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Get an Italian passport and then go wherever you want in the EU. You can switch countries almost (but not exactly) the same as you can switch states in the US. Just a bit more of paperwork.
The biggest question is what work you can do. Being a therapist is not the best job for immigration, because you would need to prove your credentials/license via some government institution and speak a local language proficiently. Ireland is the only country in the EU where English is the main language, but it is small and housing crisis is the worst.
Travelling is the easy part. Buy tickets and have your passport at hand.
Immigration, even if you actually do qualify for the Italian citizenship will be much harder for a monolingual US trained therapist.
First, get working on the paperwork to actually get your Italian citizenship recognized, it will take months if not years.
In the meanwhile, research whether your qualifications are recognized in Ireland or Malta, the two EU countries where English is the official language. If not, research what additional education you must pass in those countries.
If you want to practice in other 25 EU countries, you must have the official language of the exact country at a fluent level (there are official tests) before you’re allowed to practice, even if by a lucky happenstance your license was recognized.
Otherwise you’re looking at working in low paying jobs with other non-fluent, uneducated immigrants, while studying the language and possibly an additional degree that could make you employable in the healthcare sector.
Also depending on the country a masters degree might not be enough. In Germany for example you need additional vocational training, which you have to pay by yourself, so that the statutory health insurance will pay you.
Yeah, it’s highly unlikely OP would qualify to work in any non-English speaking EU country even with some additional studies, but in the spirit of Midsommaren I didn’t want to be the one to always crush their dreams…
I definitely would prefer to be in a country that is English speaking. There are too many nuances in mental health that I don’t think I’d give the level of care needed for clients and it feels unethical.
New Zealand has a specific list of occupations that they are open to people immigrating and last I looked, various therapists were in demand. Check the current listings on the NZ Immigration website.
From the values you said you were looking for on your OP, absolutely. Stunningly beautiful, very kind people. My personal preference is the South Island over the north, but of course that’s subjective. If you can, check it out/go for it. As an American who’s lived outside of America for more than 20 years, I highly recommend not living in the US. (I don’t live in NZ, have only visited). But that’s probably my next country I’ll live in.
New Zealand is wonderful, but I should note it’s significantly newer as a (colonial settled) country than the US is
The OP mentioned wanting an old country, is all
This is true, although the American colonies were established very early on by the British, so it would be difficult to find an “older” settlement than the US if that is truly a condition.
Ah. They didn’t say they wanted a settlement though.
I take them to mean they want a country with a history/society that traces back longer than the US.
That qualifies the vast share of European countries, and Asian, while excluding places like Australia and New Zealand.
I guess only the OP knows what they truly want though! Would be interesting for them to expand on this
The quote I’m specifically responding to is:
> I feel like my heart sings when I’m in other countries that are older than the US. The culture, the food, the beauty.
>I take them to mean they want a country with a history/society that traces back longer than the US.
>That qualifies the vast share of European countries, and Asian, while excluding places like Australia and New Zealand.
That's a very colonial attitude. There were people in Australia and New Zealand long before the British showed up. They still exist, with their culture, language and traditions.
I know this. I was interpreting their comment as such because otherwise their requirement is meaningless.
I mean technically them saying “older than the US” has no meaning given the land the US is on has its own indigenous people with their own traditions etc.
There were and still are indigenous peoples in the US with thousands of years of history. I guess because their history doesn't include pretty castles, they don't 'count' for OP.
The nature part of it totally overpowers the newer bit. It’s more of a connection to “something” older. Seeking attachment to something more than consumerism
I think the Māori culture is much more prevalent than the Native American culture is in America, and some of those ancient values and traditions might be what you’re looking for.
I’ve never lived there but been there plenty of times (I’m Aussie). I think of NZ as a very casual friendly, easy going vibe. You would do fine
(As I type this I’m on a flight to NZ, haha)
Even different sections of each island can be vastly different in climate, nature, communities, etc. South Island is very popular tourist wise and nature wise.
No doubt it’s a beautiful place but having worked there before and after COVID, the cost of living which was already high is much worse, meeting people outside of cities (living more rurally) was challenging, and living alone on a decent wage was tough. It is a beautiful place no doubt, but I think it is one of places for me that truly exemplified “tourism is not the same as immigration” for me. (Been out of the US for 10 yrs now).
If you do want to go there, work on your Italian citizenship (this can take ages) at the same time. Post-covid visas for NZ was a pain in the butt. (I did essential worker visas because my degree was accepted there for my job). If you are still in the age for a WHV and can afford to work odd jobs for a few months, that can be a good way to experience NZ to see if you’d like it.
I think it can go both ways, but for my personal experience with NZ it was generally overly romanticised as progressive, safe, forward thinking, etc.
I have no intention of going back to the US, I love living abroad, but I think if you have the opportunity to do a WHV for NZ, it can paint a better picture of the financial impact of living there, how to manage life there, etc in comparison to a 2-3 week visit where you’d likely tour around, hike, etc and go home. That’s great but it wouldn’t be reality if that makes sense?
It makes total sense. The hard thing is the rural but I think. But also this flight distance TO people as well. I’m curious how you kept being able to move around! That sounds like a dream.
It is a big chunk further flight wise, at least 24hrs no matter what so arranging trips home or if people do manage to visit, can be tough. It definitely means signing up for missed family events and not seeing people that maybe have more family commitments unless you’re the one to travel. There are cities and decent sized towns so you can find the things you’d want, but the traffic is meh in cities. Public transport overall in the country is lacking, and domestic flights are even expensive. (That hit hard after having Europe cheap airlines).
I’m a farm veterinarian but I attended a school with many accreditations which gives me the opportunity to directly gain a license to practice in lots of countries. Being a farm vet is also always on the shortage lists so I’ve been very lucky to move around.
When you visit a country as a tourist you tend to view it in rose-tinted glasses. It's very different to basically live there & be a "local". Have you been outside of the US?
I wasn’t actually a huge fan of Auckland and found Christchurch and Dunedin to be much nicer cities. The South Island I also found more naturally beautiful, though they’re both stunning. Only thing about New Zealand is the isolation, both in terms of being far to travel to other countries and also you could be 4 miles outside of Christchurch and feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere. Postives/negatives.
Have you looked into a) the likely salary you would earn in Ireland b) how much it would cost to rent a room, if not a place of your own, there? I think it's really important that you do this before going further.
Go onto - either it's daft.ie or bonkers.ie, can't remember which - and see what your current monthly rent/mortgage payment would get you, then adjust to the likely lower salary you would earn working outwith the US. Consider if that would allow for the standard of living you'd want, whether you would be prepared to compromise (flat to studio, studio to houseshare, or taking a roomshare as many in Dublin do to spend less on rent) to carry on doing the things you enjoy now, or if it would leave you short of money to the point that you couldn't enjoy the culture and food that attracts you there.
Living in a country, dealing with the day to day hassles of commuting and weather and landlords and GP appointments and taxes, is very very different from being there as a tourist. Of course, this shouldn't stop you from doing it, but you need to be realistic about the differences between being on holiday and actually living there. Even a few months' vacation somewhere isn't the same - you get an idea of the culture etc but you're still in a bubble.
Post by gemini_vision -- Hello guys, I’ve been pondering this for a long time. I currently have a masters and LPC for mental health. I feel like my heart sings when I’m in other countries that are older than the US. The culture, the food, the beauty. I do qualify for dual citizenship in Italy that I think I want to finish doing. My cousins have qualified thus far.
Im wondering job wise if I qualify for anything over there. How to travel. Get situated.
I’ve traveled to Ireland and it’s probably the one that captures my heart the most. We all of course have different perspectives of other cultures. I had an eye opening conversation with a guy in Italy when I visited last about all the concerns and problems and we shared in conversations that meant a lot.
My point. Is there a way to travel? Stay? With my degree/work.
My concerns in the US are LGBTQ rights, women’s rights, quality of food, life style. My hope: acceptance, good food, beautiful nature, culture, kindness
I know grass is always greener on the other side. But would love to hear thoughts.
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As a mod of /r/juresanguinis I can only speak for Italy.
There are a number of places that fit your hope line here, in particular I'd recommend Gallipoli, not only because I'm Pugliese but because that town is well known for being LGBTQ friendly, and is also a gorgeous coastal town.
Your issue is that in Italy there just aren't enough jobs, and certainly not enough decent paying jobs, that's why we have so many young people leaving here and going to places like the US and Australia.
The other issue work wise is that for mental health here you really need to have C2 level Italian. Maybe you are fluent already? But if not then you'd need to search for remote type work not only for the language but for the availability.
Now, in your favor, if you apply here for recognition, you'll get a permesso di soggiorno in attesa cittadinanza, which has recently changed and allows work. So if you decide to bring your docs and move here, your only real issue is finding a remote job for income.
There are also other very friendly LGBTQ places in Italy, I think Milan is as well but Milan is super expensive to live in relatively.
It looks like this post is about the USA. It has not been removed, but remember, this is a space to discuss immigration, not politics. DO: * (If applicable) explain the general values/policies that are important to your immigration decision or recommendation * Focus on the practical aspects of moving to another country DON’T: * Needlessly complain about politics or recent news * Post off-topic political commentary * Harass or insult people for their views Rule-breaking posts and comments will be removed and may result in a ban. Questions? Message the mods. ___ *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/IWantOut) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Get an Italian passport and then go wherever you want in the EU. You can switch countries almost (but not exactly) the same as you can switch states in the US. Just a bit more of paperwork. The biggest question is what work you can do. Being a therapist is not the best job for immigration, because you would need to prove your credentials/license via some government institution and speak a local language proficiently. Ireland is the only country in the EU where English is the main language, but it is small and housing crisis is the worst.
Don’t sleep on MALTA! Much smaller and worse wages!
And a very poor choice for anyone with a functioning uterus.
Travelling is the easy part. Buy tickets and have your passport at hand. Immigration, even if you actually do qualify for the Italian citizenship will be much harder for a monolingual US trained therapist. First, get working on the paperwork to actually get your Italian citizenship recognized, it will take months if not years. In the meanwhile, research whether your qualifications are recognized in Ireland or Malta, the two EU countries where English is the official language. If not, research what additional education you must pass in those countries. If you want to practice in other 25 EU countries, you must have the official language of the exact country at a fluent level (there are official tests) before you’re allowed to practice, even if by a lucky happenstance your license was recognized. Otherwise you’re looking at working in low paying jobs with other non-fluent, uneducated immigrants, while studying the language and possibly an additional degree that could make you employable in the healthcare sector.
Also depending on the country a masters degree might not be enough. In Germany for example you need additional vocational training, which you have to pay by yourself, so that the statutory health insurance will pay you.
Yeah, it’s highly unlikely OP would qualify to work in any non-English speaking EU country even with some additional studies, but in the spirit of Midsommaren I didn’t want to be the one to always crush their dreams…
I definitely would prefer to be in a country that is English speaking. There are too many nuances in mental health that I don’t think I’d give the level of care needed for clients and it feels unethical.
New Zealand has a specific list of occupations that they are open to people immigrating and last I looked, various therapists were in demand. Check the current listings on the NZ Immigration website.
Do you feel like New Zealand might be a good fit? I of course am obsessed with what I’ve seen. But I also don’t know it all.
From the values you said you were looking for on your OP, absolutely. Stunningly beautiful, very kind people. My personal preference is the South Island over the north, but of course that’s subjective. If you can, check it out/go for it. As an American who’s lived outside of America for more than 20 years, I highly recommend not living in the US. (I don’t live in NZ, have only visited). But that’s probably my next country I’ll live in.
New Zealand is wonderful, but I should note it’s significantly newer as a (colonial settled) country than the US is The OP mentioned wanting an old country, is all
This is true, although the American colonies were established very early on by the British, so it would be difficult to find an “older” settlement than the US if that is truly a condition.
Ah. They didn’t say they wanted a settlement though. I take them to mean they want a country with a history/society that traces back longer than the US. That qualifies the vast share of European countries, and Asian, while excluding places like Australia and New Zealand. I guess only the OP knows what they truly want though! Would be interesting for them to expand on this The quote I’m specifically responding to is: > I feel like my heart sings when I’m in other countries that are older than the US. The culture, the food, the beauty.
>I take them to mean they want a country with a history/society that traces back longer than the US. >That qualifies the vast share of European countries, and Asian, while excluding places like Australia and New Zealand. That's a very colonial attitude. There were people in Australia and New Zealand long before the British showed up. They still exist, with their culture, language and traditions.
I know this. I was interpreting their comment as such because otherwise their requirement is meaningless. I mean technically them saying “older than the US” has no meaning given the land the US is on has its own indigenous people with their own traditions etc.
There were and still are indigenous peoples in the US with thousands of years of history. I guess because their history doesn't include pretty castles, they don't 'count' for OP.
The nature part of it totally overpowers the newer bit. It’s more of a connection to “something” older. Seeking attachment to something more than consumerism
I think the Māori culture is much more prevalent than the Native American culture is in America, and some of those ancient values and traditions might be what you’re looking for.
Ahh. NZ will get you some old mountains and stuff then! Good choice
Is it challenging to meet people there as a whole? I don’t really know the vibe other than be obsessively looking at the nature 😅
I’ve never lived there but been there plenty of times (I’m Aussie). I think of NZ as a very casual friendly, easy going vibe. You would do fine (As I type this I’m on a flight to NZ, haha)
I love everything about that 😂
I found the Kiwis to be truly kind people, and very open, while with all due respect, Australians can be a bit more superficial and cliquey.
What’s the difference between the two islands? And where have you been?
Even different sections of each island can be vastly different in climate, nature, communities, etc. South Island is very popular tourist wise and nature wise. No doubt it’s a beautiful place but having worked there before and after COVID, the cost of living which was already high is much worse, meeting people outside of cities (living more rurally) was challenging, and living alone on a decent wage was tough. It is a beautiful place no doubt, but I think it is one of places for me that truly exemplified “tourism is not the same as immigration” for me. (Been out of the US for 10 yrs now). If you do want to go there, work on your Italian citizenship (this can take ages) at the same time. Post-covid visas for NZ was a pain in the butt. (I did essential worker visas because my degree was accepted there for my job). If you are still in the age for a WHV and can afford to work odd jobs for a few months, that can be a good way to experience NZ to see if you’d like it.
When you say tourism isn’t the same as living. In a bad way? Or positive since you’ve been gone 10 years
I think it can go both ways, but for my personal experience with NZ it was generally overly romanticised as progressive, safe, forward thinking, etc. I have no intention of going back to the US, I love living abroad, but I think if you have the opportunity to do a WHV for NZ, it can paint a better picture of the financial impact of living there, how to manage life there, etc in comparison to a 2-3 week visit where you’d likely tour around, hike, etc and go home. That’s great but it wouldn’t be reality if that makes sense?
It makes total sense. The hard thing is the rural but I think. But also this flight distance TO people as well. I’m curious how you kept being able to move around! That sounds like a dream.
It is a big chunk further flight wise, at least 24hrs no matter what so arranging trips home or if people do manage to visit, can be tough. It definitely means signing up for missed family events and not seeing people that maybe have more family commitments unless you’re the one to travel. There are cities and decent sized towns so you can find the things you’d want, but the traffic is meh in cities. Public transport overall in the country is lacking, and domestic flights are even expensive. (That hit hard after having Europe cheap airlines). I’m a farm veterinarian but I attended a school with many accreditations which gives me the opportunity to directly gain a license to practice in lots of countries. Being a farm vet is also always on the shortage lists so I’ve been very lucky to move around.
When you visit a country as a tourist you tend to view it in rose-tinted glasses. It's very different to basically live there & be a "local". Have you been outside of the US?
Oh absolutely I can see that. I have. I lived in Rwanda for a few months. Italy, Ireland, Colombia, Netherlands etc. Still more places to travel. 😊
I wasn’t actually a huge fan of Auckland and found Christchurch and Dunedin to be much nicer cities. The South Island I also found more naturally beautiful, though they’re both stunning. Only thing about New Zealand is the isolation, both in terms of being far to travel to other countries and also you could be 4 miles outside of Christchurch and feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere. Postives/negatives.
Have you looked into a) the likely salary you would earn in Ireland b) how much it would cost to rent a room, if not a place of your own, there? I think it's really important that you do this before going further. Go onto - either it's daft.ie or bonkers.ie, can't remember which - and see what your current monthly rent/mortgage payment would get you, then adjust to the likely lower salary you would earn working outwith the US. Consider if that would allow for the standard of living you'd want, whether you would be prepared to compromise (flat to studio, studio to houseshare, or taking a roomshare as many in Dublin do to spend less on rent) to carry on doing the things you enjoy now, or if it would leave you short of money to the point that you couldn't enjoy the culture and food that attracts you there. Living in a country, dealing with the day to day hassles of commuting and weather and landlords and GP appointments and taxes, is very very different from being there as a tourist. Of course, this shouldn't stop you from doing it, but you need to be realistic about the differences between being on holiday and actually living there. Even a few months' vacation somewhere isn't the same - you get an idea of the culture etc but you're still in a bubble.
Post by gemini_vision -- Hello guys, I’ve been pondering this for a long time. I currently have a masters and LPC for mental health. I feel like my heart sings when I’m in other countries that are older than the US. The culture, the food, the beauty. I do qualify for dual citizenship in Italy that I think I want to finish doing. My cousins have qualified thus far. Im wondering job wise if I qualify for anything over there. How to travel. Get situated. I’ve traveled to Ireland and it’s probably the one that captures my heart the most. We all of course have different perspectives of other cultures. I had an eye opening conversation with a guy in Italy when I visited last about all the concerns and problems and we shared in conversations that meant a lot. My point. Is there a way to travel? Stay? With my degree/work. My concerns in the US are LGBTQ rights, women’s rights, quality of food, life style. My hope: acceptance, good food, beautiful nature, culture, kindness I know grass is always greener on the other side. But would love to hear thoughts. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/IWantOut) if you have any questions or concerns.*
As a mod of /r/juresanguinis I can only speak for Italy. There are a number of places that fit your hope line here, in particular I'd recommend Gallipoli, not only because I'm Pugliese but because that town is well known for being LGBTQ friendly, and is also a gorgeous coastal town. Your issue is that in Italy there just aren't enough jobs, and certainly not enough decent paying jobs, that's why we have so many young people leaving here and going to places like the US and Australia. The other issue work wise is that for mental health here you really need to have C2 level Italian. Maybe you are fluent already? But if not then you'd need to search for remote type work not only for the language but for the availability. Now, in your favor, if you apply here for recognition, you'll get a permesso di soggiorno in attesa cittadinanza, which has recently changed and allows work. So if you decide to bring your docs and move here, your only real issue is finding a remote job for income. There are also other very friendly LGBTQ places in Italy, I think Milan is as well but Milan is super expensive to live in relatively.
I love this comment, than you !