Where am I supposed to live?

[kareemt]

I'm a 17 year-old Syrian refugee, I currently live in Saudi Arabia where I'm not a citizen and nor can be. Here in SA, I almost can do nothing because I'm not a citizen, I cannot own a home - I should rent, I cannot own a business - I should partner with a Saudi individual, even living here requires having a sponsor (a Saudi guy/institution who is responsible for taking care of you, your licenses and your living/working permits). So, I'm planning to move.

I'm only 3 months away from completing high school, and I'm wondering, where am I supposed to go to pursue my studies and reside after I'm done? If I had to choose, I probably would go for the US. First, because I'm more familiar with the language and the culture than with any other country, and second, I find that it is one of the best enviroments for business, I've heard of many international students who have succeeded with their businesses in there. Note that for the US, I'm gambling on getting a scholarship, I'm not - at the moment - ready to pay $20k+ a year plus living expenses.

Europe is my plan B, specificly Germany, the tuition there barely reaches a thousand euros a year for almost all universities, but I find it challenging to learn the language and the culture from zero, and even if I did, I still don't prefer to live in a non-native English speaking country.

The problem also with the US is whether I'm welcomed there, and if yes, what about my family? From what I've seen, many students aren't allowed to live there after they complete their studies, it's hard to get a PR in the US when compared to other countries - say Germany, and I guess the same goes for Canada and other English-speaking countries.

I know for sure that I'm going to make it wherever I go, but I think that this decision is going to affect me a lot, that's why I'm sharing this.

I would appreciate any help from you guys!

Edit: I might have used the term "refugee" wrong, I went out from Syria because of the war, but I'm living a decent life and I have a temporary renewable residence permit here in SA.

 

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[Vigilante]

I'm a 17 year-old Syrian refugee, I currently live in Saudi Arabia where I'm not a citizen and nor can be. Here in SA, I almost can do nothing because I'm not a citizen, I cannot own a home - I should rent, I cannot own a business - I should partner with a Saudi individual, even living here requires having a sponsor (a Saudi guy/institution who is responsible for taking care of you, your licenses and your living/working permits). So, I'm planning to move.

I'm only 3 months away from completing high school, and I'm wondering, where am I supposed to go to pursue my studies and reside after I'm done? If I had to choose, I probably would go for the US. First, because I'm more familiar with the language and the culture than with any other country, and second, I find that it is one of the best enviroments for business, I've heard of many international students who have succeeded with their businesses in there. Note that for the US, I'm gambling on getting a scholarship, I'm not - at the moment - ready to pay $20k+ a year plus living expenses.

Europe is my plan B, specificly Germany, the tuition there barely reaches a thousand euros a year for almost all universities, but I find it challenging to learn the language and the culture from zero, and even if I did, I still don't prefer to live in a non-native English speaking country.

The problem also with the US is whether I'm welcomed there, and if yes, what about my family? From what I've seen, many students aren't allowed to live there after they complete their studies, it's hard to get a PR in the US when compared to other countries - say Germany, and I guess the same goes for Canada and other English-speaking countries.

I know for sure that I'm going to make it wherever I go, but I think that this decision is going to affect me a lot, that's why I'm sharing this.

I would appreciate any help from you guys!

Kareemt - I will be watching to see what you decide. How did you end up here at the forum?

 

[kareemt]

Kareemt - I will be watching to see what you decide. How did you end up here at the forum?

I'm currently reading MJ's book "The Millionaire Fastlane " and I've seen him mentioning posts from this forum several times, so I've decided why not be a part of it.

 

[Vigilante]

I'm currently reading MJ's book "The Millionaire Fastlane " and I've seen him mentioning posts from this forum several times, so I've decided why not be a part of it.

@MJ DeMarco

 

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[Alxander]

You're young, so you'd have to optimize a place for networking and education..
A place like Dubai would probably be too early in your journey.

I personally grew up in Europe, then moved to the US after finishing college, and now staying outside of the US for a few years.

This was nice as I went to a cheap community college to learn programming.
You don't need to know the native language in a lot of European countries, but it will still be helpful of course.

IMO the most important thing for you to do is choose a profession that will still be around with all the progress that's happening in AI and that is also location independent.

I wouldn't live in the US unless you can get an O1 visa through raising money with a startup.

You should focus on getting a strong passport, so Canada/Germany would probably be best.
But Canada is probably best as it is English speaking, so either Toronto or Vancouver would be good.

This will also allow you to stay up to 6 months in the US and you also won't be taxed based on citizenship like if you would get US citizenship, so if you decide to leave Canada you can just cut your tax ties and still enjoy your Canadian citizenship.

So unless you can get a scholarship in a European country, I'd aim for Canada, study and work there for a few years and then head to Dubai, Singapore etc. for more freedom in business and taxes.

Europe seems more unstable than North America at the moment.

 

[Kevin88660]

I'm a 17 year-old Syrian refugee, I currently live in Saudi Arabia where I'm not a citizen and nor can be. Here in SA, I almost can do nothing because I'm not a citizen, I cannot own a home - I should rent, I cannot own a business - I should partner with a Saudi individual, even living here requires having a sponsor (a Saudi guy/institution who is responsible for taking care of you, your licenses and your living/working permits). So, I'm planning to move.

I'm only 3 months away from completing high school, and I'm wondering, where am I supposed to go to pursue my studies and reside after I'm done? If I had to choose, I probably would go for the US. First, because I'm more familiar with the language and the culture than with any other country, and second, I find that it is one of the best enviroments for business, I've heard of many international students who have succeeded with their businesses in there. Note that for the US, I'm gambling on getting a scholarship, I'm not - at the moment - ready to pay $20k+ a year plus living expenses.

Europe is my plan B, specificly Germany, the tuition there barely reaches a thousand euros a year for almost all universities, but I find it challenging to learn the language and the culture from zero, and even if I did, I still don't prefer to live in a non-native English speaking country.

The problem also with the US is whether I'm welcomed there, and if yes, what about my family? From what I've seen, many students aren't allowed to live there after they complete their studies, it's hard to get a PR in the US when compared to other countries - say Germany, and I guess the same goes for Canada and other English-speaking countries.

I know for sure that I'm going to make it wherever I go, but I think that this decision is going to affect me a lot, that's why I'm sharing this.

I would appreciate any help from you guys!

Edit: I might have used the term "refugee" wrong, I went out from Syria because of the war, but I'm living a decent life and I have a temporary renewable residence permit here in SA.

Are you allowed to do anything to make money in S.A.?

Is plan B guaranteed that if you want to go to Germany to study you will arrive there?

Do you have a plan C to study in S.A.?

 

[piano]

I'm a 17 year-old Syrian refugee, I currently live in Saudi Arabia where I'm not a citizen and nor can be. Here in SA, I almost can do nothing because I'm not a citizen, I cannot own a home - I should rent, I cannot own a business - I should partner with a Saudi individual, even living here requires having a sponsor (a Saudi guy/institution who is responsible for taking care of you, your licenses and your living/working permits). So, I'm planning to move.

I'm only 3 months away from completing high school, and I'm wondering, where am I supposed to go to pursue my studies and reside after I'm done? If I had to choose, I probably would go for the US. First, because I'm more familiar with the language and the culture than with any other country, and second, I find that it is one of the best enviroments for business, I've heard of many international students who have succeeded with their businesses in there. Note that for the US, I'm gambling on getting a scholarship, I'm not - at the moment - ready to pay $20k+ a year plus living expenses.

Europe is my plan B, specificly Germany, the tuition there barely reaches a thousand euros a year for almost all universities, but I find it challenging to learn the language and the culture from zero, and even if I did, I still don't prefer to live in a non-native English speaking country.

The problem also with the US is whether I'm welcomed there, and if yes, what about my family? From what I've seen, many students aren't allowed to live there after they complete their studies, it's hard to get a PR in the US when compared to other countries - say Germany, and I guess the same goes for Canada and other English-speaking countries.

I know for sure that I'm going to make it wherever I go, but I think that this decision is going to affect me a lot, that's why I'm sharing this.

I would appreciate any help from you guys!

Edit: I might have used the term "refugee" wrong, I went out from Syria because of the war, but I'm living a decent life and I have a temporary renewable residence permit here in SA.

Heya!
First of all, respect for what you're doing despite your challenges!

I live in Germany and can't speak for the USA but will tell you what I think about Germany:

Will you get accepted socially?
-Yesn't. It's kind of like wokeness when it comes to refugees and (specifically brown/black/Turkish-ish/Middle-eastern) foreigners. Socially everybody says that it's okay yada yada but many don't actually think so.

After the 2015 refugee crysis there were many tragic incidents. You'd hear about terror attacks regularly. I remember being scared to shit as a little child, literally fearing death from the fear of it happening to myself.
And that formed the (sometimes subconscious) bias/fear of islamic/middle-eastern/African refugees.
And then you have to consider that when everybody has that bias, it affects the refugees directly because they are having a harder time and get an identity assigned.

Oh and there is also the theory that the German media literally sweeps German crimes under the rug and only highlights the crimes of refugees.

How will you learn the language?
-German is actually very similar to English, well, it originates from German tbf...
The grammar is quite the clusterfuck and the conjugation could be quite tough, although it's really not that hard. If you are really good at English, you should be able to learn German somehow.

Will you get accepted into Germany?
-I honestly have no clue since I don't follow politics, you'd have to find out yourself

How are the business opportunities?
-Ehh, I don't know much either, but I'd say that Germany has a high status and the paperwork is genuinely disgusting. It's much more strict I think and not as consumy as the USA.


If you decide to go to Germany, please stay humble and don't act like an idiot (aka act like everybody else in public, don't put your feet on train seats, don't smoke in trains, etc. ). This will not only help us see you as a respectable person but you'll also greatly benefit from not being looked at like "one of these refugees again".

 

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[kareemt]

You're young, so you'd have to optimize a place for networking and education..
A place like Dubai would probably be too early in your journey.

I personally grew up in Europe, then moved to the US after finishing college, and now staying outside of the US for a few years.

This was nice as I went to a cheap community college to learn programming.
You don't need to know the native language in a lot of European countries, but it will still be helpful of course.

IMO the most important thing for you to do is choose a profession that will still be around with all the progress that's happening in AI and that is also location independent.

I wouldn't live in the US unless you can get an O1 visa through raising money with a startup.

You should focus on getting a strong passport, so Canada/Germany would probably be best.
But Canada is probably best as it is English speaking, so either Toronto or Vancouver would be good.

This will also allow you to stay up to 6 months in the US and you also won't be taxed based on citizenship like if you would get US citizenship, so if you decide to leave Canada you can just cut your tax ties and still enjoy your Canadian citizenship.

So unless you can get a scholarship in a European country, I'd aim for Canada, study and work there for a few years and then head to Dubai, Singapore etc. for more freedom in business and taxes.

Europe seems more unstable than North America at the moment.

I was aiming for an F1 visa, I've just searched the O1 visa and I don't know if I will be eligible for it as it requires extraordinary expertise in your field.

Yeah that's the plan, I can work a bit harder to get accepted in the US and I actually would love to, but I want to spend these 4 years of studying in a country that I will live in after I finish my studies.

I actually also forgot to mention that I have relatives in both Germany and the US and they're now legal citizens, I don't know if that would change anything.

I might choose Canada after the states, as it offers more options for those who are seeking staying, but I think it's a bit more expensive and is hard to get accepted for a scholarship, that's what an IDP counselor told me.

 

[kareemt]

Are you allowed to do anything to make money in S.A.?

Is plan B guaranteed that if you want to go to Germany to study you will arrive there?

Do you have a plan C to study in S.A.?

Yes, besides working on my own, I can get a normal job.

Nothing is a 100% guaranteed, but I know ordinary people who are getting accepted there.

Actually yeah, I've took several exams that are required here, and at any moment, I can just apply for an SA universitiy.

 

[kareemt]

Heya!
First of all, respect for what you're doing despite your challenges!

I live in Germany and can't speak for the USA but will tell you what I think about Germany:

Will you get accepted socially?
-Yesn't. It's kind of like wokeness when it comes to refugees and (specifically brown/black/Turkish-ish/Middle-eastern) foreigners. Socially everybody says that it's okay yada yada but many don't actually think so.

After the 2015 refugee crysis there were many tragic incidents. You'd hear about terror attacks regularly. I remember being scared to shit as a little child, literally fearing death from the fear of it happening to myself.
And that formed the (sometimes subconscious) bias/fear of islamic/middle-eastern/African refugees.
And then you have to consider that when everybody has that bias, it affects the refugees directly because they are having a harder time and get an identity assigned.

Oh and there is also the theory that the German media literally sweeps German crimes under the rug and only highlights the crimes of refugees.

How will you learn the language?
-German is actually very similar to English, well, it originates from German tbf...
The grammar is quite the clusterfuck and the conjugation could be quite tough, although it's really not that hard. If you are really good at English, you should be able to learn German somehow.

Will you get accepted into Germany?
-I honestly have no clue since I don't follow politics, you'd have to find out yourself

How are the business opportunities?
-Ehh, I don't know much either, but I'd say that Germany has a high status and the paperwork is genuinely disgusting. It's much more strict I think and not as consumy as the USA.


If you decide to go to Germany, please stay humble and don't act like an idiot (aka act like everybody else in public, don't put your feet on train seats, don't smoke in trains, etc. ). This will not only help us see you as a respectable person but you'll also greatly benefit from not being looked at like "one of these refugees again".

That's bad to hear, I was a child back then and I can only remember the photos of corpses found near the coast that went everywhere on the media.

I've heard that many universities in Germany teach CS courses in English even to German students, but even if that was the case, I still want to deeply understand the culture and the people there to communicate effectively and to be able to provide a viable value for them, I'm not sure how fast I'm going to reach that understanding, which is also the major reason why I would prefer English-speaking countries.

Yep, nothing beats the states' market.

Sure.

 

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[Alxander]

I was aiming for an F1 visa, I've just searched the O1 visa and I don't know if I will be eligible for it as it requires extraordinary expertise in your field.

Yeah that's the plan, I can work a bit harder to get accepted in the US and I actually would love to, but I want to spend these 4 years of studying in a country that I will live in after I finish my studies.

I actually also forgot to mention that I have relatives in both Germany and the US and they're now legal citizens, I don't know if that would change anything.

I might choose Canada after the states, as it offers more options for those who are seeking staying, but I think it's a bit more expensive and is hard to get accepted for a scholarship, that's what an IDP counselor told me.

Unless you are going to become a doctor or lawyer, I wouldn't really go the college route, even though a scholarship would be nice, IMO you would be studying for the sake of getting a visa.

With Canada, you can just get a normal job and obtain a visa, then get citizenship in like 5 years or so, from what I know this is closer to 8-10 years with the US. Due to the recent tech lay off, a lot of H1-B programmers had to leave the US as they can't renew their visa. If a similar situation would happen to you (finished college, cant find a job), you would be left with a weaker passport.
Even tech CEOs have a hard time getting a visa sometimes, the O1 visa that I recommended is for if you have a valuable business and can show you are the only one able to do the job, so it needs to be a niche startup, but most venture-backed startups would qualify (don't worry "outstanding ability" sounds less scary than it is)

The US route is just a lot harder (think they recently made the E-2 visa more difficult to get also) and that's why a lot of immigrants choose Canada as in-between step towards the US and I would recommend you to do the same, unless you'd already have a scholarship ready.
Having US relatives would be helpful to vouch for you visa application, but it's not enough to get you in that quickly, they might be able to hire you but it still won't be easy.

If you do really want to go with the US (def already apply for the green card lottery), go to a place like Texas or Florida for lower costs. I wouldn't worry about Canada being too expensive, shouldn't be more expensive than California or New York.