# 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:** 2
**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, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/21 "2010-01-15T16:16:02Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > 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! Heh - I lived in the Marshall Islands for a year as a kid. Kwajalein, though, not Bikini Atoll. Clearest memory I have is the police warning people to stay the hell indoors during a tropical storm, for fear of falling coconuts. (I swear to Ford I’m not making this up.) ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/22 "2010-01-15T16:16:55Z")
Mexico. Canada is COLD. ---
**Author:** ![Driver8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Driver8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Driver8)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/23 "2010-01-15T16:22:07Z")
I’m currently a United States permanent resident, so based on that I’d pick Canada. If I was still living in South Africa and had to move to a neighboring country I would pick Botswana. It is one of the most successful nations in the region and there is a good chance I would do well there. That said I would be sad, because I suspect my software development career opportunities would be far more limited than Cape Town or Johannesburg. For world-wide best I can’t decide between the United States or one of the Scandinavian countries (based on my experience visiting Sweden). I really do enjoy living in the US, and its size and variety has made it a joy to travel in. That said Sweden’s proximity to Europe would give it a similar benefit. I got a really good vibe from Sweden, both from a cultural and a regular office working environment point of view. I think I would enjoy living in one of their larger cities. For world-wide worst I would start with one of the failed states where simply staying alive would be a challenge, and work my way up largely due to economic and security considerations. I have to admit that outside of that much of the Middle East looks extremely unappealing, even the more modern cities such as Dubai. ---
**Author:** ![Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bambi_Hassenpfeffer)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/24 "2010-01-15T16:30:49Z")
Gulf coast of Mexico. I can speak Spanish and the climate is basically the same as here (Gulf coast of Florida). I’ve been there a couple of times and I always make a point of going out of the tourist areas when I’m on vacation – and I could definitely make it work in Mexico. Canada is too damn cold and I’ve never lived anywhere where it routinely goes below 35ish (last couple weeks notwithstanding). ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/25 "2010-01-15T16:32:26Z")
Well, I’m an American, and my pick is Mexico. I like it and I have family there. From a practical standpoint, Canada would be easier because my English is, um, a lot better than my Spanish, plus I live about 40 miles from the border, but I think I would prefer Mexico anyway. I’d live in Coyoacan, Mexico City in a heartbeat. For worldwide, I’ll probably be the only person with this answer: (The Former Yugoslav Republic of) Macedonia. I have a fantasy of retiring in Ohrid, MK already, and I speak the language. Where would I LEAST live to live? I dunno. Myanmar or North Korea are pretty much tied at the bottom. Or Somalia. ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/26 "2010-01-15T16:34:45Z")
> [@Darth\_Sensitive](#): > > Mexico. Canada is COLD. Same here. I think I could be perfectly happy in some small beach town. But if I was forced to live Mexico City or Juarez or some piss hole, I’d grudgingly go up to Canada. Not that I don’t like Canada; I’m sure it’s quite lovely. But I really don’t like cold weather. It triggers SAD in me big time. First choice (anywhere): New Zealand, tied with Italy. Dead last choice: Afghanistan. Being a female and an atheist. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/27 "2010-01-15T16:39:16Z")
Canada works (Vancouver or Victoria would be my location choices). I might go for Bermuda or the Bahamas instead (the closest islands representing other nations to the US). Not sure if the OP would allow these under the rules. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/28 "2010-01-15T16:43:25Z")
Well, I’m from the USA and have lived permanently in both Canada and Mexico, so I guess I’m kind of unable to make a choice at all. Oh, closest island being Cuba, so that’s a non-starter right there. Unless… I guess I could pick Greenland (and by extension Denmark?), since I’ve lived in Canada? Does Russia count as long as the ice cap is frozne? Or Belize or Guatamala because I’ve lived in Mexico? Anywhere in the world? Still haven’t seen enough of it to make a final decision. Maybe stay in the USA, or Mexico, or Belgium. > [@Oredigger77](#): > > I expect that my answer will be different then most other Americans. I’d move to Mexico before I moved to Canada. I’d back you on this. Canadian people are nice, but I detested living in Ontario. Fantastic place to visit, go camping, eat, go to theatre, and generally just be for durations of a month or less, but living there and observing the nanny-government rules in _every_ aspect of daily life was frightening. (Yeah, yeah, I’m a paranoid wannabe militia member right-wing nut case idiot just because I don’t appreciate that type of government.) Mexico on the other hand is very free. I like it. > [@Ranchoth](#): > > 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. Mexico has plumbing, public potable water, a world-class telecom infrastructure, and you only get killed by cartels if you go to the wrong places (and you only get killed by gangs in Detroit if you go to the wrong places). English, though, will drive you crazy unless you settle in an expat community like Lake Chapala or San Miguel de Allende. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/29 "2010-01-15T16:48:25Z")
I’m in Canada and I would pick Greenland or Iceland if that’s allowed. While I travel and visit the US all the time I wouldn’t want to live there - the politics and religion are too intense for me. Also, I’m not bothered by snowy weather. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/30 "2010-01-15T16:52:21Z")
I’d love to live in Canada. This probably wouldn’t please my Miguel, who would prefer Mexico and loathes cold weather. Eh, he can go to Mexico. I’m goin’ to Canada! ---
**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:** [January 15, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/31 "2010-01-15T16:54:49Z")
I have lived in several countries so for each: US: I’d move to Canada for fairly obvious reasons. It is a modern, safe, developed country quite similar to the US whereas Mexico has numerous problems with lawlessness. Czech Republic: I’d move to Germany as the day-to-day costs of most things are similar, but the standards of such things are higher. UAE: I’d move to Oman. Nicer scenery and a similar level of development, security and standard of living. Republic of Georgia: I’d move to Turkey. No question: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia are a mess. New Zealand: I’d move to Australia… no other reasonable choice really. Thailand: I’d move to Malaysia… since Burma, Laos and Cambodia are very good options and Malaysia is actually a nicer place to live than Thailand in many ways. ---
**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:** [January 15, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/32 "2010-01-15T16:58:38Z")
> [@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. > > In all of the world? (US is excluded as I’ve lived there) – Either the UK or Canada. I am surprised at this (having been to your neighbors). Jordan would be a much nicer place I think. Lebanon is beautiful, but just too unstable. ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/33 "2010-01-15T17:04:08Z")
U.S. citizen — I would choose Mexico. (1) Better weather, and (2) it is not Canada, which is pretty insipid, outside of Montreal. Also Spanish is much more fun to speak than Canadian English. I’ve been to the T.O., Montreal, and while I’ve not been to Mexico, I have been to Central America (Costa Rica). None of these were extended journeys. Worldwide: First choice(s): Brazil, Uruguay, or Argentina Last choice(s): Excluding war zones and sites of catstrophes, Eastern Europe (except maybe Russia), Siberia/Russian Far East (except maybe the Russian Pacific Coast), Central Asia ---
**Author:** ![Svejk\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/34 "2010-01-15T17:17:59Z")
I’m Dutch, so I’d get to pick between Germany and Belgium. Germany wins hands down - I’d move to Berlin without batting an eyelid. Belgium is a third-world country. Seeing as I’m living in Canada now, though, it would have to be the US, which is in fact something that like to give a shot someday. Worldwide, I would want to live in Eastern Europe - Prague, or Budapest, or I’d move to Spain. I’d be interested in places in South-East Asia, the Middle East and Latin America as well, but I don’t feel exactly drawn to anyplace in Africa. Last on the list would be Eritrea. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/35 "2010-01-15T17:19:27Z")
Hmm, Canada or Mexico… On one hand, Mexico’s crime-ridden, corrupt, I can’t speak the language, I don’t know the culture, and isn’t as free as I’d like it… On the other hand, Canada’s really cold and I HATE the cold… Damn, this is a hard decision, I really really can’t stand the cold. ---
**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, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/36 "2010-01-15T17:43:43Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > I’m slightly surprised - I thought Jordan had the somewhat better government, > [@Desert\_Nomad](#): > > I am surprised at this (having been to your neighbors). Jordan would be a much nicer place I think Maybe… used to be the case, but Jordan’s is losing some control, and Egypt is gaining a bit. IMHO. > [@Mr. Excellent](#): > > … and better relations with Israel. Both are bad enough I’ll probably be using my American passport… :eek: Tipping point for me is Egypt has a lot more touristy things to see. Jordan just about has Petra; Egypt… where to begin? 🙂 [QUOTE=Desert Nomad] Lebanon is beautiful, but just too unstable. [/QUOTE] Aye, that **would** definitely had been my first choice, if I thought there were anything like a chance of going through the next decade or so without Hizballah picking another fight with us and getting the snot beaten out of Lebanon (again) as a result. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/37 "2010-01-15T17:55:23Z")
> [@Desert\_Nomad](#): > > I am surprised at this (having been to your neighbors). Jordan would be a much nicer place I think. Lebanon is beautiful, but just too unstable. There’s how good a country is objectively, and how good it would be for _us_. Jordan is supposed to be a decent country, and the Hashemites are definitely the most decent, competent rulers in the Arab world, but it also has a very large Palestinian population that may be a bit hostile toward Israeli refugees. Egypt, OTOH, is a huge, cosmopolitan country that with some luck, we could manage to sort of “disappear” in. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/38 "2010-01-15T18:07:33Z")
Canada. It’s not like we USers have much of a choice. (I would have picked Canada anyway.) ---
**Author:** ![Teacake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Teacake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teacake)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/39 "2010-01-15T18:18:08Z")
Out of interest, how many of the people here (many of the same posters with strong anti-Cuban opinions in the thread about Cuban cigars in GQ) have actually been to Cuba? My neighbouring country - probably France. It’s nice, interesting, cheap, has good food, and I can get by with the language already. Anywhere in the world - Sicily, the far south of Italy, Berlin, or Cuba. ---
**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, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076/40 "2010-01-15T18:44:26Z")
> [@Svejk\_1](#): > > Belgium is a third-world country. How do you figure? The UNDP’s Human Development Index ranks Belgium 17th worldwide. That’s only a few spots shy of the US, and above Germany and the UK. See: [Data Center | Human Development Reports](http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-to-leave-your-country-which-of-your-neighbor-nations-would-you-choose/525076.md?page=3)