I was never an American, but I spent over thirty years in America.

I got sick of my political ideas being laughed at by Democrats and Republicans alike - ideas that are boring and commonplace out of the US. If I had $1 for each time I was told that if I didn't like it, I should leave, I'd have enough for a nice dinner for my wife and I. (One of the last demonstrations I attended in the US was for Chelsea Manning, terrible turnout because everyone stopped attending after Obama was elected, but I did have the great joy of having someone yell at me, "Go back to Russia!" - like in a comic book)

Living in New York State, there wasn't even any hope of my vote making a difference if I nationalized.

Thirty years later, I wanted to retire somewhere where I didn't have to fight the medical system. My wife, an American, had always wanted to live out of America.

So we left. It cost me about half of everything I owned, and I'm only just getting back on my feet five years later, but I never once regretted the move, though I do miss my friends in NYC and of course the music scene.

I got to the point where I simply didn't like Americans anymore (aside from my friends, who are wildly unrepresentative of the place). Leaving was the only correct thing to do - you shouldn't live somewhere where you secretly hate almost everyone, should you?

And no, I don't feel any regrets. I feel like I escaped an abusive partner. Would you tell someone in a toxic relationship, "Stand and fight"?