"...it's the country for me"

[smeddley]

So I was watching the Olympics last night and they had a story about the middle-distance runner from Afghanistan who went missing and hasn't been heard from since. There is speculation that she's fled and is seeking asylum (though she hasn't officially filed for it anywhere) and, or course, there's the darker speculation that some of the more militant people made good on their threats. And that got me thinking - that area is quite possibly the last place on earth I'd want to live. And that includes: Antarctica, a theoretical deep-sea station or submarine, caverns, and a space station, just to name a few more pleasant places.

But that got me thinking - where would be the best place to live?

Okay, obviously, for me, the US is top dog all the way. I like it here. Otherwise, I'd have left. But I'm happy and life is good. So it gets the #1 slot. From there...

2) Canada - America's hat. Okay, kidding, sorry. Our friendly neighbor to the north gets the second slot, because really, it's very similar.

3) New Zealand - more expensive, but pretty, and doesn't suffer from the whole 'everything can kill you' problem of Australia.

4) United Kingdom - much more expensive, and crowded, but still a lot like the US and I think it'd be easy to acclimate

5) Australia - would be perfect except the incredible number of poisonous things.

(once out of the top 5 I'm pretty much talking off of the top of my head, because I don't have enough ideas about these countries to really know)

6) Switzerland - why not? Snowy and neutral, what more can you ask for?
7) Norway - seems okay
8) Sweden - ditto
9) Ireland - would be much higher but because of the 'troubles' I moved it further down
10) Germany - it has its problems, but most people who've been there say it's pretty nice

Other countries getting votes: Iceland, Greenland, Finland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Denmark

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/anam_cara_/]

1) Scotland
2) England
3) New Zealand
4) Canada

(though Canada should really be toward the top of the list, as it's more likely than any of the others)

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

I figured I covered Scotland and England under the big 'United Kingdom' umbrella, so it was a little bit of a cheat... ;)

[http://users.livejournal.com/anam_cara_/]

Oh, and really, I'm about as unpatriotic as one can get- if someone said that I was kicked out and couldn't come back, I'd merely shrug and not a have a problem with it, provided T. was with me. Canada would make things easier family and friend-wise, but those relationships would be the only thing I'd have concerns/regrets about if I didn't live in the U.S. I don't think I'd miss anything else significantly.

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

I love my country. Fiercely. With every fiber in my body. Seriously - it's one of the few things I'm dead serious about.

[http://users.livejournal.com/anam_cara_/]

There are certainly wonderful, and unique aspects to it, but I've just never felt absolutely tied to it, absolutely belonging to it, it's always just been where I happened to be born, a twist of fate and nothing more.

Also, I'm much more moved, much more in love with the geology of a place than its society. Which says a lot about me I think, I'm not a group person whatsoever. It is more about what would I want to wake up to each day, what do I want to see and do, rather than who would I interact with, who would I feel I'd belong with.

[revoked-soul.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty content with my lot up here in America's hat. ;)

Although, I would LOVE to get out of this city. If The States ever gives you the boot and you make us your new home, skip Toronto.

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

I would probably choose western Canada, above Washington or so. I'd definitely avoid the French-speaking areas, because I can't learn another language, I tried. I came away from a 10-hour intensive Russian course being able to say 'I love my little hedgehog'.

I did want to leave here (mostly because of the freaky weather) but this place really does have everything I like! I'm sure there are other places that do to (I'd love to move back to Seattle) but the cost of living here is pretty sweet...

[revoked-soul.livejournal.com]

Cost of living is one of my main Toronto hatreds. I just heard on the radio we're the second most expensive city to live in in all of North America...yay.

No wonder I'm broke.

after my trip there in June...

[tjstein.livejournal.com]

1. Scotland
2. Scotland
3. Scotland

Re: after my trip there in June...

[penchaft.livejournal.com]

They have such lovely coos.

Re: after my trip there in June...

[tjstein.livejournal.com]

They do indeed and I managed to snap a great photo (http://tjstein.livejournal.com/54242.html) on the Isle of Skye.

Re: after my trip there in June...

[penchaft.livejournal.com]

ohhhhhh!!! We were near Inverness on my birthday, and mum's friend whom we were staying with tried to show me some highland coos for me, but they'd moved to a different paddock.

I got some plushies, though. ♥ So far they've evaded my mum's shifting my copious cows to the storage room.

[elaran.livejournal.com]

COME LIVE HERE, WE ARE AWESOME.

My list incl:
Dubai
Canada
Ireland
Switzerland