Why The US Makes It Hard To Leave (Even Temporarily)

Many Americans dream about living abroad, even for just a year. But for most people, leaving the U.S. isn’t as simple as buying a plane ticket. In this video, I talk honestly about why the U.S. makes temporary departure so difficult, not through laws or borders, but through the systems that quietly keep us in place. I reflect on: • How personal debt limits mobility • Why health insurance tied to employment discourages leaving • The emotional weight of family obligations • How U.S. tax policy follows citizens worldwide Individually, these might seem manageable. Together, they create a system that makes stepping away feel risky, irresponsible, or even impossible. This isn’t about blaming individuals or criticizing people who stay. It’s about naming the structural realities that shape our choices, and why feeling “stuck” is often not a personal failure, but a design feature of the system itself. If you’ve ever wanted to leave the U.S., even temporarily, and wondered why it felt so hard, this video is for you. #movingabroad #leavingtheus #lifeabroad #americanexpat #globalmobility