Half way there and a slight change of direction

ZTD

elantan wrote: »

Well it would bearch time and although Mr El and I fancy retiring to either Spain or Portugal I'm actually thinking Norway or Finland as they really appeal to me, with the course I am doing and my interest in sociology and my love of politics these two places really appeal to me

March time should be fine for both extremes. No freezing (much) in Finland and no melting (much) in Spain.

Having someone on the ground would help for your retirement plans, though you will pay a bit on travel costs.

You don't need to live "on the ground" to analyse a country from a political point of view. Though I am a bit curious as to why you're finding Norway and Finland interesting right now.

For me, Sweden and Denmark are "interesting" right now, but for completely opposite reasons...

There_Is_a_Light

Just popping in to say hello and subscribe. I am a previous old timer from the daily chat and have had a long break and a change of username. Glad to see so many of the old gang around
Off to subscribe.

Karmacat

El! I wasn't on here much yesterday, so I'm catching up to this conversation - I agree with what's been said, and especially Goldie, its the things we don't do that we regret. Time abroad related to your course? Absolutely! You're creating memories and resources and links, and who knows what else. Go for it.

elantan

Hey all

Z I fancy Norway and Finland as Scotland is often compared to Norway ( I fancy Norway more tbh) how Scotland wouldve been if we had an oil fund etc, so I would like to be able to compare the health provisions and also look at the sociological perspectives of poverty, education as well as the psyche of the people, I want to see how they do politics there.

Mr El wants me to go to Spain or Portugal as those two places are on out to move to list when we eventually leave Scotland. I tried to explain that the job I will be doing I can do anywhere in the world and by the time we go no matter where we go things will have moved on.

I spose for me its a case of lets see if it is as good as it's made out, maybe bring that info back home and do something with it ? and i'm sure by now people will have figured I am very much into how societies and people operate


Hey There is light welcome

the daily chat boy that takes me back good days with great people are you able to share your old name ? I totally respect if you dont want to please dont feel you need to.

Kc

Aye I think I will send an email away, I can switch from paying off the mortgage to saving for going quite easily, there are things I am not very excited about, accommodation, language barriers, will it meet my educational needs etc ( I have decided to specialise in a certain field, will need to see if the countries can meet that need) so whilst it isnt a total yes I am going to go, I am now at the very interested stage.

elantan

http://www.hioa.no/eng/Research-and-Development/Our-research/Research-at-the-Faculty-of-Health-Sciences/Forskningsgrupper-ved-Fakultet-for-helsefag/Quality-of-Life-and-Pain-Research

http://www.hioa.no/eng/Research-and-Development/Our-research/Research-at-the-Faculty-of-Health-Sciences/Forskningsgrupper-ved-Fakultet-for-helsefag/Public-Health-Nutrition



These two interest me alot, and I think they are something I can get my teeth into

ZTD

elantan wrote: »

Hey all

:hello:

elantan wrote: »

Z I fancy Norway and Finland as Scotland is often compared to Norway ( I fancy Norway more tbh) how Scotland wouldve been if we had an oil fund etc,

Be careful about that. Do your own research. People see "Sovereign Wealth Fund" and imagine it pays out, then run with it proclaiming how wonderful it must be. It doesn't pay out. It absorbs several billion NOK per year. Norway has a *poorer* lifestyle than without it. Saving for the future *always* means you have less money right now.

They're saving for when the oil runs out.

elantan wrote: »

Mr El wants me to go to Spain or Portugal as those two places are on out to move to list when we eventually leave Scotland. I tried to explain that the job I will be doing I can do anywhere in the world

Given the choice of being able to do things anywhere in the world - choose those areas of the world which are nice. Spain and Portugal are good candidates for that, and learning more about them would help.

It always amazes me when I meet people from countries like Canada, or Finland, or Greece that they choose the North East. Why?!

I know the North East (for example) is better than many areas of the world, so people from The Sudan, North Korea and Hull probably think it's great - but even so...

elantan wrote: »

and by the time we go no matter where we go things will have moved on.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Things don't fundamentally change as much as you'd imagine.

If you want to go there - learn the language. People in foreign countries are usually willing to meet you half-way if you at least try.

elantan wrote: »

I spose for me its a case of lets see if it is as good as it's made out, maybe bring that info back home and do something with it ? and i'm sure by now people will have figured I am very much into how societies and people operate

That's easy: "Badly" and "Worse"...

ZTD

elantan wrote: »

http://www.hioa.no/eng/Research-and-Development/Our-research/Research-at-the-Faculty-of-Health-Sciences/Forskningsgrupper-ved-Fakultet-for-helsefag/Quality-of-Life-and-Pain-Research

http://www.hioa.no/eng/Research-and-Development/Our-research/Research-at-the-Faculty-of-Health-Sciences/Forskningsgrupper-ved-Fakultet-for-helsefag/Public-Health-Nutrition

These two interest me alot, and I think they are something I can get my teeth into

Be careful of the "Nutrition" one. Denial over what Ancel Keys did is still working it's way through "the system", and you may end up finding out people are abandoning everything you've just been taught just as you come to use it.

The first one seems interesting, but they need to ditch the extraneous comma from Chronic fatigue syndrome...

Karmacat

Language is a good point, El - Portuguese, and especially Spanish, are used all over the globe, they're going to help you when you travel later on. Norwegian and Finnish, not so much Though in Scandi, you probably won't have any language barriers doing the job.

This is very exciting!

elantan

Language is gonna be a problem ... ahm no very good at learning them... went to a 8 week Spanish class and can only manage Hola

Karmacat

It's different when you're in it, and no let up - I've had a few weeks on my own in Spain and Italy here and there, and I was perfectly capable of talking to the guy in the train station ticket office, to cancel one ticket and buy another

And I certainly recall arguing in Italian when the bus conductor who called at my camp site tried to insist on taking me out for the evening