Living Abroad?

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TheatreDamsel517
TheatreDamsel517 Posts: 20
in Chit-Chat
Sooo...who's done it?

I'm thinking in the next 5-10 years I want to make the move over to Europe. Has anybody else done it? Or vice versa(Europe to US)? I'd love to hear about everybodys experiences!

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  • weeblex
    weeblex Posts: 412 Member
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    Moved from UK to US 15 years ago
  • dorwade
    dorwade Posts: 21 Member
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    I am thinking about doing the same thing!
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
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    I emigrated to Oz from the UK over 7 years ago now.

    Never looked back, a great move.

    Not to say the UK is awful but Oz just suits me more.
  • reneeeeeh
    reneeeeeh Posts: 54
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    Not for that long but I am a New Zealander working as a nanny in New York :)
  • rumpusparable
    rumpusparable Posts: 160
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    I lived in Germany for 3 years and traveled all over Europe during that time. It was really great. I found low-cost German lessons on-post and then continued it as tutoring after those classes finished.

    German tends to be a country of very polite people for the most part. Kids and animals behave better, too, there. Whenever in public and a bunch of teens were behaving badly and loudly they were always, without an exception in my 3 years there, American kids there because their parent(s) was military stationed there.

    The only exception I found to this was little old ladies at sales/bazaars. They will elbow you right out of the way lol.

    Things are more expensive due to how well the Euro is doing compared to the dollar.

    Neat little differences like for going to the movies you can reserve your seat some places.

    I really loved it there and hope to go back at some point.
  • Laces_0ut
    Laces_0ut Posts: 3,750 Member
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    this is something i really regret not doing in my younger years. it would have been great to experience different countries/cultures etc...for extended periods of time.
  • MonkeyFlower
    MonkeyFlower Posts: 92 Member
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    i moved from the UK to Australia about 10 years ago - never looked back! if you get the chance i think its amazing to experience different cultures whether that’s for a few months or indefinitely! :happy:
  • TheatreDamsel517
    TheatreDamsel517 Posts: 20
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    What was the hardest part of transitioning over to a new country(and/or language!)?

    I have to finish college first, but I am thinking of studying abroad in Rome during my Junior year. I hope to live in England or Ireland...maybe. Or Italy perhaps. I really don't know where I want to live, other than Europe! :laugh:
  • gkwatra
    gkwatra Posts: 431 Member
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    I haven't lived in Europe but I lived in Mumbai, India for almost 2 years. After just landing there, it was a culture shock and I wasn't sure for a while if I could cut it. Once I started working and made more friends, it was a lot of fun!! But very expensive to live!! Almost like NYC. As far as weight loss goes, it is MUCH easier to lose and maintain there than it is here! I walked a lot and used public transportation which contributed a lot to that! I miss it now. But, keep in mind, every place has its pros and cons. It depends on your preferences.
  • rumpusparable
    rumpusparable Posts: 160
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    What was the hardest part of transitioning over to a new country(and/or language!)?

    I have to finish college first, but I am thinking of studying abroad in Rome during my Junior year. I hope to live in England or Ireland...maybe. Or Italy perhaps. I really don't know where I want to live, other than Europe! :laugh:

    Language was the hardest part, but in Germany it wasn't really hard. German and English are so close together that with a good teacher (or even Pimsleur sets) you can learn it fast. I had much more trouble while traveling in Eastern Europe and down into Romania and such... Western Europe I could study a bit and learn enough language to be polite and get through basic situations like stores and restaurants... in the East it was a lot harder for me.

    Italy is wonderful. I took a couple-three trips to Italy and visiting all up and down the length of it. Rome is beautiful and Venice looks exactly like it does in the movies (not true of all places, I assure you). Very busy and crowded, but nice.

    London feels a lot like NYC, IMO. Watch out not to get run over... the simple thing of looking-both-ways before crossing the street isn't so simple with the change in traffic directions there. You check while expecting vehicles to be moving a particular way, not thinking about it. I nearly got hit a few times. All my own fault.
  • ErinBeth7
    ErinBeth7 Posts: 1,625 Member
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    What was the hardest part of transitioning over to a new country(and/or language!)?

    I have to finish college first, but I am thinking of studying abroad in Rome during my Junior year. I hope to live in England or Ireland...maybe. Or Italy perhaps. I really don't know where I want to live, other than Europe! :laugh:

    ITALY. So beautiful there.
  • wilkin777
    wilkin777 Posts: 73 Member
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    I lived in Italy for 3 years and have lived in a couple of other places. It is an amazing experience but i would recommend as much research as possible re laws, permits etc and, if you can, making a few contacts before you go. Italy is a seriously paperwork heavy country so it is good to know what permits and passes you will need and where to get them before heading out. Hope you have an amazing time wherever you end up. If Italy is it and you need any advice at all let me know : )
  • Dani_wants_to_be_fit
    Dani_wants_to_be_fit Posts: 550 Member
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    I have, I lived in South Korea for about 7 months and I LOVED it! I had to come back for my degree but ah, I wish I had stayed. It was amazing. I will be moving there permanently after completing my degree.

    There were of course some bad sides to this, mainly when I first went I could hardly speak Korean but it just gives you that push to learn a little harder (No matter where you go I really recommend learning the language) depending on country, there is also the cultural differences to take into consideration, but as long as you do research before moving it should be fine.

    When it comes to socialising it can be either very easy or very difficult depending on your personality and how forward you can be. E.g. I was very lonely at the start until I gained the courage to talk to people (Not randomly in the street but students in the library) I use to stalk those who were studying English to try and start a conversation and it worked pretty well. Before I knew it I had many friends.

    Go for it, you only live once and it's a great experience.
  • karenjoy
    karenjoy Posts: 1,840 Member
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    I tempted a Canadian across the pond to live here in England with promises of all manner of fun and frolics, he finds it more of a culture shock that he imagined, but he came from Toronto to a tiny village on a tiny island off the south coast...the language is similar, but there are differences that lead to the occasional confusion, he also gets home sick for ice hockey, CFL and the other one...with the stick...
  • Mcmilligen
    Mcmilligen Posts: 332 Member
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    I have not, but I plan on doing the same thing eventually.

    My mom however, has. She is just about to land in Singapore (flying from Canada, BC), where she will teach for at least two years! I know that this is the experience of a lifetime, and she deserves it more than anyone I know. She is recently divorced and all of her kids finally have moved out of the house. I might join her and take her up on her free housing offer :)

    I say if you want to do it, go for it. Life was not meant to be spent doing the same thing in the same place forever. We have all of these tools to travel and experience the wonders of the world at our fingertips. Why not take a chance and enjoy what the world has to offer? As for language, the best way to learn is to submerge yourself in with the locals. Bring a little book, and learn from there.

    :)
  • ErinBeth7
    ErinBeth7 Posts: 1,625 Member
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    London feels a lot like NYC, IMO. Watch out not to get run over... the simple thing of looking-both-ways before crossing the street isn't so simple with the change in traffic directions there. You check while expecting vehicles to be moving a particular way, not thinking about it. I nearly got hit a few times. All my own fault.

    I felt the same way about London, it was nice to see, but was not the kind of place for me to stay permanently. I'm really glad they have the arrows on the street in London that tell you which way to look! haha
  • DMZ_1
    DMZ_1 Posts: 2,889 Member
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    Sooo...who's done it?

    I'm thinking in the next 5-10 years I want to make the move over to Europe. Has anybody else done it? Or vice versa(Europe to US)? I'd love to hear about everybodys experiences!

    Europe is a mess right now. Things are not great in the US, but the Eurozone. Wow. :grumble:
  • BillyC96
    BillyC96 Posts: 7,560 Member
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    I tempted a Canadian across the pond to live here in England with promises of all manner of fun and frolics, he finds it more of a culture shock that he imagined, but he came from Toronto to a tiny village on a tiny island off the south coast...the language is similar, but there are differences that lead to the occasional confusion, he also gets home sick for ice hockey, CFL and the other one...with the stick...

    Tempted Canadian here. It was a bit of surprise how the same language is used differently, and how different things are from a cultural viewpoint. I wasn't prepared for that and it still catches me off guard. I miss Canada a lot, but I have made my home here, and have no regrets. I would recommend a major relocation to everyone. You learn so much about the world, about how others see the world, and yourself that there is almost no down side.
  • HellsKells
    HellsKells Posts: 671 Member
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    Spent a year living in Thailand teaching an English language program at a private school and loved it. Kick myself daily for not just coming home for a visit and going back.

    It's an awesome experience to live somewhere else in the world and I definitely intend to do so again. :smile:

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