My wife and I aren’t STEM Ph.D’s, but we are indispensable for the day to day operations of critical infrastructure. If Europe ever gets their shit together…we gone.
There are a number of problems I have, so I won’t list them all. I work with and for European companies and Europe based teams daily. Many of the business and work cultural differences can be challenging. Because I am not planning to start or continue my career at the current pace there, this isn’t a deal breaker.
I am, whether MAGA likes it or not, as American as it gets. I am VERY mixed race with a combination of black (Ghana and other west african countries because, slavery), hispanic (memebers of my family tree settled in Florida ans Louisiana before the US was a country), white (French, Italian, Dutch, and Irish), and Native American (18%, detectable only via DNA test, but it would be from one of the Florida tribes). This means that I am a person or color who, when you meet me, you can’t figure out my ethnicity. Guesses have included hispanic, Roma, mediterranean, middle eastern, Italian, etc…
Contrary to stereotypes, I have never had a problem with racism in the US, and I grew up in the south (Florida, Louisiana, and Texas) and travel all over the country. That is, unfortunately not the case in Europe where I have always been made to feel, at the very least, as “other” due to my ethnicity. American, sure, but also other. Most of the time, it wasn’t subtle. Side note: Being called a “fucking paki” in London was a first for me. Also, I wore a suit in Greece and some of the client staff and my waitress at the restaurant all thought that I was Saudi. Random, but OK.
Countries I am primarily interested in are Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and France. My wife (European) scratched out Norway and Sweden and added Austria. Main client is German and they really want to lock us in and move us to our choice of France, Germany, Ireland, or Austria. In every country I listed except Ireland (never been) and France, I’ve felt racial discrimination. The French just disliked me for being American, not my skin color, which is understandable. Sadly, there’s no way to fix racism overnight, but the rise of hate towards immigrants across Europe does give me pause.
Heavy handed regulations also give me pause, but I understand that it is also one of the things that keeps QoL high in Europe. So that’s a me problem.
Ultimately, what prompted my comment was none of the above. Europe should be able to wield a lot more sway in the world stage. If the EU ever gets their shit together and starts acting like a truly unified block, they would be a true force. Europe needs a cohesive armed force to quickly and decisively respond to threats like Russia. Not a coalition. A unified armed force. Europe needs to negotiate, as a unified entity, with China and the US. 100% tarrif on French wine? Fuck you Trump, 200% tarrif on all American products across the entirety of the EU and a five year plan towards a full ban on American products with the help of our new partnership with China. Test us, you orange buffoon. Instead, European countries still go at it basically alone and leave themselves vulnerable to predators like Putin and Trump.
I understand the downvotes, but I’m not shitting on the EU. I should have my EU passport by summer. I just lament the painfully wasted potential and fear the instability that a pissing match between the US and China could bring to a Europe that is not truly united. That’s why we haven’t committed to a European move.
My wife and I aren’t STEM Ph.D’s, but we are indispensable for the day to day operations of critical infrastructure. If Europe ever gets their shit together…we gone.
You can stay, it’s fine, the EU will do just fine without.
What type of shit needs to be more together for you?****
Like what shit and what country?
There are a number of problems I have, so I won’t list them all. I work with and for European companies and Europe based teams daily. Many of the business and work cultural differences can be challenging. Because I am not planning to start or continue my career at the current pace there, this isn’t a deal breaker.
I am, whether MAGA likes it or not, as American as it gets. I am VERY mixed race with a combination of black (Ghana and other west african countries because, slavery), hispanic (memebers of my family tree settled in Florida ans Louisiana before the US was a country), white (French, Italian, Dutch, and Irish), and Native American (18%, detectable only via DNA test, but it would be from one of the Florida tribes). This means that I am a person or color who, when you meet me, you can’t figure out my ethnicity. Guesses have included hispanic, Roma, mediterranean, middle eastern, Italian, etc…
Contrary to stereotypes, I have never had a problem with racism in the US, and I grew up in the south (Florida, Louisiana, and Texas) and travel all over the country. That is, unfortunately not the case in Europe where I have always been made to feel, at the very least, as “other” due to my ethnicity. American, sure, but also other. Most of the time, it wasn’t subtle. Side note: Being called a “fucking paki” in London was a first for me. Also, I wore a suit in Greece and some of the client staff and my waitress at the restaurant all thought that I was Saudi. Random, but OK.
Countries I am primarily interested in are Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and France. My wife (European) scratched out Norway and Sweden and added Austria. Main client is German and they really want to lock us in and move us to our choice of France, Germany, Ireland, or Austria. In every country I listed except Ireland (never been) and France, I’ve felt racial discrimination. The French just disliked me for being American, not my skin color, which is understandable. Sadly, there’s no way to fix racism overnight, but the rise of hate towards immigrants across Europe does give me pause.
Heavy handed regulations also give me pause, but I understand that it is also one of the things that keeps QoL high in Europe. So that’s a me problem.
Ultimately, what prompted my comment was none of the above. Europe should be able to wield a lot more sway in the world stage. If the EU ever gets their shit together and starts acting like a truly unified block, they would be a true force. Europe needs a cohesive armed force to quickly and decisively respond to threats like Russia. Not a coalition. A unified armed force. Europe needs to negotiate, as a unified entity, with China and the US. 100% tarrif on French wine? Fuck you Trump, 200% tarrif on all American products across the entirety of the EU and a five year plan towards a full ban on American products with the help of our new partnership with China. Test us, you orange buffoon. Instead, European countries still go at it basically alone and leave themselves vulnerable to predators like Putin and Trump.
I understand the downvotes, but I’m not shitting on the EU. I should have my EU passport by summer. I just lament the painfully wasted potential and fear the instability that a pissing match between the US and China could bring to a Europe that is not truly united. That’s why we haven’t committed to a European move.
It’s pretty “funny” how (pale) europeans have no idea how racist europe is. Imperial bubble.
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I just bumped into Poe’s Law.
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Honestly you had me until the Venetian streets lol, it’s getting harder and harder to distinguish between trolls and actual idiots unfortunately.
Psst. Do you like poutine and maple whisky? Have I got an idea for you!
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