Oh, France. No question. I like good food and wine, my politics lurch leftward, I think the countryside’s lovely, and I adore Paris.
I’m also a physical coward, tend to be rather condescending, and feel superior to most people I meet, so I should fit in like a GLOVE with my new countrymen.
I can keep my American jazz records, though, can’t I? Those Frogs have just the WORST music.
ruadh, where are you from that needs a work permit for Scotland or Spain?
Good point mattk, if you can legally work in Ireland, I’d assume you could legally work in any EU country. Now I’m curious.
I’m American. I need a work permit to work anywhere in Europe. It’s just easier to get one in Ireland at the moment because Ireland has a severe labor shortage and hasn’t got the xenophobia that Britain has (it is developing a xenophobia, but because the whole idea of people immigrating to Ireland is so new, it hasn’t had time to reach the point it’s reached in Britain, where the political parties are feeling the pressure from it).
(With Spain the main problem is that my Spanish isn’t good enough.)
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London kinda beckons first. International cosmopolitan city for which I wouldn’t have to learn another language, you know.
Politically, perhaps Iceland first and foremost.
I would seriously consider India, too.
Definitely Costa Rica. Its a beautiful country, I love the culture, and I already speak spanish. I’m probably biased though because I plan on moving there permanantly after I finish college whether the US ceases to exist or not.
UK…in London…North London…Highbury. The better to be closer to The Home of Football.
Ireland has had, until recently, a very small ethnic minority population. So you wouldn’t expect racist and xenophobia to express themselves in the same way that they do in the UK, which is a much more cosmopolitan country. That doesn’t mean that the Irish are not racist. There have been, in the last year or two, a number of serious racially-motivated attacks on Black holidaymakers in Ireland.
That’s true, Tom. Ireland is no longer the monoracial country it used to be and open racism seems to be increasing along with the number of nonwhites. I was speaking of official policies though, not personal attitudes.
I prefer to speak English, but have studied and like Spanish. And nothing against Canada, or the UK or Ireland, but I pick Australia first because of the huge variety of ecosystems and wildlife, and because I’m sure that at least part of the country stays fairly warm…I don’t like the cold.
Sorry, I missed this first time round:
No, the free movement of labor applies only to EEA nationals. Each EU country still has the right to determine its own policies with regard to non-EEA nationals, and work authorization is valid only in the issuing country - AFAIK there is no such thing as an all-EU work visa.
It actually applies to certain non-EEA nationals–people from peripheral countries which have certain types of agreement with the EU–once they are employed in an EEA country.
A Polish basketball player, Lilia Malaja, is currently pursuing a case throught the French courts which, if she wins, will extend the provisions of the ECJ ruling in Bosman to nationals of these third countries (approx. 25 countries, IIRC).
As search for her name on a decent European news site should throw something up. IIRC, the divisional court at Nancy initially ruled in her favour earlier this year.
This is like a contest to see what country is the 2nd best, since the US is the best. <grin, duck, run>
Interesting, Tom, I didn’t know that. Of course since America isn’t one of those approx 25 countries it won’t help anyone in this thread 
(that is, if anyone else is still reading, after this monstrous hijack…)
Another thing I should point out is that in Ireland, the UK, Spain and probably most other EU countries, work visas generally have to be obtained by the employer. There are some exceptions to this (e.g., 3-6 month work permits for students, and IIRC the UK has a one- or two-year visa for Commonwealth nationals) but for the most part a work permit doesn’t allow you to work anywhere you want even in the country that issued it - you can only work for the company that’s sponsored you for your visa. If I get sacked tomorrow, I have to find someone else to sponsor me or I’m on the next plane back to America.
In order:
1)Ireland
2)Australia
3)Scotland
4)England
5)Netherlands
6)Norway
7)Denmark
8)Japan
Sorry, Canadians, if I’m leaving home, I’m leaving home. No America Lite! for me.
–Tim
I guess it depends on exactly how lazy I am the day of demise. If I’m lazy, Canada. Its less than an hours drive and I have a job with a really cute company if I want it. if I’m adventurous Ireland, UK, or some other English speaking country with weather as crappy as Michigan’s. (It grows on you. Pleasent weather makes me feel edgy.)
Beautiful accents are a plus. Australia would be next, but I think its weather might be too nice.
Sweden. Have ancestors from there and have only recently found out where they lived. I’d love to go there and settle down.
Russia. I miss that place! St. Petersburg would probably be difficult to live in but I have people that might put me up while I was trying to get on my feet again.
Italy. Another country whose language I speak. Go roast on the beaches and play hobo for the rest of my life.
Greece. Same thing. And them Mediterranean women! warrrrghhh…
Well, since we are dealing with fantasy here…I’d want the Moon, kick all the idiots out the airlock. :: Grin ::
Canada - Of course, they haven’t realized that the are part of the US yet is all. (gdrfmfl)
Australia - Beautiful country…if you don’t mind the spiders, the snakes, the insects…etc.
Germany - Also a nice country.
New Zealand
Mexico
Brazil
Australia