The Entrepreneur Forum | Financial Freedom | Starting a Business | Motivation | Money | Success

Welcome to the only entrepreneur forum dedicated to building life-changing wealth.

Build a Fastlane business. Earn real financial freedom. Join free.

Join over 80,000 entrepreneurs who have rejected the paradigm of mediocrity and said "NO!" to underpaid jobs, ascetic frugality, and suffocating savings rituals— learn how to build a Fastlane business that pays both freedom and lifestyle affluence.

Free registration at the forum removes this block.

What Countries and Places Offer the Best Life Quality?

Contrarian

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
583%
Nov 13, 2014
284
1,656
38
Jalisco, Mexico
Sounds like a lot of places in southern Spain then.

Never been to Spain (I must fix that...), but yeah that's the impression I get too.


MTF said:
Except for the Canary Islands, there's no place in Europe that doesn't get cold at least in the mornings and at night in winter. In the warmest areas of the Canary Islands minimum temperatures usually don't go below 13-15 C.

In pretty much any other otherwise warm place in Europe minimums usually go below 10 C, sometimes even down to 5 C. If you live in a place without heating, winter can be a nightmare because while days are pretty warm, you're freezing in the morning and evening.

Brrr, you're telling me. The usual Jan/Feb temps here are about 14-18C in the day and 9-13C at night. Last couple days we're having a cold snap of 10C/3C, which is like a nice winter's day in southern England. It's absolutely freezing in here. Blasting the heat out of the ACs just isn't the same as central heating.

It's often a warm-ish and pleasant day outside and cold in the house. Also you can feel the heat of the sun all year round, but the air's cold in winter. So when you're out and about, it's this strange deal where it can feel like t-shirt weather in the sun, but as soon as you're in the shade, you need layers and a jacket.

When I was looking at places in Cyprus though I noticed that central heating is fairly common. Not normal by any means, but probably 5-10% of apartments to rent seem to have it. It's unheard of here.

One odd thing about the climate here, which I assume is the same in Cyprus, is that there isn't much of a spring or autumn. It's blazing hot in the summer and cool/windy/rainy in the winter, and there's not much in-between time where it's just pleasant. Still beats the hell out of the north so I'm not complaining.

Long-term I'm thinking of something like spending most of the year in Cyprus, but spending winter in Panama City/Hong Kong/somewhere else cool with warmth and big city buzz. Could also do it the other way around and spend summers in Germany/NL. So many choices!

BTW, Panama could be one to add to your investigations. Very up and coming place. Might be too humid for your tastes though.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

MTF

Never give up
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
455%
May 1, 2011
7,560
34,430
Never been to Spain (I must fix that...), but yeah that's the impression I get too.

Despite its flaws, it's still probably my favorite country in Europe (maybe because I've been there so many times it almost feels like second home now). Just stay away from the most well-known resort towns (places like Benidorm, most of southern Tenerife, etc.).

So when you're out and about, it's this strange deal where it can feel like t-shirt weather in the sun, but as soon as you're in the shade, you need layers and a jacket.

Yeah, I remember climbing shirtless during the day in Spain and in the evening, sitting under a blanket, drinking hot tea, with an electric heater as close as possible to my body to stay warm.

Long-term I'm thinking of something like spending most of the year in Cyprus, but spending winter in Panama City/Hong Kong/somewhere else cool with warmth and big city buzz. Could also do it the other way around and spend summers in Germany/NL. So many choices!

Summers in northern Europe are glorious. Can't beat extremely long days (sunrise around 4-5 in the morning, sunset around 9-10 pm) with temperatures that are usually super pleasant. Sun is never as strong as in the subtropical/tropical countries, so that's also a plus as you don't have to put on tons of sunscreen or avoid sun in the middle of the day.

I'm still torn regarding my location, but I've realized that no place is perfect and the best choice is something what you're proposing, essentially splitting my time between two, or maybe three favorite places. Summers in temperate Europe, some shorter trips in the fall, winters in the Canary Islands or perhaps somewhere in the southern hemisphere, and spring either back in temperature Europe or maybe southern Europe.

I consider Europe slightly boring, but after traveling to other continents and some exotic countries, I've discovered that it's hard to beat Europe when it comes to comfort, infrastructure and a shared culture (while for example, I don't like Asia at all and always feel like a stranger there).

BTW, Panama could be one to add to your investigations. Very up and coming place. Might be too humid for your tastes though.

Yeah, too humid and cloudy.
 

Contrarian

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
583%
Nov 13, 2014
284
1,656
38
Jalisco, Mexico
I consider Europe slightly boring, but after traveling to other continents and some exotic countries, I've discovered that it's hard to beat Europe when it comes to comfort, infrastructure and a shared culture (while for example, I don't like Asia at all and always feel like a stranger there).

There's a lot to be said for the shared culture aspect as a long-term consideration. Besides the US, I've never yet traveled outside of Europe. However, whenever I go to NW Europe or the US, I feel like I belong there. Well, not in France, but in Germany/NL/Belgium etc. I'm not sure whether it is the shared culture, or the similar aesthetics to where I grew up, or both, but it feels instantly familiar.

I'll always be an outsider in Malta. I don't have a problem with that, but it's there. I don't get that feeling in somewhere like Germany, even though I don't speak German and they speak English here.

We're learning Greek before we move to Cyprus.
 

MTF

Never give up
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
455%
May 1, 2011
7,560
34,430
I'm not sure whether it is the shared culture, or the similar aesthetics to where I grew up, or both, but it feels instantly familiar.

Yeah it's interesting. It feels like there's a certain vibe of a place which is partly influenced by the culture and weather, but partly by other, less clear factors, too.

I feel very comfortable in countries like Spain or Italy. I felt comfortable in Greece and Cyprus, too, so perhaps it's about the entire Mediterranean region. I also felt like I belonged in Australia, but that's probably also because it's fairly similar to Europe culture-wise and because everybody assumed I was from there (that's always nice; I like places where I don't immediately stand out as a tourist).

For some reason Asian countries, even international cities like Bangkok, don't work for me. Different values, cuisine I can't stomach, introverted culture are probably all a factor. This by the way is funny, because I'm an introvert but I greatly prefer spending time in extroverted countries.

But for example, despite a completely different culture, I feel good in Muslim countries. I guess it's hard to tell where you'll feel like at home until you actually spend some time there.

We're learning Greek before we move to Cyprus.

Because of its history, most people speak great English there but Greek will definitely help. If I decide to spend more time in Cyprus I'll probably start learning Greek, too. Just keep in mind that their dialect is a bit different from regular Greek.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Chapas

Silver Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
278%
Nov 23, 2014
336
935
34
@Chapas how necessary is it to know the local language? My English is good, and I don't mind putting in the time to learn at least the ropes of the local language to make sure I don't have any problem with stuff like the local Police, Banks, Hospitals, the Government and the likes

It is difficult for me to say. Everytime I speak with someone here I ask if they know English or Russian. And it is always 50/50. In some cases they only speak the local language.

I think it is always a good idea to learn the local language. I do not find it difficult, but maybe because many words remind me of Russian words.

I still think you will get by with English here in the beginning. Young people do understand English mostly. There is an expat community here as well and a Facebook group called something like Expats of Montenegro.

Now you are looking at places in Eastern Europe, you should definitely check out Budapest. I lived their 3 times. Amazing city and a really international vibe. Also I do not think Romania is that bad. Met international people who lived in Cluj and they loved it.

Eastern Europe has so many gems. Maybe Croatia would be something for you as well. Only been there for 2 weeks but loved the place and the people.

Good luck on where ever you go!
 

Contrarian

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
583%
Nov 13, 2014
284
1,656
38
Jalisco, Mexico
Yeah it's interesting. It feels like there's a certain vibe of a place which is partly influenced by the culture and weather, but partly by other, less clear factors, too.

I feel very comfortable in countries like Spain or Italy. I felt comfortable in Greece and Cyprus, too, so perhaps it's about the entire Mediterranean region. I also felt like I belonged in Australia, but that's probably also because it's fairly similar to Europe culture-wise and because everybody assumed I was from there (that's always nice; I like places where I don't immediately stand out as a tourist).

For some reason Asian countries, even international cities like Bangkok, don't work for me. Different values, cuisine I can't stomach, introverted culture are probably all a factor. This by the way is funny, because I'm an introvert but I greatly prefer spending time in extroverted countries.

But for example, despite a completely different culture, I feel good in Muslim countries. I guess it's hard to tell where you'll feel like at home until you actually spend some time there.

Yeah it is. I didn't expect to like Germany. Thought it would be too orderly, too rules-obsessed, cold people, etc. Not somewhere I ever really planned on visiting. But I really enjoyed it there, and it had the opposite kind of vibe to what I expected.

It's cool that we have the opportunity to live like this now.

MTF said:
Because of its history, most people speak great English there but Greek will definitely help. If I decide to spend more time in Cyprus I'll probably start learning Greek, too. Just keep in mind that their dialect is a bit different from regular Greek.

The way I see it, it would be rude not to learn Greek. I don't mind living in Malta and not speaking Maltese because English is also an official language. Even some Maltese people prefer to speak English. With how it's become such an international place, the Maltese language will probably die out within a generation or two. Just like Welsh. Still, if I planned to stay here long-term I'd learn it.

Cyprus though...gotta learn Greek. There's a motorcycle group in Limassol and all these other cool things I want to join in with. Definitely don't want to be "that guy".
 

MTF

Never give up
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
455%
May 1, 2011
7,560
34,430
The way I see it, it would be rude not to learn Greek. I don't mind living in Malta and not speaking Maltese because English is also an official language.

Definitely, that's what I think as well.

Still, Cyprus is an interesting case because English was the sole official language until the 1960s but remained de facto official language until late 80s. Many road signs, ads, etc. are still in English and approximately 70-80% of Cypriots speak English. It's actually one of the top 5 countries in the world when it comes to the percentage of population speaking it as a second language, so I guess you can't really be "that guy" there as it's super common for people to use English every day.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.
G

GuestUser4aMPs1

Guest
Just made my way down to a small country in the Balkans by the Adriatic Sea called Montenegro. Plan is to stay here for 3 months and launch my own digital agency. Will keep you updated of the life quality here. So far this is what I have heard and read beforehand, and what I have experienced in my 2-3 days here.

Low Cost of Living: This is a relatively young country (only 12 years), so it is still developing and is not a part of the EU yet - even though they plan to join within 5-10 years. Right now we are renting an apartment in a huge house owned by a very nice and successful Montenegrin family for 300 dollars a month. In a very nice area. From what I heard you can get your own seaview apartment for 400-500 dollars if you sign a year-long lease. Groceries are cheap, eating out is cheap, public transport is cheap. Not aware of all the prices yet, but compared to other places I have lived and visited in Europe, this is by far the cheapest.

Weather: Today it was 15 degrees celsius. We sat by the beach without jackets on. So amazing to see enjoy the winter sun. In the summer the weather should be around 30/35 degrees celsius. The locals says it tends to rain heavily in the winter though, however, so far we have only experienced that when we arrived on the first day. But the more it rains, the more productive I get, so I can live with that haha.

Nature: The nature is amazing. Just google some pictures and you will see for yourselves. It is just like Switzerland. The only difference is that it is by the coast and it is 10 times cheaper. Cannot wait to experience the beauty of this country.

People: Everyone I have met so far has been very helpful and friendly. English is not widely spoken by the older generation, however, all younger people I have encountered so far have spoken great english.

Low Crime: This is just from what I have been told by the family we rent our apartment from. The crime level should be very low, and so far I have felt safe everywhere I have walked. Corruption is everywhere in Eastern Europe, however, as far as I know it is on a very low level here.

Low Taxes: Compared to where I grew up in Denmark (40 % income tax), the tax in Montenegro is only around 11 %. Furthermore, it is very cheap and easy to start your own business here and once you have done it you can get a business residency in the country, which means you will not be needing any visa to stay here - and you can bring your family with you. This is something I will look more into during my time here, and keep you updated about the law on this subject, if anyone is interested.

Investment Opportunities: Montenegro is still somehow undiscovered - especially by the western world. There are a lot of Russians here, and many of them have already invested in the country. There are a lot of foreign investments happening in the major coastal cities of the country, and I believe it is just a matter of 5-10 years before the prices will rise and the country will develop like the neighbouring Croatia. Especially if Montenegro gets accepted into the EU.

So far, this is all I know about this little hidden gem. I will keep you guys updated during my time here!

Thank you for talking about this country. You've found a gem.

One quick Airbnb search later in Bar and I could not BELIEVE what you could get for $500/mo...

Huge Windows, in a Huge House, with a Huge desk.

That said...the query was for April. Probably still cold and wet.

When's a good time to visit @Chapas? Is everything dead there right now?
I figured it'd pick up in the summer months...this listing specifically shot up to $2k/mo in June.

f5a5fb0f-7360-4f40-8377-268ce00dbda2.jpg 81e8081b-8f97-4a68-8747-5941caa2cd5d.jpg fb091db6-f088-41ab-a823-e5a8b6a3e338.jpg 0a4932f7-165b-471a-b421-a04e52bf9b62.jpg
 

Longinus

Platinum Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
441%
Aug 28, 2014
1,132
4,995
Poland / Belgium
Thank you for talking about this country. You've found a gem.

One quick Airbnb search later in Bar and I could not BELIEVE what you could get for $500/mo...

Huge Windows, in a Huge House, with a Huge desk.

That said...the query was for April. Probably still cold and wet.

When's a good time to visit @Chapas? Is everything dead there right now?
I figured it'd pick up in the summer months...this listing specifically shot up to $2k/mo in June.

View attachment 23199 View attachment 23200 View attachment 23201 View attachment 23202

I'm not Chapas, but I've been there in the Summer months. Actually, Summer starts there in May, just like the tourist season. It's packed in July-August with mostly Serbian and Russian tourists. You must find better, cheaper deals than that btw. And if you want more fun, go to Budva.

April is ok to be in Bar, May is much better though. Check this out:

upload_2019-1-7_7-0-50.png
upload_2019-1-7_7-1-7.png

Also good to know: Montenegro has 2 airports: Tivat and Podgorica. Public transport is a bitch, better take a taxi or rent a car. Roads are small, speed limit is 80 km/h for the entire country. Highways don't exist. It's not unusual to spend 2 hours on a 100 km trip.
 
Last edited:

Contrarian

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
583%
Nov 13, 2014
284
1,656
38
Jalisco, Mexico
So, the Europe wins? :D

Depends what your priorities are.

If I was an employed professional I'd much rather live in the USA than anywhere in Europe. When I was doing international recruitment I frequently found things like a 25 year old sales rep in the US earning more money than the UK Sales Director managing a team of 30 people...at the same corporation.

I can only imagine how shitty the slowlane is in less wealthy European countries.
 

Arek Skubida

New Contributor
Read Fastlane!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
113%
Dec 3, 2018
8
9
Depends what your priorities are.

If I was an employed professional I'd much rather live in the USA than anywhere in Europe. When I was doing international recruitment I frequently found things like a 25 year old sales rep in the US earning more money than the UK Sales Director managing a team of 30 people...at the same corporation.

I can only imagine how sh*tty the slowlane is in less wealthy European countries.

It is horribly shitty - that I can tell you.

The best place to live - it depends what you're looking for.

I like Poland very much. It's a central european country, mostly white, west culture mixed with east culture - very special and unique combination. You have mountains and sea, lakes and forests - everything 200-400 km from Warsaw. Life is cheap expespecially for those with Western wages (similar to Montenegro). Beautifull women. A good place to live with a family. Warsaw lays right between Washington and Beijing. You can go to the Mediterrean, to Russia, to France/UK/Spain, Africa, Turkey, Asia and other places relatively quickly.

You have four seasons: winter, spring, summer and autumn. Temperatures from -30 to + 40, but usually -10 to 30.

Regarding culture there is a joke: Man from Paris got on a train to Moscow and the Man from Moscow - to Paris. Their trains stopped in Warsaw - they both thought that they've arrived.
 

BlueMoon

Bronze Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
287%
Jun 3, 2018
38
109
Earth
I haven't done any research on places that would fit my criteria but always love the idea of moving to a new place, a new start, and a new beginning with my family.

Edit: I'd love for the people living in Netherlands to chime in because that's a country that both my wife and I enjoyed of visiting and heard so many great things about regarding family.
I'm from the Netherlands, born and raised. Have lived in numerous cities and have been living in Amsterdam for the last two years. If you have any specific questions feel free to PM me.

Ideally I would combine living in Amsterdam with a Mediterranean country. But that's based on my limited travel experiences so far.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Contrarian

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
583%
Nov 13, 2014
284
1,656
38
Jalisco, Mexico
It is horribly sh*tty - that I can tell you.

The best place to live - it depends what you're looking for.

I like Poland very much. It's a central european country, mostly white, west culture mixed with east culture - very special and unique combination. You have mountains and sea, lakes and forests - everything 200-400 km from Warsaw. Life is cheap expespecially for those with Western wages (similar to Montenegro). Beautifull women. A good place to live with a family. Warsaw lays right between Washington and Beijing. You can go to the Mediterrean, to Russia, to France/UK/Spain, Africa, Turkey, Asia and other places relatively quickly.

You have four seasons: winter, spring, summer and autumn. Temperatures from -30 to + 40, but usually -10 to 30.

Regarding culture there is a joke: Man from Paris got on a train to Moscow and the Man from Moscow - to Paris. Their trains stopped in Warsaw - they both thought that they've arrived.

Ha!

If I had a crystal ball, I'd say that in a few decades, there'll be loads of Brits moving to Warsaw to work instead of loads of Poles moving to London to work.

Oh, another anecdote about relative economies. I used to work with a guy at an exec search firm. He was a researcher, had been there a few years. Lazy guy. He did decent work, but he'd do the minimum amount possible. He was on £25k, probably about £40-45k with bonuses. Married an American woman and moved to Atlanta. Walked effortlessly into basically the exact same job on $100k base salary. Apparently he's a recruiter for Facebook now (to each their own...).
 

Hijena1

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
140%
Oct 1, 2018
91
127
Germany
Depends what your priorities are.

If I was an employed professional I'd much rather live in the USA than anywhere in Europe. When I was doing international recruitment I frequently found things like a 25 year old sales rep in the US earning more money than the UK Sales Director managing a team of 30 people...at the same corporation.

I can only imagine how sh*tty the slowlane is in less wealthy European countries.

You are right about that, but aren't we now on the Fastlane and we don't think about getting a better job :D ?
 

Smuggo

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
155%
Apr 13, 2018
113
175
It is horribly sh*tty - that I can tell you.

The best place to live - it depends what you're looking for.

I like Poland very much. It's a central european country, mostly white, west culture mixed with east culture - very special and unique combination. You have mountains and sea, lakes and forests - everything 200-400 km from Warsaw. Life is cheap expespecially for those with Western wages (similar to Montenegro). Beautifull women. A good place to live with a family. Warsaw lays right between Washington and Beijing. You can go to the Mediterrean, to Russia, to France/UK/Spain, Africa, Turkey, Asia and other places relatively quickly.

You have four seasons: winter, spring, summer and autumn. Temperatures from -30 to + 40, but usually -10 to 30.

Regarding culture there is a joke: Man from Paris got on a train to Moscow and the Man from Moscow - to Paris. Their trains stopped in Warsaw - they both thought that they've arrived.

I am from Poland and I coudn't have agreed more about the sea, lakes, forests and women.

Unfortunetely the weather here is deepresing. I am getting headaches because one day you have a beautifull sun and next day is raining. Also there are summers when it's raining through whole month.

Since I love sun I have plans to move to the south Spain where I can kite whenever I want to.

But damn, first I need to move from Slowlane (which is shi* here as hell) to the FastLane.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Olimac21

Silver Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
175%
Dec 3, 2015
545
954
31
Belo Horizonte, Brasil
What about Australia? I always heard it is the best country to live by far if you put all key attributes together.
 

MTF

Never give up
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
455%
May 1, 2011
7,560
34,430
I like Poland very much. It's a central european country, mostly white, west culture mixed with east culture - very special and unique combination. You have mountains and sea, lakes and forests - everything 200-400 km from Warsaw.

IMO plenty of places have mountains, sea, lakes and forests, but if it's cold and cloudy most of the year (as @Smuggo mentioned), it doesn't really mean that much. I guess the same can be said (except for the West/East culture) about Slovenia, Norway, Iceland, UK, Ireland, and many more countries.

Since I love sun I have plans to move to the south Spain where I can kite whenever I want to.

Tarifa or somewhere else? How's kiteboarding in Poland? Only possible in the summer because of the temperature or do you do it in a wetsuit year round?

What about Australia? I always heard it is the best country to live by far if you put all key attributes together.

It's a good place to live, but like every other, has its drawbacks. I too believed it's the best country to live in, but after being there twice I think it's just another place. Good, but not perfect.

For me, the main drawbacks include:
  • high taxes - the highest personal income tax is 45%, which is crazy high. Granted, I didn't see a single homeless person there (but this obviously depends on where you are; there are a lot of homeless people in Melbourne for example), the infrastructure is good, and the country is very safe when it comes to personal safety (crime, etc.).
  • expensive - again, depends on the location, but if you want a good lifestyle, you'll probably live by the coast which is extremely expensive in the nicest areas (I'm particularly talking about real estate).
  • distance - it's not like Europe, Asia or even many places in the US where you can fly abroad in a couple of hours at most. Except for New Zealand, it takes about 5+ hours or more to fly to another country, and even then, you're limited to the small Pacific countries and a few countries in Asia. Everything else requires a super long flight.
  • nanny state - you're required to wear a helmet all the time when cycling, it's super easy to get a speeding ticket for driving just slightly past the limit (thankfully it didn't happen to me), alcohol consumption comes with many regulations (it doesn't bother me as I don't drink but might be an issue for many people), some websites are banned (like all torrent sites - obviously you can use VPN, but still, shows how intrusive the government is). They have obsession with safety, which some might consider sensible, but which I consider too infringing on personal freedom.
  • dangers everywhere - speaking of safety, you actually need to be more cautious daily, particularly if you like spending time outdoors. You go swimming at the beach, you need to be extremely aware of what's happening around you because there are rips everywhere. Forget about swimming on an unpatrolled beach (normal in many places around the world) unless you're a very good swimmer. Depending on the place, there are some dangerous sea creatures which, even if they won't kill you, can hurt you pretty bad (a few days ago, thousands were stung by blue bottles, which is extremely painful). If you go take a piss in the bushes by the beach, you need to be careful not to surprise a brown snake (one of the most poisonous snakes in the world). Then there are regular flash floods, cyclones, and heat waves.
I still think that Australia could be a pretty good place to live, but it's not perfect. No place is - it's a matter of finding one that comes with advantages important to you and drawbacks you can tolerate.
 

Niptuck MD

plutocrat-in-training
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
164%
Aug 31, 2016
1,421
2,330
NORWAY - POLAND - WEST EUROPE
Im in between scandinavia and germany and quite frankly scandinavia has a slight edge. More specifically Norway since it is not in the EU due to positioning of its Resources, they do not have to worry about footing the bill for example other EU nations that are struggling. We all know the EU is LED by germany and the runer Up is France. But because my line of work is still steady and strong in Germany, it is a good proposition. The quality of life I cannot emphasize enough is just hands down way way better then america. The people as well. It is Nice to be surrounded by well educated, descent and amicable people. Also the nature and beauty of Norway is irreplacable and not found without spending considerable time and money in the USA (Canada may be a tad bit similar to Norway I feel). However that is just my preference. I dont mind the cold climates either nor do I mind learning new languages.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

MTF

Never give up
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
455%
May 1, 2011
7,560
34,430

Arek Skubida

New Contributor
Read Fastlane!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
113%
Dec 3, 2018
8
9
I am from Poland and I coudn't have agreed more about the sea, lakes, forests and women.

Unfortunetely the weather here is deepresing. I am getting headaches because one day you have a beautifull sun and next day is raining. Also there are summers when it's raining through whole month.

Since I love sun I have plans to move to the south Spain where I can kite whenever I want to.

But damn, first I need to move from Slowlane (which is shi* here as hell) to the FastLane.

The same - trying to get out of Slowlane ;-)
 

Longinus

Platinum Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
441%
Aug 28, 2014
1,132
4,995
Poland / Belgium
Cold is one thing but what about extremely short winter days?

I hate that too. It's better since I'm jobless and can go where and when I want. But when I had a job, it was driving at work in the dark, being locked up during the 8 hours of daylight, and driving back home in the dark (and that's just Belgium!).
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.
Last edited:

delNaglos

New Contributor
Read Fastlane!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
140%
Jan 2, 2019
5
7
Germany
I prefer Switzerland or Liechtenstein to live in.

For me the reasons are:

- Both countrys are very liberal in their political behavior (So am I)
- The tax environment for private persons and companys are fair
- I like mountains with snow in the winter an nice seas in the summer (you can have both in this countrys)
- I like the behavior of the people there
- You get good food
- You live in a safe area
- Good services in the case you get ill
- No corruption
- Plus for switzerland: Multi-Language Country
 

MTF

Never give up
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
455%
May 1, 2011
7,560
34,430
- I like mountains with snow in the winter an nice seas in the summer (you can have both in this countrys)

Even from the border of Switzerland with Italy you're about 3 hours by car from the Italian coast (and much more from bigger Swiss cities). Is it common for people from Switzerland to do trips like that or did you refer to Swiss lakes, not sea?
 

delNaglos

New Contributor
Read Fastlane!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
140%
Jan 2, 2019
5
7
Germany
Even from the border of Switzerland with Italy you're about 3 hours by car from the Italian coast (and much more from bigger Swiss cities). Is it common for people from Switzerland to do trips like that or did you refer to Swiss lakes, not sea?

I meant Swiss lakes ;) But this is a quite interesting fact I didn't thought about. In winter I'm always in the Swiss alpine and there are many Italian people for vacation at that time. So I would assume that Swiss citizen are doing the same in summer and travel to the Italian coast. I don't like the salty water, so that's not for me ;)
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Olimac21

Silver Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
175%
Dec 3, 2015
545
954
31
Belo Horizonte, Brasil
A big factor with Switzerland and some of the Northern European countries is people´s behaviors. For someone used to a more warm culture ( latin culture for example) it is difficult to adapt to people´s behavior and general coldness of others in how people relate to each other.

Do not know if someone already touched on this before but it is a huge factor IMO. I would rather be in an average place with a great community than in an excellent one with no strong friendships.
 

MTF

Never give up
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
455%
May 1, 2011
7,560
34,430
@Olimac21, it's definitely a huge factor. I myself also greatly prefer warm extroverted cultures even though I'm an introvert. But what's funny is that when I speak the language of a warm culture (like Spanish), I become more extroverted and warm, too. It's incredible how language affects our behavior.
 
Last edited:

kanunay

Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
153%
Apr 20, 2018
47
72
49
United States
@Olima21, it's definitely a huge factor. I myself also greatly prefer warm extroverted cultures even though I'm an introvert. But what's funny is that when I speak the language of a warm culture (like Spanish), I become more extroverted and warm, too. It's incredible how language affects our behavior.
I've been to the Philippines twice, and attempted to learn some of the language. I'm an introvert also, but I had a really fun time there with the locals trying to speak their dialect - perhaps it was the Filipino people, but I really noticed a difference in my behavior when I was there. It was like being a whole different person. I can't wait to go back some day.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Olimac21

Silver Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
175%
Dec 3, 2015
545
954
31
Belo Horizonte, Brasil
Also a not too obvious tip I can give from my experience (I have lived in 8 countries up to date) and what I am reading at the moment (The Culture Map-Erin Meyer, recommended reading) is to be crystal clear about cultural differences.

These are some factors to take into consideration, you might say its quite business oriented but is also very applied to personal relationships or how people live their daily life.

For instance some of the key factors in my opinion are whether people are task based or relationship based and scheduling ( how people see time) which will have different implications on how you interact with the local culture.

So a smart step apart from the emotional side of things ( how you feel with people, weather, food, girls level lol and overall gut feeling of when you first visited there) is to see how compatible is your personality/ values with the country´s culture you plan to live in. Of course any change of countries must be made with an open mind and attitude against big differences but in my experience that is easier said than done.

You can ask two simple questions:

1. Which similarities I have with this culture I am entering?

2. Which are the main differences with me and the elements of the new culture? How do I plan to manage these?
 

Attachments

  • erin_meyer_multicultural_characteristics_chart.jpg
    erin_meyer_multicultural_characteristics_chart.jpg
    40.9 KB · Views: 17

Niptuck MD

plutocrat-in-training
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
164%
Aug 31, 2016
1,421
2,330
NORWAY - POLAND - WEST EUROPE
Cold is one thing but what about extremely short winter days?
Not a problem for me at least Haha. I dont mind it at all. Partly because I am busy and I usually return Home around 8-9 at night because of language class as well. If one is active enough and has enough on their plate all those other things dont matter.
 

Post New Topic

Please SEARCH before posting.
Please select the BEST category.

Post new topic

Guest post submissions offered HERE.

Latest Posts

New Topics

Fastlane Insiders

View the forum AD FREE.
Private, unindexed content
Detailed process/execution threads
Ideas needing execution, more!

Join Fastlane Insiders.

Top