It’s been over a month and a half now since I moved to the United States. For new readers, a quick reminder: before this, I lived in Austria for 13 years. And if you follow my story closely, you’ll know I originally come from Ukraine.
Moving to the U.S. wasn’t exactly a “dream” of mine, but it was a huge, long-standing desire. A really big one. I’d always had this subconscious pull to come here, though circumstances kept me away until 2019—my very first visit. And wow, was I impressed. I mean really impressed. Okay, since I’ve brought it up, I can’t just stop here. Let me tell you a bit.
First Impressions of America
For me, the U.S. stands out in a lot of ways, but three are absolutely defining:
- The people. Open, kind, positive, welcoming. Don’t get me wrong—I love and respect both my homeland, Ukraine, and my home of so many years, Austria. But Americans are on a whole different level when it comes to warmth and openness. And I love it.
- The sense of freedom. Hard to explain, harder to define, but very real. Almost intangible, yet you feel it with your body the moment you land at the airport. A strange but powerful sense of freedom.
- The space. Yes, it’s tied to freedom, but it’s also its own thing. Space in America is a value in itself—endless skies, endless roads, vast oceans, mountains, deserts, massive cities, wide streets. Everything feels limitless.
Add to this a thousand other big and small differences, which I’ve come to notice and appreciate. That was 2019. And right then, I made the decision: I had to prepare to live in the U.S. for at least a few years.
The Road to Moving
And then… COVID hit. Within months the world locked down, and America had to wait. Still, I kept preparing however I could, knowing one day the chance would come.
Of course, there was a special condition for me: Fenster. You can’t just pack it in your suitcase. Leaving it “as is” would be very risky (and experience has proven me right on that). So I worked hard to set things up so the business could function without me.
Then came February 2022. The Russian invasion. A nightmare. For me personally, those were small setbacks compared to what millions of others faced. But yes, the war disrupted my plans too.
Finally, in 2023, the chance came. My wife and I had an opportunity to live in the U.S. for a year, with the possibility of extending. We came, stayed ten months, but Fenster couldn’t manage without me—I had to return to Vienna to fix what wasn’t working.
But we didn’t give up. We tried again. And now, after nearly a year and a half, we’re back in the U.S.—and this time with the option to stay indefinitely. As long as we want.
A New Home
This time, I left Vienna much better prepared. I accounted for the mistakes from the first attempt, making Fenster more autonomous. Whether it worked—we’ll see. If I need to go back, I will, but only for short stints. My home is here now. The U.S.
I’ll be honest: I don’t fully feel it yet. Sometimes I do, sometimes not. It’s like I’m still suspended between countries. But day by day it sinks in—I’m here. A lot is already done: we’ve set up a home, finished the paperwork, and I’ve even established my company here.
I’m still in a kind of “pause” mode before diving into full activity. A few things still need tying up in Vienna. But my life now is America.
So, from now on this blog will also be about life in the U.S., coffee in the U.S., and business in the U.S.
If that interests you—stick around. I’ve even started an email newsletter (sign-up form’s at the bottom of the page). Welcome aboard.
Just finished my morning Moka pot. Wishing you the same 🙂
Leave a Reply