Andrea Garcia/The Fordham Ram
By Elizabeth Smislova
Now that Donald Trump is dangerously close to a seat in the Oval Office come November, I am left with the very real possibility that I will have to fulfill the promise I made to myself when Trump began his campaign. If he wins, I will move to Europe. I am from Washington D.C. and love everything about America, but there is only so much I can take of Trump — even for this incredible country.
En lieu of Trump’s recent successes, I have begun to lay out my “escape plan” over the pond. What I found, though, is pretty wonderful. Life in Europe is beautiful, and its residents have more time to enjoy it than Americans: The United States is 34th on the World Health Organization’s ranking of countries’ life expectancies. The majority of the countries preceding ours are European.
Furthermore, the state with the highest life expectancy is Hawaii. If that does not say something about the need to slow down and smell the roses in order to live longer, I do not know what will. Personally, I also firmly believe in eating well and naturally. There is no doubt in my mind that there is a strong correlation between the obesity rate and the life expectancy ranking. Just think of all the amazing food in France, Italy and Spain — that alone is reason enough to move abroad upon the Trump invasion.
Just because people live longer in other countries does not necessarily mean that their lives are better, but it could point to certain aspects of life in the U.S. that are not as good for the individual person as we think. The United States is the only economically advanced country that does not legally require any days off for employees. Internationally, European countries are the most generous in the amount of paid leave days they offer (the average is about 30 days). Even before entering the workforce, Europeans do not have the same stress of paying obscene amounts for higher education — colleges and universities are incredibly inexpensive, sometimes even free. That being said, Trump surprisingly supports the reduction of student debt, but has yet to give a plan of action. So, either put your trust in Trump’s forgiving nature, or go to college for free, where you can use your tuition money to buy a croissant next to the Seine on your paid day off. Tough decision, right?
Europe also surpasses us in its safety, both medically and physically. The United States still lacks universal health care (though the government has made improvements), something all European countries already have. Our country also has an average 4.8 murders per 100,000 citizens, compared to Britain (deemed the most dangerous European country) that has 1.2.
While I think it would be great to live longer and not be too worried about being robbed on a daily basis, I most want to move to Europe for the ability to travel. Having paid leave, less student debt and universal health care means traveling can become an actuality instead of a dream. It also helps that the countries are closer together, so trains and buses can replace expensive plane tickets. My Pinterest is filled with pictures of Rome, Barcelona, Paris, Vienna, Prague, Brussels and the list goes on. There are open borders and acceptance among Europeans, qualities Trump detests. The wanderlust is real, but the East Coast of the United States is home. Though, I am not sure if that would be enough to stay if Trump is president.
