Where to live?

Tipperary Fairy

I'm currently months away from this being a reality, but I am one for thinking in advance.

It's looking unlikely I'd be able to get sponsorship in Australia, and Canada looks like a no go too, so I'm thinking my only real options are to consider somewhere within the EU to live and work.

Now I'm not looking to have any of this about bashing Ireland, it's just not for me.

So i'm looking for advice / experience / opinions from experienced boardsies, people who have or are living somewhere else permanently (or semi) on where I should or shouldn't consider going.

I'd hugely prefer warm places, and unfortunately don't really have any other languages (though could make a reasonable stab at french) so obviously these kinda limit my options, though yeah I would expect to pick up the language. I have been wondering about jobs though, I mean how do you move to another country where English isn't the first language, and get a job?

Would love to hear from anyone on this.

Kev_2012

1 - Marry an Aussie, marry a Canadian or Yank.
2 - Learn French, Spanish, Portuguese or Italian.
3 - Gibraltar

Lollipops23

Why is Canada a no-go? It's piss easy to get into and there's plenty of work in the bigger cities. Nice people, lovely summers if you can deal with the winters. So much to see too!

me_irl

Become a drug mule.

Kev_2012

Lollipops23 wrote: »

Why is Canada a no-go? It's piss easy to get into and there's plenty of work in the bigger cities. Nice people, lovely summers if you can deal with the winters. So much to see too!

This is why you move to Vancouver and not Calgary/Edmonton/Toronto etc :cool:

listermint

You are saying 'its just not for me' but without telling 'what is for you' its quite hard to give you advice on where to go.

Youve given no interests. or reasons to go. ?

jester77

Come over to Germany. We more or less rule the EU, so you can get a say in what happens to your friends and family back in Ireland. Taxes are high in comparison to Ireland, but booze is cheap... so it sort of works out evenly in the end.

Tipperary Fairy

Kev_2012 wrote: »

1 - Marry an Aussie, marry a Canadian or Yank.
2 - Learn French, Spanish, Portuguese or Italian.
3 - Gibraltar

1. The second my boyfriend breaks it off I'll do just that
2. I would do that while living in the respective country
3. I would just for the monkeys

Tipperary Fairy

Lollipops23 wrote: »

Why is Canada a no-go? It's piss easy to get into and there's plenty of work in the bigger cities. Nice people, lovely summers if you can deal with the winters. So much to see too!

Piss easy? Not if you don't have the skills on the skills list afaics. If there's another way please let me know because Canada was the next place on the list.

Tipperary Fairy

listermint wrote: »

You are saying 'its just not for me' but without telling 'what is for you' its quite hard to give you advice on where to go.

Youve given no interests. or reasons to go. ?

Its not meant to be advice based on what I like or don't like, it's just an open question for suggestions and experiences.

A huge part of not wanting to go back and stay in Ireland are the negativity and the weather.

Tipperary Fairy

jester77 wrote: »

Come over to Germany. We more or less rule the EU, so you can get a say in what happens to your friends and family back in Ireland. Taxes are high in comparison to Ireland, but booze is cheap... so it sort of works out evenly in the end.

Don't work out so well if you don't spend all your wages on drink though...

Lollipops23

Go on the 2 year work holiday visa- it's what myself and a lot of my friends did. Loads of them are applying for Perm Residency now. I didn't, I only wanted to go for a year (which I did).

The whole process of getting the visas is a bit stressful, but only cost $200 CAD and it's honestly very straightforward.

retalivity

Canada is dull as dishwater, having endured it for 3 years i couldnt wait to leave.

Its like a big massive longford.

DEFTLEFTHAND

jester77 wrote: »

Come over to Germany. We more or less rule the EU, so you can get a say in what happens to your friends and family back in Ireland. Taxes are high in comparison to Ireland, but booze is cheap... so it sort of works out evenly in the end.

Might want to ease up on the reins there a little if you want it to survive.

Tipperary Fairy

Lollipops23 wrote: »

Go on the 2 year work holiday visa- it's what myself and a lot of my friends did. Loads of them are applying for Perm Residency now. I didn't, I only wanted to go for a year (which I did).

The whole process of getting the visas is a bit stressful, but only cost $200 CAD and it's honestly very straightforward.

Stressful and straightforward usually don't go hand in hand! I'll look into it again so. It's up to 35 right not 30?

syklops

Tipperary Fairy wrote: »

Piss easy? Not if you don't have the skills on the skills list afaics. If there's another way please let me know because Canada was the next place on the list.

What skills do you have?

smash

Tipperary Fairy wrote: »

Piss easy? Not if you don't have the skills on the skills list afaics.

Surely this will be the same with any destination that requires a visa? If you feel that you don't have a desirable skill set then try to break your skills down in to categories and check the average wage across EU destinations for these categories. Then see what the market is like for English speakers in these categories. Either way if you're not going to Ireland, the UK mainland or Gibraltar then I'd say you'll need to look in to learning a secondary language.

Dr Crayfish

Canada wasn't much to my liking, lived there for a while, boring as hell but some pretty places none the less. I love Australia though, the beach life etc.
So my guess is you don't have the skills to get a long term visa for one of the New World countries. So you can go to an EU country where you'll probably have to work some muppet job in an Irish bar or a call centre that you don't really need the local lingo for, live for a while on awful money, slowly start to resent this new country and blame them for your ills, and then come home and realise Ireland isn't that bad.

Tipperary Fairy

syklops wrote: »

What skills do you have?

Why do you ask? I have a good honours degree but I've not worked in the area since graduating. My background since has been (broadly speaking) administration.

Tipperary Fairy

smash wrote: »

Surely this will be the same with any destination that requires a visa? If you feel that you don't have a desirable skill set then try to break your skills down in to categories and check the average wage across EU destinations for these categories. Then see what the market is like for English speakers in these categories. Either way if you're not going to Ireland, the UK mainland or Gibraltar then I'd say you'll need to look in to learning a secondary language.

Well no, every country will have a different skills list. It's not about feeling I don't have the necessary skillset, it's a very procedural thing, you have to provide evidence of your experience and if applicable show you have an education in it.

I'd consider the UK or Gibraltar, if they're still places we'd be able to go.

And I just wouldn't learn a whole language before I go somewhere really, wouldn't make much sense.

Tipperary Fairy

Dr Crayfish wrote: »

Canada wasn't much to my liking, lived there for a while, boring as hell but some pretty places none the less. I love Australia though, the beach life etc.
So my guess is you don't have the skills to get a long term visa for one of the New World countries. So you can go to an EU country where you'll probably have to work some muppet job in an Irish bar or a call centre that you don't really need the local lingo for, live for a while on awful money, slowly start to resent this new country and blame them for your ills, and then come home and realise Ireland isn't that bad.

That's quite a prediction / projection :pac: I don't think wanting to have proper seasons and wanting to get away from the negativity means I'm blaming Ireland for my 'ills'.

Dr Crayfish

Tipperary Fairy wrote: »

That's quite a prediction / projection :pac: I don't think wanting to have proper seasons and wanting to get away from the negativity means I'm blaming Ireland for my 'ills'.

What negativity? Wherever you go, there you are...

Dr Crayfish

Tipperary Fairy wrote: »

I'd consider the UK or Gibraltar, if they're still places we'd be able to go.

The weather's a bit better in London but not by much. If it's seasons you're looking for the UK ain't the place, but you wouldn't have a problem getting a job there for sure.

Grayson

retalivity wrote: »

Canada is dull as dishwater, having endured it for 3 years i couldnt wait to leave.

Its like a big massive longford.

That sounds like hell.

ScumLord

Why would you need a foreign language? You can point and say words louder and slower can't you?

syklops

Tipperary Fairy wrote: »

Why do you ask? I have a good honours degree but I've not worked in the area since graduating. My background since has been (broadly speaking) administration.

What do you mean why do I ask?

You said you didnt have the skills for sponsorship in Canada. I was trying to establish that you had some skills in something which might be useful somewhere.

We have now established you have a degree in something and you have been doing administration in something for some period of time.

I now feel fully briefed. :rolleyes:

biko

Bartender in Ibiza

syklops

Cage Dancer in Torremolinos.

That'd be Tropic!

The weather in the south east of England is dries and warmer than here, or if you have a degree why got to Dubai or the like and teach English for a while.

ScumLord

mariaalice wrote: »

The weather in the south east of England is dries and warmer than here, or if you have a degree why got to Dubai or the like and teach English for a while.

The thing that surprised me about south of London is how rural it is. Once you get off the motorway it's narrow country roads worse than here and shops that close at six in the evening, it was quite surprising.

I wouldn't go to Dubai, you could end up in jail or flogged for something stupid.

pickarooney

Malta

Realt Dearg Sec

syklops wrote: »

What do you mean why do I ask?

You said you didnt have the skills for sponsorship in Canada. I was trying to establish that you had some skills in something which might be useful somewhere.

We have now established you have a degree in something and you have been doing administration in something for some period of time.

I now feel fully briefed. :rolleyes:

All he's asking for is advice in what countries are nice to live in and what aren't, it doesn't make any difference what his degree is in, and you don't need to be "fully briefed". You just need to be about to say why x country is or isn't nice to move to.

Joe prim

Moving to another country is a huge, life-changing and life-defining decision. Your entire future will be decided by how carefully and intelligently you assess your options, and how thoroughly you research the implications of your choice before deciding. You have made an excellent start by asking the opinions of the denizens of After Hours on Boards.


(Don't go to Iraq inanyways, language is very hard to pick up)

syklops

Joe prim wrote: »

(Don't go to Iraq inanyways, language is very hard to pick up)

Also, its very difficult to get a decent pint there.

Realt Dearg Sec

syklops wrote: »

Also, its very difficult to get a decent pint there.

Still, it's the perfect spot to go for people who are sick of Ireland...no Irish pubs to moan about.

riclad

There,s some european countrys where a lot of people speak english,
get a skill in demand, eg tech worker,fitness trainer etc
Maybe foreign call centres need english speakers .
most countrys have irish pubs .
Australia only admits people who have skill,s , nurse, builder etc
google jobs in demand germany france etc

PowerToWait

retalivity wrote: »

Canada is dull as dishwater, having endured it for 3 years i couldnt wait to leave.

Its like a big massive longford.

Where and what in the name of jayzis were you doing that it could be so bad? I know both Longford and Canada.

Were you on the prairie?

Kev_2012

retalivity wrote: »

Canada is dull as dishwater, having endured it for 3 years i couldnt wait to leave.

Its like a big massive longford.

Somebody ended up in Saskatchewan or Fort Mac anyway. Canada is savage, specifically Vancouver and Toronto is pretty cool too.

Realt Dearg Sec

Speaking English as a native speaker is a skill, and a very marketable one. In western Europe it won't be enough to get you a job on its own, you'll need reputable tefl qualifications. But central and eastern Europe it's still very possible to get a job as an English teacher on the back of your native status alone. I worked in Hungary a university English teacher with a full time, renewable post, free accommodation, and full pay all summer when not working, with just my degree and at the time not a word of Hungarian.

It was probably the best year of my life until I had a kid, the country is amazing. But the op didn't like bad weather or negativity, so I wouldn't recommend it. But it isn't actually all that clear what the op is looking for. But if you like a beautiful country, a great job, a new experience of a place and a people very unlike the Irish, and are willing to take a chance on being placed somewhere relatively small and obscure where there might not be many trendy expats around and will have to get to know the local people, you could do a lot worse.

Should say this was all twelve years ago, dunno if it's still as great a set up anymore. But opportunities are there for great experiences in the east, that don't require you to starve or to have great skills or language expertise.

Realt Dearg Sec

And just to add, plenty of English teaching possibilities in Korea, Japan, China. Often including flights over and back. No shortage of opportunities for anyone looking for a change of scenery.

Alf Stewart.

syklops wrote: »

What skills do you have?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsiiIa6bs9I

noaddedsugar

pickarooney wrote: »

Malta

I was just going to suggest this. We are considering a move there in a few years time. Lots of jobs in igaming, ok cost of living and beautiful surroundings.

Shint0

ScumLord wrote: »

I wouldn't go to Dubai, you could end up in jail or flogged for something stupid.

Dubai is very westernised and full of mega shopping malls but I find it very soulless. You have to go out to the old town district to get a sense of culture. We considered briefly moving there then ruled it out but it does have a huge expat and migrant population.

Lyaiera

syklops wrote: »

Also, its very difficult to get a decent pint there.

I know a few people who have been to both Iraq and Iran and say there's no shortage of booze if you know where to look. I've read travel blogs that support this.

corner of hells

Longford , if you like it , you'll like Canada.

Shint0

Lyaiera wrote: »

I know a few people who have been to both Iraq and Iran and say there's no shortage of booze if you know where to look. I've read travel blogs that support this.

Just don't re-enact a version of the song 'Happy' on a roof terrace and post it on YouTube and you'll be grand.

Winterlong

I think if I had the chance to pick a city to move to I would be going to Oslo.
Yeah, the language is hard to learn and it is expensive, but most people speak english, there is low tax and the people are fantastic.
Oslo is a good social city.

Lyaiera

Shint0 wrote: »

Just don't re-enact a version of the song 'Happy' on a roof terrace and post it on YouTube and you'll be grand.

Well, yeah... But they've had plenty of nights in someone's house, usually in a rural area drinking all the moonshine they could manage. There was always a fear they'd be ratted out, but they weren't and continued traveling.

Realt Dearg Sec

No idea what the work situation is like, but I've been to Spain a lot and absolutely loved Bilbao and San Sebastian . They struck me as fantastic cities to live (as opposed to just bring nice tourist spots). Bilbao has a great pace of life, the nightlife is fantastic (in my opinion, if you like sauntering from bar to bar down winding busy streets, and eating little bites of great food with each beer or wine), great place for families but also very cool for single people, good hipster music scene if that's your thing, Pretty temperate climate, world class art museum. It's a nice size of a place too, whether you prefer a city or a small town, it can kind of be made to fit the bill. Spanish is also not a difficult language to learn.

You might have gathered, I'm a fan. Would go there tomorrow if I could get a job in my area of work. Sadly I can't.

Tipperary Fairy

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

No idea what the work situation is like, but I've been to Spain a lot and absolutely loved Bilbao and San Sebastian . They struck me as fantastic cities to live (as opposed to just bring nice tourist spots). Bilbao has a great pace of life, the nightlife is fantastic (in my opinion, if you like sauntering from bar to bar down winding busy streets, and eating little bites of great food with each beer or wine), great place for families but also very cool for single people, good hipster music scene if that's your thing, Pretty temperate climate, world class art museum. It's a nice size of a place too, whether you prefer a city or a small town, it can kind of be made to fit the bill. Spanish is also not a difficult language to learn.

You might have gathered, I'm a fan. Would go there tomorrow if I could get a job in my area of work. Sadly I can't.

I'll look at Spain alright, I suppose along with Portugal and Greece I'd have kinda considered leaving them out.

Took a look at Malta, can't believe the wages are so low! Not sure I'd like to live on an island so small in population though.

smash

Unemployment in Spain is through the roof, and the wages aren't great if you do manage to get a job.