Anyone ever move to Europe from the US?

If so, how difficult did you find it to be? My girlfriend and I would like to move there next summer after we finish up school. We will both have valuable degrees so I think we will have enough points. I think Europeans are incredibly laid back compared to Americans, and I would like to experience Europe for a few years. Also, their salaries for my particular degree are much higher than here, (I can start at 80-100k). Anyway, if anyone has done this, and has any input, I would love to hear it.

 

Well it could be a simple process, but I think you will probably need to have a foreign company offering a job to you before you go. I don't believe you can go over as a tourist and then just decide to stay. The U.S. does have many jobs overseas also. You can look at www.usajobs.com for samples.

My wife is Canadian, we applied for her to become a permanent resident of the U.S. in February 2001. We were married in May 2002. She received permission to enter the U.S. this past May. We celebrated our 3rd anniversary 2 days after she got here.

Now before everyone starts calling her a communist terrorist: a. she's worked for a upper crust stuffy insurance company for the past 20 years of her life, and b. This is just how backlogged immigration is due to 911, and she is a Canadian neighbor with a spotless record.

Now the government wants everyone that crosses the border to have a passport, well lets see.. I want to take the kids to see the Canadian side of Niagara Falls.. 4 passports thats $300 dollars, wait an extra year, because the State Department is backlogged beyond belief processing millions of passports... oh forget it.. we'll just ask the Canadians to shut off their side of the falls like they did for us years ago

 

Can I ask where in Europe you are thinking of living? believe me the culture is so different from one country to the next and there is so much to see, I have lived in Europe all my life and still find places of beuty to see regularly You must try the German Xmas markets they are like, well I will let you find out for yourself LOL

Good Luck with the move

De Orc

 

My family is dual nationality, and we have the passports to prove it, and that is real fun when you cross borders particularly into the USA. I remember one such incident at Niagara Falls, and on the USA side. I have don't remember in any of the times I have been to Canada ever having a problem, even when we had my niece with us and no note giving permission to leave the country with her.

But back on topic here, I have considered for some time to move to Europe, either preferably France. There are many aspects to consider before just jaunting off to another country, particularly since many European countries are rather stringent with immigrants now due to the fact they have had many "illegals" from North Africa, Turkey etc. If you have a good position with a corporation etc, you have a definate foot in the door. A willingness to accept the culture is another factor. I think you should pursue this with an open mind, but also a timeline of say a couple of years for the experience, which is what I have set for my France adventure. The reason for the timeline is to leave an open door if you find you do not acclimate after awhile.

In Europe the food is better, the drink is better, and the fine arts are far better. Now one wonders why I believe we should live in France?

 

If you are venturing to France plese try to go to somewhere other than Paris LOL try Lille a superb city and great food and cafe life want the sea then try La Rochelle a wonderful Micro climate and the Food travel is easy in France and if you try to speak the language (dont matter if you murder it, you will find the folks very helpful) You must visit Brittany beutiful scenery lovely towns and Cider LOL not forgetting the FOOD

De Orc

 

Actually we are on the same track of thought, I was thinking more to the south, but still by quick rail into Paris when I want to visit the shrine of the Louvre. I have never ever had a problem with travelling in France, I have spoken some French for a long time, and as you note, if you try you will find people are quite accomodating and even friendly.

Actually France has more potent drinks than just cider, ie Kronenbourg Beer, some fine cognacs, Grand Marnier etc.

 

I'd like to live in either germany, france, or the netherlands. I have spent substantial amounts of time in all of them, and find them to be wonderful

 

On that note, I might offer that you consider also the part of the country you want to live in. Particularly I notice in Germany, it is a fairly good sized country there are differences in regions as far as culture etc. You might find some areas more appealing than others, or living rurally more applealing than living in large cities such as Hamburg, or Bremen etc.

I myself would prefer to live in Bavaria if I were to live in Germany.

Another country, high on my list is Italy, northern Italy.

I wonder if they allow Russian speakers there?

 

Leave your alarm clock, toaster, electric razor, Stereo, TV, etc. at home I especially loved Katie Wolfharts in Rotenburg Ob De Tauber.

Bone

 

Actually you can take them, that is if you want to zap them out on 220

 

Käthe Wohlfahrt stores can be found in the US and Japan too. They have one near Minneapolis, MN.

As for electricity, in the EU we have 230-240 V and 50 Hz, so for some electrical devices you will need converters. Others, from razors to cellphone chargers, can handle both 110 and 230 volts.

But those are minor issues, I think. In order to get a job in the EU you will usually have to be an EU citizen. As KV wrote, if you are sent or hired by a US company, that is a different story ...

Christian

 

cognacs if you go to Dunkirk they brew a very potent Xmas Ale that is very dark and the taste
Now Amsterdam has a Beer shop with more beers than I care to try to mention LOL and the Pancackes are superb you must try the Brown bars there.
We go to Germany every year for the Xmas markets this year its a week in Munich and lots of nice dunkle Bitter & meter long sausages musnt forget the soups either LOL
Spent quite a bit of time in Northen Italy in my youth and loved it, there use to be the best Pizza shop in the world just outside Milan Central train station and the Grappa in your coffe on a freezing cold morning was a god send LOL

De Orc

 

I believe that on the work front you can still apply for a work visa here in the UK but you would need a sponser.

De Orc

 

I moved to Eindhoven, Netherlands during 1987-88 on a work related contract with Philips Research. I really enjoyed it and learned a lot. I worked for a UK based office of an American company. I spent a fair amount of time in England, and I liked it there the best. The prices and taxes of both countries came as quite a shock. Especially as my local counterparts earned only half as much as I did BEFORE income taxes. The prices of almost all goods were very high compared to US prices during that time period. I would definitely like to live there again, but I'd have to earn a lot of money or else live much more conservatively. Not sure what European or UK economics are like today...

 

I know it is pretty difficult to enter, but I will have a degree in food science, from one of the best schools in the world for my major (2nd). It's actually a really scarce degree, only 16 per year at our school, and much less for most other schools, and some companies in the netherlands have shown interest in having me as an employee, so I hope I'll get in!

 

I have some friends that are moving to Russia. I have seen pictures of the place they are going, and it looks a bit like Minnesota or North Dakota. It is 90 miles south of Moskow and 70 miles east of Kurst. I have never been to Russia, Ukraine, or Poland. What do you guys think about eastern Europe?

 

Best I can do is East Berlin and then only for the Ice Hockey, but what I seen did not inspire me with confidence lots of drab gray buildings then more drab gray buildings the people were fine bit dour but hell been comunist for so long can you blame them!!

De Orc

 

We visited Budapest a few years ago and thought it was pretty lively. Russia. I don't know. I recently talked to a computer guy that is working in Moldava and other eastern European areas, and he seemed pretty positive about the experience. I know some others that took the train across the continent to Vladovostok. They thought that was pretty cool. Still don't know.

 

Have only been to EE as a tourist so far, but I think there are tremendous differences. (By the way, a Pole would rather be considered a Central European than an Eastern European ...) Areas such as Poland, the three "Baltic" countries, Czechia or Hungary should be fine. With elderly people you may run into problems if the only language you speak is English. If you primarily deal with younger people, that should not be a major issue.

Russia and Ukraine I have not been to yet. Ukraine seems to be quite an interesting mix of "old establishment" vs "new democracy" at present. I would be quite skeptical about Russia, but it may be OK for a limited period of time.

Christian

 

My family is part Ukrainian, and we speak Russian at home. While we were in Ukraine, in some areas you have to be very discreet about speaking Russian, Ukrainian speakers take serious exceptiont to it now. I have been learning more Ukrainian, so that to some extent it is becoming more familiar.

The old establishment and new establishment that Chrisild refers to really does exist, but it goes beyond politics and delves into the realm of religion, language.

It is hard for Ukrainians growing up speaking Russian, but knowing they are Ukrainian to have to all of a sudden change everything, especially the language.

Personally, since we think we are pretty well informed about what is going on in Ukraine, I don't things are going to get better and I do NOT expect the Government of V. Yuschenko to be in power much longer, there are just too many problems and too many people that thing they can fix them. He has already fired a populist of Y. Tymoshenko, she has a quite large following in UA.

If it weren't for the twisted up government and other issues, Ukraine would be paradise, it is a large, and beautiful country, and is warm on the Black Sea(Chornoye More)