this post was submitted on 20 Jul 2024
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So another thread ( https://lemmy.world/post/17746018 ) got me wondering... How many people would want to move to another country?

Just to provide a concrete scenario, let's assume that in your current country you (magically) have a decent-ish job. They open up offices in another country of your choosing, and you have the option of moving there and work for an equivalent living wage.

They're able to get visas set up (however improbable that may be) for you and any family, but you have to go through the process of finding housing, physically moving your belongings and anything else you need to set up.

What countries would you take the offer to move to, if any?

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[–] [email protected] 75 points 4 months ago (2 children)

I'm an American, so yes - in a heartbeat.

Broadly, I wouldnt much care where it was, just so long as it was somewhere that was not being actively transfomed into a plutocratic/christofascist autocracy.

And in fact, there's virtually nothing that I want more at this point in time than to get the hell out while I can. I fully expect that if I don't, I'm going to end up in prison or dead, just like so many other vocal dissidents under so many other authoritarian regimes.

[–] [email protected] 28 points 4 months ago

^the new American Dream

[–] [email protected] 23 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Yes, I have done this several times for work. Digital nomad life that turned into starting a family that travels for work.

It's difficult every time and sometimes you just have to admit that it isn't going to work out in that country. Some countries have really strange attitudes or laws or systemic issues that you will not solve as an outsider. Sometimes people will just see you as a target or an opportunity for money and that's never going to change.

Also looking back gives perspective; I had a difficult time in xxx country, but that was my first time overseas and I didn't have quite a grasp of the language, and I was also unfairly comparing it to the USA. A decade later, I've been back a couple of times and now xxx is my favorite country. Five stages of grief and all. There's more backstory but I can blend in a lot of countries.

Conversely, I went to some countries and saw how they are still very colonized from centuries of oppression. And then I go back to the USA sometimes and see the same mentality. Really shifts your perspective.

I was a child of a refugee so I always thought whatever complaints I had were nothing compared to what my parents went through. Also I had swastikas spray painted on my house when I was young so I never really fit in anywhere. Kind of keeps me going.

I feel more comfortable in some countries than my own home country. The USA has changed as much as I have over the past decade.

Finally, one semi-related point: I really, really learned to hate American missionaries. In every single country. They're just the worst. I think they choose their countries and villages for some sort of confirmation bias to themselves that American Jesus is the best and only civilized way to live. They aren't learning anything, just reinforcing their world view and not teaching anything useful. It's just a way for middle aged white guys to get young girls from poor villages. They aren't helping anything.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (3 children)

Not really. I live in Switzerland, thing is, there are no countries that surpass it in terms of safety, income, social security and political stability combined. For me at least it is the perfect country to live in.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago (3 children)

I (originally from the US) moved to Germany with a Swiss girlfriend, so we visit Switzerland frequently and know the cultural/politics.

I find Germany to have much better social policies than Switzerland, such as better worker rights/conditions, public health insurance. The Swiss people voted against having minimum 5 weeks vacation and also just rejected caps on the private insurance minimum costs. The politics are much more conservative/individualistic compared to Germany. On a positive side, Switzerland probably has the best public transport system in Europe.

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[–] [email protected] 12 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I moved from US to Canada with a whole lot less lined up

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago

How did it work out?

[–] [email protected] 10 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I'd take an offer to work from home on a house boat and go sailing around the world I feel like I'd end up making a lot of new customs officer friends XD

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago (6 children)

I'd take a little canal boat in Amsterdam. Though learning Dutch sounds like a PITA.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 4 months ago

The list of countries I'd move to is actually longer than ones I wouldn't want to move to.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 4 months ago

I would and I did. Nearly on a lark I decided to move to Norway right as the pandemic started appearing on cruise ships. I got a job within two weeks and they handled the immigration process for the most part. It wasn’t simple but it was pretty straight forward.

And it was worth it, big time.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 months ago (1 children)

So, for context - I live in Scotland and I guess I feel a cultural connection with being Scottish. I even have a domain with a .scot tld.

But at the same time... I know the UK is kind of slipping back in terms of social issues - starting to feel like a "mini US" than a state with european standards.

So yeah, I'm torn between staying here and moving to some as of yet unknown country with better rights...

Although, since I basically never travel and nothing is really infringing my freedom (yet ...), I'll probably not actually do anything even if I wanted to.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

Love Scotland and the Scots (one of my best mates is one, and I visited many times), but it has the unfortunate flaw of being part of the UK indeed... I guess the obvious option that is similar-ish without having that flaw is Ireland, but personally living in the Netherlands I'm only really considering a move if it's to somewhere truly different (tropical, etc).

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 months ago

Yes. In fact it’s a done deal.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 months ago

Israeli, I've been considering this for several years but the impact on the family seemed too big. Since the war with Gaza, and the the political situation, the impact seems with it. Last week I've started looking for options.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Steady on, I only just got to Australia!

But it’s New Zealand.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago (2 children)

I did, moved from France to Canada

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

I did the opposite lol.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

Did you have any problem with the French?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago

I haven't given up on being a stick in the mud keeping Austin a little different from other parts of Texas. The loudest idiots in this state rebuke Austin as something un-Texan, but I'm not going anywhere and am continuing to live and vote the way I do. I know it's a little easier for me to say this, not having to worry about kids, so I don't expect others to make the same choice, even if they feel the same way.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago (2 children)

I live in the PNW of Canada. It's expensive, but I love it here and wouldn't move unless I absolutely had to.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

I moved here from England. I love it and would never go back.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

I love that everyone else here is saying they'd move to Canada. I also live in the PNW and as much as I hate how expensive it is, I do not see myself wanting to go anywhere else. Somewhere else in the province? Maybe. But it's fucking beautiful here and I'm not gonna pretend it's not.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago

More and more I want to now. I'm growing to really have a high level of disdain for this country and it's lack of doing anything for the worse off.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

I wouldn't. I'm pretty happy in the US.

If someone held a gun to my head and made me move, probably Canada, due to similarity.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago

Anywhere that has quality public transit, reliable internet and is located near a beach.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I always wanted to move to Sweden. My grandfather was born there and I have always loved visiting.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I live in Finland. Wouldn't mind a less wintery climate but not to the point of willing to move elsewhere.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Wanna swap? I'll come enjoy the snow, you can come to the UK and enjoy the, uh, rain.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 months ago (2 children)

It's not the winter wonderland many foreigners think it is, unless you go to Lapland. Most of the winter is just wet, cold, dark, slippery, and absolutely miserable. It's dark when you leave for work and it's dark when you get back home.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Ngl sounds good to me. I like it cold and dark. Did I mention I'm a mole?

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

Quite a few places, particularly if it was coupled with a decent job. Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, S. Korea, Japan, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and mayyybe the US depending on how enticing the job was.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago (1 children)

canada. toronto or vancouver seem like attractive choices.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

You picked the two most bubbled housing markets you could? Vanity is beautiful, though, many newcomers don't handle the winters well.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

I mean, I did. Highly recommend. Spoiler alert almost all the non-USA people places a multinational company would offer to post you don’t have guns

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

Yes!

My friend and I are actually planning to start taking trips to find which country we want to live in later on (we're both single/childless). We've been looking around Europe and Southeast Asia.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

Having recently moved to Europe due to the political situation and level of threat to me and my family back in my home country, I can definitely say it can work out extremely well.

I now live in the first world where I’m actually cared for as a human being by the laws and regulations.

But ultimately it’s your prerogative to determine the course of action that suites your goals and desires.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

100% if I could afford it.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

Of course. I have. Spent some time in Japan. I would very happily go back, but I'm in the States again now.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago (1 children)

If we could move to Iceland or Finland, we’d do it in a heartbeat.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I would love to move to England from the US. Specifically London. I've loved my visits there and the people have been amazing.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago (2 children)

London

People have been amazing

Christ you must have low standards 😂

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago (4 children)

Have you… seen the US lately? We went to UK in the spring and I was like, “yeah we could flee here”.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

My hand might be forced someday.

Otherwise, I'd need a specific destination and reason to want to live there instead of "I don't want to live here." I make a point to not have "grass is greener" syndrome, sometimes to a fault.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

I wish lol... I'd love to go somewhere not often considered. maybe Bulgaria or Kyrgyzstan. would be cool to see real world life there.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I want out. I want to go to Australia, but any country with decent human rights is a good choice. But I've been to Australia and it was cool.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

I did move within the EU for studying and for work and it was generally a good experience and I would do it again. Am German and have been in Ireland for studying and lived in the Netherlands and Slovenia for work (although never longer than for one year).

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