I live in the US and even beyond the current stuff going on, I’ve just become so depressed living in a place that feels like it doesn’t care about people. I’ve been watching videos about some other countries, in particular Vietnam and China, and I’ve thought it might be nice going somewhere that’s more committed to making life better for people. At the very least going somewhere that’s building a bunch of trains would be cool. (Yes I’m autistic, how could you tell? /s)
I don’t know if I’d actually end up doing anything because it’s tough for me to get anything done at the moment, but I was just wondering if anyone had any thoughts or experiences to share about living in other places, especially if you moved there. What’s your pitch for why it’s a nice place to live? What problems does it have?
If you moved there, what were the challenges in moving and adapting to the new place? Did you learn the new language? Was it tough getting used to the local foods? (This is something I worry about a lot because I’m kind of picky) How did you meet people? Etc.
Outside of college, I’ve lived in the same place all my life. I’ve only traveled outside the US twice and it was to other western or westernized countries. (France, Amsterdam, and Japan.) I’m relatively introverted and socially anxious, but it is nice to try to get to know people I could be comfortable around. I have a college degree but I haven’t had work experience due to my depression, so I’d be kind of starting from scratch in that regard. (I’m maybe about to get some treatment which might help, fingers crossed.) So all around it’s hard to say if I’d be able to move anywhere, but maybe at some point I can work up the energy and courage to make the leap and it would be helpful to have some ideas of how to approach that. Maybe I’ll try to slowly learn the language as I can.
For context, I permanently left the US because of Trump.
Moving is really difficult. Moving internationally moreso. Immigration aside, assuming you don’t have any visa problems or anything, there’s so much logistical and bureaucratic headache involved that the stress alone caused me to gain significant weight.
That said, I have no regrets. I’m glad to be out of that mess. Even if my new country isn’t perfect, it’s already such an improvement over even pre-Trump USA. While I didn’t have to learn its second language, it’s one I’ve been wanting to learn so I decided to jump right in. I’m enjoying the process and have been picking it up rather quickly.
I don’t think I have a word for the feeling I have from seeing people actually emigrating from the USA.
All my life it’s been the country everyone has been eager to move to.
It didn’t take me many years of being alive to realize most people moving there were to be made fools unless they already had a life lined up on arrival.
This was like around 2005, I was graduating the equivalent of high school. My then gf and later wife (then ex wife) wanted me to immigrate to the US. I was like hell nah. That, I told her, was not something I’d be willing to do. So it was either my country or nothing. (She was illegal in the US anyway lol. Fairly simple choice I guess.)
I think she might be (at least) a Trump defender today. Spoke to her briefly about Trump being reelected and she said he might do the country some good. I was like oh god, of course. So many things make sense now. 🙄😮💨
My dad brought me to the US when I was 5, and I spent almost all of my life there. I made a home for myself, made connections that I miss dearly, and got some fantastic opportunities as a circus performer.
But as a latina trans woman, I’m not sticking around for the genocide. It’s been building my whole life and I’ve spent my whole adult life screaming from the rooftops about my right to exist but it’s mostly gone unheard. Now we’re here.
Glad you made it!
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China don’t really grant visas (especially to “I have a college degree but I haven’t had work experience due to my depression, so I’d be kind of starting from scratch in that regard” people)
Yeah I figure that would be a big hurdle for a lot of places.
The rest of America is gonna be easier for you, and Spanish is very easy to learn.
What’s your degree in and is it sought after by any of these countries you listed?
It was in labor relations and I briefly went to grad school for CS, although I didn’t finish it because that’s around when the psych issues really got to me.
I’m basing on this on absolutely no experience in the matter, but I don’t think a degree in labor relations is going to be in high demand in another country. Unless you have a legal background or the lawyer accreditation equivalent in that country’ s legal system. I say this as a man with an Anthropology degree. Finding out what skillsets those countries are seeking from foreign workers and accreditations to prove those skillsets is probably step one in emigrating.
As a man that grew up in Texas I desperately wish Canada would let me in and adopt me.
I left the US in 2016 and moved to Germany.
If you have a university degree and work in an in demand field, such as IT, it is relatively easy to get a job and visa for Germany.
The hard part now is affordable housing in the big cities is almost non-existent, especially for someone moving here with no work or rental history in Germany.
The cost of living is less than in the US, so depending on your job/salary, affording the expensive housing may be less of an issue.
Overall the quality of life is much higher and the relationship to work and your life is way more balanced than in the US.
I can’t imagine going back to the US now.
I have a friend who was born and raised in China, and move to Europe when they were 16 yo. They’re first language was basically Chinese, despite having an American and German parent respectively.
I was always super curious about what their time in China was like, and asked extensively about it. Of course they were quite biased in favor of China, so things like the crazy surveillance that goes on there never really seemed dubios to them, but one thing they mentioned very frequently: discrimination.
I should say, this individual did not look Chinese (and couldn’t get a Chinese passport, despite being born there). This — according to them, and I am inclined to believe this, due to the aforementioned bias — caused them to be intensely discriminated against, as a lot of Chinese people apparently don’t like Westerners (well, a lot of Westerners also discriminate against Chinese).
Your mileage may vary, but that did always surprise me. If you look non-asian, China might not be the best place to move to 🤷.
Have you considered UK/Ireland/Aus/NZ?
Australia is really good. And while the incumbent Labor party is hated by all the terminally online left, they are more than anyone else in the country interested in making it a better place.
That’s good to hear. UK Labour have practically become defenders of the status quo.
And in doing so, are failing catastrophically to defend it (from the right flank).
