# If You Had To Move Away, Where Would You Move To? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 25, 2008, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-move-away-where-would-you-move-to/439057 "2008-02-25T08:30:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-move-away-where-would-you-move-to/439057/1 "2008-02-25T08:30:27Z")
I will make it a two-part question: If you had to move away from the city/town/area where you currently live but could go anywhere else: 1. Where would you move to in your home country? 2. Which country would you move to if you had to leave your own? (Feel free to explain why you chose the new locations, if you wish to share.) ---
**Author:** ![T\_SQUARE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de053/32.png) [@T\_SQUARE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T_SQUARE)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-move-away-where-would-you-move-to/439057/2 "2008-02-25T08:49:32Z")
1. South Florida- Nice weather, good food, good people 2. Argentina- same, and really cheap “western” living conditions ---
**Author:** ![atomicbadgerrace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@atomicbadgerrace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/atomicbadgerrace)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-move-away-where-would-you-move-to/439057/3 "2008-02-25T08:55:47Z")
[QUOTE=DMark] I will make it a two-part question: If you had to move away from the city/town/area where you currently live but could go anywhere else: 1. Where would you move to in your home country? 2. Which country would you move to if you had to leave your own? (Feel free to explain why you chose the new locations, if you wish to share.) [/QUOTE] 3. I’m torn. From my very first visit many years ago, i’ve vowed to eventually live in New York City. I love the activity, I love the crowds, I love the thought that I could spend each day eating in a different restaurant for the rest of my life and never visit the same one twice. It’s just so busy, and the options for building a life are unlimited. That said, I’ve also had the opportunity to visit Salt Lake City a few times. I absolutely loved it. It was quiet, but at the same time, busy and active. It had an amazing charm of both “country” and “city” life. I think that, in the end, if it were up to me, I’d own property in both. 1. I’m not sure. I don’t have much international experience to judge. ---
**Author:** ![Kayeby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de0a6/32.png) [@Kayeby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kayeby)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-move-away-where-would-you-move-to/439057/4 "2008-02-25T08:59:22Z")
I live in Melbourne, Australia. Anywhere I moved to would have to be reasonably cosmopolitan. I need thousands of shopping and dining options, and city anonymity. 1. Sydney. By all accounts it’s not much different from Melbourne and I really love Melbourne. 2. London. My fiance and I have been talking about uprooting ourselves in a couple of years for him to follow greener career pastures. I like cold weather and the easy access to the rest of Europe is very appealing. We can take our cat over pretty easily, we have a fair few friends who are, or will be, in London, and the salaries in his industry are decent. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-move-away-where-would-you-move-to/439057/5 "2008-02-25T09:37:18Z")
I’m from the states and my base is DC. I move countries every couple of years for work, but for permanent base: 1. Baltimore. I know it might sound weird to live in DC and dream of moving 40 minutes up the roead, but B’more has a real city feel that I like and you can’t get any less pretentious. 2. I used to say Belize, and in fact my wife and I discuss retiring there, but if it was up to me, we’d live in Tallinn. I like wearing wool, walking down cobble stone streets and in general being dramatic in the snow. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-move-away-where-would-you-move-to/439057/6 "2008-02-25T09:56:10Z")
1. Perth in Western Australia. I love the place. 2. Scotland- it is charming. ---
**Author:** ![zuma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9c0ed/32.png) [@zuma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zuma)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-move-away-where-would-you-move-to/439057/7 "2008-02-25T10:09:18Z")
1. San Diego or Seattle. Two kind of different places, but there are things I like about each of them. 2. Hrm. Sydney, Australia sounds good. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-move-away-where-would-you-move-to/439057/8 "2008-02-25T10:43:26Z")
1. Dorset or Somerset. A nice bit of rural Britain outside commuter belts. 2. The NW corner of mainland America - Washington, Oregon, Montana. The land of the free - need I say more? The SW corner of Canada might do. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-move-away-where-would-you-move-to/439057/9 "2008-02-25T10:46:43Z")
I live in Melbourne, Australia too, but unlike **Kayeby** , I would shun the cities and go bush…specifically the south coast of NSW, in a little town on a couple of acres overlooking the ocean (think Central Tilba or Narooma perhaps). I don’t much like shopping, but I do like chooks and views. In terms of an overseas destination, I’ve always thought Alaska sounds rugged and remote enough to satisfy my isolationist tendencies. I might not be able to accomodate the poultry farm, but the scenery might well compensate for the lack. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-move-away-where-would-you-move-to/439057/10 "2008-02-25T11:03:02Z")
In the States: I’d move to Chicago. Although I might have to winter elsewhere. Maybe Mexico, where I could hang out with family. Out of country: I’d move to Germany; my best friend lives there and I already have quite a few friends there through her. ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-move-away-where-would-you-move-to/439057/11 "2008-02-25T11:24:22Z")
In the US, Seattle. Overseas, UAE. (That’s why I am here). ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-move-away-where-would-you-move-to/439057/12 "2008-02-25T11:37:33Z")
1. Manchester - I’ve visited it a few times and it was fantastic. I can see why it’s considered England’s second city. As someone who never wants to live outside a city and really enjoys living in London, if I had to go somewhere else in the UK it would be there. 2. New York. Again, if I have to leave one world city I might as well trade up for another. Also a friend of mine is moving there soon so at least I’ll know someone there. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-move-away-where-would-you-move-to/439057/13 "2008-02-25T12:01:06Z")
In the US: either the Triangle area of North Carolina (lived there in college and for 7 years afterward and it still feels like home in many ways), or Seattle (when Typo Knig got a postdoc in Washington DC I told him “WRONG WASHINGTON!!”). Outside the US: Hm - I haven’t travelled outside the US aside from some brief visits to Canada (few days in Ottawa in high school, day jaunt to Waterton Lakes Park in the 80s, 4 days in Niagara Falls 2 years ago and that one surely doesn’t count). But offhand I’d think maybe somewhere in British Columbia - there’s that whole Pacific Northwest thing (see Seattle), and from everything I’ve heard it’s beautiful up there. ---
**Author:** ![pprgrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f6c823/32.png) [@pprgrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pprgrl)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-move-away-where-would-you-move-to/439057/14 "2008-02-25T12:15:58Z")
Hah, I am moving away! In May/June, it’s not fully settled where yet, but I know I’m getting the hell out of here! So… 1. 90% chance it’ll be Nashville - born there, brother lives there now, always loved TN and I’m pretty excited about moving back. There’s about a 10% chance I’ll be moving to Long Island - not sure what town, but it’ll be either in Nassau or Suffolk county. The family I live with now is moving up there and they want me to go with them. I haven’t said no yet, but I’d really rather move to Nashville. 2. London - it’s the only place outside of the US I’ve ever visited (okay, there was that 22 hours we spent in Paris, but that was dreadful so it doesn’t count) and I loved every second of it. ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-move-away-where-would-you-move-to/439057/15 "2008-02-25T12:56:17Z")
1. Hawaii - it’s warm. 2. Costa Rica - it’s warm. ---
**Author:** ![El\_DeLuxo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_deluxo/32/9043_2.png) [@El\_DeLuxo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_DeLuxo)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-move-away-where-would-you-move-to/439057/16 "2008-02-25T13:17:50Z")
[QUOTE=DMark] I will make it a two-part question: If you had to move away from the city/town/area where you currently live but could go anywhere else: 1. Where would you move to in your home country? [/QUOTE] There’s noplace in the USA that I can even imagine living other than San Francisco. If I absolutely had to, I suppose Oakland would be barely tolerable, but that’s as far as I’d go from here. In a lot of ways this is the most liberated zone in the USA and it’s the only livable area for some of us weirdos . > [@](#): > > 1. Which country would you move to if you had to leave your own? Hmm, that’s a toughy. Amsterdam? Rio? Probably one of several cities in Mexico, which strikes me as being a much more live and let live, easygoing country than the USA; when I’ve been there the people have seemed more civil and tolerant and into minding their own business than the mass of Yanks appear capable of being(plus I really like the food and the booze and the climate down there, and good pot is nowhere near as dear as it is in California). I could see living in the DF, or Guanajuato or Oaxaca – or Veracruz, even though I’ve never visited there yet. Can I opt to become a jet set gypsy, and make my home wherever I roam? ---
**Author:** ![zuma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9c0ed/32.png) [@zuma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zuma)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-move-away-where-would-you-move-to/439057/17 "2008-02-25T13:23:03Z")
[QUOTE=DLuxN8R-13] There’s noplace in the USA that I can even imagine living other than San Francisco. If I absolutely had to, I suppose Oakland would be barely tolerable, but that’s as far as I’d go from here. In a lot of ways this is the most liberated zone in the USA and it’s the only livable area for some of us weirdos . [/QUOTE] I considered answering SF for “another city” (I’m in SJ) but consider it kind of cheating. Oakland is in the same metro area so I call bullshit on your answer 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![bbs2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-move-away-where-would-you-move-to/439057/18 "2008-02-25T13:29:35Z")
I’m fucking off to Darwin! Second choice is Alice Springs, and I’ve never been there. ---
**Author:** ![Contrary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/db5fbb/32.png) [@Contrary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrary)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-move-away-where-would-you-move-to/439057/19 "2008-02-25T13:51:23Z")
Well I AM moving – to Boston. Internationally, I adore London and have lived in Germany and would be happy in either location. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-move-away-where-would-you-move-to/439057/20 "2008-02-25T13:56:57Z")
1. Country Victoria. 2. Hong Kong. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-move-away-where-would-you-move-to/439057.md?page=2)