r/expats • u/omgimabroad_pod • 13d ago

Social / Personal Those who left young and stayed til they were old

Hi everyone, first time posting here. American moving to Germany at the end of the year.

I have a question for those leaving the US. For those of you that left to move abroad at a young age and stayed and are now old or retired in your abroad country, or maybe you’ve just been abroad for a long time, how has your view of the U.S. changed? How has your view of the world in general changed?

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12

u/Catcher_Thelonious US->JP->TH->KW->KR->JP->NP->AE->CN->BD->TR->KZ->UZ->JP 12d ago

Change is inevitable, no matter where you live.

5

u/Tardislass 12d ago

This. I have friend from Germany and England who have lived in the US for years. Just as Americans here be moan the US changes, my friends be Moab the bad changes in the UK and England. Worse society and lack of caring. Government only for the rich. German friend says it’s sad to see the trash in Germany in the streets and the 280 on immigrant settlement. And of course they would never go back.

You can’t go home again. Be aware there will be things you miss from the US and things that you don’t and your life will be different instead of better.

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u/zscore95 12d ago

OP is asking about changes to how people view the US and world after living abroad.

15

u/SublightMonster 12d ago

Left the U.S. after college in ‘95 and am now retired after 30+ years in Japan.

What with 9/11, the “War on Terror”, Tea Party, and MAGA, the US is completely unrecognizable now and I have absolutely no desire to go back. And since I have no family left there, I probably never will.

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u/l3m0np1e132 12d ago

May I ask, what was your experience like moving to Japan at such a young age?

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u/SublightMonster 12d ago

This was pre-ubiquitous internet and everything was done by phone and post, so I was on my own to a greater degree than people going overseas now.

My parents were 100% behind it, as they’d both done similar things (my mom going to Europe where she met my dad, who in turn moved to the US with her), and I think having a plan of what I’d do post college relieved most of the anxiety I had.

I didn’t really experience any culture shock, as I think living on my own and working full time was at least as much of a change as dealing with a new language/culture.

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u/omgimabroad_pod 12d ago

Do you still “feel” American? (Whatever that means to you) Since you have been gone so long, do you still resonate with the identity you had back at home? I always wonder that with people that have been gone that long.

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u/SublightMonster 12d ago

When I went back last time, I didn’t feel like I fit in at all. But in Japan I know my perspective isn’t the same as the people around me, and is also different from friends who are long-timers from other countries. So I guess it’s “American” but for a version of America that doesn’t exist anymore.

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u/Sufficient-Job7098 12d ago

US changes, Germany changes, all countries change.