foreign travel/residencies (40)
teacherman: i'll help you with english any time!
Awesome! I save the rest of the Belgium chocolate for you and will teach you Bahasa Indonesia
I'm off, my time zone shows time for bed
Thanks to everybody for sharing
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patmac: 22 years of RAF ....Played a fair bit of sport some of these USA (DC), CANADA ,France and Gibraltar were rather sedate Rugby tours The rest a mixture of tours of duty and holidays.....Thank you to the british Taxpayer....Well some of the tours, others too busy ducking.....
hats off to you my friend. i got to see a lot of europe the same way. us air force. i played american football for the usaf and did a lot of traveling on their dime also.
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teacherman: actually i have a 2 fold answer for that. i've found that the salaries are somewhat higher and most contracts in china include a free apartment sometimes with utilities paid. i prefer thailand for leisure. the salaries are a little low and most do not include accommadations. also i've spent a lot of time learning to speak chinese. kinda tuff to start again with a new language like thai. btw thai language has 5 or 6 tones. chinese only 4 and they drive me crazy! where are you working now?
I work in a College here in Chizhou, Anhui province, a small city and only English person here, although there is an American teacher also. I have taught in several places including Ukraine and Italy, I am learning the language but find the tonal sounds very hard to grasp, but my students help all the time
K_rational: Maybe I'm just jaded, but I've lived overseas for nearly nine years and have reached the conclusion that there's nothing special about living in another country.
There might be unique differences in language, differences in culturual rules, and differences in everyday living (prices, food, activities, etc.), but in reality, everything is pretty much the same. People are people - if you couldn't find happiness living in your home country, you won't find it somewhere else.
The only thing that makes living in another country special is the environment - the land, the weather, the animals. I've been in Taiwan for the past five winters and I'm actually starting to miss snow. The only time I have felt cold here is standing by the walk-in freezer at costco.
That said, I have no desire to return to winters of -40°C.
There might be unique differences in language, differences in culturual rules, and differences in everyday living (prices, food, activities, etc.), but in reality, everything is pretty much the same. People are people - if you couldn't find happiness living in your home country, you won't find it somewhere else.
The only thing that makes living in another country special is the environment - the land, the weather, the animals. I've been in Taiwan for the past five winters and I'm actually starting to miss snow. The only time I have felt cold here is standing by the walk-in freezer at costco.
That said, I have no desire to return to winters of -40°C.
I also have to disagree, I have been fortunate to have worked all over the place, each one was special, here in China the people are wonderful, more friendly and caring than anywhere else I have been, to me it is the people that make the difference when travelling, blended with the culture and the scenery, and I have found a happiness I certainly never found in England or America here, sure I miss certain western things like a decent steak or real coffee, but there are so many alternatives to make up for that.
That being said, I have only been in China since Nov last year so maybe after a few years I will think the same as you, but I hope I never lose the thrill of living somewhere new and different.
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AngelinBali: Awesome! I save the rest of the Belgium chocolate for you and will teach you Bahasa Indonesia
I'm off, my time zone shows time for bed
Thanks to everybody for sharing
I'm off, my time zone shows time for bed
Thanks to everybody for sharing
nighty night time for me also. it's 1 AM here. hope to see you again soon...let's pick this up tomorrow. gotta catch some z's now. have to shape young minds tomorrow
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rizlared: I work in a College here in Chizhou, Anhui province, a small city and only English person here, although there is an American teacher also. I have taught in several places including Ukraine and Italy, I am learning the language but find the tonal sounds very hard to grasp, but my students help all the time I also have to disagree, I have been fortunate to have worked all over the place, each one was special, here in China the people are wonderful, more friendly and caring than anywhere else I have been, to me it is the people that make the difference when travelling, blended with the culture and the scenery, and I have found a happiness I certainly never found in England or America here, sure I miss certain western things like a decent steak or real coffee, but there are so many alternatives to make up for that.
That being said, I have only been in China since Nov last year so maybe after a few years I will think the same as you, but I hope I never lose the thrill of living somewhere new and different.
That being said, I have only been in China since Nov last year so maybe after a few years I will think the same as you, but I hope I never lose the thrill of living somewhere new and different.
i have had those same experiences. i've been here 3 years and still lovin it. yeah a starbucks and rib eye would be great though! i am in yangpu on hainan island. only 1 other western teacher here. outside the school, nobody speaks english here.
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nighty night all....hope to see you all tomorrow
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teacherman: hats off to you my friend. i got to see a lot of europe the same way. us air force. i played american football for the usaf and did a lot of traveling on their dime also.
Coincedance is a funny thing....Played a wee bit of grid iron when I was at High Wycombe (Full Back) and sepcial team?? for the USAF lads there, some of them had a go at rugby..... played at Bentwaters and Greenham.....Also was a part time English Conversation coach/teacher in HK....paid well imagine all those Chinse kids with a Jock accent.... 
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Im Canadian, Ive lived coast to coast there. I lived for a year in the States. Ive been living in Mexico for the last 6 years soooo I guess its home now. Doesnt mean my gypsy days are over though
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venusenvy: Im Canadian, Ive lived coast to coast there. I lived for a year in the States. Ive been living in Mexico for the last 6 years soooo I guess its home now. Doesnt mean my gypsy days are over though
Travelling is a wonderful experience, I lived and worked in Canada in Calgary and then Vancouver, then spent a year travelling the states, I enjoyed every second of it and met some truly amazing people, I believe travel is the best education you can get
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Onlyguy: I’ve worked abroad for most of my working years so I had the chance to live in many countries. Countries that I lived in for more than 6 months are Algeria, Congo, Gabon, Cameroon, Equilateral Guinea, Chad, Indonesia, Kuwait, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. At the moment I’m in Europe (Spain/France) since December 2009. I also visited many other countries. I enjoyed Bali a lot; I wanted to buy ocean front land there at the time but it had to be in an Indonesian name so I dropped the idea. Now I’d like to visit the Scandinavian countries, Eastern Europe, Russia and Turkey.
When were you in Gabon? I lived and worked in Gabon too in the 90s. Went there from France.
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Onlyguy: I’ve worked abroad for most of my working years so I had the chance to live in many countries. Countries that I lived in for more than 6 months are Algeria, Congo, Gabon, Cameroon, Equilateral Guinea, Chad, Indonesia, Kuwait, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. At the moment I’m in Europe (Spain/France) since December 2009. I also visited many other countries. I enjoyed Bali a lot; I wanted to buy ocean front land there at the time but it had to be in an Indonesian name so I dropped the idea. Now I’d like to visit the Scandinavian countries, Eastern Europe, Russia and Turkey.
When were you in Gabon? I lived and worked in Gabon too in the 90s. Went there from France.
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equiya: When were you in Gabon? I lived and worked in Gabon too in the 90s. Went there from France.
The first time I worked in Gabon was in 1988 and then I returned to work on other projects from 1991 to 1994.
We might have been there at the same time.
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Travelled to France, Spain, Scotland, Wales, 7 of the states in the US, Barbados, and visiting Ukraine soon.
Lived and worked in England for 13 years, and Kenya for 2 years.
Was thinking last year of teaching English abroad, but now have commitments here. Don't know what the future will bring though.
Lived and worked in England for 13 years, and Kenya for 2 years.
Was thinking last year of teaching English abroad, but now have commitments here. Don't know what the future will bring though.
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I've lived in Wales, California, Paris and now retired to Italy.
As a born and raised American of Italian decent from first generation immigrants... I would heartily reccomend that All American kids be required to live in a foreign country for a year after high school.
It seems incredible to me how insular and ignorant people can become if they've never had to deal or let become 'real' another culture... a very important life lesson to learn!
That even if someone speaks a different language, it doesn't mean they are from another planet ... we are all human beings with the need to work, have something to eat, a roof over our heads and raise our children safely... and understanding that this does or doesn't always happen and why in other countries.. won't be grasped until you dive into the world and put yourself in someone elses shoes.
As a born and raised American of Italian decent from first generation immigrants... I would heartily reccomend that All American kids be required to live in a foreign country for a year after high school.
It seems incredible to me how insular and ignorant people can become if they've never had to deal or let become 'real' another culture... a very important life lesson to learn!
That even if someone speaks a different language, it doesn't mean they are from another planet
... we are all human beings with the need to work, have something to eat, a roof over our heads and raise our children safely... and understanding that this does or doesn't always happen and why in other countries.. won't be grasped until you dive into the world and put yourself in someone elses shoes.------ This thread is Archived ------
Spain: I loved the openness and friendliness of people.
Argentina: People are friendly and relaxed, and fun to be with.
Portugal: the castles and all that green!
Ireland: Oh, Ireland! ...those unbelievable bays in West Clare...
and the starry winter sky.
Pennsylvania: those fairy-tale trees, and the candles on the lawn in the evening, and the fireflies.
Boulder, Colorado: such interesting people, the used-book shops, and that "green" style.
Chiloé island, Chile: the warm people, the sky and the green hills, the woollen sweaters.
Argentina: People are friendly and relaxed, and fun to be with.
Portugal: the castles and all that green!
Ireland: Oh, Ireland! ...those unbelievable bays in West Clare...
and the starry winter sky.
Pennsylvania: those fairy-tale trees, and the candles on the lawn in the evening, and the fireflies.
Boulder, Colorado: such interesting people, the used-book shops, and that "green" style.
Chiloé island, Chile: the warm people, the sky and the green hills, the woollen sweaters.
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gininitaly: I've lived in Wales, California, Paris and now retired to Italy.
As a born and raised American of Italian decent from first generation immigrants... I would heartily reccomend that All American kids be required to live in a foreign country for a year after high school.
It seems incredible to me how insular and ignorant people can become if they've never had to deal or let become 'real' another culture... a very important life lesson to learn!
That even if someone speaks a different language, it doesn't mean they are from another planet ... we are all human beings with the need to work, have something to eat, a roof over our heads and raise our children safely... and understanding that this does or doesn't always happen and why in other countries.. won't be grasped until you dive into the world and put yourself in someone elses shoes.
As a born and raised American of Italian decent from first generation immigrants... I would heartily reccomend that All American kids be required to live in a foreign country for a year after high school.
It seems incredible to me how insular and ignorant people can become if they've never had to deal or let become 'real' another culture... a very important life lesson to learn!
That even if someone speaks a different language, it doesn't mean they are from another planet ... we are all human beings with the need to work, have something to eat, a roof over our heads and raise our children safely... and understanding that this does or doesn't always happen and why in other countries.. won't be grasped until you dive into the world and put yourself in someone elses shoes.
Very well put!
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I have lived or travelled extensively over the years so my list would be:-
Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Rhodesia, Tanzania, Sudan, South Africa, Congo, Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Tunisia
Cyprus- North and South
UAE
Turkey
Egypt
Israel
Greece and many of the Greek Islands
Italy and their Islands
Spain and all their Islands
Malta
Portugal
Gibraltar
France and Corsica
Monaco
Switzerland
Austria
Belgium
Holland
Germany
Luxembourg
Czechoslovakia
Poland
Bulgaria
Romania
Hungry
Slovenia
Slovakia
Croatia
Denmark
Latvia
Belarus
Lithuania
Norway
Sweden
Ireland
USA about 30 states I think
Canada from Montreal across to Vancouver and Victoria Island
Mexico
Brazil
Russia- St Petersburg, Moscow
Ukraine- Kiev, Crimea
Georgia
China
India- New Deli
Finland
Iceland
Hope to visit Estonia, Macedonia and Albania one day
All over the UK including the Channel, Scilly and Scottish Islands, I just need to get to Australia to have visited every continent lol
As a child I was taken to many countries and guess I caught the travelling bug from my Father
Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Rhodesia, Tanzania, Sudan, South Africa, Congo, Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Tunisia
Cyprus- North and South
UAE
Turkey
Egypt
Israel
Greece and many of the Greek Islands
Italy and their Islands
Spain and all their Islands
Malta
Portugal
Gibraltar
France and Corsica
Monaco
Switzerland
Austria
Belgium
Holland
Germany
Luxembourg
Czechoslovakia
Poland
Bulgaria
Romania
Hungry
Slovenia
Slovakia
Croatia
Denmark
Latvia
Belarus
Lithuania
Norway
Sweden
Ireland
USA about 30 states I think
Canada from Montreal across to Vancouver and Victoria Island
Mexico
Brazil
Russia- St Petersburg, Moscow
Ukraine- Kiev, Crimea
Georgia
China
India- New Deli
Finland
Iceland
Hope to visit Estonia, Macedonia and Albania one day
All over the UK including the Channel, Scilly and Scottish Islands, I just need to get to Australia to have visited every continent lol
As a child I was taken to many countries and guess I caught the travelling bug from my Father
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Fantastic list R.....I find it funny that the folk who travelled have a fairly open mind whenit comes to political discussions....Probably 'cos we have seen and met folk of all types and see different viewpoints.......
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patmac: Fantastic list R.....I find it funny that the folk who travelled have a fairly open mind whenit comes to political discussions....Probably 'cos we have seen and met folk of all types and see different viewpoints.......
I agree, I think travelling makes your mind more flexible and ready to accept difference of opinions without taking offence, it also teaches you that life throws a curve many times and it is far easier to bend with it than try and fight it.
There are many things in China I really don't like, some disgusting habits, but my experience has taught me to turn the other cheek, this is their country not mine and I have no right to tell others how to live.
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Hopefully I'll make it to China one day, got to see the Great Wall.