Ever lived abroad?

JuliusCaesar · 07-10-2013 07:45PM

Yes, I've lived abroad (different countries) for periods ranging between 3 months and 8 years. I truely believe everyone should do so. It really changes your assumptions about yourself, other people, society etc.

ron jambo · 07-10-2013 07:50PM

15 Years in U.S.A. came back oct 07, I ****ed up bigtime.

strawberries · 07-10-2013 07:59PM

Living in Germany for 10 years now. Absolutely hate it, can't wait to move home.

crockholm · 07-10-2013 08:03PM

USA,Netherlands and Sweden

WilyCoyote · 07-10-2013 08:04PM

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

I'm actually named after a bikini brand

Atoll Atoll?

Daveysil15 · 07-10-2013 08:06PM

I lived in Canada for a year - it was great. Bloody cold during the winter though.

Jamsiek · 07-10-2013 08:10PM

Currently in Vancouver, Canada, been here for a year and a half so far. Became a permanent resident a month ago. I love it here.

I went to Uni in Dundee, Scotland for 4 years, best years of my life, met so many great people. Then Glasgow for 3 years, loved it there too, very underrated city.

I then lived in Nottingham in England for a year and a half but I didn't like it. It bored me to be honest.

So that's 10 years abroad overall.
I suppose I'm lucky that I've never been a home bird.

herisson · 07-10-2013 08:15PM

I lived in France for 6 months. It was possibly the best time of my life. I would love to live in Germany. Ill finish my post grad and see what happens.

WilyCoyote · 07-10-2013 08:16PM

12 years London, 7 years Germany, 8 years France, 2 years Middle East, contract work in Sierra Leone. Then 15 more years in Ireland before heading out here 3 years ago.
So I've spent exactly half of my life abroad. Oh fuck, have given my age away

Odats · 07-10-2013 08:17PM

Lived in Nairobi Kenya for 3 months in 2010 and in Port au Prince Haiti from Feb 2011 to March 2012.

UCDVet · 07-10-2013 08:58PM

Am I the only person who have lived in multiple countries that couldn't see any difference?

UK, Ireland, Canada, US, Australia - at a minimum, seem like the same place to me. People have slightly different accents, some different food....lots and lots of similarities though.

I've met a lot of people who, apparently, have had religious-like experiences....getting on a plane, sitting for some hours, and getting off has changed their life. Going to a McDonald's and seeing a few different items on the menu has changed them in a deep and meaningful way. Seeing, first hand, that people do things slightly different somewhere else, has changed their political ideals.

I'm not knocking it, and so many people seem to agree that I wonder if it's just me being narrow minded? I don't know. But personally, living abroad is just a giant 'meh'. Same as stuff different location.

astonaidan · 07-10-2013 09:23PM

WilyCoyote wrote: »

12 years London, 7 years Germany, 8 years France, 2 years Middle East, contract work in Sierra Leone. Then 15 more years in Ireland before heading out here 3 years ago.
So I've spent exactly half of my life abroad. Oh fuck, have given my age away

Pah I aint adding all that up, just tell us for christ sake :mad:

astonaidan · 07-10-2013 09:26PM

UCDVet wrote: »

Am I the only person who have lived in multiple countries that couldn't see any difference?

UK, Ireland, Canada, US, Australia - at a minimum, seem like the same place to me. People have slightly different accents, some different food....lots and lots of similarities though.

I've met a lot of people who, apparently, have had religious-like experiences....getting on a plane, sitting for some hours, and getting off has changed their life. Going to a McDonald's and seeing a few different items on the menu has changed them in a deep and meaningful way. Seeing, first hand, that people do things slightly different somewhere else, has changed their political ideals.

I'm not knocking it, and so many people seem to agree that I wonder if it's just me being narrow minded? I don't know. But personally, living abroad is just a giant 'meh'. Same as stuff different location.

I think that Ireland being such a small country and well no matter where you are your only a few hours drive from Mammy that people can change, I know I did when I went to Australia first time I really had to look after myself, but Im sure people could have a life changing experience moving to Dublin you just wouldnt hear about it as much

smurgen · 07-10-2013 11:02PM

Switzerland for two years. It's a strange, strange place.

Ilik Urgee · 07-10-2013 11:08PM

Norway for a year, Holland for 4, Germany for 6. Pros and cons to each place, more pros though.

Took a long time to settle back when I did move home though, was tough.

retalivity · 07-10-2013 11:35PM

Canada for 3 years, South Korea for 1.

Moving back to Ireland in 3 weeks though

WilyCoyote · 08-10-2013 12:30AM

retalivity wrote: »

Canada for 3 years, South Korea for 1.

Moving back to Ireland in 3 weeks though

I wish you luck.

InTheTrees · 08-10-2013 01:16AM

UCDVet wrote: »

I'm not knocking it, and so many people seem to agree that I wonder if it's just me being narrow minded? I don't know. But personally, living abroad is just a giant 'meh'. Same as stuff different location.

On the other hand, I know a lot of ex-pats, myself included, are very familiar with the feeling of What The Fcuk when you're cruising along a palm treed boulevard in the convertible and suddenly get a revelation of how really really far away you are from home.

A kind of what the hell am i doing here feeling.

Kev_2012 · 08-10-2013 01:32AM

Living in Vancouver, Canada right now since June. It's cool but I don't think I'd live outside of the Irish timezone again! I don't think North America is for me. For all the great things that are here, it's also missing many, more important things to me.

Might give England a go when I move back, but I just know I'll always end up in Limerick! Wouldn't live in Dublin again, well would prefer not to!

Howard Juneau · 08-10-2013 01:37AM

Sleepy wrote: »

Kind of, I commuted to London for 6 months back in 2008/2009, flying back every weekend to see the missus and kids.

Would have moved the family over there if I could have but circumstances prevent it.

Yeah, extradition is a curse!

Paddy Fields · 08-10-2013 01:41AM

Lived in Thailand for 8 years. Great weather and people but got my fill of it and came back. Might go back in a couple of years.

Rabies · 08-10-2013 01:54AM

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

NZ is so isolated and socially it's the most boring country I've ever been to, so I wouldn't blame him. They're like the strict Scottish Presbyterians of the Southern Hemisphere.

Don't know about that. I've put a few years behind me here, still loving it.

OPENROAD · 08-10-2013 02:09AM

Living in the States and will be for at least the next 10 years. Can be a struggle at times and I get terribly home sick sometimes which I feel guilty about.

Hope one day we might move back to Dublin or at least the East coast of the States just be that closer to home.

WilyCoyote · 08-10-2013 02:13AM

Where are you?

OPENROAD · 08-10-2013 02:14AM

WilyCoyote wrote: »

Where are you?

Seattle.

WilyCoyote · 08-10-2013 02:28AM

Many Irish out there? I think there is one regular AH lady from Washington

osarusan · 08-10-2013 04:26AM

Been living in Japan for about 8 years in total, with 2 and a half years back in Ireland in the middle of that.

Bungarra · 08-10-2013 04:29AM

UCDVet wrote: »

Am I the only person who have lived in multiple countries that couldn't see any difference?

UK, Ireland, Canada, US, Australia - at a minimum, seem like the same place to me. People have slightly different accents, some different food....lots and lots of similarities though.

I've met a lot of people who, apparently, have had religious-like experiences....getting on a plane, sitting for some hours, and getting off has changed their life. Going to a McDonald's and seeing a few different items on the menu has changed them in a deep and meaningful way. Seeing, first hand, that people do things slightly different somewhere else, has changed their political ideals.

I'm not knocking it, and so many people seem to agree that I wonder if it's just me being narrow minded? I don't know. But personally, living abroad is just a giant 'meh'. Same as stuff different location.

I agree when you say it's the same... But your sample size is the problem. They're all majority white, english speaking countries... Of course they're all the same. I'm in a smallish regional town in WA. Apart from the weather it's very similar to home really.

markomuscle · 08-10-2013 05:06AM

yes, in the neighbouring kingdom, i even had dinner with them around a fire in a cave

Legs.Eleven · 08-10-2013 10:18AM

England (London and midlands), J1 in Chicago, a summer in France cleaning plates, Edinburgh, 11 months in South America but that was just dossin' about and here in Spain. I'm not finished yet though!

Has living abroad broadened my mind? Meh! I wouldn't say so as I wasn't exactly small-minded before I left but it's been a great experience overall and has toughened me up for the unexpected.

Ever lived abroad?

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