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Started By
Message
Emigrating somewhere other than the US and starting over...
Posted on 10/23/12 at 10:50 am
Posted on 10/23/12 at 10:50 am
Okay, so my fiance and I are both corporate drones. We sit behind computers all day every day. Basically, it's boring and/or miserable most of the time. We were drinking over the weekend and just casually started talking about how awesome it would be to move somewhere in the Caribbean and open a bait shop or something.
Well last night we talked some more...and it seems like something she's actually okay with doing (not the bait shop). I've always wanted to move abroad for awhile...maybe not permanently, but at least for a few years.
So, has anyone here ever done this? I mentioned the Caribbean, but I think we're more interested in Spain, Southern France, Chile, Argentina, etc. Somewhere with a little more charm/history, but still decent enough weather with close proximity to some beaches. Europe would be awesome, just so we could get away and see so much history on random weekends via rail (Europe's my preference, actually). Spain seems awesome, but of course their economy is in the shitter. Bright side to that is cheap real estate.
Now that you've read through all of that...what could we do once we actually GOT to this destination? Basically, what kind of options could you think of for ways to make a living? I know a lot of countries given immigrants financial incentives to move to their country and open a business (Chile gives $40K I think), so I was thinking opening a business might help with getting some kind of dual-citizenship/visa.
We both like wine, so idealistically we could just purchase a vineyard and make that our life (super cheap in Argentina), but I'm not sure how likely it is that we'd be able to support ourselves off of whatever shitty vineyard we'd be able to afford. Spain produces the most olives in the world, so we could be olive farmers or something if we moved there. For that matter, we'd even be willing to open up a freakin' Starbucks or something in whatever area we moved. I just don't think either one of us has any desire to be office slaves for the rest of our lives, regardless of the money we might earn.
Figured the money board might be a decent place to ask about opening a business abroad and/or for ideas on what countries could see upswings over the next decade, etc.
Well last night we talked some more...and it seems like something she's actually okay with doing (not the bait shop). I've always wanted to move abroad for awhile...maybe not permanently, but at least for a few years.
So, has anyone here ever done this? I mentioned the Caribbean, but I think we're more interested in Spain, Southern France, Chile, Argentina, etc. Somewhere with a little more charm/history, but still decent enough weather with close proximity to some beaches. Europe would be awesome, just so we could get away and see so much history on random weekends via rail (Europe's my preference, actually). Spain seems awesome, but of course their economy is in the shitter. Bright side to that is cheap real estate.
Now that you've read through all of that...what could we do once we actually GOT to this destination? Basically, what kind of options could you think of for ways to make a living? I know a lot of countries given immigrants financial incentives to move to their country and open a business (Chile gives $40K I think), so I was thinking opening a business might help with getting some kind of dual-citizenship/visa.
We both like wine, so idealistically we could just purchase a vineyard and make that our life (super cheap in Argentina), but I'm not sure how likely it is that we'd be able to support ourselves off of whatever shitty vineyard we'd be able to afford. Spain produces the most olives in the world, so we could be olive farmers or something if we moved there. For that matter, we'd even be willing to open up a freakin' Starbucks or something in whatever area we moved. I just don't think either one of us has any desire to be office slaves for the rest of our lives, regardless of the money we might earn.
Figured the money board might be a decent place to ask about opening a business abroad and/or for ideas on what countries could see upswings over the next decade, etc.
6
Posted on 10/23/12 at 10:59 am to ocelot4ark
I have been to Jamaica and St. Lucia and I always thought my dream job would be captain of a tour boat. That would be the life!
As far as Europe, never been.
But if serious thread is serious, kudos to you and your fiance man! Good luck to you in your future endeavors!
As far as Europe, never been.
But if serious thread is serious, kudos to you and your fiance man! Good luck to you in your future endeavors!
Posted on 10/23/12 at 11:50 am to ocelot4ark
I could see doing Latin/South America and/or the Caribbean and even Asia before doing Europe.
The whole Eurozone situation still has some serious fallout coming in my opinion.
The whole Eurozone situation still has some serious fallout coming in my opinion.
Posted on 10/23/12 at 11:56 am to ocelot4ark
Posted on 10/23/12 at 12:06 pm to ocelot4ark
Argentina will present some problems for American expats around security.
Have you considered going really far out? Like Fiji, French Polynesia, Tokelau or Tuvalu?
Have you considered going really far out? Like Fiji, French Polynesia, Tokelau or Tuvalu?
Posted on 10/23/12 at 12:09 pm to tom
I'd go to an expatriate friendly country first and foremost. Many central American and Caribbean islands fit this profile.
Roatan would be high on my personal list as it isn't as developed as some other islands and business opportunities and real estate are relatively inexpensive there compared to some other islands. It's like a lot of islands were 20-30 years ago in terms of development and infrastructure.
Business ideas? Something that fits the culture AND makes you happy to get up everyday and do.
Roatan would be high on my personal list as it isn't as developed as some other islands and business opportunities and real estate are relatively inexpensive there compared to some other islands. It's like a lot of islands were 20-30 years ago in terms of development and infrastructure.
Business ideas? Something that fits the culture AND makes you happy to get up everyday and do.
Posted on 10/23/12 at 12:13 pm to wiltznucs
quote:
I could see doing Latin/South America and/or the Caribbean and even Asia before doing Europe.
Yeah, it really makes a lot of sense to stay closer to Latin America/Caribbean. We just didn't want to be boxed in if we could avoid it (traveling between countries in Europe just seems like SUCH a great opportunity).
quote:
The whole Eurozone situation still has some serious fallout coming in my opinion.
That worries me, too. But we're probably thinking 2+ years down the line before we'd do anything like this. Still probably not long enough for everything to settle, though.
Posted on 10/23/12 at 12:15 pm to ocelot4ark
Australia/new zealand
Posted on 10/23/12 at 12:16 pm to Meauxjeaux
quote:
Argentina will present some problems for American expats around security.
Why do you think that? Legitimately asking...I'm not completely caught up on my current events.
quote:
Have you considered going really far out? Like Fiji, French Polynesia, Tokelau or Tuvalu?
The problem with this is that we'd like to be a maximum of 8 or 9 hours, by flight, from the east coast. And I always assumed places like French Polynesia would be super expensive real estate wise?
Posted on 10/23/12 at 12:17 pm to tom
quote:
I'd drop the whole Spain idea.
Yikes. But that doesn't really disqualify the idea of starting my own business...other than knowing that no one can afford anything and whatever business I started would probably fail.
Posted on 10/23/12 at 12:18 pm to VABuckeye
quote:
Caribbean islands fit this profile.
AHHH - this reminds me. She grew up in Florida. One thing that turned us, somewhat, off of the idea of doing the Caribbean was the yearly bouts with hurricane season.
Posted on 10/23/12 at 12:23 pm to ocelot4ark
Depends on what island you choose in the Caribbean. Some, like St. Lucia only seem to get hit once every 50 years or more. The further south you go in the Caribbean the more hurricane resistant the island.
Posted on 10/23/12 at 12:23 pm to lsaltee
quote:
new zealand
Would probably be my #1 choice outside of somewhere in Europe, if it weren't such a long flight from the US. We'd like to be able to make it home in less than 9 or 10 hours if at all possible.
Posted on 10/23/12 at 12:39 pm to VABuckeye
quote:
Depends on what island you choose in the Caribbean. Some, like St. Lucia only seem to get hit once every 50 years or more. The further south you go in the Caribbean the more hurricane resistant the island.
Ahh - that makes sense. Roatan, as someone mentioned, does look pretty nice. Pretty cheap, too. Somewhere in Venezuela would probably be nice, too, but definitely not looking there.
I know Chile is supposed to be a pretty good place to live (worked with some Chileans a few months ago). Stable government, good economy, etc. Our money won't go as far there, though.
Posted on 10/23/12 at 12:45 pm to ocelot4ark
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