Totally agree, but you really never know where would be insulated from everything

I mean surely in the 1930s Hawaii felt like an excellent place to be insulated from war…

All I have to add is be careful investing in a Roth if you plan to leave the US. Some countries don’t acknowledge it as a retirement vessel and tldr it’s a pretty bad investment if that’s the case

Cash travels, sell your non -heirloom stuff.

Doesn’t need to be a lawyer, relocation companies are amazing at this stuff. They can help with taxes, government registration, all of it

Totally. But “down pat” and conversational are a bit different.

US ex pat here:

I agree with a big decision, but I strongly disagree with needing the language down pat before you go. You should know some for sure, and mostly have a willingness to learn it. You’re going to learn so much faster while there than you will studying in the US.

Just need enough language to get by at first

Does… Does this person reach through the legs from the front?

And dont bring hair dryer!

COVID didn’t feel like it was going to change everything all at once at first to me. Lots of “2 weeks and it’ll be over” talk. Then reality slowly set it.

9/11 felt like all at once to me, same with the second Trump election. Like I woke up and things were different.