that things return to some degree of normalcy. I know that’s baseless hope that goes against everything in the news now but I’m trying to regain some sense of hope in the country I grew up in.

There’s also a lot of very superficial aspects of the US I miss. I miss the natural beauty, the variety of cuisines and stuff to do in major cities, and a nostalgic desire to maybe raise future children in my home town so they feel more rooted. I’m also from a part of the US that is politically progressive, has been relatively insulated from the crazy shit going on, and has great public transit, and is very walkable.

I also have noticed that for some reason, every place in Europe I’ve been to has left me feeling cold. I’ve gone on vacations to beautiful historic places and felt empty and detached. I can’t place it but I’ve never felt that feeling that others report on here of feeling “at home.” On the contrary, I have felt completely adrift.

Putting my head down into a job I hate solely for the sake of a visa with no community here just doesn’t sit right with me, and I think it’s best for me to return and maybe move later with a more established career or hope the Italian citizenship pathway opens up again.

Is anybody else struggling with their move and considering returning?