Expats: Where are your favorite places you've lived?

[Anonymous]

And where would you recommend to live?

[Anonymous]

Not sure if you only meant to hear from non-US people or not.

I’m a current US citizen living as an immigrant/expat in Lisbon. I’ve also lived in Paris and rural areas of Thailand and Japan at various points in my life (my US experience was centered on NYC & DC).

I loved each experience for different reasons, but I realize I’m happiest in large cities.

My current favorite is Lisbon & I have no plans to move anytime soon. With a family, COL is reasonable and it’s fun being in EU - you don’t have to go far to experience other distinct cultures. I find the city super safe and I like the proximity to beaches. Having more sunshine (esp in the winter) lifts our spirits, and hardly any mosquitoes when compared to our Chevy Chase house. I’m less stressed and more relaxed here. Applying to naturalize this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not sure if you only meant to hear from non-US people or not.

I’m a current US citizen living as an immigrant/expat in Lisbon. I’ve also lived in Paris and rural areas of Thailand and Japan at various points in my life (my US experience was centered on NYC & DC).

I loved each experience for different reasons, but I realize I’m happiest in large cities.

My current favorite is Lisbon & I have no plans to move anytime soon. With a family, COL is reasonable and it’s fun being in EU - you don’t have to go far to experience other distinct cultures. I find the city super safe and I like the proximity to beaches. Having more sunshine (esp in the winter) lifts our spirits, and hardly any mosquitoes when compared to our Chevy Chase house. I’m less stressed and more relaxed here. Applying to naturalize this year.

What do you do in Lisbon? My DH and I have dreams of moving there in the next 3-4 years! Your experience sounds lovely.

[Anonymous]

English speaking expat, Singapore is hard to beat, followed by HK. Singapore is not that much fun to visit for vacation but if you live there it's pretty great. I've heard London described this way from other expat friends too, you have to live there to get the most from it unlike say Paris, Rome, etc where it's amazing even to just vacation.

I'm hoping to get to work in Australia soon

[Anonymous]

Italy
Belgium
Okinawa
Germany
Sweden


Germany was the easiest to acclimate to with regards to language (most people speak some English); great location with easy access to rest of Europe; lots of interesting and fun cultural charm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:English speaking expat, Singapore is hard to beat, followed by HK. Singapore is not that much fun to visit for vacation but if you live there it's pretty great. I've heard London described this way from other expat friends too, you have to live there to get the most from it unlike say Paris, Rome, etc where it's amazing even to just vacation.

I'm hoping to get to work in Australia soon

For me, Singapore and HK are too hot.

There is a large expat community in Portugal, many from the UK.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure if you only meant to hear from non-US people or not.

I’m a current US citizen living as an immigrant/expat in Lisbon. I’ve also lived in Paris and rural areas of Thailand and Japan at various points in my life (my US experience was centered on NYC & DC).

I loved each experience for different reasons, but I realize I’m happiest in large cities.

My current favorite is Lisbon & I have no plans to move anytime soon. With a family, COL is reasonable and it’s fun being in EU - you don’t have to go far to experience other distinct cultures. I find the city super safe and I like the proximity to beaches. Having more sunshine (esp in the winter) lifts our spirits, and hardly any mosquitoes when compared to our Chevy Chase house. I’m less stressed and more relaxed here. Applying to naturalize this year.

What do you do in Lisbon? My DH and I have dreams of moving there in the next 3-4 years! Your experience sounds lovely.

DH is in finance, but he only puts in a few hours a day on primarily our own accounts, plus a handful of US-based private clients. I no longer work. We have a lot of free time & have created a happy social life. DS has 3 years left of HS, so he’s pretty independent at this point.

[Anonymous]

I'm French and my best memories come from living in Scotland. Paris is not that great, honestly.

DC is as far south as I've lived long-term, and goodness, it's way too warm and humid in the summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not sure if you only meant to hear from non-US people or not.

I’m a current US citizen living as an immigrant/expat in Lisbon. I’ve also lived in Paris and rural areas of Thailand and Japan at various points in my life (my US experience was centered on NYC & DC).

I loved each experience for different reasons, but I realize I’m happiest in large cities.

My current favorite is Lisbon & I have no plans to move anytime soon. With a family, COL is reasonable and it’s fun being in EU - you don’t have to go far to experience other distinct cultures. I find the city super safe and I like the proximity to beaches. Having more sunshine (esp in the winter) lifts our spirits, and hardly any mosquitoes when compared to our Chevy Chase house. I’m less stressed and more relaxed here. Applying to naturalize this year.

Do you speak Portuguese? If so was it hard to learn?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure if you only meant to hear from non-US people or not.

I’m a current US citizen living as an immigrant/expat in Lisbon. I’ve also lived in Paris and rural areas of Thailand and Japan at various points in my life (my US experience was centered on NYC & DC).

I loved each experience for different reasons, but I realize I’m happiest in large cities.

My current favorite is Lisbon & I have no plans to move anytime soon. With a family, COL is reasonable and it’s fun being in EU - you don’t have to go far to experience other distinct cultures. I find the city super safe and I like the proximity to beaches. Having more sunshine (esp in the winter) lifts our spirits, and hardly any mosquitoes when compared to our Chevy Chase house. I’m less stressed and more relaxed here. Applying to naturalize this year.

Do you speak Portuguese? If so was it hard to learn?

I spoke French, Thai, Japanese and a little Spanish before coming. DH spoke Spanish. We had private Portuguese classes 2x per week for 2 years, which brought us up to a decent level. It’s harder than the other Romance languages, but a lot easier than Asian languages

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm French and my best memories come from living in Scotland. Paris is not that great, honestly.

DC is as far south as I've lived long-term, and goodness, it's way too warm and humid in the summer.

Edinburgh? Not OP, but my family will have a chance to spend a year or two in either Edinburgh or Berlin due to a work rotation I have coming up, and I've been having trouble deciding. We have friends in Berlin and know we like it there, but I'm really intrigued by Scotland and I think it might actually be more of a cultural adventure. Berlin doesn't feel that different than the US cities I've lived in.

[Anonymous]

My favorite place has and always will be São Paulo. And I have lived in multiple US cities, including NYC and DC, the Middle East and Europe.

[Anonymous]

Tashkent, baby!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm French and my best memories come from living in Scotland. Paris is not that great, honestly.

DC is as far south as I've lived long-term, and goodness, it's way too warm and humid in the summer.

Edinburgh? Not OP, but my family will have a chance to spend a year or two in either Edinburgh or Berlin due to a work rotation I have coming up, and I've been having trouble deciding. We have friends in Berlin and know we like it there, but I'm really intrigued by Scotland and I think it might actually be more of a cultural adventure. Berlin doesn't feel that different than the US cities I've lived in.

Edinburgh hands down! I'm the poster you replied to, and I much prefer that charming town to Berlin. Unless you don't like the cold rain (Scotland is very green for a reason!), or mind having the sun in your eyes at 3pm in winter when you're driving, because you're close to the Arctic circle... but I loved it! Tip: black-out blinds for summer, when the sun rises ridiculously early and sets ridiculously late. Not as bad as Iceland, where the sun doesn't set at all in summer, so can't complain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm French and my best memories come from living in Scotland. Paris is not that great, honestly.

DC is as far south as I've lived long-term, and goodness, it's way too warm and humid in the summer.

Edinburgh? Not OP, but my family will have a chance to spend a year or two in either Edinburgh or Berlin due to a work rotation I have coming up, and I've been having trouble deciding. We have friends in Berlin and know we like it there, but I'm really intrigued by Scotland and I think it might actually be more of a cultural adventure. Berlin doesn't feel that different than the US cities I've lived in.

Edinburgh hands down! I'm the poster you replied to, and I much prefer that charming town to Berlin. Unless you don't like the cold rain (Scotland is very green for a reason!), or mind having the sun in your eyes at 3pm in winter when you're driving, because you're close to the Arctic circle... but I loved it! Tip: black-out blinds for summer, when the sun rises ridiculously early and sets ridiculously late. Not as bad as Iceland, where the sun doesn't set at all in summer, so can't complain.

Thank you for the recommendation! The rain sounds perfect to me as I adore a good drizzle though my husband will be a harder sell. Though the extra daylight might actually be a plus for him! I love the architecture in the UK and like the idea of being somewhere that feels really old for a bit. Berlin is very modern.