I moved from NYC to Berlin about a decade ago, in my mid 20s. I'm never going back and I'm glad I made this call back then. I would say the older you are the ha

I moved from NYC to Berlin about a decade ago, in my mid 20s. I'm never going back and I'm glad I made this call back then. I would say the older you are the harder it is to adjust. I had a blast, while people I know who moved in their 30s have it much tougher. I miss America's food and diversity and dynamism. It took being here to learn that those things are real. I also miss true deep wilderness, something much rarer in Western Europe. What have I gained? A saner, simpler, more human-scale life. Pleasure. Security. Not having to hustle. Most of the misery I see in my friends and family in the US has material causes that barely exist here. Especially everything having to do with young children.