Five Greatest Advantages of Living in Europe

Introduction

Life in Europe is completely different from life in Latin America. Although European countries are very different from Latin American ones in terms of geography and architecture, what differentiates them even more is culture, with each country having its own distinct cultural identity.A country or continent's culture, with everything it encompasses, largely defines that country's identity and life within it, and I believe it's precisely these cultural characteristics that make Europe a dream place to live and enjoy a good quality of life.There are countless reasons why I believe moving to Europe was the best decision I could have made in my life, even though I made it when everything in my life was going well in Colombia. After traveling throughout Europe, talking to people living in different European countries and around the world, and having lived in 4 countries (Colombia, United States, France, and Belgium), I believe the 5 greatest advantages of living in Europe, especially compared to living in a Latin American country, are the following:

1. Security

Most European countries are very safe. I've been living here for more than 6 years, in France and Belgium. I've walked home alone at 5 am after parties in Paris, lived alone and with unknown roommates for years, and not once have I been robbed or felt unsafe during all these years.Like in all countries worldwide, there are situations where it's better to be careful, such as watching your belongings in crowded tourist places like the Eiffel Tower, as you could fall victim to pickpockets without realizing it. But that's the worst you might fear, and you can be certain you won't risk being held up, or that if you take a bus or taxi, you'll reach your destination with all your belongings.Since living here, I've learned that I can talk to strangers and end up becoming friends without fearing they might harm me. I've also left behind habits like looking over my shoulder while walking on the street or hiding my belongings in public places or when getting into my car for fear of someone breaking a window, and that has changed my life.I wasn't even aware of how bad it was to live in fear due to insecurity because that was the "normality" I knew. But since I stopped living in fear and started living peacefully, I began to value that peace and feeling of security above all else. Now that I'm a mother, and knowing how much my mom suffered every time I went out partying or for drinks with friends in Bogotá, I know with even more certainty that my place is here.

2. Government and corruption

Most European countries have government policies that not only allow you to see the results of the taxes you pay but also make you feel supported by the government in different situations.Taxes in many European countries are high - you end up paying a good portion of your salary in taxes if you're employed, or your earnings if you're a business owner or self-employed (just like in American countries). The big difference is that we see little to nothing from the taxes we pay in Latin American countries, where we still have to pay for everything we want to do.Among many things, there are 4 main aspects that make me see the government as an ally in most European countries, unlike in Latin American ones:

• Security and infrastructureSecurity is guaranteed by the government and it works. Infrastructure systems, public transportation, and other things work very well, and you can rely on them. Additionally, public parks are clean, well-maintained, and you don't risk anything by visiting them, so they truly are public spaces that can be enjoyed.
• EducationIt's free and accessible to all people residing in the national territory (even undocumented minors in the country can access free education) and of the same quality for everyone, which allows all people to access basic education, guaranteeing them a better future that translates into security for the territory. Also, regardless of your socioeconomic status, your children will have guaranteed education of the same level for everyone, because even private international bilingual schools that charge for education must follow by law exactly the same program, content, and quality of education and evaluation as all public schools, regardless of the neighborhood they're in.Furthermore, higher education is very accessible, almost free, and of very high quality.
• HealthcareBasic healthcare is free regardless of your socioeconomic status, and it's very high-quality healthcare with quick and efficient attention times.
• Government assistanceAt different moments in life, people feel supported by the government. Some European countries provide assistance to pay for studies for those living in the country (even foreigners), also for paying student rent, there are unemployment benefits that ensure if you lose your job, the government continues paying around 80% of the salary you earned as an employee. Even when you have children, you can feel financial support even without needing it, through birth bonuses and/or family allowances.

3. Professional Opportunities

The European economy is more stable than Latin America's, which can make it easier to find work or create a business in Europe. In qualified jobs, there's an important market where opportunities are not lacking in most fields of work, and in unqualified jobs, there's a much higher demand than supply, which makes it very easy to find these types of jobs.Additionally, because there are less closed circles as class differences aren't as marked (and it's not the same 4 surnames always in power like in our countries), it's much easier to network in a professional context and do business building your business network from scratch.

4. Quality of Life

Salaries are good in most European countries and allow an average worker in a normal job to have a middle/upper-class lifestyle compared to LATAM. A person earning minimum wage in most European countries can cover their basic needs and enjoy certain comforts.Additionally, the cost of living related to salaries has a good ratio, which allows people with normal jobs to travel or afford certain luxuries that would be impossible with an equivalent job in a LATAM country.

5. Mindset

"You work to live, not live to work."In America in general, we have a mindset of working hard to be worthy of benefits that are basic in Europe, and here we'll expose some of the main differences where this is evident:

• Distances and commutesIn most American countries in general, not just LATAM, cities and places are designed for people to travel long distances and spend a lot of time commuting. In Europe, the mindset about this is different, and nobody travels far for their work or studies. Additionally, public transportation and cities are designed for people to opt for solutions other than cars, thus reducing traffic and jams as well as distances.
• Work and study schedulesIn most European countries, people work around 7 to 8 hours daily, which are respected, and people prioritize their family life. A normal work schedule in France or Belgium, for example, is from 8:30 am to 4:30 or 5 pm, but it doesn't extend beyond that because everyone, including business owners, respects these schedules and ends their workday.This mindset of balance between professional and personal life starts from school, where in countries like France and Belgium, children study 4 days a week, from 8:45 am to 3:15 pm, so they have all afternoon for other activities, and they have in the middle of the week (Wednesday) a rest day where they only go to school for 2 hours to do sports or recreational activities. This also means that in all companies, there's the possibility to work 4 days a week for those who spend Wednesdays with family.
  "In Europe, people work to live, not the other way around."
• VacationsBoth in studies from a very young age and in work for adults, there's a mindset of enjoying life that I really like and contrasts greatly with American culture.In America, people are programmed to work extremely hard to be worthy of rest. In the USA, workers have 10 days of vacation per year, in Canada and most LATAM countries, it's 15. That means less than a month of vacation per year.In most European countries, annual vacation for workers is around 30 days per year, which means at least a month and a half of vacation per year, for 10 and a half months of work.This mindset of prioritizing enjoying life comes from childhood, where in most European countries, children have 2 weeks of vacation every 2 months.This means that every two months, families have at least a few days of family rest, and it allows children, on the days they don't travel during those two weeks, to do other activities and develop new skills.Despite this very different study rhythm (or perhaps thanks to it), education in Europe is of very high quality, much more than in LATAM where we start school at 6 and 7 am and have long study schedules and vacations only twice a year.Furthermore, due to the strength of the European Union currency (€) which is even higher than the American dollar, and because Europe is small and has such different countries with different cultures, food, and languages close by, people in Europe have great cultural richness and enjoy rest periods to take city trips and vacations very often because visiting other countries is never very complicated or far away.

Conclusion

For these reasons mainly, I believe Europe is a very good place to migrate and build a different life. I'll never know how my life would have been in Colombia, but I'm sure it wouldn't be the same as I have in Europe, and whenever I look at the life I've built and my family and all the moments we share together, I confirm once again that coming to live here was the best decision I could have made.