The grass is always greener...

[Kechara]

I thought about putting this in the steam room, but I figure it should be just a good discussion... try not to argue please, I'm interested in hearing everyone's opinions I'd hate to be the cause of fights D: lol

I've been getting increasingly frustrated with America's politics. And now I'm getting more frustrated with this country as a whole. My long term goal was to move to Colorado for some colder weather and prettier scenery, as Houston is not my favorite place (hot, humid, too much city lol). But now I've found myself researching other countries. Unfortunately, no matter what state I go to in the US, you can't escape the federal government .

So I decided to ask you all, do you like/love where you live? What do you dislike or disagree with? What country/state would you move to if you had the opportunity?

Edit: To give a little more detail, one big reason I'm upset is one of the two main political parties is trying to put women's rights back into the 19th century . Infamous political people going so far as to publicly call women derogatory names and making them feel ashamed of themselves for various reasons. It's incredibly degrading and saddening... I'm by no means a feminist, but I'm for equality.

This is not the only thing but it's one of the more recent ones.

[MollynDiesel]

I love where i live most of the time. Its a big(ish) house, i have the woods right behind us and its in the countryside! The people suck around here but i suppose you get that wherever you live lol

Obviously im not in america so i have no idea what you're on about. But i think i like living in england. If i could i would move to a bigger house thats nearer people and meets though but hey ho cant have everything lol

[Elyse]

I love living in Canada, even though the taxes are high. I've been the states a few times, and each time I went there I was literally scared for my life so I don't know how people live there every single day!

There are some Canadian policies I disagree with, but its nothing major...more like me being picky.

Unfortunately Canada is heavily influenced by the states, but what we do is to a lesser extent and our economy isn't affected as much when the States goes into another recession or whatever. We aren't as patriotic as Americans are, but we're still proud of our country. Our climate is pretty stable, although somewhat cold in the winter you get used to it and it isn't as bad due to global warming. Also we have great scenery, and lots of wilderness.

Our cities are also smaller, being that our whole country only has 37 million people, and we have free healthcare...though higher taxes because of that.

I'm trying to stay in Canada to be honest, because I can't imagine myself living anywhere else.

Our political system is different than the States', and in my opinion, a little better...though the politicians are just as corrupt but I'm sure that happens everywhere.

The only thing I don't like about Canada, really, is that the H-O members are so far apart we can't all get together for camp or meets!!

[Removed #1]

I'm actually right where I want to be at this point in time. When I'm old I may want to live somewhere else but at this point...Wisconsin is my idea of paradise. I live in a small community, which has it's high and low points.

• 
  
  
• I can leave my doors unlocked. With an average of 1 violent crime every 40-60 years, and a very large population of elderly/retirees the garbage I've seen in coastal states and larger cities is virtually nonexistent.
  
  
• If I want to go to the big city I can drive to it in about an hour.
  
  
• My neighbors aren't douche bags...This surprisingly plays a huge part in why I enjoy it here. Having Jerks for neighbors is horrible anywhere. Having decent people with similar values/morals makes all the difference in the world.
  
  
• I'm a ten minute walk from the beach. The Great Lakes...particularly Lake Michigan rocks for this.
  
  
• Education for my kids. With a 15:1 student teacher ratio in the public schools and several private schools in town, public education has to compete or loose the funding for my child.
  
  
• Halloween. It's awesome to go trick or treating somewhere that my kids can get home made treats and I don't have to worry about someone actually trying to harm them while they have some holiday fun
  
  
• County services. This isn't generally a big thing on everyone's list but here I can get immunizations for the kids at a fraction of the price at a county run immunization clinic once a month
  
  
• There are only 2 midgets who live in town. Having a fear of real life midgets this is very important to me.
  
  
• SNOW...YAY SNOW
  
  
• Government officals who are accessible and in touch with the community and it's wants, needs and desires.
  
  
• Trees. Fall here is amazing!!!
  
  
• Cheaaaap. A lot of houses are going for under 100k. There's one down the street that's only 39k, one down the street in need of major work for 12k. My house I'm paying 75k for...that means in less than 10 years I'll own it free and clear.
  
  

That's all I got right now....

[Elyse]

I'm actually right where I want to be at this point in time. When I'm old I may want to live somewhere else but at this point...Wisconsin is my idea of paradise. I live in a small community, which has it's high and low points.

• 
  
  
• I can leave my doors unlocked. With an average of 1 violent crime, and a very large population of elderly/retirees the garbage I've seen in coastal states and larger cities is virtually nonexistent.
  
  
• If I want to go to the big city I can drive to it in about an hour.
  
  
• My neighbors aren't douche bags...This surprisingly plays a huge part in why I enjoy it here. Having Jerks for neighbors is horrible anywhere. Having decent people with similar values/morals makes all the difference in the world.
  
  
• I'm a ten minute walk from the beach. The Great Lakes...particularly Lake Michigan rocks for this.
  
  
• Education for my kids. With a 15:1 student teacher ratio in the public schools and several private schools in town, public education has to compete or loose the funding for my child.
  
  
• Halloween. It's awesome to go trick or treating somewhere that my kids can get home made treats and I don't have to worry about someone actually trying to harm them while they have some holiday fun
  
  
• County services. This isn't generally a big thing on everyone's list but here I can get immunizations for the kids at a fraction of the price at a county run immunization clinic once a month
  
  
• There are only 2 midgets who live in town. Having a fear of real life midgets this is very important to me.
  
  
• SNOW...YAY SNOW
  
  
• Government officals who are accessible and in touch with the community and it's wants, needs and desires.
  
  
• Trees. Fall here is amazing!!!
  
  
• Cheaaaap. A lot of houses are going for under 100k. There's one down the street that's only 39k, one down the street in need of major work for 12k. My house I'm paying 75k for...that means in less than 10 years I'll own it free and clear.
  
  

That's all I got right now....

Ew - don't tell me you go swimming in the Great Lakes! Those are so polluted its disgusting, especially the more shallow lakes. One of my friends got a skin infection cause he went swimming in Lake Erie for, like, 5 minutes!

[Kechara]

The only thing I don't like about Canada, really, is that the H-O members are so far apart we can't all get together for camp or meets!!

We have that problem in the states too! lol

• 
  
  
• I can leave my doors unlocked. With an average of 1 violent crime, and a very large population of elderly/retirees the garbage I've seen in coastal states and larger cities is virtually nonexistent.
  
  
• My neighbors aren't douche bags...This surprisingly plays a huge part in why I enjoy it here. Having Jerks for neighbors is horrible anywhere. Having decent people with similar values/morals makes all the difference in the world.
  
  
• Education for my kids. With a 15:1 student teacher ratio in the public schools and several private schools in town, public education has to compete or loose the funding for my child.
  
  
• County services. This isn't generally a big thing on everyone's list but here I can get immunizations for the kids at a fraction of the price at a county run immunization clinic once a month
  
  
• There are only 2 midgets who live in town. Having a fear of real life midgets this is very important to me.
  
  
• SNOW...YAY SNOW
  
  
• Government officals who are accessible and in touch with the community and it's wants, needs and desires.
  
  
• Trees. Fall here is amazing!!!

• 
  
  

These all sound awesome! I don't want kids ever, but I do wish I had that kind of education when I was in school... Growing up in Louisiana, I feel a little dumber than the rest of the world lol

[Removed #1]

Ew - don't tell me you go swimming in the Great Lakes! Those are so polluted its disgusting, especially the more shallow lakes. One of my friends got a skin infection cause he went swimming in Lake Erie for, like, 5 minutes!

I've gone swimming 2x in lake Michigan. Nothing has happened...in reality there are so many other lakes and swimming holes in the area that you go for the novelty to say you did it...but you head regularly to the local holes rather than fighting seagulls and some strange freshwater version of seaweed for enjoyment.

[mydiamond]

I don't really like living in Indonesia thanks to the poor laws and the political dramas, but generally Malang is a pretty good town before global warming kicked in, we always have the best weather 24/7. Not too hot, not too cold. Still, cold enough for a husky people everywhere are nice, education's great (one of the towns nicknamed "city of students") and the food's tasty what's so bad about this place is that it's considered somewhat secluded, and sometimes it's a little bit boring living here =\ we only have two major shopping malls to visit each weekend, and there's probably only three cinemas available so yea not a really good place for teenagers x) my dream is to move out to Singapore for college, and then go somewhere else (probably Canada or the US) to find a job. Occasionally I'd go back and pay a visit to Malang tho it really is a nice old town

[Sid_Wolf]

i like where i live at the moment, quiet, but only an hours walk from the town centre, hop on a train for 15 mins and you're at the beach, 45mins and your in London, good walks for the dogs and i run them in the fields surrounding the village.

But i would love to live in Canada or Alaska, one of the small towns where everyone lives in a log cabin & i can drive the dogs into town - that would be ideal

[Seppun]

I only stay in Arkansas because the cost of living is so affordable.

I am absolutely with you on fearing the current direction of women's rights, between state sanctioned rape, permission to allow a woman to die without informing her, comparing us to cattle, considering single parenthood child abuse and now being forced to prove to our employer that we aren't on the pill for contraception ...I'm terrified.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy SII using Tapatalk.

[sutsibe]

I agree with Fox Tink & Eponine - living in a similar area, I love small-town Middle-America! I'm not overly concerned with the hype about women's rights - I don't foresee any likelihood of any real restrictions happening! In the debate about who pays for contraceptives, it's my understanding that one can get them free or for very little cost from Planned Parenthood and other sources... I haven't heard anything about having to prove to your employer that you aren't on contraceptives?! Can't imagine THAT would fly!

[Rosemary]

South Africa - great country with great people. High crime rate, corrupt politicians and officials. Sounds like every other country.

I love living in SA and wouldn't want to live anywhere else - unless of course I could move to Alaska - I wold be there like a shot

[Povodny]

I like where I live but would still like to move. Its rural but less than an hour from Liverpool and Manchester. I'd prefer somewhere more rural

I've been to Alaska and as harshly beautiful as it is, I wouldn't like to live there. Australia looks amazing but I don't think it's for me. I love Canada, cant wait to go back. The people are friendly, what we consider to be a luxury is bog standard. Best of all they have distinct seasonal changes. And although I've never been to France, I'd like to go an see what it's like there

[Kechara]

I agree with Fox Tink & Eponine - living in a similar area, I love small-town Middle-America! I'm not overly concerned with the hype about women's rights - I don't foresee any likelihood of any real restrictions happening! In the debate about who pays for contraceptives, it's my understanding that one can get them free or for very little cost from Planned Parenthood and other sources... I haven't heard anything about having to prove to your employer that you aren't on contraceptives?! Can't imagine THAT would fly!

I agree I don't think anything will happen, but it's very disheartening to know that so many people still support things like that... even women! Plus the fact that it does not seem to be about who pays for it anymore... it's turned into "any woman on contraceptive is a terrible person" . And if you live in a conservative state (such as Texas), you may not get the option of planned parenthood (or other services like it) soon

I used to live in a smaller town in Louisiana and I did like the more country-ish setting. People were just so much nicer in general. While Alaska sounds awesome, I don't know if I could handle -that- much snow! lol I've still only seen it once in my life

Some of my family lives in Ottowa and Montreal, Canada, and it always seems so nice up there. The only issue I have (with Quebec really) is the rude people who refuse to speak English and only speak French >< lol

UK areas always look so pretty - my uncle usually goes to Ireland to play in golf tournys, and brings back awesome pictures :eek:.

I also admire Sweden/Norway. I never hear bad news about them... lol

[calvinandmommy]

I wish I could go back to England and live in a small village. That is what I have always wanted to do. Being an American Military wife though I try to stay out of political debates because if I say the wrong thing to the wrong person then the husband could get in trouble. I also don't for see a lot of these restrictions on women happening but the fact that there are government officials who believe there should be restrictions like these on women scares me. There is no telling what the future holds for America. But if I win the lottery I'm moving to England or France....but I don't speak much French lol.

[HuskyMom09]

I like where we live right now, but I don't love it. Our new neighbors are terrible people, one has threatened to kill my dogs if they ever came onto his property for no other reason than he hates dogs. I wish the job market for my husband's sake was better here, he's one of the no longer counted unemployed statistics...if things were any better/feasible I'd move back to Montana...but it just costs more to live there and my job would suffer for it.

[calvinandmommy]

Also remember sometimes moving to a new country the locals of that country are not to welcoming to "outsiders" moving in. I'm not sure if it is like that so much now days but when I lived in England in the mid 90's my mom said some of the English weren't to welcoming to Americans moving there. That could have been because we were military though.

[Seppun]

I agree with Fox Tink & Eponine - living in a similar area, I love small-town Middle-America! I'm not overly concerned with the hype about women's rights - I don't foresee any likelihood of any real restrictions happening! In the debate about who pays for contraceptives, it's my understanding that one can get them free or for very little cost from Planned Parenthood and other sources... I haven't heard anything about having to prove to your employer that you aren't on contraceptives?! Can't imagine THAT would fly!

I don't mean to be a fear monger or anything but you guys have got to get out and vote because Planned Parenthood is up on the Senate floor to be defunded and 8 states have already passed a requirement to prove the use of your contraceptives to employers, with more passing it every day. It's not hype anymore, these laws have already been passed.

[Kechara]

Also remember sometimes moving to a new country the locals of that country are not to welcoming to "outsiders" moving in. I'm not sure if it is like that so much now days but when I lived in England in the mid 90's my mom said some of the English weren't to welcoming to Americans moving there. That could have been because we were military though.

Yeah, that's one thing i would worry about lol. As I said in Quebec, some french people just plain don't like people who speak english. I imagine there's plenty more places that aren't so welcoming of outsiders, or maybe even just Americans. I love learning languages however, and wouldn't mind needing to learn a new one!

[BlueWolf]

Yeah, that's one thing i would worry about lol. As I said in Quebec, some french people just plain don't like people who speak english.

Pretty much whole France is like that That's why I don't like going to France for a holiday, they never seem happy with you if you don't speak properly France and they hate any associations with English or the English languages. I want to believe there are friendly people in France but I've never met them yet

[Removed #1]

I don't mean to be a fear monger or anything but you guys have got to get out and vote because Planned Parenthood is up on the Senate floor to be defunded and 8 states have already passed a requirement to prove the use of your contraceptives to employers, with more passing it every day. It's not hype anymore, these laws have already been passed.

I vote regularly. The polls are less than a mile from where I reside. It makes it a short trip, and our smaller population makes it a fairly small wait in line. I agree, voting, contacting your elected representatives and such is sooo important. In the end the best way to deal with corruption is to look at the voting record of individuals and go with whomever consistently has the same political stance you do. It takes research and time, but in the end the uninformed voter is the biggest threat to democracy there is.

[sutsibe]

@Ketchara - I know of one Republican candidate that doesn't approve of birth control on religious grounds, but have heard him say he would not do anything to change the legality of it; I'm inclined to believe this, because even in a very conservative area like the one in Iowa where I live, it would be very unpopular. I am inclined to believe that a lot of the hype is coming from the media, who like online Trolls, like to stir the pot!

I don't mean to be a fear monger or anything but you guys have got to get out and vote because Planned Parenthood is up on the Senate floor to be defunded and 8 states have already passed a requirement to prove the use of your contraceptives to employers, with more passing it every day. It's not hype anymore, these laws have already been passed.

I haven't heard anything about these laws... can you provide me with a link to one of them? I'd be interested in seeing what they actually say...

[Emma]

England has been declining IMO for the last decade at least. Would love to emigrate over to Ontario, Canada, as that's where some of hubbys family are. Hubby lived out there for a few years and he's the real driving force for wanting to go back. My predicament is the kids. Eldest is in year 10 at school and studying for his gcse's, not a good time right now.

[Kechara]

@Ketchara - I know of one Republican candidate that doesn't approve of birth control on religious grounds, but have heard him say he would not do anything to change the legality of it; I'm inclined to believe this, because even in a very conservative area like the one in Iowa where I live, it would be very unpopular.

I haven't heard anything about these laws... can you provide me with a link to one of them? I'd be interested in seeing what they actually say...

I know there are plenty of good candidates out there who strive to put their feelings aside and do what's right! We just need to vote more of them in! lol

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-03-11/texas-planned-parenthood/53483484/1 this is the article on the Texas issue at the moment. It lists a few other states that have or are trying to do similar things.

England has been declining IMO for the last decade at least. Would love to emigrate over to Ontario, Canada, as that's where some of hubbys family are. Hubby lived out there for a few years and he's the real driving force for wanting to go back. My predicament is the kids. Eldest is in year 10 at school and studying for his gcse's, not a good time right now.

I've heard lots of mixed things about England, even just here on the forums. Of course, I don't really know how it is to live there, but it probably would not be on the top of my list for places to move to

[GHOST R1D3R]

just ignore politics END OF PROBLEM

now lets find a nicer place to live......... right you aint got many options mainly cos most countries hate americans europe included its just a fact of life through many things but mainly war and other reasons. so usa/canada is your best bet so save up some cash and now you have a reason to go on long weekend breaks to check out new places/homes. pick somewhere that has nice weather and a nice place to live

now for the england/uk who knows u might wanna live in wales which is a nice place but i would avoid scotland. its cold and well speaking doesn't come with subtitles which when speaking to a full blown scottish man you may find yourself saying ok to everything then find out you have just bought a skirt and a woman bag that looks like a fancy bum bag.

no one likes where they are cos they think of whats over the bridge but it aint a pot of gold its just another let down in a year or 2 time or even straight away. i enjoy my time in england but i would rather live in the usa ( for sports ) yes thats right im nearly 30 and i still watch WWE. but what i ask myself is what does usa have that the uk doesn't all i could find was sunshine which is the only real difference. s