A Growing Trend of Leaving America

Expectations are the key: never promise paradise, as paradise doesn´t exist

Let´s face it: paradise means different things to different people. And it means excellence in every way. Caribbean countries (and make no mistake, Panama is one of them) are not perfect, they are laid back, disorganized, etc. etc. etc. But they´ve always been like that.

Also, you can´t expect to have what you had at home there and still get it for half the price. Remember, you considered leaving your country for a reason, so probably you weren´t too happy about it. So even at home you were not "living paradise" why would you think that in a caribbean country you would?

Marketing experts are irresponsible at highlighting the word paradise, I´m sick of hearing right left and center, whether it is Panama, the newest resort in Asia or just the new restaurant next door. It is all about expectations. With the right expectations and openness, Panama has a lot to offer. You can have a cook, a maid and a chofer for less than $2,000. People are friendly, and it is by far a great country to explore, with mountains side by side with beaches, 7 ethnic tribes, Spanish descendants mixed with africans. No political correctness here, everyone is mixed. Everyone dances reggae, salsa, merengue and anything that sounds like fun... because it is a Caribbean country and partying is a big part of it. Not planning, not thinking ahead. They are loud, they move their hands when they speak. They´ll smile or not, they´ll call you names immediately and it doesn´t mean they want to hurt you, it means that if you are fat you should be called "gordo" and that´s it. I personally know a guy who fried his eye cooking by accident and the next day he was called Frito by the neighbors. Frito means fried. Next day, he was calling himself frito. And this is a true story.

You can not apply your rules to foreign places. You have to be flexible, open your eyes and accept it is different. Once you do and if you like it like that, then you make a move. Not before.

And, please, keep the word "Paradise" off the internet and off your mind. The only Paradise that lasts and is perfect, that doesn´t "wash out" by human inperfection is the one you carry within you, and if you don´t have it there, you won´t find it anywhere.

Initiative

A well written, researched and thought provoking article. I enjoyed reading it and found it informative. Moving abroad is something I have been considering of late.

Unfortunately, the responses posted here do not address the articles viewpoints and appear to be written by individuals with very poor English/spelling & grammar skills, and are intent on America "bashing." I'm sure they will not find happiness anywhere else in the world either. Success begins with INITIATIVE!

My assumption is, these disenfranchised, disloyal persons are not succeeding in America because they lack even the most basic fundamental of being an active part of any society or culture anywhere in the world. Being; learn and master the written & spoken language of your host country! A 40 year old American who cannot even spell? Disgraceful. Good luck in Dubai or Rio or wherever you think it's going to be easier for you!

Artist

I am a well educated artist designer, I desire to leave America because of racism mainly. I feel that no matter what I do, no matter what I achieve or produce, it is deliberately ignored. I am tired of the lack of opportunities and the blatant discrimination I experience here everyday. I can't get a job, I sit and watch less experienced people reap the rewards of this land based on skin. And then I am blamed and called a whiner for saying anything about it! My experiences abroad compared to here have been like night and day. I went from being filled with much hope and appreciation for this land to despising it. The situation in this place is getting worse and I honestly feel unwanted, unappreciated and unwelcome here. The bottom line is that America doesn't care and is filled with so much hate that it can not even see the positive and financial rewards in embracing its own talents. The frighting thing for me is that leaving America seems very difficult. I do feel trapped here. American citizenship offers little to no pull abroad as far as immigration goes. I may dump my citizenship, it is a drastic but possible solution to this nightmare that I have been living in this country. In the past 5 months I have been stopped and searched and accused of being a criminal a total of 12 times. For me, America is Iraq or Beruit. I am not a criminal, nor do I look like one. I wear Izod shirts for peats sake! But it doesn't matter any more it seems. To hell with this place.

Racism will destroy this land in the end. America is also a horrible, horrible place for intelligent and creative single men. It truly is an anti-male man hating society. Thus another reason for its downfall is set in that reality as well.

Leaving America

I am leaving America to go to France for political, economic and social reasons contrary to this article. I am very well educated and experienced however I need more then just material items. America, as I have studied, has an abundance of immorality base in individualism, capitalism, consumerism and materialism that has degraded its dignity to extremely low levels. The lies prevalent in the implimentation of Neoliberal economic policies of American elites murderes millions of innocent people around the world in the name of maximizing profits through coporatist imperial projects (Iraq, Colombia, Argentina, Nicaragua, Mexico, etc...) using average citizen's taxes while returning none of that profit to the average citizen while reducing the average american's standard of living. Please read Noam Chomsky's:"Profit before People".

Could Use Your Help

I feel like I am going crazy here. I am about at the end of my rope. I long for Islands and palm trees, and water like I have seen in the Carbbean. I gave up an electrical business in New Hampshire because I was tired of the hustle and bustle. I reside in GA and the only thing I like is the weather. I have nothing, own nothing, I am married and almost 40 years old. I am flat broke and jobless. I keep telling my wife that I am dying here and have to get out of this country. Is there something wrong with me because I think of being a towel boy, setting up lounge chairs and serving bucket of beer to tourists all day long? Others would think so. Like all of you, it is to much to handle; bad economy, high prices, low wages; I feel lost and think of getting out of here on a daily basis. I am trying to plan my escape, but I am not sure how I will do this. I don't know where to begin. Could anybody give input? Hey Nightmare, Could you give me more input about Thailand? I did a report last week for one of my classes and it sounded pretty good. I would love to hear about it first hand.

email (plandry3@hotmail.com)

I jumped Ship

I came down here to Panama last year on vacation and all I saw was opportunity. I returned to NY and sold what I could, gave away what I could and then shipped what was left the very next month. Since arriving I have written a book and now I have started a visitor guide to Panama (www.fipanama.com).

In my experience Panama is similar to the old NY Lotto commericials from my impressionable youth, that stated all you needed was "a dollar and a dream."

Leaving

After 16 years of living in the US (my parents brought me here to get a better life) my wife and I are taking off. Leaving this place.

Why? I grew up in Europe, a place where freedom really rings, a place where you can send your kids to College for free, where you get free healthcare and five weeks paid vacation is mandatory. This is what I want for my family. These basic fundamental needs of anyone who would like to stride towards a good life.

I have a good job here, I make good money, enough so that my wife can stay home with two kids, it took me years to get to where I am, simply because I couldn't afford a better education. With two kids, I know I won't be able to send both of them to College. With raising prices of education and health care this country doesn't want to host people like myself. This street however works both ways - I don't want to support a country that in turn will not help me raise my kids.

Then of course is the issue of taxes... not that they are high, but what exactly do they support. Thousands upon thousands of bombs, bullets, tanks and land mines that daily kill thousands of innocent people world wide. How can anyone live with that on their conciseness and not think about ways of not supporting it?

Am I running? No, I am not running, I am just tired of living in a place where the most important thing is who did Paris Hilton do last night and what new reality drama can our boob tube come up with next? If it's not on TV, it never happened!

I want my kids to learn geography in school... I want them not to get arrested or fined for hanging out at a park after dark. I want them to have things to do BEFORE they turn 21...

anyway... we are leaving.. reasons are countless...

Little surprise-- many old friends, acquintances live in Central Europe, South America

This doesn't surprise me in the slightest. Over half a dozen of my old friends have emigrated from the USA. They're fairly apolitical people, but the recurring failures of the system we have here (both liberal and conservative) have definitely factored in and pushed them to seek opportunities elsewhere.

I'm from a techie background so perhaps unsurprisingly, two of my friends have emigrated to Germany and another to Graz (in Austria near the Alps). If you're a skilled professional, such as an engineer, computer scientist, researcher or entrepreneur, Germany/Austria/Switzerland is probably the best place in the world to work and raise a family. Quality of life is stellar, cities are clean and livable, schools are outstanding. Yes, taxes are somewhat higher there (though not as much as people often think), but you *get* something for those taxes-- in particular, some of the best schools and universities in the world, great public transportation and so forth. Plus, you get paid in Euros. [In fact, you don't necessarily have to be a big-time professional-- even blue-collar workers and craftspeople, e.g. carpenters and plumbers, can emigrate there, especially if you have some Nordic/Germanic (Scandinavian, Dutch, English, Polish, Baltic as well as German) ancestry.]

Another is now living/raising kids in Italy (Italian ethnic background). Another is in Dubai, another in Chile, still another in Montevideo (in Uruguay), one in China (originally Chinese-American), and still another in France.

Interestingly, not a single one has gone to Britain-- apparently, the UK is an overcrowded, litter-strewn, yob-ruled mess at this point straight out of an Anthony Burgess novel. Also, Australia doesn't seem to have registered-- truthfully it's pretty remote, and cost of living can be nasty there (and getting worse-- Australia is drier than the Sahara and the droughts are even more severe with environmental changes).

Most of my friends say it's a pretty good idea to learn German if you do anything techie-related since German is such a big technical language across Europe (especially in the east), and the Alpine nations are such great places to raise kids overall. French and Italian can be useful too depending on where you go, and obviously Asia will increasingly be a land of opportunity.

Freedom from Rednecks

From President Bush on down to all of those rednecks in Jesusland, it is nice to be abroad and free.

Bahai Feminist Police State America

It is sad how America has deteriorated to the point where Middle Eastern radical religious terrorists are writing our laws. Case in point the Iranian based "religious" group The Bahai Faith who don't believe in Heaven, that the "proper" image of God is that of an Iranian woman and that Bahai feminist women should have men on leashes.

Their cell in America is the Tahirih "Justice" Center (in Fairfax, VA - the hub of the majority of Middle Eastern terrorist cells in America) which receives millions of our tax dollars (yes it is true) for their jihad of changing American society to THEIR liking via laws like IMBRA (google it) which make it illegal for American men to say to non-Bahai foreign women if the man is still in America that is.

Of course our "honest, honorable" politicians can't give them our tax dollars fast enough. Kickbacks anyone? These people would hand over the USA to Osama Bin Laden if the price was right.

It is like giving Osama our tax dollars to teach his followers how to crash planes into buildings. EXACTLY the same.

If you are a heterosexual male, I suggest figuring out a way to move to ANY foreign country ASAP while you still can. Go outside the USA and meet a REAL woman to spend your life with. ANY country (except North Korea and possibly other USA/China-type police state countries) will do.

If you are female, I suggest throwing away your Bible and wearing a burqa because that is where you are going to end up with this Bahai Cult that has so much power in Wash, DC.

Oh yes, I'm NOT kidding in the least. I wish I was kidding, I really do.