Where would you live if you had the full power to choose

ToDieUnsung · Feb 15, 2015

I wasn't sure if this was the very best place to ask this but since it is about getting to know other writers and writing fans here I figured it was worth a shot.

Let's imagine you suddenly had the power to choose exactly where you want to live and had the power to live there with your family if you wanted to, keep your current job so that you would not have to worry about starting a new life and you could magically move anywhere around the world without any of the hassles you would ordinarily have to face. If you had that choice, what would you choose?

Would you, for example, choose a New England city or a New England fishing village? Would you choose a Midwestern city or town like I would consider with a more traditional American culture? Would you choose a town or city in Texas or a Southern State? Would you opt for Sweden or the UK or any other of the particularly advanced and enlightened nations in Western or Northern Europe? A tropical island village? Living as an expat or a citizen in an East or SE Asian country [I added the expat part because I factored how popular being an expat in East or SE Asia seems to be among a growing number of Americans]? Or Australia or Africa or South America ?

KTC · Feb 15, 2015

Paris. On the island. A couple blocks from Notre Dame. Above the stores. RUE St. LOUIS. Probably two or three down from the corner where they sell the world's best ice cream. Right around there...

Ladyxkaa · Feb 15, 2015

oh god. if I could keep my net, I'd probably move somewhere warm but no where NEAR a beach, lake, river or pond. hate those things.

and yes, I'd have my friends near me and have a huge house for us all and my family to live in xD

my mom(Ghostposts on here) says she'd go to New Orleans, Louisiana. she freaking LOVES that place and used to live there as a child.

M.S. Wiggins · Feb 15, 2015

A quiet place.

Lhowling · Feb 15, 2015

If I had the choice and the means, I'd have a spot in Jamaica, one in Key Largo, another in LA, and one more in Manhattan.

Hm.. but to choose just one? Key Largo or Jamaica... guess anywhere that has a bar on the beach and warm, receptive waters.

jjdebenedictis · Feb 15, 2015

Either a luxury house close to an unspoiled Thailand beach (does such a thing exist?) or Venice.

Note: To me, "luxury" means "safe, and with the usual amenities, plus no cockroaches".

Chris P · Feb 15, 2015

England. Not London, but close enough I could pop over for a weekend and not have the daily London headaches of living there. Being from the midwest US and accustomed to driving intergalactic distances to do anything fun, just about anywhere in Englad is close enough

mirandashell · Feb 15, 2015

I was going to reply but I'd best not.......

Osulagh · Feb 15, 2015

A small town in Japan that no one has ever heard of near the coast, in a run-down, old fashioned Japanese home that I'll have to work on everyday. With enough wind and far enough away from rice fields to keep the mosquitoes away.

MaryMumsy · Feb 15, 2015

Ladyxkaa said:
my mom(Ghostposts on here) says she'd go to New Orleans, Louisiana. she freaking LOVES that place and used to live there as a child.

I'm with your Mom. I went for the first time in late Oct last year. I would move there (French Quarter) in a heartbeat. As long as I had somewhere else to go for hurricane season.

MM

Chris P · Feb 15, 2015

mirandashell said:
I was going to reply but I'd best not.......

Hee hee! Ten hours isn't a long drive for me. Not exactly "Yay! Ten hours drive!" But for a long weekend getaway it's not bad.

ToDieUnsung · Feb 15, 2015

Looks like I'm the only one so far who would say anywhere in Middle America. I guess the Midwest, the Southern States and places like Texas aren't particularly cool or hip around here. It seems like often it's all about the sophisticated European cities.

Helix · Feb 15, 2015

ToDieUnsung said:
Would you, for example, choose a New England city or a New England fishing village? Would you choose a Midwestern city or town like I would consider with a more traditional American culture? Would you choose a town or city in Texas or a Southern State? Would you opt for Sweden or the UK or any other of the particularly advanced and enlightened nations in Western or Northern Europe? A tropical island village? Living as an expat in an East or SE Asian country Or something more dangerous I haven't considered?

You've missed out three large continents, not including Antarctica.

I'm living where I want to live -- in the Wet Tropics of Far North Queensland, Australia. Moved here in 2009 and am loving it. Except for the atrocious mobile broadband service that I'm on for the next few months.

Ladyxkaa · Feb 15, 2015

MaryMumsy said:
I'm with your Mom. I went for the first time in late Oct last year. I would move there (French Quarter) in a heartbeat. As long as I had somewhere else to go for hurricane season.

MM

she lived on Saint Roche Avenue. loved it there. she talks about it alot xD

Ladyxkaa · Feb 15, 2015

ToDieUnsung said:
Looks like I'm the only one so far who would say anywhere in Middle America. I guess the Midwest, the Southern States and places like Texas aren't particularly cool or hip around here. It seems like often it's all about the sophisticated European cities.

I actually live in northern texas, myself. near the border to oklahoma.

ToDieUnsung · Feb 15, 2015

Helix said:
You've missed out three large continents, not including Antarctica.

I'm living where I want to live -- in the Wet Tropics of Far North Queensland, Australia. Moved here in 2009 and am loving it. Except for the atrocious mobile broadband service that I'm on for the next few months.

I included the other choices part in case others decided to be more adventurous. I explicitly listed what I figured were more conventional places since I figured those would be the most likely answers. As for Australia, I admit omitting that as an explicit choice may have been a mistake. But I figured enough people would be freaked out about the concept of a place where the number of animals that can kill you goes well into the dozens so that it would not be a primary choice. That said, I am glad for you that you love it there. As for Africa and South America, well if anyone would actually pick anywhere in those continents over the choices I listed I would really love to know why.

mirandashell · Feb 15, 2015

Helix, shall I get you a nice relaxing cup of herbal tea?

Kylabelle · Feb 15, 2015

Big Sur (California coast, sorta central part) Oh man that is some gorgeous gorgeous land, and a Mediterranean climate.... well, it's also overpopulated by folk who can afford to live there, which I cannot. Not these years.

Helix · Feb 15, 2015

ToDieUnsung said:
I included the other choices part in case others decided to be more adventurous. I explicitly listed what I figured were more conventional places since I figured those would be the most likely answers. As for Australia, I admit omitting that as an explicit choice may have been a mistake. But I figured enough people would be freaked out about the concept of a place where the number of animals that can kill you goes well into the dozens so that it would not be a primary choice. That said, I am glad for you that you love it there. As for Africa and South America, well if anyone would actually pick anywhere in those continents over the choices I listed I would really love to know why.

Dearie me.

jjdebenedictis · Feb 15, 2015

ToDieUnsung said:
I guess the Midwest, the Southern States and places like Texas aren't particularly cool or hip around here.

Did you mean for that to come across as a passive-aggressive snipe at the people you're trying to engage in conversation?

I don't live in the United States. Why would I automatically think of moving there?

Helix · Feb 15, 2015

mirandashell said:
Helix, shall I get you a nice relaxing cup of herbal tea?

Thanks, but it'll go cold while I'm fighting off redbacks and king brown snakes. You know what it's like here.

Still, with the rainforest here *points at the end of the road* and the Great Barrier Reef just down there *waves hand vaguely eastwards*, I'm sure my short imperilled life will be enjoyable.

mccardey · Feb 15, 2015

ToDieUnsung said:
I included the other choices part in case others decided to be more adventurous. I explicitly listed what I figured were more conventional places since I figured those would be the most likely answers.

Take that you insignificant not-America-world!

*sigh*

Also -

ToDieUnsung said:
Living as an expat in an East or SE Asian country Or something more dangerous I haven't considered?

Some of our members could choose an Asian or South East Asian country - and not even be expats!

jjdebenedictis · Feb 15, 2015

ToDieUnsung said:
As for Africa and South America, well if anyone would actually pick anywhere in those continents over the choices I listed I would really love to know why.

I spent about a month in Namibia last October, and it was fucking awesome. There's quite a large community of South African retirees in Walvis Bay, and I can see why. Cooler on the coast, but all the sunshine and all the ocean you could wish for. Swakopmund, just north of there, was more fun though (although a bit touristy.) We went quad biking in the dunes, and it was SPECTACULAR. Glorious, shining oceans of golden sand, with glimpses of sparkling, endless water-ocean as we headed back.

And speaking of South Africa, Capetown was really beautiful too. Both me and my beloved spousal unit briefly entertained dreams of retiring to Capetown someday. Sunshine, warm ocean to swim in, gorgeous scenery, great wines, beautiful beaches, relatively safe and a lovely city, all the modern amenities, etc.

ToDieUnsung · Feb 15, 2015

mccardey said:
Take that you insignificant not-America-world!

*sigh*

Also -

Some of our members could choose an Asian or South East Asian country - and not even be expats!

It totally was not meant to hurt the feelings of the Australian people - who of course are way more awesome than Americans or Western Europeans. It was based on the fact that Americans and Western Europeans would be more likely to be scared of a place like Australia because to us, at least, it seems to require a degree of toughness just to get used to day to day living and, in case you haven't noticed, most of us in America and Western Europe are complete wimps. It was more about the fear that Americans and Western Europeans have of Australia's climate and environment and had nothing to do with Australian people.

As for Africa and South America, well it is always nice to see those who would proudly choose those places. However I figured they would also be less likely choices, and so I listed them under the broader term "other choices" since many countries in these continents would likely scare many Westerners simply for how unstable their govt's are. Nothing to do with the people who live there; indeed it is common knowledge that people from South America and Africa can be way more likable and admirable than those from Western nations.

ToDieUnsung · Feb 15, 2015

jjdebenedictis said:
Did you mean for that to come across as a passive-aggressive snipe at the people you're trying to engage in conversation?

I don't live in the United States. Why would I automatically think of moving there?

No I meant it as an observation. I am aware that we have posters here from all over the world.

Where would you live if you had the full power to choose

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