Well, depending on where you choose to live in the United States, nice weather, access to powdery beaches, and a lovely but inexpensive meal like that would be pretty ordinary. I ate something similar just a couple days ago, although living hundreds of miles from the sea in every direction, I grilled shrimp I bought from my supermarket's freezer case. Still, they were pretty good! Of course, here in Michigan we have our own Great Lakes fish that are very popular, that I can buy fresh. You'll probably never have heard of the fish that we eat, which is what's exciting about moving to a new place. Walleye, yellow freshwater perch, tiny smelt — all of these have their charms, but visitors who stick to chain restaurants or to comfortable choices aren't likely to experience them.

Also, up in the north of the lower peninsula, we have a surprisingly (as in, who knew?) vibrant vineyard culture, with Riesling grapes particularly loving the climate, and award-winning wines readily available for quite affordable prices at every supermarket.

We also make some of the best craft and regional beer in the United States, which is saying quite a lot. Small-ish U.S. brewers let a global beer renaissance starting in the 1980s, returning to old traditions after Prohibition and subsequent corporate greed led to the travesty of our rather awful national brands. Now, even at my local gas station in the middle of nowhere, I can buy locally or regionally brewed beer that put those national brands to shame, and it isn't that expensive. My favorite Michigan brewery is Founders, and critics agree that they rival any brewery anywhere on the globe for quality and full flavor.

And, you know, U.S. people are pretty friendly pretty much everywhere. We tend to be very hospitable and welcoming, more easily opening up our friend networks to new friends than in some European cultures.

I know a few Europeans who have moved here, and they generally don't regret it, especially if they manage to find a good bakery. 😂 (You can get really good bread here, but you have to search for it.)

The elephant in the room, of course, is our politics, with our gun culture possibly coming in a close second.

We've got very reactionary forces coming into power right now, and a lot of people here are on tenterhooks, wondering what's going to happen.

It's kind of an ugly time for us. I'd like to think that nothing seriously bad is going to happen, and that the ship of state will eventually right itself.

Or.

Trump could be another Francisco Franco, about to kick off a true reign of terror.

Some of us are very afraid of that possibility.

So, can I advise you one way or the other? No.

But those are my thoughts.