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Thread: Expats

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    Any expatriates? My dream is to one day migrate to Switzerland, for many reasons. Mainly, I do not identify with American culture or way of life. Switzerland seems superior is so many ways.

    Anyone have a place in mind they would rather live? Did you make the move?
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    What do you especially like about Switzerland?

    I am italian and live in Germany (near to the border with Switzerland) but it just happened, was not exactly planned.
    Obsequium amicos, veritas odium parit

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    I was an expat for five yrs. I think my mum did it for 15. Its overrated.
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    According to this website, a good place for me to live that is located on the coast, is not too expensive, and has a climate that is not too hot would be Porto. It would probably be difficult for me to be youngish and be living in a place where English is not widely spoken however. If I was to remain in the UK, my ideal place to live would be Brighton.

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    Why live in the south? it is the graveyard of decency.
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    expatriatism specifically means living in another country not just another part of your country btw
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    I'm an expat. I too initially moved away for education reasons, then life moved on. I dunno if after so many years one is still considered an expat...

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    Quote Originally Posted by Pole View Post
    Any expatriates? My dream is to one day migrate to Switzerland, for many reasons. Mainly, I do not identify with American culture or way of life. Switzerland seems superior is so many ways.

    Anyone have a place in mind they would rather live? Did you make the move?
    I would like to live in the U.S. Provided the visas are not a problem, I plan to move in August next year. There is a Master's Diploma in brewing technology I can do in Chicago for six months. While the Windy City has little if any personal appeal to me, it could become a stepping stone towards something greater.

    I believe that the Northeast would be the easiest area for me to fit in to. Culturally, it has a strong English influence, the climate is not dissimilar to where I live now, and people in NYC especially are renowned for their intense and competitive nature. This plays to my personality strengths. I have spent quite some time in your country now, and have generally felt very welcome. My natural style of communicating is pretty full on and business-like, but many American women I've met on holiday seemed quite open to this.

    You seem to like low taxes, surly people and alpine scenery. Well, we have all those here. So why don't we swap our citizenships?

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    Quote Originally Posted by FDG View Post
    What do you especially like about Switzerland?

    I am italian and live in Germany (near to the border with Switzerland) but it just happened, was not exactly planned.
    I like their government, military, laws, economy, and the culture. The Swiss are very live and let live. They don't meddle in other countries affairs and wars like the US. The Swiss gov wants their citizens to be independent and armed. It is less fast paced, that seems common in a lot of European countries. From what I understand from my "investigation" they are less stressed than we are in the US.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cuivienen View Post
    I would like to live in the U.S. Provided the visas are not a problem, I plan to move in August next year. There is a Master's Diploma in brewing technology I can do in Chicago for six months. While the Windy City has little if any personal appeal to me, it could become a stepping stone towards something greater.

    I believe that the Northeast would be the easiest area for me to fit in to. Culturally, it has a strong English influence, the climate is not dissimilar to where I live now, and people in NYC especially are renowned for their intense and competitive nature. This plays to my personality strengths. I have spent quite some time in your country now, and have generally felt very welcome. My natural style of communicating is pretty full on and business-like, but many American women I've met on holiday seemed quite open to this.

    You seem to like low taxes, surly people and alpine scenery. Well, we have all those here. So why don't we swap our citizenships?
    My climate of choice is the American southwest desert where I moved from the rustbelt. Great place to live, I would miss it for sure because I hate the cold with a passion.
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    I lived in Senegal from 2014-2017, but I'm back in America now.

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    Having lived abroad makes me appreciate Greece better (both wrt plus and minus points). It has never been a dream of mine to live in the countries I have lived so far though. I'd like to see the US ( actually the places that blackburry and reverie mentioned would be high on the list). Florida, too. I rarely if ever wish to live again in a place I have already lived in, but I believe that this will change if I get back in academia in a field I will find fulfilling (I believe that stress factors affect my opinion of a city greatly)

    Pole, are you planning on visiting Switzerland anytime soon? Maybe you could live in Germany, in a city close to Switzerland to make your stay less costly.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Pole View Post
    I like their government, military, laws, economy, and the culture. The Swiss are very live and let live. They don't meddle in other countries affairs and wars like the US. The Swiss gov wants their citizens to be independent and armed. It is less fast paced, that seems common in a lot of European countries. From what I understand from my "investigation" they are less stressed than we are in the US.
    Just to warn you (since I work in Switzerland), the Swiss are only live and let live in their external military policy, internally they're really strict with their own citizens. Considering that the country is small, you are always a bit under surveillance from other people.
    I guess less fast paced than the US applies to most of Europe, yeah.
    Obsequium amicos, veritas odium parit

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    Quote Originally Posted by FDG View Post
    I guess less fast paced than the US applies to most of Europe, yeah.
    More like most of the world. Every country I've been to is less neurotic and more relaxed than the US, though I suppose there might be a few counterexamples (Japan/China/UK?)

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    Quote Originally Posted by FDG View Post
    Just to warn you (since I work in Switzerland), the Swiss are only live and let live in their external military policy, internally they're really strict with their own citizens. Considering that the country is small, you are always a bit under surveillance from other people.
    I guess less fast paced than the US applies to most of Europe, yeah.
    It's notoriously hard to emigrate to Switzerland also. They do not really like foreigners. And inside Europe they have a reputation for being anal, highly disciplined, and very strict. I am not sure that they are less neurotic or fast-paced than Americans, or that their government is less intrusive...

    They are likely less stressed because they are more prosperous than Americans. Less debt, better quality services, high income, less work (US average working year is 1790hrs compared to Swiss 1590).
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    I've only lived in the States, but I've visited every state in the Union (except Alaska and Hawaii), Canada, Mexico, Britain, Czechoslovakia, France, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, Brazil, Zimbabwe, and I've spent longer periods in South Africa, Argentina, China, and Turkey.

    The west coast of Turkey has the best climate in the world outside of Southern California and is much more affordable (and beautiful) but the politics and social stratification are worse than in the States. There were several times there when I was very glad to be a US citizen.

    I used to want to travel in time when I was a kid, but traveling in space taught me that dislocations from your accustomed locale cause you to be less effective. It's fun to travel, but home is where your tools are.

    I did move from my home state of Ohio to Michigan to go to school (and it's where I live now), and despite being only 150 miles away from where I was born, it's different in many subtle ways.

    I'm not sure where I would live if I could live anywhere. For many years, my wife (now ex) refused to consider moving, but that is not a problem anymore. Wherever I end up, it needs to have hills and a river and be near a large collection of smart people. I think I'm postponing the decision until I find a mate.

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    Hot Message FDG's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Adam Strange View Post
    I used to want to travel in time when I was a kid, but traveling in space taught me that dislocations from your accustomed locale cause you to be less effective. It's fun to travel, but home is where your tools are.
    I´d almost totally agree with that. Although, we probably both grew up in relatively fortunate circumstances.
    Obsequium amicos, veritas odium parit

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    Quote Originally Posted by Adam Strange View Post
    despite being only 150 miles away from where I was born, it's different in many subtle ways.
    Americans!

    Between Spain and Morocco is less than ten miles — from Gibraltar, Africa is visible on the horizon. Between England and France — twenty miles. The width of the Adriatic, about 100 miles - the Aegean sea, about the same. Between South Korea and Japan is perhaps 150 miles at closest point.
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    I'd choose to live in Scandinavia. Similar standard of living to the United States, maybe even a little higher. The political values there line up closer with my own. Plus no Trump.
    LII-Ne with strong EII tendencies, 6w7-9w1-3w4 so/sp/sx, INxP



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    @Adam Strange how is Ohio different from Michigan?

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