Any USA expatriates here?

neptronix

neptronix

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Given the political, military, and economic long term situation here in the USA, i feel like it might be a good idea to leave. Have been feeling like that for years now. Me and my lady have thought about Costa Rica, Canada, and Australia. But Australia seems to be the #1 choice at this point.

Has anyone here left the USA and found greener pastures elsewhere? care to illuminate me on how that went?
And to you Australians; how do you folks like living there? I have yet to hear anything negative other than the occasional baby eaten by a Dingo and such :lol:

Any feedback on the topic is appreciated.
 
Nothing makes an Aussie more obnoxiously proud than telling an American how awesome Australia is! :lol:

Seriously though, I'm sure the USA isn't as bad as some would have you believe. But the world is a big place with lots of people and lots of different ways of having a fulfilling life.

As a reference point, my wife is Canadian and we met in Vancouver. I personally couldn't think of another country more like Australia, although I have not visited New Zealand yet. Katherine has submitted her paperwork to become a permanent resident of Australia, but if an opportunity to move back to BC popped up we'd be pretty torn. I absolutely loved Canada, so if nothing else, it would indicate that both countries are more or less equivalent. Just swap cold for hot.

I keep telling people this, but life in Australia, especially Western Australia is so frocking easy! There is near-full employment, the people are friendly and the weather is pretty hard to beat (except when its a week of >38'C). Things are more expensive here, but as much as we bitch about it, we still carry on buying $9 pints of beer and eating $18 burgers. By and large, incomes are commensurate.

If anyone has a serious complaint about the place, it's because there is something physically holding them back. There is no class structure in everyday life, although I am sure you could find something that looks like it. Gated communities are almost non-existent.

David, I'd say come over on a holiday visa and check it out. It makes applying for another kind of visa a bit easier too. And I'm sure we can hook you up with an ebike if you're on the west coast :) Do the same for Canada and you'll see what I'm on about.
 
Something that made us laugh:

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/technology/fail-anti-obama-teen-wants-to-move-to-australia-because-we-have-christian-male-president/story-fn5kfsdd-1226512853271
 
Wow after seeing this in that article
845806-from-australia-to-republicans.jpg

I really want to move down under. 5 minutes ago I was perfectly happy in the USA.
 
neptronix said:
Given the political, military, and economic long term situation here in the USA, i feel like it might be a good idea to leave. Have been feeling like that for years now. Me and my lady have thought about Costa Rica, Canada, and Australia. But Australia seems to be the #1 choice at this point.

Has anyone here left the USA and found greener pastures elsewhere? care to illuminate me on how that went?
And to you Australians; how do you folks like living there? I have yet to hear anything negative other than the occasional baby eaten by a Dingo and such :lol:

Any feedback on the topic is appreciated.
Click to expand...

Maybe you are watching too much tv news ?

Do they have tv news in Costa Rica, Canada, and Australia ?

Do they have people like Rush and the Fox news kids that get rich getting people to hate ?

I think my life is getting better by working more and watching tv and the computer less.

Both my grandfathers rarely watched tv and they did real good.

I like Florida. I made all my electric bikes rain proof so I can ride almost every day all year. :)
 
Life is what you make of it. Most people don't think there is life outside of the country they were born and spent their entire life in. It takes a desire to want to control your life, to be able to move out of the home country.

I don't mess with Politics. There are too many brainwashed college students being convinced that socialism is good.

I came here, visiting for several years. Then, I moved here, and bought a 4 acre grass farm. No trees to speak of.

I married a CR woman, and, even though it has been a little rocky, with me knowing ZIP for Spanish, we are doing fine. We planted 750 trees, and, need to start cutting-thinning, in the coming year. AS long as I am able, we will do the cutting, dragging, sawing, and making ready to use lumber and some furniture.

We are getting our Hydroponic system started very soon, and want to be as independent as possible. We have been living on my $800.00 a month SS, which could at any time go to shit. Everything costs more than when I came down here, almost 8 years ago, but, we can see a bright enough future to keep going.

I have a well equipped shop, and lots of projects started.

I pay $10.00 a month for health plan, and our property taxes are $70.00 per year. We live 1/4 mile or so off the blacktop road, and, roads are reasonably decent.

We need no heat, no A/C, and I am about to complete our Solar-electric Water heater system. We have fruit year round, the garden system we are putting together, should feed us and maybe be able to sell some good veggies and fresh fish and shrimp. Also, we will have lumber for sale, which is in demand and a limited supply of trees. After the Wars, the foreigners to CR came in and cut most of the timber, especially the GOOD stuff. Now, the variety is not as mixed as it once was. Same is happening in the rest of the tropical world.

What else is there in life ? Anyone wants to visit, we have a spare bedroom, and, you make up your own mind.

If you need an income, the Tourist business is a little slow right now, but, if the USA and Europe doesn't completely tank, start a Tourist trap. That's my dos colonnes worth. :lol:

Edit: YES we have TV and news. IF you want to pay high prices for cable or satellite, that's fine with me.

What your grandfathers did has NO bearing on what can be done, today. They had endless opportunities and minimal political prohibitions, like, millions to get papers to start up a business. Permits out the wazoo. Try this today.

ANOTHER Thing. Why are we referred to as X patriots ?? I fought in VietNam. Did most of y'all ? I went against my will, drafted. Got spit on when I entered the USA at every airport I was in. THESE people are now what is running the USA. I have family in the USA, and, if a Revolution gets started, I will return to fight. Will all y'all be involved, or hiding, scared shitless ??
 
I don't remember them watching tv or playing around much at all.

They worked a lot.

Both had large gardens too.

Sounds like you work a lot. :)

I think that is how to be happy ! :)

You just have to find work that you love doing ? :)

And oh yeah, they both went to church every sunday. :)
 
I've already made up my mind about America long ago. Keeping my head in the sand and pretending the problems don't exist just isn't an option. People told me that i was stupid for leaving California as well, and it turns out they were 101% wrong :mrgreen:

Anyway, Harold and Jones, thanks for the feedback so far. This is exactly what i'm looking for.

Harold in CR said:
Most people don't think there is life outside of the country they were born and spent their entire life in.
Click to expand...

I noticed that when i left California more than anything else. Everyone thought i was crazy, but i'm more happy out here in the Colorado/Utah than anywhere else. Misery loves company and i'm tired of being surrounded by it ;)

We need no heat, no A/C, and I am about to complete our Solar-electric Water heater system. We have fruit year round, the garden system we are putting together, should feed us and maybe be able to sell some good veggies and fresh fish and shrimp. Also, we will have lumber for sale, which is in demand and a limited supply of trees.
Click to expand...

Sheesh.. when i hear you and John in CR's accounts of things like this, it really appeals to me. But it is hard to decide between the homesteader life and the city life. I think me and my lady trend towards the city life as we both have hobbies we like to share with others, and enjoy having a big variety of things around us.

What your grandfathers did has NO bearing on what can be done, today. They had endless opportunities and minimal political prohibitions, like, millions to get papers to start up a business. Permits out the wazoo. Try this today.
Click to expand...

Oh absolutely, now you're gonna get me in rant mode :lol: ; when my grandpa wanted a job, he stood in a line and was interviewed on the spot, and had no problem getting a job all his life. He fought in WWII, and literally defended our country and other countries by doing so, and had about 100 times more patriotism instilled in him than me and any other veteran since. He received plush benefits from the government at the time. I am 30 years old and have only seen things get exponentially less affordable and the quality of life go down. I've only seen my country use our military to bully around other nations. I was born around the time that our manufacturing sector was really starting to fold, and by the time i was in my teens, we were starting to buy everything from China. My parents paid nothing for college in California and got the best education possible. Now if my generation wants to go through college, we pay full price and then some more, and expect to be in debt for a decade or two just for the privilege - but going to college doesn't guarantee a proper job. Tons of people in their 20's and 30's are working just barely above minimum wage service positions after getting out of college. No wonder they think that socialism is better, they did not live in the time where capitalism was kicking ass.

I don't see things getting better any soon, the last couple of decades would indicate that they aren't going to improve. I do believe it's time to bail. So any ideas on where to go would be helpful ;)
 
Just because I chose the country life, doesn't mean you can't enjoy the city life. Look into Escazu, Santa Ana, Jaco, anywhere along the Pacific coast area. Gets more costly, but, you can live with all the grumpy old Gringos over that way. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Less than a half hour from the Airport, also, so you can listen to the planes going overhead, too. AHhhh, for the city life. :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
etriker said:
I don't think you go for enough bike rides.
If I don't ride almost every day I start to get depressed.
If riding more does not help then try riding more ! :)
Click to expand...

No, i don't. Not here in Utah, where the weather ranges from -10f to 110f and swings rapidly through the year. It's also extremely spread out, so that trip from point A to B without protection from the elements can be quite bad. I am now fighting bronchitis i got from riding in the cold :x.
You might ask why i live in Utah instead of the west coast? the economy sucks out there, and has for a while. I have a steady online job but my lady couldn't find diddly squat in California or Oregon for the past 3 years. She found a job within 2 weeks of moving here. Utah is the last refuge for a healthy economy in the United States, but to be honest i'd rather not spend the rest of my working days here in this state.

Even if i lived in a temperate weather area, one can only spend enough time on 2 wheels forgetting about what's really going on. It would be easier if i was retired and not 30..
 
neptronix said:
Given the political, military, and economic long term situation here in the USA, i feel like it might be a good idea to leave. Have been feeling like that for years now. Me and my lady have thought about Costa Rica, Canada, and Australia. But Australia seems to be the #1 choice at this point.

Has anyone here left the USA and found greener pastures elsewhere? care to illuminate me on how that went?
Any feedback on the topic is appreciated.
Click to expand...

About Canada:

I am an American who lived for several years, bought land, paid taxes, and was a landed immigrant in Ontario, Canada. I came back to the states to go to college, and when I tried to re-enter Canada a few years later, I was made to go through the whole new application process whereby I got turned down. Too old and not the right job skills. My previous residency and the fact I worked and paid taxes for 15 years had no bearing.

Canada, while still having a great record of welcoming immigrants from around the world, and thus is a true multi-cultural society (in the cities), has really toughened up its criteria for entrance. They now grade you on your employable job skills, and the list of desirable skills is tight, unless you have a written job offer from an employer willing to sponser you. Marrying a Canadian citizen may change that, I don't know.

Like Australia, prices generally are much higher. The price of gas is a good 25+% higher than the states, and the government in Ontario has a lock on alcohol sales. Over $35 for a case of beer, and you can only buy it at go'vt stores. Kinda like Russia with its state control of Vodka. A democracy with free enterprise? At times. When it suits them.

The job market is generally good in the large cities but rural areas suffer like in the states. Expect a much higher cost of living, and brace yourself for a long heating season.

Canada right now has a terrible environmental record-worse than the states. But it does have an abundance of fresh lakes with cottages. Canadians are big on a summer home -the "cottage" -usually rustic-where they spend as much as the summer as possible.

Here again, the spirit of the people, and the natural beauty of Canada is very appealing. But the government(s) are jerks. If you want to try Canada, don't wait. Its only going to get tougher to get in unless you are highly employable. Good luck!
 
For what it's worth, I visited Western Australia in 1981 for a few months. If I couldn't live in the US, that would be my next choice. I've heard very good things about Canada, New Zealand, Belize, Germany, and Costa Rica (as five alternatives to research) but West-Oz gets my vote...at the very least, it's well worth a visit.
 
Lol, can we keep it civil and on topic please!
 
spinningmagnets said:
For what it's worth, I visited Western Australia in 1981 for a few months. If I couldn't live in the US, that would be my next choice. I've heard very good things about Canada, New Zealand, Belize, Germany, and Costa Rica (as five alternatives to research) but West-Oz gets my vote...at the very least, it's well worth a visit.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the insight; what did you like about west oz?

New Zealand is not off the table, but i heard they have lots of earthquakes and have quite a few volcanoes. I'm not sure if that's a real concern or not. Looks like a beautiful place though!
 
I've seen it; still trying to decide on where to go though.
 
Yeah, at that point i'd go for a motorcycle and a 250-500w mid drive bike for farting around, really.
Those are some retarded laws, 4sure.
 
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