Many individuals dream of living overseas, whether it’s for a summer or to relocate permanently. In fact, a third or more of Americans would move abroad if they could, and many do. According to some estimates, there are around 4–5 million US non-military residents living abroad.

However, life is often unpredictable, and these expats occasionally return to the United States for various reasons, such as family or work, which provides them with an immensely intriguing perspective as they begin their reentry.

Take, for example, TikTok user Kayleigh Donahue, who was born in America. She is going viral on the platform due to her strong belief that returning to the United States after spending four years in Ireland was a mistake.

She returned to the Boston region. Kayleigh returned to the United States from Ireland to earn more money, but things did not go as planned.

Despite receiving a higher salary, the increased cost of living led to a decrease in her savings compared to her time in Ireland. She also missed the vast number of vacation days she had in Europe compared to America.

“I have been bamboozled,” she begins the now-viral video, which has over 600,000 views.

@kayshaynee popping off always #americanabroad #usavseurope #movingabroad #livingabroad #europevsamerica #fyp ♬ original sound – Kayleigh

Many people, including Kayleigh, migrate overseas, particularly to European nations, seeking a calmer pace of life, better work-life balance, greater travel opportunities, or simply to experience something new. But America is a place of opportunity, right? For some, that promise is always present, no matter where they travel. So, despite having a fantastic life in Ireland, Kayleigh decided to return home to develop her job and earn more money.

“Basically, I really got sucked into the American Dream way of living when I was abroad, which is funny because I loved living abroad,” Kayleigh told me. “But, you know, making more money is tempting. That is tempting. It is not true. It used to be. It certainly used to be. You could come here and make a lot of money and build a good life for yourself. However, the younger generation in our nation faces significant challenges. We have sold you a falsehood. It’s such a hardship, and the older generation doesn’t seem to understand how difficult it is for the younger generation here.

In the end, who wants to work more for a lesser standard of living?

“Needless to say, I will most likely be moving back to Europe, where 20-plus days of paid vacation a year is literally the law, and I will make less money, but somehow, you know, the cost of living is lower there, and I can save more,” Kayleigh said in the last segment.

Viewers cheered Kayleigh’s realization:

@kayshaynee so lucky to live this life🤍 #movingabroad #americanabroad #thenetherlands #europetravel ♬ Swing For The Fences – Elton John & Brandi Carlile

“Yes, I did the same error. Then I understood that people and the quality of life are more important than money. “Enjoy life,” one wrote.

“Grab that. We relocated back to the United States, and it was terrible. We moved back to the United Kingdom. Another person stated that they were happier today since they had 6 weeks off every year.

“I believe there are relatively few people who acquire satisfaction and self-worth from their jobs. “Quality of life is far more important,” another person remarked.

Kayleigh delivered on her promise. As of January 2025, she is living in Amsterdam with her Dutch husband, and they appear to be enjoying their time abroad.

A Mercer poll in 2024 ranked Amsterdam as the world’s sixth greatest city for quality of life. It is a place with a rich cultural heritage, excellent public transit, and a good cost of living to earning potential ratio.

@kayshaynee I guess I live here now??? #movingabroad #dutchtiktok #amsterdam #americanabroad #internationalcouple ♬ Love – bitchbaby

Young Americans aren’t asking for much. They simply want to be able to afford and enjoy their lives, and they are prepared to work hard for it. America should provide them with such possibilities rather than losing more and more brilliant young people to other countries.