If you moved to another country… vent here

amother

Thu, Aug 05 2021, 2:59 pm

I moved from the US recently to a place in Europe. Not in Eastern Europe, a supposedly modern country. But, I feel like I moved back in time.

There’s no central AC, we had to install ugly portable ones

The toilets barely flush and after everyone uses it, it needs a good cleaning which is super gross

The appliances are tiny (fridge, freezer, oven etc.)

The dryers water tank needs to be emptied out after each use

The washing machine takes 2+ hours each cycle, but it’s so small, I need to do double washes somehow

There is no big grocery store, you need to go to 5 different shops to make one simple Shabbos (kosher grocery, non kosher superstore, butcher, fish store, wine store ect.)

The meats are terrible and hard and expensive, the chicken tastes like paper. (I think they are all imported). Anything imported from America is double priced and stale or spoiled.

Jewish appliances (hot plate, urn, kosher lamp ect), Jewish books, Judica, frum clothes ect. are prohibitively expensive. (And I understand why, there’s a much smaller market).

People aren’t quite friendly as they are back home

Anyway, there’s me venting. If you moved to another place and are having a difficult time adjusting, complain here.

(PS- I’m not looking for advice Wink

I’m happy here. Just venting a bit.)

amother

Hotpink

Thu, Aug 05 2021, 3:47 pm

I moved from the US. Where we live now, renting an actual house is so expensive, so everyone lives in apartments. Imagine having to walk down 10 flights of stairs and then back up on Shabbos and yom tov. Well, that’s me and my family! At least we’re losing weight.

Kosher food is limited. We’re from NY so of course, we are used to endless kosher options. What we do have is enough, though, and we’ve learned to cook more and get creative.

There is no Jewish school. There is a school that has Jewish education, but it is not an exclusively Jewish school. But along with this school and programs for children at the shul, we have been able to continue to have the same happy, healthy frum home that we had back in NY, just with a new set of challenges.

amother

Cinnamon

Thu, Aug 05 2021, 3:59 pm

I moved from Europe to the USA.
Funny that some of the things you mentioned I feel the same here!

Did you move to a hot country such as Spain or something? Because otherwise it’s not usually hot enough to make central air worth it. Growing up we never had AC. The one week a year it was above 70° we used fans.

Everything in Europe is definitely smaller I love my washing machine here for sure but sometimes I get so overwhelmed by the big-ness. It goes to everything from food to cars to house like no one is happy unless they have the biggest best most expensive. Europeans are much simpler.

Tri state does have conveniences I miss so much of the European foods though!
As for the supermarket that made me laugh because when I moved here I felt the same! I had to go to this store to get this item and that store because the other item is better there. Even now to get a decent shop in with good quality items that won’t break my bank I have to shop in a few places.

I guess it’s all what you’re used to. There are some products here I still haven’t used. And don’t plan to - I import the ones I like from Europe by way of family parcels lol.

Eta: I don’t know what country you moved to but the European countries I know are all So so friendly and in the tri state where I live now I find everyone so rude and caught up in themselves or their Immediate friend circle from school.

Raisin

Thu, Aug 05 2021, 4:07 pm

You can go to an appliance store and buy a large washing machine and dryer, and a large fridge and freezer. My washing machine has a million cycles ranging from 15 minutes to 2 hours. American style fridge freezers are crazy expensive in Europe, like 1500 euro, but there are excellent other types of fridges for a third of the price. If you are renting - rentals in the USA often come with small fridges. Many people in NY live in tiny cramped apartments with no elevators too. Many people in Europe live in spacious houses.

Its definitely what you are used to as well, as previous amother said. I live in a western European country with limited kosher food options. But we manage bh and never go hungry. The produce I can get is amazing and when I go to NY where I have family I am shocked at the prices of things like fresh fruit and olive oil, we definitely have a better and cheaper selection.

But, yes, tough to get used to a new place. IYH you will figure it out and get the right appliances.

amother

Thu, Aug 05 2021, 5:01 pm

amother [ Cinnamon ] wrote:

No it’s not a hot country but there are hotter days in the summer. I can’t sleep at night without it.

I’m not used to European food honestly. I miss Gourmet Glatt 😞 Food is very expensive here.

It’s definitely what you’re used to! I find Europeans very polite but cold, very different from the US.

amother

Thu, Aug 05 2021, 5:04 pm

Raisin wrote:

I’m sure you can but for a price, but I’m renting now. My freezer is so small I can’t cook anything in advance. I will iyh buy a freezer. My rentals in the US all had nice sized freezers. We are never hungry we’re just eating different foods.

There are great bakeries here, much better then in the US, but no normal bagels or donuts.

amother

Thu, Aug 05 2021, 5:07 pm

amother [ Vanilla ] wrote:

I've lived in NY all my life and never had central AC. Neither do my parents, in laws, grandparents, and many others I know. I didn't know that central AC is a given.

Right, but I’m sure you had units. We have an officially luxury rental apartment (it’s is beautiful and modern) and are paying top price but it didn’t come with even AC units.

amother

Vanilla

Thu, Aug 05 2021, 5:32 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Right, but I’m sure you had units. We have an officially luxury rental apartment (it’s is beautiful and modern) and are paying top price but it didn’t come with even AC units.

So you buy AC units. Where do rentals come with AC units? I've lived in several rentals and currently in a rental as well and I bought my own AC units. Never heard of an apartment coming with AC units or all appliances.

amother

Forestgreen

Thu, Aug 05 2021, 6:11 pm

Going anonymous cuz I kvetch about this in real.life..
Moved from us to a south american country.
Everything was a shock
Culture
Language
Mentality
City dwelling ( im from oot)
Small apartments
Crowded streets
Pollution
Small variety of.kosher
Etc.
Took me a really long time to get used to.it.
Even harder for a person like me who hates change/is introverted by nature.
With time I have adapted to some of the changes: the smaller version of appliances, the less need for everything supersized and brand named, the less stuck in an electronic universe, less takeout.
More family bonding, more homemade meals, More focus on friendships and less on style/fashion.
Take the good. Try to ignore the bad..
And go back home.to.visit every so often.

amother

Thu, Aug 05 2021, 6:47 pm

amother [ Forestgreen ] wrote:

Thanks for your part, I can so relate! I’m also coming from a town to a city. It’s really hard to get used to.

amother

Thu, Aug 05 2021, 6:48 pm

amother [ Vanilla ] wrote:

I got it. We don’t come from the same planet.

Raisin

Fri, Aug 06 2021, 5:31 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Right, but again, I rent. I never heard of such a thing before I moved here. My machine kept on saying “water tank full” and I wasn’t sure what to do 😊

Hope you figured it out. My mother has one of those, once you know what to do easy enough.

Definitely get another freezer, they shouldn't be too expensive.

We don't have a/c but honestly we don't need it, fans are perfectly adequate. In NY we had window a/c units.

As for friendliness of people...each country is different from each other. Hard to comment on that without knowing where you are.