Having eventually decided to move to Europe, the next choice was where, and this is what has caused us a huge amount of problems over the last couple of months. As an American I wanted to go somewhere which had a lot of English-speaking not necessarily the UK, but somewhere that had a nice blend of English and native. This of course opens up a great number of countries. On top of this I needed the heat, I can’t be dealing with Edinburgh winters or Autumn in Oslo, that kind of cold just wouldn’t do.
And so we decided to whittle our choices down to just a few nations, and we decided that it would be best to start in the big cities, we may of course decide to head off for somewhere more rural once we were bedded in. Our factors on where to live were simple, we needed the place to be pretty safe, we needed warmth, a good community for the kids and of course, some amazing food, here are the choices which we are currently stuck between.
Barcelona
As anyone who has been following the blog will know, we have a real soft spot for Spain in general and in particular for Barcelona. The weather is great, the kids will absolutely love it, the food is delightful and although this is a big city, there is something quite relaxed about it when you compare it to Madrid or somewhere like that.
London
Ah yes, the Big Smoke is one of the most famous cities in the world, stirring up thoughts of Dickens, Buckingham Palace and modern day attractions such as The London Eye. I’ve always dreamed about a summer in London, but there’s just one thing that bothers me…they all drive on the left hand side of the road!
It shouldn’t really be a deal-breaker for anyone with an adventurous bone in their body, but if I ever live in England’s capital I will certainly be one of those who purchase test drive insurance, cure is better than prevention in this case.
Marseille
France is somewhere which we would both like to live in and teaching the kids some French is something which definitely appeals to us. The weather here is delightful all year round, the cost of living is surprisingly low given its location and of course, we would have the beach so close. This at the moment looks to be the front runner, although we are a long way from actually making a decision.
Lisbon
I honestly thought that I would dislike Lisbon when I first arrived there, I don’t know why, there was just this vibe from the reports and information that I was reading about the capital which unsettled me. This of course was completely ludicrous given the fact that I absolutely adored the place, and I would most certainly live there in a heartbeat. The only snag with Lisbon is that it is certainly on the pricy side of things, it is still in the mix, but we are just unsure whether or not it would be too big a risk financially.
Dubrovnik
This Croatian city is just incredible and I can’t wait to go back there, possibly to live. I know the kids love it and I know just how safe this place is, that combined with a warm Mediterranean climate, delicious food and incredible views, all of that could certainly mean that our next home is in Croatia. I have to be honest, this is my favorite choice, but convincing the family may not be easy.
