Things I Miss About the U.S. After Living Abroad

When you live abroad, there’s an unspoken understanding that you’re likely to become a talking point at an American dinner party—not because of any wild adventures, but because people will ask you the same three questions over and over. One of the top contenders? “What do you miss about the U.S.?”

At first, I thought this was a question about reflection or homesickness. Turns out, it’s mostly about curiosity: Can someone really live without Costco, Tex-Mex, and one-hour delivery for toilet paper?

After moving from New York City to the Czech Republic in 2019, traveling across Europe for a couple of years, and finally settling semi-permanently in Italy, I’ve gained experiences that allowed me to provide a comprehensive answer.

So here’s my official list of Things I Miss About the U.S.—the things I end up repeating every time someone asks.

Spoiler alert: These aren’t groundbreaking revelations, but they’re mine.

1. Friends and Family

Let’s start with the obvious one because I’m not a monster. Yes, I miss my friends and family. They’re probably the only compelling reason I’d ever consider moving back to the U.S. (don’t worry, I’m not.) Luckily, my situation isn’t as dire as it could be. I have other family members in Europe, my parents are big on international travel, and some of my friends have even met up with me on trips. Still, no amount of meme swapping can replace sitting around with your best friends at a bar or showing up for someone’s random Tuesday birthday dinner.

2. Doing Anything and Everything Online

If you’ve ever cursed the DMV, let me tell you: that’s a luxury compared to old-school European bureaucracy. Here, you can’t just whip out your phone to renew your driver’s license while waiting in line for coffee. You need physical documents—and you’d better guard them with your life. I went decades without ever needing my birth certificate for anything. Now, it’s at the top of my desk drawer, ready to be whipped out for something as trivial as a coffee machine purchase (only kind of kidding).

Copies of your passport, utility bills, and any random sheets of paper I’ve been given at city hall appointments all have to be meticulously filed and presented at a moment’s notice. Every time I’m standing in a long line clutching my “existence papers,” I miss the U.S.’s obsession with digitizing everything.

3. Grocery Stores

American grocery stores are a whole experience. They’re aesthetically pleasing, they’re well-lit, and they’re designed to make you buy things you didn’t even know you needed. While European stores focus on the basics (“we’re here to sell you food, not a dream, give us your money and get out”), nothing compares to walking into a Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s and feeling like you’ve just stepped into a lifestyle brand.

The product selection in Europe? It’s doable, but it’s minimal. We cook a lot of Asian food at home and regularly plan trips to a specialty Asian market in Rome or Naples because our local supermarket doesn’t carry coconut milk or lemongrass. So, we’ve adapted: Big hauls every few months, and a lot of creative substitutions. Still, I can’t help but dream of one-stop shopping.

4. Free Water at Restaurants

Europe has some excellent water, but you’re going to pay for it. After a few years, I’ve leaned into this reality. If I’m shelling out for water, I might as well get sparkling (and yes, I DO enjoy it). But I do miss the days of endless glasses of free tap water, refilled without asking, at every restaurant in the U.S. It’s a small thing, but it’s one of the most common “small things” you don’t realize you’re taking for granted until it’s gone.

5. Parking Lots

Let me tell you about the time I gave birth in a Czech hospital with approximately 40 parking spots for the entire facility. I’m not saying parking is perfect in the U.S. (I lived in NYC, I know the struggle), but at least you can count on certain places—like hospitals, malls, or grocery stores—to have designated parking. Here? Street parking is the norm, and you’ll spend half your life circling for a spot.

6. Mexican Food

Good Mexican food, that’s more than just tortilla chips and sad salsa, in Europe is like finding a unicorn. Sure, we’ve had some decent burritos, but nothing compares to the glorious abundance of Mexican restaurants in the U.S. While living in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, we could walk down the street and pick from dozens of amazing spots. Here, if we want Mexican food without making it ourselves, it’s an event—a special trip, a bit of luck, and adjusted expectations.

7. Variety of Beer

This one’s for my husband. In Europe, beer is simple. You’ve got your pilsners, lagers, and ales. Want a stout or an IPA? You’ll need to go to a specialty store or craft brewery, if you can even find one. We’re spoiled in the U.S. with the sheer variety of craft beers, and my husband still gets wistful about it every time he orders the same standard beer for the hundredth time.

8. Quick Restaurant Meals

Dining out in Europe is an experience, and that’s great when you’re in the mood for a long, leisurely meal with a friend you haven’t seen in years. But sometimes, you just need to eat. Fast. In the U.S., you can sit down at a restaurant and be in and out in under an hour. Here, expect to wait 15+ minutes just to get a menu (particularly true in Italy, France, Spain). Takeaway has become our go-to if we’re in a hurry, but I still miss the convenience of a quick sit-down meal.

9. Chips

Paprika-flavored chips are barely a flavor, and they’re no substitute for the dazzling (and practically toxic—but we’ll pretend that’s not true) array of flavors you’ll find in a U.S. grocery store. In Europe, most countries keep it simple, except for the Netherlands (shoutout to the Dutch for embracing potato innovation). If you’ve ever stared at a wall of Lay’s in America and thought, ‘Who even needs this many options?’… well, try living without them.

I Couldn’t Even Come Up with a #10 Reason

So, what’s my point with all of this? None of these things are deal-breakers. They’re small, personal (based on my unique experience) inconveniences that highlight how much culture shapes our daily habits.

If you’re asking me this question (“What do you miss about the U.S.?”), I’m guessing you’re either:

(1) genuinely curious
(2) wondering if you could live without these things
(3) looking for assurance that America is worth sticking around in

To that, I’d say: Yes, you can live without them. And yes, it’s nice to know they’ll be waiting for you if you ever decide to go back.

For now, I’m staying put, even if that means hunting down coconut milk in a city an hour away or bringing my own water bottle to restaurants. The minor inconveniences are more than worth it when you consider the bigger picture.

Living in Europe has granted me a richer quality of life—one that values time, relationships, and personal well-being over the relentless pace of American efficiency.

Sure, I miss the ease of doing everything online and the convenience of quick access to things, but the rewards of living in a place where life is savored, not rushed, make every small trade-off feel insignificant.

To any Americans living in the U.S.—could you live without these small comforts, or do you think you’d miss them too much?