say something about ... yourself!

[Det Som Engang Var]

It is a swamp, the weather is insufferable, as are the people.

I'd like to live in Seattle myself, or New York. Or Austin. But if I'm going to leave, I want it to be for Norway. It's a farfetched dream, but as I'm learning Norwegian, perhaps someday.

 

[ShadowsWithin]

I live with my mom but in my defense I also live in Maine, which is the fucking worst for living costs.


also Norway is expensive as shit so good luck, I don't know how my friend Steffi manages. Apparently bar tending pays well over there.

 

[Det Som Engang Var]

Yeah, I know all about how expensive it is. :'(

 

[Dead Winter]

The thing is, it's expensive in Norway even compared to other European countries. I really think you should follow through on your quest to live abroad, but don't get tunnel vision over Norway because you may find that there are tons of other places around Europe that are just as good, if not better.

Personally, I'd love to live in Norway as well, but that's just me. However, living where I live now may be tied with my perceptions of Norway. I've never been there, so when I visit I might decide that it's not that great. What I'm saying is don't give up just because you can't live in Norway; that's like giving up on life because you didn't win the lottery. There are so many other places that you have yet to discover that may shatter your opinion of Norway and what you THINK you want.

I think I know the type of person you are, so I can't stress enough how much you need to GTFO of the US. At this point in time, it's ruined by the people inhabiting it and their inability to not make everything a money-making competition, not by the government or the economy or whatever the hell else they blame it on. America is in the shitter because of Americans, and they're so hard-headed and their heads are so far up their asses that they'll never even admit to it when it's plain as day. It's not going to change directions no matter who is in office or who is in majority; all 300 million Americans will have to completely change their mindset and lifestyle in order to make the US a decent country in which to live again for everyone who's not wealthy. Yeah, that's not gonna happen.

Hell dude, even Canada would be a great alternative! It's like the Norway of North America, only less expensive and not as wealthy. Quality of life is about the same, though. Toronto was voted the best city in which to live several years in a row! Get your shit together as best you can and take some baby steps before trying to jump all the way across the pond. You should do this while you're still young and so independently-minded. You have a strong character and a lot of integrity. Follow through.

If worse comes to worst, you can always join the military...I recommend the Air Force because it's got the best quality of life and the lifestyle is easier than the other branches. Iraq is finished, Afghanistan is winding down, the worst part of all of this war shit is over. I know complete drug addicts who were allowed in because they needed to clean up and get their shit together, so don't worry about having used drugs before...they'll still let you in as long as you don't have a DUI. That's the dealbreaker. Just a thought.

 

[Traxan]

Why would Norway be so expensive when the government subsidizes everything there?

Also, I'm betting Seattle has a decent Norwegian population. If you ever watched Deadliest Catch, some of its Seattle-based captains are Norwegian (RIP Phil) and Sig Hansen will speak in their language on the radio, so other people don't know what they are saying.

 

[Traxan]

I live with my mom but in my defense I also live in Maine, which is the fucking worst for living costs.

My man, move to San Francisco. THEN complain about Maine cost of living.

SF is crazy. I felt like I was in Tokyo. Except a filthy, broken down, filled with homeless Tokyo.

 

[derek]

Having moved back to the U.K - it's hideously expensive in terms of everyday life than most other European countries.

 

[Dead Winter]

Ah so yer back now! Hope everything went well and you're happy to be back, at least.

John, I honestly think you need to focus on learning a trade before moving anywhere. You need a certain skill set that can be utilized everywhere in order to make your dreams of moving come true. Yes, there are lots of subsidies in Scandinavian countries, but that doesn't mean everyone there is living high on the hog. Those subsidies are there to help people not die of starvation and exposure. You need a skill that can be utilized by everyone. You have to remember that without help, moving to Europe is much more difficult than moving to the states. You will need to not just understand the language but also the culture, laws, and regulations. It's not like moving from Texas to SF or Seattle. Personally, if I had to come back to the states to live, I'd move somewhere like Colorado, Wash State, Oregon, etc. For me, all the convenience and concrete in the world can't make up for bland and boring surroundings.

Maybe you should just really check out Seattle or Portland or something. GTFO of Texas, for sure. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know Austin is so artsy and edgy and modern and such, but it's still Texas. You need a complete transplant to a completely different mindset and culture, not just to another city with cool bars where interesting bands come from.

Also, what about Sweden? From what I understand, it's a sight more doable than Norway, has many of the same subsidies, is quite open to emigration and most people speak English. They have fantastic programs and everyone seems to be very happy there.

 

[Det Som Engang Var]

Thanks, DW. I understand what you mean. And I definitly do need to learn a trade of some sort.

I feel like I have a late start on life since I threw away so many years with drugs, but now I'll actually be able to save up money for an education and vehicle since this new apartment will be so much cheaper. I have considered Canda, though I don't know anything about it. I'm sure Sweden is great, too.

About the money-making competition, if you only knew. Everyone is so hell bent on money over here, I blame Hip-Hop. Truthfully, all I need in life money-wise is a roof over my head, internet and some instruments to play.

Have you guys heard of the Spartan Race? It's coming here in November, I've started training for it. Cost 200 bucks to participate.

 

[DarkGift]

welcome to sweden 30%+ taxes and the darkest winters you could hope for oh and short, rainy summers

 

[stefan86]

 

[Dead Winter]

Thanks, DW. I understand what you mean. And I definitly do need to learn a trade of some sort.

I feel like I have a late start on life since I threw away so many years with drugs, but now I'll actually be able to save up money for an education and vehicle since this new apartment will be so much cheaper. I have considered Canda, though I don't know anything about it. I'm sure Sweden is great, too.

I really hate the term, "get an education". It's so vague and utterly useless. Having "an education" and being an intelligent, successful human being are two completely different things. "An education" now means going to college to study so you can make more money; it has nothing to do with enriching your mind. What I'm talking about is a trade, a skill set that is inherent to you wherever you go. For me, it's a strong grasp of languages. For others it may be mechanical, electrical, medical, etc. You need to find out what you're good at and capitalize on that. Learn as much as you can and get as much experience as you can it can follow you wherever you go. You won't be able to bus tables for a living in a foreign country unless you're ok with living under a bridge, in a car, or in a homeless shelter.

You should set your sights on a career, something you're good at and enjoy doing. Something legal. You have a very strong work ethic and would be invaluable to many employers, you just have to decide what it is you're going to do.

The good news is in Europe things are done differently. Many times the state will pay for your vocational apprenticeship because OJT doesn't really exist here. You are afforded an opportunity to hone your skills almost free of charge as a social benefit here. However, you still have to decide what it is you're going to do. This isn't about majoring in something in college, this is about putting all of your energy into a real, tangible career. You need to develop your skills because these days university means absolutely NOTHING. Employers want results, they want experience, and they want it now. Some employers will even pay you to bootstrap educational programs, all the while you're just going to classes a few times per week to learn about specific things.

An example would be Caterpillar. They are desperate, and I mean DESPERATE for hands-on experience and expertise. They just sent my cousin to Germany for a month to a certification seminar, and he's never been outside the US before. There are opportunities everywhere, you just have to take advantage of them. Find what it is you're good at and bust your ass learning everything you can about it.

There are lawyers who have never been to law school; they just studied their asses off and took the bar exam on their own. You can do this, you just need the will.

 

[stefan86]

Wise words, even wiser considering the surroundings Self-change is one of the hardest processes.. but it's rewarding as hell once you achieve some results

 

[Talking Backwards]

It's not going to change directions no matter who is in office or who is in majority; all 300 million Americans will have to completely change their mindset and lifestyle in order to make the US a decent country in which to live again for everyone who's not wealthy. Yeah, that's not gonna happen.

So if I'm reading this correctly, there are 300 million wealthy Americans? Or are you just implying that only the wealthy have a decent life here?

I really hate the term, "get an education". It's so vague and utterly useless. Having "an education" and being an intelligent, successful human being are two completely different things. "An education" now means going to college to study so you can make more money; it has nothing to do with enriching your mind.

Completely agree. Incidentally, when my mother and I would get into arguments (when I was still a teen), she would say "I have a college education, what do you have?". Seriously, what the fuck kind of inane question is that anyway? Not only did she not ever get anything useful out of it other than a larger vocabulary, I wasn't even old enough to go to college yet. Or rather, I wasn't one of those ultra rare prodigies that graduate highschool at 10 - 13 years old.

 

[Dead Winter]

I'm implying that the non-wealthy need to change their perception of what is and is not America. They're led by the nose by wealthy Americans saying, "If I can do it, so can you! Look at all my money! Fuck everyone else, just look out for #1 and you'll be rich and happy!", and the non-wealthy Americans just eat that shit up like suckers. It's nothing more than a get-rich-quick scheme, only there's not even a scheme; they're literally selling a false notion to people, and with Americans being the most idealistic suckers on the face of the planet, they eat that shit up and actually believe they have a chance at being part of the 1%. Americans need to realize that their dream of being uber-rich is most probably not going to happen, and that if they would just be a little less greedy, materialistic, and competitive in EVERY_SINGLE_THING they do in life, they might just discover that you don't have to be wealthy to be happy.

What I'm saying is that as long as Americans believe you have to be rich to be happy, the ACTUAL rich will continue to make life miserable for everyone else but themselves...and it's OUR fault for letting them do it.

It all boils down to competitiveness. Competition is good, but in the US Americans are competitive in almost every single facet in their life. Money is the only thing that matters. They may disagree and say that they don't believe it, but the proof is right there in front of you every single day. The housing bubble was created by poor people who wanted to move up a class but couldn't pay for it, and it was sold to them by the rich who were taking their money and running. People are driving Hummers in cities. Single people having three cars. 14-year-olds with iPhones. HELL, THE IPHONE ITSELF: 600 dollars for a phone that no one uses for anything but Instagram pics and Facebook. People choosing spouses based on their social status and then divorcing them a year later for everything they're worth. The ridiculous wine industry in America. X-Factor. People going on fucking reality television shows to get married. All this shit, ALL OF IT is here because we have to be in constant competition with one another, and yet by doing this we're making ourselves fatter, lazier, dumber, slower, unhealthier and unhappier. We do all of this to ourselves all because we're greedy scumbags who were slighted in some way at some part in our lives and we have to get back at SOMEONE or SOMETHING by showing them how awesome we are, and we show them how awesome we are by buying bullshit we don't need. And I do mean bullshit.

This is why I say it's the fault of the American people that the country is in the shitter...not the government, not the economy, not wall street. Americans allowed and still allow this shit to go on because deep down we want to be one of the elites. We're quite literally a nation of wannabes. We'll dump 3 trillion dollars on the two longest bullshit wars in American history, yet when a third of that could provide health care for everyone in America, we'd rather our fellow people die so we can keep some extra change in our pockets. We even yell it out at political rallies. America is fucked because of Americans, and that's the end of it.

There's an old saying around here: "Italy would be great if it weren't for the Italians". This now applies to the US and Americans. We've run our beautiful country into the ground and it's all our fault. From now on, America for me, the America I love is the America without people; it's the giant redwood forests, the Rockies, the coasts, the swamps, the wildlife, the nature. Everything else needs to burn. We just need to start over.

 

[replicated]

lol @ classwarfare

The rich just gave me a good job. I'm pretty happy about it.

 

[~Lynn~]

I love "1% ers" . Whatever that new socially trending moniker means.

 

[Dead Winter]

I'm not even faulting the 1%ers...sure, they're greedy megalomaniacs but you don't get to be that elite without being a greedy megalomaniac. I can't say that I'd do anything differently if I grew up in Mitt Romney's shoes. There comes a point at that level of society where you're so shielded from reality that you can't even connect on a basic level with the common person. It's kinda sad, actually, but that's just how it is.

I'm faulting the 99% (as they call themselves) for being gullible, stupid, simple, petty, and hypocritical.

What REALLY, REEEEEEAAAAAAAALLY gets my goat is when they say shit like, "Our military (as if we belong to them) is fighting for the American people!" and they wave their flags and get all high and mighty over that shit.

Here's the oath of enlistment:

I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.

See that? Nowhere does it say that we fight for the American people. We fought to defend the CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES (in theory, at least...now it's more like fighting for Halliburton, which is why I got out). I couldn't give a rat's ass about the American people because the majority of them don't deserve it. That's why I hate all those ass-kissing, back-patting morons and it makes me cringe whenever they pull that shit with me. It takes every ounce of restraint I have not to tell them to fuck off. I didn't do it for them. I did it for the principles the US was founded upon so BETTER people could outshine the lesser ones and actually make the right decisions for our country, and that just isn't happening anymore.

 

[Talking Backwards]

I'm implying that the non-wealthy need to change their perception of what is and is not America. They're led by the nose by wealthy Americans saying, "If I can do it, so can you! Look at all my money! Fuck everyone else, just look out for #1 and you'll be rich and happy!", and the non-wealthy Americans just eat that shit up like suckers. It's nothing more than a get-rich-quick scheme, only there's not even a scheme; they're literally selling a false notion to people, and with Americans being the most idealistic suckers on the face of the planet, they eat that shit up and actually believe they have a chance at being part of the 1%. Americans need to realize that their dream of being uber-rich is most probably not going to happen, and that if they would just be a little less greedy, materialistic, and competitive in EVERY_SINGLE_THING they do in life, they might just discover that you don't have to be wealthy to be happy.

What I'm saying is that as long as Americans believe you have to be rich to be happy, the ACTUAL rich will continue to make life miserable for everyone else but themselves...and it's OUR fault for letting them do it.

Ok. Thank you for speaking for the 300 million non wealthy Americans, who are just clones of one another, eating everything the media spoons out. It's about as bad as you living in another country, getting your information either only online or through your own media outlets and presume to know all of the facts. I'm certainly not rich, and I'm not particularly miserable.

What REALLY, REEEEEEAAAAAAAALLY gets my goat is when they say shit like, "Our military (as if we belong to them) is fighting for the American people!" and they wave their flags and get all high and mighty over that shit.

Same thing applies to anyone with a brain. The idea of being patriotic just for the sake of being patriotic is more idiodic than anything else. There are stupid people all over the world, and it doesn't really matter where you live in that regard. It just seems like your posts are all about some disdain with this unreasonable sense of entitlement that many people have over here now. Get this though; not everyone is like that, and it's usually from the younger generation. I've seen more self-absorbed "special snowflake" assholes popping up every day than I care for.

It's kind of ironic too. You live in Italy, and still proclaim to love "America" (the land) and act as though it's your other home. So what are you then, a no percenter?

 

[Dead Winter]

Ok. Thank you for speaking for the 300 million non wealthy Americans, who are just clones of one another, eating everything the media spoons out. It's about as bad as you living in another country, getting your information either only online or through your own media outlets and presume to know all of the facts. I'm certainly not rich, and I'm not particularly miserable.

It's not about you and whether or not you're happy. It's about the country as a whole. I'm happy as a pig in shit over here, absolutely zero stress, I have nice job opportunities, and my life is amazing, but that doesn't mean that Italy is a particularly good place to live these days. If you've got money it is, just like in the US. In fact, the parallels between the two are astonishing; Italy wants to be the US so badly that it's making the very same mistakes. I just got lucky, that's all, and that's precisely my point. Americans need to learn to differentiate between lucky bastards and reality.

It's about the decline of an entire people, not whether or not you're personally happy. Still, no one here is spending welfare checks on rims. No one buys shit they can't afford and racks up 20 grande in credit card debt. Americans just need to re-evaluate what is really important in their lives...that's all I'm saying. You can't tell me that the most indebted and wasteful country in the world is in the shitter and the people have nothing to do with it.