by logansrun 78 Replies latest jw friends
LOL, you know me so well Bradley
Let's try and keep this about what's positive about where people live
Fine....
Positive things about Holland:
* Legal Drugs
* Healthcare for everyone
* An awesome social welfare system
* Excellent education
* Hot men
* Hot women
* Good infrastructure
* It's a democracy AND also has a Queen (YAH! for the golden crowns and days off to celebrate Queensday)
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Blue Bubblegum Girl
The infant mortality rate in the States is terrible. And then there's the guns. Sheesh!
well, take your baby and empty holster and move! Gads...
Viv,
Wooden shoes, girl. You forgot about the wooden shoes.
B.
DE,
Why not just work for change?
B.
Whoops! LOL
Also positive about Holland are .... *drum roll*
WOODEN SHOES!!!
Esp. when worn when otherwise naked
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Blue Bubblegum Girl
I lived in the UK until I was 24, and since then have lived in Canada (ten years this year). The question "do you prefer living in England or Canada?" is one I've been asked many times.
It's an unanswerable question. Despite the British roots of Canada and the shared institutions and values, it's still comparing apples and oranges. The best response I've been able to come up with is that there are many things about Canada I like, and a few I dislike, and that living in the UK was much the same.
This has lead me to the conclusion that if you live in an advanced Western country, whether or not you will like living there depends mostly upon you, and not upon the country. You can dwell excessively upon the negatives and lead yourself to the belief that the US/Canada/UK etc. is a rotten place. You can dwell entirely upon the good things, and delude yourself into thinking that the US/Canada/UK etc. is utopia and that everyone else doesn't know what they are missing, poor suffering devils. Or, you can try and achieve a balanced viewpoint taking into account the good and the bad, and realising that there are many many wonderful things about the US/Canada/UK etc., but that there are failings too, although the good tend to outweigh the bad by a significant proporation.
I was happy living in England. I am happy living in Canada. I could be happy living in the US.
If you are unhappy living in the US/Canada/Uk etc, you are unlikely to be happier somewhere else.
As far as your second question Bradley, I view America as a generally positive influence in the world. It has failed and done bad things, like every other country, but overall the contribution has been siginificantly positive. The world is a better place for the existence of the US.
Expatbrit
True, and there are so many variations in where you can live in a country that comparison at the country level is a bit meaningless (assuming they are all developed countries). eg. city centre living or country? Coast or inland? all will be different.
Still, even at the country level, there is a certain "atmosphere" and culture that is unique.
i just got back from spending 1.5 months working in amsterdam, and let me tell you, although it is nice being back here in california, i really had a nice time. if i had an opportunity to move somewhere else, holland would definitely be a first consideration. i also went to london this past weekend - UK kicks ASS. The nice thing about being over there is that with relatively little money you can travel to different countries, and there's so many beautiful people and places to see.
America is nice, but I'd never say it's the best place to live.
Still, even at the country level, there is a certain "atmosphere" and culture that is unique.
That's true. People who tend to dislike encountering different experiences and the unfamiliar will often react negatively to the culture of another place and compare it unfavourably to their own country. Most immigrants I've met (including myself) go through a bit of this to one extent or another because of the magnitude of starting a new life from scratch. ("What the f**** do you mean, retake a driving test? I'm British, damnit!")
On the other hand people who tend to enjoy different experiences will overcome this reaction fairly quickly and "throw themselves into" the new country, as it were, viewing the new experiences as enrichments to their lives rather than threats to their nativity. Again, it depends on the person a lot rather than the country.
Having said that, Celine Dion is still unforgivable.
Expatbrit
Sorry I'm late to respond..... I've been trying to book a flight to Holland
