Americans in Europe: Why They’re Learning to Code, Teaching, and Building Careers Abroad

When you think of Americans in Europe, U.S. citizens living, working, or studying in European countries, often seeking better work-life balance, lower costs, or new cultural experiences. Also known as expats, they’re not just tourists—they’re building real lives, careers, and learning new skills right where the history is old and the Wi-Fi is fast. This isn’t a retirement move. It’s a career reset. Thousands are trading suburban offices for Lisbon cafés, Berlin co-working spaces, or rural Spain villas—all while coding, teaching, or running online businesses.

Why Europe? Because remote work, a work arrangement where employees perform their job from outside a traditional office, often across international borders. Also known as digital nomadism, it’s no longer a luxury—it’s a standard option for tech workers, educators, and freelancers is everywhere. You don’t need a visa to teach English in Poland if you’re fluent. You don’t need a U.S. employer to build apps for clients in Germany. And you don’t need to be 25 to learn Python, a beginner-friendly programming language used for web development, automation, and data analysis. Also known as scripting language, it’s the go-to tool for Americans in Europe who want to switch careers without going back to school. Many start at 40, 50, even 60—just like the stories on this site about learning to code alone, without classes or degrees.

It’s not just about money. It’s about control. Americans in Europe are choosing how they spend their days. They’re trading the stress of IIT JEE-level pressure for the quiet focus of a morning in Prague. They’re using free tools to learn English speaking skills—so they can teach it better. They’re building portfolios instead of resumes. And they’re proving you don’t need a fancy degree to land a job abroad—you just need to ship something real.

What you’ll find below are real stories from people who did this. From Americans teaching in rural Hungary to those coding from a tiny apartment in Budapest. From those who quit corporate jobs to build AI tools for European schools, to others who started YouTube channels to teach Python to older adults. These aren’t fantasies. They’re actions. And they’re happening right now.