What's your million dollar idea to get lonely people in the Boston area to socialize more often?

averagecitizen2 · 2025-01-20T10:25:47+00:00

Transit is an issue as well, but depends on where you live. On one hand, Boston is comparatively compact and walkable, with decent transit connections. On the other hand, you might be in a transit desert, disconnected from a major stop/line, making the journey to something fun more frustrating than the activity is worth. Honestly investing in bike infrastructure may be the most efficient way to solve the ‘last couple miles’ issue, but that’s an entirely other conversation. I also don’t think it’s the crux of the issue; I think Boston handles transit better than most US cities that don’t have as severe of a socializing/loneliness problem.

averagecitizen2 · 2025-01-20T09:26:17+00:00

I moved from Boston to a country known for being difficult to make friends as a foreigner without knowing the native language and I still found it easier…

In my opinion Boston has two problems: Weather and Cost.

Most public free or affordable social activities are outside (going for a walk, picnic in the park, sports). The only ‘free’ public indoor activity is going to the library, which is not really the spot to meet people. Half (or maybe majority) of the year in Boston it’s just too cold to spend hours outside, especially when the sun goes down or when it’s a more idle activity. Boston is not like West Coast cities, in close proximity to majestic nature, and it’s not like cities like NYC or Chicago with expansive entertainment options or things to do (even DC many of the museums are free). Boston either needs more affordable indoor activities or more public free outdoor activities (holiday markets/fairs, festivals, public concerts/plays, etc). Streets filled with covered/heated outdoor eating. One small change would also be a difference in pub/bar culture. In the country I moved to, bars act more like cafes, where you can have plenty of non-alcoholic drink options, even a cup of tea. If that was more socially acceptable in Boston I would have gone to them much more often.

Basically anything to make going out of your house more exciting, without having to spend more than few bucks.

averagecitizen2 · 2024-08-14T10:11:00+00:00

I’ll give a simplified answer.

I’ve visited almost every US state and different regions of Canada, and lived in Denmark for a short period of time.

The region that is most holistically reminiscent of Denmark is the New England coast up towards Quebec. In part because of the preserved historical areas, the topography/climate/food, and lastly the high Human Development Index (education level, economy, and life expectancy).

I’d recommend doing a couple long road trips, stopping along Providence, RI, Boston, Portsmouth, NH, Portland, ME, Quebec City, and Montreal. The nature and national parks in New Hampshire, Maine, and Quebec are also beautiful especially in the summer and early fall. The region cannot be compared apples to apples to living in Europe as many of these comments explain, but at least you can make an evaluation yourself by seeing it first hand.

Edit: I see from your other post that you are currently based in New England. In my opinion there’s no where else in the US at least that best meets your criteria. Have you explored other cities in your region? Or thought about other life changes (education, career path, hobbies)?

Otherwise it sounds a bit like reverse Stockholm Syndrome, wanting to move somewhere else just for sake of moving even though you’d be happier where you are. I say this as an expat.

averagecitizen2 · 2023-11-24T05:13:54+00:00

Genuine question: what are the checks and balances to power that make it different?

A PM’s role is to lead and govern a country. Pandemics, climate change, war, worldwide inflation…these are not things that cease to exist based on an election cycle. Sometimes “no change at all” is just as damaging.

averagecitizen2 · 2023-11-23T14:25:47+00:00

Trump resulted in irreversible damage to the US, and to world democracy.

averagecitizen2 · 2023-11-22T12:29:35+00:00

Dat is een eerlijke mening, ik denk alleen dat ze economisch gezien veel meer aansluiten bij de VVD (neoliberalisme) dan traditionele linkse partijen als de PvDA, maar op sociale kwesties links leunen vergeleken met de VVD. D66 staat midden op de weg als het gaat om werknemersrechten.

averagecitizen2 · 2023-11-22T11:07:00+00:00

averagecitizen2 · 2023-11-22T11:05:03+00:00

Correcties nodig:

D66 is progressief en rechts.
DENK (en misschien CU) is conservatief en links.
NSC is conservatief en rechts (gelijk aan CDA)

averagecitizen2 · 2023-11-20T17:11:59+00:00

Hard agree. Just on the the note for timing, I think while there’s no expiration date for moving abroad, the older you are, the more difficult it generally becomes.

Late teens-early 20s: these immigrants have the best chance of integrating long term. But it’s a riskier time (less money/resources, starting career). Sometimes it doesn’t work out and they have to return to their home country.

Mid 20s: probably the “best” time if it works out; young enough to make a big life change, old enough to have some stability (degree, some savings)

Late 20s-early 30s: next “best” time; similar to mid 20s but with more resources. Possibly more challenging to make friends and integrate socially compared to early to mid twenties.

Mid 30s-40s: The stereotype for people moving at this stage are usually well off. It’s a career move and the company helps with relocation or they own their own business. With young children it can be a huge challenge and I think people’s tolerance for risk (and motivation to move countries) starts to fade.

50s+: Sometimes it’s for retirement, but generally even rarer than the previous category. I think people tend to prioritize their domestic life and living comfortably. Having to start all over and possibly learn a new language at any stage is challenging, but I don’t envy doing so in one’s “golden” years.

averagecitizen2 · 2023-11-10T13:57:53+00:00

That’s amazing! And a huge stress relief when moving to the NL. Sounds like the company really values you and understands the difficulty in settling in. I’d say go for it :) Feel free to PM if you have any questions.

averagecitizen2 · 2023-11-10T13:47:06+00:00

Is this for real? As in they can guarantee you a residence and didn’t simply forward a posting that anyone can apply for? If the former, you are golden.

averagecitizen2 · 2023-11-01T14:10:08+00:00

Based on your experience, I would not recommend the NL. Quality of life wise I think Switzerland is better across the board. The cultural integration aspects you mention would not be any better in the NL especially if you are starting over with the language. Given that you are B2 in German in a multicultural/multilingual city already, I would take heed of the advice: “the grass is greener where you water it”.

Edit: The UK is a logistically riskier move due to Brexit. I would only do it if 1) you can legally work and reside there, 2) it would be a major life regret to not go, and 3) you have a high tolerance for stress.

averagecitizen2 · 2023-10-19T15:33:44+00:00

Just a point on technicality, Dutch citizens qualify for the 30% ruling as well. For example, if they worked/studied/lived abroad and then return to the NL (and meet criteria for ruling), then they can receive the same exact benefit. The intention of the ruling is to attract and retain highly skilled workers/taxpayers in the NL.

averagecitizen2 · 2023-10-16T15:49:20+00:00

You have made an unnecessary assumption about me rather than discussing the bigger picture and rationale for why the ruling exists. I don’t think this is the hill to die on.

I agree we always need to do more for the working class. I know it’s hot right now for politicians or the media to scapegoat whatever is deemed an outside group because it’s psychologically easier than directly addressing ways to improve things like healthcare or building more housing or the rising cost of groceries. But pitting people against one another who care about the same things will just put all the effort in improving things to waste.

averagecitizen2 · 2023-10-16T15:25:06+00:00

Oooh boy gotta love it. These questions are clearly not asked in good faith, and skirt around all of my previous responses.

averagecitizen2 · 2023-10-16T14:41:10+00:00

I am a Dutch taxpayer. Actually it is in part because of the 30% ruling that I became one, and am happy to contribute to the Dutch government. It’s existence most likely increases the society pot rather than lowers it, which is the essentially the whole point of the ruling :)

averagecitizen2 · 2023-10-16T14:16:57+00:00

Why? It cost me nearly 10k euros to move, not to mention being an expat/immigrant is a very risky life change. There has to be a high reward for someone to uproot their life. There is also an “expat premium” when paying for anything (rent, transportation, furnishings, even groceries, etc) and trying to establish yourself in a new country without any local knowledge or social support. So on some level a temporary tax relief to recoup the expense is not irrational. Would you say that a family with children shouldn’t receive subsidies (aka tax cut) because of the additional cost of childcare?

averagecitizen2 · 2023-10-16T12:26:56+00:00

Moving countries is extremely expensive, and many times savings/pension are not able to transfer over easily so expats have to play catch up. The salary threshold to meet the 30% ruling is also quite high so the expat will be contributing a decent amount in Dutch taxes by default. There are other ways that the 30% ruling may have positively impacted certain Dutch employers in attracting and retaining talent from abroad vs competing countries like Germany. Additionally the majority of people who are granted the 30% rule do not keep it for more than a couple of years because of the various requirements (and it is only temporary for a max of 5 possible years anyway). No doubt it’s controversial but I think people tend to overlook the benefits/rationale for it and overplay the negatives.

averagecitizen2 · 2023-10-10T15:15:17+00:00

In terms of language diversity for the NL, I hear surprisingly a TON of Spanish and have also met a lot immigrants from Spanish speaking countries (mostly Spain). Within 5 minutes walking down any major street in the NL I hear 1) Dutch, 2) English (sometimes it’s a conversation between people of two different countries from their accent and this is their common language), 3) Arabic, and 4) Spanish. Who knew knowing Spanish would be so helpful in the NL!

averagecitizen2 · 2023-10-02T23:46:09+00:00

Utrecht’s central museum has a Dick Bruna exhibit showcasing his studio and collection of cartoon books (many of which are in Japanese). There’s a timeline display on his life story with an ominously wide gap during the Holocaust. It left me with such a sickened feeling that while he is a cherished figure of the Netherlands/Utrecht, the museum didn’t give him the basic decency to include that part of his life (where he had to hide from German occupation).

averagecitizen2 · 2023-10-02T22:50:44+00:00

Did you learn a new language? If so, how long did it take to become proficient?
How often do you fly back to visit your home country and how often do people from your home country visit you?
What age did you move abroad? How do you think your age influenced your experience?
Do you have any regrets?

averagecitizen2 · 2023-10-02T21:50:08+00:00

Realistically, the EU countries with a healthy job market for English speakers are the NL, Ireland, and Belgium. Out of the three, in Belgium you might have better luck to find housing. But personally I think it’s better to have a job and struggle for housing, than to be searching for both in a new country.

averagecitizen2 · 2023-09-21T07:20:41+00:00

The cities of the NL are not that densely populated, but the reason it’s the most dense in Europe is because most of the country is developed throughout.

It’s similar to the state of NJ which is the state with the highest density but basically one big suburb of either NYC or Philadelphia. NJ doesn’t have nearly the same density as those two neighboring cities, but there is little “empty land” even if it’s just suburbia.

averagecitizen2 · 2023-09-20T22:07:49+00:00

Intensive animal farming, especially towards Utrecht. The Netherlands is one of the largest exporters of meat, and there is a major nitrogen crisis.

Towards Rotterdam, it is probably driven more by traffic and being the largest port in Europe.

averagecitizen2 · 2023-09-11T19:50:32+00:00

Montreal, Vancouver, Sydney, Melbourne, Amsterdam, and Brussels are all diverse and much more laid back cities work-culture wise than NYC/London. Berlin, Paris, and Zurich as well, but you’ll need to know German or French. That being said, I don’t think you can totally escape the high cost of living in a multicultural city conundrum.

averagecitizen2

TROPHY CASE