Ask HN: Who has moved from the U.S. to Europe? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Who has moved from the U.S. to Europe?

#391

Post by tomxor » Wed, Jan 26, 2022, 12:33 AM UTC

nickpp wrote: post #387

tomxor wrote: post #361

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you are challenging my view as being selective I think that could be fair (if provided some statistics to combat my finger in the air analysis). I live in the UK which (was) one of the more developed members of the EU, so that probably does bias my view, and I have not visited the poorest members of the EU. Even with this caveat, there is a difference in principle that I believe distinguishes the way of life for t…

I challenge the broad generalizations and simplifications you are employing to compare highly complex and diverse populations and cultures to advance your preconceived conclusions. Because I too can reduce this comparison to a couple of well picked numbers like say per capita GDP or number of companies in top 100 by market cap and conclude that it is EU who should borrow capitalist programs from the US, not the other…

I was accepting to your criticism and then exploring it from a different angle. Your comment is needlessly hostile, it's not going to make me more receptive to your opinion.

Perhaps write from a place with less "preconceived conclusions" about the other commenters motives next time.

Re: Ask HN: Who has moved from the U.S. to Europe?

#392

Post by camgunz » Wed, Jan 26, 2022, 1:20 AM UTC

notch656a wrote: post #386

"Essentially no gun violence"* *If you ignore wide swaths of the 20th century, during which certain disarmed Dutch citizens were systematically sent to be executed. Which by the way, happened within plus or minus 1 expected lifetime of your future children.

Unless we foolishly enter a time machine, this is irrelevant.

Re: Ask HN: Who has moved from the U.S. to Europe?

#393

Post by blunte » Wed, Jan 26, 2022, 1:58 AM UTC

bogomipz wrote: post #388

blunte wrote: post #134

Netherlands, 10 years now. Actually ready to move on… Portugal, Malta, Thailand, perhaps spending 1-6 months at a time in a given location. Gave up my car and driving frequently. Fantabulous gift of freedom not having to deal with traffic and car management. Public transport is a gift, and taxis or very short term car rental programs are a fine fallback. Gave up some income as salaries are annoying much lower and tax…

I'd be curious what is prompting you to leave? I think the Malta and Portugal Golden visas are quite expensive though no?

Netherlands is worth spending a year or few in, but the winter weather is dismal wet and dark. Amsterdam is pretty expensive for rent, and with remote work it doesn’t make sense to live there unless you have a circle of friends you want to be near. Plus, the world is large and interesting… time to continue my exploration.

Malta has an actual digital nomad visa which costs something like 300 eur.

Portugal has a D7 visa which is a bit more complicated to setup than Malta (partly because Malta has English as an official language).

Re: Ask HN: Who has moved from the U.S. to Europe?

#394

Post by muzani » Wed, Jan 26, 2022, 2:17 AM UTC

teakettle42 wrote: post #89

boffinAudio wrote: post #4

I've done it, and it was one of the best decisions of my life. WHERE: I'm Australian, moved to LA when I was 18 and lived there for 15 years. Then, I moved from Los Angeles to Germany (Duesseldorf), and then to Vienna, Austria. WHAT SACRIFICE: No more In 'n Out Burger, no more decent Mexican/TexMex food, no more LA food trucks. These are literally the only things I miss about the USA. Literally every other aspect of…

Vienna is one of the nicest and wealthiest cities in Europe. LA is a car-centric sprawling cesspool. Even for the US, it’s uniquely terrible. If you’d moved to some of the less desirable locations in Europe, you’d probably find them to be a shithole, too. Your lack of perspective (“how much of a shithole the USA really is”) is something I’d only expect from someone half your age on their first backpacking tour of Eur…

What are some good American cities? From the perspective of an Asian, I'd think LA was on par with Vienna, if not better (Hollywood, Disney Land, etc)

Re: Ask HN: Who has moved from the U.S. to Europe?

#395

Post by wholien » Wed, Jan 26, 2022, 2:34 AM UTC

wbsss4412 wrote: post #338

nafizh wrote: post #305

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lets not forget the fact that OP is white. I am not a race baiter, and hate identity politics. But as a non-white person, I would rather live in US than Europe. Forget about the social media takes, and lets talk about ground reality. US (and probably Canada), with all its fault, is one of the few countries on earth, where immigration and immigrants are normal and expected. I can also practice my religion with freedom…

Have you spent much time in Europe? I’m white myself, but I actually heard the opposite from non white Americans while I was living in Spain(ie they preferred it there)

My non-White friends (not Black) have said US is better than France etc in that regard. This seems like a real phenomenon and worry for people

Re: Ask HN: Who has moved from the U.S. to Europe?

#396

Post by djohnston » Wed, Jan 26, 2022, 3:19 AM UTC

I did. Took a pay cut to move to the UK with the employer sorting visas and stuff.

Financially it's a bad decision in tech, but I'm pretty neutral about it and even with the pandemic I've travelled quite a bit.

I like being the only American around.

Re: Ask HN: Who has moved from the U.S. to Europe?

#397

Post by elliotec » Wed, Jan 26, 2022, 3:51 AM UTC

boffinAudio wrote: post #114

teakettle42 wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Vienna is one of the nicest and wealthiest cities in Europe. LA is a car-centric sprawling cesspool. Even for the US, it’s uniquely terrible. If you’d moved to some of the less desirable locations in Europe, you’d probably find them to be a shithole, too. Your lack of perspective (“how much of a shithole the USA really is”) is something I’d only expect from someone half your age on their first backpacking tour of Eur…

The Ruhrgebiet is a shithole. But then again, so is Florida. As is North Dakota and most of Utah. Arizona is pretty nice, but I probably think that only because of my Australian skin. The USA is a huge shithole, and if you don't understand why anyone would think that, I have a bridge to sell you .. under which live 12 families, kids and all, who couldn't pay their medical bills after Mom/Grandpa died of cancer. It is…

If "most of Utah" is on your shithole list, then I question your honesty on having visited.

Re: Ask HN: Who has moved from the U.S. to Europe?

#398

Post by pandaman » Wed, Jan 26, 2022, 3:57 AM UTC

boffinAudio wrote: post #175

notch656a wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow, high roller. Talk about vain. I wasn't talking about money.

Well, think of it like this: I worked hard, contributed hard, and chased the American dream. I found it distasteful and repugnant - so I moved. (And, btw, $2,000,000 is hardly "high-roller" status, spread out in taxes over 15 years... unless of course you're one of those "living under a bridge because medical bankrupcy" Americans, lol..)

If you've paid 30% effective federal tax rate (which is what I am guessing about right for a single individual with this kind of income) you'd have to make about 450K per year over 15 years to get to 2M in taxes. If you counted CA taxes then it drops your average income to 330K. My guess is that you are either miscalculating your taxes or misdescribing your experiences (overpriced housing in LA circa 2001 while making 330-450K for example does not quite make sense).

Re: Ask HN: Who has moved from the U.S. to Europe?

#399

Post by aceazzameen » Wed, Jan 26, 2022, 5:53 AM UTC

BrandoElFollito wrote: post #115

How come nobody mentions France in the comments? :) I am French but have been working 12 years for a very large US company , spent a lot of time in the US, go friends there - an witnessed/helped several Americans moving to France. Salary and healthcare were already covered. The fact that over a 3 days drive across Europe you visit 4 or 5 countries with vastly different cultures is a big plus. And by vastly I mean rea…

I spent a few months in France studying abroad when I was younger. I think I'd live there in a heartbeat if I had the opportunity.

Re: Ask HN: Who has moved from the U.S. to Europe?

#400

Post by raverbashing » Wed, Jan 26, 2022, 6:55 AM UTC

rwev wrote: post #376

mkdirp wrote: post #346

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I can also practice my religion with freedom, unlike most of Europe (UK is one exception with caveats of course) This has to be satire. In fact, this whole comment has to be satire.

Is French public policy satire too? I thought this news was pretty mainstream for the last few years now. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/9/a-law-against-islam https://www.wsj.com/articles/france-passes-new-bill-to-tight...

Well, France is not wrong in acting the way they're acting.

Those who prefer to act in a non-secular way should find better places for it.