Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

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

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

431–440 of 474 posts

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

#431

Post by Mithrandir19 »

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…

Nobody mentions France because France is not as desirable as you think. Terrible weather, constantly gloomy, grumpy people, awful food (especially baguettes!), almost no artistic history. I honestly believe that the only ones who like France are french people.

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

#432

Post by wartijn_ »

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…

As a Dutchman who used to live in Malta for a few years, I have to warn you: Maltese public transport really bad in comparison. If your bus might be 10 minutes early or 20 minutes late and it won't show in the public transport app. If you want to get somewhere on time that's not within walking distance, you'll need a car (there are ride sharing cars and scooters). Bus tickets are cheap though.

And yeah, the climate is much much better. I really mis being able to see the sun.

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

#433

Post by bogomipz »

raverbashing wrote: post #401
WallWextra wrote: post #234

I recently moved from the US to Berlin. I plan to return to the US. Pros of Berlin: - Good transport - Bikeable - Safe - Cheaper than the big coastal cities in the US, with lower rent. - Good clubbing (not my thing) Cons of Berlin: - Healthcare is inconvenient. Doctor's offices won't pick up the phone, and won't leave you on hold. You just have to go in person. Providers all work in small doctor-owned practices, and…

> The food in Germany is terrible. The quality of produce and other ingredients is very bad Don't shop at Lidl then. Restaurants are what you make of it, goes from basic to fancy and the basic ones are, well, basic. (Though the basic ones are probably at a step lower than the ones in the US because of fast-food in the US) Though I'll give it to you that 80% of restaurants are generic Italian or Asian ones > Stores in…

Nowhere did the OP say they shopped at Lidl. You seemed to have put those words in their mouth, not once but twice. You seemed to have taken the OP's comment very personally for some reason.

Berlin has many wonderful things going for it but Berlin is not known as being some bastion of great food. Nor is known as a food destination. There's a reason for that.

>"Restaurants are what you make of it, goes from basic to fancy and the basic ones are, well, basic."

What does that even mean? Some of the best restaurants in places like NYC, Austin and LA are "basic" restaurants but the food is delicious and cheap. From noodles, pizza, bbq, burgers, tacos, etc.

You comment about apples is really bizarre. The US has some of the best produce in the world, from local farmer's markets to giant Whole Foods. You can also find organic produce at nearly every market these days.

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

#434

Post by Ourgon »

busterarm wrote: post #189
jzellis wrote: post #15

I'm just outside London, moved here to marry my English wife from Vegas. I work part time doing basic IT for a US law firm due to health issues after heart surgery, and Yankee dollars are worth jack shit here - I'm not making serious tech industry money, but over here it's barely enough to survive on. Housing is always smaller than you'd get in (at least the western) US for the same price, and I'd bet that's true pre…

Indeed, peanut (or other nut) butter is nigh impossible to find across all of Europe.

Pindakaas (Dutch for "peanut cheese", which you would call peanut butter) on the other hand is available everywhere, at least in the Netherlands. Then again, peanuts are available everywhere, just put them in a blender or use a high-speed mixer to make your own. I've been doing this for more than 20 years now since Sweden is one of those peanut butter free countries (at least here in the countryside it is). The advantage of make-your-own peanut butter is that the stuff will contain only what you put in there, nothing else.

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

#435

Post by Ourgon »

eternalban wrote: post #315
jzellis wrote: post #15

I'm just outside London, moved here to marry my English wife from Vegas. I work part time doing basic IT for a US law firm due to health issues after heart surgery, and Yankee dollars are worth jack shit here - I'm not making serious tech industry money, but over here it's barely enough to survive on. Housing is always smaller than you'd get in (at least the western) US for the same price, and I'd bet that's true pre…

I think it is debatable if UK is really a European nation. US and UK are far closer in various dimensions than UK and any other European country.

Culturally the UK is definitely a European nation. I'm talking about the country as a whole, not about the (London) City which - like other financial centres - is part of the global financial nation no matter where it happens to be located. Politically the UK used to have a special connection to the USA (which made other Europeans sometimes refer to it as "Airstrip 1" or "the 51st state") but it is debatable whether this is still the case.

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

#436

Post by bogomipz »

thenoblesunfish wrote: post #20

I'm sure others will cover the shorter-term aspects. I'll add that, particularly if you're not young or have a family, it wouldn't hurt to consider the fact that you will probably have a great time for the first N years, but there might be a slump when you realize that you will probably never really integrate and will have a smaller social circle because of it, in a place where people seem to have smaller casual grou…

Where in Switzerland are you? How long have you been there?

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

#437

Post by bogomipz »

lordnacho wrote: post #104
interator7 wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What do you mean by integrate? As in, it's harder to find friends? Or that there's cultural issues barring you from being as close friends as you would someone from the U.S.?

Not the GP, but I think you might find in Switzerland (I lived there) that it's not so easy to make friends. When I'm in America, people will just straight up come up to me and talk, so the culture seems to be a bit more open. In Switzerland, socializing is quite different. For a start, there's a local language that isn't the one they teach you in language classes. It also appears much of the socializing happens arou…

Is this true in all parts of Switzerland? Or is it not an issue in the cities like Zurich, Geneva etc?

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

#438

Post by raverbashing »

bogomipz wrote: post #433
raverbashing wrote: post #401

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The food in Germany is terrible. The quality of produce and other ingredients is very bad Don't shop at Lidl then. Restaurants are what you make of it, goes from basic to fancy and the basic ones are, well, basic. (Though the basic ones are probably at a step lower than the ones in the US because of fast-food in the US) Though I'll give it to you that 80% of restaurants are generic Italian or Asian ones > Stores in…

Nowhere did the OP say they shopped at Lidl. You seemed to have put those words in their mouth, not once but twice. You seemed to have taken the OP's comment very personally for some reason. Berlin has many wonderful things going for it but Berlin is not known as being some bastion of great food. Nor is known as a food destination. There's a reason for that. >"Restaurants are what you make of it, goes from basic to f…

> Berlin is not known as being some bastion of great food. Nor is known as a food destination. There's a reason for that.

It is the 5th city with the most Michelin Restaurants in Europe and 13th in the world https://www.godsavethepoints.com/13-most-michelin-starred-ci...

> Some of the best restaurants in places like NYC, Austin and LA are "basic" restaurants but the food is delicious and cheap.

I agree. Maybe Germans think mayo is spicy as the meme says (currywurst aside). But it is changing.

> The US has some of the best produce in the world, from local farmer's markets to giant Whole Foods

"Best produce" is not necessarily the ones that look better on a shelf. Berlin is not lacking in organic produce and supermarkets. Or just fruit/veg stalls.

Oh and before I forget, don't shop at discount supermarkets.

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

#439

Post by lordnacho »

bogomipz wrote: post #437
lordnacho wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not the GP, but I think you might find in Switzerland (I lived there) that it's not so easy to make friends. When I'm in America, people will just straight up come up to me and talk, so the culture seems to be a bit more open. In Switzerland, socializing is quite different. For a start, there's a local language that isn't the one they teach you in language classes. It also appears much of the socializing happens arou…

Is this true in all parts of Switzerland? Or is it not an issue in the cities like Zurich, Geneva etc?

Hard to know. Of course in ZH you can find a lot of expats to hang out with, but that doesn't necessarily mean the locals are easier to get close to.

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

#440

Post by BrandoElFollito »

Mithrandir19 wrote: post #431
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…

Nobody mentions France because France is not as desirable as you think. Terrible weather, constantly gloomy, grumpy people, awful food (especially baguettes!), almost no artistic history. I honestly believe that the only ones who like France are french people.

What a depressing view. But hey, you are still welcome to visit us!
Post reply on HN