Just for fun..if you were moving out of the country..

[ktgrok]

From the USA, where would you go? DH is in cybersecurity, which opens up some options as far as work visas, so it IS possibly. Not likely that we'd ever pick up and leave, but as a fun daydream thing, where should we think about? Again, just daydreaming. 

 

But...homeschooling family, none of whom are fluent in another language,place with cybersecurity/tech jobs, socialized medicine? Obvious choices seem UK (we've been to Scotland and loved it), Ireland, and Canada. 

 

Which of those three has the more mild weather? Which has more sun? (guessing the answer about sun is "none of the above" lol)

[Penguin]

Denmark could be good for you, but not if you want sun!!

[prairiewindmomma]

We've looked at this a bit as dh's employer has international offices. I am still hoping we get sent to London.

[FaithManor]

If sunlight were not an issue for me, we would definitely consider Iceland due to high quality of life, very friendly people, and easy transition due to the country being tri-lingual and simple to navigate in English.

 

Next choice would be Denmark, Finland, and France for European countries. New Zealand, Costa Rica would also be good options.

 

But we are hoping to retire part time to southern Egypt at least for a while.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Germany?  But I don't want to.  At least not now.

 

 

[RoughCollie]

The south of France sounds like a good choice to me, but only if a full-time interpreter were on the household payroll.

 

Actually any place that has truly mild winters sounds good to me at this point.

[Butter]

We'd go to Ireland.  Specifically the southwest of Ireland, about an hour from Shannon airport.  My MIL lives there.  It's a beautiful place.  But it's cold.  Or at least cold for me.  We were there in March and April and it was 50s.  It doesn't get as cold there as it did when we lived in MD, but it doesn't get as hot as it does where we live in TX.  My MIL says it's usually 40s on the low side to 80s on the high side (unusual).  She loves cooler weather so it's perfect for her.  I love heat so not so great for me.  They get a lot of rain, but not nearly as much as I expected.  I have no idea what homeschooling is like there.  I'm guessing, especially where my MIL lives, not common at all.  No one blinked twice at us being out and about with our four kids for a month mid-school year, though.

[Happy]

We did do this!  We lived in Brussels for almost 2 (short) years and loved it. Homeschooling is legal (or was then--not sure now) but uncommon. People speak French or Dutch and most speak English at least a little.

 

Not much sun in Brussels so we headed outside the minute we saw a sunbeam....and we headed to the south of France if we needed a bigger dose of sun.

 

We loved the city, the country, the food, the people, and being so central in Europe. We traveled a lot!

 

Do it! It's a blast! I'd move back there in a heartbeat....I'd also jump at the chance to live in France or Italy...Or Scotland.

 

 

[SKL]

I really like where I live.

 

Scotland is prettier.

 

India is full of beauty and history.

 

I like the weather in the tropics.

 

Near the poles there are awesome sights.

 

Brazil has warm and friendly people.

 

But, I think I'd rather just stay here.  :)

[HomeMum]

For me it would be 100% a question of weather, no way I could handle some of the politically stable, yet freezing, countries. 

[rebcoola]

We would want to go to Ireland/Scotland but since DH is the nuclear field France would be the most likely.

[luuknam]

Germany?  But I don't want to.  At least not now.

 

I thought homeschooling in Germany was practically illegal. In NL, there are some rare exceptions, not sure if it'd be possible to qualify. Belgium is the better option afaik.

[freesia]

I've lived in Ireland and Canada (British Columbia). I've been to England.  I'd go to any of them, although Ireland has a special place in my heart because of the wonderful year I had there in college.  Much of Canada does get decent amounts of sun. BC, where we lived, was very, very like Ireland in climate.  If sun is important to you, none of those places would be my top choice.  However, they would all be wonderful experiences and there ARE those sun lamps you can get.

[ktgrok]

We'd go to Ireland.  Specifically the southwest of Ireland, about an hour from Shannon airport.  My MIL lives there.  It's a beautiful place.  But it's cold.  Or at least cold for me.  We were there in March and April and it was 50s.  It doesn't get as cold there as it did when we lived in MD, but it doesn't get as hot as it does where we live in TX.  My MIL says it's usually 40s on the low side to 80s on the high side (unusual).  She loves cooler weather so it's perfect for her.  I love heat so not so great for me.  They get a lot of rain, but not nearly as much as I expected.  I have no idea what homeschooling is like there.  I'm guessing, especially where my MIL lives, not common at all.  No one blinked twice at us being out and about with our four kids for a month mid-school year, though.

 

Oh, 40's to 80's isn't bad! I could do that! And my husband would LOVE that kind of weather. 

[ktgrok]

I've lived in Ireland and Canada (British Columbia). I've been to England.  I'd go to any of them, although Ireland has a special place in my heart because of the wonderful year I had there in college.  Much of Canada does get decent amounts of sun. BC, where we lived, was very, very like Ireland in climate.  If sun is important to you, none of those places would be my top choice.  However, they would all be wonderful experiences and there ARE those sun lamps you can get.

 

LOL, we've discussed the sun lamps :) I love sun, but I also love fresh air, and we don't have much in the way of fresh air where I'm at now, so that might be the trade off. 

[freesia]

LOL, we've discussed the sun lamps :) I love sun, but I also love fresh air, and we don't have much in the way of fresh air where I'm at now, so that might be the trade off. 

 

Well, in all those place you would get fresh air.  I loved that it was "mild" for a lot of the year and summers are beyond wonderful (I was raised in Wash..DC so I know humid summers).  Now, they are all further north than Florida, so winter days are short (balanced by long--think 11 pm sundown in Ireland--summer days).  You do tend to go out in a lot of weather. I would take my 3 oldest to the park if it was misting.  We wouldn't even bother with raincoats or umbrellas if we were running errands.

 

Now, I did have a harder time in BC when I had 3 littles like you will.  I think some of that was PPD (undiagnosed).  If I were to do it again, I would get a sun lamp.  So, I don't want to minimize the lack of sun.  But, it would be an adventure for sure.

 

(Dh applied for a grant to go to Scotland on sabbatical last year. But sadly did not get it.  We went to Minnesota instead. yeah. nice, but not Scotland!)

[eternalsummer]

new zealand

 

lovely climate, no killer animals (I hate snakes), nice people

 

kind of out of the way, though, which is largely why we came back to the US

[Farrar]

Our sort of joke place that we say we're going to move is Namibia. Just because it's beautiful and empty. If I wanted to leave, I'd really want to leave and be away from people. Gosh, it's so beautiful there.

 

I'm not sure where would make sense for you though. There's socialized medicine... and there's cheap cost of living. Sometimes they balance...

[displace]

Any place! Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Switzerland, Japan. Swiss are trilingual as well so that would be good.

[bookbard]

Australia or New Zealand? You could homeschool, mild weather, beautiful and no language issue.

[MEmama]

We've moved to eastern Canada. The weather isn't any different than where we are now, give or take a couple weeks of winter. We would go back, but maybe more likely to Ontario.

[creekland]

We've been contemplating Belize, Costa Rica, the islands (like Roatan) of Honduras, and a few countries in the Caribbean (islands) as our top choices.

 

We've decided in we want to live next to BIG water when we grow up - preferably Big water and nice beaches along with not so much development (like say, FL).  Some of the mountainous islands might work nicely - or the countries we've mentioned.

[Laura in CA]

I've lived in several foreign countries, and love love love it. I would go again in a heartbeat if it wasn't logistically hard right now.

 

just be aware that even if a country has socialized medicine for its own citizens (or + EU citizens), you as a foreign resident may not have access to it for a while (it will depend on what visa you get, etc.). For example, France just this year expanded access to its health-care system for foreign residents; before that, in order to get a residence visa, you had to show you already had health-insurance coverage (which may something covered by one's employer?). I don't know the current situation but it looks like it has improved). In one country we lived, only people with green cards could buy property (we finally got green cards after several years).

 

Conversely, even if homeschooling is illegal for citizens, as a foreigner you may be exempt. This can all be researched fairly easily through the internet, which didn't exist when we first went overseas! So handy.

 

Winters can be dreary anywhere in the north (England/Scotland, Ireland, northern Germany, anywhere in Scandinavia); it can be dark by 4pm or even earlier. But inside it is so cosy! :) And summer days are long and leisurely ...

Edited November 2, 2016 by Laura in CA

[SemiSweet]

I have a pretty strong desire to go live in Cambodia for awhile but the medical care isn't up to par, so it will probably have to wait until after the kids move out. If I could move anywhere and have good medical options, I'd probably chose Bangkok. My goal in life is to live on each continent, except Antarctica, for 2 years, but because we need money to live we have to wait about 10 years to start that quest.

[Laura in CA]

Any place! Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Switzerland, Japan. Swiss are trilingual as well so that would be good.

 

Switzerland is an incredibly beautiful country! And yes, you could get by with English in most areas. However, it does not have socialized medicine. And premiums are quite high for the (mandatory) insurance coverage.

[Laura Corin]

From the USA, where would you go? DH is in cybersecurity, which opens up some options as far as work visas, so it IS possibly. Not likely that we'd ever pick up and leave, but as a fun daydream thing, where should we think about? Again, just daydreaming.

 

But...homeschooling family, none of whom are fluent in another language,place with cybersecurity/tech jobs, socialized medicine? Obvious choices seem UK (we've been to Scotland and loved it), Ireland, and Canada.

 

Which of those three has the more mild weather? Which has more sun? (guessing the answer about sun is "none of the above" lol)

East coast of Scotland is much sunnier than west.

 

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/climate

[Donna]

I would go to the west coast of Ireland.

 

I love the look of the country, the homes, and their way of life plus we have a lot of friends there and we love the music scene. 

[Ali in OR]

I would do any western European country or Norway or Sweden. Language-wise both girls study Spanish as did I in school--Barcelona? I'm sure we could pick up Italian quickly what with our amazing competence in Spanish and Latin. For us, we would have to make sure there was reasonable wheelchair accessibility and good medical care for our wheelchair kid.

[CadenceSophia]

If I get to day dream and I don't need to worry about crazy cost of living I'd pick Switzerland in the canton of Valais. I am also day dreaming (slightly more seriously) of spending a month or two there and putting the kids in school to fix their horrible French.

[meena]

Denmark could be good for you, but not if you want sun!!

 

I recently read The Year of Living Danishly by Helen Russell. The author and her husband, who are British, moved to Denmark when the husband got a job with Lego. It was a fascinating book, although a bit  :ohmy: at times. The Danish culture is very oxymoronic--they are the happiest country in the world but have very high divorce and domestic violence rates. They have wonderful social outlets and health care opportunities, yet they have a high rate of smoking and alcohol consumption. They have a high rate of church membership but many of those members consider themselves agnostic/atheist. After reading this book, I'd love to try to live elsewhere (especially Europe or Latin America) but would need to go in thinking about it as a temporary measure as the author did because some of those unexpected cultural differences could end up being deal breakers.

 

To answer the OP's question--even though I've never been, I think I could live in Australia. I'm in Florida right now, so I'm used to warm, sunny, laid-back, and lots of weird bugs/snakes/creatures, which it seems like I could also find there. 

[Tanaqui]

Well, if the election doesn't turn out the way I like, I may seriously consider dragging the whole family to Canada, even if we have to walk there and jump the border somewhere or other.

[eternalsummer]

Well, if the election doesn't turn out the way I like, I may seriously consider dragging the whole family to Canada, even if we have to walk there and jump the border somewhere or other.

 

 

Why not Mexico?

[Tanaqui]

Because I like snow and maple syrup. Also, Canada is much closer to NYC than Mexico is, and several family members (not me) speak French to varying degrees of fluency and we all speak English, but nobody speaks Spanish. (I took Latin. Most useful thing I learned in high school, but I still forgot most of it!) Plus, there's miles and miles of unprotected border between us and Canada, but I hear that if That One Candidate wins Mexico will build a wall to keep That One Candidate out and make That Candidate (now president) pay for it. Or something.

Edited November 3, 2016 by Tanaqui

[rdj2027]

We would stay in Japan if we could.

[Amira]

Pretty much anywhere else you go, healthcare is cheaper than in the US so I wouldn't make socialized medicine a must. And not all socialized medicine is created equal.

 

Speaking the language is really nice, but it's also not a must in my opinion, especially since it's so limiting to just look at English-speaking countries. But I do think it's important to make sure there are opportunities for teenagers to socialize in a language they're comfortable with.

 

I think weather can be a very important consideration, as is the cost of living in the neighborhoods you'd be looking at (because cost of living within a city can vary dramatically).

 

I think it's most important to think about what advantages you see to living overseas and to look for cities or countries that highlight those advantages.

[nd293]

Permanent move? I'd stop pretending that "other language" cultures have some genetic predisposition to language learning that English speakers are lacking. I'd pick a country and learn the language, same as so many who move to English speaking countries do. We live in an 'easy' country now, but my natural attraction is to a little more trouble, a little more dirt and spirit and resilience. I'm attracted to Mediterranean countries, but I'm also an introvert. Can you live in a very family-oriented country and be an introvert, I wonder?

 

If it's moving as an expat, things like language and socialised medicine don't matter that much as you live mostly in a well paid expat bubble. And I would never homeschool if I had an international school at my disposal - the cultural immersion was fantastic, a once in a lifetime experience. I loved living in Oman. But I think I'd take pretty much anywhere as an expat, given reasonable safety, and a city environment - I'd want the security of the expat community, even if I don't engage much.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I thought homeschooling in Germany was practically illegal. In NL, there are some rare exceptions, not sure if it'd be possible to qualify. Belgium is the better option afaik.

 

It's illegal.  Which is one of many reasons why I don't want to move there now.  DH talks about moving there after retirement.  I'm not sure if I'm on board with that idea either though.

[ktgrok]

Well, if the election doesn't turn out the way I like, I may seriously consider dragging the whole family to Canada, even if we have to walk there and jump the border somewhere or other.

 

yeah, wasn't going to say it, but that is a big part of my daydreaming impetus. 

 

For those that mentioned Australia, that's actually the place I'd fit best I imagine, but it's too far to be able to come home to visit family :(

[ktgrok]

I'd need an English speaking place mostly because DH and DS17 are both pretty terrible at learning languages. I tried teaching DS 17 for 4 years, and gave up when he learned NOTHING. And he spoke the very few words of Spanish he kind of knew with a British accent. We aren't British! (Oddly, he can handle Latin fairly well...maybe because you don't have to speak it, lol)

[luuknam]

I'd need an English speaking place mostly because DH and DS17 are both pretty terrible at learning languages. I tried teaching DS 17 for 4 years, and gave up when he learned NOTHING. And he spoke the very few words of Spanish he kind of knew with a British accent. We aren't British! (Oddly, he can handle Latin fairly well...maybe because you don't have to speak it, lol)

 

Learning a language in a foreign country is different than learning it at home though.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I'd need an English speaking place mostly because DH and DS17 are both pretty terrible at learning languages. I tried teaching DS 17 for 4 years, and gave up when he learned NOTHING. And he spoke the very few words of Spanish he kind of knew with a British accent. We aren't British! (Oddly, he can handle Latin fairly well...maybe because you don't have to speak it, lol)

 

I need an English speaking place mostly because "I" just don't wanna....

 

LOL

 

Of course if I HAD to learn another language, I would throw myself into the task because not being able to know what is going on around me would be worse. 

[elegantlion]

England probably. Then I could spend the rest of my life visiting historic places. 

[regentrude]

If I had moved to (yet) another country while my kids were still young, I would  have sent them to school there, because that would have gotten them fluent in the local language in very little time. To me, the lifelong benefit of effortless bilinguality would outweigh homeschooling by far. In fact, that would be the most beneficial thing about living somewhere where a different language is spoken.

I find foreign language the most difficult thing to homeschool and only succeeded for one child with the help of lots of outsourcing and completely failed with the other who only acquired the family language, but no actual foreign language. 

Edited November 3, 2016 by regentrude

[regentrude]

I'd need an English speaking place mostly because DH and DS17 are both pretty terrible at learning languages. I tried teaching DS 17 for 4 years, and gave up when he learned NOTHING. And he spoke the very few words of Spanish he kind of knew with a British accent. We aren't British! (Oddly, he can handle Latin fairly well...maybe because you don't have to speak it, lol)

 

Total immersion by living in another country makes language learning completely different from trying to study a foreign language through infrequent classes.

[TranquilMind]

From the USA, where would you go? DH is in cybersecurity, which opens up some options as far as work visas, so it IS possibly. Not likely that we'd ever pick up and leave, but as a fun daydream thing, where should we think about? Again, just daydreaming. 

 

But...homeschooling family, none of whom are fluent in another language,place with cybersecurity/tech jobs, socialized medicine? Obvious choices seem UK (we've been to Scotland and loved it), Ireland, and Canada. 

 

Which of those three has the more mild weather? Which has more sun? (guessing the answer about sun is "none of the above" lol)

So go somewhere where you can learn the language.  Kids do this very quickly anyway.  What a multicultural education!

 

I would not stick with those three, and none of them give you lots of sun. 

 

I would consider Panama, Costa Rica, Uruguay (very modern!), parts of Mexico, possibly Spain or Portugal.  Maybe even France. 

Edited November 3, 2016 by TranquilMind

[Amira]

While I agree that learning a language in an immersion setting is a *completely* different experience than learning a language in a classroom, living in another country doesn't automatically create immersion experiences and easy language learning, even for young children.  Young children will nearly always learn the language fairly quickly if they're going to school with native speakers (which is a serious disadvantage of homeschooling or using many international schools overseas).  Teenagers have to actually want to learn the language because they will usually not just pick it up no matter where they're going to school.  An adult who isn't working outside the house or getting out of the house frequently is also at a serious disadvantage, especially an adult caring for small children (which is why it's often so difficult for women to learn the language when they move to a new country).  And then there are countries where it's very difficult to get much practice at all with the local language because of a host of cultural, religious, and economic reasons that you can't change.  

 

You will have a very different experience if you speak the local language in whatever country you're living in, but you do not need to speak the local language fluently to have a wonderful life in another country.  Most people don't speak the local language well when they move somewhere else and adults rarely get to fluency in a new language, especially as they get older.  It's important to be realistic and sometimes the huge time commitment it takes to learn another language well isn't an option for a lot of good reasons.  That doesn't mean you can only move to an English-speaking country.   

 

 

[creekland]

yeah, wasn't going to say it, but that is a big part of my daydreaming impetus. 

 

It plays a lot into ours too.  The difference might be is that we're serious about wondering what we want to do when we grow up.  We're empty nesting now and only have one more year of college to pay for...  We had thought we'd stay here (where hubby owns his business) and merely travel more for at least 5 more years or so, but now we're seriously contemplating other options.  Next week it might even be more serious.  Time will tell.

 

We have other places we like.  Canada is one, of course, but it only "works" for us for 5 months of the year.   :lol:  I moved away from the border to get away from long winters!  Many Canadians winter in the Bahamas. (We met enough to wonder if anyone actually stayed behind!)

 

So... we watch House Hunters International (when they're doing beach destinations) and Caribbean Life with more interest than before.  ;)  We have several contenders meeting the basics of what we're looking for.   :coolgleamA:

[ktgrok]

Total immersion by living in another country makes language learning completely different from trying to study a foreign language through infrequent classes.

 

With DAILY practice my DS couldn't master "hola". I'm not kidding. Or even the alphabet. Otherwise, I'd agree with you. But he has some learning issues, which may play a part in that. 

[ktgrok]

I should add that I personally don't have a problem learning languages. I seem to pick up language more more easily at least or listening/reading. I can chunk a sentence and then figure out the words I don't know via context. Other's can't. I remember working once and there was a client who had had a stroke...I was the only person that could understand her. Because if you tried to figure out each word as she said it it was nearly impossible, but chunked together, it made sense. So I wouldn't worry about me terribly. But DH and DS are not like that. Maybe it's the engineer brain?

[Penguin]

When we moved overseas, we were not homeschoolers. I put my then 5th grader in the international school, and I was emotionally crushed by how bad bad bad the school was for our family (standard disclaimer...not necessarily a bad school but absolutely a bad fit).

 

Well, it was the only international school in the city. And that is how we ended up becoming a homeschool family. Luckily, it is legal in Denmark and I had that option.

 

So for anyone moving overseas with dreams of your children attending an international school, let me be your cautionary tale. Have a Plan B if there is only one local international school!

Edited November 3, 2016 by Penguin