Which country would you relocate to?

[Deactivated] on 14/05/2016 - 08:07
Last edited 18/05/2016 - 21:41

I'm in my early 20s and single.
I can relocate anywhere for the next few years for fun/life/work experience and am back and forth between where. I thought I was certain but am now unsure.

Which country would you choose if you were me? My desired work industry is irrelevant.
Assume no visa restrictions.

Please be specific - eg Asia or Europe is not so helpful.

EDIT - You MUST leave Australia.

Thanks.

EDIT 2 - thank you everyone. I have picked my location. Western Europe staring in Londonnnnnnnn. Closing the thread now :)

Travel

closed Comments

      • FernandoWho on 15/05/2016 - 11:02
        +1

        Currently teaching English in Korea having graduated last December.
        Having some Korean knowledge will definitely help but some of my coworkers have been here for a few years and I have not heard them even speak a word in Korea.

        If you have any questions feel free to send me a message.

  • x2r9ypbj on 15/05/2016 - 08:21
    +6

    Middle east sounds like lots of fun,action,shootings,bombs smoke,fires,
    blowing up buildings,and generally having a good fun time.

    • [Deactivated] on 15/05/2016 - 08:21
      +1

      Already lived there.
      And it was INSANELY AMAZING. But I want to try somewhere different while I still can. And my industry is not exactly a hub there.

    • [Deactivated] on 15/05/2016 - 10:59
      +1

      sounds like my gaming session on BF4 last night.

  • suti on 15/05/2016 - 09:42
    +1

    Its not surprising that more and more youth are leaving the country. Housing is too expensive and this will cause a brain drain.

    Try Laos/Cambodia/Burma if you want to mix fun with work. There are opportunities there for the right sort or entrepreneur. Otherwise, Germany/France/UK for better job prospects.

  • [Deactivated] on 15/05/2016 - 09:43

    I am interested.
    How do you have the ability to travel anywhere in the world to work?
    It's just not that easy.

  • educalifa on 15/05/2016 - 09:57
    +2

    Didn't read all the comments but as someone who relocated 3 times, I strongly recommend you go somewhere you DON'T speak the language. Yes, it will be harder but when you come back you'll have a new language on your resume/skillset and it will force you to get used to get out of your comfort zone for LIFE!

    Oh… and single and in my 20s Id be giving Brazil a decent look too. Then again they don't speak Spanish which would be regarded as a more useful language to learn

  • d86 on 15/05/2016 - 10:08
    +1

    Singapore. By far the best place to live and work. I wish I could come back one day.

  • AussieDolphin on 15/05/2016 - 10:14
    +2

    I was born in Zimbabwe but lived between there and South Africa until I finished high school. Afterwards, I relocated to the UK where I lived in London and other parts of the UK for the best part of 10 years before relocating to Australia. If I was your age and didn't have any commitments or language barrier issues I would return to the UK.

  • nahi11 on 15/05/2016 - 12:14

    Are you a stripper?

  • peterpeterpumpkin on 15/05/2016 - 13:55
    +5

    If the relocation was for more than a few years then that would be a very tough question. For someone raised in Sydney it's not hard to find a place to visit that's more exciting or more affordable. But on the flip-side, you're hard-pressed to find a place with better overall safety, healthcare, infrastructure, environment, geographical position, geological stability or atmospheric stability (shut up Melbourne). I would normally ignore "best of" lists but have a look at the Global Liveability Ranking 2015 (http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2015/08/daily-c… and full list at http://media.heraldsun.com.au/files/liveability.pdf). It might not be surprising that Australian and Canadian cities top the list, but what is surprising is how few of those selected 140 cities are in fact pleasantly livable.

    I've only ever relocated to London. As a native-English-speaking Australian you have many advantages over the average immigrant. It's as if there's an unspoken agreement where we give our best jobs to the Brits who move here and they do the same for us in return. I aimed low since it was a working holiday (umm…and I was always aim low :)) but as soon as managers hear you speak it somehow messes with their mind and they'll try to insert you into more authoritative positions. I lived in Central London. As someone in their 20s it's an ideal place if you want to be surrounded by similarly aged people and constant buzz. You speak the language, there are people from everywhere so you won't feel like an unwelcome alien and it's a short(er) hop to the rest of Europe, North America, Western Asia and North Africa.

    But the negatives are aplenty. Attitude comes in bucketloads. Even in the absence of aggressive actions, the London accent has evolved to the point where many people sound like they have a chip on their shoulder. While only a theory, I believe this may be one of the psychological contributors to the London passive-aggressive attitude (http://www.stylist.co.uk/travel/why-are-all-londoners-low-le…), beyond the fact it's a densely populated city and one can argue between cause and effect. There are also intimidating nut jobs everywhere. And sociopaths. But to be fair, if our CBD was multiplied by 10 we'd probably match it. Then there's the much more obvious social hierarchy - with the lower ones heavily comprised of non-Australian immigrants. Since I focused on a variety of menial jobs I had a lot more exposure to the real London makeup than those that went to work in finance or work in a pub around the corner from their house-share in Earls Court. Most EU immigrants working for 6 pounds an hour (back then, now more like 7) simply acted depressed. And sure enough they often told me themselves. The 20 year olds from Scandinavian countries didn't look too depressed but they were in London for "fun" and would be back home to study and work eventually. But the multitudes of degree-holders from France, Spain, Greece, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Italy, Portugal, Latvia, Estonia, etc, etc working in hospitality often spoke like life gave them the middle finger. Those EU migrants that did well were often obnoxious narcissists (but of course this was hospitality and management I'm speaking about).

    In most of Asia, Africa, the Middle East and South America you will often be spotted from a mile away and treated as an outsider. Sometimes even in their most "multi-cultural" cities. The same goes for the homogeneous cities in Europe. This can be fun for a few days, weeks, maybe even a few months but it eventually gets on a lot of people's nerves. Living in China for 10 years as an obvious outsider could make you feel like a guest on "I'm a celebrity…get me out of here!". You'd have more photos taken than most people would have in 50 lifetimes. And people that made the move will often mention that they stop harassing you eventually. If they're not residing in a small village it's probably because they now look miserable and have "do not disturb" written all over their face.

    But if it's 2 years and you can leave anytime you want then almost anywhere safe will do. You can chose a place where you find the men most attractive but you'd probably find the facial repetition will quickly lose its appeal and you're now surrounded by doppelgangers.

    If you ever manage to find a place to live with great beaches, temperate climate, clean drinking water and a place where one will never be picked as an outsider regardless of one's appearance, please let us know. Cheap is a bonus. Or the presence of an OzBargain equivalent.

    • [Deactivated] on 15/05/2016 - 14:00
      +1

      Thank you SO much for this reply. It is so insightful.
      I really really really appreciate it.

      PS - I like your username.

      • peterpeterpumpkin on 15/05/2016 - 15:00
        +1

        My pleasure.

        • [Deactivated] on 15/05/2016 - 15:01
          +1

          :))))))

    • [Deactivated] on 16/05/2016 - 15:35

      Out of curiosity, how often do you actually visit Sydney's beaches?

      • peterpeterpumpkin on 16/05/2016 - 16:36

        I'd say 5 days a week on average. I live near the beach (have most of my life, except London) so that's where I go for my walks. There's a calming feeling when you walk for an hour or two along the coast and you've always got sparkling blue water on one side (the shorter winter days need some scheduling to achieve the sparkle). I'm a bit obsessed with water activities as well - maybe it's because I'm cheap and entry is free :)

        To be honest I don't know if I'd appreciate living in Sydney as much if it wasn't for the coast. So many Sydney-siders take life for granted and focus on the most superficial things in life. If we didn't have international students going out in the CBD each night it would probably feel like a ghost town. If the only thing in life adults look forward to is the Friday piss-up then that place is not for me.

        I don't even mind beach crowds since I love seeing sober people with genuine smiles on their faces. But if we reached the Barcelona-level of non-stop crowds I might change my tune. A lot of people get anxious in crowded places. And "escaping" becomes a lot harder.

        On another note, I've always wondered where the millions of Sydney-siders are on weekends during daylight hours. Friend's houses? It seems there are more cars out than people. I've done Sunday Opal runs to investigate but no clues as yet.

        • antzz on 16/05/2016 - 18:42

          True to this. Sydney is by far the most beautiful city in the world. but still melbourne is best for living :). in Asia you fight left and right to earn money, and you can get more money than you would be able to earn in Oz. However, at the end of the day you will use the money to visit Oz to enjoy the beach and probably buy vacation house down the beach in Melb or Sydney.

  • JediJan on 15/05/2016 - 13:57

    If time is of no importance then you could try one of those volunteering organisations. Plenty of rebuilding works in Fiji, or possibly other similarly cyclone affected islands in the Pacific. Think of your skills and how they may be used to assist others. Some of these nations may be money poor but wealthy in traditions and friendliness. I think the experience would enhance your resume as it would, more than likely, spark interest in the reader.

    • [Deactivated] on 15/05/2016 - 14:00
      +1

      My father suggested I enter the army in Israel but i think I want to work. I volunteer a lot I Australia and like clean environments.

      • striker5950 on 15/05/2016 - 14:12

        what was your dad thinking when he said join the Israel army? why not the australian army? does israel pay better?

        • [Deactivated] on 15/05/2016 - 14:12

          Israel has conscription so all nationals participate (sans the uber religious - side eye) it's more of a religious and spiritual connection than a nationalistic one.
          Also, such an incredible rare life experience that I wouldn't have in Australia. And of course i would be in Israel (love) and learn Hebrew (love).
          Also, with all the rape and sexual abuse issues in the Australian defence force - no thanks. (I'm female).

          If I could go back I would have participated in the Israeli army. But I can't.
          If i have children I would encourage them to do it.

        • striker5950 on 15/05/2016 - 14:18

          @Beethoven: ok fair enough, wouldn't you get drafted if a war breaks out? how about the pay is it better than aus? I think its like 65k here plus other benefits

        • [Deactivated] on 15/05/2016 - 14:21
          +1

          @striker5950:

          Probably and an even better experience. But not everyone in the army does front line combat. Like the army includes cooks. It depends where they place each person.
          But, everyone knows how to shoot guns etc.

          I don't know pay. I think it's minimum wage there which is nothing. They live on base Sunday-Thursday, Friday and Saturday is Shabbat so they go home to their families.

        • striker5950 on 15/05/2016 - 14:25

          @Beethoven: if you have family there night not be a bad idea. but you did you also want good pay :P
          but if safety is a main concern Israel is one of the least safe places or anywhere in that vicinity,
          Dubai and abu dhabi is the only middle eastern cities I would consider living in.

        • [Deactivated] on 15/05/2016 - 14:30
          +2

          @striker5950:

          Have you been to Israel? I lived there. Trust me it's safe. Sure the Gaza Strip and West Bank are dangerous but i felt safer at night in Jerusalem than I would in say Blacktown.
          And of course there are soldiers EVERYWHERE so it's not like you are just going to be blown up and no one had noticed anything weird.
          Also, we are foreigners, not locals. Terrorism only works against locals - they don't do anything to tourists.

          I have a friend who lives in Dubai and she discourages females from moving there. Also, don't forget that rape scandal with the foreign woman.
          Israel is very pro women.

        • striker5950 on 15/05/2016 - 14:35

          @Beethoven: Its not the daily dangers Im talking about, Israel and Palestine are always neck to neck and a war breaking out at any given moment is not unrealistic, it has happened before and it will happen again, blame both sides and their governments, the innocent people will end up getting hurt, needless to say I would try to avoid the whole mess all together and stay away from it all.

        • [Deactivated] on 15/05/2016 - 14:36
          +1

          @striker5950:

          :)

        • [Deactivated] on 15/05/2016 - 15:14
          +1

          @striker5950:

          Soldier pay (AFTER a 50% pay rise)
          - combat = AUD 7,042.10/YEAR ————— (ILS 1,616/MONTH)
          - combat support = AUD 5,124.69/YEAR ————— (ILS 1,176/MONTH)
          - Other = AUD 3,529.76/YEAR ————— (ILS 810/MONTH)

          http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Happy-Hanukka-Government-ap…

          The cost of living is parity to Australia. So, nothing.
          Minimum wage there is VERYYYYYY low. I have no idea how some of those people live.

        • striker5950 on 15/05/2016 - 15:16

          @Beethoven: damn thats horrible, forget it lol

        • [Deactivated] on 15/05/2016 - 15:19
          +1

          @striker5950:

          That's AFTER a 50% pay rise remember. So less 50% was what it was before.
          That is pre tax but I don't know if it is taxed or tax exempt.

          Like I said, it would not be for money but life experience. If i could go back I definitely would have done it and regret not.

  • worldwidehappiness on 15/05/2016 - 14:23

    Wish I had gone to Spain when I was young, but I was too clueless back then. The main reason would be to learn Spanish, which is the second most common language in the world after Chinese (Chinese is too hard to learn). Spanish is a romantic language, which will give you a different perception of the world and make you a more rounded and worldly person. It incorporates words from many other languages. It's great to have a second language for employment, creativity, and relationships. And Spain is perhaps safer than South American countries that speak Spanish. Also, Spain is close to the rest of Europe and to Africa, so you could make quick visits to other fascinating countries easily. Also, you would learn a lot about Western world history. Also, many areas of the Mediterranean have a beautiful holiday vibe. Read up on the Spanish Language in Wikipedia.

    • striker5950 on 15/05/2016 - 14:30

      I have a contact who lives in madrid, born and raised there, she always talks about how hard it is to get a job there and conditions of living ain't nothing to brag about, she was thinking of moving to Australia actually on a working visa, everything is so expensive there.. yes it does sound like fun to go for a holiday to ibiza, thats about it.

  • worldwidehappiness on 15/05/2016 - 19:06

    I'd avoid countries that have corporal punishment, capital punishment, and draconian laws. I'd avoid most of Asia too because of their weird cultural hierarchies where kids obey their parents their whole lives, etc. I suppose you could influence such countries to be more liberal, but you won't have much impact.

  • Plug on 15/05/2016 - 19:43

    Canada, in particular British Columbia / Alberta. If you get a chance go up into the Yukon for a visit. Awesome, clean and untouched. Gotta watch for bears though.

  • [Deactivated] on 15/05/2016 - 20:05
    +2

    japan. become a pro drifter and an adult movie star.

    • Cluster on 16/05/2016 - 14:50

      Problem is all Japanese adult movie stars suffer from terrible genital mutilation and defects. It's so bad they have to pixelate the affected parts :-)

      • abc on 16/05/2016 - 16:55

        lol

  • momov3 on 15/05/2016 - 20:15
    +1

    Do islands count? Jar Jar Binks can help.

  • momov3 on 15/05/2016 - 20:17

    What about Dubai? You will be paid very well depending on the job.

    • 00 on 17/05/2016 - 12:41

      And live in 45c+ heat as well as paying 70% more for accomodation than Sydney/Melbourne

      Plus the open racism there (have a browse of their job postings online - e.g. "Filipino woman only"

  • centrelink on 15/05/2016 - 20:45
    +1

    Australia is a pretty boring country anyways.. Looking to move to some place like Canada

    • ozlab on 16/05/2016 - 21:01
      +2

      Can you please elaborate why canada is not as boring as australia?

      • Ion on 17/05/2016 - 22:50

        Bigger fires

  • lam on 15/05/2016 - 21:07
    +1

    If I had the choice, I would choose from

    Canada (Vancouver)
    Spain (Barcelona)
    Ireland (Dublin)
    Singapore
    New Zealand
    England
    Switzerland

    Even better, if you can jump from country to country - go for it!

  • snivy on 15/05/2016 - 21:34
    +3

    This is too broad, depends on what you're looking for. Do you mind learning another language? Do you want to keep travel around or you're pretty happy settling in one place? Do you love the nature or the city?

    Then it depends whether you're a dude or a chick and your race, do you want to blend in like a local or you don't care if you're sticking out like a sore thumb?

    If I were to be given a chance to relocate temporarily to anywhere - I'd pick Japan, preferably Tokyo or Osaka. Great city life, beautiful nature nearby, amazing food, very safe, good public transport, but I'm saying this because I have a pretty good understanding of their culture, can eat their food everyday, have a lot of friends there and speak a little of their language (and don't mind learning more). What's stopping me is their office bureaucracy and that radiation scare.

    After Japan, I'd probably pick either USA (San Francisco) or UK (Oxford/Cambridge). Lived around there before and wanted to come back.

    How about working for Disney World?

    • Cluster on 16/05/2016 - 15:14

      I really like Japan and have been there a few times and studied the language, but really, Japan is a slowly dying country. It's not the radiation I'm concerned about but the shrinking population (five years in a row now, and very difficult to reverse that trend).

      Coupled with the fact that the Japanese government borrows almost 50% of its annual budget and the economy has been stagnant for a quarter of a century, it doesn't bode well for the long term future.

  • CandyMan on 15/05/2016 - 21:35
    +2

    I'm surprised no one mentioned Queensland. My colleague said its a nice country to live in.

  • darkchoc on 15/05/2016 - 22:08

    Many well paying jobs in Leeds, Manchester, Bristol and Edinburgh if you wish to skip the cost of London.

    In particular, focus on life insurance, general insurance and pensions jobs. Maybe hit up an actuarial job agency. There are always jobs that pay reasonably well in pensions admin, insurance companies for people that have strong maths skills.

  • avgbowlofpho on 15/05/2016 - 22:16
    -1

    North Korea, ha ha ha ha

    I'M NOT KIDDING

    _ _
    | |
    __

    • Cluster on 16/05/2016 - 15:10
      +2

      North Korea is so awesome that virtually none of its citizens ever leaves.

  • mjjeje on 16/05/2016 - 00:37

    Singapore, if you don't plan to live there for more than 3-5 years. After a while it gets quite boring. Housing is a bit expensive, but food is very cheap. Public transport is really great too.

  • zrach on 16/05/2016 - 01:13

    I have also been contemplating the possibility of living and working in another country but… I'm 30 now, supposedly the age when people take life seriously. And I currently like my job which makes it hard to leave.
    I'm afraid I'll miss out on the experience though.
    Japan, Canada or UK would have been my pick

    • [Deactivated] on 16/05/2016 - 15:33

      I moved to the UK when I was over 30. Then to Japan late 30s. Life goes at your speed, and your speed only :)

      • zrach on 18/05/2016 - 17:03

        I hope I can find the courage to do so :)

  • parcus on 16/05/2016 - 04:23
    +1

    Too easy, London or New York. There's something about these two big cities in particular which so easily pulls people from all over the world creating such a richly diverse and multicultural makeup, living in that intense density, and of course, all the opportunities that come with being in the centre of it all.
    Elsewhere:
    In Asia, I'd pick HK or Shanghai before Singapore. Nothing quite like the energy in HK, plus very well connected with flights. Japan is interesting, it will always be one of my most favourite places to visit but I don't think I could ever live there. Taipei is worth a look, great city and surrounded by lots of green.
    In Europe, I could see myself living in one of the Swiss cities such as Zurich or Geneva, or maybe one of the smaller towns like Lugano or Zug. I'm a sucker for quaint towns alongside lakes. Europe is great all round, it is pretty amazing being able to spend a weekend in a completely new European city every week. Multiple lifetime's worth of cultural and natural assets to explore. Also unbelievably quick, efficient, easy and cheap to get around for the most part. Some other highly livable European cities I'm a fan of: Berlin, Lisbon, Vienna, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Madrid and Barcelona (though considering the Spanish economy, maybe not the best choice atm).
    For Americas, I love Chicago and San Francisco, or in Canada, Vancouver and Toronto are ace. Canada's urban structure feels very similar to Australia's - similar sized cities, a capital city borne out of compromise, highly urbanised, empty large swathes of land, etc.
    Africa is worth a look into as well. Cape Town/ Johannesburg are obvious safe bets, but also cities like Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Accra and Lagos are booming cities and very much exciting places to be.

  • darkmattersunB6c0MV on 16/05/2016 - 07:04
    +1

    [@Beethoven] Are you Christine Jia Xin Lee?

    • darkmattersunB6c0MV on 16/05/2016 - 07:06

      BTW, Germany is good, but may have changed in the last 15 yrs since I was there.

    • ItsMeAgro on 16/05/2016 - 16:51

      Christine Jia Xin Lee spent millions on ridiculously overpriced jewelry, handbags and fashion.

      No way she is an ozbargainer.

  • noskich on 16/05/2016 - 09:42

    Definitely Laos. Unspoilt nature, easy going life (if you think Oz is easy going you are up for a surprise!), simple life, kind people, culture and history, remoteness and peace.

  • Stevetheadventurer on 16/05/2016 - 11:24

    hungary

  • 50cent on 16/05/2016 - 14:33
    +1

    Iran. It's a veery nice place.

  • [Deactivated] on 16/05/2016 - 15:31

    Japan or UK. Places where I have lived before which I much prefer to life in Aus (but family is here, which is the sole reason why I returned).

  • Starcraftmazter on 16/05/2016 - 16:16
    +1

    Korea

    Everything is super cheap, everything is very convenient, public transports is fantastic, very safe, lots of hot girls.

    • nahi11 on 17/05/2016 - 00:22

      North or South?

  • ceebee on 16/05/2016 - 17:45

    I'm going to break it down by major areas: Europe, Americas, Asia.

    For me, personally, if I could do Europe, I'd do a Scandinavian country, generally because of the high quality of life and high level of education. Also, it has beautiful history, and architecture and topography. Also, the rest of Europe is close by, so you'd get to visit a lot of other European countries. So something like Sweden or Norway or the Netherlands. Alternatively, Germany or Austria. The castles, trees, and mountains all appeal to me. As an aside, I am a dual citizen from Italy, but I wouldn't go live back there — Italy is amazing, food is amazing, culture is amazing… but there is a turbulent economical climate there at the moment, and there is so much bureaucracy— which puts me off. Things don't get done, there are not very many jobs, and as historically beautiful as it is, I don't love the chaotic nature of life there. It's strangely laid-back, and yet, everyone is drinking coffee left and right and stressed out to the eyeballs and up late. Socializing is huge. I get a similar feeling from Spain and France. But if you are someone that thrives of chaos and novelty more than order, I feel like Italy, Spain or France would be a better match than Scandinavia.

    Secondly, USA. I am going to be living in the USA because my fiancee is from Seattle.(Only for a little while, then we hope to come here or live in Europe). I've done 3-month stints in the US 3 times so far, been to San-Fran, NYC, Las Vegas, Tucson/Phoenix, LA, Orlando and Seattle. First thing is first. Rent in Seattle, San-Fran and NYC is bordering on ridiculous, and you're looking at at least 2k AUD a month for a studio apartment. Parts of Seattle are beautiful, but it's rainy and some areas are very poor. NYC can get muggy and hot, Manhattan has tourists everywhere, outer suburbs are much nicer. People are as abrupt as they say, I hesitate to say 'rude' — they just are how they are. San-Fran. I really enjoyed it, and I found it beautiful. People are nicer and laid back compare to NYC. Phoenix and Tucson and residential Vegas is actually really nice, rent is cheaper, things are cleaner, and it there is a lot of urban sprawl. There is a high latino population, and lots of mexican place (Qdoba is a fave of mine). You need a car, whereas in Seattle, San Fran or NYC you can get by on public transport. Orlando is the same— biggest ubran sprawl I've ever seen; it is more vast than all the others. It is muggy, green as anything, and there are highways everywhere. I don't think I could live there. But L.A. was my least favorite place. Traffic. Everywhere. It's also scrubby and ugly (in my opinion) and there's no 'downtown' or 'the city' to go to when you wanna go shopping or have a day out or whatever. All the other places tends to have a hub, L.A. does not. That said, Anaheim is pretty nice and so are some places like Orange County. The USA has a different work culture to here; people don't get a lot of vacation time, work is paid pretty low, and people are often expected to do over 40 hours work weeks. Often 50 or 60. Most places only give you one week off a year when you first start, which extends to more the more you are with a company. Unless you get an awesome job at Google or something, then the work climate there sucks. In the US, they famously often pay less than a living wage (like that letter by that girl working for Yelp in SF), and in places where the minimum wage is increased, like Seattle, rent prices rise to match it immediately, so it's the same thing. (Went up by 500% in two years after the wage increase). Lastly, be prepared to see homeless everywhere. I love the US, it's a great place but I wouldn't want to live there forever. When I go over, we're thinking of relocating to Vegas or Tuscon because of the rent and income disparity issues occurring in SF and Seattle. As for South America, I'm not too familiar with it, but I do hear good things about Costa Rica, Panama and Nicaragua.

    Lastly, Asia. I've been to Japan twice, for two months all up. Japan is really beautiful, has a rich vibrant culture (so many temples!) and a weird old/new duality that is pretty awesome. It has very low crime. It's a great place to visit but does have a very strict work culture. My Japanese friend was saying her husband (public servant) worked from 8am to 10pm and only got Sundays off; and additionally only two days a year off. For this alone, personally, I wouldn't want to live and work there, although I don't think ESL teachers would work quite that much. Tokyo is very organized chaos, same with Kyoto— Kyoto has a bunch of tourists, all the time. I personally actually really enjoyed Osaka and Kobe— if I could chose, I'd probably live in Kobe — it has awesome beef, is very multicultural, and is close to Osaka and Kyoto which are awesome places to visit. (You have to go visit Nara if you're in that area). I do have a soft spot for Tokyo though, although it's more chaotic and busier and some people hate it, I like the bustle of it because it makes me feel like I'm where the action is. It is huge. Secondly, Singpore— I actually would love to live there for a bit. Yes it is humid, but I got used to it. It is ridiculously clean, quality of life is amazing, even the 'poor' areas are ridiculously nice, and it gets a lot of neat things that the other parts of Asia get such as chain-type food places— for example. J. Co — they have the best donuts I've ever had. Also Asian cosmetics from all over Asia (as a woman I am a big fan of Korean and Japanese skincare and cosmetics). Also, most places speak English, it is very economically rich, and very multicultural (Chinese/Indian/Malay), which means you get pretty great food there. Downsides is that it has a very strict government, and is really small. I also hear great things about Taiwan, that it's a lot like HK but cleaner, like China but less strict. I hear the Taiwanese are pretty nice. I don't know how true this is but I'd love to visit one day.

    Sorry for the wall of text! I think it's great you wanna live abroad for a bit; it opens your mind, it teaches you about other cultures and other people. I think everyone should do it at least once. I've come to the conclusion that ultimately I wanna come back to Australia to live (My fave places are Perth and Melbourne) but I really value exploring other countries and hope to travel often, if life permits.

    Have fun!

  • narcoleptic-haze on 16/05/2016 - 17:48
    +3

    New Zealand, south island.

    • downhillmtbr on 17/05/2016 - 00:01

      I'd love to kick back in Wanaka for an extended period of time. Maybe a year or two skiing or mountain biking there.

  • 00 on 16/05/2016 - 17:54
    +1

    The International Space Station

  • ozlab on 16/05/2016 - 21:07

    Sorry I'm not suggesting specific city but looking at long term fun/life/work making sure you are not getting stuck or bored in one place. I would choose either Europe or America (from north to south, including canada). In both places you can move to multiple places and try out new experience. Both would provide you with decent salary to live. Also please consider AUD to other currency conversion to get more profit before making decision.

  • urzu on 16/05/2016 - 22:39

    I'm also in my early 20s. I've had the chance to live in France, Japan and Germany so far. I wouldn't really recommend France. Too much hype, not that great especially as an English speaker. Japan however, if it wasn't for the inability for me to find a job other than English teacher (which pays well but has no career progression opportunities there), I would still be there.

    So much to say about the awesomeness of Japan. I could go on all day. It's super clean. Its super modern. Nobody tries to mug you. The locals are keen on meeting you. The girls are stunning. You don't need to rely on a car (although you can buy awesome JDM cars for cheap), public transport rocks. Convenience stores are open 24/7 and are everywhere. Alcohol is cheap (nomihoudai and tabehoudai : all you can drink + eat). Tons of new cool tech. The respectfulness of people. The ease of finding work (if you have a degree and speak English).

    Drawbacks: some would say are expensiveness, but I'd argue that coming from australia, everything is cheap in comparison. The paperwork needed to do anything official. The red tape everywhere.

    • JetLi on 17/05/2016 - 13:40

      one major Drawback re Japan, relatively frequent deadly earthquakes…

      • urzu on 17/05/2016 - 16:03

        Frequent, yes. Deadly, not so frequently fortunately.

  • acersaurus on 16/05/2016 - 22:51

    I'd recommend Ireland, friendliest people in the world but their unemployment rate is too high.

    Thailand would be a fun place to live, you could be an English teacher.

    A friend of mine taught English in South Korea for two years and really enjoyed it, he earned plenty relative to the cost of living.

    • Brianqpr on 18/05/2016 - 11:04

      Ireland has terrible weather though. I know, I've been many times and spent a lot of family holidays there as a child. It got better when I was old enough to go to pubs.

  • Onysius on 16/05/2016 - 23:10

    I would choose Korea, just not Seoul, it's far too crowded for my liking.
    I did 2 stints teaching English at a regional university and loved it.
    The food was fantastic, accommodation/transport/alcohol etc. was inexpensive, and the people were very friendly.
    Being able to at least read Korean is a must, as outside of Seoul/Busan, no one speaks English.
    And also if you want to get away on the weekends, Japan/Taiwan/Hong Kong etc. are just a couple of hours flight away.

  • pyro love bird on 16/05/2016 - 23:11

    Scotland, I FELL IN LOVE with Scotland, it's a gorgeous place, I stayed in St Andrews, the people are ridiculously nice, I love the character of the old buildings and cobbled streets. The air is crisper, and overall it's just a really lovely place. I went there as a student to St Andrews though, so I'm not sure about jobs and such, but I also visited Edinburgh and Glasgow, I prefer the former.

    Have lived in Perth for most of my life and I've got to say, it's a tad boring, I've actually road tripped it up and down the state and it's a beautiful state, don't get me wrong, but a tad boring, it's a fantastic place to bring up a family, but there's not much going on with Perth and it seems to be behind the other cities in Australia, with that said though, they've been bringing up their game which is nice to see. Melbourne is the world's most livable city for a reason, and as many people have stated on here, it's a gorgeous city to live in and most people would choose to live here.

    Highly recommend St Andrews and Edinburgh, but Melbourne follows closely behind.

  • jmal4580 on 16/05/2016 - 23:41

    Personally always told myself that I would move to Canada one day. Holidayed there for a week a few years back and fell in love with the people/country.

  • abm77 on 16/05/2016 - 23:43

    Well since you're obviously after adventures go to Russia. If you survive after a year try infiltrating to North Korea if you still alive there's always middle east and central Africa
    …
    Just kidding. You won't survive Russia :)
    All right kidding again, my choice would be Germany, just an awesome country.

    • striker5950 on 17/05/2016 - 09:49

      not anymore, unemployment rate going up, cold asf

  • juki on 17/05/2016 - 00:32

    Berlin or Bonn/Koln if you like a sort of city, sporty and artsy lifestyle. east coast of italy or malta for sea, sun and tranquility.

    London is filthy, living costs are expensive and it rains a lot. I'd even choose dublin over london and nearly choose glasgow.

    On the coast of holland is nice, but not amsterdam, it's full of pothead tourists and the inconveniences that go along with that.

    France is nice but a bit of a mess and hard to find a job (and not sure they are compatible with aussie behaviour)

    I'd love to try finland or iceland if i could. I'd avoid dubai, Uae despite good pay (or not so good pay) i have never heard anybody say they enjoyed themselves there

    for adventure, Uganda (waaaay different to what we think of african countries), or Russia (the internet says it all)

  • fruit on 17/05/2016 - 10:51

    Why would I leave

  • rattler on 17/05/2016 - 11:24

    If I had an option to live away for a year, I will choose Japan (Tokyo). Its different (cultural/people/food) and will be out of the comfort zone, and at the same time safest option.
    PS: Have travelled across Europe/Asia/India/ANZ

  • OneMoreTune on 17/05/2016 - 12:14

    Alot of people saying Japan…. you'd want to make sure your Jap is up to scratch.
    For me out off all the places I have traveled Berlin and Amsterdam…. I would love to live in either of those places.

  • Xizo on 17/05/2016 - 12:44

    Depending on what kind of job offer you maybe able to get, I'd suggest you consider UAE or Qatar.

  • nikkirose on 17/05/2016 - 14:24

    Finland, Iceland or Norway.

  • jassep on 17/05/2016 - 15:07

    I would have thought, for OzBargainers, that Thailand would be high on the list. :P

  • luxx on 17/05/2016 - 15:26

    Netherlands, any city really but there is a lot of work going in Amsterdam in particular if you're in a creative field. Eg: American as Apple Pie companies like Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein have moved their HQ to Amsterdam in recent years.

    Not only are there plenty of jobs going in what I think is your sector - 800 positions in the Banking and Financial Services sectors showing on LinkedIn - but most workplaces use English to communicate. Even going to the shops / eating out / general life, you'll always be able to communicate while your Dutch gets better.

    I'm not sure of your priorities but it's a very, fiercely liberal place where you can do you own thing without others judging you, easy access to the rest of Europe, and Amsterdam would have to be one of the most beautiful cities in Western Europe (was relatively untouched in the Wars).

    12 month working Visas available to all Australians (and Kiwis and many others) if you're between 18-30. Just have enough cash and register in your first few days after arrival.

    I'd be there in a heartbeat if my industry was more mobile but it's pretty hard for me to move to certain areas. Failing Amsterdam / Netherlands, I'd consider Copenhagen for much the same reasons.

  • [Deactivated] on 17/05/2016 - 20:05

    I will put my vote down for Taiwan.
    I was astounded by how different it is to the PRC despite the 2 sharing a similar culture.
    The people were so polite it was ridiculous, I lost count how many times random strangers would say sorry for the tiniest things, they were also incredibly helpful whenever I needed help with directions.

    Even if you only speak a little bit of Mandarin, they are greatly appreciative of that.
    Transport networks are incredibly efficient, surprisingly minimal bureaucracy, air is extremely clean (not as clean as Australia's, of course), your money goes quite far when it comes to accommodation and food. The food variety in the large cities are endless.

    It's a free society with a multi-party democracy (having a legal background, I could never compromise on this), very progressive when it comes to gender dynamics and other social issues (moreso compared to the rest of East Asia).

    If I had a choice, I'd be off in a heartbeat.

  • Ion on 17/05/2016 - 20:32

    The O&G industry has taken me to a fair few places. From Aberdeen to Muscat to Mumbai to Houston to Kuala Lumpur to New Plymouth (NZ) and finally to Perth. I don't think I'm leaving. 25 Degrees on a winters day! It's heaven.

    But if you had to leave Australia, it would have to be New Zealand for me. Loved going for hikes and the country is so damn beautiful. I fell in love with the the South Island. Although it was a bit cold for me so I wouldn't consider retiring there.

    Once the propert market becomes a bit cheaper in Perth, I'll set up my flag here. Probably near a nice beach.

  • chickenchipsgravy on 17/05/2016 - 20:37
    +1

    Montreal

    • [Deactivated] on 17/05/2016 - 21:01

      Do you speak French? :)

      • chickenchipsgravy on 18/05/2016 - 17:07

        ouais un peu, j'habitais a montreal pour un ans

        • [Deactivated] on 18/05/2016 - 20:26

          PM me please :)

  • donotuse on 17/05/2016 - 20:57

    London or San Francisco

  • GregRust on 17/05/2016 - 21:14
    +1

    I'm in a similar situation. I'm a few years older (28 this year) and am moving to London on Sunday. Never lived OS before and I can't wait. Good luck to you on your journey :)

    • [Deactivated] on 17/05/2016 - 21:19

      :))

      Thank you. You too!

  • bubbly on 18/05/2016 - 08:59

    New Zealand!!! It's cheaper to fly there than flying domestically, good call rates and don't worry bout medical stuff cos medicare is recognised there and driving rules are the same and it's easy to get around, not as expensive to live as other places like london!! MANY REASONS!!

  • T1OOO on 18/05/2016 - 09:22

    I'm thinking London just for language and money. Europe on ur door step. USA is too risky.

    Some Scandinavian countries are ok.

    Ukraine for the women. I'll pick a bride from there. Prittiest women in the world by far. Mmmm mmmm

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