Best countries to live in

Would love to live in USA! We holiday there quite often, beautiful country and so much to see!

Canada - nothing like the U.S. (IMO), so much beauty, cities very cosmopolitan
New Zealand - mind blowing scenery, wonderful people, great coffee

And the best of luck with your search!

Even individual countries can be very different depending on location- just as in the UK.

Even Switzerland, which is very small by comparison with many- is very varied- in culture, religion, countryside, language, and more. The experience you would have in my town, Neuchâtel, would be totally different to Zurich, or Geneva, or Lugano- or Ultra rural/tradtional German speaking regions. Happy to help by pm, re Switzerland.

My son works in Melbourne and loves everything in Oz.
Daughter visited New Zealand last Xmas/New Year and her other half has said if Labour get in here, they will move to NZ to escape punitive tax rates. Hope they don't as still waiting for grandchildren and too old/health problems to fly round world at 68!
They also love USA and visit yearly, lucky things. Some family live in Phoenix, Arizona which attracts a lot of retirees with its great climate.

Big problem with NZ or OZ - the massive distance to family. I couldn't do that. From EU, you are never far from home. We drive or take train to and from UK all the time- and kids know I could be with them in hours in an emergency.

Every country I’ve been in (loads) I could’ve lived in and adapted to their way of life. Communist and fascist have their good points and bad but for sheer middle of the roadness I choose uk.

www.theguardian.com/education/2019/nov/13/why-british-teachers-fleeing-overseas-international-schools?CMP=fb_gu&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR16lKZmL5_yeAW7-xjJ3b9n1Ys3c-8JJjWz8zTVvB7wS73UlbX8o6K6YQU#Echobox=1573628918

jura2, I would happily stay working in the UK BUT as a long-term, experienced teacher, I can't get a permanent post. Too expensive. Schools just won't pay beyond the Main Pay Scale (cheap) and I don't see why I should take a low wage, when I'm a highly trained, post grad examiner with management experience. PLUS once you're past 50 you're a dinosaur here.

So. I'm making the best of the bad UK situation and seeing it as a positive.

Gaga, I used to be a Senior teacher in UK, so I know ... for sure.

No hesitation the UK and I’ve travelled to a great many other countries near and far, were not perfect here but nowhere else has more attraction. From the UK I can travel easily to a great many new places or repeat previous trip, why would I want to move away from my friends and family.

Now if I felt differently and I hated the UK and everyone in it, moving to a far flung country might be attractive, or if I was young and skilled other countries have attractions, as a retiree, no, it’s the UK for me.

Japan?
DD has friends teaching in S Korea and they seem to have stayed there for several years now so must be contented.

I think that pay is higher in Australia but so is the cost of living.

Callistemon, I'm 95% of the way through an application to my ideal school in S Korea. Have a friend working there and two who used to work there. It's highly recommended.

I'm not sure I fancy Australia.

Davidhs, the UK is home for me and I have a fondness for it BUT it has many, many faults. If China had clean air, it would pip the UK to the post for me. A wonderful country. Nothing like it is painted in the west. And the people!

My friend's daughter is teaching in Hong Kong and loves it there. Before that, she taught for three years in Dubai, where she was also very happy.

As an ESOL teacher, you need to go to non-English speaking countries and they are also the ones who pay.

China, if you've never worked there, is something of a challenge. Lots of cigarettes smokers wherever you go; the man hawk and spit all the time without any controls and will spit at you if they don't like westerners.

South Korea is a lot better and more advanced socially (in my view) westerers are usually welcomed. This would be my first choice.

Japan is VERY expensive, so you will spend a lot of your wages just living.

I'm from the USA. We're not ALL bad over here.

I LOVE China. Worked there before and would gladly go back. I found the people delightful. The staring (some will stare at foreigners) is strange at first, but a smile and a 'Nehao' always invokes a huge smile in return.

S Korea is on my list. One school in particular.

Currently have an offer for Switzerland which I'm hopeful about.

Turned down a good offer for Indonesia. Too polluted. MUCH worse than China.

The US unfortunately, too violent, too racist and too many people there dislike foreigners. When I lived there before I suffered all three of those issues.

Never visited China, the reports from others that have are mixed, so not high on the list. USA Visited several times, going again soon, nice people but no attraction to live there. NZ good for a holiday but it’s a long way from anywhere. Australia, years ago I did consider a move, decided to remain in UK, with hindsight I wouldn’t have done better there.
Caribbean or the Med, not really into sun and sand the expat lifestyle holds no attractions either

I could probably live the life of Riley in some low income country, settled now to tough it out in England’s Green and Pleasant Land

Could happily live in NZ, almost the most beautiful country in the World. Am happy never to have to set foot in Spain ever again since the old folks passed on, I loathe the place. Would consider France...the French and Scots have an affinity since the Auld Alliance.

Lived in Switzerland in 1970s. Loved it and so many other countries close by to visit.

As an ESOL teacher, you need to go to non-English speaking countries and they are also the ones who pay.
I'm not sure that Gagajo is an ESOL teacher, I may have missed that, but if so:

BradfordLass, no, not necessarily as there are many Language Colleges in English-speaking countries. People do come from overseas to the UK, Australia etc and want to learn English for recreational or work purposes.

Gagajo young friends went to work in China as teachers but didn't stay very long (a few weeks) because the pollution was terrible. They move on to Cambodia I think.

I'm not sure I fancy Australia.
I'm just wondering why Gagajo?

How about Singapore? great place in itself but also a great hub for travelling anywhere. Do you have a TEFL qualification?

I wonder if on our death bed many of us will wish that we'd earned more money