• I I moved my family of five from Connecticut to Switzerland in 2016.

• We have been welcomed into our new community with open arms and it is so easy to get around.

• My family can do it trips to the USAbut we are not looking to leave Switzerland anytime soon.

In 2016, my family was eager for change.

We were having a hard time finding an inclusive school for my 9-year-old neurodivergent son, who was depressed from years of bullying and exclusion.

On television, politicians continued to fight against any gun safety measures four years after the mass shooting of 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School, a short drive from my home.

Just before the presidential election, my husband’s employer offered him the opportunity to move to Switzerland.

At first the movement was too wild to be considered. But as political tensions in the US continued to rise, we only felt more depressed and isolated.

Families and friends argued over how the country should be run and we still had no school for our son. By the end of the year, my husband accepted the offer and we officially decided move abroad.

We shared seamlessly in our interconnected Swiss community

Thanks to my husband’s job, I quickly obtained residence permits to live in Switzerland and obtained health insurance. We also found an international school that was willing to work with our son.

When we arrived in our hilly Swiss neighborhood a mile from Lake Zürich, we felt welcomed with open arms, especially by local expats.

All around me were families from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and South America who were also new immigrants. When I got lost in parking lots, tunnels, and tiny streets and constantly misinterpreted cultural cues, I expected to be scolded, but I wasn’t.

Our international community has provided helpful tips and advice. On days when I was hopeless at learning German, couldn’t unlock a grocery cart, or couldn’t decipher the labels on cereal boxes, someone was there to help me.

Although our backgrounds and beliefs varied widely, we were united in our general admiration for our new, beautiful country. Most of us didn’t have family nearby, so we became each other’s people.

Many aspects of life are just easier here

In our suburban neighborhood in Connecticut, there were no sidewalks, accessible bike lanes, or public transport choiceso we had to drive everywhere.

Having the freedom to get around without a car in Switzerland was life changing for us. It makes our days easier and helps us stay connected to the beautiful nature around us.

Here, most people walk along long roads (paved paths) lined with trees and primroses on their way home, school or grocery store. If walkers need a rest, there are red benches set next to fields full of happy cows.

We can swim, walk the dogs, run and walk almost anywhere on well-maintained trails. And if we travel a little further, local public transport is clean, safe and convenient. Bus stops and RAILWAY STATIONS stand in most corners.

Beyond being physically connected here, there is a shared responsibility for people of all ages. That means it’s really beautiful safe for my children to move by themselves.

Independence is highly valued. I often see small children – usually wearing bright orange lapels so others know they are traveling alone – walking on sidewalks or getting on public transportation to get to school.

As the US continues to deal with extreme political divisions, we remain abroad

The USA will always have a special place in my heart. But for now, it’s not a place I want my family to call home.

Earlier this year, almost eight years after moving to Switzerland, I returned to the US stay in manhattan with my youngest daughter. It was strange to come back; I felt like an outsider.

I had fun showing him our homeland, playing pickleball in Central Parkvisiting writer friends, visiting artists’ studios, listening to live jazz, and feeling nostalgic for the version of America that has been inaccessible to me for a long time.

But then, I tripped over a wall of barricades in front of Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue—people were angrily yelling at each other about contrasting political views right down the street.

Unfortunately, that scene was the only reminder I needed of why I left in the first place.

Correction: September 24, 2024 — An earlier version of this story was incorrect when the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting occurred. In 2016, it’s been four years since the shooting, not five.

This story was originally published in September 2024 and last updated on November 11, 2024.

Read the original article on Business Insider