Moving to another country--have you ever thought about it?

[whatevergirl]

I won’t name the candidate name…but if a certain someone is elected as President of the USA in this upcoming election–my husband and I have strongly considered leaving the U.S. I know–sounds crazy, right? But, should it? My and my husband’s employer…are global–and there are offices in most countries. We discussed moving to Japan, if this candidate were to be elected. The thought of our tax dollars going to support this person’s (personal) agenda, is something that is really not sitting well with us. Now, the person has not won yet, but we are thinking of moving out of the country if it happens.

Are we insane? I suppose we would have to see if Japan’s government holds the values that we hold. My husband said that there are a lot of luxuries that he could see me missing–luxuries that are actually just basic everyday things to us here in this country–but are luxuries to others, in countries outside of the US. I haven’t thought that far. Does not HAVE to be Japan, as we are also tossing around the idea of Australia.

What are your thoughts? I would be interested also in hearing from people on here who have moved from the US, to another country, and why, and how you did it–and are you happy you did it? Thank you.

 

[kage_ar]

Call me crazy… but… as long as you are a US Citizen you will still have to file tax returns in the US

pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/state/americansabroad.html

 

[ack]

Japan? Personally, I wouldn’t want to move to a country where only 0.7% of the population is Christian (and probably far fewer are Catholic!)

Not to mention the fact that Japanese society is notoriously suspicious of outsiders.

Also, remember that the ex-pats that I meet abroad tend to be very liberal. You didn’t state your political convictions in your post…but if you want to move to get away from the liberals, you’ll probably find that most of your new expat friends will be very different from you. (Not to mention the fact that virtually all foreigners would prefer a Democrat over Bush…an American fleeing the country BECAUSE Bush is out of power would seem rather bizarre to them.)

Really, you would leave all your friends and family behind just because of one election? I always used to laugh at people who vowed that they would move to Canada if Bush was re-elected…most of them never did…

Also, the US president doesn’t have unlimited power – he (she?) shares power with the other two branches of government. To be consistent, you would have also to leave the country whenever an unfavorable congress is elected, or when the judiciary swings in a direction that you don’t like.

If you want to move to a country where people really share your moral beliefs and values, you’ll probably need to move to a 3rd-world country

(Actually, I have considered moving to a 3rd-world country…but I think it would be very lonely there, unless I happened to marry a citizen of that country before moving there, which would give me family ties.)

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

Believe it or not, I have thought about it. I have thought about our ancestors who came here, seeking freedom.

My DH’s mother married an American soldier so she could come here after WWII. His great-grandfather came to Black Diamond, CA to escort his grandaunt, who was marrying a boy from the place they lived. Some of my ancestors came on the boat right after the Mayflower. Some of them came in the mid-nineteeenth century. I think about the guts it took to save the money, get the money somehow, get on a ship, and brave the ocean to get here. I think about their having to learn English for those from Italy, France, Germany, Hungary and Austria (My MIL learned by sitting herself in a movie theater all day for weeks!). I think about taking the first job that comes along, and doing it gratefully. I think about the adjustment for the kids.

I don’t know if we have the stern stuff to be immigrants, sadly.

 

[Feanaro_s_Wife]

**Yes, have thought about it. No, don’t think it’s the answer. I don’t know much about the politics in other countries but I know enough to know that it’ll be very hard to find one where you agree with everything the government represents:shrug:. I would think it would be better to stay in the US and do all you can to make sure your voice is heard and come next election to get a better candidate elected.

You are at least luckier in the States that we are here in Canada. We get to elect between the guy we don’t like and the other guy we don’t like. The lesser of two evils if you will. Then there are the people we would really like to see represent us but because of our system it will never happen.

So, you can cross Canada off your list, lol. And I have a few friends in Australia and it doesn’t sound much better there. Haven’t got a clue about Japan though…

Malia**

 

[JustAnotherThou]

You might really want to check into the cost of living in the other countries. You might find many of them are expensive!!! Most companies also do not pay as well in other countries as they do in the US.

DH is an economist; he understands all the ins and outs with all of that more than I do. He looked into it once (before we met) and decided that it financially was not worth it.

My opinion, on the presidential matter, the BEAUTIFUL thing about being an American is you know in 4 years you can vote them out, if they are not out in 4 years we know they will be in 8 years!!!

I am also guessing that there are some moral reasons behind your not wanting one candidate over another (which is good), although I would STONGLY encourage you to check into those moral issues in the countries you are looking at. Per say, if one of your moral issues is abortion, check the country you are considering on their views on abortion. You may find they are more liberal than you thought!!! I guess this is me assuming that you are a Pro-Life Catholic.

 

[whatevergirl]

Call me crazy… but… as long as you are a US Citizen you will still have to file tax returns in the US

pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/state/americansabroad.html

Hmm…interesting point. This is all in the petri-dish thought process right now…not fully formed. But–I would move my citizenship to another country, if we moved away. Obviously–it would take serious discernment, and prayer–but we have been strongly considering it. For my husband, who is not a risk taker, to consider it–it might be the right thing–depending on the outcome of the election.

 

[whatevergirl]

You might really want to check into the cost of living in the other countries. You might find many of them are expensive!!! Most companies also do not pay as well in other countries as they do in the US.

DH is an economist; he understands all the ins and outs with all of that more than I do. He looked into it once (before we met) and decided that it financially was not worth it.

My opinion, on the presidential matter, the BEAUTIFUL thing about being an American is you know in 4 years you can vote them out, if they are not out in 4 years we know they will be in 8 years!!!

I am also guessing that there are some moral reasons behind your not wanting one candidate over another (which is good), although I would STONGLY encourage you to check into those moral issues in the countries you are looking at. Per say, if one of your moral issues is abortion, check the country you are considering on their views on abortion. You may find they are more liberal than you thought!!! I guess this is me assuming that you are a Pro-Life Catholic.

That’s the problem–suppose this person were to be in office for 8 years?? Ugh–I have truly never felt this way about a potential candidate…but in this case–I could not see giving my taxes to a person who holds absolutely no ideals that I hold.

 

[whatevergirl]

My ds and dd said they would LOVE to move to Japan…not sure why this is a country they have been dying to see…but, this is their first pick. I think Australia would be a bit better, in terms of…the climate I’m used to…the lifestyle, etc. Getting used to a Japanese lifestyle would be fascinating, yet challenging. Believe me–it would not be a decision to make lightly.

 

[whatevergirl]

**Yes, have thought about it. No, don’t think it’s the answer. I don’t know much about the politics in other countries but I know enough to know that it’ll be very hard to find one where you agree with everything the government represents:shrug:. I would think it would be better to stay in the US and do all you can to make sure your voice is heard and come next election to get a better candidate elected.

You are at least luckier in the States that we are here in Canada. We get to elect between the guy we don’t like and the other guy we don’t like. The lesser of two evils if you will. Then there are the people we would really like to see represent us but because of our system it will never happen.

So, you can cross Canada off your list, lol. And I have a few friends in Australia and it doesn’t sound much better there. Haven’t got a clue about Japan though…

Malia**

Thanks for your (name removed by moderator)ut Malia–Yes, my husband crossed Canada off the list…LOL For a number of reasons, and plus, we like a steady moderate or warmer climate. It’s too cold in Canada during the winters! We have officially become weather wimps now

 

[whatevergirl]

Japan? Personally, I wouldn’t want to move to a country where only 0.7% of the population is Christian (and probably far fewer are Catholic!)

Not to mention the fact that Japanese society is notoriously suspicious of outsiders.

Also, remember that the ex-pats that I meet abroad tend to be very liberal. You didn’t state your political convictions in your post…but if you want to move to get away from the liberals, you’ll probably find that most of your new expat friends will be very different from you. (Not to mention the fact that virtually all foreigners would prefer a Democrat over Bush…an American fleeing the country BECAUSE Bush is out of power would seem rather bizarre to them.)

Really, you would leave all your friends and family behind just because of one election? I always used to laugh at people who vowed that they would move to Canada if Bush was re-elected…most of them never did…

Also, the US president doesn’t have unlimited power – he (she?) shares power with the other two branches of government. To be consistent, you would have also to leave the country whenever an unfavorable congress is elected, or when the judiciary swings in a direction that you don’t like.

If you want to move to a country where people really share your moral beliefs and values, you’ll probably need to move to a 3rd-world country

(Actually, I have considered moving to a 3rd-world country…but I think it would be very lonely there, unless I happened to marry a citizen of that country before moving there, which would give me family ties.)

You bring up a good point–we would know NO ONE in these other countries…a 3rd world country? No, I don’t think we would do that…It would be a big move…but, if this candidate is elected – the personal agenda would rule the day, and the elections that this person would make for judges, etc…would directly affect this country–morally. I need to pray that candidate I want gets in!

 

[Feanaro_s_Wife]

**I think AU is beautiful but it has the most deadly reptiles/snakes and insects. I just can’t get over that part, lol. At least here in Canada there is no danger of grizzly bear or cougar hiding under my covers as I crawl into bed at night…

What about a more Catholic country like Portugal? My husband’s coworker is from there and we here stories of how wonderful it is…

malia

**

 

[deb1]

When my hubby retires from the military in 2009 and he will need to find work. We have discussed taking work overseas, not because of the coming elections but because we would like the experience of temporarily living overseas. LIke your idea, ours is just a little germ of a thought that we are knocking around.

We did live in Korea once and we lived on the economy. That means that we didn’t live on base. I loved it! There were some difficulties though. THe apartment was up a steep flight of stairs. We were advised not to drink the water in the city so we had to hoof it to the base to fill up our water jugs. Usually we carried our clothing in a military bag on our backs because our apartment had no washer or dryer so we did clothes on base at the same time we got our water. We must have looked very funny to the Korean locals.

At the time, I enjoyed the excitement of roughing it a bit but I was only 23/24. I might feel differently now.

I should point out that the Korean city that we lived in had cars, but at the time, individuals of my husband’s low rank E-3 were not allowed to drive cars in downtown Songton(Spelling off) That might be different now. But we either walked everywhere or rode a taxi.

 

[kage_ar]

You are thinking about not just moving to another country, but renouncing your citizenship and immigration to another country? That is a complex matter, other countries have strict immigration laws and policies.

Also, consider this - for what reason are you considering immigration? What are the laws and political leaders like in the country you want to live in?

If Abortion is a deciding issue, check out this website:

pregnantpause.org/lex/world02.htm

Australia and Japan have very liberal laws on abortion.

Is it taxes?

worldwide-tax.com/japan/japan_tax.asp

 

[whatevergirl]

You are thinking about not just moving to another country, but renouncing your citizenship and immigration to another country? That is a complex matter, other countries have strict immigration laws and policies.

Also, consider this - for what reason are you considering immigration? What are the laws and political leaders like in the country you want to live in?

If Abortion is a deciding issue, check out this website:

pregnantpause.org/lex/world02.htm

Australia and Japan have very liberal laws on abortion.

Is it taxes?

worldwide-tax.com/japan/japan_tax.asp

This is why I posted this here–I need some help. (Thank you) My dh and I would never make an irrational decision, and perhaps, my thinking now is based on emotion, as I am a little worried of who gets in office–and how that person could affect this country.

I just thought of Spain! My neighbor relocated from there last year–and she boasts about how wonderful it was there…how the schools are great…lower kids to teacher ratio…how friendly and warm the communities are…how much she misses it. Her husband is ex military, so their experience living on a base, might be different than living off of it…but I have heard good things about Spain. I agree–this would be a bit scary…I actually have researched some of the things this candidate stands for morally, and surprisingly, it’s better than I thought–but I don’t ‘trust’ this candidate. Strikes me as someone with a personal agenda, who will say anything to get elected. I dunno–it would be a hard decision no doubt.

Anyone live in the US, and moved to another country?

(I personally would love to move to Italy, but my husband who is far more up on international affairs, said no way-he would not live in Italy.)

 

[Lucania]

I need to pray that candidate I want gets in!

It looks like the chances of my candidate winning the primaries are not good right now. I’m still praying, though. I may have to hold my nose while voting in the general election . I, too have said the same thing about moving to another Country if a certain candidate wins. I would never do it. I love living here and could not move to another Country. Chances are it would be too liberal for me. DH & I will just have to suffer through most likely 4 years of “Herself”, “Himself Rock Star” or the other “Himself.” . Oh, while researching my Italian side of my family, I found out that I could apply for dual citizenship in Italy because my Great-Grandfather never became a citizen, even though my Grandfather was born here. I decided against it. I love living in the U.S.A. no matter what.

 

[whatevergirl]

It looks like the chances of my candidate winning the primaries are not good right now. I’m still praying, though. I may have to hold my nose while voting in the general election . I, too have said the same thing about moving to another Country if a certain candidate wins. I would never do it. I love living here and could not move to another Country. Chances are it would be too liberal for me. DH & I will just have to suffer through most likely 4 years of “Herself”, “Himself Rock Star” or the other “Himself.” .

hee hee your post made me laugh!
You know, my husband said something similiar…he said that we are actually not as liberal of a country as you think, when you start comparing to other countries (except 3rd world) what???

 

[kage_ar]

My only experience is with people residing outside the US, not with someone immigrating elsewhere.

My baby sis and her family lived in Italy for 3 years, they LOVED it, we loved it (cause we could visint and have a free place to stay . If money were no object, I would have a house in northern Italy.

We have family friends who have lived in Central America, some who have lived in Russia. There are always adjustments to make, but, they are always happy to come home.

I do know people who have immigrated to the US, and it was a several years long and expensive process.

 

[Lucania]

hee hee your post made me laugh!
You know, my husband said something similiar…he said that we are actually not as liberal of a country as you think, when you start comparing to other countries (except 3rd world) what???

I know! Hard to believe, but it’s true!

 

[mamacita]

I won’t name the candidate name…but if a certain someone is elected as President of the USA in this upcoming election–my husband and I have strongly considered leaving the U.S. I know–sounds crazy, right? But, should it? My and my husband’s employer…are global–and there are offices in most countries. We discussed moving to Japan, if this candidate were to be elected. The thought of our tax dollars going to support this person’s (personal) agenda, is something that is really not sitting well with us. Now, the person has not won yet, but we are thinking of moving out of the country if it happens.

Are we insane? I suppose we would have to see if Japan’s government holds the values that we hold. My husband said that there are a lot of luxuries that he could see me missing–luxuries that are actually just basic everyday things to us here in this country–but are luxuries to others, in countries outside of the US. I haven’t thought that far. Does not HAVE to be Japan, as we are also tossing around the idea of Australia.

What are your thoughts? I would be interested also in hearing from people on here who have moved from the US, to another country, and why, and how you did it–and are you happy you did it? Thank you.

HONESTLY, SHARON, this does not at all sound crazy!!!

In fact MM has mentioned the exact same thing to me a few weeks back, that if a certain someone is elected we will be outta here! Some place south probably, so that we are not too far away from relatives…not like we will follow through w/ it but hey, w/ homeschooling at least we can live anywhere, right?

I know it sounds kinda like a kid 'boo hoo, I didn’t get my way, so I quit (move)" But that’s not it at all. If a certain someone gets elected we will be attacked again by some terrorists because our troops will be pulled out of Iraq and Afghan. and then we would be basically moving to protect our family, right??