*EDIT: I wrote this post in February 2022. By the time that you read this, you know that I am going to be moving to another country, outside of the USA. This was the very first time strongly considered moving out of the country and this post helped me begin this journey. Okay, let's start.
I have the opportunity to move to Switzerland! So… let's talk about it.
Issues:
I have never stepped foot CLOSE to Switzerland. I think the closest I've been was in Bonn Germany or Paris France. I have no expectation or realistic understanding of the city, the architecture, the lifestyle, or the metro systems.
I want to make sure that the next place I live offers adventure without needing much time to prepare or travel. Growing up in Texas, I never had the opportunity to just go to the beach for a few hours or climb up a mountain. Going to the beach took a good 5 hours, and then we wanted to stay a night to rest from all the driving. There were no mountains in sight. Everything was so spread out in Texas, it was hard to be adventurous as well as spontaneous without it turning into a financial, emotional, and mental weekend commitment.
I want to make sure that the next place I live in can offer me some adventure and spontaneity without it taking up my entire weekend or putting me in a financial hole. If there's a mountain that I can climb within a 2-hour drive, that would work well for me. Able to take a few extra pictures for Instagram near a lake or river during sunset? Count me in. I want the city and the country together. In the city, it is enough to go bar hopping and dancing but in the country, it is enough to have my own open space.
Does Switzerland offer this? I do not know. Because I haven't been anywhere close. So onto stalking with google maps and google earth.
Apparently, Switzerland is the most expensive country in the entire world. Will I have enough money to pay for an apartment, food, lifestyle, and getting around?
I know that they pay more at your job but with monthly expenses, would I actually be making more money? Will I be able to afford an American lifestyle? I guess that's a contradiction, American Lifestyle because I'm moving to get away from the American lifestyle. But it's also very customary for 4+ people to live in the same apartment and share the expenses. However, that is not something that I would like to do unless I absolutely have to.
What about food? Going out to eat seems more of a specialty but would I still be able to enjoy a beer or 2 at the bar and afford it? Would I be able to eat healthier and have healthier alternatives?
Public transportation is also in consideration here. There are more expenses when it comes to public transportation. A bus ticket one way in Germany is about $13. If I take a bus/train to a destination and back once a day for 5 days a week I would be spending more money on transportation costs. (is that right? Is that how math works?)
How do I ship a car out to another county? Is this something that I can do? How?
I don't speak Swiss. To be completely honest, is swiss even what is spoken over there in Switzerland? Is Swiss even a language?
So I googled it. German, French, Italian, and Romansh are the official languages. Which I can get behind.
Benefits:
Cheaper tuition and a better education system.
Switzerland is known for its education system. They prioritize the education system and they are world renown for it. So going to a school in Switzerland will cause me to have one of the highest market educations there is, especially if I'm going to get my doctorate. Plus their tuition is a lot cheaper than in America. Even if I pay out-of-country costs, I'm saving a significant amount of money with my education.
For example, the program that I got into is 15,000 SD (Swedish dollars) for the total, for all three years. That means it's about 5,000 SD for one year of tuition. 15,000 is what I pay for one semester of college in America. This way, I would not be in a financial hole once graduating. I wouldn't need loans or scholarships because I could pay for this out of pocket, which is amazing to think about.
Universal healthcare:
The healthcare system is interesting and always changing. There is always going to be a need for healthcare workers. Though I want to be an administrator, there is still a lot of demand, anywhere, to go into the healthcare field. However, being in a country that values healthcare in citizens, universal health care can provide healthcare to those who need it without putting themselves in a financial hole. If patients need healthcare, they are encouraged to get it when needed, no matter the cost. In America, it seems like they don't care about the patients as much as making money and profits, causing a divide between people who can afford to pay for necessary surgeries and healthcare expenses and those who cannot.
Universal healthcare, though causes more taxes for the common folk, increases the need for patient care and patient access. So not only will I have more access to finding a job in my field of healthcare, but it would also help encourage me to go to necessary doctor's appointments in order to get the medication I need, glasses, hearing aids, etc.
Change in lifestyle:
There is no doubt in my mind that if I move to another country, my ENTIRE lifestyle will change. The way that I dress and act will change, my favorite foods will change, the need to watch Netflix will most likely change, and possibly my entire personality will change.
Clothing: Clothing in America seems necessary to express yourself. I just feel like fashion would come easier to me in another country. I don't know why I feel like this but I do. I said it.
Food: My favorite food right now is Whataburger and burgers. While I have spent some time in Europe, I do know that fast food joints are scarce, nothing compared to America. Plus healthier foods are typically cheaper in Europe and the fattier unhealthy or processed foods are more expensive. In America, it seems like this would be the opposite. So healthier eating would seem different.
Netflix: I know, I know. I binge anything on Netflix any time. However, I KNOW my favorite shows are not on Netflix in other countries. Maybe that will prompt me to read more books and spend less time watching TV.
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