I live in the US and even beyond the current stuff going on, I’ve just become so depressed living in a place that feels like it doesn’t care about people. I’ve been watching videos about some other countries, in particular Vietnam and China, and I’ve thought it might be nice going somewhere that’s more committed to making life better for people. At the very least going somewhere that’s building a bunch of trains would be cool. (Yes I’m autistic, how could you tell? /s)
I don’t know if I’d actually end up doing anything because it’s tough for me to get anything done at the moment, but I was just wondering if anyone had any thoughts or experiences to share about living in other places, especially if you moved there. What’s your pitch for why it’s a nice place to live? What problems does it have?
If you moved there, what were the challenges in moving and adapting to the new place? Did you learn the new language? Was it tough getting used to the local foods? (This is something I worry about a lot because I’m kind of picky) How did you meet people? Etc.
Outside of college, I’ve lived in the same place all my life. I’ve only traveled outside the US twice and it was to other western or westernized countries. (France, Amsterdam, and Japan.) I’m relatively introverted and socially anxious, but it is nice to try to get to know people I could be comfortable around. I have a college degree but I haven’t had work experience due to my depression, so I’d be kind of starting from scratch in that regard. (I’m maybe about to get some treatment which might help, fingers crossed.) So all around it’s hard to say if I’d be able to move anywhere, but maybe at some point I can work up the energy and courage to make the leap and it would be helpful to have some ideas of how to approach that. Maybe I’ll try to slowly learn the language as I can.
China still offers quite a few teaching jobs but experience is usually required. If you’re autistic - excuse me for asking - how would you fare teaching in a classroom of students young, or older at high school age?
The lesser qualified jobs (maybe only requiring a TEFL certificate) will involve teaching English in a large class of 30+ students, or teaching kids in kindergarten.
Otherwise, very few jobs are available for people with little or no professional training in marketing, technology or other areas of expertise. A lot of these jobs need strong fluency in Chinese too.
Anything is possible, but be aware of culture shock. In less metropolitan areas, getting around, eating the foods you’re used to, often severe hot weather, irregular communication and demands by the employer, and many other things will make it a unique experience, but one that may make you question your sanity in the first week or longer!
What’s your degree in and is it sought after by any of these countries you listed?
It was in labor relations and I briefly went to grad school for CS, although I didn’t finish it because that’s around when the psych issues really got to me.
I’m basing on this on absolutely no experience in the matter, but I don’t think a degree in labor relations is going to be in high demand in another country. Unless you have a legal background or the lawyer accreditation equivalent in that country’ s legal system. I say this as a man with an Anthropology degree. Finding out what skillsets those countries are seeking from foreign workers and accreditations to prove those skillsets is probably step one in emigrating.
As a man that grew up in Texas I desperately wish Canada would let me in and adopt me.
First, try to figure out exactly where you want to move and what options you have for long term residence. Employers will usually sponsor you for work visas if you either have skills that are in high demand, or for seasonal jobs (resorts, hotels, agriculture). Pursuing higher education or doing volunteer work can also get you a visa in some cases.
I definitely recommend learning the local language. Not only will it improve your chances of finding work, but it’s the respectful thing to do if you plan to stay somewhere for an extended period of time. You need to think about where you will live and how you will afford to cover your expenses. Some of the seasonal jobs might offer a living space, but I wouldn’t count on it. You could also try finding remote work and living as an expat before committing to moving.
As for food, keep an open mind and learn to cook. It will help if you don’t like the local food, save you money, and is simply a good skill to know in any case.
Lastly, people usually migrate to places where they have something and someone familiar. I would advise learning about the culture and getting to know people who live in the place you want to move to first so that you aren’t in for a shock.
For context, I permanently left the US because of Trump.
Moving is really difficult. Moving internationally moreso. Immigration aside, assuming you don’t have any visa problems or anything, there’s so much logistical and bureaucratic headache involved that the stress alone caused me to gain significant weight.
That said, I have no regrets. I’m glad to be out of that mess. Even if my new country isn’t perfect, it’s already such an improvement over even pre-Trump USA. While I didn’t have to learn its second language, it’s one I’ve been wanting to learn so I decided to jump right in. I’m enjoying the process and have been picking it up rather quickly.
I left the US in 2016 and moved to Germany.
If you have a university degree and work in an in demand field, such as IT, it is relatively easy to get a job and visa for Germany.
The hard part now is affordable housing in the big cities is almost non-existent, especially for someone moving here with no work or rental history in Germany.
The cost of living is less than in the US, so depending on your job/salary, affording the expensive housing may be less of an issue.
Overall the quality of life is much higher and the relationship to work and your life is way more balanced than in the US.
I can’t imagine going back to the US now.
I have a friend who was born and raised in China, and move to Europe when they were 16 yo. They’re first language was basically Chinese, despite having an American and German parent respectively.
I was always super curious about what their time in China was like, and asked extensively about it. Of course they were quite biased in favor of China, so things like the crazy surveillance that goes on there never really seemed dubios to them, but one thing they mentioned very frequently: discrimination.
I should say, this individual did not look Chinese (and couldn’t get a Chinese passport, despite being born there). This — according to them, and I am inclined to believe this, due to the aforementioned bias — caused them to be intensely discriminated against, as a lot of Chinese people apparently don’t like Westerners (well, a lot of Westerners also discriminate against Chinese).
Your mileage may vary, but that did always surprise me. If you look non-asian, China might not be the best place to move to 🤷.
