Is the hypothetical going to pay my rent from now on? Because that will be the deciding factor. And I seriously doubt the hypothetical can get me a comparable job with comparable seniority.
I have been assuming that the hypothetical will pay my rent, plus a handsome independent income allowing me to live the life of a boulevardier. Enough to attend all the concerts and opera performances I like, opulent dinners in the finest restaurants, and languorous afternoons in the cafes.
Vienna, here I come.
Seattle? Chicago? Difficult, I’ve been to both multiple times, and I love both. Chicago probably wins; I’m not thrilled at being separated from my immediate circle of friends, but it’s a short and cheap flight, and it’s an awesome city. So not great since I’m being forced to move, but also not the worst thing conceivable.
(NYC is the obvious option that’s eligible and a “hell, no”. I’ve spent more time there than any other city I haven’t lived full time, and I absolutely get the “love to visit, never want to live there” angle.)
Ten Sleep, Wyoming.
Newburyport, Massachusetts. It has always been one of my favorite places to visit.
As I said, I have no interest in abandoning my family and the region I’ve lived my life in.
Obviously if this were somehow real, I’d do a lot more research before moving. But off the top of my head I can think of several candidates:
[ul]
[li]Vancouver[/li][li]Ubud, Bali[/li][li]Not Honolulu, but almost any Hawaiian city not on the Big Island (which is disqualified by my already having resided there, otherwise I’d say Hilo)[/li][li]Phoenix[/li][li]Bozeman[/li][/ul]
(I’m a person of varied tastes. Many things make me happy.)
Nice, France. It’s got everything Paris has, except the Eiffel Tower. Plus a beach. And a short train ride to other towns along the Riviera.
No more winter driving!
Also plane service to Corsica. Which is paradise on earth. And the home of the most delicious fish soup. I am being redundant now.
London, England. Not London, Ontario.
If you’re making a living as a boulevardier now, sure. But the hypothetical says it’ll set you up with a job, not pay your living expenses indefinitely. The force will get you there with minimal disruption, but it won’t keep you funded.
Off the top of my head, Seattle. I liked it when I visited, I like rainy weather, people seemed nice enough, and active car and motorcycle scene.
Itaewon, South Korea - All the conveniences of any good city: Great cuisine and tons of restaurants, fantastic nightlife, one of the fastest internet networks in the world, easy and convenient subway system. It is just south of Seoul, so very close to South Korea’s major business district.
Also, I could become affiliated with a medical research facility there, and my wife should be able to find employment with one of their behavioral health facilities. Of course we’d both have to learn the Korean language and Hangul, but that’d actually increase the enticement for me.
Kona, on the big island. Spent several months on Kauai, so that’s out.
If it had to be a real city, Copenhagen!
Miami Beach
I really hate cities and I really like the area where I live now. So I’d have to say St. Michael’s, MD. It’s on the other side of the Chesapeake from here, and the few times I’ve been there, I really liked it.
Austin TX, Portland OR, Asheville, NC. Middle sized funky city I’d be very happy.
I currently live in Chicago. Liverpool or Manchester would be at the top of my list, but Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, or even Sydney would work quite well.
Carson City, Nevada
Oxford, England