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Migration thoughts- where would you go?

Nanci said:
I'd vote for Vancouver. It looks beautiful there.
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If I were forced to live in Canada I'd definitely pick Vancouver as my #1 choice! (If only because it's in that pacific northwest region, and that's where I'd love to live anyway!).

Or maybe Halifax, NS as well. I do love water... Seems like a good combo of city and nature.
 
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Rich Z said:
I have to admit that I find it interesting, if not disconcerting, that no matter how badly we feel things are here in the USA, many people in other countries would still prefer to be here rather than in their own countries. "Grass is always greener on the other side of the fence" sort of thing, or are things just really THAT bad all over the world?
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Though I understand the sentiment, take a moment to consider the perspective of the person who opened this thread(moi)- Middle East or the US... it's not exactly your typical comparison, is it?

It's not exactly a comparison between two first world countries... not quite anyway. Even though Israel is quite advanced in many prospects, if you'll take a look at financial statistics you'll see that we're at a rather poor state compared to all other OECD countries- that's what you get where you are surrounded by countries not too keen on you being there, plus being forced to pay outrageous amounts of money for anything cause you need to import every single resource... allot of it is simply piss-poor management, to be sure, but I don't see that changing anytime soon... I have only one life to live, and my wife needs a husband that doesn't work 12-14 hours a day(only way to survive here- let alone buy a house).

For comparison sake... the median salary is the equivalent of 1200 USD, my rent alone costs about that... for an 80 square meters, rather old apartment. Buying the most basic apartment here(2-3 rooms, away from major cities, so work's a problem) will cost 250,000 USD.

So, in some cases people only imagine it's better elsewhere, but numbers show the truth that... well, yeah, there definitely are places where you can be worse off :p
 
Thanks for all the input regarding Canada.
Having reviewed the new express skilled worker route, it's not that easy... I mean, sure, I think I am lucky to pull through... but my wife won't pass if they'll insist that both partners, rather than the primary candidate, have to go through the process.

It's also a somewhat lengthy procedure.

I might still do it, but I don't think it's sensible to reject the benefits of an obvious advantage.. it's worth a shot I think.
 
It does sound like Germany is the most logical choice. Once you are there, you can explore living in other EU countries if they seem like a better fit for you. At least there are lots of countries to choose from! When I visited Germany (and even more so, the Netherlands), I was surprised by how many people spoke English - especially those under 25 or so. I was especially impressed with how business oriented the Dutch people seemed to be. They seemed like they could speak in any language, and could take any currency, just to get our business, lol! And I was impressed how great Holland would be for bicycling, too. Nice a flat, with bike lanes everywhere. In some ways, I liked it better than Germany - at least, as a visitor.

Germany and Holland seem to have thriving herp communities, which is great. And even though the climate is not to my linking, it is not terribly far to go to nearby countries with different climates and animals for vacation. They are mostly fairly small countries to drive through compared to the US and Canada.

Do you have the ability to get a job there before you actually commit to the move? If you are already a citizen, I have heard that they have a fairly extensive welfare net for those unemployed, but not sure exactly how it works.

Hope you find what you are looking for!
 
kathylove said:
It does sound like Germany is the most logical choice. Once you are there, you can explore living in other EU countries if they seem like a better fit for you. At least there are lots of countries to choose from! When I visited Germany (and even more so, the Netherlands), I was surprised by how many people spoke English - especially those under 25 or so. I was especially impressed with how business oriented the Dutch people seemed to be. They seemed like they could speak in any language, and could take any currency, just to get our business, lol! And I was impressed how great Holland would be for bicycling, too. Nice a flat, with bike lanes everywhere. In some ways, I liked it better than Germany - at least, as a visitor.

Germany and Holland seem to have thriving herp communities, which is great. And even though the climate is not to my linking, it is not terribly far to go to nearby countries with different climates and animals for vacation. They are mostly fairly small countries to drive through compared to the US and Canada.

Do you have the ability to get a job there before you actually commit to the move? If you are already a citizen, I have heard that they have a fairly extensive welfare net for those unemployed, but not sure exactly how it works.

Hope you find what you are looking for!
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Thank you Kathy!
I work at an international company that has a branch in Germany... I am not sure I want to pursue that route, but it is a possibility.
Yes, the welfare in Germany is very extensive... they will also let you learn the language at their expense...

As I said, I don't want to rely on those things. Berlin is a true metropolitan city now... you have tons of different people from different places... I might be able to get a job in an English speaking firm... I guess we'll wait and see.
 
It seems like it would be a good place to start if you can just transfer within your company. It would alleviate a lot of stress if you already had a job before the move. Once established, you can start looking for a better job. If it is anything like the US, it is much easier to get a new job when you already have one. And local (within the country) references would probably make it easier to land a new job, too.

I personally would not feel badly about accepting any help offered in learning the language, or any other benefits they are wiling to extend, if I were in your position. With your education, you are likely to get a well paying job sooner or later, and you will probably MORE than repay in taxes whatever resources you use while adjusting to the new country. After a few years, the country will probably make a lot more money from you than they will give to you at the beginning. So you can look at it as a economic gain, not loss, to them. Thus you will be "pulling your own weight", and not have to feel guilty about making use of whatever is offered to you.
 
You're right on both counts.
We'll see,
Location is also something to consider... our branch is not in Berlin.
Well, there's time still... but now that we know where we're headed, we're planning accordingly here.
 
Berlin is SO big! I would consider it a plus NOT to be there! I was really impressed by some of the smaller villages that looked like they came from a post card. You might not want to live in one, but it would be cool to have some nearby to relax in on weekends. But I have never been a big city person. It all depends on what you like and what you are used to.

One thing that impresses me about Germany is that I have read that they are #1 (or were when I read the article) in roof solar power per capita. They don't even have the greatest climate for it, so it is even more impressive that they have invested in it. It says something about where their priorities lie.
 
Since I'm building my life from scratch, as a foreigner, Berlin is the most sensible choice- or another large city with allot of ex-Israeli's... to make the transition slightly easier... I am also more likely to be employed by one of them than a German, at least at first.

After that- yes, moving to a smaller settlement is the idea.
 
What city is your company located in Germany? Do they have more than one branch there? Do they have any other branches in any other EU countries?
 
kathylove said:
What city is your company located in Germany? Do they have more than one branch there? Do they have any other branches in any other EU countries?
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Our branch is at Paderborn,
We do not have other branches in Germany... we have one opening in UK. We also have branches in the US(NJ), Singapore, Brazil, China, and our HQ at Israel.
 
I am American but we just came back from living in Germany for 4 years and I think given your circumstances and with the citizenship you have already that is the direction I would head if I were in your shoes. We enjoyed our time there. Then again... I would enjoy Canada too I think so maybe I am not so much help after all!
 
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