A friendly place to live (Full Version)

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Ruphus -> A friendly place to live (Mar. 2 2011 13:46:55)

Years ago, I decided to leave Germany for its cultural decline; prefering to live anywhere but rooted.

Me had circled in Costa Rica already, went to there, visited San José University for 6 weeks to learn some Spanish first and cruised the country for another 6 weeks to learn about sites and people and to look for lots.
I liked the country and average mentality a lot. ( Ticos have preserved some of their beautiful native flair! Never anywhere else have I seen animals, whether wild or domesticated being so free of dread.)

Returned to Germany to pack my stuff, a family tragedy occured which had me go to somewhere in Near East. Naively trusting pretense mourning there, I felt an apparent humane touch. It impressed me so much that I changed plans and settled over to there.
What realized instead however was a disastrous state of ethics that still can´t be fathomed, dispite confrontation of it on an almost daily basis.

Eventhough severally robbed of vast of belongings from very start, I kept hoping that there could be found or build up refuge; but malice kept coming again and again. Holding on with hope I invested still, and was thinking of another biz project until very lately.

However days ago, discovering one other of so many incredible times that something has been stolen by someone who even pretended greatfulness, this last one eventhough just a little-material case seems to have been the final drop for me.

I just can´t see now how to ever live here without constant low-life and betrayal.
All the trial, but it appears as if I simply am not prepared for a view and brace that it must be taking. Just can´t live without certain standards of solidarity and reliability.

Meanwhile Costa Rica geographicaly looks a bit too far from the Old World to me.
As an alternative I had thought of Granada in Spain, but am about scratching that, as budgets for building a distinctively calculated recording studio have gone prey, with me better looking for a place where living costs be relatively low, for in case I couldn´t start a project of decent income.

So, I am progressively considering a suggestion of a cousin of mine, though at first neglected the minute he mentioned it.

Today I started googling about India.
Looks like Kerala could be a nice provence with beautiful spots, people, dishes and climate.

Looks as if there existed dark spots as well like Hyderabad, where one could be experiencing similar culture as described avove, but there seem to be a bunch of places in Kerala with remearkable shares of grounded, "warm and friendly" people, "best hygienic food, good education, top natural life style" and regions with moderate climate and not too much monsoon rain.

Where would you go if you had say a 200 grands budget for a house, dreaming of growing your own vegetables, injoying natural sight, silence, good air, unspoiled water and maybe a town with infra structure and cafés & bars not too far away?

I would be thankful for any of your hints / knowledge on India as residence.
( Should you want to avoid public attention for a place considered secret paradise, please send me PM.)

Ruphus




BarkellWH -> RE: A friendly place to live (Mar. 2 2011 14:13:34)

quote:

Where would you go if you had say a 200 grands budget for a house, dreaming of growing your own vegetables, injoying natural sight, silence, good air, unspoiled water and maybe a town with infra structure and cafés & bars not too far away?


Ruphus,

Having lived in Southeast Asia and Latin America for many years professionally, and having traveled to many other parts of the world personally, I would choose Malaysia to anchor myself. Malaysia has a high standard of living and is a microcosm of Asia, with a population breakdown of approximately 60% Malay, 30% Chinese, 9%Indian (mainly Tamil), and 1% indigenous (in Malay known as "Orang Asli," or "original people." Although officially an Islamic country, it is, for the most part, a very moderate form of Islam. There are pubs and restaurants all over that serve beer, wine, and other spirits. It has the best food in the world, in my opinion, with Malay dishes, various kinds of Chinese, Indian, and Western cuisine, and the intermixing of all. Malaysia has a lot of triple-canopy rain forest left, and "Taman Negara" (the National Park) is a great place to go jungle trekking. I lived in Malaysia for four years, and I have considered settling there myself, if I ever decide to leave Washington, DC. There is no "flamenco scene" to speak of, so you could start your own flamenco movement!

Cheers,

Bill




BarkellWH -> RE: A friendly place to live (Mar. 2 2011 14:25:21)

One other thing I would add regarding Malaysia, as a former British colony, English is widely used in the country. It would be useful to learn Malay, but it is not necessary.

Cheers,

Bill




xirdneH_imiJ -> RE: A friendly place to live (Mar. 2 2011 14:26:09)

your choice seems fine...i've spent a bit of time in India and i have very similar long term plans...Kerala and Goa would be my choices as well, Indian people are some of the friendliest, most helpful people...they'll even help you when they have no idea what they're doing though, and the extreme bureaucracy is also something to get used to...unless you choose a big city anything should be affordable, still, i would prefer a place not too far from one...and you might need some stable internet connection too...
anyway, we could talk hours about this, i recommend you visit and look around the Panaji area, maybe Mangalore...also if you don't necessarily want water near you, southern Himachal Pradesh is a really great place...
of course, everyone speaks English in India so that's a big plus in my book...




Pimientito -> RE: A friendly place to live (Mar. 2 2011 14:52:17)

There are a lot of tough property laws in India now which have only very recently been introduced. So many foreigners were buying property in India that the government has put big restrictions on foreign property ownership. I think its very difficult to buy now unless you are an Indian national. A lot of foreigners who own property in India are finding it hard to sell because you can only sell back to Indian citizens....just check first.




Gummy -> RE: A friendly place to live (Mar. 2 2011 15:14:47)

I would buy a nice big sailboat and move whenever you feel like it. [:)]




XXX -> RE: A friendly place to live (Mar. 2 2011 16:28:44)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Gummy

I would buy a nice big sailboat and move whenever you feel like it.


The world is your home. Great idea IMO.




Ron.M -> RE: A friendly place to live (Mar. 2 2011 18:27:56)

quote:

However days ago, discovering one other of so many incredible times that something has been stolen by someone who even pretended greatfulness, this last one eventhough just a little-material case seems to have been the final drop for me.


Very sad to hear that, Ruphus old chap...

I find it quite sad that the "community" environment has all but gone.

There are still a few small islands off the West of Scotland where nobody bothers locking their front door and there are only a couple of Bobbies mainly looking out for high-spirited youth, but these are becoming depopulated fast as the young folk leave for the mainland.
I bet it was the same in Denmark & Norway etc.

People were relatively poor (ie as in not having money to waste)....but there is a big difference between older rural frugality and modern urban squalor IMO.

Also, folk made their own entertainment rather than buying it in.

Jeez...back in my late teens, young folk would backpack or buy a beat up van and travel to Morrocco, or overland to India via Afghanistan and back.

Or to the Kibbutz in Israel, to pick up some casual work to help fund their travelling....

Can you imagine doing that these days?

Still, the World moves on as it always will.

cheers,

Ron




James Ashley Mayer -> RE: A friendly place to live (Mar. 2 2011 18:56:15)

Ever considered Portland, Oregon?




Morante -> RE: A friendly place to live (Mar. 2 2011 19:54:16)

Chichlana de la Frontera. Un chalet con piscina y huerta. Cerca de Sevilla, Jerez, Cádiz y la playa. Cantaores como Rancapino y familia, Antonio Reyes etc. Un clima de maravilla.




Patrick -> RE: A friendly place to live (Mar. 2 2011 19:56:44)

quote:

Ever considered Portland, Oregon?


No way....that place sucks....all it ever does is rain, and rain and rain! Oh and cold too. [:D]




Ruphus -> RE: A friendly place to live (Mar. 2 2011 20:42:48)

Thank you all for your input, guys!
All useful hints, helping me to ponder.

Hello Bill,

Thank your for your thoughts!

While I wouldn´t want to go to e.g. Borneo, where people are so backwarded that they beat up, lock in or kill orang utans ( that fled burned down territory ) for "stealing" fruits from their gardens, Malaysia must be distinctively different still.
From what I have been told by tourists who went to there, Malayan people must be exceptionally friendly and forthcoming. Someone even told me of people there running behind him to hand over a wallet he had forgotten somewhere. Also behaviour in traffic, so I´ve been told must be exceptionally considerate.
So, I suppose standards there to be really something.
They also seem to watch out for the environment since a while now.
Really attractive items to consider.

On the other hand same visitors told me of the religious dogma there to be steadily rising. Two years ago that meant public control on females hair to be covered and their fingers to bear no nail varnish. ( Also I think to recall over recent years to have read about thelike tendency in the papers twice, but don´t remember precise contents.)

Eventhough it must be a real eye-candy with all that blooming vegetation and wildlife ( of the so far remaining 3800 tigers world-wide some ought to exist in the Malayan jungle ) and everything, guess I am after a more liberal place.

Yep, a flamenco place would have been something. Actually, I´m not through yet with scratching Granada, but then again .. If I had to live from my bank account, guess it wouldn´t last for too long over there.

Hi Pimientito,

Thanks a bunch for the hint! I need to check out on Indian immigration laws.
That could be bad luck ... like with CR.
Till just before me went over ( after eyeing for decades. - My brother once owned a horse breeding ranch there. A bargain in the seventies ) imigration policies were an invitation and real estate conditions used to be simply unbelievable. ( Incredible villas at seafront [ walewatching form your doorstep ] with jungle in the back for ~ 150- to 250 grands etc.). Only months before yours truely arrived immigration laws and prices had changed / exploded.

xirdneH_imiJ,

I shall keep in mind Panaji area and Mangalore. Always glad to hear of friendly mentality!
Near sea could be really nice if only not too hot in summer, or at least not for too many months. Getting one´s hands on fresh sea food could be a good coastal reason alone.
Not wanting to sound too picky, but humidity would be a bit of criteria too. Because of the guitars. Great if RH wouldn´t substantially be getting over ~ 70%. I will checking corresponding statistics.

And Goa, you say?!
Isn´t that a dream place and therefore likely expensive?

You seem to know a lot about India. I would love to ask you bunches of things.

Gummy and Deniz,

What a thought! Must be totally cool.
However, not only don´t I own a nautic license, but these days docking seems to cost fees pretty much everywhere, while access to groceries and such at many coasts could be a challenge as well; especially if you don´t have a car at hand. And then there is maintenance of the boat etc.
I guess living that way would turn out fairly expensive, even if one´s boat wasn´t too big in size.

But sure, if one could afford it, such a living should be really crazy!
( Though forced to retreat to CF-guitars then, I guess.)

Ruphus




Ruphus -> RE: A friendly place to live (Mar. 2 2011 21:39:57)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Ron.M

quote:

However days ago, discovering one other of so many incredible times that something has been stolen by someone who even pretended greatfulness, this last one eventhough just a little-material case seems to have been the final drop for me.


Very sad to hear that, Ruphus old chap...

I find it quite sad that the "community" environment has all but gone.

There are still a few small islands off the West of Scotland where nobody bothers locking their front door and there are only a couple of Bobbies mainly looking out for high-spirited youth, but these are becoming depopulated fast as the young folk leave for the mainland.
I bet it was the same in Denmark & Norway etc.

People were relatively poor (ie as in not having money to waste)....but there is a big difference between older rural frugality and modern urban squalor IMO.

Also, folk made their own entertainment rather than buying it in.

Jeez...back in my late teens, young folk would backpack or buy a beat up van and travel to Morrocco, or overland to India via Afghanistan and back.

Or to the Kibbutz in Israel, to pick up some casual work to help fund their travelling....

Can you imagine doing that these days?

Still, the World moves on as it always will.

cheers,

Ron


You are saying something there, Ron.

You wouldn´t believe what I have been seeing over the past four years. Seriously, such unbelievable total lack of any conscience. To think of that thelike mutation of mentality is rolling over Europe too. Gradually in comparison, but coming.

I know very well what you mean.
On German country side it used to be that way too, decades ago. People would leave their doors open. I am really longing badly for those conditions. ( And am still friends with my sincere old country-eggs, as we call them rurals in Germany.)
As a kid I used to leave my watch and everything on the towel while going for a swim into public pool or in a lake. Locks on bicycles you could open with your bare fingers, if ever wanted to.
You´d bring people to your home and leave them there alone. ( Though I remember one case back then that turned out less pleasent.)
And right, those trips to the Orient, or to Latin America; Who´d let his kids travel to most of those places today. ( Though I have been amazed by some youngsters in 2006/7 who had been allowed travelling through Central and South America still, without their parents apparently been worried too much.)
Besides, I believe Norway to have changed only little.

( Islands like you describe would certainly be great too, with only drawback probably being the weather conditions.)


Whilst today?
I lent money to three guys, so that they could fly back from Los Angeles to New York and reach their planes for back to Germany. ( Man, were they overly appreciative then!) Many years later, when I found out their address none of them remembered the event.
Took a rock band, tracked them for about a week, catered them, mixed and mastered their stuff over the course of weeks all for free; only for the guitarist to steal something from me.

And that´s absolutely nothing yet, compared with the things and numbers that happened over very recent years.

You sort of start loosing faith in emotional and cognitive intelligence of the people. Yet, incapable of really grasping that some and at times even hosts of people will just be living below human standards. Without them having even the slightest education on what such standards could actually be.
Such an absence of self-evident human principles that you find yourself truely overtaxed in reflecting / realizing the unreal, bizarre conditions, yet after so many experiences in a row.




quote:

ORIGINAL: Morante

Chichlana de la Frontera. Un chalet con piscina y huerta. Cerca de Sevilla, Jerez, Cádiz y la playa. Cantaores como Rancapino y familia, Antonio Reyes etc. Un clima de maravilla.


What a beautiful place!
Tempting!

Ruphus




xirdneH_imiJ -> RE: A friendly place to live (Mar. 2 2011 22:40:12)

i'll try to answer whatever you may ask, i've been to India a couple of times and been around the country...
you're likely to encounter the same mentality in most of Asia, these so called developing countries are generally a very good choice for someone from the west with money in their pockets...if you're looking to make the kind of money you would in the west, it could be more difficult...
humidity will be an issue everywhere where there's monsoon, ocean, etc., so you'll have to make sure your guitars spend their resting time in a well controlled room...

(ps: you'll probably find a whole lot more and more accurate information by googling of course...never trust just one source :))




estebanana -> RE: A friendly place to live (Mar. 2 2011 22:54:40)

I vote for Chiclana - but over all someplace warm.




Guest -> [Deleted] (Mar. 3 2011 2:34:13)

[Deleted by Admins]




JieXian -> RE: A friendly place to live (Mar. 3 2011 3:45:39)

I have to tell you that I really love my country. Almost every part of it.

But the ****ing politicians are creating so much trouble that I can't stand it anymore I don't know when things will explode again. They throw racial threats here and there and recently the new novel that every one has to study for the High School Certificate seems intentionally crafted to create problems, calling Chinese and Indians outsiders and in the book, calling Chinese women prostitutes and Indians slaves, I can send you a link of the news website if you'd like.

Theres an NGO which is really a front of the ruling party which claims to "Protect Malay rights" and has a wonderful counter arguement whenever someone criticises them. "You are disrespecting the Malays down therefore you are disrespecting Islam so you're disrespecting Allah."

Before the elections they threatened with May 13 "We don't want it to happen again".

There's even a long elaborated statement by the former US Ambassador to Malaysia with many figures and criticisms. The criticised people simply called him crazy and stupid and things like that.

But of course you can ignore all this and enjoy yourself

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I will stop now but I must say that beside all that nonsense I really love this country. It's normal to have some racial bias even without the government spewing crap all over the media but generally most of the people I've met in my life of any race are nice to each other.

About restrictions to women, they only affect the Muslim women and it isn't really strict at all. Many Malay women don't wear a head scarf and it's fine. I think it's only needed at work or something. Don't know much about the nail polish thing, never heard of that. Many girls wear short pants in malls, even Malay girls and I don't think it's a problem. But generally they don't expose too much but that's more of a cultural thing. But of course some authority catches Muslim couples who are alone by themselves because it's a religious offence according to them..... But if you're not Malay you can hold hands there isn't a problem. Few kiss in public but that's again cultural.

What I like a lot about this place, is the delicious and cheap food if you know where to look, shops open till 10pm everyday, the culture, the environment and the mindset of the people, many still speaking their mother tongue and not trying hard to be American. And not too stressful a society like Japan or Korea.

As for the weather, every local hates the hot weather and longs for some cold hahahaha

I think for you and your family if they are coming, Malaysia should be liberal enough for you not to feel restricted.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some parts of India can be very very very very dirty and be so overpopulated that people are living in the streets, and dying in the streets, have beggars swarming and be really hot too. Becareful where you choose. I won't suggest Calcutta. I read a book about it and my Indian friend confirmed it.

A group of beggars were following my friends family into a hotel and the owner took at broom to chase them out.

I heard Vietnam is really friendly too, people would laugh at you if you fell down hahahahahahaha not afraid to show their feelings.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BarkellWH we should meet if you're in KL :D Flamenco players are really rare here.




Richard Jernigan -> RE: A friendly place to live (Mar. 3 2011 3:55:16)

Sailboat: I have owned a few, and known a few world cruisers. One of them said, "It's not a vacation, just another way of working for a living."

The ocean is constantly trying to destroy your boat. If you do your own maintenance, you will stay quite busy. Some people love it. Some people set sail from California, bound around the world, make it to Hawaii, sell the boat and get divorced.

Foreign property laws: A few of my friends and acquaintances have sad stories to tell of ripoffs in countries with restrictions on foreign property ownership. Check carefully. I would never trust a local to hold a title for me. I have seen too many people lose their money that way.

Latin America: Last June Larisa and I went to Morelia, Mexico. It is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. There had been little or no narco violence in the area. That has changed radically in the last few months. I have spent a good deal of time in Mexico, and speak decent Spanish.

One evening at 10 PM we were walking back to the hotel. There was a clown performance in the city square. Larisa stayed to watch, I went to the hotel. She is a pretty 32-year old blonde, taller than the average Mexican woman. She was wearing a nice dress and some pretty shoes she had bought. At the hotel I took off my clothes and got into bed. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I thought, "In thirty seconds my cell phone will ring and a kidnapper will say, 'OK, gringo, 2 million bucks for your blonde.' "

I dressed and went to the square. After we got back to the hotel, only two blocks on a busy street, she said, "Thanks for coming. I was a little concerned about leaving by myself." She has travelled the world and is skilled in martial arts.

We met a young Dutch man in Patzcuaro, Mexico. He was traveling Mexico on his own. Two weeks ago his parents contacted us. He was found dead by the local police in a town in southern Mexico. They said there were narcotics in his blood. His parents assured us he never used hard drugs. That seemed consistent with his behavior during the week we knew him.

Drug and gang violence and crime in general have spread at least as far south as Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. The last time I was in Costa Rica a few years ago there were newspaper reports of narco violence in the far northwest of the country.

Brazil can be dangerous if you're not alert, or go to the wrong parts of big cities. It can also be beautiful, friendly and fascinating.

The same goes for Lima, Peru, but Cusco and Arequipa seemed safe and friendly on short visits.

I haven't been to Argentina for some time. One of my daughter's best friends owns a polo farm in South Carolina. She travels regularly to Buenos Aires to play and to deal in ponies. She reports that Argentina is generally safe now that the economy has improved.

India: We have only been to India for a couple of weeks. We did the tourist circuit in the north. We immensely enjoyed the food, people, culture and impressive history. We are both used to a certain degree of scamming in our travels. In India the scammers were polite, friendly, sometimes humorous. We regarded them as part of the entertainment..but it seemed it might get a little wearing for a westerner living there.

Southeast Asia: Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos are among my favorite places. Thailand is fascinating with a vibrant culture. But it can be very dangerous if you stray across the path of the criminal element, which includes the police and the military.

Bali has more music, painting and sculpture per capita than any other place I have been, by a very wide margin. Several years ago a Javanese friend urged me to live in Bali.

"You love the culture. The language is easy. A pretty young Indonesian girl would love to take care of you."

"All true. But even if I learned the language perfectly, I would never understand more than 15 percent of what was going on. I'd like to stay for a few months, but soon I would long for a place where people's speech may be expected to conform more to a western concept of reality."

Spain: I find Spain very congenial, especially Andalucia. It is relatively inexpensive for Europe. If it were not for family and friends in Texas, I might consider living there. I'm still thinking of spending time there, at least for good part of the year.

I retired in Texas. It's inexpensive for the USA, much cheaper than Britain or anywhere in western Europe. Politics and religion are definitely not to my taste. I have a large extended family here, mostly affluent to wealthy for 12 generations in the American South. Though their politics and religion are not precisely mine, I grew up with them, and can deal with them in a polite and friendly way. Individual attitudes are generally respected in my family. You are expected not to push them.

I live in Austin, something of a cultural and political anomaly. The University and high tech businesses give the place a slightly more liberal slant. The people are friendly, honest and trustworthy, as they are in the rest of Texas. I feel at home, having lived here from the late 1950s through the early 1980s.

Ruphus, I suspect the right-wing politics and ultra-capitalism in Texas would drive you nuts.

RNJ




estebanana -> RE: A friendly place to live (Mar. 3 2011 6:23:23)

What I have learned here is that the world is a big dirty deadly place and that living in it is a real killer.

I would rather live somewhere interesting and mildly dangerous than someplace where it was stiflingly safe and religiously ossified.

I spent some time a living in a hunting cabin in Luling Texas. My college sweetie and I were shacked up there for half a summer painting and drawing in relative seclusion. Once the guy from half mile down the road drove over to our place to check us out. He had a shot gun on the seat of his jeep and he was dead drunk and edgy at seeing city folk on his road. He made me very nervous and I felt like I came very close to being shot by a stupid drunk redneck. He invited us to his house for dinner. My girlfriend said after he drove on crookedly down the dirt road, "He was just saying hello local style." I never honored his dinner invitation.

A few days later a small armadillo jumped out from behind a bush and scared me so much I crapped in my pants. Did not do much damage as I wore my pants "commando" a lot in those days. I thought 'Dillo was a miniature dinosaur and its mama was going to find me, eat me and leave my bones to dry white and chalky in the scrub oak and poison oleander.

It was not all bad however as my girlfriend and I screwed heartily every day at least thrice daily. A predictable thunder storm would shower us with tepid rain in the afternoons and I had a bar of soap and a towel ready to catch my rain bath in the front of the cabin every afternoon.

There was an African animal game farm down the road with Giraffes and Zebra gated behind tall barbed wire fences that looked like a rednecks galvanized crown of thorns. If one had enough money, one could pay to hunt these fenced beasts with guns while running them down in an electric golf cart.

After this sojourn with my lovely redheaded Celtic goddess I returned to California to finish school and to decide where we would spend the other halves of our life. The phone rang and it was the Celtic goddess, she was calling to tell me that all the screwing had gotten her knocked up, her words, but that she had had a tubal pregnancy and had a procedure to have the walnut sized potential person removed from her upper Phillipines tube. First she had to acquire a writ from the Spanish Inquisition of the Great Nation of Texas to see the doctor, but once she was put on the rack and subjected to extensive religious questioning the rest of the operation was easy.

Eventually she journeyed to California where she promptly and wickedly shoved me up against a station wagon and punched me in the stomach hard, five times. It was not she said for getting her knocked up, but for leaving Luling, the game farm bloodshed and the drunk redneck down the road. Furthermore I was a pussy for having shat myself on sight of an armadillo, and, that for revenge, she would marry a putzy and lazy cocked German art history professor and move to Berlin.


I want to help rule out for you sirs any desire to ever live in Luling Texas.
Just in case that ever comes up for you. I endorse Austin even less, far less.

Also fvck Berlin.




Argaith -> RE: A friendly place to live (Mar. 3 2011 8:08:03)

Ruphus,

Wherever you go; stay away from the religious countries; especially the Islamic ones.
I lived most of my life in the "Islamic Republic(!) of Iran" but I couldn't cope and had to leave. Also, I lived in a few other Islamic countries including Malaysia. Malaysia was a very nice country and had lovely people but generally speaking, I can't cope well in religious countries.

Having said that, although Turkey is know as a Moslem country too, I found it very different hence much better among most.

I gather you are a sound engineer or somehow in that line of business. I have a frined who is a very well known sound engineer. He used to live here in London; but all of a sudden they decided to go and live in Istanbul (his wife is Turkish).
Apparently, the music industry is doing not too bad there and he looked happy when I saw them last (last summer). At the end of the day, I think one major factor is a fairly steady work, isn't it?

Wish you all the best.
A




Anders Eliasson -> RE: A friendly place to live (Mar. 3 2011 8:12:27)

Since I´m one of those who actually left my home country, here you have my thoughts.
I live in Spain now and if I was still in Denmark considering moving somewhere else, knowing what I know, I wouldnt choose Spain (and yes, I used to live in Granada) I know that on this forum, this a schocking thing to say. There are so many reasons for me to say what I say that I´m not even going to start.[;)]

On the other hand, I will stay. I have my reasons.

So Ruphus, If I was to move somewhere, one of the countrys that I would consider, and a country I know is: Germany.




Munin -> RE: A friendly place to live (Mar. 3 2011 8:24:07)

I am from Germany. I have been living in Hong Kong for 1.5 years now, originally to study. Leaving my own country in my mind was probably the best decision of my life so far. But obviously people have different priorities at different stages in their lives, when they are young, compared to when they are older etc. If I didn't like this place so much I would be in Spain right now. I am still planning to live in Spain for an extended period in the next few years. I'm pretty happy that I can afford myself this freedom, not everyone can. But it also leaves myself in the dilemma of not knowing where I want to be more, and being afraid I might regret my decisions later.




XXX -> RE: A friendly place to live (Mar. 3 2011 8:28:56)

Anders is just biased because his name is German [;)]
Anyway i find that the main ingredients to a worthwhile life are underrepresented in this thread, which are money, health (system) and finding good people. You can find them in alot of countries. But if one of those is missing in your life then living will be a pain in the ass, no matter where you live IMO. I also have my reasons to say this. Many/some people think that moving away will already make things better, but in fact you have to work on your life first (this is not towards any member here, im just referring to things i see). If you are all set and just need a place to hang out, thats different of course.




Kevin James Shanahan -> RE: A friendly place to live (Mar. 3 2011 8:42:22)

intentional communities are becoming popular here on the north coast of NSW oz , Not overly expensive to buy into and the general vibe is that of self sustainability , peace , love and community .




XXX -> RE: A friendly place to live (Mar. 3 2011 8:50:30)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Munin
Leaving my own country in my mind was probably the best decision of my life so far.


In my school days there was the question in mind to leave, but due to all relatives in Turkey saying that it would be harder there, I (we) stayed. I think it is alot easier to get a diploma in Germany, then work elsewhere, than the other way round.
Still I would be interested in what benefits you had in Hong Kong, what made it the best decision of your life?




Anders Eliasson -> RE: A friendly place to live (Mar. 3 2011 10:14:33)

quote:

Anders is just biased because his name is German


You know very well that my name means "different" in German. So if thats considered a name, then I prefer that you call me Maximiliano.

Besides that, I´m serious in what I wrote about Spain. I also know that its not the "correct" attitude on this forum where everything Spanish has to be wonderfull and where Granada is considered to be heaven.




xirdneH_imiJ -> RE: A friendly place to live (Mar. 3 2011 10:20:46)

you guys are right about India from a touristic point of view, and i wouldn't suggest living in a big city...i wouldn't live in a small village either...but the smaller cities have been some of the best places i've ever been to...
it's much different once you live somewhere and get used to things and people get used to you...of course i'm not speaking from my own experience because i've only spent a few months there, but my father lived about 10 years in Delhi (big city, but if it was up to him he'd still be there, incidentally it's me being born was the reason for him to come home)




Escribano -> RE: A friendly place to live (Mar. 3 2011 10:31:22)

quote:

I also know that its not the "correct" attitude on this forum where everything Spanish has to be wonderfull and where Granada is considered to be heaven.


I'm with you Anders. It was very frustrating and not all sunshine, oranges and lemons [;)]




Ruphus -> RE: A friendly place to live (Mar. 3 2011 12:29:47)

All very interesting contributions.

Jimi,

I´ll be asking you about benchmarks in India per PM. Thanks for your kind offer!

Stephen,

Chiclana must be a beautiful place. But Spain would be a bit costy, seeing that income would be uncertain.
A quick google for real estate showed that within my budget, I couldn´t count with a house of more than ~ 120 qm.
That would be a bit small, while energy and maintenance should be relatively costly.

Also real estate prices in Spain will be coming down further, I think.
So, if for Spain, one might better wait a bit more.

You are so right about Berlin. Over the last years in Germany I used to live there.
Once such a down to earth place, it has morphed into a wishi-washi trendy and trivial place.
Still one of the best places in Germany, which says it all about current conditions in my homeland.

Should you ever consider Germany, I would recommend the "ruhr-pot" as we name it. Still a very warm and sincere mentality with the people in towns like Bochum, Essen etc. ( Especially as a biker I would find myself in instant friendly chat, whenever making a stop in those areas.) Hearty Polish immigrants in history certainly did good to the country.


Nealf,

I have to be secretive. Where I am now people have died in Prison, whilst been much more held back than I am.

From what I have heard and from what I am reading now, India must be providing very different places and ambiences.
The scale there seems to vary from just as unscrupulous as where I am now to nearly as straight as say New Zealand. And I am interested in finding out about latter conditions, at best in a beautiful environment.

JieXian,

Thanks for the comment; It made me reconsider possible conditions in Malaysia.
But so far it looks as if the long-term trend there was towards encreasing religious dogma; no?

Hey Richard!

From what I picked up in Costa Rica, it appears as if mentalities like from Guatemala or Colombia were messing with the originally straight and low-crime situation in CR. And yes, I´ve heard many stories of slick dispossession of foreigners´estates by natives. ( Entitled persons or just staff taking over properties while owners been abroad.)

I have aquintances who tried to convince me of the merrits in Thailand. So far the thought of settling in a country of so much underprivilege and sextourism feels a bit alienating, though. - As if one could be taking advantage of a misery.

Probably best, one flew over to take a look first, but I can´t travel half the world in advance. ( Gotta cricle in most promissing spots first.)

Everyone raves about the beauty in Bali. Unfortunately though, numbers of religious fanatics seem to be encreasing there too.

You are so right about me in Texas!
I could be appearing like anti-christ to the average redneck. ;0)

Argaith,

I have the same problem as you have.
In fact I knew very well in advance that I can´t cope with irrationality; yet settled over.
Still, tried to find authenticity and after all had to capitulate.
Conditions of wordly information and ethics are unspeakable, the courts crowded with people like subway stations at rush hour.
Living that way as if there was no alternative.
There has been no philosophy of reason and cooperation that had been heard of. That is how it is when ethics are displaced by moralism.
It can´t work humanly.

I have high-end studio gear, and would know how to build acoustically perfect rooms ( which is about the most relevant aspect, together with engineering skills ), but don´t have necessary funds anymore to build.

Funny what you say, Anders.
Sometimes you wonder about the emigrants who returned to Germany, saying things had been fine abroad, but that they found themsleves belonging to their homecountry; and whether you could be ending up with the same tour cycle yourself.
Yes, one could be settling in a lodge in the Ruhrpott or maybe somewhere around Freiburg ( best weather, historical architecture ) ...
Nah, ... I´m peeved.
Have seen too much of the good things traditionally.

There used to exist routines that were far from perfect, partially even pestiferous, but what I think to know is: If you ever grew up in an accountable and on principle liable surrounding, you´ll be having a hell of a problem with adapting to badly twistet circumstances. Maybe even show to be simply incapable of preparing yourself at all.
And maybe you should.

I have always been advocating: "When in Rome, do like Romans do", though not inevitably in concern of philosophical contents.
Ethics are natural law. They don´t alter from place to place, nor to preference.
Maybe sometimes it is all right if you can´t adapt.

I´d like to kow of the difficulties you experienced in Spain. I´ve been told that the Spanish would not accept strangers too easily / hold back themselves.
Is it that?

Deniz,

I know what you mean. Used to talk people out from leaving the country with intentions of solving personal difficulties.
Used to say that basically the world was the same everywhere.
Which is somewhat true in that coherency, but not empirically.

Empirically locations can be dramatically different cultur wise.
In New Zealand, walking the countryside, you may still be invited by locals to have a stay at their place ( at times for weeks ); and they might even leave you at home alone without the slightest mistrust. That is sheer sensational culture today.
Similar must be found in Norway still, on some british Islands, possibly still around Singapore ( - a few other aeras and naturally in some indigene spots like on Tanna etc.pp.)

And while I don´t expect a guaranteed heavenly place, there sure is sense in trying to circle in most promissing spots, where chances be enhanced for authentic dealings. And if it was a developing place with chances for start-ups ( whatever that be except dental technique work, which I hate ), just the better.

Kevin,

NZ immigration laws are stiff aren´t they?

Ruphus




BarkellWH -> RE: A friendly place to live (Mar. 3 2011 13:02:29)

quote:

I've heard of the "Far East" but never the "Near East"?!


The "Near East" is a rather old-fashioned term for what is known today as the "Middle East." Frankly, I prefer the term "Near East," as it conveys more accurately the geographic location of the countries it encompasses.

Cheers,

Bill




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