I Thought I Was Free in America… Until I Lived in Europe

Food quality is so much better in Europe. Life and work balance is great there

Renounce you citizenship!

if you hear some americans be like "you are lazy! i work 70+ hours a week!"
yeah.. and what for exactly? you have no time for anything, so what do you even do with the extra money?

...and Americans are so obsessed with fake political drama that their brains are constantly burned out from that, which is by design.

I love the idea of the US and free markets and classical liberalism, but I can't ignore that this country feels like it's designed to make you mentally and physically sick, and constantly outraged.

I always hated driving . My usa license is expired and you can not get around without a car .

"I’ve been navigating life between the U.S. and the UK since I was 18, and it took living in both to realize the truth: the United States is structured to extract the maximum amount of money from you while offering very little in return.
​My father’s father was from England, and visiting my second cousins there opened my eyes. I realized there was a world outside the U.S. where you didn’t need a car to survive because of excellent public transport. I saw a National Health Service that, while not perfect, ensures you won’t go bankrupt from a medical bill. I saw reasonable housing costs and property taxes that won't cost you your home. They have a safety net that is actually there to keep people from ending up living in their cars.
​To anyone feeling trapped: start digging into your family history. If you have ancestors from places like Ireland, Italy, Germany, or Poland, do some investigating. Many countries offer citizenship by descent if you can prove your lineage to a parent or grandparent. That was my ticket out—I secured an Irish passport through my family, and it changed everything for me.
​I left the U.S. permanently 10 years ago after taking care of both my parents. I couldn't leave sooner because they were ill, and if I hadn't stepped in, they would have lost everything they had to that system. It is a profit-driven, corrupt, corporate nightmare.
​I don’t miss the U.S. I had a wonderful upbringing in the northern suburbs of New York, but I’ve come to believe the new 'American Dream' is simply to leave. It saddens me deeply; it could have been an amazing country that cared about its people, but it doesn't. Regardless of which politician is in office, the system seems designed to enrich the few rather than help the individual. My life is so much more stress-free in Europe, and I honestly don't know why anyone would choose to stay trapped in a system that makes daily survival so expensive and difficult."

What saddened me when I was in the US was exactly what you said: the country had absolutely stunning sceneries and a very rich and beautiful nature, but Americans are too busy and tired to enjoy that. What's even the point?

Getting less for working more - exactly what my grandpa told me about his work in bolshevik commune.

Yea I live in a 2400 square foot home with a wrap around porch here in America that is PAID OFF.. good luck getting that outside the US.

If not working, where do Europeans get the money to use the time? Housing, food, energy costs are going UP.

Freedom in the US ? Not anymore. Maybe years ago

The only truth in this video is that NorCal is the most beautiful place on earth.

They don't have the time and the Energy -> That's Not on accident.

Please share this with all Americans.

Amen-wish I was there awful-US is dreadful

i live in europe and i don't have the time either, most people do 9 to 5 and they're kinda the lucky ones

What seems to be especially heinous is that the diligent Americans are being ripped of by their government which uses the huge surpluses to invest in the military and constitute the policeman of the globe attitude. Instead of making live more easy for their citizens.

Here is my reply: I live in the midwest and go to the outdorrs most weeks after working my 8 hours. I get to see nature, birdwatch and see some other animals(we are not in bear, wolf or many other deadly animal country). We do have some dangerous animals like coyotees, some dog breed and mysteriously a group of 4 cougars. We do have a lot of fish that are viscious(bass, bluegill, and pike to name a few), but if I don't want to endanger myself I stay out of the water ;). Note for reference I have a forest 2 blocks from my home...and 5 miles from my home, and 20 miles from my home, and 4-6 others withing 40 miles from my home. I live confortably on my 40 hours...but I have modest means and literally will never own a lambourgenie...I am good with that.

People are no longer assuming their home country will automatically deliver the lifestyle or security they want. They’re stepping back and asking a more practical question: where does the system actually work in their favor?

And that’s exactly where the EU starts showing up.

Land of the fear 🇺🇸

Could you tell us about your income? Bet it comes from the US, and this income allows you to have the free time. Try living there on a European salary

USA is the perfect place for the next big dictature.

Land of the knave and home of the Slave. No workers rights.

Americans often talk about freedom as if they invented it, but freedom isn't just about carrying a gun or saying whatever you want. Real freedom is also not having to choose between paying rent and going to the doctor. Real freedom is getting sick and not panicking about losing your job. Real freedom is having 4-5 weeks of paid vacation per year, because what's the point of working your whole life if you can't actually enjoy it? Here in Europe we can own guns too, in Germany you absolutely can, but you need a license and proper training. And honestly? I don't feel less free because of that. I feel safer. And I'm happy that the person next to me went through a background check before buying one.
And freedom of speech? I was at the Düsseldorf Karneval. There were floats mocking every single politician you can imagine, Weidel, Merz, the Greens, everyone, in ways that would probably get you arrested for public indecency in some US states. Meanwhile, in the country that's been lecturing Europe about free speech for the entire past year, late night shows are being cancelled and universities are losing funding for not following the government's narrative.
And here's something most Americans don't even know exists: if I'm German and I get sick while visiting the Netherlands or I find a specialist I trust in Sweden or Belgium, I can just go there and get treated, for free, exactly like a local citizen would. No paperwork nightmare, no massive bill waiting for me when I get home. Just healthcare. That's 27 countries where I can get taken care of as if I were at home. Try to explain that kind of freedom to them. They keep lecturing us about freedom. But, we're living it!

Europe, Australia, New Zealand people work to get most out of their lives, America they work to stay alive.

For european investors Usa is just some other China.

We spend a hell of a lot of time making time to do things for everyone else but we don't put the same effort into making time for ourselves

I can assure you, you are not free in America. Indoctrination begins early followed by decades of misinformation and changing of historical facts to place America in the best light. Post WW2 order has been set up by America to benefit American hegemony. Trump has been successful in exposing this by using it as political and economic weapons. The light is on now though and the world can see the reality.

Me a native European, taxed at 50%, treated like a criminal in my own country. Expats pay 30% – people who walk in without a passport pay 0%, get free houses and care and light to no sentencing for crimes. YOU'RE WELCOME.

In former times the US had slaves .... nowadays they still have them but call them consumers - deep in debt and locked into their 60 hr job without good payment ... have fun over there - greetings from the EU !!

Well as a German I can only say we we're never free. Germany is a top down state and it Always was. Authority is overwhelming , the Media controls the narrative and you are not free to say or even think what you want. You will loose your Job or go even go jail If you dare to have an own opinion that goes against the set narrative.

And it's not even 9-5.. hasn't been in a long time. I don't know why so many of us still say that. It's more like 8-5 or 9-6 (if you get a total of a full hour in breaks through your shift). Lord knows those breaks aren't on the employer's dime (certainly not any I've worked for, anyway). So yeah... take that and THEN add in commutes (mine was an hour each way, unless there was an accident, then it was longer) and you're looking at more like 11+ hours / day (55+ hours / week) for a "40-hour/week" job.

time and energy are not free in the land of the price on everything

THE ELITE brain wash the masses ( suckers who believe what others tell them) since THE DAWN OF TIME ! ex: religion, nationalism, materialism, vote matters ( LMAO) ,freedom ideology ( its a SCAM- freedom DOESN NOT EXISTS IN REALITY - its just a matter of possibilities and option) as NO ONE CAN DO WHATEVER THE FK IDEA crosses his-her mind any time !

HAVING A GUN .....d o e s n t m e a n u r free! IT MEANS other people CAAN also have a gun and posible a CRAZY dude can shoot you.... NOT GOOD SITUATION!

To quote rage against the machine: the land of the free? Whoever told you that is your enemy!

Like many others people we meet Americans people in our countries they friendly and wealthy so you think everyone is like this here . But here people are very different they need churches to have a healthy social life. I was rich with a German father that spoiled me. I was running a business of millions of dollars meeting bankers and executives and I have more shoes than Imelda Marcos the Filipino first lady. Here you have to do everything by yourself. A private housekeeper cause
Plenty of money . Everything cause so much money. The look down on emigrants now. Now i don’t care to talk to anyone. People here Hippocrates they religious fanatics anyway 😔😔😔

I have never understand why americans thinks, they have more freedom like us in Europe. We are REALLY free.

I would be arrested for what I post and say aloud if I were in Europe. I want my liberty

You're only as free as suits the government, any government.

Dont walk in areas where live bears. Firearms are banned in Europe. Etc etc.
...And knive attacks are more common than you think...

LAND OF THE DEAD

Europeans MADE american and still control it from a far. Simplest way to think about it is why would colonizers make their lives tough for themselves?

Enjoying nature does not make any billionaire richer, so it must be discouraged.

Man u have just voiced my understanding of life exactly, when u work u function when u walk and enjoy nature u live