If All European nations allowed US citizens to emigrate there, would you go?

[DFW]

41. They DO allow US citizens to emigrate here. They do NOT have the welcome mat out.

Unemployment here is usually higher here, so they are not beckoning. Many countries have worker-unfriendly laws (they claim they're the opposite) that make it nearly impossible for an employer to fire an employee. As a result, employers are reluctant to take full-time employees on, since it is so difficult to fire them if it doesn't work out. As a result, cruel part-time "trial" arrangements just get extended for six-month periods on end. You really have to prove yourself before getting a permanent position.

If you don't work for a European employer, then getting health insurance is complicated in many countries. When I moved to Germany, I went to a well-recommended insurance company for a quote. I filled out the health history, and due to my pre-exisiting condition, they quoted me €2500 a month. That is €30,000 ($37,000) a year. Kinda steep.

Language: yes, everyone knows SOME English. But if you want to live and work here (I'm in Germany) and speak no German, you will have about as easy a time finding a job as someone looking for work in Dallas who speaks only German. Know the language of where you want to move. Learn it BEFORE you go. Period.

Unless you have some cool international position they will accept as full-time employment, get a job lined up before you attempt to move. They will put you through the ringer for a residence visa and a work visa. They did that to me, and I had a steady job, US health insurance, speak fluent German, and am married to a German citizen to boot.

Be aware of local ways. Germany controls its citizens and residents far more closely than what we are used to. They have what is called here "Polizieiliche Anmeldung." You have to register your residence with the police in the town you live in, and tell them if you move away, and when you arrive in your new town, you have to do it again, tell the where you came from, where you plan to live, etc etc. When I told my accountant Dallas all the information the German tax authorities wanted about me, he said he'd get arrested for divulging that kind of info if he revealed it to any American authority. On the other hand don't expect the cops to get really active investigating theft, violent crime or white collar crime. They are more interested in car accidents or things that involve little paperwork.

And the weather sucks.

All that having been said, if you can handle all that, learn the language to a fair degree of proficiency, and find yourself a decent place to live, you will find friends quickly, have plenty of nearby cool places to visit, and LOVE the food. It's expensive to live here, so be prepared not to be able to afford everything you want. On the other hand, hundreds of amazing places are nearby. Germany, besides having many wonderful places to visit, borders on Denmark, Poland, Czech Rep., Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands. Less than a two hour flight from most anywhere in Germany to most of Ireland, the UK, Sweden, Norway, Croatia, Hungary, Spain, and Italy.

It depends on who you are and what your general nature is, of course, but I married one of the friendlier natives here (ask California Peggy, she knows), and haven't regretted it since.

So, make sure you REALLY want to to this before setting out to do it.

If not, hey, it's a nice place to visit..........