If you go somewhere where the main language isn’t English, you should make an effort to learn the local language. Yes, there are places like the Netherlands where virtually everybody speaks English well, but not putting in the effort means you’ll always be an outsider.

Things are smaller outside the US: vehicles, apartments, kitchens, refrigerators, etc. It can take a while to get used to not having the same space you’re used to. Also, some devices like clothes driers are rare.

Europeans take recycling seriously. In some places you have to pay to throw away garbage, while recycling is free. But, recycling is sometimes a real effort, like there’s not a “glass and plastics” box, you have to take the clear glass to one place, the brown glass to another, etc.

Tipping mostly doesn’t exist. That means that if you go to a restaurant you don’t normally have one assigned waiter. Whoever is free will help you, which tends to speed things up a lot. OTOH, since they’re not working for tips, the waitstaff don’t feel the need to fake a smile, pretend to be your friend, etc. Some Americans think that comes off as unfriendly.

Electricity is more expensive (part of the reason for the smaller appliances) so sometimes will completely unplug things that an American would just turn off (like a TV).

Businesses don’t have the same convenient hours as in the US. In some places, like Switzerland, they almost completely shut down on Sunday. 24 hour places are much more rare.

The European take on freedom of speech is different. You are simply not allowed to say certain things. Some things, like libel laws, are much more friendly to the person who is the target, rather than the “free speaker”.

Oh, and smoking is still much more common in Europe, and it can be pretty disgusting. In the US it has been largely eliminated from public spaces, and smokers are confined to small smoking areas. Even in private homes people will often smoke outdoors either to be considerate or because their landlord doesn’t allow smoking indoors. In Europe, smoking is still common indoors in many places, and… ugh.

You’ll still be on the hook for US taxes.

There are languages other than English here

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Opening bank accounts can be difficult due to the reporting/spying requirements banks have on US citizens. Actually not just citizens , I think it is called US persons of interest or something like that. Anyway not all banks want to deal with that and will not allow you to open an account.

You have 90 days visa free to be in the schengen area(most of EU).

It may be better to apply for your Visa in host country rather than through a US consulate. It’s often much faster, and there’s no third party which imo is safer.

*It’s a one-way trip for your pets. At least last i looked into it the US doesn’t allow you to import house pets. So changing your mind will mean losing your pet. Speaking of bringing pets, that process is insane.

You WILL get homesick no matter how awful you feel about the US, it will take at least a year to go away.

The anxieties you bring with you from living in the US will take years to resolve.

You’ll need to get good at saying where you come from by referencing either New York City or LA.

FOR DIVERS:

Divers license discerns between automatic and manual transmission, trailer weights, and motorcycle displacement. There’s probably not a direct exchange so you’ll need to research for your discussing country. Your US license may be valid for a limited period after establishing residence.

use your turn signals at roundabouts. Yes, if you’re exiting left, signal left, if you’re exiting right, signal right. Always signal right when you exit. (Opposite for left hand driving) Optional if you’re diving a BMW.

Priority roads are a thing and right of may be different.

Right-turn on red may not be legal.

*Edit: the pets restriction may have been a covid era thing. Corrections

Well, as a European (i.e. good person), let me welcome you to the developed world. We’re not snobby or greedy pigs like the Americans that invented Nazis. In fact, no country in Europe has ever looked down upon another country, continent, or people. We’ve also never colonized any countries nor do we conduct joint military exercises and operations with the US, and we definitely do not benefit from the US’s foreign policy and interventions. All of our luxuries are home grown and have never been the result of our brutal exploitation of other countries that resulted in horrific dictatorships, genocides, and ongoing conflict. If I remember correctly from my free history class, we have never even been to war at all. Btw, we have real history over here. Yours only goes back 200 years and has nothing at all to do with ours. What do you guys even talk about in history classes? lol!

There is absolutely no crime here in Europe, only healthcare. The other day on our superior mass-transit system, my friend was held at stethoscope-point by a criminal that alerted him that he had a heart murmur. I actually get a free diagnosis every morning. I have like 78 km of diagnoses written on superior A4 paper. We’re also very cultured as we speak several languages, all European but still very cultured. There’s absolutely no racism or oppression. All of my roommates have been Roma, Arabic, or African. My neighborhood has scheduled to protest for more minarets all week since the government makes sure we have enough vacation days to insist on diversity.

Our food is so organic that it’s composed of only carbon. That’s it. When you go to a restaurant, the waiters pick their most European customers every metric hour and gives them money. That’s right; our waiters tip us. We recycle everything and have never contributed in any fashion to climate change, and we have never supported Putin for decades by purchasing Russian gas. We’re in no way upset that we contributed less to NATO than we agreed to, depended on the US to save our asses while we enriched Putin, and now are wondering wtf we’re going to do since we don’t have shit for a military nor our own fuel supply.

It’s about time you leave the US, who is 100% at fault for everything in the world and absolutely not an ally that serves as a scapegoat to compare ourselves against in order to distract from our bullshit.

Edit: I forgot to mention that our chocolate is superior, and there is absolutely no child labor involved anywhere in the production line.

• This depends on your destination, but you may need to unlearn the habit in tipping, as wait staff salaries are reasonable. Where I live it is common to enable the option for various services, but you’re never really expected to. I might tip if something was far beyond expectations with staff going above and beyond what is expected of them, but I usually don’t.
• Extremely simplified/rounded metric: 1 meter = 1 yard or 3 feet
• 1Kg = 2 pounds
• 1 gallon = 4 liters (a standard serving of beer is 0.5 liters. Sometimes 0.33)
• Almost everything carries some sort of tax. This is usually included in the price tag.
• 50mph = 80kmh
• most intersections don’t have a stop sign. Yeld for anyone entering from your right hand side (unless you’re in the UK or Ireland, where it’s opposite)
• Roundabouts are very common, but simple to learn. Think of it as a circular one-way street where you yeld for anyone already in it.
• Learn the difference between Europe, EU, EEA and Schengen Area. In most cases you may be safe presuming they’re the same, but there’s a difference that may be relevant if traveling between European countries.
• Most people speak English to varying degrees, but learning the local language is still very useful. Unless you’re going to Denmark. Nobody understands Danish.
• candy can be very different. European wine gum tastes very different from its US counterpart. The European version is of course far superior, and that’s an objective and unbiased fact.

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Which language do you speak? While many employer, especially in qualified field not working with public may accommodate English speakers, it’s not as universal as you may think.

In qualified job, expect a loss of salary, well a part of it is covered by healthcare, daycare, school and more but at least at my work rk US laboar is more expensive when budgeting projects

You’re an immigrant, expect to deal with all the associated bullshit

It’s not like we don’t have our share of far right politicians who hate everyone including themselve

There may not be an equivalent to Miranda Rights, namely a right to remain silent or guaranteed explanation of what rights you do have in the event of an arrest or other circumstances.

IIRC the UK can and will hold someone indefinitely if they refuse to talk. Which wouldn’t be as problematic if they could stop abusing anti-terrorism laws, particularly against protestors.

As US citizen you’re on the hook for US income tax. No matter where you live

When you get homesick and want to eat some American chocolate or whatever, you won’t find it just anywhere. You’ll have to go a special American store for that. You know, like one of those Asian markets, but for American stuff. Everything in there is also really expensive, so don’t expect to visit every day.

Unless you formally revoke your citizenship you’ll be required to file for taxes for the rest of your life.

1. The LAWS of that country. Just because it is legal to do in the USA, doesn’t mean that it is legal there. This is something that get visitors in trouble in other countries.
2. The Customs and Traditions of the people of that country.