Who has moved to a different country?

[deevergote]

I'm not really considering doing so myself... but the idea intrigues me. I figure I might as well start a discussion to learn from those that have done it!

This year is a bit of a turning point for me. Planning on focusing less on my job, and diving back into school. However, I know once I do that, I won't be doing ANYTHING fun until I get my next degree (could be 2 years, could be 7, depending on how far I want to take it...) and get situated in my career of choice. Then I'll have student loans to worry about, and hopefully the beginning of a family.

Kinda makes me sad that I have a vague (and rather boring) plan for the next decade or so of my life... right into middle-age.

SO, the irrational, impulsive side of me says "why not just pick up and move somewhere else?"
My first thought is Ireland. I have no family, friends, or acquaintances there (which makes it an odd choice, seeing as I DO know a number of people in other countries, at least a few on this site, anyway.)

For S&Gs, I took a look at some places in Cork. Found a tiny studio apartment for about $560/mo (using USD for the purpose of discussion... it's 420 euros). I also found a waiter job (not sure what it would pay, but I assume enough to get by with a cheap little flat...)
Honestly, that's all I'd need. A small place in a nice enough area to hang my hat, a job that I'm able to walk/bike to, and enough money to eat.

Of course, I have NO idea what it would take to relocate, or how to achieve legal working status. I don't even own a passport yet!



But anyway, that's what has been floating around in my head today. Really just a musing, as I have no real plan to uproot (especially since I have a house with a mortgage... though I think I have a friend that could move in and rent it easily.)
I just felt like typing the idea out to see how it felt, and get some feedback from the people here!

[ChIoVnIdCa]

If you could MAKE $560 renting your house you would only have to worry about the basics.
But I think it would be much better to get the house paid off, and have a bunch in the bank. Than you could just live life/have fun out there.

[deevergote]

Paying off the house was my original plan, but I'm not sure I want to bother with that at the moment. I think I may refinance and get the payments down really low (I don't really owe all that much on it, though my taxes are pretty high...)

I probably COULD rent my house out for $560 more per month than I'm paying... or at least close to that. Maybe if I refinance and rent to a friend, I can at least cover a portion of the cost of renting elsewhere.

[puzzlevil]

I've never lived outside of the US but a working visa and/or a sponsorship from an employer, showing you have a skill set above and beyond what they could get from hiring nationals, would be required to work in another country like the UK if you were going to maintain US citizenship.

[deevergote]

With the idea I'm tossing around, I'd be looking for a super cheap place to live (like the one I mentioned), and a simple job like being a waiter. Not sure how the competition would be for something like that, in terms of needing to find an employer to sponsor me or anything. Then again, finding work in a foreign country may be different than it is for foreigners to find work in the US.

I don't know if I'd be able to get citizenship anywhere. I'm just a little more than 25% Irish, and that's the most of any one thing I am... so nobody wants ME as a citizen! It's more difficult to get citizenship in most other countries. North America is far easier than Europe.
I think I'd want to remain an American citizen. I don't know how long I'd want to live away from this country. Then again, I've never left it... so I have no idea how much or how little i'd like living elsewhere!
I don't really dislike this country. In fact, I love it here. It's a great country. But I have this weird itch to just pick up and leave. Right now it's likely nothing more than a passing fancy, but this isn't the first time I've felt it... and it's the first time I've actually looked for information on how to do it!


I'd miss my friends, but we'd keep in touch. I'd miss my family, but the only family I see regularly is my mom (who is talking about moving away herself, if my stepdad will stop giving her a hard time.) I'd miss my house, but I could rent it to a friend, and feel confident that they'd take care of it.
At the moment, my strongest tie to where I am right now is my dog! I couldn't take him with me (he's too old, and might not make the trip), and I sure as hell couldn't leave him behind!

[Soufkackicustom]

I moved from Texas to South Carolina...does that count as moving out of country?

[stewie]

how many bedrooms/bathrooms does your house have? have a downstairs? furnished?

my buddies mom has an 8 bedroom house and she rents 6 of the rooms out to foreign exchange students for aprox 1000$ a month each student. all she has to do is provide them with dinner each night. if you were able to get a family member to cook once a night for them and pay your family member, it would make travelling a lot easier.

if you dont owe that much on the house, id say just put all your money into paying off the house. either rent it or sell it at the end. take the money and move away and have the life you want.

[10thAnnivCB7]

You need to go on a vacation to the dominican republic . You'll enjoy yourself and get your mind clear which might help. I noticed since i moved here that life here is not so easy and you always have something to worry about in the back of your head.A dollar is 44 pesos now so you don't have to waste a lot of money. Check in on a resort and have fun. I'm hoping to make a trip there on April to see my father who i haven't seen since i came here.

[HappyGilmore]

My brother is stationed in the UK and has been there for the last 3 or 4 years. Yes he is on a military base but hell when it come to the daily he might as well be a UK citizen (being that his wife is British). He loves it there he has told me and hence why he is no rush to come back to states to live just yet. He tells me it was a bit of a change but deff worth the time to visit if you can do so as well. Hell I would sorta know what it's like as well being that I was in AFG for a year (despite the war and all some of the nationals are pretty nice, not to mention the other folks from other countries you get to meet), and my experience was a good. Mike I think you should go for it and deff get you a list of places don't just stick to just one for sure.

[toycar]

I did Japan and Armenia when I was young. Spent about 3 years total outside the US. Have visited lots of places on vacation, most in the Carribean/South America



Deeve;


If you are interested in leaving the country or traveling and experiencing the world, I say do it. You have no kids, no wife, nothing REALLY holding you down right now. That will all change eventually, and the opportunity will never be the same.

I lived when I was younger.


Nothing wrong with that. It all worked out for me in the end.





The first step to getting out of the country is getting a passport. Then getting rid of all your shit comes next. You could store it, but that only adds to monthly costs. Personally, I sold almost everything and gave the rest away when I left. I had a little over $45,000 and a duffel bag full of clothes when I left.



Coolest, most exciting shit ever. There is nothing like being completely foreign in another country, and eventually feeling comfortable with a routine and a social life. It is a very humbling experience when the people accept you and host you. Get out of America for a few months/years and your entire perspective on life/the world will change.


I always felt like intellectually it was the best thing I ever did. I felt so enlightened almost daily. Seeing things from a different shade of light is amazing. Disconnecting from all the bullshit that surrounds you is a very unique thing. It probably seems crazy to think about getting rid of everything, but the feeling you have afterwards is one of a simple man. I am positive that you have NO IDEA how much your current possessions surround your daily life and in some ways influence your mood/vibe/thoughts. Its like hitting a reset button, and realizing so much about yourself that you never noticed before.


It is a very peaceful, humble life as a simple man. I personally think every single person should go on atleast one adventure in their life before they grow up and do the family thing. It really helped me define myself as a person and shape my mind for the big picture in life.

[deevergote]

how many bedrooms/bathrooms does your house have? have a downstairs? furnished?

my buddies mom has an 8 bedroom house and she rents 6 of the rooms out to foreign exchange students for aprox 1000$ a month each student. all she has to do is provide them with dinner each night. if you were able to get a family member to cook once a night for them and pay your family member, it would make travelling a lot easier.

if you dont owe that much on the house, id say just put all your money into paying off the house. either rent it or sell it at the end. take the money and move away and have the life you want.

My initial plan was to just pay off the house before I went back to school... then live easy while school was my focus. I still owe about $35,000 though. Not a lot, but not enough for me to pay off in the next year or so. It's doable (I mean, I could sell all my cars and a bunch of my stuff... my CTS-V would get me close to half of what I need to pay off the house.)

My thought is to rent to a friend. I have 2 friends that I could trust with my house, and my stuff. Even my dog (because he wouldn't survive the trip... the idea of never seeing my old dog again breaks my heart...)
I'd charge very little, like $900 or $1000 per month, which would still get me a nice bit of cash if I refinance. It'd be a good deal for them, and a good deal for me. That way, I could also leave all my shit in my house. Ditch my 86 ASAP (gotta do that anyway), park the CB7 in the back yard under a good cover, park the CTS-V in the end of the driveway, and give my Fit to my best friend to use as his own until I get back (fortunately, I own all my cars outright.)

You need to go on a vacation to the dominican republic . You'll enjoy yourself and get your mind clear which might help. I noticed since i moved here that life here is not so easy and you always have something to worry about in the back of your head.A dollar is 44 pesos now so you don't have to waste a lot of money. Check in on a resort and have fun. I'm hoping to make a trip there on April to see my father who i haven't seen since i came here.

I actually just passed on a trip to Punta Cana! $1200 for 5 days, all inclusive. I decided there were some people in the group that I really didn't want to spend 5 days with, so I backed out. Probably for the best, since money isn't what it was for the moment (Sandy kinda crippled my firm...)

My brother is stationed in the UK and has been there for the last 3 or 4 years. Yes he is on a military base but hell when it come to the daily he might as well be a UK citizen (being that his wife is British). He loves it there he has told me and hence why he is no rush to come back to states to live just yet. He tells me it was a bit of a change but deff worth the time to visit if you can do so as well. Hell I would sorta know what it's like as well being that I was in AFG for a year (despite the war and all some of the nationals are pretty nice, not to mention the other folks from other countries you get to meet), and my experience was a good. Mike I think you should go for it and deff get you a list of places don't just stick to just one for sure.

I've never been one to visit places, though. I'm a terrible tourist. I think if I'm going somewhere, I actually want to live there.
I guess the military really is a great way to do that. You get an extended stay in a foreign country, but you're surrounded by familiar faces, accents, and lifestyles. It's a shame I'm not the military type!

I might hit you up for some advice regarding your brother's experience. Being in the UK, that's pretty much what I'm looking at.

I did Japan and Armenia when I was young. Spent about 3 years total outside the US. Have visited lots of places on vacation, most in the Carribean/South America



Deeve;


If you are interested in leaving the country or traveling and experiencing the world, I say do it. You have no kids, no wife, nothing REALLY holding you down right now. That will all change eventually, and the opportunity will never be the same.

I lived when I was younger.


Nothing wrong with that. It all worked out for me in the end.





The first step to getting out of the country is getting a passport. Then getting rid of all your shit comes next. You could store it, but that only adds to monthly costs. Personally, I sold almost everything and gave the rest away when I left. I had a little over $45,000 and a duffel bag full of clothes when I left.



Coolest, most exciting shit ever. There is nothing like being completely foreign in another country, and eventually feeling comfortable with a routine and a social life. It is a very humbling experience when the people accept you and host you. Get out of America for a few months/years and your entire perspective on life/the world will change.


I always felt like intellectually it was the best thing I ever did. I felt so enlightened almost daily. Seeing things from a different shade of light is amazing. Disconnecting from all the bullshit that surrounds you is a very unique thing. It probably seems crazy to think about getting rid of everything, but the feeling you have afterwards is one of a simple man. I am positive that you have NO IDEA how much your current possessions surround your daily life and in some ways influence your mood/vibe/thoughts. Its like hitting a reset button, and realizing so much about yourself that you never noticed before.


It is a very peaceful, humble life as a simple man. I personally think every single person should go on atleast one adventure in their life before they grow up and do the family thing. It really helped me define myself as a person and shape my mind for the big picture in life.

I kinda wish I did that when I was younger. I lived the life of an old man starting from the age of 13! I owned my own business at 13, worked, pushed myself hard in school, half raised myself through my teenage years since both my parents worked 2-3 jobs each, paid for most of my college out of pocket (the last bit was covered by money left to my mom after my grandmother passed.) Bought my house 2 years before I finished college, got married a year after I finished college, got divorced 7 months later, then worked my bells off doing what I do now for the next 6 years!


Honestly, right now my mind is really reaching. I looked into the University of Cork, and it's not much more money than Rutgers would be (which is where I'd likely go if I stayed local.) The cost of living is comparable to that in the US, and there seem to be some jobs available.
I NEED to go to grad school. I'm in a position where I might be ditching my job. I have reasonable solutions when it comes to dealing with my stuff in my absence.

This idea has kinda gone from an idle thought to something that might actually be a reasonable and feasible endeavor! Sure, staying home and going to Rutgers might end up being cheaper... but life would be the same ol' shit. Rutgers Camden is in the heart of the ghetto, and it's a commuter school. I went there once. Liked the education, for the most part, but hated the experience otherwise. It's the safe and easy solution... but at the moment, not the most appealing.




US citizens in Ireland don't need a student visa to go to school there. They just need to register with Immigration. That's a good thing.
Not sure what it would take to work there... still doing research on that.
The two most important factors right now are: Would a Master's degree in Psychology from the University of Cork be recognized in the US by employers and doctoral programs? (assuming I want to come back here...) And can I find a job to sustain a modest way of life while in school over there?
I suppose I'd also need to know when I could start... next fall might be too soon.

[Gemini]

As you already now Mike I'm moving to Ontario, Canada pretty soon....my flight leaves on the 26th so its less than 2 weeks away!!!

[stewie]

As you already now Mike I'm moving to Ontario, Canada pretty soon....my flight leaves on the 26th so its less than 2 weeks away!!!

where abouts are you moving from?

[Gemini]

where abouts are you moving from?

From Sunny hot Florida

[uslspct]

How bout you get a passport first and hang it in front of your screens, to remind you of this thread you started 3 months ago.

Besides a few 4 day weekend trips when is the last time you went anywhere, long time, and did nothing? I'd be going places left and right with the job and money you have.

Mike is loaded and he doesn't even know it. Give me your money and time if you don't know what to do with it. Speaking of, do you have a will? Since you're going to be middle aged soon, who will take all the shitty cars, engines, and small houses that are just lying around if you're gone? You're not going anywhere before your dog goes so that's not a concern. Maybe when that happens it will get you out of your paid off house, that you can rent for a profit, to pay for wherever you want to go. Find the best Psych school you can possibly get into and go.