Best place to live?

[Ashmoria]

i cant honestly imagine why anyone moves from their country of origin other than the most extreme reasons.

there IS no best place to live. it seems crazy to me that anyone might look at a list and say "ill move to one of the top 5" or "yikes, my country is near the bottom id better emigrate"

this is not intended as criticism of anyone who has moved or plans to move. it just means i dont understand the impulse.

[Cabra West]

i cant honestly imagine why anyone moves from their country of origin other than the most extreme reasons.

there IS no best place to live. it seems crazy to me that anyone might look at a list and say "ill move to one of the top 5" or "yikes, my country is near the bottom id better emigrate"

this is not intended as criticism of anyone who has moved or plans to move. it just means i dont understand the impulse.

Curiosity, mostly. Followed in some cases by the realisation that the country you moved to suits you much better with regards to way of life/scenery/climate/attitude/standard of living/etc.

I knew that my country of origin suited me in none of those categories, so I moved on. And I found my new country to suit my own ways much better.

[Muravyets]

Every time I see some jingoistic "USA RAWR!" remark, I feel like my country slides half a point down the index scale.

[Muravyets]

i cant honestly imagine why anyone moves from their country of origin other than the most extreme reasons.

there IS no best place to live. it seems crazy to me that anyone might look at a list and say "ill move to one of the top 5" or "yikes, my country is near the bottom id better emigrate"

this is not intended as criticism of anyone who has moved or plans to move. it just means i dont understand the impulse.

Well, I don't know about "extreme" reasons. I think getting a good paying job or otherwise just getting a chance to build the kind of lifestyle a person wants is a good reason to move. I think just wanting to move is a good enough reason -- like if you "find yourself" in India or something, that's a perfectly good reason to move to India.

[Neesika]

I'm not going to say Canada is the best country to live, because though I've spent significant amounts of time in other countries here in the Americas, I haven't REALLY lived outside of Canada. However, I'm going to say that so far, Montreal (Quebec) is absolutely the best place I've lived in Canada, and I recommend it highly. I could go on at length, but let me summarize: microbreweries galore, best bagels in the world, liberal/artsy/politically active people, kid-friendly, people-friendly (as opposed to car-friendly), multicultural/multilinguistic and full of good looking people. On top of all the other benefits of living in Canada (public healthcare/education/etc).

I invite you to not believe me and check it out yourselves.

[The Atlantian islands]

USA . . . for the sheer amount of opportunity to make whatever life for yourself you wish.

Bullshit.

Not at all. Though if your flag is any indication of your real life political views, I wouldn't be suprisd if you don't beleive in America.

[The Atlantian islands]

USA . . . for the sheer amount of opportunity to make whatever life for yourself you wish.

Similar (or better) opportunities exist in almost every rich country. What makes the USA special in this regard, aside from it claiming it is ?

Absolutely not.. Name me one country that offers more opportunity than the USA.

[Cabra West]

I'm not going to say Canada is the best country to live, because though I've spent significant amounts of time in other countries here in the Americas, I haven't REALLY lived outside of Canada. However, I'm going to say that so far, Montreal (Quebec) is absolutely the best place I've lived in Canada, and I recommend it highly. I could go on at length, but let me summarize: microbreweries galore, best bagels in the world, liberal/artsy/politically active people, kid-friendly, people-friendly (as opposed to car-friendly), multicultural/multilinguistic and full of good looking people. On top of all the other benefits of living in Canada (public healthcare/education/etc).

I invite you to not believe me and check it out yourselves.

Actually, having spent some time in Montreal a while ago, it would be very, VERY high indeed on my list if I felt like moving on again

[Muravyets]

USA . . . for the sheer amount of opportunity to make whatever life for yourself you wish.

Bullshit.

Not at all. Though if your flag is any indication of your real life political views, I wouldn't be suprisd if you don't beleive in America.

I don't believe in America, either. At least not in the America you're talking about. I live in America, and I know you are talking up a myth.

[The Atlantian islands]

I'm not going to say Canada is the best country to live, because though I've spent significant amounts of time in other countries here in the Americas, I haven't REALLY lived outside of Canada. However, I'm going to say that so far, Montreal (Quebec) is absolutely the best place I've lived in Canada, and I recommend it highly. I could go on at length, but let me summarize: microbreweries galore, best bagels in the world, liberal/artsy/politically active people, kid-friendly, people-friendly (as opposed to car-friendly), multicultural/multilinguistic and full of good looking people. On top of all the other benefits of living in Canada (public healthcare/education/etc).

I invite you to not believe me and check it out yourselves.

I'd like to visit one of these days, as I've only been to, and know people from, Anglo-Canada . . . and it was / there are basically the same as America[ns] . . . which is not a bad thing.

[Neesika]

Absolutely not.. Name me one country that offers more opportunity than the USA.

Guess that depends on what kinds of opportunities you're talking about.

[Cabra West]

USA . . . for the sheer amount of opportunity to make whatever life for yourself you wish.

Similar (or better) opportunities exist in almost every rich country. What makes the USA special in this regard, aside from it claiming it is ?

Absolutely not.. Name me one country that offers more opportunity than the USA.

I've got a feeling that the answer here will depend on how you count "opportunities".

See, Ireland offered me an opportunity to move here, start working in a new field, and build a living here.
The US wouldn't offer me this opportunity.

[Neesika]

I'd like to visit one of these days, as I've only been to, and know people from, Anglo-Canada . . . and it was / there are basically the same as America[ns] . . . which is not a bad thing.

Humans are basically the same everywhere, except for all the ways in which they are different from one another.

[The Atlantian islands]

USA . . . for the sheer amount of opportunity to make whatever life for yourself you wish.

Similar (or better) opportunities exist in almost every rich country. What makes the USA special in this regard, aside from it claiming it is ?

Absolutely not.. Name me one country that offers more opportunity than the USA.

I've got a feeling that the answer here will depend on how you count "opportunities".

See, Ireland offered me an opportunity to move here, start working in a new field, and build a living here.
The US wouldn't offer me this opportunity.

1. Saying that the U.S.A offers the most opportunity in the world does not mean that opportunity does not exist elewhere as well.

2. How would "the US" not offer you that opportunity? Wouldn't it depend on the company . . . ?

[Hydesland]

I've got a feeling that the answer here will depend on how you count "opportunities".

See, Ireland offered me an opportunity to move here, start working in a new field, and build a living here.
The US wouldn't offer me this opportunity.

Ireland, like the USA, is pretty friendly to small businesses and enterprising.

[Neesika]

1. Saying that the U.S.A offers the most opportunity in the world does not mean that opportunity does not exist elewhere as well.

2. How would "the US" not offer you that opportunity? Wouldn't it depend on the company . . . ?

In what sense are you talking about the US? To what extent to you attribute corporate power to the 'US' and to what extent do you believe they are separate from the 'US'?

[The Atlantian islands]

I don't believe in America, either.

Your loss. Really.

I do beleive in America and the American dream . . . with good reason. Family members of mine have lived it and really made it from nothing. It is no myth, and it re-enforces my admiration for the American way that the way these people suceeded could not have happend elsewhere.

[The Atlantian islands]

I'd like to visit one of these days, as I've only been to, and know people from, Anglo-Canada . . . and it was / there are basically the same as America[ns] . . . which is not a bad thing.

Humans are basically the same everywhere, except for all the ways in which they are different from one another.

You're missing the point. My point was that in my experience Anglo-Canadians and Americans were basically the same, and I know that Quebec is much, much more different..and that interests me.

[Cabra West]

1. Saying that the U.S.A offers the most opportunity in the world does not mean that opportunity does not exist elewhere as well.

I thought your argument was that actually, it doesn't. Or maybe not in such quantity or quality, but you haven't yet told us how you would quantify or qualify an opportunity.

2. How would "the US" not offer you that opportunity? Wouldn't it depend on the company . . . ?

Not really... it would have been serious hassle for me to move to the US, the buerocracy would have been prohibitive.
Whereas Ireland, no buerocracy for me at all. I simply showed up and found a job within days, which by now has turned into a nice little career.

[The Atlantian islands]

1. Saying that the U.S.A offers the most opportunity in the world does not mean that opportunity does not exist elewhere as well.

2. How would "the US" not offer you that opportunity? Wouldn't it depend on the company . . . ?

In what sense are you talking about the US? To what extent to you attribute corporate power to the 'US' and to what extent do you believe they are separate from the 'US'?

Because my point was (well I don't know her job) that it would be up to a company to set her up with that job, not Ireland or America.

[Neesika]

I don't believe in America, either.

Your loss. Really.

I do beleive in America and the American dream . . . with good reason. Family members of mine have lived it and really made it from nothing. It is no myth, and it re-enforces my admiration for the American way that the way these people suceeded could not have happend elsewhere.

For those of us non-USians on the forum can you please tell me what you mean when you say you believe in 'America'? What is 'America'? What is the 'American dream'?

[The Alma Mater]

USA . . . for the sheer amount of opportunity to make whatever life for yourself you wish.

Similar (or better) opportunities exist in almost every rich country. What makes the USA special in this regard, aside from it claiming it is ?

Absolutely not.. Name me one country that offers more opportunity than the USA.

As I said: almost every rich country. The "American Dream" - start from scratch and become rich ? You can do that in the USA, Germany, UK, Netherlands, Australia, France, China etc. etc. Perhaps even easier, since high quality higher education is much cheaper in many of them. Becoming the president ?
Well sure, not all those countries have presidents - but similar functions like prime-minister and so on are certainly within reach of someone willing to work for it. And due to the multi-party systems of many of them perhaps even easier once again.
Finding happiness ? Practice yor religion ? Meeting new friends ? Researching new technology ? None of those things are restricted to the USA.

So... what opportunities does the USA offer that other countries don't ?

[Hydesland]

Not really... it would have been serious hassle for me to move to the US, the buerocracy would have been prohibitive.
Whereas Ireland, no buerocracy for me at all. I simply showed up and found a job within days, which by now has turned into a nice little career.

The wonders of the EU, eh?

[Neesika]

You're missing the point. My point was that in my experience Anglo-Canadians and Americans were basically the same, and I know that Quebec is much, much more different..and that interests me.

Ah. My experience is different than yours, but then again, Canada is full of allophones in addition to anglos and francophones, so I haven't limited myself simply to anglos, which may colour my perception.

[Monte Mare]

Switzerland, Monaco, and Greece or Cyprus...