Moving to a foreign country--realistic?

Updated On: 1/10/09 at 04:08 AM

I moved form the US to New Zealand last February. Moving to another country is exciting and there are a lot of joys that come with it, but the pain of missing your family/friends/everyday life is a real struggle. In fact, you find yourself missing things you didn't even like all that much to begin with. Seriously I spend ridiculous amounts of money on root beer here when i can find it. I didn't even drink root beer in the US! And let me be the first to tell you, moving to another country is extremely tiring. Sorry Le Petite but you can't just "Just pack your bags and go!" I'm here on a student visa at the moment and planning to apply for permanent residency in March. That application process will take over a year and will cost me at least $1500 along with more paperwork than you can imagine...All for a piece of paper that says I can stay here. You have to go through intense medical examinations that are rarely covered by insurance because they are deemed "elective." Often you have to prove that you have a certain amount of money saved as well.

And speaking of money, this financial crisis is GLOBAL. You can't escape it in Europe or anywhere really. Ask Iceland who is on the verge of national bankruptcy. Sadly the U.S. economy is extremely powerful in the world market. Even here in New Zealand we are facing the same struggles.

Long story short, if you've got the patience and a considerable amount of money you're fine. But don't move to escape something, be cause chances are it will find you wherever you go.

Hope that helps :)

---

Updated On: 10/22/08 at 06:25 AM

Updated On: 1/10/09 at 07:23 AM

Parks stay here and keep America beautiful!

I agree with Mistress Overdone.

Americans can learn a lot from the best parts of other countries and other forward ways of thinking. But take a closer look at some of these foreign governments and their laws (attitudes toward gays, certain religious groups, or even a basic tolerance of freedom of speech), and you're in for an eye-opening experience.

The grass is always greener... until you get there.

---

I've always thought it was easier to move to the US than from the US.

Can a gay person move to a country that recognizes gay people as equal citizens and apply for asylum?

You're so homesick that you're counting the days to go home for thanksgiving, yet you want to live in another country?

---

Looking ahead, there would be very few trips back home, for Thanksgiving or anything else, when it costs you $1,000-1,500 for a roundtrip coach plane ticket.

Youth! When you make decisions based on passion but rarely on knowledge or information.

*whittles and spits*

---

I am not seriously looking into this for myself--I was just curious.

---

I realize that it's your friend, Parks, and this is a good question for a thread. But you might mention some of these comments to your friend. There's a lot to consider.

It also strikes me as a little "weak," to think that when your own country hits a big speed bump (and seriously, this isn't "the end of the USA" we're talking about, at WORST it's another Great Depression), that people jump ship.

We still have an enormous amount of freedom in this country. Far more than most. Many of our relatives died for this. They fought hard to improve our country and make it a better place for future generations.

What we're seeing now is a generation of "entitled," spoiled Americans. Many of us never had to fight for our country. We didn't "all go to war" the way they did in the 1940's or 1910's.

We're not very grateful for what we have here. Many of us Baby Boomers have been spoiled endlessly by our parents, who decided it was good to give their children EVERYTHING after the war and the Great Depression of the 1930s. Appreciation wasn't always taught or learned. I guess that didn't matter to them. Big mistake. It bred a nation of complacent, spoiled kids (on the whole, and of COURSE there are many Americans who have risen and continue to rise to the occasion). But a lot of those spoiled, entitled Boomers are raising more spoiled, entitled kids now. Even worse than they are! And they're also in the position of authority, in our governments and businesses. They're calling the shots now.

I think a lot of Americans need a slap in the face like the one we've been getting lately. And they need to wake up and start valuing what they have, rather than complaining about what they've lost. Start working toward a better future for our country. As JFK famously once said...

"Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."

Words to live by. Especially right now.

We cannot look to one man, or one political party, or one new bill passed, to make everything fine again. We are going to have to educate, vote intelligently, create more "things" as a nation, spend less on get-rich-quick capitalism like the deregulated stock market and the insane housing market, and try to turn things around a little more each day. One person at a time.

Or you can just tell your friend to leave, Parks. It's so much better over there.

---

If she wants to teach ESL in a foreign country, that's fine. But if her only reason for wanting to teach English overseas is "boohoo, America makes me mad sometimes," she really needs to just grow up.

I have friends who have done these ESL teaching programs, one in France and one in Italy, and they both said it was rewarding but INCREDIBLY challenging. The culture shock, the paperwork and documentation, etc. are a lot of stress and a LOT of work.

Here in America we like to complain, but look around - our streets are still populated by multiple Starbucks outlets, which even in this "bad economy" have long lines at the counters. If we're still spending $4.50 for a cup of coffee, are we really that bad off? Sounds like your friend might need a short humanitarian trip to a country that is ACTUALLY poor for a nice solid wake-up call.

I half-joked to my dad that we should move to Canada soon.