**Living in a new country**

[Risottia]

I am living and studying in southern Spain.

Southern Spain... Andalusia etc?
It's the only part of Spain I never visited. From what I hear, great place for vacations (in winter or spring)... but sucky as for everything else.

I wonder, why did you choose southern Spain to study, instead of some other place? That's not quite renowned for academics, as far as I know.

As for me, I live in the same city where I was born and grew. I'm considering moving north, though, in a place where people won't even dream of electing Berlusconi. Germany, France and Sweden are likely options.

[Aelosia]

I want to move to Spain, regarding that, I must say that everything the OP said about Spain is, either relative to only the zone or city he is living in, or outright false. I have visited Spain many, many times, and overall all my visits have fared better than my visits to the USA.

I have many stories about my time in Japan, specially around baths, bathsrooms, smoking and the streets overall.

[The Atlantian islands]

I am living and studying in southern Spain.

Southern Spain... Andalusia etc?
It's the only part of Spain I never visited. From what I hear, great place for vacations (in winter or spring)... but sucky as for everything else.
I wonder, why did you choose southern Spain to study, instead of some other place? That's not quite renowned for academics, as far as I know.

Andalucia, indeed. I'm studying here because of an international program I enrolled in that had this as its best hub for studying in a Spanish speaking country. I much rather wanted to go live in Spain than Latin-America. This program allows me to transfer credits back to the U.S., study my politicis in English (which my university demands) but also study Spanish by natives and indeed use it to live. Even with everything I said in my OP, I am really, really enjoying living here. It is a wonderful city (Seville), extremely international (I'm speaking German here almost every night when I'm out partying, lol), with really fun, warm people. Also, I'm really unique here because of the way I look, where I'm from, what I study, and that I can speak 3 languages. It's quite enjoyable here for me, for the time being!

As for me, I live in the same city where I was born and grew. I'm considering moving north, though, in a place where people won't even dream of electing Berlusconi. Germany, France and Sweden are likely options.

Won't you have to look for a job in one of those countries first?

[Treznor]

Thank you. Most Americans don't go abroad and just don't understand how good they have it.

Even worse, some Americans like myself go abroad and realize just how much better it could be.

[North Suran]

Thank you. Most Americans don't go abroad and just don't understand how good they have it.

Even worse, some Americans like myself go abroad and realize just how much better it could be.

Communist!

[Risottia]

I am living and studying in southern Spain.

Southern Spain... Andalusia etc?
It's the only part of Spain I never visited. From what I hear, great place for vacations (in winter or spring)... but sucky as for everything else.
I wonder, why did you choose southern Spain to study, instead of some other place? That's not quite renowned for academics, as far as I know.

Andalucia, indeed. I'm studying here because of an international program I enrolled in that had this as its best hub for studying in a Spanish speaking country. I much rather wanted to go live in Spain than Latin-America. This program allows me to transfer credits back to the U.S., study my politicis in English (which my university demands) but also study Spanish by natives and indeed use it to live. Even with everything I said in my OP, I am really, really enjoying living here. It is a wonderful city (Seville), extremely international (I'm speaking German here almost every night when I'm out partying, lol), with really fun, warm people. Also, I'm really unique here because of the way I look, where I'm from, what I study, and that I can speak 3 languages. It's quite enjoyable here for me, for the time being!

Eh... looks like you chose Sevilla more for the fiestas than everything else. I bet you're ticking off the days left to the Feria de Abril.

As for me, I live in the same city where I was born and grew. I'm considering moving north, though, in a place where people won't even dream of electing Berlusconi. Germany, France and Sweden are likely options.

Won't you have to look for a job in one of those countries first?

Yep. That's why I'm still here.
Still I don't think that finding a job in Germany would be too difficult for me - not more difficult, anyway, than finding another job here in Italy.

[Sibirsky]

Thank you. Most Americans don't go abroad and just don't understand how good they have it.

Even worse, some Americans like myself go abroad and realize just how much better it could be.

Better places are few and far between.

[Treznor]

Thank you. Most Americans don't go abroad and just don't understand how good they have it.

Even worse, some Americans like myself go abroad and realize just how much better it could be.

Better places are few and far between.

That doesn't mean they don't exist, or that places equally good might not have aspects that could be adapted to make the US better. The US is not the best place to live just because somebody says so. It might be the best place for them but there's no reason it can't still be improved.

[Sibirsky]

Thank you. Most Americans don't go abroad and just don't understand how good they have it.

Even worse, some Americans like myself go abroad and realize just how much better it could be.

Better places are few and far between.

That doesn't mean they don't exist, or that places equally good might not have aspects that could be adapted to make the US better. The US is not the best place to live just because somebody says so. It might be the best place for them but there's no reason it can't still be improved.

I didn't say those places don't exist. I didn't say the US cannot be improved. That would mean it is perfect, and nothing is perfect.

[Carbarosia]

Removed.

[Waterlow]

The US stunned me. I was shocked by how wonderful and beautiful it is in some places, and also by the extraordinary poverty and squalor in others. I'm sure the US stands in very good stead when compared to the old USSR (and present day Russia, come to that) but conditions at their worst far surpass anything that, say, the UK or France can offer.

That isn't to say that the UK and France are 'better', just that I can't get my head around the fact that this extreme (to me) poverty is tolerated in an otherwise rich and powerful nation.

To those who would disparage Scotland... fie on you. There are few places that match the intimate beauty of the highlands and islands. And the Scots are great.

As for me, I'm considering spending a year or so in Australia (probably Melbourne) or California. I'd like to try a year in Strasbourg or south-eastern France but being a typical Brit with no language skills is a bit of a downer. I'd like to sample Canada, particularly Vancouver.

[Czardas]

The cars made here are fine. The cars made here are amazing compared to Soviet cars. The roads are well maintained compared to Soviet roads. The people are nice compared to Russians. There is trust, I explained in another thread how UPS just leaves packages, sometimes with valuables, at the door. That would never happen in the Soviet Union, because they would be instantly stolen. Street lights that actually light the streets. Because some hooligans don't constantly break them. I am in America and your joke is anything but funny.

In other words, you live in a nice part of the US. There are some very not-nice parts of the US where everything you attributed to the Soviet Union would be true.

And those parts are still better than the Soviet Union. A lot better. Yes, obviously a country as large as the US will have very different standards of living from place to place.

You mean like the USSR?

No. The worst place in America was better than any place in the USSR not reserved for the ruling elite.

You've traveled to all the worst places in America, so you know this for sure, right?

[Sibirsky]

The cars made here are fine. The cars made here are amazing compared to Soviet cars. The roads are well maintained compared to Soviet roads. The people are nice compared to Russians. There is trust, I explained in another thread how UPS just leaves packages, sometimes with valuables, at the door. That would never happen in the Soviet Union, because they would be instantly stolen. Street lights that actually light the streets. Because some hooligans don't constantly break them. I am in America and your joke is anything but funny.

In other words, you live in a nice part of the US. There are some very not-nice parts of the US where everything you attributed to the Soviet Union would be true.

And those parts are still better than the Soviet Union. A lot better. Yes, obviously a country as large as the US will have very different standards of living from place to place.

You mean like the USSR?

No. The worst place in America was better than any place in the USSR not reserved for the ruling elite.

You've traveled to all the worst places in America, so you know this for sure, right?

Have you seen any of the USSR? I have a good enough idea about the living conditions in the worst places in America to have an opinion. It's far more than living conditions as well. Like laws, and rights.

Another Russian joke

An American journalist and a Russian journalist are discussing freedom of the press. The American says, you know, I can stand in front of the White House and openly criticize the American president. The Russian says, so what? I can also stand in front of the White House and openly criticize the American president.

[Czardas]

Have you seen any of the USSR?

No. My father has; he traveled there in the seventies or eighties on several occasions, even receiving medical treatment there (treatment which was unavailable or too expensive in the USA, I understand), and didn't complain much. Of course, he was a visitor from the United States so he probably lived better than ordinary folk.

Still, I know the average living conditions in the USSR were very poor, since any place with a $6,000 or so GDP per capita isn't going to be a much nicer place to live than the PRC. I'm just questioning your apparent assumption that every American lives better than people in the Soviet Union did.

For instance, even in large and prosperous American cities, you can find large numbers of homeless people, and in other areas dirty and dilapidated ghettos where the inhabitants live in fear of gang warfare (or are part of gang warfare). There are neglected rural, semi-rural, and even urban areas where people do live in essentially third-world poverty. The worst living conditions in America are far worse than the worst living conditions in many other Western nations -- better than the Soviet Union's, maybe, but that's like saying your country has a larger army than Costa Rica.

[Call to power]

was all set to move aboard in late April but then "LOL Economy" happened and shit hit the fan baww

extremely international (I'm speaking German here almost every night when I'm out partying, lol), with really fun, warm people.

wait till the British tourist season *lobs garden chair whilst topless*

The US stunned me. I was shocked by how wonderful and beautiful it is in some places, and also by the extraordinary poverty and squalor in others.

I've noticed that everytime I visit the US I hate it more and more its just like I didn't notice the weird things when I was younger like the fashion (pink houses and extremely baggy pants should be banned.) or the billboards declaring that gay rights are not civil rights

[Taeshan]

I hope to move out of the satates during my adulthood.

[Sibirsky]

was all set to move aboard in late April but then "LOL Economy" happened and shit hit the fan baww

extremely international (I'm speaking German here almost every night when I'm out partying, lol), with really fun, warm people.

wait till the British tourist season *lobs garden chair whilst topless*

The US stunned me. I was shocked by how wonderful and beautiful it is in some places, and also by the extraordinary poverty and squalor in others.

I've noticed that everytime I visit the US I hate it more and more its just like I didn't notice the weird things when I was younger like the fashion (pink houses and extremely baggy pants should be banned.) or the billboards declaring that gay rights are not civil rights

You want to ban a way that people dress and free speech? Shame on you.

[Sibirsky]

Have you seen any of the USSR?

No. My father has; he traveled there in the seventies or eighties on several occasions, even receiving medical treatment there (treatment which was unavailable or too expensive in the USA, I understand), and didn't complain much. Of course, he was a visitor from the United States so he probably lived better than ordinary folk.

Still, I know the average living conditions in the USSR were very poor, since any place with a $6,000 or so GDP per capita isn't going to be a much nicer place to live than the PRC. I'm just questioning your apparent assumption that every American lives better than people in the Soviet Union did.

For instance, even in large and prosperous American cities, you can find large numbers of homeless people, and in other areas dirty and dilapidated ghettos where the inhabitants live in fear of gang warfare (or are part of gang warfare). There are neglected rural, semi-rural, and even urban areas where people do live in essentially third-world poverty. The worst living conditions in America are far worse than the worst living conditions in many other Western nations -- better than the Soviet Union's, maybe, but that's like saying your country has a larger army than Costa Rica.

Without question, your father was better off while visiting, than ordinary Russian folk. And an overwhelming majority of Americans, including the ones that live in very bad parts of cities are better off than and overwhelming majority of Russians. There is no question about that.

[Sibirsky]

I hope to move out of the satates during my adulthood.

To where?

[Taeshan]

I hope to move out of the satates during my adulthood.

To where?

A numerous ammount of posibilities.

[Call to power]

You want to ban a way that people dress and free speech? Shame on you.

yes, your freedom of fashion ends when I have to look at it

[Sibirsky]

I hope to move out of the satates during my adulthood.

To where?

A numerous ammount of posibilities.

Can I have a list of some of the top picks? I am very curious. You don't have to, if you don't want to. Would this move be for good? Why the move?

I would consider moving out of the US only for a few years at most. And only a Western or other developed country. Unless I was extremely well compensated of course.

[Sibirsky]

You want to ban a way that people dress and free speech? Shame on you.

yes, your freedom of fashion ends when I have to look at it

While I agree, it's not a pretty sight, we have no right to tell people how to dress, within reason, or what color to paint their houses etc.

[Call to power]

A numerous ammount of posibilities.

go work in Antarctica I watched a documentary on that awhile ago and I'm fully convinced that everyone interviewed was fucking nuts (even the narrator who became steadily more poetic and hostile to human life)

[Call to power]

And only a Western or other developed country. Unless I was extremely well compensated of course.

but you can just do what all expats do and save up about 40K (in sterling course) and live like a King in some godforsaken hell hole

*pays African children to fight for my amusement*

While I agree, it's not a pretty sight, we have no right to tell people how to dress, within reason, or what color to paint their houses etc.

nonsense! imagine how society could be molded into a strong unit if we all dressed the same and lived in the same houses

equality of design
equality of choice
equality of sense

or I could of been joking