American's 13 Years Abroad Changes His Mind on U.S. Myths

When Evan Edinger left New Jersey for London 13 years ago, he packed his bags expecting a temporary adventure. Today, he's still there, and his reasons for staying reveal something powerful about perspective.

Edinger never planned to become an expat. He went to London to study, fully intending to return home, start his career, and build an American life. But finishing his degree brought an unexpected realization: he didn't want to go back.

"The longer I stayed in London, the more I began to notice all of the assumptions that I'd grown up believing in America," Edinger shared on his YouTube channel. "It turns out they weren't true at all."

Growing up in a pro-gun household with four firearms at home, Edinger viewed gun ownership as a fundamental American right. His family went hunting together, and the idea of countries without guns seemed like missing something essential. But his perspective shifted dramatically after years in London.

"Visiting Philadelphia when I was younger was always scary because I never knew who had a gun," he explains. In New Orleans, hotel staff warned him that a tourist had recently died at Popeye's Chicken, caught in crossfire during an argument. "I've pretty much never felt that level of fear in London at all."

His discoveries extended far beyond guns. American schools taught him that U.S. democracy was the world's gold standard, the beacon others tried to emulate. Living under the U.K.'s parliamentary system showed him a different reality: a government that, while imperfect, actually gets things done without constant two-party gridlock.

Transportation transformed his daily life in unexpected ways. After 13 years without a car, Edinger describes walkable neighborhoods as "truly one of the most life-changing parts of living over here." Walking and cycling everywhere keeps him healthy without even trying.

Food quality surprised him too. Europe's precautionary approach to food additives contrasts sharply with America's wait-and-see method. Combined with easy access to fresh ingredients from neighborhood shops, eating well became effortless rather than a constant struggle.

Healthcare proved the biggest revelation. "If my health does have issues, I am glad it's not something that would ever bankrupt me," Edinger says. His positive experiences with socialized medicine challenged every horror story he'd heard back home.

The Bright Side

Edinger's story isn't about abandoning America. It's about discovering that different approaches to society can work beautifully. His realizations highlight real alternatives that other countries have implemented successfully, from public transit systems that free people from car dependency to healthcare that removes the fear of medical bankruptcy.

Living abroad gave him the gift of questioning assumptions. What he thought were universal truths turned out to be just one way of doing things. Sometimes seeing your home through foreign eyes helps you imagine what could be possible.

His 13-year experiment shows that stepping outside familiar systems can reveal better paths forward.