And the cost of living is high, it's difficult to obtain a work visa unless you have one of a few, very specific skill sets or are moving there under the sponsorship of company. There is also the high level of government involvement in day life, high tax rates, too many rules, and....in general....totally crap sports teams. Not to bash mind you, but they ain't the heaven everyone assumes they are. TBH, there are better places, with better economies, that are more interesting, and more welcoming. Unless you like a boring, overwhelmingly white conservative society with huge safety nets and nanny governments. In which case, stay where you are.
You dare invoke my name without my knowledge????? OT - if you are still serous about moving and not just f'ing around - might I suggest sweden? We have mandatory 5 weeks vacation a year Healthcare provided by the government Parent leave supported by the gov for 1,5yrs paid for every child free schooling up to (and in some cases including) Uni English is the second language with no dubbing of TV or Movies Every person under 50 is almost guaranteed to be eng speaking high levels of culture incredible music scene , art scene long summer days (sorry but there is long winter nights too) of almost 20 hrs daylight depending on where you are Hands down the best looking women/men on the planet (I drag down the avg a little meself) low population means more access to nature Cost of Living is relative dinner index I can go on and on but I'll let the list speak for now and answer questions later if needed
er, lol. (i don't live in Oz). I was just going on Bill Bryson's book, and the experiences of my friends who lived there for a while.
@JJ: What sports are Australia rubbish at? Apart from Football and the US sports that no one else plays they are the worlds greatest all-round sporting country. Seems to me that Aus and NZ give the benefits of living in NW Europe but with better weather.
I know. Sorry, I should have put [smack talk] around that last sports bit. [smack talk]They are ok.[/smack talk] If that is what you are looking for in life, then it's that place to be. If you are interested in a more vibrant life, then Oz is a tad....NW Europe with better weather. Did that for 18 years, and for me the better weather doesn't make up for it. My point to the OP was, again, there are easier places to get into and work; with a more interesting lifestyle and better career opportunities then NW Europe and it's derivatives.
Anywhere Mediterranean. Not only is the weather better; so is the food, the drink, the country side, the architecture, the women (my God, the women!)... seriously, it is a no-brainer.
Indeed, all the above. AND, the cost of living tends to be lower as well, with a few notable exceptions.
I'd agree, but the sun would quite literally kill me. Or at least burn me real bad, seen as how I'd probably get tired of the constant application of sun cream after like a month. So in what countries do the girls find ginger, skinny guys hot?
It's interesting you say the cost of living in Australia/NZ is high - do you just mean the cost of general commodities, because I was under the impression housing etc. was quite cheap over there. And surely it would still be in proportion to the average wage, wouldn't it? I've considered moving once I graduate as well, not because I don't like this country, but because I'd like to go somewhere a bit more 'relaxed', and prettier (certainly not hotter though), so NZ has always been at the top of my list. The job will always be the sticking point, though (hopefully NZ has a shortage of geologists), so I intend to do a month or so travelling over there next year to see what it's like and whether there are many opportunities. However, I'd certainly advise against just looking at somewhere on a map/Wikipedia and choosing based on that. You really have to visit the places to get a feel for whether you like them or not, as the place that has the lowest crime rates and best job prospects may not necessarily be the best option for you, and the last thing you'll want is to rock up somewhere after you've just uprooted from your home thousands of miles away and decide you don't like it. Even then though, it's one thing staying somewhere for a few days/weeks, but it's a completely different beast having to live there, and you'll no doubt have different experiences/opinions of that same place after a while. Have you not just considered moving elsewhere in the US? Or is there something in particular that you don't like about the country as a whole? Scotland? Anywhere cold with a male:female ratio heavily in your favour?
I always thought the social environment (society and people) the most important part. There are so many fabulous places on this earth, however, we are social beings and all the beauty is to no avail if....
Housing might be lower in comparison to UK city prices. But the OP is a US citizen. That means he pays US taxes, and depending on the country, local taxes as well. Australia has a high cost of living when you look at the over all picture. Particularly when you are paid in USD, which if the OP moves there will be likely, since randomly up and moving there and getting job has a very low % of success. It also is likely that he will live a city, and rents in Sydney and Melbourne are fairly high. Even finding a cheap suburb means petrol, which is at EU prices, not US ones. On top of that, most goods are imported, which adds to the cost of things; particularly electronics (check the OP's posting history, he's not a farmer). The Big Mac index actually rates Oz #7 in the fastest earned, but I don't think you shift house based on that, and the real restaurant prices are fair to high. Granted, cheap beer is cheap. VAT is 10%, high compare to most US states, and income tax is higher as well. So overall, from an American expat's point of view, Australia is one of the more expensive places to live.
I'm just going to throw out that bureaucracy is bureaucracy everywhere in the world, government losing **** isn't new, and it definitely isn't localized to the US.
That's the point, English and Welsh MPs could not vote in the Scottish Parliament, where they chose to halt tuition fees, however, some of the very same Scottish MPs who voted in the Scottish Parliament were allowed to vote in Westminster on the very same question for English and Welsh students. In a number of cases they voted both yes and no depending on which Parliament they were voting in. As for the West Lothian quesiton, I thought that primarily related to the fact that if England and Wales had a separate Parliament like Scotland then the resident MP, Brown, would be ineligible for that position as his constituency is in West Lothian. Whatever the case, I say good on Scotland. Any problems that have been created down this side of the border as a by product of the Scottish Parliament need to be dealt with here rather than letting the focus shift into an 'us' and 'them' mentality.
They are happy in Finland, they just hide it really, really, really well... Great standard of living there though and they make great phones.
im not crying about it, i just wanted to get some info on other countries and figured with all the crap thats been going on, that this would be a good excuse. this is not my first touch of the worlds not fair, by any means.
