41–50 of 221 posts
Somewhere in the middle of nowhere. I currently live in a small town in the mountains. Love the mountain aspect of it. The townspeople are progressive in some ways (they try to be 'woke'), but extremely regressive when it comes to development (NIMBYism on steroids). Housing is a major problem, all the restaurants are shit, nothing gets built pretty much ever, most of the tax burden is on the few businesses there are,…
It has great weather, a nice mix of people since there are a lot of transplants both from other parts of India and international, good food/restaurants, good nightlife, relatively clean compared to other large Indian cities and it’s safe.
If I can work from anywhere in the world, why in all flying hells would I work from a city?
Both of which were a problem in the farm house I grew up. Since moving to a city I’m always marveled at the difference between city water and well water. And now I get internet faster than 25 Mbps, consistently.
Somewhere in the middle of nowhere. I currently live in a small town in the mountains. Love the mountain aspect of it. The townspeople are progressive in some ways (they try to be 'woke'), but extremely regressive when it comes to development (NIMBYism on steroids). Housing is a major problem, all the restaurants are shit, nothing gets built pretty much ever, most of the tax burden is on the few businesses there are,…
I find that people approaching woke but not “there” yet are the best.
The 'locals' are extremely unfriendly, actively try to sabotage new businesses, bring in foreign workers and lock them into work/living arrangements to take advantage of them, heck (attempt to) take advantage of all workers, etc...
But they claim to not be whatever 'ism' isn't politically popular.
A couple years back I did take a two-week trip there consisting of one week sightseeing, one week remotely working for a West Coast agency. My work hours were around 4pm to 1am-2am Stockholm time, which was just on the edge of comfortable. My reasoning is as follows:
1) Fast internet everywhere I went, even the countryside
2) Great tea and coffee -- excellent cafe culture, too
3) Had a chance to meet some of the most kind, intelligent engineers I've ever known while there (and some now working here in the States, too); would love to collaborate and be motivated by working with them again
4) It felt very safe at all times of day (compared to where I live now, at least)
5) Active sailing culture, as I've recently become interested in that sport/hobby
6) Really fun bike culture, especially groups like at Bagarmossens cykelkök
7) Didn't seem like owning a car is necessary, even to travel outside the city/intercity
8) Perhaps an unpopular opinion, but I enjoy how vices like alcohol and rich foods are more expensive there, so I went easy on them and felt healthier
Finally, nothing to back this up on, just a "feeling": the vibe is simply more chill, less dysfunctional than here in the States. Felt like many sectors of the citizenry, government, and business community had agreed upon a framework for a basic and decent standard of lifestyle. Certainly Swedes could chime in and tell me some hard truths that I missed while there (I've only stayed in Sweden for a month, cumulatively).
Things that would be hard are, definitely, finding housing that doesn't break the bank (Stockholm is majorly backed up, with rentals expensive). Also, my wife and I mastering a new language now, in our forties could be a challenge. I did start taking classes for it, for fun, before the pandemic.
If Sweden were off the table, my other remote choice would be Kagoshima, Japan. Nothing like living next to a volcano!
Tokyo! Pros: - Safe almost everywhere even at night and generally very clean - Infinite amount of things to do, you'll never finish exploring new restaurants (with delicious food) and stores - International events happen there: conferences, concerts, etc. - Very walkable (including the metro), especially around city center - Reasonable housing prices - high, but comparable to cities in the US - Politeness is baked in…
Tokyo! Pros: - Safe almost everywhere even at night and generally very clean - Infinite amount of things to do, you'll never finish exploring new restaurants (with delicious food) and stores - International events happen there: conferences, concerts, etc. - Very walkable (including the metro), especially around city center - Reasonable housing prices - high, but comparable to cities in the US - Politeness is baked in…
1)How long have you been in Tokyo?
2)What part of Tokyo do you live and work in?
3) How easy/hard did you personally find establishing a relationship (in the non-romantic sense) with the locals?
4) (If you're an American) How do you handle you're taxes?
5) What were some of the more surprising things about Tokyo that aren't mentioned enough?
6) How easy is it to get out into the countryside?
7) Where does one find expats to hang out with who aren't coworkers?
Chicago. Friendly people , cheap housing, great public transportation. Tons of things to do. No visa issues, it's much easier to move cities they countries.