MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
It could be seen as pie in the sky, but it's a serious question.
I'm a regular on here (no doubt the following will ring a few bells with a few people) but have decided to ask this more anonymously.
Myself, my better half and our daughter live in the south of England, and myself and my other half are genuinely concerned by the way the country is going.
Personally I've lived and worked all over Europe, the West Indies and North America, so have no problems moving. I also work for a global company and report into an office near Seattle, so am not tied to a location. I'm a graphic designer - again, something that can be done remotely. However if there was an option to do something away from a Mac I'd certainly look seriously at it. I'm also a former bike guide and have worked in the bike trade.
The better half is a teacher, but wants to quit - she loves teaching, but is sick and tired of the constant negative change. My folks have taught at international schools and recommend it, and I've suggested this to the better half.
Our daughter is three, so we're concerned about education - this is a major factor.
I'm 40 and my better half is 38.
Considerations are education, weather and outdoor pursuits - we both ride and I surf - and transport links to other countries.
We've considered Canada, but am aware that my particular skillset isn't exactly something that's being cried out for over there. I'd also consider NZ, but it's a long [i]long[/i] way from family (all back in the UK now).
Where should we go?
Scandinavia?
Seattle? or Vancouver?
Seattle? or Vancouver?
Love Seattle, but dislike too much about the US to want to actually live there.
Vancouver is top of the list.
Spain? She can work in one of the many International Schools.
Scandinavia?
😉Considerations are education, [b]weather[/b] and outdoor pursuits
Saying that, if we could do the winters and cold water it's not a bad call...
Spain?
Suggested this. Personally Barcelona ticks plenty of boxes, but it'd require a lot of persuasion.
I've previously lived near Cartagena and love the country.
Where should we go?
Scotland or Ireland perhaps?
Ozland? Might be too far.
You might struggle to settle down long term in other country at your age with such strong feeling/belief.
Remember they are just same mess different locations.
I believe Northern Spain has better Surfing. The mountain biking is excellent. There's plenty of dual (often tri-)lingual schools.
I believe Northern Spain has better Surfing.
It does. Atlantic groundswell vs. Med windswell.
The mountain biking is excellent.
I still need to go and see Doug at Basque MTB. Been promising myself a trip there for a few years now, and his Instagram feed has done nothing to sate this.
Cadiz for the Atlantic surf and much better weather than Northern Spain. Fewer expats too.
Vancouver pops up in lots of 'best places to live' lists.
The nice bit/s of Vancouver is/are very nice, but they're effectively off-limits to non-millionaires. I wouldn't want to live in the parts of Vancouver that I could to live in.
Malaga. It has the best weather in Europe, fantastic mtbing in the mountains just behind it and skiiing only an hour up the road. Plus its on the beach and the old city centre is a real charm. Spain is cheap and lively. Malaga in fact has been likened to the New Barcelona is recent years but with out the issue of Catalan. I have had friends who have had to move from Cataluña as they are taught in this language and not Castilian Spanish - fair enough of course but Spanish is a far more useful language. Lastly education, there are Spanish schools and there are LOTS of private foreign schools from Swedish, German and English to suit almost every budget. Hope this helps.
Vive España.
Malaga is a good call (but never seen any surf there) as is Seville (which I prefer) but it does get hot.
Lisbon
Seattle- such a dull place to live. I did a stint there a few years ago.
How about Switzerland ? Great way of life if you like the outdoors.
Porto.
What was so dull about Seattle @on and on? I've been there a few times - always thought it a great city. Great proximity to riding and snow (if that's your thing) too.
Where should we go?
Anywhere that avoids a mid life crisis ? 😉
Sweden or Finland. It's not hot and sunny, but my god the winters make up for it. Especially in Finland.
Riding around the woods near Helsinki all the time - lakes, trees, rain, sun, snow - every single time the forests were perfect forests, lakes perfect lakes, the rain perfect rain*, snow perfect snow.. stunning, all the time.
Miss it.
* you know.. mist, softly falling gentle rain pattering through the leaves of the trees.. and no mud either cos it's all gravelly or peat.
You're never going to find the perfect place, and having lived in similar places to you, I would strongly argue that the UK is as good as anywhere. And I say that as someone who is deeply grateful and proud to have grown up in Canada.
If you feel the need to look elsewhere, can I suggest that Vancouver is ridiculously expensive, and that you might do better to look East? Think of Quebec, for example. If you are able to speak French, you have one of the greatest cities in the world in the form of Montreal, while the Laurentians represent a magnificent world for skiing in winter and mountain biking in summer. And you really can't beat the Eastern Townships for genteel beauty.
If French is a problem, then look even further East, say, to Nova Scotia. Much lower cost of living compared to Vancouver, and every bit as beautiful.
My first thought would be Andorra.
Loads of different outdoors stuff, access to the rest of Europe quite easily and if you can get a job out there I believe they have some quite interesting tax arrangements too.
I hasten to add I've not been there myself but family & some of their friends have lived there in the past.
your other half is a teacher and you are concerned about education 🙂
Im fairly sure wherever you go there will be someone thinking the same thing as you.
when you say genuinely concerned, what exactly do you mean?
New Zealand. It's a long way away but it ticks every box for you. Great people, weather is like Britain but better (it's hotter in the summer and colder in the winter), very outdoorsy, skiing, cycling, surfing. It's where I'd go (and am considering going).
The only other city I've considered going to is San Diego but I'm not convinced the USA is a country I want to live in right now.
Somewhere where you don't have to qualify to immigrate? As I understand it NZ and Australia are quite hard to get into, so you're probably limited to Europe (better get a move on as the situation may change quickly)
Malta?