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.
PNW, forests are pretty. I’ve long fantasized about dropping my life in Kansas and just moving to Tacoma like I’m a 19th century con artist trying to escape my past
Yes. My wife has dual citizenship. We joked about it at first, but now it’s no longer funny with all the crazy shit going on in the US. And our state is becoming massively overpopulated thanks to the horrible economy. The only real thing keeping us back is family but it seems like we’re all so busy I never see them anyway.
Probably wouldn’t hesitate as long as I knew I could occasionally return to visit. Was in the military and stationed over seas. Would love to live in Germany again, have a friend that lives in Netherlands and frankly looks like a great place to live. Another friend lives on the coast in Japan and is raising a family there. Would if I could but lack the income to make it viable.
It’s very telling how many Texans are in this thread with affirmative responses.
As someone who lives in Texas, I agree. I’m not from here, military transplant, but I did set it to my “permanent state” specifically so I could vote here. If I’m being forced to live here, might as well do my part to try and change the fuckery going on.
However, the absolute second that the ink on my DD214 is dry, I will NEVER set foot in this state again. Not purposefully anyhow.
It sucks, because Austin, SATX, and my personal favey fave: Houston, are all fucking awesome cities. But they’re not worth it. Not worth it to see how much Texans with money prioritize the dehumanization of immigrants, women, and the LGBTQ+ community.
If money was no object, I’ve always been smitten with the idea of Canada. I like much cooler weather than Texas provides, and I want nation-wide socialized Healthcare. Surprisingly difficult to immigrate too from what I’ve seen on a cursory glance though.
I probably check out Australia, New Zealand, or Costa Rica.
My old answer would have been to check out a Nordic country, but I think trying to force my kids into Nordic languages would not be the best idea. A couple of my coworkers moved to Sweden. The one with older children seem to get along pretty well the one with younger children not so much.
If money was not an issue, I’d buy an island & live on it.
Yes, to Finland.
Saw that one coming.
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.
Same! And honestly, its looking like I should really put in some time to figure out what would need to happen for me to do so in a hurry. This country is…
Well, people need to vote. We should have a go fund me specifically for people who would to vote if not for their job/childcare etc. I know most people aren’t awful, but they don’t get out and vote and so I’m forced to worry about having to leave in a hurry.
Hah good username.
Thanks gancho!
And the cold dark winters 🥶☹️
Come to France instead !
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’ve gone wakeboarding in Morgan Hill and snowboarding in Tahoe on the same weekend. :-)
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.
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.
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).
Absolutely!
I’d have a swanky apartment in a cool city and a beachside open concept home to flee to when I felt even the slightest bit chilly.
All my friends would live within 15 min walking distance and I’d have a rooftop garden where I grow some of the nicest tomatoes and peppers you’ve ever had.
I’d love to spend a few months at a time living in many different states/countries. I think that’d be awesome.
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.
@shadowSprite surreal to see this comment.
New Zealand is on one of its periodic kill the poor phases at the moment, the government has made massive cuts to welfare and intends to give retrospective tax cuts to landlords.
It’s also scrapped all its environmental protections.
Well, crap. I really want to go somewhere far from the global conflicts that might arise in the future but still live in a relatively modern and developed country. New Zealand seemed like it would be a desirable destination, but if it’s on the same trajectory as the US, UK, and Canada, I guess it wouldn’t be an upgrade.
I really want to be as far from likely military (particularly nuclear) targets as possible. I feel like we’re on the precipice of something truly awful.
@slingstone I worry about that too. But NZ is unfortunately a 5 Eyes country and has a lot of oligarch/billionaire prepper bunkers in it.
That’s why I’d only go there if money wasn’t an issue :) otherwise I’d rather be in a Nordic country. It’s a shame to see countries look at the US and think we’re something to emulate.
@shadowSprite in NZ’s case we’re emulating ourselves circa 1986.
Idk I’d rather be somewhere where they treat people well even if it doesn’t affect me personally.
No I think Colorado USA is maybe the best place in the world to live as long as a certain asshole isn’t elected president.
All my friends live here and so does my family and I have no intention of leaving them, they are too important to me.
I lived in CO for many years and I do miss many aspects about it. All that SPACE and the amazing views and outdoor activities to do. I may move back, some day.
Canada maybe
Canada and Russia likely see expansion of land suitable for agriculture in a warmer world.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/climate-change-farming-1.5461275
Canada could be a huge climate change winner when it comes to farmland
The study, published today in the journal PLOS ONE, predicts about 4.2 million square kilometres of Canada that are currently too cold for farming crops like wheat will be warm enough by 2080 if greenhouse gas emissions continue to climb.
Currently, only a million square kilometres in Canada are warm enough for growing crops like wheat, corn and potatoes, he said.
Only works if “money is not an issue” indefinitely. If your cost of moving is all that’s covered… It’s a little tough over here right now in any relatively populated area.
I feel like being closer to my aging parents is going to start being more important, and we’re starting to get together a good medical team for my stepdaughter who has some challenging medical issues. Rebuilding that team in another state could be challenging and would take time, to say nothing of other countries that have nationalized health care that don’t even believe the disease exists.
This is definitely going to be more important for me too in the next 10 years or so. My parents are divorced and live in entirely different states, so I’m not sure at this point what will happen, who will move to be closer to whom, etc.
