Spinoff: If you could live in another country for a year, which country would it be and why?

Thai food is sooo good...!!! I am Chinese but I'm super Canadian and I've never actually been to China. I think I'd like to live somewhere in Asia too, so that I could travel more and get fat (let's face it, the food will be amazing!). The only thing I'd worry about though is safety and language barrier, so I only speak English (and broken Spanish...).

A more comfortable place (but still awesome) would be New Zealand. I went there on vacation but there's so many hikes I wanted to do but we never got a chance.

Absolutely. We love traveling though he likes to be more comfortable than I need to be. I did six months in Ireland in some ... not posh conditions and I'd do it again. We are pretty sure (as one can be) that we're going to retire to the caribbean, but I'm also eyeing Belize.

oh to answer the *actual* question, um, we'd be happy if the locals aren't shooting at us and I don't have to freak out about the local fauna eating my face while I'm sleeping. Not picky otherwise

I wouldn't live in any other country because AMERICA IS THE GREATEST COUNTRY!!!

Okay, I really am super Patriotic, but I would love to visit Spain, Italy, and maybe Portugal or France.

@LadyMonk, right?! I have a Thai food blog (just posted a new entry this week) and my FH and I teach Thai cooking classes out of our home. We were just talking about setting up a Thai dinner party later this month! We're itching to cook for a big crowd

It is my absolutely favorite genre of food. I could eat it EVERY meal if I could!

I think I would choose Italy. The culture intrigues me and I am sure the food is to die for! I would also love to visit Poland, Ireland and Greece if given the opportunity!

I lived in England a few years ago and loved it--would definitely go back. Also been to Ukraine several times and would return in a heartbeat, although I would prefer to wait until I was reasonably certain of getting out alive. If I had to go somewhere new--probably Croatia. FH has been there and the pictures are stunning. I also would like to visit Greece, Austria, and Switzerland...

Maybe I should get a different job lol

My sister lived in Chaing Mai for a year and loved it. She's in Seattle now.

I've lived in Bogota, Colombia and Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina (I was also born in Australia, but barely remember it). I had a hard time with living overseas, the culture shock and loneliness got to me. So I'd be very selective about where I'd go.

I would live in Bogota again - it's a great place to learn Spanish because the dialect is so clean and easy to understand, the people are friendly and love to party, the climate is perfect (low of 45 and high of 70 all year round!), and the food is amazing.

I would also enjoy Quito, Ecuador - it's a beautiful city, and there's enough of an expat population that I wouldn't get too lonely. I'd consider Windhoek, Namibia to experience Africa, but in a stable, lower crime country, but I don't know about a full year. Plus it seems like they mostly speak Afrikaans, and I don't know how hard it would be to learn.

Jenn - I've been to Croatia and it is beautiful! I went to Dubrovnik and Makarska. Balkan culture can be very hard to break into, though - I didn't make nearly as many friends in Sarajevo as I did in Bogota.

@Shannon S, Chiang Mai is AMAZING!!! I think if we lived in Thailand for a year that would be where we set up shop. Such an incredible place. And I'm in Seattle too!

@Gamecox: Let's get things straight here.... CANADA is the best country out there. ;-)

If I had to live somewhere else it would probably be Australia, New Zealand, or Ireland.

Italy. It's simply gorgeous.

I would do Mexico. Namely, Mexico City or Queretaro. I studied abroad in Queretaro and spent a ton of time in Mexico City because it's close and I love the country, the culture, and the PEOPLE. Good lord the people are amazing and kind, and a wonderfully strong country. Oh my lord. I go back every year to visit my host family and I wish I could stay longer.

Scotland! I went there once and couldn't get enough of it, it's just gorgeous even when it rains. Plus then it would be a quick trip to Ireland/England or the continent!! The FH and I actually want to live overseas someday with out future kids!

Japan!!! I love the culture and the language, plus my dress style originates from Japan so I wouldn't have to order my clothes online anymore! I'd actually get to shop there! Now, the food, my FH would appreciate more since I don't like seafood, but I just love everything else over there. Hopefully one day I will be able to get over my fear of planes enough to go visit. In the mean time, I'll keep trying to learn Japanese.

My FH wants to live in Thailand. He is half Thai and misses it a lot. He used to visit with his family when he was younger, but hasn't been back in years. His goal is for me to go there one day so he can introduce me to the rest of his biological family. Only his bio mom and sister are in America so the rest of his family that I know is the family that took in his father when he came to America. I must say, I am interested in some of the desserts I've heard about there!

The Czech Republic. We're actually honeymooning in Prague for a month and plan on living abroad for at least a year once our kids are older. My family immigrated from Prague and I'm so excited to finally be able to go.

I think the Philippines. Preferably Manila. My grandfather was born and raised in Manila, and moved to the US after college. I wish I could go back with him and have him show me his roots and his old village. He's 92 now, and he's too scared to go back because he's afraid he'll get sick and be stuck there. My dad hates the Philippines, so there's no hope of him taking me. So, yeah. I'd like to be able to explore my cultural roots a bit more.

Well we live abroad

I could do somewhere in Africa for a year, one of the few continents that neither me or FH have done a stint in - yet.

But the UK is hard to beat at the moment (especially in terms of travelling)

Shannon - Namibia has English as an official language at is widely spoken (though not the most widely- but in government and on signs) but they speak German as well. (Afrikaans is okay to read at least - if you Dutch/German is okay, you can middle through when reading a sign)

I have never been out of the US! But I would love to go to England or Ireland! Anywhere that speaks ENGLISH because the only other language I know is some Spanish and don't speak it fluently. I also know a bit of American sign language, but don't think that applies in another country! I would hate to go somewhere and not understand anyone or anyone understand me!

Spain was great.

I'd love to go back to Sweden with hubs' family or to New Zealand.