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May. 9th, 2008 12:37 amDid you know that rent in Cape Town, South Africa, is about the same as rent in St. John's, Canada? Did you know that as a UK citizen with some university education, as per their immigration website, I'd have a better-than-even chance of obtaining a temporary residence permit? Did you know I've never been to South Africa, but have read about how phenomenally beautiful it is and, even with the ugly parts, would love to experience that?
And did you know airfare is heart-attack-inducing and a large enough number that I cannot grasp it? Expedia initially said a couple of thousand dollars, one-way, but when I clicked to see where the stopovers would be and such, to fulfill idle curiosity, the number... er... rose. To a quarter of my net yearly income. Granted, I'm well aware some of you earn more than five times what I do and that a quarter of my yearly income is not all that much, really, but to me, it may as well be a million dollars. I simply do not have the ability to save up that much money in the next decade - not if I also want to finish my degree without incurring debt, the paying-off of which would stop me from saving up that money afterwards anyway.
*Sigh*
I wonder where else someone who speaks English and French could live fairly cheaply? Preferably non-desert climates (Cape Town is a mediterranean climate), and with as little war-and-people-being-blown-up as possible? The languages thing is only necessary because if I'm going to move somewhere where I don't know anyone, it's best to be able to communicate enough to find a place to live and to puchase groceries. And set up an internet connection. Internet is a must. Remoter areas of Scotland or Wales or France, perhaps? Belgium? I hear Switzerland's very pricey. Romania. I can probably puzzle out Romanian.
Damnit. I wish I could be good at this whole "staying in one place" thing. Why does the world need to be so big and varied and bloody marvellous?
And did you know airfare is heart-attack-inducing and a large enough number that I cannot grasp it? Expedia initially said a couple of thousand dollars, one-way, but when I clicked to see where the stopovers would be and such, to fulfill idle curiosity, the number... er... rose. To a quarter of my net yearly income. Granted, I'm well aware some of you earn more than five times what I do and that a quarter of my yearly income is not all that much, really, but to me, it may as well be a million dollars. I simply do not have the ability to save up that much money in the next decade - not if I also want to finish my degree without incurring debt, the paying-off of which would stop me from saving up that money afterwards anyway.
*Sigh*
I wonder where else someone who speaks English and French could live fairly cheaply? Preferably non-desert climates (Cape Town is a mediterranean climate), and with as little war-and-people-being-blown-up as possible? The languages thing is only necessary because if I'm going to move somewhere where I don't know anyone, it's best to be able to communicate enough to find a place to live and to puchase groceries. And set up an internet connection. Internet is a must. Remoter areas of Scotland or Wales or France, perhaps? Belgium? I hear Switzerland's very pricey. Romania. I can probably puzzle out Romanian.
Damnit. I wish I could be good at this whole "staying in one place" thing. Why does the world need to be so big and varied and bloody marvellous?
