Ask HN: If you could work remote where would you live? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: If you could work remote where would you live?

#341

Post by tracer4201 » Mon, May 25, 2020, 2:18 AM UTC

nodesocket wrote: post #202

tracer4201 wrote: post #105

I grew up in the Nashville area. I've thought about moving back there from the West coast. I have nostalgia from my childhood, but I'm also hesitant to move back for a few reasons: 1. Weather 2. Transportation 3. Discrimination The climate in the Nashville area was very hot in the summer and damn cold in the winter. My family wasn't very well off. I had a Wal-Mart coat that wasn't so great. I remember freezing my ass…

I moved to Nashville in 2018 from San Francisco and love it here. Yes, the weather and storms are absolutely insane and still shocking to me. Thunderstorms, sheets of rain, summer heat and the occasional tornado. However the people, southern culture and hospitality, outdoor activities and lifestyle are much better suited to me than SF. I own and run a DevOps consulting company, so the lower cost of living and zero st…

I grew up near Old Hickory Blvd and Nolensville Pk close to Tusculum Rd. At least back when I was growing up, it was a lot of African Americans, Hispanic folks, and Iraqi Kurdish immigrants that lived in the area.

Re: Ask HN: If you could work remote where would you live?

#342

Post by darrmit » Mon, May 25, 2020, 2:20 AM UTC

danielrpa wrote: post #77

Atlanta, GA or Raleigh, NC. I like the climate and trees in the American Southeast. Also, house prices are very reasonable while enjoying the amenities of big cities.

We live about an hour east of Raleigh and spend a lot of time there. I was commuting, but now fully remote. It’s a fantastic city. Gives you enough of the city amenities without the big city problems.

Re: Ask HN: If you could work remote where would you live?

#343

Post by jonwalch » Mon, May 25, 2020, 2:20 AM UTC

jhatemyjob wrote: post #315

121789 wrote: post #173

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah everyone loves those things too, they just don't want to deal with the cost and quality of life from the homeless/drug problem. I walked up to beautiful Corona Heights today and saw all of the amazing views, but then I walked home past the ever-increasing numbers of tents popping up on the street to my overpriced apartment in the mission where I currently have to listen to one mentally disabled homeless person s…

Dude you live in the mission, probably the most disgusting part of the entire bay area, other than maybe the bay itself. I didn't last a single week there Move to Noe Valley or Bernal heights

There are parts of the Mission that are extremely nice. The Tenderloin is far worse than the Mission and parts of SoMa rival the Mission for grossness.

Re: Ask HN: If you could work remote where would you live?

#344

Post by DapperZoom » Mon, May 25, 2020, 2:21 AM UTC

larrykubin wrote: post #101

I may be the only person left who loves San Francisco. Just got back from biking from my house through Golden Gate Park past the De Young and Cal Academy to Cliff House and down Ocean Beach. There was sunshine and people were outside. In different circumstances, there are people dancing on roller skates, learning tango, and skateboarding. Near our house there is a great Russian Bakery, tons of Chinese restaurants on…

Another SF lover here. It is an amazing place. What I like so much about it is that you can just wander aimlessly through the city and stumble upon all sort fo cool stuff. Very walkable.

Also, in contrast to NYC, you can easily string together a day where you're in Muir Woods, then hit a winery or two in Sonoma, and be back in SF in time for the Symphony. Sure, I don't do stuff like that all the time, but on occasion when I have visitors in town.

Downsides are the high cost, the absolutely insane homeless and feces filled streets, and the monoculture.

Re: Ask HN: If you could work remote where would you live?

#345

Post by not_a_moth » Mon, May 25, 2020, 2:21 AM UTC

thequux wrote: post #69

I faced this decision about 2.5 years ago; I had a remote job for which I could work anywhere, and I had just separated from my wife so I needed to move. I chose Gent, Belgium, and I haven't regretted that decision for a moment. The city itself is beautiful and an absolute joy to walk or bike around in, the people are all very friendly and welcoming, and, being a university city, most people you meet are intelligent…

That seems unusual for a company to sponsor work visas for the country of your choosing. Care to elaborate on your situation or your suggestion for Americans to follow?

Re: Ask HN: If you could work remote where would you live?

#346

Post by almost_usual » Mon, May 25, 2020, 2:21 AM UTC

DoreenMichele wrote: post #179

larrykubin wrote: post #101

I may be the only person left who loves San Francisco. Just got back from biking from my house through Golden Gate Park past the De Young and Cal Academy to Cliff House and down Ocean Beach. There was sunshine and people were outside. In different circumstances, there are people dancing on roller skates, learning tango, and skateboarding. Near our house there is a great Russian Bakery, tons of Chinese restaurants on…

When I got to visit SF, it was a lovely, magical city and it inspired me to buy $300 worth of books related to my interest in someday becoming a city planner (or something similar). The problem is I can't possibly afford to live there. If you can live there, cool. For many people, it's just too expensive to make it into a nice experience. All those restaurants nearby are only cool if you can afford the high cost of h…

Also depends on when you started renting. I know people paying $700 a month in SF for a one bedroom but they moved here over a decade ago.

Re: Ask HN: If you could work remote where would you live?

#347

Post by woutr_be » Mon, May 25, 2020, 2:23 AM UTC

torgian wrote: post #251

Kinda living it already; Taiwan. Love it here. Close to Japan and Korea, and my remote company is in Japan. I would like to try living in Europe someday ( Switzerland would be awesome ) but I don't make enough money to do that yet. And there are visa issues too. If I were forced to live back in the states, probably Boulder, Co. Maybe Brunswick Maine. Honestly though, health care keeps me from moving back to the State…

I would love to work remotely from either Japan or Taiwan (preferably in Japan). I’m currently living in HK, but I reckon it’s time to move on.

How did you manage to find a remote company in Japan?

Re: Ask HN: If you could work remote where would you live?

#348

Post by wyclif » Mon, May 25, 2020, 2:28 AM UTC

poulsbohemian wrote: post #331

Switzerland. My family left in the 17th century to avoid religious persecution, but it is the perfect blend of everything I like - small villages, cosmopolitan cities, natural beauty. Where I live now gives me about the closest approximation that I could create in the US. Once the kids are gone, we are likely to become nomadic.

I like the idea of working from Switzerland; it's a lovely country but the only thing about it that gives me pause is the taxation level.

Re: Ask HN: If you could work remote where would you live?

#349

Post by peterburkimsher » Mon, May 25, 2020, 2:28 AM UTC

cgrealy wrote: post #309

peterburkimsher wrote: post #264

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's great, but the immigration process is very difficult and slow. I applied for the Skilled Migrant Category in February 2019 and haven't even got a case officer handling the application yet.

I'm surprised at that. My wife and I became permanent residents in 2007. It must have changed a lot since then as it took us under a month from application to residency.

Yes, it has got harder since then. I graduated in 2011, and came to NZ on a Working Holiday visa. People told me I should try to get PR, but I didn't have the years of continuous relevant work experience.

I went to a few other places, then stayed in Taiwan for 4 years. At first it was going to be 2 years, but at year 1.5, NZ changed their rules to requiring 3 years. Then 2016 happened, with all the political problems in the UK and US. Everybody from English-speaking countries is trying to move here, and the waiting times have gone up dramatically. The 4th year in Taiwan is because I met my girlfriend. She also wanted to come to NZ, but she couldn't even get a Working Holiday visa (there's only 600 per year for Taiwanese).

Now I'm losing hope that it'll ever be possible. I've put in so much: emotionally, financially, and in time, towards this dream. If it does fail, I will be devastated and probably never be able to settle anywhere. (I have nationality issues and can't just "go back to your country").

Re: Ask HN: If you could work remote where would you live?

#350

Post by almost_usual » Mon, May 25, 2020, 2:29 AM UTC

DoreenMichele wrote: post #179

larrykubin wrote: post #101

I may be the only person left who loves San Francisco. Just got back from biking from my house through Golden Gate Park past the De Young and Cal Academy to Cliff House and down Ocean Beach. There was sunshine and people were outside. In different circumstances, there are people dancing on roller skates, learning tango, and skateboarding. Near our house there is a great Russian Bakery, tons of Chinese restaurants on…

When I got to visit SF, it was a lovely, magical city and it inspired me to buy $300 worth of books related to my interest in someday becoming a city planner (or something similar). The problem is I can't possibly afford to live there. If you can live there, cool. For many people, it's just too expensive to make it into a nice experience. All those restaurants nearby are only cool if you can afford the high cost of h…

Those things are great and also why I love SF. The problem is as I’ve gotten into my mid-late 30s those things I enjoyed in my 20s aren’t as magical as they used to be.

Most of this has to do with settling down and thinking more about a family than myself and career. My body also can’t recover from those nights in SF as well as I get older.

SF is a Peter Pan city though, you can stay young there forever and do fine. I know people who still go to the same bars and hang out with the same crowd they did a decade ago.