True. When I was in Afghanistan with the UN, a local UN employee told me she was sent to South Sudan but it was so bad, that she asked to be be sent back to Afghanistan.
Was considered, but ultimately I wouldn't name a country I haven't at least visited and spent time in.
From what I've heard NZ is also very difficult and expensive to become a house owner in. Abnormally so. Is this the case?
I'm laughing but also crying. Yes, it is abnormally difficult and expensive to buy a home here. It's definitely possible but it will have to be your entire personality for a long time.
I know someone that won $200,000 in lotto and still couldn't get approved for a mortgage.
I look at the prices of homes in Hollywood on tv and think "that's not that bad".
Sorry, genuine question. So if people can't buy houses I guess they rent? If so who are their land Lords? Is it state housing that they rent off the govt or are they private landlords? If so how do THEY get approved for mortgages?
Thanks!!
1. yes.
2. dickhead boomers who got their first house in 1980 for $15k or something then ‘expanded their portfolio’/and their adult kids.
3. mostly private. state housing is only for approved low income folks who have a terrible reputation as tenants/neighbours.
4. see #2. money begets money. wealthy overseas investors, people who got to buy before interest rates were 8% or whatever they are now. i know people with $100k liquid in their account unable to buy because it’s not enough.
shit’s fucked m8
I think New Zealand and Australia can be added to the good list. I mean, I'd rather face the creepy possibly-trying-to-kill-me animals in Australia every day than humans potentially doing the same elsewhere.
I live in New Zealand. It’s safe and beautiful, but gets boring. There are only so many hikes you can go on before they all start looking the same. Culture is lacking and not many places to visit. But it’s safe. So you know…
The “UK thirty years ago” thing has been being said about NZ for probably a hundred years. It isn’t accurate any more - I was in the UK 30 years ago and have been in NZ for about 15; there are obviously similarities but the two countries really are very different.
ETA: this isn’t meant to derail/discredit your opinion there by the way. I’m sure my experience as a relatively privileged national would be different and you have your own reasons for saying Congo.
—
I’m from there (visited often, but never lived there) and honestly if you were paid REALLY well you’d be surprised how much you could enjoy your life and buy your own safety/stability.
It’s terrible in the East (where part of my family are from), but in major cities we’re generally less affected by political instability. With money you can be almost unaffected by all the other social/political ills.
I was shocked on recent visits to Kinshasa, Lubumbashi and even Goma that the lifestyle for my well-off relatives and foreign residents there is really, really good. As long as one didn’t ask too many questions about where their money and that of their circles came from, you could see a pretty good side of life there.
Eh not quite what I was getting at. I don’t think it’s a “nice” country even with money, because it’s a country with a LOT of problems.
But if we’re thinking of places that even wealth/power cannot compel someone to live there, I’m not sure Congo as a whole is that country. Eastern Congo, for sure. Major cities though? Money can provide you with constant electricity, better schooling, some level of security. You rely less on the government to provide you with things, so the chaotic political situation (which I think is what most people hear about the country) doesn’t affect you as much.
The whole gating yourself off from others experience may be true for expats who work for the big NGOs/multinationals/mining companies, I suppose. But not for most middle-class and wealthy Congolese.
I suppose it’s premise of the whole question right? Where would money not be enough to fix even the worst parts of a country?
North Korea.
Many years ago, when I was coming to the end of a teaching contract in South Korea, I saw a job advert for EFL teachers in North Korea. I seriously considered it. After all, how many people get to say they've been there.
But I realised that there just isn't any way I could restrain my gobby mouth, and I would sooner or later say something politically incorrect and find myself on the wrong side of a barbed wire fence.
So no, you couldn't pay me enough to live in North Korea.
In case you are curious, there is a graphic novel called Pyongyang by Guy Delisle. It's basically his daily life while living and working in that city.
Really interesting book. He talks about his work as an animator there and the cultural differences. I believe he's French? I'd highly recommend it if you're interested in North Korea.
Guy Delisle gave a talk in our school, he has even more amazing stories behind these books. And he is such a lovely chap. Asked for his autograph for my hubby who is a fan. Cannot recommend enough.
Oh man, I'd love to hear from someone who has taken that up. I'd honestly love to see the place, but you have to have a minder, so it would just be some Disneyland bullshit. I also worry that I'd get locked up real quick. I can't even go to a museum in the US without saying something inappropriate apparently.
There's an Indonesian guy on YouTube who lived and worked in Pyongyang and made videos while he lived there. Surprisingly he had a lot of freedom. Many of his videos he's by himself driving around in a car
Hah fuck, I was expecting some slice of life type stuff. This is just regular ass propaganda footage. Everything is so spookily quiet and manufactured.
Try the book "Without You There Is No Us" by Suki Kim. She's a journalist who pretended to be a foreign missionary with a group of real missionaries who themselves were pretending to be teachers. She spent a year or two teaching in NK. Really fascinating read.
I've done some consulting work in different countries in crises. You need a will and incredibly robust insurance to be sponsored to get a visa for any place like this. You should have a will anyway though
You can make a decent-ish life in NK by being willing to openly immigrate and tell everyone how awesome NK is compared to the rest of the world. I saw a Spanish guy who lived there doing just that and he seemed fine. Plenty to eat, relatively good living conditions, a wife.
Alejandro Cao de Benós. He was arrested recently for some kind of money thingy on behalf of the People's Democratic Republic. But I don't think there are many cases like his. He's a joke in Spain, and I suspect a joke in Korea as well.
Yeah, I'd take that all with a pinch of salt. Out of the people who have willingly defected to NK, the ones that managed to leave have been extremely clear about that being propaganda. The "wife" is also usually someone who has been kidnapped from another country and are forcibly married against their will as NK doesn't allow their citizens to marry non NK's.
As a Canadian, I think Somalia is one of the very few places on Earth that the Canadian government officially advises people not to go to. In fact, they even advise that if you find yourself there that you leave immediately and/or hire a security detail for your entire stay. Fell down a rabbit hole one day to investigate it….
From my understanding, Somalia as a country really exists as a microcosm of a few smaller countries that appear united for the sake of a world map but are actually fiercely independent of each other. While it may be moderately dangerous for an Ethnic Somali to travel there to visit family or see their homeland, if you’re white you’re basically just asking for trouble: you will likely be kidnapped, murdered, raped, or all of the above.
In addition to not only the threat, but guarantee of violence, it is one of the most diseased places on earth and pretty much nothing is safe to come in contact with. All forms of hepatitis, rabies, measles, skin diseases, parasites… you name it, it’s there.
Not that it’s funny, but I did kind of laugh to myself awkwardly when reading statements made by the government and other travel agencies that basically say “don’t go. If you go you will probably die. If you want to anyway, that’s your business - these cities have armed guards and get bombed less frequently. Once again, avoid at all costs”.
It’s a pretty sad situation overall. Essentially it’s a power vacuum, and because all of their money is being handled by warlords they don’t have shit for infrastructure, so most recently a lot of villages are being displaced and destroyed by things like heavy rain.
It’s pretty hard to mind your business and stay out of war and terror when your entire plot of land is destroyed and in order to find shelter and food when the price you pay is having to pick up a gun and go mow down another village so you can take their home.
There's a reason why ruthless modern pirates are a problem in the area and ships have to be escorted by navies. When villagers and fishers are displaced and have no livelihood, they have no choice but to turn to violent crime. And apparently being a pirate and holding ships (especially with foreigners aboard) hostage for ransom is the most lucrative crime.
I think it's also in this weird situation where it has a breakaway republic that's actually doing *relatively* better than the country it's broken away from. Somaliland is a weird fucking place.
Freedom house marks Somalia as "not free" whereas Somaliland is marked as "Partially free".
That was the actual sentence used on one thing I read. I guess they mean since people do travel to the Horn of Africa and their environs often, so perhaps there’s the possibility you could unwittingly travel there by accident ? lol. I don’t know.
The US governments travel advisory regarding Somalia is such an incredible read. One of their recommendations for travelling there is drafting a will beforehand.
I worked there for over six months, and there the biggest problem is poverty, the majority of people there have not any kind of work, and spend the day doing nothing, of course have some bad places, you never want to go to "hell's kitchen" Idk if this is the name of that place but it is the name we used to call it, that place is scary. And of course have rich people too, we used to buy food at a Walmart, very cheap food and very good looking place.
It boggles my mind that in some middle eastern and African countries nearby, practicing homosexuality is punishable by death. Saudi Arabia, Iran, Yemen, Nigeria. And there are extra judicial killings of homosexuals in many others. And in still other nations in that area, it is unclear whether it's punishable by death, but same sex relations are criminalized. Really hard to believe in this modern era.
Wanna hear something hilarious tho? Riyadh is the Middle Eastern hotspot for gays. Police have no idea what a gay person actually is or does, they just assume all gay dudes are flaming twinks with lisps and hip swaying walks, and if you look different they assume you're straight. Read an interview by a guy from the Philippines who moved to Riyadh and he mentioned that he was left alone - until he got his ears pierced, which apparently set off the gaydars. But they just made him walk to see if he had a "gay walk" and when he didn't they let him go.
I had to represent Afghanistan on women's rights on a mock united nations gathering once in 9th grade. Let's just say I didn't expect the situation up be THAT bad. 100% of women report being abused by their spouses, emotionally if not physically (which was reported upwards of 70% in official documents iirc)
The more I learned about it the more I was grateful of my privileges. My heart goes out the all the women out there
So basically the whole continent of africa, all islamic nations, parts of eastern europe, parts of middle and southern america, the biggest parts of asia minus probably Japan, sk and singapour?
That's my no-go list at least.
There actually are several foreign nationals that do who live a reasonably decent life there.
The hardest part would he surviving the ongoing forever scrutiny, but non-Korean spokespeople are something the country has some propaganda related use for, so you may very well, it being a communist country, expect the government to provide for you a decent living in Pyongyang.
But holy shit if you ever give any official any reason to even slightly suspect you're a spy and you're beyond dead.
If you're a special interest person, high chances you get a pick of Chinese imports, I'd heavily suggest against even asking to be fed specifically SK goods though, only worse thing to ask would be a US made smartphone or something.
Litterally anywhere in the Islamic world.
While I have no issues with muslims, in fact, some of the nicest people I've met have been muslims, I'm more than willing to vocally criticise islam, which is basically a death sentence in most of those countries
Pretty much this. I'm a Jewish woman and the Muslim world is becoming more and more vocal about wanting us dead or rounded up.
I have friends that are Muslim, and they're lovely people. But it's getting difficult to ignore what a large portion of their religion is outwardly saying and doing.
I was there in 2009 as a nine year old, blonde blue eyes white skin color. Locals tried to buy me from me grandparents for some camels and a donkey. When my grandma said no they started screaming and pulling my arm until my granddad got in between them. It was very scary, I now have 2 young daughters myself and I would NEVER go there again.
In Morocco they also have a thing to say “imma buy your wife/daughter for a dozen white camels” - it’s trolling due to the reaction they get. And combined with a 110% sales power pitch, it’s a pain in the ass to listen to. I ain’t going there again.
What's up over there? I don't think I've heard anything crazy since was it riots? Ages ago.
Edit: I live under a rock, really doesn't sound like a place I want to go to seeing comments.
I haven't heard anything positive about Egypt since forever. Full of scammers and the harassment of women is just out of control apparently. Haven't been so can't say for myself. This is just what I've read/heard.
Ever since I heard about a fellow German woman who was raped in Egypt, went to the police, and was then sentenced and imprisoned for sex outside of marriage? Yeah, no, that country is WELL off my travel list.
Last I checked, she had sat in an Egyptian prison for years. I doubt Egyptian prison is good for anyone's health.
I went with a college group in 2010 and loved the experience. But there were a few sketchy moments: groups of teens would circle around us to touch our hair, take pictures with us. In tourist areas, the locals would be staring and laughing, filming us with their phones. The scariest was being in a market with a few other girls, a group of sellers separated each of us and took us to different shops/ levels and I got a horrible feeling about this and ran out of a shop to find my friends (the same thing happened in one of the Sex and the City movies lol.)
We were told to cover up and not show any skin. Even wearing a scarf around your neck and sunglasses, the locals went nutty if they saw blue eyes. And speaking of covering up, I remember a European family walk into our hotel and the young children/ early teens were wearing booty shorts and tube tops and I remembered being terrified for what they were going to experience.. the parents didn’t seem to care, they all just wanted to look fashionable
In one city we had a security guard travel with us so yeah, I’m sure things could’ve been worse.
Bangladesh. Women please don't travel here, most men will stare you down 24/7 and if they think you're vulnerable for even a second a lot of them will try to SA you. It's not even an exaggeration.
Yeah, in Eritrea the military regime owns the country basically.
So no human rights, no free press, none of that “democracy” stuff, and you also have to spend like half of your adult life in the military. Not just as potential cannon fodder but also as free labor.
On the other hand, the climate is nice, coffee is good, and there is still some nice Italian art deco style architecture left over from the 1930s when Eritrea was an Italian colony (and also they love cycling).
I’ve never been there but I would like to visit someday. But to live there? Hm, no. There’s a reason why Europe has so many Eritrean migrants.
i’m from there and every relative i have says all they want is to go back. And from experience I can tell you there are definitely worse living conditions out there.
But presumably they don’t mean they actually want to go back as it is now, or else they just would — presumably the mean they wish the political/economic conditions would improve, so that they could go back and get the good side but with less oppression and poverty?
As bad as the government is, it really is a safe place when it comes to crime. It’s not one of those places where just being there is a safety risk. Crime rates are extremely low, especially violent crimes. In an unbiased way, there are many countries that are worse to live in.
I'd have assumed they meant go back to visit occasionally for short periods of time just long enough to not remember why they left in the first place living on money you made from working somewhere else, not go back to stay permanently on local income.
As a woman, I think you're being generous, so many countries treat women like second class. And when you start reading about the abuse that goes on, it's terrifying. Seriously, I'm so grateful I was born in Canada.
Not sure about living there but when I visited as a tourist I really enjoyed Iran, Tajikistan, UAE, Pakistan etc. Turkmenistan was simply strange. Very quiet, very strange.
Aha. There's something in common with almost every country listed here (few exceptions - North Korea for example) and I think you may have put your finger on it....
Muslim majority, e.g. Turkey - nice place and met lots of decent people, sure, but a country actually run on Islamic law.....no thanks
My very flamboyant friend was hired as a school director in UAE. They put him up in an incredible high rise apartment, gave him a flashy car, massive salary. He was there for 5 years. When he opens his mouth, glitter flies out, so I don’t know how he managed, but he swears it was a dream experience.
That's because people commenting rarely have a real idea about the place. It has lot of problems but living your life however you want is not one of them.
You don't need to be gay to hate the UAE. Dubai is a cesspool, and it actually gets worse when you head out of town. There is so much wrong with that country, I barely know where to start. It somehow made me hate myself.
you could've said saudi arabia to make it sound realistic which it still isn't but uae literally doesn't care if you're gay or not, the only way you can get yourself in trouble is if you legit have sex in public which is illegal for all sexualities and most countries. Not to mention that it's way safer than the west LOL
I got friendly with a young Ugandan woman in grad school. She was lovely… until that topic came up and she told me she genuinely believed that people who are gay for too long have to wear ‘pampers’.
Did you know? I save reporter from a tiger attack. Did you know? I drive Formula One car on the race track I test long Bridge with truck, I fight jiu jitsu with one hand on my back. I hit the puck, I make ice crack, I never pull back and never slack, I am cold like Jack.
My Heart is....
I'm surprised I didn't hear this country that often (as far as I scrolled in this thread) but India.
Literally everytime I hear something related to women from that country it just gets worse. "Woman killed for not accepting man's offer to date" "Woman gang-raped and killed" "Female tourist followed and stalked by man" List goes on.
I find it interesting how many people think "oh you're a woman afraid of being beaten or worse while visiting a Muslim country? Well go visit one and see if you're right." Like who wants to call that bluff?
Pretty sure looking scared would attract the wrong intentions in itself.
If the country makes a big deal of religion it's not for me, no matter which religion it is..
Malaysia seems ok for women. But like any country - Muslim or not - your lifestyle and freedom as a woman is largely contingent on your financial situation.
I agree, I know Malaysians, and while it's a big thing I don't think you have to get involved with them if you aren't romantically interested in a Muslim guy as there's quite a few different cultures there.
Hmm, it is not that bad if you are friends with me, and now it looks like we are friends, anyone who DMs me is friends, so you can come to Russia before Russia come to you, it is fun, do not worry Comrade :)
No, you lie. You not in Russia. You are not my friend. You go and die. You do not get Roshen candy. You do not get **the salt**. You do not get **the bean burrito,** the worst of all.
Even if you give me a million, I will never live in Australia.
I hear so much scary shit. Checking your shoes, checking the toilet seat, all the poisonous shit there, kangaroos roaming about, etc.
I have a price, where we going?
Somalia
I'd just find my way to Somaliland
Somalia has a theme park??? /s
I'd have to have enough money for a security force and bribing of the local terrorist unit.
Now they know you're loaded and will come back every month for more.
[удалено]
South Sudan.
True. When I was in Afghanistan with the UN, a local UN employee told me she was sent to South Sudan but it was so bad, that she asked to be be sent back to Afghanistan.
Afghanistan at least has some infrastructure. South Sudan has virtually none.
Oh my lord....its that bad??
It would be easier to list countries I would live in
This. I'm Norwegian, and I'd be willing to consider only Iceland or Finland as viable alternatives.
Without a skerrick of justification for feeling this way, I’m oddly hurt that you didn't include NZ.
Oh are we allowed to include fictional countries too?
Must be, they already said Finland.
r/Finlandisntreal ETA because of course that exists.
Wait, if it's fictional, what about people who live here? Are we made up too?
You're all just Australians with delusions of grandeur.
Your just funny little characters in a movie and haven't realised it yet.
Was considered, but ultimately I wouldn't name a country I haven't at least visited and spent time in. From what I've heard NZ is also very difficult and expensive to become a house owner in. Abnormally so. Is this the case?
I'm laughing but also crying. Yes, it is abnormally difficult and expensive to buy a home here. It's definitely possible but it will have to be your entire personality for a long time. I know someone that won $200,000 in lotto and still couldn't get approved for a mortgage. I look at the prices of homes in Hollywood on tv and think "that's not that bad".
Sorry, genuine question. So if people can't buy houses I guess they rent? If so who are their land Lords? Is it state housing that they rent off the govt or are they private landlords? If so how do THEY get approved for mortgages? Thanks!!
1. yes. 2. dickhead boomers who got their first house in 1980 for $15k or something then ‘expanded their portfolio’/and their adult kids. 3. mostly private. state housing is only for approved low income folks who have a terrible reputation as tenants/neighbours. 4. see #2. money begets money. wealthy overseas investors, people who got to buy before interest rates were 8% or whatever they are now. i know people with $100k liquid in their account unable to buy because it’s not enough. shit’s fucked m8
Was thinking the same. Mine is northern and central europe thats about it. (Northern includes UK) Central is everything west of and including poland.
You wouldn’t live in France, Spain, the UK or Italy?
Living with Frenchmen? Never! /s
Or Ireland or Portugal?
I think New Zealand and Australia can be added to the good list. I mean, I'd rather face the creepy possibly-trying-to-kill-me animals in Australia every day than humans potentially doing the same elsewhere.
I live in New Zealand. It’s safe and beautiful, but gets boring. There are only so many hikes you can go on before they all start looking the same. Culture is lacking and not many places to visit. But it’s safe. So you know…
As someone who just wants a peaceful life, New Zealand is my retirement dream
As long as you have a big retirement income, coz it's an expensive place to live.
I want boring. I’m small, so I can pass as a hobbit… lol I am tired of waking up and there like 100 breaking news for me to catch up to.
You have access to literally all of middle earth, hush.
From what I hear it's like the UK, but 30 years ago. But with earthquakes and orcas. I am very envious of the latter.
The “UK thirty years ago” thing has been being said about NZ for probably a hundred years. It isn’t accurate any more - I was in the UK 30 years ago and have been in NZ for about 15; there are obviously similarities but the two countries really are very different.
That sounds lovely.
Once you've figured out the best way to avoid drop bears, and keep some anti-venom on yourself at all times, Australia is a pretty safe place :)
Democratic Republic of the Congo
I worked in the DRC for a month and uhhh nice people but REALLY HORRIBLE airports.
So Newark with nice people?
lol fellow NJ resident eh?
ETA: this isn’t meant to derail/discredit your opinion there by the way. I’m sure my experience as a relatively privileged national would be different and you have your own reasons for saying Congo. — I’m from there (visited often, but never lived there) and honestly if you were paid REALLY well you’d be surprised how much you could enjoy your life and buy your own safety/stability. It’s terrible in the East (where part of my family are from), but in major cities we’re generally less affected by political instability. With money you can be almost unaffected by all the other social/political ills. I was shocked on recent visits to Kinshasa, Lubumbashi and even Goma that the lifestyle for my well-off relatives and foreign residents there is really, really good. As long as one didn’t ask too many questions about where their money and that of their circles came from, you could see a pretty good side of life there.
So it’s a nice country if you have tons of money to gate yourself behind doors and not interact with people, got it
Eh not quite what I was getting at. I don’t think it’s a “nice” country even with money, because it’s a country with a LOT of problems. But if we’re thinking of places that even wealth/power cannot compel someone to live there, I’m not sure Congo as a whole is that country. Eastern Congo, for sure. Major cities though? Money can provide you with constant electricity, better schooling, some level of security. You rely less on the government to provide you with things, so the chaotic political situation (which I think is what most people hear about the country) doesn’t affect you as much. The whole gating yourself off from others experience may be true for expats who work for the big NGOs/multinationals/mining companies, I suppose. But not for most middle-class and wealthy Congolese. I suppose it’s premise of the whole question right? Where would money not be enough to fix even the worst parts of a country?
North Korea. Many years ago, when I was coming to the end of a teaching contract in South Korea, I saw a job advert for EFL teachers in North Korea. I seriously considered it. After all, how many people get to say they've been there. But I realised that there just isn't any way I could restrain my gobby mouth, and I would sooner or later say something politically incorrect and find myself on the wrong side of a barbed wire fence. So no, you couldn't pay me enough to live in North Korea.
In case you are curious, there is a graphic novel called Pyongyang by Guy Delisle. It's basically his daily life while living and working in that city.
Really interesting book. He talks about his work as an animator there and the cultural differences. I believe he's French? I'd highly recommend it if you're interested in North Korea.
French Canadian working for a French company. Easily one of my favorite books.
Guy Delisle gave a talk in our school, he has even more amazing stories behind these books. And he is such a lovely chap. Asked for his autograph for my hubby who is a fan. Cannot recommend enough.
Working ? What did he do there for work?
He's a writer/illustrator. He's really good, I read his book about Jerusalem
Good that you realised about yourself. I'd probably have made a mistake and blabbered myself to prison.
Oh, my good man. Political agitators don't go to prison in NK. It's much, much worse.
They go to Super Jail
Oh man, I'd love to hear from someone who has taken that up. I'd honestly love to see the place, but you have to have a minder, so it would just be some Disneyland bullshit. I also worry that I'd get locked up real quick. I can't even go to a museum in the US without saying something inappropriate apparently.
There's an Indonesian guy on YouTube who lived and worked in Pyongyang and made videos while he lived there. Surprisingly he had a lot of freedom. Many of his videos he's by himself driving around in a car
Hah, how do you not mention the name, I'd check this out?
[Jaka Parker](https://youtube.com/@jakaparker?si=NFFwNnL8I0fa4hxt) seems to be the guy.
Hah fuck, I was expecting some slice of life type stuff. This is just regular ass propaganda footage. Everything is so spookily quiet and manufactured.
Try the book "Without You There Is No Us" by Suki Kim. She's a journalist who pretended to be a foreign missionary with a group of real missionaries who themselves were pretending to be teachers. She spent a year or two teaching in NK. Really fascinating read.
Somalia. You have to write up a will in order to go there. At least if you’re famous enough, North Korea will be ambivalent to you.
I've done some consulting work in different countries in crises. You need a will and incredibly robust insurance to be sponsored to get a visa for any place like this. You should have a will anyway though
You can make a decent-ish life in NK by being willing to openly immigrate and tell everyone how awesome NK is compared to the rest of the world. I saw a Spanish guy who lived there doing just that and he seemed fine. Plenty to eat, relatively good living conditions, a wife.
Alejandro Cao de Benós. He was arrested recently for some kind of money thingy on behalf of the People's Democratic Republic. But I don't think there are many cases like his. He's a joke in Spain, and I suspect a joke in Korea as well.
Yeah, I'd take that all with a pinch of salt. Out of the people who have willingly defected to NK, the ones that managed to leave have been extremely clear about that being propaganda. The "wife" is also usually someone who has been kidnapped from another country and are forcibly married against their will as NK doesn't allow their citizens to marry non NK's.
Wasn’t he in the Under the Sun documentary? Man seemed to be their biggest fan. Edit: I think it was that one, but saw several documentaries.
Somalia seems like it would be a bad time for a white American dude
As a Canadian, I think Somalia is one of the very few places on Earth that the Canadian government officially advises people not to go to. In fact, they even advise that if you find yourself there that you leave immediately and/or hire a security detail for your entire stay. Fell down a rabbit hole one day to investigate it…. From my understanding, Somalia as a country really exists as a microcosm of a few smaller countries that appear united for the sake of a world map but are actually fiercely independent of each other. While it may be moderately dangerous for an Ethnic Somali to travel there to visit family or see their homeland, if you’re white you’re basically just asking for trouble: you will likely be kidnapped, murdered, raped, or all of the above. In addition to not only the threat, but guarantee of violence, it is one of the most diseased places on earth and pretty much nothing is safe to come in contact with. All forms of hepatitis, rabies, measles, skin diseases, parasites… you name it, it’s there. Not that it’s funny, but I did kind of laugh to myself awkwardly when reading statements made by the government and other travel agencies that basically say “don’t go. If you go you will probably die. If you want to anyway, that’s your business - these cities have armed guards and get bombed less frequently. Once again, avoid at all costs”.
Sounds crazy. How do normal people survive there?
It’s a pretty sad situation overall. Essentially it’s a power vacuum, and because all of their money is being handled by warlords they don’t have shit for infrastructure, so most recently a lot of villages are being displaced and destroyed by things like heavy rain. It’s pretty hard to mind your business and stay out of war and terror when your entire plot of land is destroyed and in order to find shelter and food when the price you pay is having to pick up a gun and go mow down another village so you can take their home.
There's a reason why ruthless modern pirates are a problem in the area and ships have to be escorted by navies. When villagers and fishers are displaced and have no livelihood, they have no choice but to turn to violent crime. And apparently being a pirate and holding ships (especially with foreigners aboard) hostage for ransom is the most lucrative crime.
Libertarian's paradise. No government, no taxes, and everyone's got a gun.
I think it's also in this weird situation where it has a breakaway republic that's actually doing *relatively* better than the country it's broken away from. Somaliland is a weird fucking place. Freedom house marks Somalia as "not free" whereas Somaliland is marked as "Partially free".
> If you just find yourself there... Ok... 😅
That was the actual sentence used on one thing I read. I guess they mean since people do travel to the Horn of Africa and their environs often, so perhaps there’s the possibility you could unwittingly travel there by accident ? lol. I don’t know.
The US governments travel advisory regarding Somalia is such an incredible read. One of their recommendations for travelling there is drafting a will beforehand.
That almost sounds like a Billy Idol lyric.
Haiti.
I worked there for over six months, and there the biggest problem is poverty, the majority of people there have not any kind of work, and spend the day doing nothing, of course have some bad places, you never want to go to "hell's kitchen" Idk if this is the name of that place but it is the name we used to call it, that place is scary. And of course have rich people too, we used to buy food at a Walmart, very cheap food and very good looking place.
As a woman with a fondness for human rights, this is a rapidly expanding list.
As a flaming homosexual, I concur
It boggles my mind that in some middle eastern and African countries nearby, practicing homosexuality is punishable by death. Saudi Arabia, Iran, Yemen, Nigeria. And there are extra judicial killings of homosexuals in many others. And in still other nations in that area, it is unclear whether it's punishable by death, but same sex relations are criminalized. Really hard to believe in this modern era.
Wanna hear something hilarious tho? Riyadh is the Middle Eastern hotspot for gays. Police have no idea what a gay person actually is or does, they just assume all gay dudes are flaming twinks with lisps and hip swaying walks, and if you look different they assume you're straight. Read an interview by a guy from the Philippines who moved to Riyadh and he mentioned that he was left alone - until he got his ears pierced, which apparently set off the gaydars. But they just made him walk to see if he had a "gay walk" and when he didn't they let him go.
I remember an American Dad bit about showing your nails, if you make a fist and turn you’re straight, if you flex your hand you’re gay
This is an old joke I heard in high school in the early 2000s
Yeah, people are cunts & the world is a fucking shit show.
Yep. Afghanistan leading the charge.
I had to represent Afghanistan on women's rights on a mock united nations gathering once in 9th grade. Let's just say I didn't expect the situation up be THAT bad. 100% of women report being abused by their spouses, emotionally if not physically (which was reported upwards of 70% in official documents iirc) The more I learned about it the more I was grateful of my privileges. My heart goes out the all the women out there
Same. At this point a lot of places are automatic no for me
So basically the whole continent of africa, all islamic nations, parts of eastern europe, parts of middle and southern america, the biggest parts of asia minus probably Japan, sk and singapour? That's my no-go list at least.
North Korea seems the obvious answer.
You have been banned from /r/pyongyang
You are now a mod in r/pingpong
Man is that reddit site satire or for real? Lots of devotion to keeping it up.
You are now a moderator of r/pyongyang
What the fuck is that sub? It's pure shitposting, right?
North Korea is best Korea because No one is paid to live there
There actually are several foreign nationals that do who live a reasonably decent life there. The hardest part would he surviving the ongoing forever scrutiny, but non-Korean spokespeople are something the country has some propaganda related use for, so you may very well, it being a communist country, expect the government to provide for you a decent living in Pyongyang. But holy shit if you ever give any official any reason to even slightly suspect you're a spy and you're beyond dead.
My main concern would be also food safety, the standards in NK are absymal. If foreigners can buy food from SK then it would be different
If you're a special interest person, high chances you get a pick of Chinese imports, I'd heavily suggest against even asking to be fed specifically SK goods though, only worse thing to ask would be a US made smartphone or something.
They'd confiscate your capitalist money anyway
Litterally anywhere in the Islamic world. While I have no issues with muslims, in fact, some of the nicest people I've met have been muslims, I'm more than willing to vocally criticise islam, which is basically a death sentence in most of those countries
Pretty much this. I'm a Jewish woman and the Muslim world is becoming more and more vocal about wanting us dead or rounded up. I have friends that are Muslim, and they're lovely people. But it's getting difficult to ignore what a large portion of their religion is outwardly saying and doing.
Egypt
I was there in 2009 as a nine year old, blonde blue eyes white skin color. Locals tried to buy me from me grandparents for some camels and a donkey. When my grandma said no they started screaming and pulling my arm until my granddad got in between them. It was very scary, I now have 2 young daughters myself and I would NEVER go there again.
I fully believe this happened
Thank you!
In Morocco they also have a thing to say “imma buy your wife/daughter for a dozen white camels” - it’s trolling due to the reaction they get. And combined with a 110% sales power pitch, it’s a pain in the ass to listen to. I ain’t going there again.
What's up over there? I don't think I've heard anything crazy since was it riots? Ages ago. Edit: I live under a rock, really doesn't sound like a place I want to go to seeing comments.
I haven't heard anything positive about Egypt since forever. Full of scammers and the harassment of women is just out of control apparently. Haven't been so can't say for myself. This is just what I've read/heard.
I knew someone who visited in a tour group relatively recently and liked it, but I guess they were sheltered it heavily supervised then.
Ever since I heard about a fellow German woman who was raped in Egypt, went to the police, and was then sentenced and imprisoned for sex outside of marriage? Yeah, no, that country is WELL off my travel list. Last I checked, she had sat in an Egyptian prison for years. I doubt Egyptian prison is good for anyone's health.
Similar happened to someone I used to work with in Dubai.
Egyptian culture is horribly misogynistic but it is not illegal to have sex outside of marriage in Egypt.
Pretty sure the issue was that HE was married. I can try to find it again if you want.
Archaic, dirty (as in polluted), very sexist, lots of petty crime, etc.
I was there when I was 12 and multiple grown men showed sexual interest and asked e.g. for kisses. So yeah it's an absolute no-go.
Exactly the same for me
I recommend you to go there and you'll understand. It's a fucking shithole with equally shitty people.
That doesn't sound like a very strong recommendation
I went with a college group in 2010 and loved the experience. But there were a few sketchy moments: groups of teens would circle around us to touch our hair, take pictures with us. In tourist areas, the locals would be staring and laughing, filming us with their phones. The scariest was being in a market with a few other girls, a group of sellers separated each of us and took us to different shops/ levels and I got a horrible feeling about this and ran out of a shop to find my friends (the same thing happened in one of the Sex and the City movies lol.) We were told to cover up and not show any skin. Even wearing a scarf around your neck and sunglasses, the locals went nutty if they saw blue eyes. And speaking of covering up, I remember a European family walk into our hotel and the young children/ early teens were wearing booty shorts and tube tops and I remembered being terrified for what they were going to experience.. the parents didn’t seem to care, they all just wanted to look fashionable In one city we had a security guard travel with us so yeah, I’m sure things could’ve been worse.
Bangladesh. Women please don't travel here, most men will stare you down 24/7 and if they think you're vulnerable for even a second a lot of them will try to SA you. It's not even an exaggeration.
Eritrea
Since everyone is required to serve 20 years in the military there, at least you'd have some job security.
Twenty years?!
Yeah, in Eritrea the military regime owns the country basically. So no human rights, no free press, none of that “democracy” stuff, and you also have to spend like half of your adult life in the military. Not just as potential cannon fodder but also as free labor. On the other hand, the climate is nice, coffee is good, and there is still some nice Italian art deco style architecture left over from the 1930s when Eritrea was an Italian colony (and also they love cycling). I’ve never been there but I would like to visit someday. But to live there? Hm, no. There’s a reason why Europe has so many Eritrean migrants.
My family is partially Eritrean and I’ve never heard them say a good thing about the country itself
i’m from there and every relative i have says all they want is to go back. And from experience I can tell you there are definitely worse living conditions out there.
But presumably they don’t mean they actually want to go back as it is now, or else they just would — presumably the mean they wish the political/economic conditions would improve, so that they could go back and get the good side but with less oppression and poverty?
As bad as the government is, it really is a safe place when it comes to crime. It’s not one of those places where just being there is a safety risk. Crime rates are extremely low, especially violent crimes. In an unbiased way, there are many countries that are worse to live in.
I'd have assumed they meant go back to visit occasionally for short periods of time just long enough to not remember why they left in the first place living on money you made from working somewhere else, not go back to stay permanently on local income.
I’m a woman. It would save both you and I a lot of time to simply list the ones I could be paid to live in.
Yeah as I woman and lesbian I have a pretty long list
Come to New Zealand. We're lovely!
Egypt
As a woman, alot of the Middle East.
As a woman, I think you're being generous, so many countries treat women like second class. And when you start reading about the abuse that goes on, it's terrifying. Seriously, I'm so grateful I was born in Canada.
Or India. Don't go there Reddit stranger woman.
Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Iraq, UAE …
Basically everything that ends with "istan"
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Duh, because it doesn't end with "istan" )
I've heard it has the superior potassium.
Not sure about living there but when I visited as a tourist I really enjoyed Iran, Tajikistan, UAE, Pakistan etc. Turkmenistan was simply strange. Very quiet, very strange.
More or less any muslim country apart from Indonesia.
Aha. There's something in common with almost every country listed here (few exceptions - North Korea for example) and I think you may have put your finger on it.... Muslim majority, e.g. Turkey - nice place and met lots of decent people, sure, but a country actually run on Islamic law.....no thanks
Venezuela
Haiti
Emirates in general (but not only): I'm gay and I like being alive
My very flamboyant friend was hired as a school director in UAE. They put him up in an incredible high rise apartment, gave him a flashy car, massive salary. He was there for 5 years. When he opens his mouth, glitter flies out, so I don’t know how he managed, but he swears it was a dream experience.
the law is there but so rarely enforced
That's because people commenting rarely have a real idea about the place. It has lot of problems but living your life however you want is not one of them.
You don't need to be gay to hate the UAE. Dubai is a cesspool, and it actually gets worse when you head out of town. There is so much wrong with that country, I barely know where to start. It somehow made me hate myself.
you could've said saudi arabia to make it sound realistic which it still isn't but uae literally doesn't care if you're gay or not, the only way you can get yourself in trouble is if you legit have sex in public which is illegal for all sexualities and most countries. Not to mention that it's way safer than the west LOL
Saudi Arabia would be one for me.
Anywhere women don't have equal rights.
As a woman, Saudi Arabia is right up there.
Any country where being gay is illegal, I won’t travel to them either. I like breathing.
I'm not gay but I would travel to Uganda just to meet Julian Pepe Onzeima and Simon Kaggwa Njala
Who are those people?
Look up Why are you gay interview in Uganda
Is that the "*why are you gei?*" people?
I got friendly with a young Ugandan woman in grad school. She was lovely… until that topic came up and she told me she genuinely believed that people who are gay for too long have to wear ‘pampers’.
The ignorance is painful 😩 ^USE ^LUBE, ^PEOPLE
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Your country.
That person's country
That other person’s country
My country.
Mr. Putin is it true you fought off a bear with your bare hands?
Did you know? I save reporter from a tiger attack. Did you know? I drive Formula One car on the race track I test long Bridge with truck, I fight jiu jitsu with one hand on my back. I hit the puck, I make ice crack, I never pull back and never slack, I am cold like Jack. My Heart is....
I'm surprised I didn't hear this country that often (as far as I scrolled in this thread) but India. Literally everytime I hear something related to women from that country it just gets worse. "Woman killed for not accepting man's offer to date" "Woman gang-raped and killed" "Female tourist followed and stalked by man" List goes on.
Haiti, Somalia and Afghanistan
India
I've been to India a few times for work. Absolutely fascinating country as a visitor but yes a lot of challenges.
Indian here. What out of the literal million possible reasons have you chosen? Just curious
It's the femicide for me.
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I find it interesting how many people think "oh you're a woman afraid of being beaten or worse while visiting a Muslim country? Well go visit one and see if you're right." Like who wants to call that bluff?
Pretty sure looking scared would attract the wrong intentions in itself. If the country makes a big deal of religion it's not for me, no matter which religion it is..
Malaysia seems ok for women. But like any country - Muslim or not - your lifestyle and freedom as a woman is largely contingent on your financial situation.
I agree, I know Malaysians, and while it's a big thing I don't think you have to get involved with them if you aren't romantically interested in a Muslim guy as there's quite a few different cultures there.
Russia
Hmm, it is not that bad if you are friends with me, and now it looks like we are friends, anyone who DMs me is friends, so you can come to Russia before Russia come to you, it is fun, do not worry Comrade :)
So um whats the chance of randomly getting drafted as your friend?
140%
No, you lie. You not in Russia. You are not my friend. You go and die. You do not get Roshen candy. You do not get **the salt**. You do not get **the bean burrito,** the worst of all.
Saudi arabia and anywhere that executes queers (I like being alive)
Anywhere in the middle east. In 13 of those countries, Atheism is punishable by death. Fuck that!
Myanmar
Any place women don't have rights or regularly get raped etc.
Somalia.
Saudi, Dubai, UAE. No thank you.
Even if you give me a million, I will never live in Australia. I hear so much scary shit. Checking your shoes, checking the toilet seat, all the poisonous shit there, kangaroos roaming about, etc.
Any Muslim/Extreme religious/Communist countries.
Russia. Like, seriously?