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DFW

(60,695 posts)

103. I went somewhere with zero benefits

Thu Sep 3, 2020, 07:50 AM

Sep 2020

Most people fall for the fantasy that everything is free here in Germany, but if you are not a citizen, and do not work for a German employer, you get to pay your full taxes, but get zero benefits. No health care insurance, and no pension. Zip. Nada. They take 50% of your income and give you nothing in return. So why did I come here?

To stay with my wife, I would have gone to any of the four corners of the earth. That's why.

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Hypothetically, if you had to live in any other country, where would you go and why? [View all] Flaleftist Sep 2020 OP

South of France because it's so pleasant. fierywoman Sep 2020 #1

I don't know enough about other countries to make a good choice, will get back to you. greyl Sep 2020 #2

Canada for me, too. LuvNewcastle Sep 2020 #10

ot: you might enjoy Mike Myers: Canada greyl Sep 2020 #13

Thanks for the suggestion. LuvNewcastle Sep 2020 #17

Martin Short's "I Must Say" is worth the price of admission. nt greyl Sep 2020 #22

Britain... First Speaker Sep 2020 #3

New Zealand VMA131Marine Sep 2020 #4

I agree with you, VMA. I'd move there. nt CozyMystery Sep 2020 #12

If they'd have me, I'd agree. herding cats Sep 2020 #16

England Chili Sep 2020 #5

Ha! I just watched all 17 days of the World Snooker Championship. ZZenith Sep 2020 #11

Ohh! Ohh! Look at that! Chili Sep 2020 #15

I hope you do find all your roots! ZZenith Sep 2020 #21

I did see some of that! Chili Sep 2020 #24

Thanks for posting. I bookmarked it, don't think I can watch in one sitting. JustABozoOnThisBus Sep 2020 #38

Norman Conquest was wrought with complexities Chili Sep 2020 #60

I can list every monarch from Edward the Confessor right on down. trueblue2007 Sep 2020 #26

here's that funny shortie list: Chili Sep 2020 #59

SCOTLAND WAS WONDERFUL. I read ALL of the Outlander books when they first came out. trueblue2007 Sep 2020 #72

Love this! Thank you. n/t ChazII Sep 2020 #120

welcome! Chili Sep 2020 #125

First, English speaking, or at least a lt of English. I made t through French, Spanish and German... TreasonousBastard Sep 2020 #6

Copenhagen jmbar2 Sep 2020 #7

We've seriously discussed this zipplewrath Sep 2020 #8

Japan vercetti2021 Sep 2020 #9

Haven't been back in four decades, but...Kongsberg, Norway. Grokenstein Sep 2020 #14

New Zealand catbyte Sep 2020 #18

My daughters went to Portugal... tonedevil Sep 2020 #19

I have family in Italy and Scotland herding cats Sep 2020 #20

The UK is extremely difficult to migrate to permanently. a la izquierda Sep 2020 #44

My sister ended up with dual citizenship in the US and Britain csziggy Sep 2020 #88

Lol yeah it is. a la izquierda Sep 2020 #93

New Zealand samplegirl Sep 2020 #23

I'm already here. NanceGreggs Sep 2020 #25

Vancouver would be nice. MLAA Sep 2020 #27

Canada, eh? FuzzyRabbit Sep 2020 #28

A country with healthcare as a basic human right. n/t area51 Sep 2020 #29

We'll be heading back to Australia Thyla Sep 2020 #30

I live in Australia and am so grateful that I do pink Sep 2020 #34

Yeah, I may not agree with all of the way they have handled this Thyla Sep 2020 #36

My heart cries for the kids just leaving school and looking for jobs. pink Sep 2020 #75

Canada or United Kingdom Awsi Dooger Sep 2020 #31

Hell, if we get to make up wherever we want with no monetary concerns ... mr_lebowski Sep 2020 #32

The Netherlands. Jeebo Sep 2020 #33

Like Nance, I'm already there DFW Sep 2020 #35

Scotland. Because I'm an introvert and the peace and quiet Luz Sep 2020 #37

New Zealand. Crunchy Frog Sep 2020 #39

Ireland sparkeyd53 Sep 2020 #40

Ireland Sherman A1 Sep 2020 #41

England, The Netherlands, or Germany a la izquierda Sep 2020 #42

Dutch only sounds like total gibberish in the beginning DFW Sep 2020 #101

I'm doing well reading it. a la izquierda Sep 2020 #108

Rotterdamse is sort of like the Dutch equivalent of Brooklynese DFW Sep 2020 #110

Thank you for this. I really needed a good laugh... a la izquierda Sep 2020 #128

Be thankful it's Dutch and not Danish DFW Sep 2020 #129

Holeeeee crap. I'm terrible at math... a la izquierda Sep 2020 #131

Basque numbers are just as impractical as the Danish ones DFW Sep 2020 #133

Mont Tremblant in Quebec Le Roi de Pot Sep 2020 #43

It is good skiing. I like how u can ski down either side if I remember right. nt EX500rider Sep 2020 #83

Yes .. my favorite is the versant edge .. its an okish black - but ZERO crowds Le Roi de Pot Sep 2020 #89

Namibia cagefreesoylentgreen Sep 2020 #45

Ideally or practically? Tommy_Carcetti Sep 2020 #46

Practically: Canada, because I have relatives there. But I've always dreamed of Mike 03 Sep 2020 #47

Costa Rica, but I'm also considering Guam maxrandb Sep 2020 #48

It'd have to be a 3rd world country where I can live on SS. Kaleva Sep 2020 #49

This message was self-deleted by its author NurseJackie Sep 2020 #50

I'd move to Germany in a heartbeat FakeNoose Sep 2020 #51

Ireland. Beautiful and love the lifestyle. sinkingfeeling Sep 2020 #52

Same here Tom Rinaldo Sep 2020 #56

Me too.... oh wait, that's where I am anyway OnDoutside Sep 2020 #77

Probably Denmark. moondust Sep 2020 #53

Canada llmart Sep 2020 #54

Australia's north coast Amishman Sep 2020 #55

Canada because it's progressive, and because I hate hot and humid weather Goodheart Sep 2020 #57

I moved already GusBob Sep 2020 #58

somewhere outside of Florence, Italy so I could go visit the art often, esp. when I despair about CTyankee Sep 2020 #61

Ireland--no language issues, decent-enough climate, great beer and whiskey Maeve Sep 2020 #62

Germany. Aristus Sep 2020 #63

I would love to live in New Zealand, more realistic is somewhere in the UK because my Luciferous Sep 2020 #64

France. Along the Rhone. Lyon maybe. GulfCoast66 Sep 2020 #65

New Zealand if they would have me Chainfire Sep 2020 #66

There sure are a lot of folks who want to dump this country. panader0 Sep 2020 #67

It is interesting to note. Just about all answers are first world places GusBob Sep 2020 #68

Many people here have paid their dues. This wasn't a holier-than-thou contest. Grokenstein Sep 2020 #78

Tell that to Jimmy Carter GusBob Sep 2020 #79

I don't think Jimmy Carter would call it a contest. Grokenstein Sep 2020 #81

Face this if you will GusBob Sep 2020 #84

Fanciful speculation is now "quitters running and hiding." Grokenstein Sep 2020 #86

People want a comfortable or "better" life Renew Deal Sep 2020 #98

I went somewhere with zero benefits DFW Sep 2020 #103

The question is if you had to leave. Renew Deal Sep 2020 #97

Or you might have married a friendly native of somewhere else DFW Sep 2020 #102

Canada. W_HAMILTON Sep 2020 #69

Ireland KatyMan Sep 2020 #70

I have cousins in Norway qwlauren35 Sep 2020 #71

England Hobo Sep 2020 #73

Bhutan RichardRay Sep 2020 #74

Canada, Germany, or Ireland. Solly Mack Sep 2020 #76

Maybe we all come to live in Sollymackistan, or Sollymackovia. JustABozoOnThisBus Sep 2020 #111

Private. ;) I kid, I kid. Solly Mack Sep 2020 #115

Canada. Vancouver, Toronto or Halifax. nt Blue_true Sep 2020 #80

Somewhere that speaks English, but where the food is great Polybius Sep 2020 #82

you must not have been to London much, if you think we have bad food Celerity Sep 2020 #92

England has great food. Just don't eat local dishes DFW Sep 2020 #105

You no longer hang the pheasant outside for a week before cooking? JustABozoOnThisBus Sep 2020 #113

Check central London Renew Deal Sep 2020 #96

Somerset, England Brother Buzz Sep 2020 #85

England Skittles Sep 2020 #87

Cuba BGBD Sep 2020 #90

I haven't been there in many years, but..... DFW Sep 2020 #104

I basically meant BGBD Sep 2020 #117

I see. I heave heard there is plenty of both DFW Sep 2020 #124

Australia. roamer65 Sep 2020 #91

New Zealand, without question. VOX Sep 2020 #94

Oooh.... Dorian Gray Sep 2020 #95

Well, as long as you have it narrowed down......... DFW Sep 2020 #99

LOL Dorian Gray Sep 2020 #126

Conch Republic. tavernier Sep 2020 #100

I have never been there DFW Sep 2020 #112

Scallopia always has that ocean or bay controversy tavernier Sep 2020 #119

That explains the split! n/t DFW Sep 2020 #127

The most logical place would be Canada, specifically Toronto. smirkymonkey Sep 2020 #106

I would go to southern Italy, where my family originally came from. phylny Sep 2020 #107

Mexico jcgoldie Sep 2020 #109

Canada, but, to blend in with Canadian culture, ... JustABozoOnThisBus Sep 2020 #114

Having been to around 40 countries.....Colombia EX500rider Sep 2020 #116

East coast of Spain somewhere. beaglelover Sep 2020 #118

Costa Rica is said to be a great place for ex-pats. grobertj Sep 2020 #121

Canada, Ireland or Iceland. -NT- jayfish Sep 2020 #122

My wife is a German citizen and owns a home there Yeehah Sep 2020 #123

Wyoming. Gidney N Cloyd Sep 2020 #130

Causton (Midsomer) also known as Wallingford in Oxfordshire ... or ... NurseJackie Sep 2020 #132

I'll be hanging out here in California. hunter Sep 2020 #134