People who have moved to a different country...

[WhiteBeastofWotan]

How easy is it move to a different country? I don't mean studying with a school program for a year or wandering around Europe for a while, I mean packin' up and moving. I'm toying with (far from decided and planning) the idea of getting the fuck out of America after my schoolings are done (in a year or two), probably not permanently, but who knows. Maybe to London. I have no idea how one would really go about doing this.

Any pointers? Do you suggest spending a smaller amount of time in the city/country I was considering, like a month or something, before going, etc.

 

[Dead_Lioness]

Max, I moved to different countries all my life.

Catch me on IRC and we'll talk, too long to type it all here...

 

[Shpongled]

Catch me on IRC

LOL best joke i've heard all day

 

[WhiteBeastofWotan]

hahaha srsly

 

[Dead_Lioness]

hah, yeah I know, been busy lately, but promise to come there more often

 

[Dead Winter]

It all depends on money and how much of it you have.

The easiest way in my opinion would be to find a really good job overseas with an American company so they'll set you up there, because unless you have the financial backing it's pretty tough. You also will have to know how the country's systems work and to use them. The US is probably the easiest to move to, bureaucratically speaking. If you don't plan on getting dual-citizenship, then you're gonna have to find out about the country's laws concerning visas as well as the US's laws concerning visas.

Just my opinion but I would think that for starters, an English-speaking country would be much easier for you. If you want to move to other countries then you'll have to learn the language. English might be the international language but unless you're planning on a career in Air Traffic Control or just want to ask where the bathroom is, you absolutely must learn the language.

It's not easy by far. But is it worth it? Absolutely.

 

[WhiteBeastofWotan]

Yeah thats why I was thinking London. Close enough to mainland europe to go other places for trips, but still English speaking. I use to have such a knack for languages, and a great tolerance for learning them, but recently I don't want to deal with more than funny accents.

 

[Dead Winter]

I'd say that's a great choice. You should maybe look into Ireland or Scotland as well...Dublin and Edinburgh I hear are wonderful places.

 

[azal]

I had been going to Serbia every summer all my life, so I decided pretty early that I enjoyed being there more than I enjoyed being in the U.S. It fit my temperament a lot more, and I just felt more at home here. So I moved immediately after college.

Luckily I knew the language, of course not perfectly, but I get better ever year. I make flubs in grammar that show that I'm either not from their/have no serbian education, but it's no biggy.

So I would definately suggest making a long trip or multiple smaller trips to the place before you decided.

And yeah, trying to secure a job before you do so would be the best, I lived off ketchup and bread for like 6 months here in that period of no job/spent all my money from the U.S.

But ever since I've gotten my first job, I've lived fairly comfortably in fairly nice parts of the city.

 

[azal]

Also, London is fucking expensive as fuck. You might want to consider a smaller city in england or a suburb or something first.

or maybe a nice quaint village, wolves of the throne room style, getting in touch with nature, living off the land and shit.

 

[vikk]

why are you leaving America? home of the free and brave

 

[WhiteBeastofWotan]

wolves of the throne room style, getting in touch with nature, living off the land and shit.

Haha if you've read any of my posts you should know thats not my style

 

[Jeff-Loomis-fan]

i dont know much about moving to other country's but apart from the other suggestions, The Netherlands is pretty easy, everybody can also speak english(because dutch is such a shitty language), and its really easy to move from the netherlands to the rest of europe.

but what the others said, it maybe easier to go to England or something...

but you should really wait for this whole financial problem is over because getting a job around here is pretty hard right now...

 

[Dead_Lioness]

i dont know much about moving to other country's but apart from the other suggestions, The Netherlands is pretty easy, everybody can also speak english(because dutch is such a shitty language), and its really easy to move from the netherlands to the rest of europe.
..

uh, NO.
It is actually not easy at all to move to The Netherlands. language-wise - yes everybody speaks English, but one must know Dutch in order to find a job and to get by, and plus, European rules were changed since 2004, and now it's a lot harder to move and work in the Euro-union countries...
Still possible, but a lot harder.

and I am not even getting into the housing situation in The Netherlands

Still my VERY favorite place I have ever lived in.
Max, if you're up for the challenge- GO FOR IT!

 

[Jeff-Loomis-fan]

ah..k go with the advice from Karen, she's more experienced ... just thought it was easy here since alot of people from different countries live here...my bad

 

[Dead_Lioness]

ah..k go with the advice from Karen, she's more experienced ... just thought it was easy here since alot of people from different countries live here...my bad

You weren't wrong! I was just pointing out that you do need to know Dutch,
and that getting a job changed since 2004
It's possible- but harder!

 

[slashvanyoung]

ah..k go with the advice from Karen, she's more experienced ... just thought it was easy here since alot of people from different countries live here...my bad

But how many of them do actually have a job?

 

[lad]

Also, London is fucking expensive as fuck. You might want to consider a smaller city in england or a suburb or something first.

This is true. Aside from property there being mega-expensive, transport/traffic is notoriously bad, and unemployment among people of our age group is the highest it's been in years haha...

So, aye, what DW said about finding work stateside that will transport you abroad seems sensible.

 

[Dead Winter]

I didn't think about that. The damn job situation is horrendous right now. They're still laying people off left and right and still not hiring anyone until April or so, at least around here.

It's definitely in your best interest to have a safety net or a good job to fall back on before doing it. Europe is not an easy place to move to if you don't have family/friends to help you out. Also be prepared to be like Azal; ketchup and bread is stretching it a little bit...but not much. Your first few months are gonna be pretty meager; internet, cable, shopping, etc. will be luxuries you can't afford at the start. However, you'll probably be so in awe of living in another country that you won't even miss it for a while.

Here's an idea:

Blizzard is looking for people to work for them in their Cork and Paris Headquarters as game masters for World of Warcraft and such. A friend of ours moved to Paris as a game master and makes about 1600 euros per month which allows him a decent apartment and a decent life in Paris. The company is growing exponentially and they constantly promote their people. I was thinking about moving there for a while and doing it but having my own house here in Italy kinda cancels out the extra money.

There's also Google in Dublin. A local friend of ours and his girlfriend moved there earlier this year and they enjoy it very much. Just a suggestion.

 

[WhiteBeastofWotan]

hmmmm that google idea is interesting, especially since I'm going to school for computer shit (though no internet or programming certs, so it probably wont help any). Dublin would be cool, though I like to blaspheme a lot.