I got furloughed and there was no work in Europe. I was born in the US and so I returned. When I was recalled I had lost my work permit and I didn't really pursue getting it back as I was close to upgrade here.

There are positive things about the job in both places and negatives in both places. I think I earn more money here but we also work far, far harder in the US, with longer duty days and more intense flying, at least on the east coast at my current employer. Operationally there's no comparison - Europe wins. But some of the perks we have in the US are far better. For example, jumpseating as we know it in the US does not exist in Europe. If I wanted to go somewhere I had to go to the Staff Travel office and get a ZED or ID90 ticket and it was a hassle.

I get more days off in the US too. Work harder when I'm on duty, but I only work more than 15 days a month if I choose to do so. Over there we had 11 days off per month and it was pretty much always just 11 days off. Everyone sits reserve about 4 days per month, so it's not just low-seniority people.

The nicest thing about working there was the professionalism of the operation, which was generally far better than in the US. The other great thing was there there is a night flight ban at most European airports, meaning that you don't fly all night just because you're running late. There is generally an end in sight if you have fallen behind. I have finished here in the US at 3AM and once at 4AM on duty days which had started 14 or 15 hours earlier. That is inconceivable in Europe and so I definitely miss that aspect of it. The most legs I ever did in Europe was 6 and that happened once. Here it is the norm to have at least one 6-leg day per trip and it is often more than that.

Otherwise it's kind of a wash with plusses and minuses to both places. But answer the question? I was born in the US and grew up here but I lived there for about 15 years and learned how to fly there, so coming to the US was a bit of a shock even though it shouldn't have been. I came to the US with really no knowledge of US aviation. After nearly 8 years at a US 'regional' carrier (I hate that word.....) I now have a better understanding......