I know we could all say, "America. All my family is here, I love my country, great freedom, yada yada yada..." But, be creative...really, what foreign country would you move to if you could, and why?
Me? Hubby and I have been thinking about moving to Dubai for a few years so we can take advantage of NO income taxes, and pay off all of our student loans within 2 yrs. He speaks Arabic and is a doctor, so he'd get a job quite easily, and I am a teacher and they have a teacher shortage in Dubai. Not forever, but for a few years. My mom would freak, though! :)
Can you tell I've been watching House Hunters International? :)
@ Sunni M. - You are right that I'd still have to pay US taxes, but their is Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, which exempts the first $180k-some (married filers) from US taxes. So, 2-3 years and we should have those med school loans & my undergrad loans paid off, and maybe even have $ to renovate our home.
We lived in Thailand for 3 years, back in the 70's and I would love to go back there..but I think my REAL first choice would be Ireland...what a glorious country...and the people are SO friendly and nice!!! Yep...Ireland would be my choice!!!! (As long as I get to take my grandchildren with me...can't be that far from THEM!!!!!)
I think you will have it great in Dubai. I would move there and Hong Kong. Great schools, clean, no crimes, low taxes. Do you know, BTW, that as an Americans you will have to pay US tax on top of local tax no matter where you are in the world? Yeh, work harder, millions on the welfare depend on you! English is widely spoken and used in Dubai, BTW. Good luck, I think you will enjoy it!
FRANCE! Lived there already. LOVE IT. Germany is awesome too. Ireland. England. France. Did I say France? I'd have to go with France.
Beautiful landscape, gorgeous cities, smart people, delicious food, awesome health care even for foreigners, beautiful language, art everywhere. France. If I don't get my kids over there for at least a year or two to learn French while they're young, I'll be very disappointed in myself! Gotta go buy a lottery ticket now...
I would move back home. Actually I have been asking my husband to consider leaving the states. He is american-born, but both he and I realize this is not the country it used to be, and the way it is going, I don't think it will get back on track during our lifetime. I don't want my kids to be raised ignorant with the attitude of 'we are the best in the world.' we are not. far from it. we say we are the land of the free yet so much discrimination whether towards different races, sexual orientation, financial standing etc. I am also sick of paying through the roof, and seeing where my money goes to: welfare.
i could go on and on and on.
so my top 2 choices are: australia (because it is so far away from everything)
italy
Not very creative (for me): Japan. It's where I grew up. It's still "home" to me. I'd move back in a second it it were *just* me. But living here in the US is the best thing for my family (son gets the Spec Ed help he needs here, which he wouldn't in the international schools in Japan, I've actually looked into it). But if I didn't have my family, I'd probably be living there, working for my dad (like my brother), living a completely different life than I actually have. I AM planning on sending my girls to spend at least one year there, living with my parents and attending the international school I graduated from - probably their sophomore or junior year of HS. I think it would be a fantastic experience for them...but that's several years off.
England, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand - mainly because DH doesn't speak any foreign languages and is not inclined to learn one.
I would prefer Scandinavia or Benelux (Netherlands, Belgium)...
I think living abroad for a few years would be a great experience!
Been there, done that, have lots of t-shirts.
I lived in Germany for 4 years. I lived in Japan for 2.5 years. I've visited 47 countries on six continents and 50 states. I thought I would really like to move to Austrailia and take up residence. I went there for a two week vacation and talked to a lot of Austrailians about their country and its laws. I would never move there. The majority has voted away too many of what I consider to be personal freedoms.
I like America the best. I would to choose to go back and visit many of the places I have been, but would choose America over any of them.
Good luck to you and yours.
Go for it...if you can actualize that kind of financial freedom in 2 years...I'd probably even move to Siberia.
Dubai is relatively westernized. Lots of oil money so lots of engineers. It's not like Saudi Arabia where woman still cannot drive.
France or Italy. Its the closest thing to America.
I loved living in Germany. I liked Belgium too. So if we had an offer to move to Germany or Belgium, I'd do it in a heart beat. I know my husband would too.
I've not been to Dubai - but I've had friends who worked there and loved it. I think it would be a GREAT experience.
I've wanted to go to Australia....oooh that would be nice!
I like the question!!!
Hi queen-
Wonderful question...
I could 'die happy' in paris...or new orleans (pre katrina)...
I LOVED loved england...different country...with 'few' (lol) language barriers...
I loved germany (country and city)...
same with Spain and Italy...and Switzerland...
I guess...I have found things to love about ALL the places I have lived...
Now just want a 'taste' of asia...never lived in Thailand...china...japan...Cambodia...etc...
Maybe in my next life!
best luck!
michele/cat
If you asked this question a year ago, I probably wouldn't have responded because I could have never imagine living anywhere but the US. We have lived in London since October of last year because of my husband's job. It is different, but in a good way. Really enjoying the culture and diversity we are exposed to. Our travels in the last year have taken us to Scotland, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, France and other parts of England. Galway, Ireland and Algarve,Portugal have been my favorites.
Either England or Ireland. I have a bit of a hearing problem and I think it would take me FOREVER to learn a new language!
Australia doesn't celebrate Halloween so they are out. :)
My mom freaked when we moved from Missouri to Florida, if we tried to move to a foreign country would bring on a major freak out.
I've not been to any other countries except Canada and Mexico. I think I could make any country work where I could speak English! I've tried to learn a second language and failed miserably...
Don't let your mom's possible reaction stop you from doing what is best for your family! My son moved to Saudi Arabia for six years. We didn't like the idea, but the years went by he's back home now. His next job might take him to the UK. Maybe I'll get a chance to visit then!
England. I can speak the language and its my kind of weather! Rain, rain and more rain!
continent----Europe.
id like to think id flit around to all the varying countries within. They are so variegated in culture i feel id never see it all but see a lot!
My BIL's SIL is a Turkish born English Teacher. Her husband is an English born chemist, and works for an oil company in Dubai. They have two sons about 8 & 10 years old, and the family lives in Dubai, and vacations every summer in both London & Istanbul. They all seem to be very happy.
New Zealand is a lovely country.
Last time I checked, the sheep out number the people 17 to 1.
The thing is, visiting a place versus actually living it everyday, is quite different.
Frequent trips and staying there for a time, before actually moving to a locale, is beneficial. Speaking for myself per travels/stays I have had.
I sometimes have fantasies of winning the lottery and buying vacation homes around the world. I would probably go to France, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Italy or Peru in no particular order. I'm quite happy here but in some of these countries there is more sense of a community in the small towns and an active social life. I like that people get together and sing in pubs like in Ireland (no matter what age you are). So if I had to choose it would definitely be in a small community in one of those countries.
Never been anywhere but here, but I have friends that spent their 2 week honeymoon in Ireland I think it's the most beautiful place! Honestly, could never leave the family though....
Monaco, France.....
I'm not sure what I would do there, but I'd figure it out!
I havent BEEN to any other countries so I dont really know for sure, but since my son and his wife go to the Philippines a lot and he wants to retire there, I'd go with there.... since I've heard so many good things about it. Not Manilla tho, Palowan. A lttle bit of money goes a long way and everyone there has maids and their own drivers to take them shopping and such. It's also very tropical and beautiful....and senior citizens get a lot of "natural" respect there.
ITALY!!!! lol... I'm a teensy bit obsessed with Italy.
Only in america, home of the free, land of the brave. Would never leave
here.
Brasil. I love Boss Nova music and Brazilian Portuguese is such a beautiful language to me. I spent 6 weeks study abroad there and wouldn't mind retiring on the beach if I won the lottery. ;)
That's actually my mission from gawd :) Finding somewhere to live. It may take me the rest of my life.
I grew up in SE Asia (LOVE Hawaii... it's like the perfect blend of Japanese/American cultures AND something "new" to explore -Polynesian), and "here" (both coasts & the midwest)... Love and adore Italy & the UK (although not the weather in the UK. Rome & London are (to date) the only big cities I'd willingly live in, and ironically, I'm more comfortable in Rome. And my Italian is sketchy. Go figure.
HATE aligators and crocodiles (so that rules out about 1/3 of the world if not more). Meso & South America & sub saharan africa and australia just STRUCK off the list. Shudder. No monsters in my water, thank you!
My Arabic is reeeeeally sketchy (Italian, German, Japanese are at least conversational) ... but I'd like to live in the mideast for a time. I'm learning written Arabic this winter, so maybe I'll get to conversational before I go. I have a hard time learning the language when I'm not in country. In country, it just absorbs via osmosis! Malta is a FASCINATING place, since it's a blend of Italian and Arabic, the same way Hawaii is a blend.
Haven't been downunder yet... I hear South Island is to die for.
Probably... What I really need? A boat. And just live THERE. In international waters... going from place to place. First serious boyfriend... that was "the plan". But he was a sailor... Cup racer, ocean crosser. My experience is limited to knowing how to tack when told to. I'd need to get my sailing skills above "bathtub" before doing that!!!
My husband and I would love to live on Grand Caymen in the Caymen Islands....not forever, but for awhile.
Oh my gosh! After visiting Belize on our honey moon my husband and I really really wanted to move there. We are definitely beach people and with with mild temperatures all year round and the warm water to swim in and explore the barrier reefs we could have our pick of any of the islands that make up Belize. We are even planning a trip back there in 2 years. We are so excited and I can't wait!
Europe for sure......i am russian, but would not want to go back there......
Australia, or Chile.....Beautiful countries and beautiful and friendly people...
I'm obsessed with Ireland! I would love to live there someday...in a small town not too far from Dublin. I haven't been out of this country yet, but my hubby has been quite a few places for work and he fell in love with Scotland. After seeing his pictures and stories and looking more at it online(I get bored some days being a SAHM), I wouldn't mind living there either!
Australia or someplace in the carribean. My hubby would NEVER go for it though. :( Although he also said he would never move to Florida..... and here we are for over ten years. Maybe when all our kids are grown? I really love the ocean, and palm trees and tropical places, so I need those things. I have lived away from the water and HATED it!
NICARAGUA!! I love my country!
I think I am such the minority here, although I didn't read your prior responses yet. I have NO desire to even VISIT another country, let alone LIVE there! I will be happy living here in the good old U.S.of A. =)
