If yes, where would you move to?
If no, why not?
I ask this as someone who has moved around a lot (5 states) for better working opportunities. I often hear people say they wish they could leave their current city/state/country, but money is often (understandably) an issue.
Absolutely. Ideally one of the Nordic model countries, but the issue there is more than just money, it’s linguistic and bureaucratic as well.
I think I have both your problems solved. If money isn’t an issue the bureaucracy is a nuisance but not inhibiting as you can pay someone to file all the appropriate paperwork. The language barrier is even easier. I have been to Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland and did not meet a single person that didn’t fluently speak English. Not saying they don’t exist, but operating in most any western European country is very easy as an English speaker. Also you’ll pick up the language over time. Immersion is the best way to learn a language, or so I hear.
Hey, sounds perfect to me! Now if only I could make that “money isn’t an issue” thing a reality, I’d really be set!
But, for a country like Norway, I personally would like to continue to work as a Paramedic. That language barrier is a big deal. I’d need to pass a language test and then 3 medical exams in Norwegian.
Unless this post implies that I’d be so wealthy I don’t have to work after I relocate.
If literally everyone speaks fluent English (which is true), then you will not “pick up the language over time” by immersion. There are a ton of Anglo expats in Scandinavia and the Netherlands who do not speak the local language, for just this reason.
Hah good username.
Thanks gancho!
I did this.
I used to live in Seattle. It’s a pretty progressive city but the police are very bad there. Outside the pocket of liberals and progressives, once you start driving east or even west across the sound, things then to be more… Homogenous… and even a bit racist. Plus the gun culture/violence is just too much for my family.
We moved to Taiwan during the height of the pandemic and during chap or whatever thing that the Seattle police was doing to the local people. We had enough and put everything in storage and left .
Living in Taiwan feels like how America used to be. Being a very young democracy, people here are hyper focused on freedoms. The government here is super focused on social programs that help people.
Things like, expecting mothers and families with kids under 6 have special parking in all malls and public parking. Breast feeding rooms everywhere. You get financial support for having kids, not just a tax break. Just a straight direct deposit into your account.
Universal health care. The medicine is highly subsidized(usually free)Ambulance rides are free. Shoot once you get to a certain age, the government helps pay for your stay at home nurse.
Things like this reminds me of the American 40-50s. When freedoms matter and people matter.
Obviously there are some drawbacks living here, but it’s overall positive.
Was it difficult to emigrate from the US to Taiwan? Are there stringent requirements?
Honestly it was quite easy. I came from the USA so YMMV. You basically need to get a Gold Card which is a green card from the United states. As long as you’re making an income that is a certain level, you get it. I want to say it’s 65k.
Or you can come here and work in the in demand industries like renewable energy. Those you don’t even need to be making that much and you instantly get it. My friend works for a wind farm and got his gold card within a year. Even his wife, who doesn’t even work, got the gold card.
I think after about 6 months, you get all the benefits I described.
College and schooling is very inexpensive. I know student visas are quite simple too. I have a friend from Jamaica that got his doctorate here and married a Taiwanese wife. He said he had zero chance to get this far ahead in Jamaica.
Nah, California is pretty great. I’d say it would be the place I’d move to if money weren’t an issue. As long as you can afford it, CA is an amazing place to live with widely varied culture, fantastic weather, and an incredible number of things to explore and experience.
You can find every biome across the state, and you can literally go surfing in the morning, drive up the Pacific Coast Highway and through beautiful, lush valleys, in perfect 72 and sunny weather, on your way to snowboard in the mountains for the afternoon, into a nice chilly overnight at the lodge, and back down the coast the next day, because the weather is perfect again.
That’s just one of the countless things to do in California. You’ll also get clean air, a comprehensive interstate highway system, better public services, a near infinite variety of food, and generally better quality of life than many other places.
CA isn’t perfect, but I can’t think of anywhere else that could ever match it for me.
I lived in San Francisco for a few years and I do occasionally miss it. Granted, SF is a major city and not completely representative of the entire state, but I miss the food (the freshest fruit you ever had, even if you bought it at the corner store).
My home state. I never feel more comfortable than when I am back in Northern California. Last time I was there I came down through Donner and I started to smell the sage through the car’s vents, which lifted a burden from my existence. It may have been the fact that I had been driving for 15 hours and deep into sleep deprivation, but I felt a euphoric peace coming home. I love California.
That being said, I could never live there again because of economic and political considerations. It hurts me not being able to live where my home is, like missing a piece of myself. I miss looking in the distance and seeing topography. I desire the cool mornings and warm evenings. I ache for the smell of the ocean blowing up the valley when the wind turned just right.
Sometimes I walk into a house that is done in the California bungalow style, see a radio tower disguised as a tree, or meet a fellow Cali refugee and we trade stories of what we miss so dearly and the longing to be back home burns so deeply that it hurts.
I can’t live where my heart is and I am incomplete in my existence because of it. Colorado and Utah were so close to scratching that itch, but I know that no place on this Earth will be close enough for me to feel as complete as I do when I am home west of the Sierras.
Well, Massachusetts has enough options to be similar. Awesome beaches. Then technically you could zoom a couple hours into NH or ME for skiing.
Bonus, zero strong earthquakes and very rare severe forest fires.
Same. I love traveling. With unlimited funds, I’d happily spend months at a time in second and third homes, but I’d always be just as happy to return.
In a heartbeat. I’d take almost anywhere in Europe with a proper democracy than the corrupt and authoritarian hole I’m in right.
I would move from solid to gaseous state if given the choice.
Instantaneously?
Definitely. I’ve been farting up a storm for years now and have made very little progress.
Probably Iceland. Try to get some land, plant some trees and start a forestry business or a small farm. Ideally close enough to existing geothermal networks that I could still take advantage of the dirt cheap hot water. Enjoy the rain and fog and natural beauty of the place. Would be lovely.
As an American, fuck yes, absolutely, 100%.
As a Texan, fuck yes, absolutely, 1000%.
The wife and I are already considering leaving the state. Prices for everything are rising to ridiculous levels.
An apartment I could have afforded on my own a decade ago would require three incomes, and the neighborhoods are no less violent and crime ridden. Food deserts, lack of health care options, lack of gainful employment in that geographic area, all deterrents to paying more than I do now for a mortgage.
If I thought I had the skills and wherewithal to strike out and homestead I would. Alas, I do not.
I long to leave “the grid,” but require medication to function as a normal human being. As such, I am beholden to the system. I must cooperate against my better interest to attain medication to live. I am, for lack of a better term, a slave to it.
Before anyone comes in calling a race card play, or any other shit, I am a cis het white male. In theory, I am the problem, and yet I suffer the same.
I decided at the age of seven that life, as we know it, was not worth living. 30 some odd years later, that has not changed.
But where can you go? The Midwest is full of Republican whackjobs, the southern states are going backwards, California is on fire, and everything up north is covered in ice 7 months of the year.
Learn to like being cold
I like the cold
I had great privilege in having a father who owns his own custom home building company. My then-wife and I bought a house from him at cost, meaning we had over $20k in equity right after signing the papers. We lived in the house for 10 years before separating, sold it, and took a very nice chunk of change from the sale that allowed us to become debt free. Even paid off my student loans.
I am right now preparing to move halfway across the country this summer. Texas is a dumpster fire of willful ignorance, sheer xenophobia, and unapologetic bigotry; after having lived her for over 40 years, it is my sincere pleasure to put this motherfucking state in my rear view mirror for the sake of my kids, one of whom is wanting to transition. The state I’m moving to is much more progressive and has gender identity protections written into law. Plus, the governor there isn’t doing as Greg Abbott is doing by siccing Child Protective Services on parents of trans kids, so that’s nice. #DIAFABBOTT
100% I don’t want to live in the USA my whole life, big world out there.
I dream of being in New Zealand or a Nordic country, but I’m a broke American loser who’s too poor to even go visit those countries, and so they don’t even want me there in the first place. I will keep dreaming, and die with my dreams unfulfilled. Maybe next life.
New Zealand is very weird for an American. Its miles away from everything and the cities are tiny, of which there aren’t many.
The culture seems to be quite grating for Americans. It’s hard to get a lot of things and stores and such close early, doesnt fit well with American consumerism.
People are nice but not terribly friendly or social even in small towns. A lot of people do quiet activities like solo hiking.
I’d love to leave the US. It’s truly a steaming shitshow and I don’t see it improving anytime soon. I’d be interested in checking out Belgium or Luxembourg, or maybe Norway. However, my parents and in-laws are aging and it wouldn’t be right to leave them knowing they’re going to need increased help over the next 10-15 years. So we’re staying put for now.
Dream is Colorado or Illinois. Despite the insane teacher shortage and my ample qualifications, Oklahoma doesn’t think queer people deserve to exist.
Unless you have multiple incomes or a high-paying job, Colorado is getting super expensive
Oh I know. Teaching pays nothing so I’m pretty fucked. Basically just waiting for them to mandate detransition, than I’ll probably just kill myself.
Come to Kansas. We’re slightly better.
Same
Most probably yes. I live in Russia and when the war started i was really thinking about getting as far away as possible. And then it’s just… Too complex? Looking for a place to live when rent is up 250% due to lot of people immigrating, being unable to move your savings out of the country, and only having barely enough to support myself. Having unlimited budget probably would have changed everything. As to where - no idea to be honest.
Damn. That fucking sucks. Feel awful for all the normal people that just want to live peacefully that have such a fucked government. Good luck from New England, United States.
American here, and FUCK YES I’d love to leave this shithole and never return until they have laws against convicted rapists being eligible to run the show.
I live in the UK. I’d probably want to move to a nordic country.
I did. Moving out now. They’re racist as hell and getting worse by the day.
Which, UK or nordic countries?
Moved to from UK to the nordics.
Which country in particular?
The racist one.
