Given WW3, should we cancel Europe travel plans

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I am currently in Western Europe visiting family and there are American tourists everywhere. Nothing is going on here, no one is yelling at Americans on the streets. If you were wearing a Trump hat, maybe?

I just returned from Italy, Greece, Malta, and Tunisia. No issues, no problems. They're all happy to see tourists who are interested in their countries and who are contributing to their economies by visiting. Nobody native is particularly invested in what's going on in the ME.

So you took a cruise. Just say that.

Because the transportation method is relevant? Jealous much?

Ha, no. Quite the opposite. Cruises are awful. We are in Europe now, and everyone mocks the cruise ship crowd.

NP. Agree, cruise ships are awful. But you’re just part of a different horde in the same place, spending vacation time on DCUM trying to feel superior. Not a great look.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am currently in Western Europe visiting family and there are American tourists everywhere. Nothing is going on here, no one is yelling at Americans on the streets. If you were wearing a Trump hat, maybe?

I just returned from Italy, Greece, Malta, and Tunisia. No issues, no problems. They're all happy to see tourists who are interested in their countries and who are contributing to their economies by visiting. Nobody native is particularly invested in what's going on in the ME.

So you took a cruise. Just say that.

Because the transportation method is relevant? Jealous much?

Ha, no. Quite the opposite. Cruises are awful. We are in Europe now, and everyone mocks the cruise ship crowd.

NP. Agree, cruise ships are awful. But you’re just part of a different horde in the same place, spending vacation time on DCUM trying to feel superior. Not a great look.

Sorry but try again. We spend half the year here. Also a dual citizen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am currently in Western Europe visiting family and there are American tourists everywhere. Nothing is going on here, no one is yelling at Americans on the streets. If you were wearing a Trump hat, maybe?

I just returned from Italy, Greece, Malta, and Tunisia. No issues, no problems. They're all happy to see tourists who are interested in their countries and who are contributing to their economies by visiting. Nobody native is particularly invested in what's going on in the ME.

So you took a cruise. Just say that.

Because the transportation method is relevant? Jealous much?

Ha, no. Quite the opposite. Cruises are awful. We are in Europe now, and everyone mocks the cruise ship crowd.

NP. Agree, cruise ships are awful. But you’re just part of a different horde in the same place, spending vacation time on DCUM trying to feel superior. Not a great look.

Sorry but try again. We spend half the year here. Also a dual citizen.

LOL at the PP's troll fail.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am currently in Western Europe visiting family and there are American tourists everywhere. Nothing is going on here, no one is yelling at Americans on the streets. If you were wearing a Trump hat, maybe?

I just returned from Italy, Greece, Malta, and Tunisia. No issues, no problems. They're all happy to see tourists who are interested in their countries and who are contributing to their economies by visiting. Nobody native is particularly invested in what's going on in the ME.

So you took a cruise. Just say that.

Because the transportation method is relevant? Jealous much?

Ha, no. Quite the opposite. Cruises are awful. We are in Europe now, and everyone mocks the cruise ship crowd.

NP. Agree, cruise ships are awful. But you’re just part of a different horde in the same place, spending vacation time on DCUM trying to feel superior. Not a great look.

Someone is grumpy and needs a vacation.

[Anonymous]

I am not thrilled about flying overseas but honestly I would feel safer in Western Europe than in the US right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not thrilled about flying overseas but honestly I would feel safer in Western Europe than in the US right now.

Me too — flying in a week. On a 787. Wish I was staying home in a way, but it will be nice to get away and avoid the news for a bit.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:It's not airbnbs - US has a ton of them. It's that Americans are moving entirely to Europe and buying up property only Americans can afford, away from locals.

The airbnbs often are owned by locals and a source of income - it's business there just like it is in the US.

It's really that Americans are leveraging lax immigration systems and moving to Europe and taking advantage of their way of life because the US has gotten out of control with costs, culture and the slimeball running the show here. That is what is ruining Europe for everyone except Americans.

I know 3 families that will be relo to Europe before end of yr and renouncing American citizenship without a second thought. They are going to Portugal, Spain and France. All have family ties/hate Trump and realize there's only more pain to come in the US. Europe isn't perfect but it is def a simpler lifestyle and there is a freedom there now that you really are seeing less of in the US.

Why would they renounce their US citizenship?? Those countries and the US allow dual citizenship.

b/c the us, unlike other countries- forces all Americans who are NOT plutocratic "job creators" to pay the insane amount of income tax with nothing to show for it- I mean you get nothing to show for taxes when resident on the US as well but its especially galling as an ex-pat.

I would be interested on an update on these families in a few years, particularly viz. health care experiences and children’s assimilation to schools.

How is that relevant and why do you think this would be interesting?

In principle, there’s an inherent contradiction in US tax policy. You tax foreign residents on their income earned here on the basis they use US services, but then you also tax Americans living overseas who use no services. I say ‘in principle’ because I think it’s frequently a ridiculous bureaucratic obligation whereby the taxpayer has to lodge a US tax return but then claims credit for the taxes paid overseas (?) effectively negating any US tax liability.

Just interested, that’s all. I’ve heard some negative anecdotes about healthcare in Portugal and Spain, massive DCUM favorites. Schools were a surprise to someone I know and not in a good way. Grass isn’t always greener.

There are always negative anecdotes in both directions, ie foreigners not happy with schools or healthcare here and Americans not happy with them in other countries. But they are just anecdotes and often reflect the circumstances and expectations of those particular people. I guess the test is whether people decide to stay in whatever country they are in. For example, there have been various threads here before disparaging British healthcare and yet there are almost 250,000 Americans living there. They wouldn’t stay if, on balance, they didn’t prefer it there.

estimated about 10,000 Americans live in Portugal and about 40,000 in Spain, where is almost 250,000 live in the UK.

Yeah, they don’t use the NHS, go private pay and they also fly back home for treatment. DUH

Unless you’re speaking from experience then why comment?

NP - It is easy to dispute the argument that Americans "prefer" British public healthcare, when anecdotes and data show that they usually buy their way out for anything complex. Just because they live there doesn't mean the healthcare matches ours. And yes, I have experience there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not airbnbs - US has a ton of them. It's that Americans are moving entirely to Europe and buying up property only Americans can afford, away from locals.

The airbnbs often are owned by locals and a source of income - it's business there just like it is in the US.

It's really that Americans are leveraging lax immigration systems and moving to Europe and taking advantage of their way of life because the US has gotten out of control with costs, culture and the slimeball running the show here. That is what is ruining Europe for everyone except Americans.

I know 3 families that will be relo to Europe before end of yr and renouncing American citizenship without a second thought. They are going to Portugal, Spain and France. All have family ties/hate Trump and realize there's only more pain to come in the US. Europe isn't perfect but it is def a simpler lifestyle and there is a freedom there now that you really are seeing less of in the US.

Why would they renounce their US citizenship?? Those countries and the US allow dual citizenship.

b/c the us, unlike other countries- forces all Americans who are NOT plutocratic "job creators" to pay the insane amount of income tax with nothing to show for it- I mean you get nothing to show for taxes when resident on the US as well but its especially galling as an ex-pat.

I would be interested on an update on these families in a few years, particularly viz. health care experiences and children’s assimilation to schools.

How is that relevant and why do you think this would be interesting?

In principle, there’s an inherent contradiction in US tax policy. You tax foreign residents on their income earned here on the basis they use US services, but then you also tax Americans living overseas who use no services. I say ‘in principle’ because I think it’s frequently a ridiculous bureaucratic obligation whereby the taxpayer has to lodge a US tax return but then claims credit for the taxes paid overseas (?) effectively negating any US tax liability.

Just interested, that’s all. I’ve heard some negative anecdotes about healthcare in Portugal and Spain, massive DCUM favorites. Schools were a surprise to someone I know and not in a good way. Grass isn’t always greener.

There are always negative anecdotes in both directions, ie foreigners not happy with schools or healthcare here and Americans not happy with them in other countries. But they are just anecdotes and often reflect the circumstances and expectations of those particular people. I guess the test is whether people decide to stay in whatever country they are in. For example, there have been various threads here before disparaging British healthcare and yet there are almost 250,000 Americans living there. They wouldn’t stay if, on balance, they didn’t prefer it there.

estimated about 10,000 Americans live in Portugal and about 40,000 in Spain, where is almost 250,000 live in the UK.

Yeah, they don’t use the NHS, go private pay and they also fly back home for treatment. DUH

Unless you’re speaking from experience then why comment?

NP - It is easy to dispute the argument that Americans "prefer" British public healthcare, when anecdotes and data show that they usually buy their way out for anything complex. Just because they live there doesn't mean the healthcare matches ours. And yes, I have experience there.

Absolutely nobody said they preferred British healthcare. I also have experience here and have American friends that live there. I happen to have happily had two babies under the NHS but wouldn’t presume to speak for 250,000 Americans who lived there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m also in Western Europe and there have been no issues. We are not traveling in a large American group but have told people we are Americans and most are very nice. I think we’re probably safer here than back home in DC. Am worried about terrorist attacks at home.

This is us too. Same experience. Coming home later this week.

[Anonymous]

Don’t go.

[Anonymous]

Travelpeoole Trumps going to. Destroy us do it now while you have the money

[Anonymous]

According to the Washington Post, WW3 will be in 2027 in the western Pacific. So one should be fine in the ME for now.

[Anonymous]

The state department just issued a worldwide travel warning. https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2025/06/23/travel-warning-flights-iran-israel/?utm_campaign=wp_the7&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F434480b%2F685a82ecd0a89a008541b7ef%2F59f3f1ee9bbc0f5649a71722%2F18%2F106%2F685a82ecd0a89a008541b7ef

[Anonymous]

I mean, if there is going to be a World War 3, life as you know it may end, permanently or for many years. So you might as well enjoy it now! What if this is your last year of normal life? Do you want to spend it cowering and worrying?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean, if there is going to be a World War 3, life as you know it may end, permanently or for many years. So you might as well enjoy it now! What if this is your last year of normal life? Do you want to spend it cowering and worrying?

Absolutely not. But I don't want it ending early on a hijacked plane, either. Nor do I want to be kidnapped. Or whatever.