I left the US in 2010. Was it worth it? Yes. Here’s why.

Background

Since 2010, I’ve lived in three countries for several years each. They include “developing,” trendy, and not-trendy countries. I also did the slowmad thing for a couple of years, mostly in Asia.

I don’t want to list the places in this post because I don’t want people to focus on one country as The Solution. Also, the improvements I’ve experienced seem to hold true for many other countries in the same regions, based on what I’ve heard from other foreigners and have seen for myself when traveling.

So we’ll keep it high level. I’ve lived in big, medium, and small cities in a:

  1. Latin American country where I speak the language
  2. Western European country where I speak the language
  3. Eastern European country where I’m learning the language

We’ll compare the above countries to my US life, which included living in big, medium, and small cities in the Midwest. Important details:

  • I pay for health insurance: I was self-employed in the US, so I paid for health insurance there. I still pay for private insurance, but at local rates. I don’t rely on the public systems.
  • I had a comparatively high income: I had an online business, so I didn’t need to get local jobs. This post would be a lot less rosy if I had to depend on a local income.

How has my life improved?

All countries

In all the countries, I’ve had:

  • Less worry about healthcare costs, including much cheaper health insurance with more coverage
  • Shorter waits for medical care in the private systems (public systems can be slow)
  • More safety, including less harassment in the streets, no problems walking alone at night, no gunfire, fewer sirens, less public drunkenness, and fewer encounters with mentally ill people
  • Lower housing costs
  • More pedestrianized streets

    Ljubljana, Slovenia
  • Lower car or home insurance costs and less risk of being sued
  • Leisurely meals in restaurants and sidewalk cafes
  • The ability to sit on a public bench and peacefully read a book, because there are more benches and fewer people who live on them

Latin America and eastern Europe

In the Latin American and eastern European countries, I’ve had:

  • More freedom of speech when with locals (not always with expats); I hear more diverse viewpoints
  • Fewer rules controlling the details of daily life

    Yerba mate stand in Asunción, Paraguay
  • Less political signaling: People are less likely to use clothing, hair, etc. to communicate a politically charged identity. The personal isn’t political, it’s personal.
  • More equanimity: Locals are less likely to get upset in public.
  • Less hostility in the streets
  • Easier socializing around food, because almost no one has special requirements (expats excepted)

Europe (east and west)

In the European countries, I’ve had:

  • More public transport and pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods, making it possible to live without a car
  • Better health, possibly because walking is part of daily life and there’s less processed food

    Freiburg, Germany
  • Easier frugality: Lots of small apartments are available, it’s common to live without a clothes dryer or car, and windows and appliances are designed for energy efficiency
  • Cheaper internet and phone
  • Easier international travel because there are many countries nearby, plus trains!

The eastern European country is the only one where I’ve felt like I have freedom with a European lifestyle. The western European country was prone to righteousness and rules. The Latin American country was free but sprawling and car-heavy.

For more about life in Europe and some debunking of myths, see My Life Would Be Better in Europe.

How has my character improved?

Living and traveling abroad have helped me become:

  • More resilient and confident from learning to deal with uncertainties and change
  • Less clueless: People in the US can have really inaccurate pictures of life in other countries. I thought I was more savvy but nope, my eyes and mind are regularly pried open.
  • More independent in my thinking because people aren’t divided into tribes and I have an outsider perspective as a foreigner
  • More creative due to immersing myself in others’ ways of living and seeing life through another language
  • Bilingual and some day (apparently in 2056 or so) trilingual

What did I lose?

Of course there are drawbacks. I can miss:

  • Speaking English
  • Being able to live in a place without the bureaucracy of a visa
  • Easier banking
  • Simpler taxes
  • A wider variety of international restaurants
  • Cheaper electronics
  • Potlucks in people’s houses – most socializing happens in cafes or bars instead

In the Latin American country, I often got food poisoning, which is one reason I left. Other foreigners say they didn’t have that issue.

Everywhere I’ve lived, it’s common for people who recently arrived from the US, Canada, and UK to be unhappy with the local:

  • Street dogs
  • Trash
  • Noise from parties, fireworks, church bells
  • Graffiti
  • Customer service, especially in the European countries

These don’t bother me, maybe because I’m used to them.


Photo at the top: Kalofer, Bulgaria