Leaving The US -- Has Anybody Moved Or Are You Considering?

[Ceka Cianci]

Y'all just remember, before you leave.. They passed a federal law last year..

You can pretty much take everything with you, but the toilet paper..

The bill was formed in late 2020 because people were dying of thirst because  people couldn't get on the other side of the toilet paper battle lines, to get to the bottled water..

One lawmaker said so passionately, And I quote.. "This har's the dumbest SheeeUT I've evar seent.. It's like those damn dumb ants, Y'all know whut I'mma talkin bout.. When they start walking in that circle til they're dead.. That death circle thang they do?

That's why we need this Bill put tah LAW!!  Next thing y'all know they'll be commin tah Tk Yr JuuuB!!! \o/"

- Some guy in the Senate

 

So yea, just remember Don't be rollin out of here with U.S. Certified Rolls..

Although I think you can take the 1ply.. Oh yea and that really cheap kind that feels like razors that you usually hear other people that are not Charmin users, complain about..

I know for sure The Charmin you can't.. All Charmin has been nano chipped, just so you know..

 

Just thought I'd give Y'all a heads up, because that whole bill to law thing got slid by while the whole, Gimmie mah Stimmy check bra, was going on..

 

hehehe

Edited May 8, 2022 by Ceka Cianci

[Luna Bliss]

8 minutes ago, Ceka Cianci said:

Y'all just remember, before you leave.. They passed a federal law last year..

You can pretty much take everything with you, but the toilet paper..

The bill was formed in late 2020 because people were dying of thirst because  people couldn't get on the other side of the toilet paper battle lines, to get to the bottled water..

One lawmaker said so passionately, And I quote.. "This har's the dumbest SheeeUT I've evar seent.. It's like those damn dumb ants, Y'all know whut I'mma talkin bout.. When they start walking in that circle til they're dead.. That death circle thang they do?

That's why we need this Bill put tah LAW!!  Next thing y'all know they'll be commin tah Tk Yr JuuuB!!! \o/"

- Some guy in the Senate

 

So yea, just remember Don't be rollin out of here with U.S. Certified Rolls..

Although I think you can take the 1ply.. Oh yea and that really cheap kind that feels like razors that you usually hear other people that are not Charmin users, complain about..

I know for sure The Charmin you can't.. All Charmin has been nano chipped, just so you know..

 

Just thought I'd give Y'all a heads up, because that whole bill to law thing got slid by while the whole, Gimmie mah Stimmy check bra, was going on..

 

hehehe

This must be something from The Onion....tell me it isn't true!?  I mean, I've heard some strange stuff our lawmakers are trying to get passed these days but.....

[Ceka Cianci]

1 minute ago, Luna Bliss said:

This must be something from The Onion....tell me it isn't true!?  I mean, I've heard some strange stuff our lawmakers are trying to get passed these days but.....

You mean I've actually achieved Onion level?

It's true what they say, Practice does make perfect!! \o/

hehehe

[Luna Bliss]

/me researches toilet paper legislation just to be sure........

[Ayashe Ninetails]

1 hour ago, Luna Bliss said:

So very true...best to have at least one contact in the area you move to. One of my fears is ending up homeless, as that's so easy to do these days.

My college was so absolutely inept, they mishandled my financial aid upon arrival, leaving me flat broke without my disbursement for housing and food. Thank goodness the president of the school found me sobbing in the front lobby, walked me to his office, and personally kicked some butt around the Financial Aid dept, otherwise I would've been completely stranded. They had my money at the ready in no time after that.

In the meantime, my roommate, who I had just met that week (there were 7 of us in our apartment total, but she and I were assigned to the same bedroom - ahhh the joys of student housing), offered to share her food with me until it came through.

I had two of my own contacts, but they lived too far outside of the city to be of much help. So that taught me real quick - make sure they live in the same city, too! Never know when you'll need a ride back to the airport. 🤣

 

1 hour ago, Luna Bliss said:

Anyway, all this is to say, being involved in activist networks seeking to make the world a better place is a good way to make contacts in all countries.
Not that I advocate 'using' these networks to achieve your goal of moving to another country of course -- I'm advocating getting involved in various causes to help others in all countries, and perhaps through these contacts a pathway for settling outside the US will eventually manifest.

That's definitely one way to make connections, sure. My method is to pick a place where I already know someone. I used to be super social online (well, I still am), so I met a lot of people all over the world and had some long-term online friendships. I've visited quite a few places based on that and always had someone to hang out with when I got there. It was a great chance to meet some of my closer online friends and explore new places simultaneously. That's actually how I met my best friend of oh gosh...14 years now? We first met in World of Warcraft a million years ago and then hung out quite a bit in person, though he's somewhat local (just a few states away).

[Silent Mistwalker]

1 hour ago, Ceka Cianci said:

Y'all just remember, before you leave.. They passed a federal law last year..

You can pretty much take everything with you, but the toilet paper..

The bill was formed in late 2020 because people were dying of thirst because  people couldn't get on the other side of the toilet paper battle lines, to get to the bottled water..

One lawmaker said so passionately, And I quote.. "This har's the dumbest SheeeUT I've evar seent.. It's like those damn dumb ants, Y'all know whut I'mma talkin bout.. When they start walking in that circle til they're dead.. That death circle thang they do?

That's why we need this Bill put tah LAW!!  Next thing y'all know they'll be commin tah Tk Yr JuuuB!!! \o/"

- Some guy in the Senate

 

So yea, just remember Don't be rollin out of here with U.S. Certified Rolls..

Although I think you can take the 1ply.. Oh yea and that really cheap kind that feels like razors that you usually hear other people that are not Charmin users, complain about..

I know for sure The Charmin you can't.. All Charmin has been nano chipped, just so you know..

 

Just thought I'd give Y'all a heads up, because that whole bill to law thing got slid by while the whole, Gimmie mah Stimmy check bra, was going on..

 

hehehe

 

Good job! A little constructive criticism, you need to work on that southern accent a little. I keep hearing that Dixie redneck creeping out and that Texas twang popped up once or twice. Put a little more Savannah into it. 😉🤭

Edited May 8, 2022 by Silent Mistwalker

[Ceka Cianci]

43 minutes ago, Luna Bliss said:

/me researches toilet paper legislation just to be sure........

I would really crack up if you actually found something.. hehehehe

[Ceka Cianci]

18 minutes ago, Silent Mistwalker said:

 

Good job! A little constructive criticism, you need to work on that southern accent a little. I keep hearing that Dixie redneck creeping out and that Texas twang popped up once or twice. Put a little more Savanah GA into it. 😉🤭

You know how them politicians are, jumpin from state tah state picking up habits.. hehehe

[Luna Bliss]

1 hour ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

pick a place where I already know someone. I used to be super social online (well, I still am), so I met a lot of people all over the world and had some long-term online friendships.

Indeed that's a great way to explore options for living elsewhere. I learned a lot about Portugal from an online friend years ago, and came close to making a visit.

[Ayashe Ninetails]

25 minutes ago, Luna Bliss said:

Indeed that's a great way to explore options for living elsewhere. I learned a lot about Portugal from an online friend years ago, and came close to making a visit.

Mhm! It makes the whole process a lot more fun - having someone to help plan itineraries and spend time with in an unfamiliar place. I don't mind traveling around alone, either, but it's just a lot more comfortable for me doing it that way. 

I've heard Portugal is really nice. Shame you didn't go! 

[Alazarin Mondrian]

Had a brief stay in the US of A  back in the early to mid 1970's. Got out before I could be shipped out to Vietnam to die an unpleasant death. Never looked back. Looks like things are going downhill fast over there. I wish them the best of luck.

Edited May 9, 2022 by Alazarin Mondrian

[ChinRey]

15 hours ago, Luna Bliss said:

I learned a lot about Portugal from an online friend years ago, and came close to making a visit.

Oh no, no they actually are looking at Europe! 😮

I'm sure Luna and Ayashe will know how to behave but please, don't tell everybody over there!

Joke aside, the main reason Americans often are less then welcome when visiting or moving to another country is that so many of them never understand one very simple rule:

When you are abroad, you are the foreigner, not the locals!

Edited May 9, 2022 by ChinRey

[Ayashe Ninetails]

3 hours ago, ChinRey said:

Oh no, no they actually are looking at Europe! 😮

I'm sure Luna and Ayashe will know how to behave but please, don't tell everybody over there!

You don't have to worry about lil ole me! Lol, I'll be super honest - I have absolutely no desire to relocate to Europe. I had a blast in England and Scotland and did think about returning, but the excitement I had many years ago where I'd say "omg I could move to Spain or or or Italy or or or Germany next!" yeah, that's long gone. My priorities changed in a big way since then and I realized living over there wouldn't really be much different than living over here. For what I personally want/need, it's not much of an upgrade.

[Luna Bliss]

4 hours ago, ChinRey said:

the main reason Americans often are less then welcome when visiting or moving to another country is that so many of them never understand one very simple rule:

When you are abroad, you are the foreigner, not the locals!

That's kind of a 'western civilization' thing in general though isn't it, where the 'other' is often viewed as inferior and exists for us to compete against and dominate rather than respect and learn from  -- the main thrust of Empire on both sides of the pond as it colonized the entire world.
I don't think those in Europe are any less affected by this mindset than those in the US -- the psychological makeup is the same. After all, we in the US are simply the children of Europe.

Europeans have felt culturally and financially dominated by the US and a resistance is often expressed due to this, yet Europeans are the ones who are obsessed with the culture of the US and give it a place of prominence (all the movies and music here, for example, are seen as 'cool' with the desire to emulate, known much more by Europeans than their culture is known by the US). Europe has a fascination with the US, again most likely because US residents are for the most part descendants of Europeans and the US was seen as the current iteration of perpetual 'progress', the endless growth model of western civilization.
Whenever you place too much importance in something, however, there will always be a love-hate relationship, a resistance against the domination, hence the propensity for tearing down what appears to be too 'high and mighty'.

So the cliche you're pointing to, of the 'rude, boorish American'...I view it as the rude, boorish western man. I'd need more evidence than a cliche manufactured by disgruntled people accusing Americans in Europe as being more rude than Europeans visiting the US.
I do love the greater socialism in much of Europe however, a much kinder stance toward the poor beginning after WW2, with more extensive benefits in social service programs. And, of course, Europe is not descending as fast into an autocracy governed by theocrats in their judicial system, those religious fundamentalists, different in name only, who originated in Europe.

But as you know, from many previous posts, I'd rather be an Aboriginal, people who respect and live in balance with what surrounds them. 
Consumer culture has led us down a dark path.

[Luna Bliss]

16 minutes ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

You don't have to worry about lil ole me! Lol, I'll be super honest - I have absolutely no desire to relocate to Europe. I had a blast in England and Scotland and did think about returning, but the excitement I had many years ago where I'd say "omg I could move to Spain or or or Italy or or or Germany next!" yeah, that's long gone. My priorities changed in a big way since then and I realized living over there wouldn't really be much different than living over here. For what I personally want/need, it's not much of an upgrade.

I don't recall what you're looking for, if you even did describe it.

For me, this latest move where theocrats now have control of the court and are busily eviscerating civil rights, was simply the last straw!

[Luna Bliss]

6 hours ago, Alazarin Mondrian said:

Had a brief stay in the US of A  back in the early to mid 1970's. Got out before I could be shipped out to Vietnam to die an unpleasant death. Never looked back. Looks like things are going downhill fast over there. I wish them the best of luck.

Thanks for your well-wishes.

[Luna Bliss]

19 hours ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

Mhm! It makes the whole process a lot more fun - having someone to help plan itineraries and spend time with in an unfamiliar place. I don't mind traveling around alone, either, but it's just a lot more comfortable for me doing it that way. 

I've heard Portugal is really nice. Shame you didn't go! 

Yes I really wish I'd visited. I've actually never been overseas, but have visited Mexico and Canada many times. I've met tons of people from all over the world though when I was involved in a Yoga community where there was a constant stream of people from other countries flowing in and out of the ashram.

[Ayashe Ninetails]

4 minutes ago, Luna Bliss said:

I don't recall what you're looking for, if you even did describe it.

For me, this latest move where theocrats now have control of the court and are busily eviscerating civil rights, was simply the last straw!

Oh hell, that's definitely part of it, LOL. But what I'm looking for specifically - a large, safe, diverse minority community where we're not over-policed to literal death. Somewhere I can just throw my headphones on and tune out and go for a walk in the park without having to be on high alert all the time. Geez, I haven't even been to a park in forever now that I think about it. I used to enjoy that a LOT but I don't feel too safe wandering around alone these days (general crime plus shenanigans).

My biggest wish is honestly just to be left alone, lol.

But Aya, you live in New York! Uh huh...leave NYC and try that statement again. 🤣 Though even NYC is a mess these days and I wouldn't take my chances there either.

[Ayashe Ninetails]

33 minutes ago, Luna Bliss said:

Yes I really wish I'd visited. I've actually never been overseas, but have visited Mexico and Canada many times. I've met tons of people from all over the world though when I was involved in a Yoga community where there was a constant stream of people from other countries flowing in and out of the ashram.

Oh, you have to travel. You must. It's such an amazing experience. Dust off that passport (when Covid calms the hell down, anyway)!

[Zeta Vandyke]

On 5/7/2022 at 5:13 AM, Ayashe Ninetails said:

Moving abroad for financial reasons wasn't really why this thread was started. Luna and I started off discussing work visas and how difficult they can be to obtain, especially for freelancers, in the Pet Peeves thread.

Actually for self employed, the Netherlands is a fair option because of the Dutch American Friendship Treaty

And its not to bad of a country to live at, if you can deal with blunt people and rain

[Ayashe Ninetails]

34 minutes ago, Zeta Vandyke said:

Actually for self employed, the Netherlands is a fair option because of the Dutch American Friendship Treaty

And its not to bad of a country to live at, if you can deal with blunt people and rain

Oooooo. If that also applies to islands in the Caribbean, I may have to look more deeply into that.

[MirandaBowers]

I love the idea of possibly leaving, but I am intimidated by how daunting all the paperwork and formal processes are. There are many requirements to meet and it can get confusing without any guidance. 

[Luna Bliss]

1 hour ago, MirandaBowers said:

I love the idea of possibly leaving, but I am intimidated by how daunting all the paperwork and formal processes are. There are many requirements to meet and it can get confusing without any guidance. 

You might seek advice at some of the Expat forums corresponding to the country you're interested in. They can be a good source for further research about a location.

[Luna Bliss]

4 hours ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

5 hours ago, Luna Bliss said:

I don't recall what you're looking for, if you even did describe it.

For me, this latest move where theocrats now have control of the court and are busily eviscerating civil rights, was simply the last straw!

Oh hell, that's definitely part of it, LOL. But what I'm looking for specifically - a large, safe, diverse minority community where we're not over-policed to literal death. Somewhere I can just throw my headphones on and tune out and go for a walk in the park without having to be on high alert all the time. Geez, I haven't even been to a park in forever now that I think about it. I used to enjoy that a LOT but I don't feel too safe wandering around alone these days (general crime plus shenanigans).

My biggest wish is honestly just to be left alone, lol.

But Aya, you live in New York! Uh huh...leave NYC and try that statement again. 🤣 Though even NYC is a mess these days and I wouldn't take my chances there either.

Yeah, walking while Black amongst vigilantes and the police               I know the fear as a woman walking alone at night, but not as a person with darker skin. I really can't imagine it. I mean, it's bad enough when part of the population is seen as 2nd class much of the time (just reading about how doctors are less likely to take women's complaints seriously), but to actually have people look frightened as you approach, to recoil and grab their purse tighter (like when a Black man approaches especially), is a whole other level. To be seen as an abuser, a thief, a criminal right off the bat.  
All the psychological tests prove the stories we hear from Black people -- Blacks are more likely to be viewed as criminal.

My grandson is half Native American and I fear for him as I see the rights of POC being stripped away even more by this egregious Christian Nationalist court, and as hate is fueled by those seeking political power. His skin is pretty white due to his mother's Nordic ancestry from her father's side, but he has black hair and eyes, and each new picture of him presents a face that doesn't look quite white.
This is another reason why I see Mexico as a good alternative...if I could get him and his family down there he wouldn't stand out so much.

[Ayashe Ninetails]

32 minutes ago, Luna Bliss said:

Yeah, walking while Black amongst vigilantes and the police               I know the fear as a woman walking alone at night, but not as a person with darker skin. I really can't imagine it. I mean, it's bad enough when part of the population is seen as 2nd class much of the time (just reading about how doctors are less likely to take women's complaints seriously), but to actually have people look frightened as you approach, to recoil and grab their purse tighter (like when a Black man approaches especially), is a whole other level. To be seen as an abuser, a thief, a criminal right off the bat.  
All the psychological tests prove the stories we hear from Black people -- Blacks are more likely to be viewed as criminal.

My grandson is half Native American and I fear for him as I see the rights of POC being stripped away even more by this egregious Christian Nationalist court, and as hate is fueled by those seeking political power. His skin is pretty white due to his mother's Nordic ancestry from her father's side, but he has black hair and eyes, and each new picture of him presents a face that doesn't look quite white.
This is another reason why I see Mexico as a good alternative...if I could get him and his family down there he wouldn't stand out so much.

I'll admit - it never used to bother me as a kid or a teen and I've always lived in neighborhoods and went to schools where I was the odd one out, but past a certain point, it started giving me major anxiety. The years of being followed around stores just trying to shop, having things yelled at me while on dates, being questioned, being afraid to drive, being afraid to walk around as a woman in general, like a million other things all of a sudden hit me in my 20s, especially. I think my brain just up and fried one day. 

I'll never forget the evening I was walking around my neighborhood in Oxford England (I moved out of London to save money and picked an area that was super super diverse) with my boyfriend and a couple friends and I stopped right in my tracks and blurted out - "OMG I forgot I was black!" And they all turned to me like girl are you okay (lol they were all white) and I'm like oh crap did I say that out loud? Sorry just got caught up in the moment! And they all just stared at me like ok go on girl live your life LOL. But it was such a massive weight off my chest when I realized I was just doing stuff. I could just...walk around, and nobody was following me or being a jerk despite being in an interracial relationship and hanging out with a bunch of guys who don't look like me. They finally understood somewhat once I was able to calm down and explain it more, but we laughed so hard over that because I damn near yelled that in the middle of the street, oops! Omg, I had to admit that was pretty funny.

Then I came back to the US and my brain broke again, LOL.