Friday, September 17, 2004

A combination of ongoing disgust with the U.S. and other factors (the home-buying power one achieves by leaving the bay area, various work stuff, wanderlust) has had me daydreaming lately about emigrating. Somewhere. Anywhere. Like...

Canada. Pro: Cheaper, nearby, English-speaking (mostly), longer flannel season, peaceful). Con: So-so economy, potential shortage of compelling editorial jobs.

UK. Pro: English-speaking (mostly), abundance of plaid in certain parts, good sitcoms, access to Hobnobs. Con: left-side driving, pound-dollar exchange, iffy cuisine, strict canine quarantine laws.

Spain. Pro: Wine, food. Con: Siesta schedule which, dog help me, I don't think I could get the hang of.

Germany. Pro: Sausage, beer (for Sarah's benefit), proximity to other countries. Con: Lack of language skills. Germans.

New Zealand. Pro: Natural beauty, excellent wine, sheep. Con: nearly cliche.

So, now that I have a comments function... where would you move?
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8 comments:

Ariel said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
1:07 PM
Gabe said...

I hear Saratoga Springs is pretty cool.

Pros: Pivotal Revolutionary War battle was fought here, so we've been partying for the past 200+ years. More bars per capita than anywhere else. Affordable (by Bay Area standards, not Upstate NY standards) and beautiful location just 3 hours from NYC, Boston, or Montreal. Publishing company connection in Jen. Jen and Gabe can go to your wine tasting parties again.

Cons: Ass-cold 20-below winters. No Pacific Ocean.

1:14 PM
EP said...

does it have to be a non-US location? how about vermont?
you want a long flannel season and lots of flannel to go with it...you got it! (fleece is quite popular round here, too.)
lots of affordable housing-even a few old farmhouses available.
no dog quarantine issues. plus timmy, otis and pearl could play together...
we speak english (well, most of us do).
no currency exchange issues.
close to canada, cheap and easy 6 hour flight to get europe.

1:52 PM
Cathy said...

if all the reasonable people emigrate, then the u.s. really will be screwed...

all things considered, i mostly love living here. but if i were to pick someplace else.... a toss up. Britain, because it's a lovely country, I like their food (seriously!) and their beer, I have friends there, and I speak the language. or Brazil, because the amazon rainforest is one of the most amazing places I've been. to live in Manaus would be a trip and a half. while I'd miss the flannel, I don't mind hot weather all that much.

3:31 PM
Ariel said...

oops... I clicked on something and accidentally deleted my post. Uh... what I said was, basically, New Zealand gets my vote.

5:42 PM
SAJ said...

Sydney, Australia is the most beautiful city I've been to thus far, and is therefore high onthe list. Not so much with the flannel, and very far from teh World's Most Adorable Nephew, which is a big bummer. I actully would adapt quite well to the siesta culture, but can't speak Spanish. Also, don't like heat. Hmmm.

Scotland would work -- Edinburgh is amazing. I also really liked Japan, and imagine you could do well by flannel on Hokaido, although I haven't been there (yet).

Ideally, I guess I'd need to have houses scattered all over hte world, or transporter technology that could whisk me from one adobe to another. So I guess I've got to get to work onthat.

5:20 PM
Noneya said...

I like the Vermont idea. Maine and New Hampshire definitely have a long flannel seasons.

Australia gets my vote for outside the US. Not that I've ever been there, but I really want to.

1:23 PM
Leigh Ann said...

Although I did just finish off about 4 milk chocolate Hobnobs, while wondering why another poster called Britain a country (one gets senstive living in the United Kingdom of Great Britain AND Northern Ireland), think long and hard before moving to a country where, yesterday, several chestnut trees were cut down because--gasp--a boy climbed up one of trees and then fell out.

9:50 AM

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