been thinking of living a few yrs in Europe

[protect freedom impeach bush now]

been thinking this for quite a few years.

Want to go 'experience' another country beyond the standard
"2 week vacation" quickies.

Never had the mean$ before, but now i do.

Maybe should try a month here....a month there....another
month, another country BEFORE committing to just one location.


Another 4 years of Bush occupation would push me over to a longer
term stay 'abroad'.

but worried that kids would still be better off in US.

well............still pondering, but next summer i may make
the plunge and let a place for a year, with option for another
year......


time will tell

[uptohere]

1. there are American schools in major cities

where the kids can be fairly normal. I know one Belgian kid who went to American schools there, apart from certain turns of phrase you would not know she was not American.

It can be a very good thing if handles well.

[LittleApple81]

2. Implying that if they attend the country's schools they won't be normal?

I could not help but wince a little. My kids started trilingual here in the States (English, Spanish, German). My daughter is attending college in Germany (no tuition) and now speaks 5 languages (added French and Italian). I would not mind "not being normal" if that is what it allows.

[neuvocat]

3. What's "normal" got going for itself anyway?

Right now I don't think "normal" in america is all that flattering to begin with.

[leftofthedial]

4. Speaking 5 languages is definitely not normal

And I mean that in a good way!

:-)

[uptohere]

5. didn't sound like multi-lingual was already part of the mix

that being the case, it would be a nightmare for the kids.

[protect freedom impeach bush now]

10. not quite what i worry about............

Some kids have a difficult time growing up anywhere, and
taking them away from their friends in USA, and away from
relatives for a long period is my concern.

In another country....

kids will not see Aunts & Uncles, nor cousins....but then again,
dont see them much anyway.

kids will have to learn another language, and fast....dont know how that will work with a learning challenged child who requires a
special school.


I can make friends quickly ANYWHERE, but spouse does not.

......of course it would be helpful to win the LOTTERY before
cuz money can help a LOT. (wishful thinking)

[DrDan]

6. go for it

my family has lived abroad for about 9 years - 3 in Europe, 2 in Africa, and 4 in the Middle-East. We have wonderful memories of these years - and we have no regrets of taking our kids abroad.

Both of our children attended school in Ethiopia and in Switzerland. Both went on to college. Our experience is that these schools are at least as good as those in the US in terms of academics. They have much to offer beyond the classroom - great field trips, life-long friends from around the world, etc.

Living abroad for a more lengthy period not only allows you to see a great deal more of the countries, but also to make some friends there. You can't get these experiences from a tour, from a book, or from TV.

Do it!

[Kellanved]

7. Expatica offers some information about moving to Europe

www.expatica.com
It includes useful information about school-systems, relocating, local news etc. (I have to warn you: although the information is generally correct, it is in certain parts inaccurate and/or outdated).

Probably expat-DUers :hi: can give you better information from an American perspective.

[billyskank]

8. Hey, if you can do it, do it.

The experience vastly broadens the mind. Look at it this way, if you have the means to do it now and you don't, you'll be kicking yourself forever after.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

9. Having lived in Japan

I say, Go for it!

I wish more Americans took the opportunity to live overseas.

Many other countries (i.e. those with low-cost university systems) have the concept of a "gap year." That is, after graduating but before settling on a career, young people travel or work overseas.

Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japon, and possibly the U.K. have what they call "working holiday" arrangements. People under the age of 30 can go to any one of the other countries and work on a six-month, once-renewable visa without a lot of red tape.

It's really sad that only 7% of Americans have a passport, and when I taught college, it was discouraging to see how few students were even interested in taking advantage of the really reasonably priced study abroad programs that the colleges offered.

Everyone I know who has lived in a foreign country will tell you that it is sometimes difficult, but in all, the best thing they ever did.

As for your children, if they are under ten, they will pick up the language of whatever country you move to within a few months, and even if they're teenagers, they'll pick it up faster than you do. (This is based on my experiences teaching former AFS students, all of whom were able to achieve at least minimum proficiency in Japanese with no formal instruction.)

[David Zephyr]

11. It's Gonna Cost A Lot More Now Than It Would Have Before

The Euro / Dollar exchange is no longer favorable and you might find it prohibitive or at least punative to travel for an extended time in "Old Europe".

We had long planned to purchase a second home on the Spanish Riviera and divide our years between there and Los Angeles. Of course, this was when the Dollar was strong and real estate, especially in Spain, was most attractive. That situation is now completely upside down. And it happened too quickly after Bush became President for us to react fast enough. We truly regret this and can only hope that the situation reverses.

So, we are now looking at a second home in Argentina. We are both fluent in Spanish and have both lived in South America for long periods.

As far as your children go, without knowing their ages, I can tell you from experience that nothing could be better than exposing them to living abroad. I grew up living in and out of the U.S. as my dad's work required him to do so. I was schooled both in public schools in the U.S. and in private schools overseas. Cross-culture exposure for children is as easy as eating ice cream. Don't worry about them. You will be the one having the greater challenges.

I wish you the best in your decision. I'm hoping you do it.

[Monaco]

12. Don't hop around

If you go abroad, go to ONE place for the whole time and really learn to live like the people do. You need to spend an extended period of time in a place to make friends not just acquaintances. These will be the people who will really help you to reflect on things. I lived in Italy for three years and I know what it's like.

[TheBigGuy]

13. If your concerned about standard of living....

..the standard of living in Germany, at least the parts that I am familiar with, is actually higher than the USA.

I dont see why you think your kids would be better off in the USA. Europe has some pretty good child welfare programs and the education system is supposed to be fairly rigorous.

[laura888]

14. I grew up overseas - from birth to age 9

It provided invaluable perspective - what seems normal here, is not always the case overseas. I say go for it...for your kids!

My father was a missionary in japan.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

15. The Netherlands

high standard of living, Dutch is a bitch to learn. People are very friendly.

France is great too.