Alas, I guess it is understandable that if everyone wants to move in you’ll have to stop the flow somehow. Although I would have gone for extending Switzerland to Austria, Bavaria and Padania as a more decent solution.Historically the chance presented itself several times, and the inevitable end of the EU gives yet at other golden opportunity.
Why not try New Hampshire and become part of the freestateproject.org?
Switzerland has mandatory military service, and the primary language spoken is German. Would you be able to get around knowing just English in Switzerland?
Definitely in Geneva, where pretty much all professionals in financial institutions and any large firm speak English. French is good to know at a level sufficient to go and ask for food at a shop or to converse with locals, but even then you can usually get away with English.
I don’t know about Bern or Zurich; there German is probably required.
I’d try a European country with more economic and personal freedoms, e.g. Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Andorra, the Isle of Man.
I wouldn’t ever try those. If is somewhat of an elitist place for the enlightened top tier, those countries are definitively off-limits. in particular is ’s Hong-Kong, a free-market paradise amid socialism. I highly doubt that one could manage to get there (unless one is a financial genius and working for some major insurance firm).
Those other places, I’m told, tend to be somewhat social deserts, especially for a younger-than-60 kind of guy. , on the other hand, is within driving range of legendary .
To begin with the German spoken in Uri or Zurich is considerably different from the German spoken in, say, Berlin or Hamburg. Then all official acts are written in the four official languages: French, Italian, German and Romancio. Everybody speaks at least two of these languages, most likely French and German, and in some big cities like Zurich is not uncommon to hear a patoise made up of both German and French words. But I guess it’s easier to learn French than Mandarin Chinese. [;)]
Second thing. To be drafted into the army you need to be a citizen. And don’t believe the Swiss will give citizenship to just about anybody: it usually takes many, many years and by that time you’ll be exempted. Conscription in Switzerland works differently from other countries, as drafted recruits are sent home after their training and recalled once every year to polish their skills for a couple of weeks. The military will be reformed as the Swiss are well aware of how outdated their methods are: carrier pigeons were phased out in the '90s and border fortresses are quickly being dismantled. The Swiss are very military minded as can be gauged from the following: a few years ago a department store chain (Innovazione) held a competition for its customers. First prize was a fully working 75mm mountain gun minus sights and ammunition… [;)]
Paradise lost. And I wondered what did my conationals find so attracting about Switzerland. If Albania get sinto the EU I’m moving…
Not necessarily. This isn’t the American brand of militarism. And you won’t see monuments in every village square listing endless dead like you have in France and Italy: in fact the largest military memorials you’ll find in Switzerland are the one dedicated to the Swiss who died in French service and the one dedicated to the Russians who fought in Switzerland under Suvaroff against the French and both are very modest by any standard. In fact you’ll be hard pressed to find any mention of the military, the most obvious one being the large numbers of surplus offroad vehicles you see in rural areas. There’s nothing of the French-Italian hypocritical “uniform worship” or of the American aggressive “patriotism”. Hell, even police keeps a low profile there… [:D]
I don’t know if you have to worry about the civil liberties too much. You’re a non citizen. They don’t have as much of an interest in dominating your lifestyle as they do the mass public. Depends on the country though.
Don’t ask us! Ask some white dudes who live there already!
He may ask the Russians who cruise down Lugano lakeside roads in their Bentleys and Aston Martins… [;)]
Seriously, not even LA and Tokyo have as many luxury cars per each person as Lugano. [:O]
Hey hi. I’m from Belgium and I live in Singapore for the past 6 years. The rules are strict, and that’s the only thing foreign media seem to portray about the city. Besides that, life is extremely comfortable and convenient, far more than in the western world (transportation, accommodation, weather, chicks). Moving there is a choice of life, and often there is no way back. You live in one of the world’s center of finance and manufacturing, draw a similar salary than in London or NYC, live in a tropical world, and take off to Bali or Phuket with the last Friday night flight. Overall you pay between 3 and 20% taxes max.
Needless to say places are getting scarce as loads of foreigners are coming in to work. The place just build a massive casino and Universal Studio amusement park. While the place is strict, it is quickly becoming the regions’ top entertainment destination.
In any case, a move out from the US to anywhere would seem to make perfect sense
V
Thanks.
Can I ask you what you do for a living?
why is it so strict?
how does the state finance such strict enforcement? Is this pretty much the only thing that taxes go towards?
what else does the government run?