Question Responce!

[starsandsea]

eve_k asked me 'If I could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would that be?'



This was a really interesting question! I thought at first it would be simple - New Zealand! Mostly because of the LotR/Hobbit films, but also because everything I've seen and heard about it is good; how much everyone who has lived there for a year or so has always enjoyed it. But... I was always going to have to add the caveat 'As long as I don't have to see/deal with any of the bugs and spiders' because... urgh. And then I thought again, because well... I'd probably be worried the whole time about earthquakes and/or tsunamis...

And then I thought a bit more. Because really, I'm one of those very, very boring people who... doesn't like to travel! The few times I have been abroad, I've felt very out of my depth, very aware that I'm in a strange place, where the language isn't the same, and all the awkwardness that brings... (I'm also an INCREDIBLY fussy eater, to the point that, on those handful of times I've been abroad, I've survived on bread and water. So... there's that as well!)

So then I wondered about maybe Switzerland! It's very, very beautiful, far closer than New Zealand, and English, while not being one of the true native languages, is spoken by most people (from what I have seen and heard). There's the jewellery aspect of it, of course, so it could even be a working holiday... Also, chocolate.

Buuuut... Again, there's the problem of my not liking to travel and so on... And I'd probably have a lot of culture shock seeing people wandering around with guns (if pictures can be believed!)

Soooo... This has led me to the one foreign country I have visited that I have been happy in. The Republic of Ireland! It's close enough to the UK that I won't get homesick, and there's enough there that's familiar (a lot of the same shops, the same brands of food, etc, etc) whilst at the same time being different enough that I would feel that I was being brave in living in a strange place! So Ireland, I think it would have to be.

(Scotland could be a choice, if it becomes independent, soon! I would also be very happy there, I think - I've always wanted to visit the Hebrides, so to get a chance to live on one of those islands for a year... I think I would like that just as much, if not even more so, than Ireland - though how well I could cope with island life... Internet! *clings*)

So, essentially, I'm a very boring person who doesn't like to travel, but if I was a bit braver... :)

Comments

[eve-k.livejournal.com]

I thought at first it would be simple - New Zealand! Mostly because of the LotR/Hobbit films, but also because everything I've seen and heard about it is good...

Hee, I was almost expecting that!
I do find New Zealand fascinating myself, such a wealth of climates and different fauna and flora and spectacular landscape! I´d have visited there long ago if I wasn´t bound to school holidays. And the spiders. Definitely, I feel with you about the spiders.

And I'd probably have a lot of culture shock seeing people wandering around with guns (if pictures can be believed!)

Oh my, is that what they say about Switzerland? Now I understand that their weapons laws are quite liberal, at least for Swiss citizens, but I don´t think that means you can carry them around anytime anywhere. Hmm, if you ever decide to go there after all - for less than a year even - give me a call and we´ll meet there!

Scotland is wonderful! Cold and windy and glorious! :)

though how well I could cope with island life...

Well it shouldn´t be too bad, you already are living on an island, or not?
But seriously, a friend of mine stayed on the Orkneys for a year and she is addicted to them ever since. Maybe it´s a kind of rugged mini New Zealand?

So, essentially, I'm a very boring person who doesn't like to travel, but if I was a bit braver... :)

Now that I won´t believe at all! Rather, I think traveling alone is really gruelling and takes a lot of courage. But then, if you stay at home all your life what will you tell your grandchildren?

:))

[starsandsea.livejournal.com]

I do find New Zealand fascinating myself, such a wealth of climates and different fauna and flora and spectacular landscape! I´d have visited there long ago if I wasn´t bound to school holidays. And the spiders. Definitely, I feel with you about the spiders.

New Zealand is SO beautiful and yes, there's so many different climates there, it's amazing to think it's just two islands... I do think you would need to spend months there, though, to see everything - and hopefully avoid all the spiders, eeeep!

Oh my, is that what they say about Switzerland? Now I understand that their weapons laws are quite liberal, at least for Swiss citizens, but I don´t think that means you can carry them around anytime anywhere. Hmm, if you ever decide to go there after all - for less than a year even - give me a call and we´ll meet there!

Well, it's been several years since I last did any research on Switzerland, but I can remember seeing things that said something like: "BTW, you might see people with guns wandering around, they'll probably be running errands on their way to/from shooting practice." And well... I'm sheltered enough that I've never seen a gun, so my reaction would be... amusing!

I'll keep your offer in mind, thank you! I think I would be... better? at traveling if I was with someone I knew - and if they knew their way around a bit, it would help a lot, of course! :)

Well it shouldn´t be too bad, you already are living on an island, or not?
But seriously, a friend of mine stayed on the Orkneys for a year and she is addicted to them ever since. Maybe it´s a kind of rugged mini New Zealand?

Well, the UK is a big island! From what I've seen the little islands are a lot more dependent on ships/ferries for supplies, which we aren't so much, here... Oh, the Orkneys! I would love to visit them as well, so many lovely, beautiful islands! :)

[eve-k.livejournal.com]

Ha! I was just kidding about the island, you know. I lived in England for almost a year when I was still a kiddie, it never felt like living on an island at all.

Internet? When I´m traveling I don´t miss it one bit!
:)