I moved to Europe and earn 67,000 Euros a year — I still feel worthless

A 25-year-old living in the Netherlands wrote that after 15 years of planning to leave their home country they finally made it to Europe 1½ years ago and now work in tech sales, earning 67,000 Euros a year. After rent, food, and bills there isn’t much left, and seeing peers travel, party, and ski makes them feel worthless — unable to afford holidays, date freely, or replace a single piece of clothing without worry.

The columnist shares a parallel: a brother-in-law who emigrated from Bulgaria to the United States at 21 with no money and a degree many employers in the US didn’t recognize. He lived frugally at first, but over two decades turned that perseverance into a life with bucket-list trips — hunting in Canada, visits to family, Disney World with his kids, and a romantic tour of Italy and Spain.

Practical steps can help. Start by acknowledging how far you’ve come and stop comparing your path to others’.

Netherlands, Europe

europe, 67,000 euros, netherlands, tech sales, living costs, rent, immigrant, bulgaria, united states, mental health