Ok, we all wish we were someplace else or we wouldn't be on this site talking about travel. I'm wondering about those that relocated to Europe, how did you do it? I know it's really hard to get work permits, etc. but there are many people I've seen on the "tell me where you are" list who are from place but were able to move to Italy or France, or Switzerland, etc. What's your secret?<BR><BR>I'm 32, married, living in New York City (on a budget though- hard to save in this city!), no kids, and would love to spend a summer in Paris.

meant to say there are people on the "tell me where you are" list that are from here that were able to move. guess i should also say that i don't work at the kind of job that would sponsor me so, as i said, i'd love to know how those that were able to make the move did it.

Hey, wannabe parisienne, GET A LIFE & STOP BEING SO PATHETIC!

The easiest way to do it is for you or your spouse to have a job before you move over. This is longer term (usually at least 18 months, but more like 3 or more years). Teaching and high tech are the 'easiest' fields, unless you join a co. that will move you abroad. You can do it, but it is more difficult to choose a city like Paris. Widen your horizons and don't be picky. We started out in Budapest and are now in Switzerland, with an option to move to Slovenia soon.<BR>Cheers,<BR>Jan

My husband and I have been discussing moving to the UK for a few years to work (from Australia). We can get a work permit as my Mum was born over there. If anyone has experience doing this, I'd love to hear your experiences.<BR><BR>It seems to be easier to work overseas if you are under 27, or if you can have your company sponsor you. Otherwise you can probably pick up something like fruit picking or bar work for not much money - don't know how legal that would be. Speaking French would help you get some work in Paris.<BR>Kay

I understand that this woman is looking for someone to open a Paris branch:<BR><BR>http://www.o-sites.com/pages/4.html

Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose...

Nothin ain't nothin if it ain't free.

I wanted Paris, too, but could only find a job in Munich (not a bad place, but not what I wanted and I didn't speak German). I took the Munich job anyway, had an interesting time there and then was able to get a job in Paris. It is easier to find a job in a European city if you are already in Europe. So, if you get a chance at something, take it, even if it isn't your first job. Being single and with no children can make things a bit easier; speaking a second language is pretty much essential. Or, try just doing a language program for a summer. Good luck.

Thanks for your replies. Seeing Dan's response to my question, I can see why the Fodor's police had to reprimand a few people on the site! What's Dan's problem? Sorry, thought this was the place to ask questions. <BR><BR>Anyway, thanks again to those that responded in kind. I've been taking French classes at Berlitz, had 5 years of Spanish. I'll just keep dreaming for now until I get lucky.

Wannabe -<BR><BR>Dan was harsh, but your post is a little strange. You haven't even tried to articulate what you do for a living or what sort of work you would be seeking - which is extremely important information. The fact that you didn't even think to include that tells me that you are going to have a hard time competing with all of the bright, articulate, highly qualified candidates looking for positions oveseas.

If all you want to do is go to Europe for the summer, why don't you just save up a little money and go do some volunteer job or take language classes -- forget calling it relocating or trying to get a regular job. There are a lot of web sites with information on those options and it is cheap to do that because you usually get very cheap housing (and often cheap meals). Just type "volunteer abroad" or "study abroad" into Google. Shaw Guides online also has good sections on this.

I am 32, no kids,not rich and married as well. My husband and I said 'F-it' and I got a 6-month leave of absence from work. He is a consultant and declined projects for this time period. A 6-month sabbatical in Europe is wonderful and something you will never forget!!! We only have 3 months left and I already am getting terribly depressed.<BR><BR>The key for us was to pick 2 places in Europe and rent an apartment...much, much cheaper than traveling around and paying for hotels. Plus, you have the experience of living like a native. We still took trips, but the majority of time was spent in the two 'base' cities. <BR><BR>I love it so much that I am now job searching...I don't want to go home!!! Good luck...you only live once.<BR><BR>

Hi<BR><BR>I've done it twice sponsored by an employer, and once solo.<BR><BR>It is very much easier sponsored !<BR><BR>Peter<BR>

Although there clearly are some expats here, they are few compared to the entire communities that get to know each other in bigger cities and neighboring regions. And common sense tells me that there are some online "communities" that exist in conjunction with the "real life" communities.<BR><BR>Reading through some websites in connection with the Prague flood, I stumbled across www.expats.cz which has a lot of information (and a special forum set up as "an emergency forum, especially for the flood crisis").<BR><BR>So, if there is a Czech expats online forum/community - - it seems likely there is a Paris, a Madrid, a Berlin, a Rome, etc.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

I am originally from NY and living in Ireland for several years now. I am able to do this as my parents were born in Ireland. Although anyone who can proove birth of 1 grandparent in Ireland is eligible for an Irish Passport thereby making you legal to work in any E.U. country. <BR><BR>If you are only going for a summer then you really will fing it harder to get work unless it's maybe in tourist related industries or waitressing but you need some of the language for this. No company will "sponsor" you for 6 months and as said in a previous post you need a speciality like teaching or I.T although many people go in through the back door and work under the table in service industries or on "arrangement" with a small business and they pay you cash. Not sure what you are looking to do. WHat did you have in mind?? <BR><BR>From Ireland I have been to many countries for work like Germany and Belgium and even though one place is not your first choice treat it like a starting point.<BR><BR>Overall it's not something that can be arranged in a month. It takes a lot of planning but it's worth it!

You could try to find a job at Disneyland Paris... They take people for 6 months, but it is not well payed.

We've been living in Brussels, Belgium, for three years. My husband got a great job offer here at the height of the IT job wave (which has since crashed onto Layoff Beach). The company paid to move over all our personal belongings, provided housing allowance, a new car, gas card, etc. After moving here, I received two full time job offers (one in Belgium, one in Switzerland) and both companies were willing to go through the work permit process for me. Neither job turned out to be what I wanted (the salary for the Belgian job was not that good and taxes were so high, I would have been taking home about $1500 a month, not worth it for a full time job [especially when the multinational employer was paying its U.S. employees about $85,000 a year to do the exact same job] and the Swiss job turned out to demand about a 70-hour per week schedule), but I have another job interview coming up next month and fingers crossed for that one--it's with a company I know quite well and one that is familiar with my work (they were interested in me for a position in their U.S. offices, but we weren't willing to move back to the States). I have found that once you are over here for the long term (legally), it's easier to get employers to take you seriously as a job candidate. Very few are relocating people from the U.S. at the moment. And doing it on your own is quite expensive and time consuming, but it's not impossible for the truly determined. However, you should have a financial cushion to get you started and at least modest, above tourist level language skills for the country you hope to live in; you need those for dealing with the government bureaucracy.<BR><BR>But if you're talking about a summer in Paris, that doesn't require a special visa and you can easily sublet a small apartment for July and August for a reasonable amount.

My husband and I also cashed in on the IT wave 4 years ago. We were recruited from our US employer by a European competitor, our move to Munich was paid for, we got relocation assistance, etc. They still occassionally hire from the US but only people with very specific skill sets.

Join the Foreign Service through the Department of State - then you get to live overseas and your job, housing, etc is all taken care of. It's a great way of life!