If you had the chance or needed to move to another country, what are your Top 5?

[Viriditas]

If you're being honest with yourself, you know you're really not going to want to go to a country where you would have to completely learn another language. I am skeptical when somebody has something like Iceland or Korea as a top pick.

England
Canada
Austrailia
New Zealand
Sweden

Click to shrink...

Essentially my perspective as well. I'd like to learn another language, but presuming the current state of affairs in which I haven't, this would be my list.

Climate is an issue for me. I'm in Pennsylvania and wouldn't want to live anywhere colder...but conditions in America are making Canada, for example, look awfully cozy by comparison. Multiculturalism and a good social safety net are high priorities that override my hatred of snow.

 

[Rodan]

1. Canada (I'm from Detroit, so Windsor is only a hop away anyways)
2. Finland (my ancestral home)
3. U.K. (English speaking, similar to U.S. in many ways)
4. Okinawa (spent a deployment there, and it's beautiful and chill)
5. Antarctica (not technically a country, a continent. But when I was a kid I wanted to be an Antarctic explorer/researcher)

 

[sph3re]

Somewhere sunny

I honestly couldn't give you names, but if you could give me names... maybe I'll make it happen

 

[ShortNasty]

Essentially my perspective as well. I'd like to learn another language, but presuming the current state of affairs in which I haven't, this would be my list.

Climate is an issue for me. I'm in Pennsylvania and wouldn't want to live anywhere colder...but conditions in America are making Canada, for example, look awfully cozy by comparison. Multiculturalism and a good social safety net are high priorities that override my hatred of snow.

Click to shrink...

Two of my boys (Americans) applied for university in Germany. Neither speak a word of German. They both got accepted. Don't sell yourself short before shooting your shot.

 

[KillLaCam]

I'm an American already in Singapore so I won't list that. I speak English, Korean, and Mandarin.


1) Hong Kong, Always wanted to live there, good food, GREAT nightlife, and shopping. Mandarin is a lot more useful there than it used to be.
2) South Korea, have alot of friends there too. My favorite food's and language are Korean. Awesome internet and night life.
3) Thailand, I do Muay Thai, the weather and food is great, I already have a lot of Thai friends so the transition shouldn't be too difficult.
4) Canada, America if it was good.
5) China, great cities, food, crazy business opportunities, shopping everywhere, so much to do there. Kung fu. The CCP doesn't give a fuck about most expats there, they won't bother you.

 

[Lightning hand5]

As a Canadian citizen, feels good seeing Canada in the top 5 consistently. My most important criteria are: diversity, respect for human rights, consistent and ethical law enforcement, lack of cronyism, education system and potential for growth and low amounts of economic stratification.

1.The United Kingdom
2. France
3. The US(specifically Cali or NY)
4. Namibia
5. Germany

Bonus: Nigeria. It's a country with a TON of potential that could be a superpower once rule of law is treated more seriously; there is more collaboration between the north and south and the tax system is revamped and monitored more efficiently. If the African version of NAFTA really goes through there will be huge potential since trade can be used as a tool to fight authoritarianism.

 

[Birdito]

Coming from Canada:

1. New Zealand - Having spent time there before, it's hella relaxing and I've been pining to go back.
2. Trinidad & Tobago - Girlfriend's family is there/from there, a different kind of relaxing, but oh so sweaty. Also I'd never go hungry, just incredible food.
3. UK - Probably wouldn't feel too out of place, I'd be able to carve out a nice little slice of life there.
4. Denmark - I just picked one of them up there, I'd be happy to find an opportunity there. I know next to nothing about it but I think it'd be cool.
5. Japan - It'd be radically different, but sometimes that's what you need.

 

[TojoT]

Rating only the countries I've had single stays in for longer than 6 months:

Norway
France
Australia
Thailand
UK
USA/China

I love visiting USA, China, and UK, but I can't see myself settling down there any more.

Edit:
Romanticised list:

Scandinavia+Iceland
France
Canada
New Zealand
Japan
Australia

 

[the-pi-guy]

1. Canada
2. UK
3. Norway
4. Germany
5. Japan

 

[kubev]

I'm probably very naive when it comes to things I'd need to know about living in another country, I'd probably choose Japan first, Germany second. I honestly couldn't come up with three other countries that I have any real interest in visiting, let alone living in.

 

[ShadowSwordmaster]

1. France
2. UK
3. Norway
4. Canada
5. Japan

I'm kind of baffled with the US mentions here. Considering what has happened in the US in the past two years alone.

 

[Lunar Wolf]

Canada, UK, Austria, Australia and Denmark or Netherlands.

 

[nanskee]

In Canada atm

1. Ghana(home country)
2. US (family there)
3. Australia (family there)

After that I have no idea, maybe UK. But I'm planning on switching provinces rather than country lol. UK and Australia would be before US but my favorite uncle lives in New York

 

[TheXbox]

1. Canada
2. Norway
3. Australia
4. Germany
5. France

The gulf between Canada and the others is enormous. It's kinda like the US but not a fucking tirefire, which is nice.

 

[Vern]

If you're being honest with yourself, you know you're really not going to want to go to a country where you would have to completely learn another language. I am skeptical when somebody has something like Iceland or Korea as a top pick.

England
Canada
Austrailia
New Zealand
Sweden

Click to shrink...

why not? Language isn't really that big of a deal. I came to china 6 years ago knowing nothing. Now I'm basically fluent for 70% of situations life throws at me. As I mentioned I think my next stop is Thailand soon, I only know a handful of words. Langauge isn't like some impossible thing to learn, or even much of a barrier at all considering the internet and smart phones exist.

 

[Deleted member 25600]

From Australia, i choose:

Iceland
France
Japan
Ireland
Canada

 

[Torpedo Vegas]

Australia not mentioned because spiders.

Click to shrink...

You had to pick one.
Australia or Skull Island.

I'd say Skull Island at least you'll see what's coming for you.

 

[Officer Big Mac]

Australia and then Britain. But not the part of Britain where it sounds like they're super English.

 

[RM8]

If I can't choose Mexico (home country) or Japan (currently living in Tokyo), it'd be:

- Finland: Cold, beautiful, I'd love to learn Finnish. It generally looks like a great place.
- Canada: Developed, multicultural, not too far from Mexico. It honestly looks like the best place to live in all of the Americas.
- Spain: I'm a native Spanish speaker and I made many Spanish friends... here in Japan, lol.
- Italy: Beautiful country with delicious food, it'd probably be relatively easy to pick up Italian too.
- France: Culture, bread, coffee.

Countries dismissed for particular factors that otherwise would make it to the top 5:
- Russia: I have Russian friends, I love the sound of the language, and it just looks like an incredibly interesting country with a rich culture and history. But I'm gay and I'd legit fear for my wellbeing :(
- Korea: I'd love to learn Korean and I love Korean food, but I'm honestly over heat and humidity after living in Tokyo for 2 years.
- China: Same as above.

If you're being honest with yourself, you know you're really not going to want to go to a country where you would have to completely learn another language. I am skeptical when somebody has something like Iceland or Korea as a top pick.

Click to shrink...

That's part of the fun! And learning a new language is completely doable.

 

[chaostrophy]

I'm from Chicago, where the summers are very hot. Every summer I fantasize about living in a cool-climate town like Nuuk or Iqaluit or Longyearbyen. They just seem like paradise, very relaxing places. But from what I've read those places are very expensive and I don't know what kind of work is available, so it'll probably always be just a fantasy. And Chicago is great in a lot of ways.

 

[Deleted member 1656]

As a California boy who's never been very far out of it — Canada if I were to be practical, Italy or South Korea if I were to be romantic.

 

[Vyrance]

Canada
Mexico
Colombia
Australia
Germany

 

[RPGam3r]

Canada would be my only consideration, but would lose horribly due to it being too far north and my hatred of cold and snow.

 

[Finaika]

1. Japan
2. South Korea
3. Taiwan
4. Hong Kong
5. China

 

[Border]

That's part of the fun! And learning a new language is completely doable.

Click to shrink...

I don't know what's going to be all that fun about trying to find a job and make friends in a foreign country if you only barely speak the language. It's hard enough making and keeping friends as an adult among our own countrymen. Unless you just hang around other ex-pats all the time it is going to feel really isolating for at least a couple years.

why not? Language isn't really that big of a deal. I came to china 6 years ago knowing nothing. Now I'm basically fluent for 70% of situations life throws at me.

Click to shrink...

If after six years I would be unable to smoothly navigate through basically 1 out of every 3 situations I encounter, then yeah that's not really the sort of experience I'm looking for.

 

[Morrigan]

If language is not a barrier, I'd probably go to: Finland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, or The Netherlands. Basically good quality of life index (education, healthcare, women's rights, etc.), social democracies, gorgeous nature (for the Scandinavian ones anyway) and vibrant metal scenes.

If I'm feeling lazy about learning a new language, I'd probably favour the UK or the francophone countries, such as Belgium, France or Switzerland, however, I've heard it's notoriously difficult to emigrate to Switzerland.

 

[RM8]

I don't know what's going to be all that fun about trying to find a job and make friends in a foreign country if you only barely speak the language. It's hard enough making and keeping friends as an adult among our own countrymen. Unless you just hang around other ex-pats all the time it is going to feel really isolating for at least a couple years.

Click to shrink...

Ideally you would find a job before moving, which indeed is a different scenario from just moving abroad and start everything from scratch. But the expat bubble is only a thing at first, now I have both Japanese and expat friends here. You'll have to take my word for it, but it's been a really fun experience and I'm glad I didn't move to an English or Spanish speaking country.

 

[bmdubya]

Belgium. That's it.

 

[mclaren777]

For me, nothing beats New Zealand.

It's my dream home.

 

[Deleted member 20603]

In no order:

Australia
New Zealand
Canada
Germany
Norway (one of my dreams looked similar except the mountains were all green from my view on the boat)

 

[Pein]

Canada
New Zealand
Australia
England
Kenya

Me being a weeb my dream trip has always been japan but I'd never wanna live there because gosh culture shock would be too much I think.

 

[Haunted]

Norway
Sweden
New Zealand
Ireland
Brazil

Thankfully, I'm super happy with the country I was born in.


edit: Netherlands and Switzerland also up there, toss-up between them and Brazil and Sweden.

 

[Chibits12]

My top five list:

1. New Zealand - just amazing landscape and people
2. Canada - Big country, cool people, lots of places to see
3. Sweden - to live at the Gotlands would be a dream come true
4. Mongolia - to experience living like a nomad would be awesome
5. Singapore - small city-state that seems peaceful and orderly

 

[gaogaogao]

Portugal - family
Norway - family
Germany - family
Canada - familiar
Taiwan - neato

 

[Kizuna]

Czech Republic – a good cultural balance between Western and Eastern Europe ("Still kinda like us in lots of ways, but civilized" as one of my Russian friends put it after staying there)
US of A – say what you will, I still like 'Murrica. I want nothing to do with the coasts though, I'm one the rare individuals who would willingly go and live in the Midwest.
Canada – having lived there, I miss it. Not the most exciting place around, but it was comfortable enough.
Poland – again, not too different of a place from what I'm used to, wouldn't take too much time to get used. Worried about the authoritarian tendencies lately though, moving out of Russia only to end up in a slightly alternative take on the same system would suck immensely.
Spain – this is where I might realistically end up, parents and siblings are moving there in a few years, everyone in my family outside of me has permanent residence

Japan, where I live atm, wouldn't make the cut even if I were to list my top 20 probably. The work culture is atrocious, it's too hot (don't even start me on bugs that come with it) and generally too 'foreign' in terms of culture. I much prefer to enjoy its products from abroad.

 

[TheSkullPrince]

France, Spain, Australia maybe, I ain't moving to some cold ass country.

 

[UnholyChocolate]

Canada
Netherlands
Hong Kong
Germany
Live in New Zealand for a while and didn't like it.
Living in the UK atm and this country is not great.

 

[Mass_Pincup]

Happily surprised to see so many mention for France. Didn't think that it was that well regarded.

Personally the only country I would see myself moving in was Canada but I already done that. Otherwise the US despite its shortcomings would probably be the top of my pick but I really don't think that I would live anywhere other than France and Canada.

 

[Osahi]

Belgium. That's it.

Click to shrink...

Lol. Why?

(I'm Belgian. I can see the benefits (healthcare first and foremost, and the beer and fries), but it's suchan unsexy country, and I am no fan of (most of) the people :P )

For me.

Portugal. Especially if I could live there earning what I earn in Belgium. Great culture, people, beautiful language, amazing food, the sea, the summers,... My wife and I talk alot about moving there (we own a small apartment there. Bought it after being bummed out we couldn't afford something nice in the only Belgian city we want to live in: Ghent)

2nd choice would be Vietnam, for the food.

Used to say I wanted to move to Paris, but I'm okay visiting it alot.

 

[Fiction]

1. Sweden
2. Canada
3. UK
4. Germany
5. The Netherlands

Basically any place where I didn't have to cancel important doctor appointments because I can't afford the copay.

 

[leder]

Germany
Netherlands
France
Denmark
Switzerland


If I am independently wealthy, Japan. Cool as fuck country, but I would never want to be part of the daily grind there.

 

[Anabolex]

I'm kind of baffled with the US mentions here. Considering what has happened in the US in the past two years alone.

Click to shrink...

When I visited the US two years ago I thought it to be pretty cool. People seemed way more sociable and friendlier than in Germany. I only visited New York and Las Vegas so I might got a wrong impression about living there.

 

[Mauricio_Magus]

1. Canada
2. Norway
3. Japan
4. Australia
5. USA

 

[Vern]

I don't know what's going to be all that fun about trying to find a job and make friends in a foreign country if you only barely speak the language. It's hard enough making and keeping friends as an adult among our own countrymen. Unless you just hang around other ex-pats all the time it is going to feel really isolating for at least a couple years.

If after six years I would be unable to smoothly navigate through basically 1 out of every 3 situations I encounter, then yeah that's not really the sort of experience I'm looking for.

Click to shrink...

Hmm I suppose I wasn't clear. Day to day life basically 99% of things I get. In a professional setting, like during meetings and whatnot when we talk about economic principles or some other technical language I can get a bit lost. Anyway it's not that big of a deal to not know a language. And learning something like korean in your original example is supposedly quite easy anyway. I find it weird to throw out most of the world as potential living places simply because the language is different. There are so many other aspects of life that you could consider when it comes to where to live.

 

[Deleted member 22630]

Not a hard list and could change in the future.

1. The Netherlands
2. Germany
3. Australia
4. Canada
5. Japan

 

[amnesties]

Iceland
Sweden
Canada
Portugal
California

 

[amnesties]

double post

 

[hombremalo]

Madagascar
Mexico
Peru
Samoa
Vietnam

 

[honest_ry]

Bhutan.

Please. I hate this place.

 

[Deleted member 13091]

Canada
Germany
France
Sweden
Ireland