As half the country stares into the bleak, unforgiving face of winter, we’ll take some time to reflect on unusual, exotic places to live. Because when you’re staring into another harsh snowstorm, putting chains on your tires, or just generally thinking about how there was a reason Indians didn’t live in this part of the country either, it’s relaxing to take a second and fantasize about a life totally different from the one you currently lead.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Buenos Aires is the second largest city in South America. With an average temaprtaure of 68 degress, you’ll feel like you’re in Grandpa’s basement all the time, except it smells a little better in Buenos Aires. The city is known as the “Paris of South America” largely due to its European flair.
What’s Good: It’s on the coast, has California weather (except with more rain) and is generally a culturally vibrant, bustling metropolis.
What’s Bad: How’s that colon of yours? Argentina leads the world in per-capita red meat consumption. So a large part of the entire food culture is built around eating gargantuan plates of beef. We suppose that could be considered a good thing, if you’re one of those go-for-the-gusto types.
Auckland, New Zealand
New Zealand’s not just a pretty place. The Mercer Quality of Life survey listed Auckland as the fourth best place in the world to live. People actually enjoy life here. Imagine that!
The Good: The above-mentioned quality of living, not to mention a climate that rarely gets much above 80 degrees or below 40.
The Bad: Urban sprawl, big time. The population of Auckland is exploding, and the country still hasn’t figured out how to deal with it. So expect the city to continue spreading like a rash all over Hobbiton.
Bangkok, Thailand
This Thai metropolis is one of the most vibrant places on Earth. You want a real “sin city?” Bangkok makes Vegas look like a trip to Aunt Ethel’s on Easter. Nothing compares. Bangkok laughs in the face of other cities that pretend to be edgy.
The Good: Sub-tropical, lawless and jacked in. Some say there’s nothing in the world you can’t get in Bangkok.
The Bad: You know how we said there’s nothing you can’t get there? That includes exotic venereal disease. And, if you’ve ever seen Bangkok Palace or The Beach, you know there’s a teeny-tiny downside to the ceaseless bacchanalia.
San Jose, Costa Rica
Costa Rica is that one Central American country you can go to and not be afraid you’re going to get caught in the middle of a bloody coup. Its beaches are often compared to Southern California’s, and in general it is considered an overtly pleasant place to live.
The Good: Most of Costa Rica is beautiful, and San Jose in the Central Valley is no exception. San Jose is a cultural watershed in one of the cleanest countries in all of the Americas. And you’re just an hour and a half to some of the best beaches in the world.
The Bad: Everyone’s caught on. Costa Rica used to be a well kept secret. Not no more. Get ready to fight all those retirees from New York for good spots at the point break.
Malta
We’re treating this entire country as one, because there’s only 400,000 people living in this Mediterranean island paradise. Located between Africa and Sicily, Malta is a sunny country of European influence and North African climate.
The Good: Malta is not far from the European mainland or Tunisia, giving it a unique position culturally. It has two seasons- dry and wet- while the temparature rarely varies more than twenty degrees.
The Bad: Can you say island fever? Malta is one of the most densely populated countries in Europe, so you’d better like rubbing elbows with other expatriates.
Jrharper grew up in the Ozarks. He received a BA in English from the University of Missouri and an MA in English from Missouri State University.
On the road to figuring out what the hell he was put here to do, he has owned a vintage clothing store, taught college classes, cooked in too many restaurant kitchens and worked at a Missouri winery, which he swears actually exist and are not that bad. For the last few years he's been a writing gun-for-hire, working for Go, Vox, 417 Magazine, Madatoms and now EgoTV. He lives in LA. Trackbacks
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As half the country stares into the bleak, unforgiving face of winter, we’ll take some time to reflect on unusual, exotic places to live….
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Brock Landers
Chief
Though we are known for our meat down here in Argentina, our diet is quite varied. We don’t just eat beef. There’s a lot of pasta, pizza, and other types of food. Thanks for adding us to the list, though
I lived in Auckland about 5 years ago, it really is a beautiful place!
i hate to do this, because i’m from uruguay- but anyway
i must say you have it all wrong about argentina- it is NOT ‘a plains country’ in fact it has every environment you can think of- deserts, tropical forests, tundra, mountains, you name it.
which means than ANYTHING will grow there.
in argentina they like to refer to their country as “the country of the five continents” specifically because you can find all the world’s bio-regions within their borders. do a little more research next time.
Costa Rica looks real nice right now as it’s -9 outside.
don
http://spiritnewsdaily.com
madison,wi
forget all these come to issan in the north east of Thailand you just wont believe what you can get for you money
its expat heaven over there
Herb- you’re right, the climate is more varied than I gave it credit for. The country still leads the world in per-capita red meat consumption though!
Nice list. Costa Rica looks nice!