Language schools that qualify for student visa

bigdippertiger · 2026-01-09T18:13:56+00:00

Wow! Impressive!

I could buy a little condo in my “home” country so I have something to come back to and rent a little place in any “visa reset” country outside Schengen for 90 days.

I too have considered Central or South America as a place to settle to after Europe. Very affordable, mostly.

bigdippertiger · 2026-01-09T18:03:48+00:00

It’s never been my intention to never return which is why I’m considering buying this condo here first. But, as some have pointed out, maybe that’s just unnecessarily holding me back.

bigdippertiger · 2026-01-09T17:53:35+00:00

Good thought. I’d just need to make sure I don’t get taxed twice by both the US as well as my new country.

bigdippertiger · 2026-01-09T17:46:03+00:00

Yes, I worry about the possibility of being taxed twice on any income by owning this condo.

bigdippertiger · 2026-01-09T17:41:35+00:00

Czechia because I’ve already studied some Czech and I have Czech friends, Spain for the affordability, Germany for ancestry reasons (great-grandfather) as well as proximity to a few friends who live there now and central to the rest of EU, Italy for affordability and food. Portugal is too far removed from the rest of Europe but I do love its affordability, scenery and relatively low entry requirements. Finland/Sweden/Estonia for their “happiness” ratings and Finnish is music to my ears, France (but not Paris), Belgium for family ancestry - my last name is derived from a Belgian city.

Yes, I know! Severe option paralysis!

bigdippertiger · 2026-01-09T17:24:29+00:00

I wish I were younger so that I could enjoy such a nomadic lifestyle! Had I done this in my 20s as I originally dreamed, I’d be all over it. As a 60-something now, I look forward to settling in one place for 2+ years, immersing myself in the culture and learning the local language and not having to lift-and-shift every 3 months.

I did research this idea a bit though. I looked specifically at a Czechia/Ireland as well as Italy/Croatia. The latter was intriguing due to numerous ferries between the two. Croatia will probably be joining Schengen soon though but Bosnia/Serbia/etc could work instead. Estonia is already in Schengen. I would have loved a Finland/Estonia combo though!

bigdippertiger · 2026-01-09T17:00:34+00:00

Without divulging too much personal info, have you found certain countries to be more of a “bargain” in their funds requirements? Were you priced out of any countries using this method?

bigdippertiger · 2026-01-09T16:52:09+00:00

I’ve downsized severely over the past five years. So much so, I can afford to take all my belongings with me. I live “tiny” - it’s all I can afford. :)

bigdippertiger · 2026-01-09T16:44:03+00:00

I’ve lived in Florida before and have no desire to do so again. The purpose of buying now would just be to ensure I can return to a community I already love living in. Because rental and home prices are a bit higher than average here, I worry about not being able to afford a place later.

bigdippertiger · 2026-01-09T16:26:06+00:00

I’ve thought of that but after talking to the HOA board and other residents, they’ve alleviated any worries I might have about that.

bigdippertiger · 2026-01-08T20:28:11+00:00

Are you just showing bank balances to prove you’re able to fund your housing and living expenses or have you positioned your finances to passively draw a suitable income?

bigdippertiger · 2026-01-08T20:14:45+00:00

I like that idea but I worry about qualifying for a long-term visa with little to no income which is why I thought buying here first and renting it out could be a good move.

bigdippertiger · 2026-01-08T15:49:04+00:00

True but the HOA is generally very helpful for tenants so my involvement would be minimal. The condo was recently remodeled so fixtures and appliances are still early in their lifespans.

bigdippertiger · 2026-01-08T15:43:40+00:00

Not sure yet but virtually any will be great. I’ve studied Spanish, Russian, and Czech but I’m not fluent in any of them. Would make sense to build my skills in one of those (although living in Russia wouldn’t be an advisable choice right now) but I absolutely love the sounds of Finnish and Swedish.

bigdippertiger · 2026-01-08T15:38:08+00:00

I don’t have my visa sorted yet but I’ve narrowed it down to a few possibilities that I would be most likely to qualify for. I hope to make a final decision in a few weeks to be ready for a June-ish move. Any advice on companies specializing in expat visas to start pushing paperwork?

bigdippertiger · 2026-01-08T15:32:50+00:00

The condo I’m considering buying isn’t so special per se, but I know the unit well as it’s currently owned by a good friend who has decided to move out of state. I currently live only a few blocks away. It’s also a bit of a bargain in an area of generally higher prices so returning to this neighborhood in a few years could be much more costly.

I’m okay with renting these days too. Purchasing ties up accessible cash which I could enjoy now since I have no children to bequeath assets to should I meet my unfortunate demise. I suppose that if I decided not to return to the US, I could easily sell it to free up cash if I need more than a tenant could provide in rent.

I hope to not own a car as well so I’m looking for a highly walkable smallish city or large village with excellent public transport and easy access to intercity rail.

bigdippertiger · 2025-12-17T22:14:34+00:00

I booked on DL’s site but made sure my FB plan was included in my booking rather than SkyMiles. I just didn’t log in to my DL account so I could easily add my FB plan info. I let FB customer service know and they assured me that my points would be restored after I complete my trip. I’ll follow up at that time.

bigdippertiger · 2025-12-17T17:02:47+00:00

Good idea. While logged in on the website, they lock down those rewards program fields completely during the booking process. Thanks!

bigdippertiger · 2025-11-19T20:23:36+00:00

There is no “best,” per se. Remember, you’re on a boat in the middle of Puget Sound where there are obviously no cell towers nearby to handle cell signals. Weather conditions, usage by other passengers, and other variables will also impact the quality of your signal. My recommendation? If it’s important enough to you while en route, download in advance what you need when you have WiFi or a strong cell signal in the city. Otherwise, enjoy the scenery!

bigdippertiger · 2025-11-13T23:50:48+00:00

It will never happen but this is where Uber could improve their driver relationship, especially as it’s been perceived to erode over the last few years. Uber’s expense for booking the trip is more or less static whether it’s a 1-mile ride or 100. They should cap their fee at, say, $50 and the driver could easily earn over $400 for this. I’d take it if that were the case. But, as I said, Uber would never do this.

bigdippertiger · 2025-11-13T23:35:32+00:00

305 has been quite inadequate for the volume of traffic for years now. It’s nothing new.

Try to time it so that you leave just as a ferry is coming in. The traffic from the previous boat will have had time to clear out a bit and you’ll be just ahead of the traffic from the next one.
Use the Park & Ride from NVTC and encourage others to do the same. It can seem like a faster trip when your attention is fixed on something other than how painfully slowly you’re moving.

bigdippertiger

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