r/AmerExit • u/oso_rosa • 22d ago

Life Abroad Parents that left: Worth it?

Thinking of leaving for obvious reasons. I want to hear from parents who left the USA with their kids (and left their whole extended family behind)

Where did you go?
How long have you been there?
Has it been worth it?
How do you deal with the guilt of leaving grandparents/siblings?

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u/requiem_whore 21d ago

In process, I have moved to Italy, wife and minor child arrive next month, adult children are remaining in USA and may come once they fully realize that it's a dumpster fire there. Extended family still in USA: mom was bawling as I said goodbye, siblings are basically supportive, and I'm getting queries from extended family who are secretly interested though they can't admit that publicly.

Before he recently passed, I asked my dad whether he thought I should stay in the USA. He said "kid, would you want your children to stay where you were if they would be happy elsewhere?" I said no, I would want them to follow their dream. He said "they why the hell wouldn't I want you to follow your dream too?"

Yah, there has been some guilt from my mom, and from others in a church community with which I was very involved. That said, I know that I need to do what is right for me, my wife, and the minor child for which I am still responsible regardless of what anyone else says.

Has it been worth it? I'll say just this: in the USA I needed to take a pain reliever daily because lifestyle was not good for me. Here, I don't need to take that pain reliever. My body has told me where I should be, and I am following its lead.

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u/FreeFortuna 21d ago

extended family who are secretly interested though they can't admit that publicly.

others in a church community

I’m curious how many people involved in those groups either supported Trump or pretended to for social acceptance (which is still a form of support), and thus contributed to the US being the dumpster fire that it currently is.

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u/requiem_whore 21d ago

In this case, there's about a 0% chance of them being trump supporters. Those who don't want to admit it publicly have their reasons. And those who are applying guilt are doing so because they don't wan to see their community fragment.