# You Have to Leave Your Country--Which of your Neighbor Nations Would you Choose? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 15, 2010, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076 "2010-01-15T15:01:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/1 "2010-01-15T15:01:31Z")
We’ve done “what country other than your own would you live in” threads. I don’t think we’ve done this one. The question is—If you were forced to leave your country permanently, which of the contiguous countries would you be willing to live in, which would you not want to live in, and why? –Contiguous is defined as sharing a land border or the closest neighbor(s) for island nations. –Please state where you live and if you’ve been a permanent resident of any other countries. –If you have lived two or more places permanently, then those countries are excluded from consideration. You can answer for either of those countries or both. Also excluded are countries where you have dual citizenship. –This is about _your_ opinion, so just assume your spouse/SO will be in full agreement with your decision and try to avoid considering what place would be best for them. You may consider where you’d like to raise your children if you have any or plan to. Your family and friends will be able to visit freely. –If you like, tell us whether you’ve visited your contiguous nations. Also, is there any particular part of the country you would choose? Fun bonus question—what would be your first choice if you could live anywhere in the world? What would be your last choice. (Haiti is excluded at the moment for obvious reasons.) I’ll answer in the next post. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/2 "2010-01-15T15:03:25Z")
If my country is the US, then Canada. If my country is Australia, then New Zealand. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/3 "2010-01-15T15:04:06Z")
I’m American and I’ve never lived anywhere but the U.S. **1. Canada** would be my first choice by far. They are a first-world, prosperous, industrialized nation. They have many cultural similarities, and I’m already familiar with many of the ways in which they are different. They (mostly) speak English. There are good public schools, infrastructure, and of course there’s universal health care. The laws are similar. We share a lot of media. We even share sports leagues. It has wonderful natural features and it’s big. I’m used to big. I’ve visited Canada several times, but not for any significant length of time. It would be hard to choose where I’d live. I love the Maritimes but they’re not urban enough for my tastes. I’d vacation there, though. Montreal is fantastic, but I’d have to vote against it because I’d rather not _have_ to learn French. Vancouver seems wonderful, but it’s kind of far for family and friends to visit. (We’re east coasters for the most part.) So I’d probably end up in the Toronto area. **2. Mexico** would be my second choice, but I think it would be kind of cool to live there. Something about Mexico really appeals to me. I like the history, the culture and the fact that it’s literally colorful! I don’t think it would be too hard to pick up Spanish. While it’s not exactly fully industrialized or prosperous, there is wealth and industry there. There are many educated people and I’d be able to find good schools for my son and decent health care. Mexicans are generally familiar with American culture and lots of people do speak English. It has a lot of geographic diversity. I’ve only been to Mexico once. For an hour. I was visiting relatives in Tucson and we walked across the border at Nogales. I know Nogales is a tourist trap and in no way representative of the country as a whole, but I liked it just the same. I’m not familiar enough with Mexico to choose where to live, but it would probably be in or around a city. Mexico City sounds kind of unpleasant, so it would probably be somewhere else. \*\* 3. Cuba\*\* Ugh. No way I’d want to live there. The effects of 50 years of Castro and communism has turned the place into a shithole. And that makes me really sad because it sounds like it used to be really cool. Worldwide: First choice: Canada. Last choice: North Korea by a landslide. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/4 "2010-01-15T15:10:00Z")
France. I think they’ve got the best quality of life anywhere in the world, all things considered (food, weather, social conditions, education, time off work, etc.). ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/5 "2010-01-15T15:10:15Z")
I expect that my answer will be different then most other Americans. I’d move to Mexico before I moved to Canada. I hate winter and there is no way I’m living that far north. I think I could be completely content in Southern Mexico living by the ocean and being warm year round. Worldwide: First choice: Australia Last Choice: Mongolia ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/6 "2010-01-15T15:11:11Z")
My reasons are probably pretty obvious: I prefer the most similar neighbouring countries, and I’d rather not live in a third-world country where I don’t speak the language. Across the whole world, since the UK is excluded (I’ve lived there in the distant past), I think I might go for New Zealand as top preference. Bottom choice is much harder: I think I’d find Saudi Arabia pretty hard to live in, for a variety of reasons. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/7 "2010-01-15T15:12:41Z")
I’d have to say Canada, since I’d need to make a living, and I only speak English. I wouldn’t mind living in Mexico or Bermuda if I could make a living. My least favorite would have to be Cuba, as well, though Bahamas doesn’t appeal to me much, either. Russia would be in the middle. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/8 "2010-01-15T15:25:05Z")
Damn. I hate cold weather, and may go insane without SEC Football, but it’s gotta be Canada. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/9 "2010-01-15T15:25:53Z")
Uruguay (I live in Argentina), since it’s basically Argentina lite. (cue Uruguayan poster flames in 3, 2, 1…) ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/10 "2010-01-15T15:29:14Z")
Norway shares land borders with Russia, Finland, and Sweden. Russia is out because of the political situation, although I’m sure it’s a wonderful country, with rich history, fascinating culture, all that. I’d love to go there for a visit. I just think it’s too unstable (and corrupt, and undemocratic) to choose to live there. Finland and Sweden are both stable, prosperous, democratic, modern nations. My first choice would be Sweden purely because of the language. I already speak Norwegian so understanding people and making myself understood in Sweden would be considerably easier than learning Finnish! Finland would be my second choice. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/11 "2010-01-15T15:32:16Z")
I practically live in Canadia as it is, so that’s my answer. First choice: Dead heat between Italy and New Zealand Last: Iraq ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/12 "2010-01-15T15:37:00Z")
Can we count Italy as contiguous to Spain, please please please? I can cuss in Northern Italian with the best of them (speaking it politely is another matter), I like the food, compatible senses of humor and the two languages are very close to mutual intelligibility… If not, I guess I’ll take France, since I’ve already lived there, was able to manage even though my French is real bad, and generally liked it; no experience with Portugal and you’ll take me to Morocco… to be buried, maybe, but I’m not even interested in visiting it (bad experiences with Moroccan coworkers and the country in general doesn’t have the best sociopolitical reputation). Worldwide: Italy, or go to the other end of the world and make it New Zealand. **Frodo** , want me to page **Ale** , since you seem to be so keen on getting warmed up? ETA: I’ve been a resident of the US, but I wasn’t a permanent resident. I lived there for a total of five years (4+1). I’ve been a temporary resident of several other countries (as in, “enough time there than in theory I should register at my consulate, working there”) but I’ve only been a resident-for-tax-purposes of Spain and the US. ---
**Author:** ![otternell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecc23a/32.png) [@otternell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/otternell)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/13 "2010-01-15T15:43:13Z")
US here and Canada by a landslide. (That’s actually why I started a thread a couple of months ago asking Canadians about what makes Canada great.) And the husband would totally agree, hell we both already want to move to Canada. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/14 "2010-01-15T15:44:44Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > **Frodo** , want me to page **Ale** , since you seem to be so keen on getting warmed up?. Just the poster I was thinking of when I wrote that. On the one hand I could have been more polite in my reasoning (“we share many cultural characteristics”) or some such. On the other hand I’ve heard that you are not a real Doper until you have been Pitted… On the gripping hand Uruguary really _IS_ Argentina lite… ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/15 "2010-01-15T15:48:36Z")
I live in Israel… You’re kidding, right…? 😃 OK, if I **have** to choose a neighboring, contiguous country – I guess it would pretty much have to be Egypt, as bad as that would be. In all of the world? (US is excluded as I’ve lived there) – Either the UK or Canada. ---
**Author:** ![Ludy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Ludy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludy)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/16 "2010-01-15T15:57:02Z")
Well I live in Canada now so… Hmm tough choice but I’ll have to go with the US. Although I will curse your health care every second I am there. ---
**Author:** ![kenner116](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecb155/32.png) [@kenner116](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenner116)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/17 "2010-01-15T15:57:27Z")
Canada. I’ve only been to Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes, but I’d probably head out to the Vancouver area. I wouldn’t mind living in Mexico. My only time there was for about 30 minutes in Juarez. I would avoid that and go somewhere on the Pacific coast. Cuba would probably be last, though Haiti might have been my choice if it wasn’t disqualified. First choices in the world would be Canada, Australia or the UK. There are too many last choices in the world to choose from. North Korea or the Gambia, perhaps. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/18 "2010-01-15T16:02:24Z")
> [@Oredigger77](#): > > I expect that my answer will be different then most other Americans. I’d move to Mexico before I moved to Canada. I hate winter and there is no way I’m living that far north. I think I could be completely content in Southern Mexico living by the ocean and being warm year round. Preach it! Since Cuba is the closest island choice, Mexico it is! First choice: Ireland or Italy (family in both)… or wait, Greece. I CAN’T DECIDE! Last: Saudi Arabia ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/19 "2010-01-15T16:07:25Z")
Well, I’m in the US, so it’s pretty much Canada for me. Your basic “I want to be a defiant expatriate, but I want to live where there’s plumbing, telecom infrastructure, and I can still speak English.” That, and the whole “not getting killed by cartels” bit. As for the “anywhere in the world” bonus, I’m going to choose the dark horse and say the Marshall Islands…[one of them in particular](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bikini_Atoll#The_island_today). Perfectly nice place, aside from some minor issues! Last choice? Ah…either North Korea, or almost any place ending with “-stan.” Although to their credit, I don’t think a lot of the “-stans” have [_actual concentration camps_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_concentration_and_internment_camps#North_Korea). :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/20 "2010-01-15T16:13:51Z")
> [@Noone\_Special](#): > > I live in Israel… You’re kidding, right…? 😃 > > OK, if I **have** to choose a neighboring, contiguous country – I guess it would pretty much have to be Egypt, as bad as that would be. I’m slightly surprised - I thought Jordan had the somewhat better government, and better relations with Israel. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076.md?page=2)