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Hot Topic 🔥 Full coverage and conversation on Politics Recently, someone on Reddit asked, "People who moved outside of the US solely due to Trump being elected, how are things going? What actualized pros and cons have you experienced?" The responses were thoughtful and wide-ranging. Here's what people said: Note: Some responses have been edited for clarity. 1. "Moved to Taiwan, which honestly feels like a mix between a mini-Japan and a democratic version of China. It’s modern, safe, and incredibly convenient. Public transportation is world-class — subways, buses, and even intercity trains run like clockwork, and everything connects seamlessly. "Daily life feels easy. Healthcare is cheap and efficient — a quick visit rarely costs more than $10. People are friendly but mind their own business, and there’s a strong sense of community without the nosiness. English is common enough in cities that you can get by, but learning a little Mandarin makes life smoother. If I had to name a few downsides, summers are brutally humid, and bureaucracy can be slow at times. Job opportunities for foreigners outside tech or teaching can also be limited. But overall, it’s one of the most livable, underrated places I’ve ever been." —phatlynx 2. "Left during his first term, moved to Zurich, Switzerland. My wife and I couldn’t be happier. We love this country, we love the city." "Quality of life is so high, I haven’t had to drive a car in seven years, and I can get anywhere, anytime conveniently with some of the best public transportation in the world. Oh don’t even get me started on the Alps. Learning German has been really time consuming and difficult. My wife is learning much faster, really proud of her. That said, it’s really, really rewarding when you can have conversations with the old couple with the cute dog because you can speak their language now. It’s something that makes us both proud, but we have so much further to go with it. We’ve made amazing lifelong friends. But you always miss your family. Weddings, baby showers, you miss them, it’s hard, it’s sad. But if your family is supportive and has the means to occasionally visit, it’s easier. Watching the US from afar is weird. When you’re the only American in your friend group/among work colleagues, you end up being asked to explain what’s going on and how it could be happening. Europeans are much more informed on America's news than vice versa, in my experience. So these things come up a lot. Lol, European memes in group chats about whatever insane thing is going on in the US." —StuffyDuckLover BuzzFeed TrendingHot Topic Let's chat about all things Politics See our Politics Discussions 3. "Got a job offer in Spain right before the election results were announced, and arrived the day he was sworn in." "Pros: Basically everything. Cons: The bureaucracy can be slow and downright unhelpful at times. Not being fluent in Spanish was stressful the first couple of months. I miss root beer. Wouldn't change a thing, I love it here and want to become a citizen." —Foxgirltori 4. "Moved to the UK in 2018. We probably wouldn’t have had kids if we stayed in the US due to fertility issues, but we have two now since it is drastically cheaper in the UK. Raising a family here is great. Not having to worry about guns. Not having to worry about healthcare. Childcare is affordable. Food is a lot cheaper. Public transport is great." "I do miss American culture and food. I miss the weather (CA vs Lancashire). We plan on moving back within a few years to be closer to family, but it’s getting harder and harder to imagine living in the US again." —cinnamindy 5. "My daughter left. Chose to attend college in Canada after the first administration, then went for her Masters there after Roe v. Wade was overturned, and then she just stayed." "She's doing great, works in a healthcare field so her job is stable, and she never intends to return." —FortuneTellingBoobs 6. "I got my Australian Citizenship in 2016. Always was thinking of potentially moving back to the US but those thoughts pretty much died in 2024 and I’m not coming back in the next several years." "Pros: Work. I work a lot less than I would in the US for a lot more money. Four weeks of paid holiday is nice. My retirement funds are set up automatically without me thinking too much about it. I can’t just be laid off without getting some compensation. There’s a lot of work stuff that’s better. Healthcare. Last Xmas, I contracted some virus that put me in the hospital for two days. Wiped me out completely and was doing a number on my immune system. The hospital I went to sorted me out great and literally the only interaction I had with payment was one woman coming over to me asking for a copy of my Medicare card. Didn’t pay a thing. Lifestyle. It’s much more relaxed. I don’t want to earn millions of dollars. I’m happy with working and saving and making a decent living and as a result, I finish off work and get to go to the beach or head to the pub with friends. It’s easier down here. Cons: I’m far from family (and everything). My mom had a health scare earlier this year and if I dropped everything immediately, it still would have taken me two days to get there. If I want to go on a quick weekend away in a new city my choices are Melbourne, Brisbane, or Auckland, because everything else is at least a five hours flight. Visa laws. It took years to get my visa sorted, even with a supportive employer and an expensive immigration lawyer. Friendlier people. I don’t think many people recognize it but Americans, as a group, tend to be friendly people that actually want to make friends. When I go back to the US, I can have a conversation with a random person at a bar and if we get along, sometimes a friendship can form. That’s really hard to find in Australia. I like the US but, in the past decade or so, I’m happier and happier I moved away. It feels like the world is moving on while it just kept spinning its wheels. I always enjoy going back and seeing family and friends and visiting new places but I can’t live or work there anymore." —Zerogravity86 7. "Moved back home to Asia. The biggest pro? My stress baseline dropped." "The biggest con? Realizing leaving doesn’t fix how connected we all still are to American influence, news, culture, and general insanity." —AznBunni444 ➡️ How's your life abroad amid the Trump administration? Let us know in the comments. 8. "Portugal is wonderful so far. I love my slowed down pace of life. So much less stress. I'm eating more healthy and am way more physically actively at 40. I'm in some of the best shape in my life." "Awaiting our resident cards at the moment. If we for some reason don't get 'em, as the government here unfortunately moved anti-immigration recently, then my wife and I might opt for Georgia, the country, instead of returning to the states." —badsp0rk 9. "Got my engineering degree and he got sworn in, I left the country as soon as the opportunity came. Lived in Canada with the intent to stay, and then my British boyfriend (and friend of over a decade) proposed to me and I moved to England. I remember my mom telling me back when I had the opportunity to get my first work visa, 'It's only going to get worse. I say if you have the chance, take it and get out.'" "I still vote. I still pay my taxes and my student loans. I am a poll clerk where I live now. I contribute, I have a decent life, and I always do my best to put my money back into the community and the environment here. I feel grateful I am where I am now. I am sad because I honestly wished for the day that America would be better, I wished for the day I regretted that decision. Because it would mean my whole family back home was safer and better off — that lots of people I love were doing better than me. I wish I could regret it." —Protect_Wild_Bees 10. "Moved to Germany. Culture shock is a real thing. Racism is different, more nuanced." "Pros: So much, healthcare, PTO (30+ days off!). I can trust the food I eat, no crazy overtime, and much more!" —vicatyx 11. And finally, "We moved to Canada (Toronto area). The most shocking part has been how many things are significantly cheaper here. I don't mean obvious things like health care, but like... coffee and so much of what's in the grocery store. My cereal of choice had gone up to $6.99 for a box. I just paid 2.99 Canadian for the same damn thing here." "OTC meds (NyQuil, pain killers) and other toiletries (shampoo, etc.) are more expensive, but given all the other savings, it's no big deal. We wait for sales and keep an on-hand supply. Before moving I was bombarded with, 'I moved to Canada and it was the worst mistake of my life' content, and in hindsight it really seems like a smear campaign. If you talk to Canadians they'll tell you how expensive things are, but post-COVID life got expensive everywhere, and I'm not sure they know that. Not even mentioning how calm things are and how little tension between people there is just out and about. Even if it was a net wash, we both feel better now that our taxes fund things that help regular people instead of military deployments to our own cities. One thing that concerns us is that conservative leaders here have adopted republican talking points. 'The country is broken / Our cities are hellholes / Brown people ruin everything.' This is all they're offering. No counter proposals, just snarky talking points and division. They're doing it because it worked in the US, and it's weird to see here." —Tufaan9 What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments. And if you left the US, tell us how life compares abroad.
