If I could move to another Country...

[Bealltainn]

... I would live in Ireland or in England.
Where do you think that it would be a good place to live and to learn the abcient knowledges?

[Corwen]

I suspect that after the novelty had worn off you would find England and Ireland much like Northern Italy. Only the fringes of England are unspoilt now, most of the country has been trashed by insensitive development, overcrowding, industrial agriculture, airports and motorways. Its rare to find anywhere not in a National park where there is silence for any length of time (till the next plane flies over). Cornwall, parts of Devon, parts of the north country like Cumbria, Northumbria etc are relatively empty though the nicer bits are full of tourists in the summer.

Much of Ireland is a little emptier so that is an improvement over the southern half of England, though the recent economic boom has destroyed much of the old fashioned ambience Ireland used to have, at least according to my friend Peter who travels there for business regularly and loves Ireland deeply. Both nations are dominated by a lust for personal wealth and the increasingly divided society which results.

Personally having travelled a lot in Britain, and lived here most of my life, I long for the peace and quiet, natural landscapes and rural beauty we found in Norway, so I guess I'd move there is I had the choice. However I'd miss my friends and family commitments make moving currently not an option. Kate and I have certainly talked about living in Scandinavia for the warm half the year and on our boat in England for the other half, though this is made harder since the last ferry route between England and Norway was closed.

I fully expect one of the Norwegians now to tell me how awful Norway is, I guess the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence as we say in England!

[Badger Bob]

I have lived and worked in a lot of places but to be quite frank I prefer the north of England to most of them. I already know the language and the food is good

I am a bit of a special case as I am partially sighted which makes a lot of countries difficult to live in, the third world and asia outside of major cities such as Singapore, Shanghai and Tokyo are no-go areas. Life in the US is pretty limited if you don't drive or have a job with substantial healthcare insurance, Canada is good in the cities (I have a lot of family in Calgary) but long distance travel seems to be the norm. Australia is good in the developed bits as is New Zealand (I have never been but I have a cousin who lives in Wellington who is completely blind, we tend to suffer from eye accidents in my family!). Nearer home I would probably plump for Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany or Switzerland if I had to move, mainly because of the people, the facilities and the history. After twenty years of working around the world I now live less than six miles from where my grandparents lived most of their lives. Home is best if you take the time to appreciate it properly.

The main thing I have learned living in so many places is that it is not the places but the people who have something to teach you. Nature is everywhere and you can learn as much on an inner city wasteland as you can in the depths of a sylvan paradise. It just feels nicer in the forest when the sun is shining and you are within easy reach of shelter. There is no real ancient knowledge that is to be found only in one place, if it has any value it is generally out in the open and you just have to learn how to sort the wheat from the chaff. Learning from your own people and surroundings will probably tell you more than trying to fit in with another culture and then trying to do the same, and if you don't learn your own culture how is is going to be passed on?

Edited to correct stupid spelling checker...and again due to a missing paragraph.

[Michael C. Page]

Wales.

[DJ Droood]

wow...I would chose Northern Italy....

[Bracken]

Malaysia. I'd have a house on stilts on Langkawi, and I'd learn all I need from toucans and monkeys.

[Aitrus]

Switzerland, the Netherlands, New Zeland, or back to Alaska (I know, not another country, but it's far enough away from all the hubub that you can get lost and stay lost.) I need to more research on Chile, that might be an option as well.

[Ade Sundog]

Somewhere by the sea .

[Twig]

Right now, anywhere but Texas sounds good...

New Zealand. Right, not a major Druid stronghold, but a good place to get close to nature from what I've heard.

And closer to home, Costa Rica.

[Badger Bob]

...I'd learn all I need from toucans and monkeys.

I've already asked them, it pretty much boils down to Guinness and sex...

[Michael C. Page]

Right now, anywhere but Texas sounds good...

New Zealand. Right, not a major Druid stronghold, but a good place to get close to nature from what I've heard.

And closer to home, Costa Rica.

Actually Twig, there is quite a stong Druid Community in New Zealand.

[LadyCelt]

The mountains of western North Carolina.

[Twig]

Thanks for the info, MCP. I should check my facts first!

"Dear New Zealand Chamber of Commerce,
Y'all have any Druids down there?"
Kindest regards,
Clueless in Texas"

"Dear Clueless,
Yes, we most certainly do.
However, most of them are flightless.
Come see us,
NZ Chamber of Commerce"

[Bracken]

...I'd learn all I need from toucans and monkeys.

I've already asked them, it pretty much boils down to Guinness and sex...

Then I have learnt all I can. My work here on earth is done.

[Bracken]

Here Twig, my dear old friend. Look at THIS.

I just love how Unikorn says Stone Hinge.

[Twig]

Thanks for that link, Bracken my friend. I want to leave tomorrow! NZ seems like paradise. Have you ever been there?

It was comforting to learn that Philip would kill a mosquito. I've been fretting over that decision of late. Those and flies and cockroaches. Oh, those ethical battles...

[skh]

Here Twig, my dear old friend. Look at THIS.

"Britain's top druid -- Philip."

Sometimes I wonder why we don't all run away screaming

Anyway. I love England, but I suspect that's partially because most of the people I know there are extremely nice, intelligent, creative, funny, lovable druids. If I moved there, I would have to deal with all the other people who are just, well, people who aren't necessarily any more open-minded and welcoming than they are over here.

I think, though, that the UK has come a bit further with the acceptance of pagan spiritual and religious paths than Germany (and probably other european countries). Also, I have the feeling that being eccentric isn't as frowned upon there as it is here.

Still. Nature is everywhere, earth is everywhere.

peace /|\
Sonja

[Ade Sundog]

Here Twig, my dear old friend. Look at THIS.

Top vid! With a Kate Bush soundtrack

[Bracken]

Hi Twig. I haven't been to NZ but I have been round that side of the world and it is just gorgeous in lots of ways - and I did have a beautiful girlfriend from New Zealand once called Torso Vic. It's a long story.

[Twig]

Only you! Quite a Brackenian story, I'm sure...

Torso Vic, huh? That's a name right out of bad film noir.