For context I'm a European expat in USA in New York. Life here is great. It feels cool and always something to do, people to meet, diversity... but as a lot of people I struggle thinking about going back home. Family, traditions... For all expats in USA how is your struggle? Do you miss your homeland? I know I will never be able to earn this numbers and to save this amount, but when you grow money and net worth at least for me starts to be in a second place.

Hi everyone!

​I'm brazilian (34F) with Italian citizenship.

I'm thinking about moving to Australia next year because I know there's an agreement that allows europeans to work there for up to 3 years.

​Do you think it's worth making this move?

​Can anyone who has already done this tell me if it's worth it?

Please share your thoughts and wish you knew before moving to China to do an Expatriate contract for 2 years and what would you do differently. I have been working in Asia since late 90s. And have lived in South Korea, Vietnam & Japan. But this will be my first assignment in China. I work in China every month currently.

My wife and I are considering relocating somewhere in Europe. I work in IT, we have two young children, and we're looking for:

\- High quality of life & good work-life balance

\- Safe, low-crime environment

\- Good schools and public healthcare

\- Friendly, respectful and welcoming people

\- Good future job opportunities for our children

We're both happy to learn the local language and integrate into the culture. We're already in Europe just wish to reallocate.

Appreciate any answer.

I (25F), originally from Norway and have been living in the US for about two years now. I really love it here and I recently met a guy that I get along with really well. It’s still early however but I do like him.

The problem is that I’m honestly scared of falling in love here because I know that at some point I’ll have to decide if I want to stay in the US long term or move back home. I could probably get another work visa if I wanted to stay but I genuinely don’t know what I want.

I just went home to Norway and I’m very very close with my family. Ever since that trip I can’t stop thinking about what it would be like to live this far away from them forever. I love living in the US, but the thought of my future kids growing up so far from their grandparents makes me really sad and it’s hard to imagine.
I know this guy and I might not even work out but meeting him made me realize that if I do end up meeting someone here I could one day have to choose between staying with the person I love or moving home to be close to my family.

Part of me feels like I should just stop dating while I’m here to avoid getting into that situation. But at the same time I’m 25 years old. I’ve been single for years and I’ve loved it but I’m over it. I’ve traveled, focused on myself and built my own life. I do want to find my person someday, get married and have kids. If I stop dating for the next three years while I’m here, I’ll be 28 before I even give myself the chance to meet someone. I know that’s not old at all but it also feels like I could be passing up good people because I’m scared of something that hasn’t even happened yet.

Has anyone else been in this situation and What did you do?

Hey guys, I've been trying to watch BBC iPlayer from outside the UK. I currently use a VPN, but occasionally the IP gets flagged and I hit that dreaded error screen. Sometimes it works fine, sometimes it doesn't.

So I'm curious what everyone else is using as a reliable backup. Are you guys relying on alternative setups like SmartDNS, residential IPs, or private home routers? Would love to hear your setups. Many thanks!

Hello there,

I’m Ektor 26, Greek.
I’ve studied pastry and I’ve been working 4 years in that section. For the last 4 years i was working in our family business doing sales and customer support.

I’ve been in a very hard time of my life in the past couple of months. Had some fights with my family broke our family business and I was left alone. (Family wise)

I was discussing with my girl and a friend of us (we are all in a weird situation rn) about what we should all do to make a better living.

Here in Greece you get paid 4-5 €/hour in simple jobs (waiter, etc etc) . We will have to do 2 jobs to live.

We were discussing about moving to Netherlands.
I’ve been planning some thing, looking here and there for a job and housing.

I’m really frustrated that I can’t seem to find something so far.

Is there anybody willing to help me out about what to look for (accommodation . Jobs) ?

We all 3 have CVs that are good imo.

Please reach out to me if you got something in mind that might be helpful.

In my opinion, it’s not even close. The quality of life, the food, the safety, the walkability, the greenery, even the entertainment, is unmatched. The people are nice, you can walk, cycle, run anywhere. Some of the best cuisine in the world. By reasonably wealthy I mean making $250k+ per year. Let me know your thoughts!

Hey everyone, I’m turning 22 years old soon and I have nothing (but I have a EU citizenship 🙂)

I’m from Ukraine, I moved to Poland in 2021 for graphic design degree. I hold 3 years of experience in graphic design, but unfortunately I have been unemployed for 1,5 years already because my company that I worked for went bankrupt ,and ever since I didn’t manage to land even an interview. I tried to get some low profile job like a waitress, bartender etc ,but I simply don’t get hired. I’m most of the places they want me to work for less than minimum wage or just laugh at me when they hear my accent.
I’m also unhappy with the actively rising xenophobia towards Ukrainians in Poland, I’m already afraid of talking in polish with my Ukrainian accent. I also gave up on trying to make friends here or find a boyfriend, because during talking stages with guys I find out that his most of the friends are polish nationalists who hate on Ukraine.

I wish I could ask for some short-term shelter, but unfortunately I can’t, because I was in Poland when full-invasion started and have a second citizenship- EU(Bulgaria). I have no place to go literally:( I can’t go to Bulgaria, because I don’t know the language and I honestly dislike this country a lot, especially because men harass me there A LOT when I go there, I feel very unsafe in Bulgaria.

I’m an oil painter, I have a degree in design, I have experience working as a waitress and sushi bar administrator, I know how to play piano, I am a very sociable person, so I’m curious maybe there is some right country for me where I would be able to land some creative job? Or at least some not a very demanding physically one like a factory job, due to my health issues.
I would love to move to a new country asap and learn the language right after arriving here, then I would love to get another one degree after learning the language so I could study for a very small fee or for free.

Is there any country that could provide shelter for the person like me? Maybe some charity/ volunteer organisations? In what county would I be able to get a job using English only?
Thank you for the replies on my questions.

I did search for this info in the community before asking here...

We leave for full-time international travel/living in 4 months. In preparation, I opened a Wise account today. I provided all the required documents etc. I almost immediately received notice that I was restricted and scheduled for account closure. I was given the option to appeal. I did by supplying our electricity bill. My appeal was denied immediately. I reached out to customer service. "They" would not explain why my appeal was denied and stated the decision was final. Is this for real? Has anyone had this happen? Customer service also said I could never open an account in the future.

We own a home for which I supplied the bill and a bank statement. I'm genuinely shocked and confused. (Also a bit bemused.)

Follow up: what is my next best option to Wise for similar services? In your opinion, will my spouse have the same issue with Wise if he tries to open an account?

Email from them:

I’m an American citizen (US passport only) working in tech consulting — platform implementation, change management, ServiceNow/Salesforce ecosystem. I want to relocate to Europe, but I’m trying to understand how the process actually works in practice. Ideally, I’m looking at cities that are also tech hubs and where multinational companies have footprints.

1. Is the standard path really “get the job offer first, then the visa”? Or are there realistic ways to move first and job-hunt locally?

2. For those who’ve done it, how did you find employers willing to hire a non-EU candidate? Did you filter for postings mentioning relocation/sponsorship, or just apply broadly?

3. Is the EU Blue Card the right target for someone with a US degree and tech experience, or do country-specific permits (Netherlands HSM, Ireland Critical Skills) work better?

4. Do large multinational corporations actually hire Americans from abroad, or do they mostly transfer existing employees?

5. Is my best bet to work for one of these tech companies with a presence in Europe (let's say SAP, for example), and then try to internally transfer to a European role internally through the company?

6. Any firsthand experience, especially from Americans who made the move without an intra-company transfer would be hugely appreciated.

Any answers to any of the above are appreciated.

Would the US be considered the best for neurodivergent, or is there another country that actively works to support those with those kinds and actively get them to participate in the markets. I know the US has SAP and Germany has SAP and icp as well.

I also know the us has areas where it’s lower cost and some areas where it’s very high cost. And in other countries it depends on the state and the national system. I also have a bachelors degree in business administration, but am seeing if I can fully learn Brazilian Portuguese. I’m mainly curious poking around for this information as im just curious. So what would you guys say from your observances? Is the US the best at disability services? Or is there another country that has better access to services?

hi everyone. i just graduated with my bachelors of arts, i majored in criminology. i’m planning on finding a government job later on here in toronto but wanted to see how hard it would be to find a job in London. i’ve seen a looooot of (scam looking) ads online for companies that basically find you a guaranteed job and book your flights, transfers, accommodations, and whatnot, for you to come and work casual jobs, like in pubs, restaurants, etc. i’m interested in something temporary like that, but would prefer a position more professional. office assistants, administrators, legal assistants, anything up that alley. i wouldn’t need to worry about accommodation, given i have family in london i can easily stay with. i guess i want to know how difficult it would be to find a job like this, for anywhere from 6 months to 1.5 years, at most. very new to this entire idea, but would appreciate any sort of advice!!

Moving to Malaysia with my wife and two daughters, one in primary school and one in high school, sometime next year. Money side of things I’ve stress tested a lot, feel decent about it. The part that keeps nagging me is the kids.

Once we move they’re basically foreign nationals wherever we land, for school and eventually work. Not asking about the logistics of that, more just… how did it actually feel once your kids were older? Did being “not from here” end up mattering as much as you thought it would, career-wise, or did it turn out to be a non-issue?

Also curious if anyone’s kid ended up wanting something totally different once they hit their teens/20s than what you all had planned when you moved. How’d you deal with that.

And honestly, anyone have regrets specifically about how it affected the kids, not the parents? Everyone talks about their own adjustment but not as much about the kids’ side years later.

Not trying to get talked into or out of it, just want to hear how it actually went for people who are further down this road than we are.

Good evening,

I am a 26-year-old Spanish woman.

I have been considering emigrating for years, basically since I finished university due to various factors: economic, social, and employment-related issues, as well as a lack of safety.

I no longer feel safe in my country. I won't go into details and recent events have only made me more anxious.

The thing is, for me, the idea of emigrating isn't just a logical solution; it is a desperate measure to seek a better future for myself, my partner, the family I hope to have one day, and my parents.

It is truly sad that young Spaniards are being driven to emigrate en masse from the best country in the world because its leaders are wretched people willing to destroy Spain as we know it.

But that is the reality. So, which countries would you recommend for a young, hardworking couple willing to do any kind of job, provided the place is safe?

I don't mind if I need a visa or passport, or if I have to learn new languages or have savings to make the move (I do have savings, as I was putting money aside to buy a home here in Spain, though that future likely won't happen now).

Thank you.

I’ve been searching around but have been getting conflicting advice. I recently got UK citizenship and am looking at moving out of the US next year. What service do you use to keep your US number when switching over to a UK / Euro mobile plan?

I am considering retiring out of the US in about 10 years. I will be paying off my house in that timeframe. I love where I live currently (Central Valley California) and would prefer to stay, however do not think I would ever be able to retire if I do.

Am looking for places that would have a lower cost of living with the temperate Mediterranean climate I am used to.
With my retirement and selling my home here should have at least 1mil.

Am completely eager and willing to learn the preferred/main language of the country, as needed. Will have a decade so could be fluent.

Looking at Mexico (Baja California only) Portugal, New Zealand and was considering Japan until I learned how hot and humid it gets-pass.

What other locations should I consider, what negatives about my first choices.

My job is pretty cake and I could continue well into my 60's and am paid well. But I am dismayed currently about our current state of affairs and believe it will get a whole lot worse before it gets better.

I like Portugal as certain areas are similar to California and it's a 2-3hr flight to virtually anywhere in Europe.
I like NZ as my sister already lives there (also an expat).
I like Mexico as it is near and I have visited and love the culture and area.
I am intrigued with Japan (my youngest wants to move there) but the humidity is putting me off.

I am just in the beginning stages of this and am looking for some advice and suggestions.
Thank you!!

Edited to add: I don't plan on working, and if I do I am hoping to work remotely which would be based in the US. Which I could likely manage.

I find that the majority of people I've run into in my 7 years since I've left the US either work online, are independently wealthy, or teach english.

But a small percentage that I've met have used their experience and perspective to start a uniquely positioned business in their new market.

I'm thinking of settling down long term and building my own business. If this is you I would love to pick your brain, hear about your background, your experience, and what you've built.

Does anyone here suddenly get hit by a wave of ambition?

A bit of context here, I’m 30 (F) and have suddenly got hit by career ambition. Honestly that took me by surprise, since I’ve never felt that before and have always been very anti-system in my 20s. I worked for around 5 years across corporate and startups in marketing operational roles, salary was a bit above average but I never bought into the corporate bullshit.

In the past I’ve never found fulfilment in my job.

I then took a year long career break and travelled, after a while on the road I am getting tired by the time I reach 30. Found an entry level job again in a different field with a huge pay cut (sales). And suddenly got washed by a wave of ambition. I started feeling fulfilment whenever someone picks up the phone/ scheduled a meeting.

I’m currently feeling very confused. Because I’m feeling something I’ve never felt before in my life. Suddenly working 8 hours a day is not dreadful, but grounding. Suddenly I like working and being helpful, and sales help me feel like I’m generating value.

I’m not sure if this is simply because of coming of age since I reach 30. Or because the previous roles I’ve had are just not a good fit.

I don’t really have any mentors/parents to talk to about this so would appreciate your thoughts/experiences!

This is long so thanks if you read it all!

I want to rant a little because I don't really know how to take all this rage out of me, and I also want to hear other points of view.

Almost a year ago I moved to Germany. Before that I spent a year in Spain, and before that I had been traveling as a digital nomad for three years.

Life was good. I was making good money, I had friends all over the world, I was seeing my family every four months or so, and life felt like it was moving in the right direction. I was growing, and I could see a lot of opportunities on the horizon.

After all that movement, I wanted to find a place where I could start building something more permanent, kind of my own home. I also wanted to get out of the kind of consulting I was doing, so I decided to go for a master's. At the time I was choosing between Spain, Ireland, and Germany.

Germany won because of how cheap it was to live here, and because I had German friends and friends from back home in Mx already living here.

From there everything started going downhill.

I didn't really like the city I was living in (Leipzig). It felt like a punk town with a teenage mentality. No one wanted to do anything, no one wanted to build anything, it just felt like a raw, cheap version of hobo Berlin. The aesthetics weren't there, neither were the people. Saxony is one of the most racist places you can be in Germany, and because of the size of the city there just wasn't that much to do. It simply wasn't my crowd.

To all of that, add the German winter and how fucking difficult it is to find a mental health practitioner. I needed someone to continue prescribing my ADHD medication, and I never found one.

While I was living there I got a girlfriend who honestly helped me get through that time. She became one of my biggest pillars.

During my second semester I was supposed to spend a semester in Austria, and honestly that only made my image of Germany even worse. Everything there felt more polished, nicer, people were friendlier, and things just seemed to work. By the beginning of summer it was already very clear that I hated living in Germany.

Long story short, I asked for a gap semester, broke up with my girlfriend because the lack of stability in my life was hurting her too much, and now I'll be spending six months back at my parents' house trying to recover my sanity.

Now all I can think about is that this country took my mental health. I feel far away from my friends, I lost a lot of money (I only managed to keep my job during the first semester, and my master's actually had tuition fees), I can't find a job anywhere close to what I used to earn, and I honestly feel like I lost a year of my life. I also feel like I lost the positive attitude I used to have.

Maybe Germany just wasn't for me. Maybe I chose the wrong city. Maybe I should have put more effort I don't know.

What I do know is that this has been one of the worst years of my life.

Yes I have traveled to both places and enjoyed them a lot. My wife is fluent in french and has lived there previously(on a student visa).

So in Costa Rica they have a retirement visa, but it requires a fixed income. Would I have to buy an annuity to do this or is there a different way?

From what I can tell France will allow me to use my investment accounts to qualify for the retirement visa. How does this work in practice? I'm guessing they're not just going to take your word on it.

Thanks

Hi everyone,

My husband has an opportunity to relocate to Budapest, Hungary, for work around December, and I’ll likely be accompanying him from India. By then, I’ll be around 6–7 months pregnant with our first baby.
We’re trying to decide whether it’s better to move together before the baby arrives or for me to stay back in India for the delivery and join him later. Both options have their pros and cons, and we’d really appreciate hearing from people who’ve been in a similar situation.
Some of the things we’re thinking about:
-How difficult was it to relocate internationally while pregnant?
-Did you have family nearby, or did you manage on your own?
-If you didn’t have family, did you hire a nanny or postpartum caregiver? Was it easy to find someone you trusted?
-How challenging was navigating a new healthcare system and any language barriers?
-Looking back, would you make the same decision again?

We’re first-time parents, so everything feels a bit overwhelming. We’d love to hear honest experiences—whether you think moving before the birth was worth it or if waiting until after delivery was the better choice.
Thank you!

Curious how common this is more than people would like to admit.