Alas, my computer is "done for", as they say - too many backseat hoists, too many overhead compartments, too much of Lucy's apricot juice finding its way into the keyboard. As such, I'm writing this on my phone. I know Kids Today love them their texting, but I find this mode of communication excruciating, so I must leave it to you, faithful readers, to bring us closer to good orderly direction (known to those in program as g.o.d.)
so here's today's CODE WORD question... if not America, seriously, where else would you live? Those in other countries may answer in their own perspective...
Posted by Ian Williams at June 24, 2009 11:56 PMAustralia. Without a doubt.
Berlin. Second only to New York as a center of world culture. It has an 'ugly beauty' with the contrast of East German brutalist architecture with little bits of the prewar city poking through.
And it's full of Americans, for when you get tired of tiptoeing around German cultural shibboleths...
New Zealand! Mts, beaches, rainforest, glaciers, nationalized health care and English speaking (since I appear to be missing the part of the brain that allows you speak other languages)
Tomorrow can we talk about health care reform???
Italy. I haven't given up the idea of living there in retirement. I was so happy and at home there when we visited... way back in 1985.
Italy - but only because my wife is fluent and my son already knows more Italian than I do. From a ease-of-life point of view, Italy is very difficult. But it's pretty and the food and wine are good!
I'm with you, Anne!
Ireland forever and always. A little house near the Dingle Peninsula and a flat in Dublin.
Canada. I'm not good at learning foreign languages.
Norway, or one of those other Northern European countries with excellent cradle-to-grave social services and health care, cohousing, where even the elderly bike to town to do their shopping. The caveat is that I have actually never visited any of these countries. I just like what I hear.
Of the places I have spent a lot of time: I second Kent's idea and in fact we almost moved to Berlin this year. Cambridge, UK is very livable. Or I could while away many happy years in Bali.
Australia or New Zealand
london
Australia, NZ, or back to the homeland in Ireland.
SLS - I've lost your email address - please email me again if you still have mine. I want to look into the riding therapy for Meg. Thanks!
I left American 20 years ago and I don't regret it a bit. Yep, I love New York.
I forgot about Thailand!
California
Near a swim up pool in Jamaica.
A moment of silence, please, for all the men lurking here who--like me--had THAT poster. Our beloved Farrah Fawcett has expired. Sad day for men my age.
London. or Berlin.
Without a doubt, France. Lived there for my junior year of high school as an AFS exchange student and spent my honeymoon in Paris. Love France and would give up this American life in a heartbeat to move there with my little family.
france. breton coast
Ireland or Canada, or maybe Finland. (Tampere is beautiful, everyone speaks English, they have great beer, wonderful coffee, and really good saunas.)
Like Caitlin, I believe Scandinavia would be the place for me - but I've never been there (unless Iceland counts).
I actually think about this issue a lot. Where do I want to live? It's not my current country of residence, Egypt, but living abroad makes me want to explore life in other countries.
I'd love to live in East Africa. I'd say Ethiopia (where my kids are from), but Addis isn't my favorite city. So maybe instead somewhere in Tanzania or Maputo, Mozambique. Or perhaps Rwanda or Uganda, which are both apparently quite beautiful.
I'd also love London.
Right now, though, I'd really like to get back to the US. Especially Carrboro or Chapel Hill, which I'm visiting right now.
London. Several places in Spain. Argentina is my current amor. I'm taking my first trip to Asia at the end of the summer with my hubs who lived in various places in Asia over the course of 7 years. Maybe I'll like Hong Kong, people tell me I will.... We'll see. I'm getting pretty excited.
I'm also excited that Governor Sanford and I have something in common with our love for Buenos Aires. Hee hee.
Canada as long as America is near.