The Problem with Americans Moving to Europe
Video Overview & Insights
I'm all for moving abroad, but there are some things Americans should consider first. Grab your Paris Passport along with a copy of my new book at https://jayswanson.me/preorder 📚
So basically the europeans that came to America said it best... "it's more free over here and u don't have to push yourself down amd get judged all the time for everything "
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USA has blood on its hands. Don't break the world, and then expect to move around and live freely, Wise Up! You are not welcome in Europe anymore.
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Americans only move to the major cities, which raises the average prices and pushes out locals
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They can move here , buy a house then leave one year later after selling their house with a loss .
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Just picked up "Sea of the Unknown" on Audible - looking forward to listening to your journey!
https://bio.site/jayswanson
My name is Jay Swanson - I'm an American writer living in Paris since 2017 with an earlier stint in 2012. Paris (yes the one in France) has been my home long enough that I finally earned French citizenship in 2024! You can see the vlog about my French citizenship ceremony here: https://youtu.be/e4fl9D0oUso
I can't imagine moving to another country and then thinking I would just remain the same, and expect everything to be familiar. I mean, isn't that counter to the purpose of wanting to move abroad? I want to move to Europe (in particular Finland) in order to experience things from the perspective of another culture. I want to learn how to speak another language fluently (which is hard to do if one remains in their native country). It's fascinating to see differences, and embrace them as the variety of what is possible. Also, I think sometimes there are certain "quirks" of one's personality which never quite meshed with their native culture, but yet happen to be more suited to the "foreign" culture. As if perhaps you used to live there, in a past life.
I write science-fiction and fantasy, vlogged daily for 3+ years, and love pizza a little too much. Now I make videos about visiting Paris on my second channel @paris.in.my.pocket and put everything else here on this channel: life in Paris, traveling in Europe, and trying to share what I've learned along the way. I hope you enjoyed what you found.
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wow, great visual with those cups -and how do you cut the cheese - idea for a video yey
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Maybe say "slice" instead of "cut cheese"? Just a thought. Pfffrrrrt!
More User Perspectives
To Americans who move abroad:
1. Please stop shouting!!!! (Y'all are way too loud everywhere in public.)
2. Stop saying "Oh my gaaaawd it's soooo cheap!" (Consider that it's not that cheap for us with local salaries!)
Never become French , jamais !!! Just keep your Roots and try to turn Paris in a cosmopolitan City , Bonne Chance 👍
@robertfredericks316Dude, I get it, but you are roughly 20–25× more likely to be killed by a gun in the U.S. than in Western Europe. Our government is killing citizens in the streets and our country is no longer a democracy. We were a melting pot to many europeans fleeing for a better life in the past two centuries, so please be understanding if some of us show up unprepared and have to slowly figure it out on the fly.
@_M_NLearn the language, be acceptant of the new culture around you and not just tolerant of it.
@neilbower9052I don't think you are allowed to put commercial stickers in your passport.
@Misses-HippyVery meta.
@pauladuncanadams1750Not enough leaving to make an impact. Housing still pricey and no inventory
@Ssm197pHello . France is a peaceful country . You won't be disappointed . We are warm-hearted people . 🌿☀️☀️🌿
@hexagone360Il existe une solution simple
@FriandalasaucisseIf you were a loser in the US you are going to be the same loser if you move overseas. You will just be a loser who can't speak the language.
@RidleyHolmes-sr2twDo you try to be explainatorial or running a Barnum & Bailey show in this typical US American loud mouth style.
@BrunoDenys-j1yPeople in France will "love" this.😂
@AlienshadeIn the case of France the Americans are the 5th nationality moving to France. A 15% increase between 2024 and 2025. The top 10 represents 50% of the new comers and they come in that respective order from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, China, USA, Afghanistan, Ivory Coast, India, Senegal and Cameroon.
53% of the Americans who moved to France during that period were students, 17% workers.
I don't understand Americans that turn their noses up because the food is different. 😂 I became a fat American from eating too much Asian food (Thai, Indian, Vietnamese specifically), not from cheeseburgers. Give me all the different foods!
@rabbitprojectorOMG, that cup analogy was everything. Bravo! 👏👏
@BaguetteBoundThe problem with Americans moving to Europe is that they've left America 😝.
J/K...Americans with open minds, liberalism, a desire to experience, adapt and learn will always be welcome.
Those who are deeply immature by virtue of bigotry, prejudice, racism, intolerance, hatred and patriotism...you folks need to stay right where you are.
Please don’t. I fled Americans as much as I fled the system.
@rupertfergussonI’m an American living in Paris. I have to say coming here was probably one of the hardest things I ever did. I had my French wife to help me through the process, but the bureaucracy was unreal. And there were moments where I thought “this feels like a Third World country”, but there were other moments where I appreciated the sheer beauty of everyday life here.
The point about having a very particular type of personality is very important. I had the benefit of living in North Carolina, Miami, and New York City, and now Paris. Each time I moved I stayed the same person. Same values, same personality. But along with that, I adopted new routines and ways of seeing opportunities. Ways of adapting and appreciating the new. I think you have to have a strong personality to make a big move like this or you become just another kite blowing in the wind with trends and a revolving door of random people in your life.
Now I do not regret our move. Building a new life here with my wife has been a real adventure. For anyone out there who is considering such an incredible life decision. If you feel in your heart of hearts that it’s the right thing to do just do it and stop planning. Take a leap and you won’t regret it if you do it right.
America is so much better for living than Europe
@mindpilotthepilot9140Remember you are a guest in a new country, you dont own it lol
@LavenkerishXXOn one of our early exploratory trips to Paris, we visited The American Church bookshop and discovered a book entitled "Bloom Where You're Planted".
You embody the title of that book.
We bought our flat back in 2017, but didn't move to Aix full time until September 2018, and haven't been back to the US since (No kids, no family that we want to see, and reasons).
We've made new friends, we've adapted to French culture, and don't expect France to adapt to us.
Nice video, Jay! I think we heard a lot of what you said before moving abroad but it might not be something you have to do to really realize what you're saying. Nice packaging of an interesting topic though! 🙂
@HamiltonsInSpainReally good video. Makes total sense. Well done 👍🏾
@everydaycarryandtechWe chose the middle-road: Edinburgh, Scotland. While dual-citizenship helps with the paperwork, familiar language, culture, law, and history smooths out the transition. Thanks for the video!
@TheDeadbone1961Originally from New Orleans...been in France over a year now. Retired in the south of France/ Cagnes Sur Mer
@tikilanichols8023As someone who lived in Europe for 4 years, these are wise words.
@stephenmoerlein2576You do You Jay! We Love You! You’re our Hero, Bon-vivant! Did I just butter that? Anyways ‘ya know what I mean.😊😊😊❤
@karenhurtado604Great analogy with the cups! You're speaking to the reasons why I love to travel so much. ..The need to see yourself in other cultures and to respect the cultures at the same time. It also explains why traveling can feel so uncomfortable & edgy sometimes - when you "just don't get it" with what is going on around you.
@RedHeadAgentWhat is important for Americans moving to Europe is, to fully understand and embrace, accept and adapt to the culture, mentality, language, laws and rules of the country they are moving to. Otherwise it won’t work. You won’t be accepted, maybe even rejected and won’t feel happy there. Also what is important to know is, that European countries are much less conservative and much less prudent as the US is! Also there are hardly any cults and brainwashing going on in Europe, not like in the US. Europeans also respect others privacy, lives and democracy much more, than Americans do. Europe is a completely different world!
@MissRed92837Jay: am currently in 2e....and tired of Montegeuill etc...any secret cafes? Or faves?? Can we buy you a coffee??
@mimig6511It's true that there is a double standard. You only had ONE SINGLE GUY get peeved at you for learning French but having an English YouTube channel. If you were a native speaker of an Indian language and you were jibber-jabbering on the streets of Paris filming in THAT language, a whole ton more people would be disgusted and asking why you can't assimilate and just become exclusively a French speaker. And it wouldn't be limited to Westerners. I can even imagine East Asians having the same feel.
@parasitiusYou are so right. I am French (from Paris,) and live in the Deep South, and it’s not easy… the culture is so very different. I have been in the US for many years, but I still feel like a foreigner, (even though I have dual citizenship) plus people here constantly ask me where I am from….
@75mitsouDude, if you can share philosophy while walking your dog on the streets of Paris and collecting your dog's poop, you're french-french... don't be shy about it ;)
@ericfavre2301What takes sooo much time, when in a new country, is to figure out what stuff in the grocery stores you will like, and learn a language enough to be able to read ingredients list. You will always be shortcoming language wise and be looked at strangely or with pity. You will always be a bit confused. All very tiresome.
@HarmonyGraceElohimThis is the best video/advices. I am French and I have lived in the US for decades and the same can be said to anyone from any nationality coming to the US to live. We are so proud of our heritage, we don't realize how misplaced and boring it can be to the locals and that's when they are nice and open minded. I am thinking of going back to France and I will need to buy your book, things have changed so much, I can use all the help I can get.
@Nadine-xv1krWhat you say is both true and true — true for Americans, but also for Indians, and Chinese and Russians and all others.
I know those from other nations who have emigrated to France and who also must try tomremain aware of these truths.
Are there elements that are more tied to Americans ?
I wish I had all these people leaving when I was a renter for 14 years. More people moved in my town and my rent went up, and up, and up and up. I wonder if rent is going down now with all these people leaving?
@Danvader1There is no better culture than French Culture!
@PUMPADOURWe need skilled workers in Europe. Especially in Sweden
@tyrsno9309Coffee to go is still a NON NON !
@RazinskyTesakLove every bit of this video!
@insidejetJust read your first book and loved it…I really look forward to the 2nd one.
@jeangehring5831