https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 23 Apr 2026 08:12:36 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe/page/2#post-2610250 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 20:45:24 +0000 Iced Tea 2610250@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Any Scandinavian country or a smaller city in France. I appreciate their focus on family. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe/page/2#post-2610232 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 20:02:52 +0000 Mrs D 2610232@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So many places...I could list 10-15 metropolitan areas...but I think I'd like to be in a smaller town.</p> <p>When I travel for work we tend to fly into the big cities for a night then out to smaller cities with industrial parks...I always enjoy my time in the smaller cities most... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe/page/2#post-2610208 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 19:31:11 +0000 mrsbookworm 2610208@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@erinpye: That's great to hear! I'm both excited and anxious about the move. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe/page/2#post-2610194 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 19:08:32 +0000 erinpye 2610194@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrsbookworm: my aunt moved to Belgium for a few years when her kids were really little, and they attended a French American school. She also said there was a wonderful group of Americans in the area. Not sure where you will be, but she lived near Waterloo. It's a beautiful country and we loved our visit-- I'm jealous you get to move there! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe/page/2#post-2610191 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 19:04:56 +0000 mrsbookworm 2610191@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're actually moving to Belgium in a few months!<br /> @ksnow: I'm actually struggling with the school decision as well. DS is 3 and while I think he'd do ok in an immersion program, we're only going to be in Belgium for a few years and I don't know how useful Dutch will be in the future. I'm leaning towards an IB program since it can translate to so many countries. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe/page/2#post-2610167 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 18:01:32 +0000 Andrea 2610167@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: Hi! Happy to join the German discussion!</p> <p>@ksnow: My DD attends a German international school here in the US. She has completed kindergarten and will start 1st grade in a few weeks. It's a school that's geared towards expats from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. As @lamariniere: mentioned, many Germans are very good English speakers so all the kids already knew how to speak English, with the exception of one. So DD was able to communicate and make friends right away. I hope it will be the same for your LO. What an exciting opportunity for your family! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe/page/2#post-2609961 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 13:13:52 +0000 mrsrain 2609961@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Florence, Italy! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe#post-2609823 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 11:01:32 +0000 Meowkers 2609823@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The Netherlands. Specifically, Amsterdam. I would move there in a heartbeat if we could make it work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe#post-2609753 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 09:51:51 +0000 aegie 2609753@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sweden / Denmark for quality of life or France. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe#post-2609719 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 09:22:41 +0000 looch 2609719@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ksnow: what do other families do? do you think there is a group of families that send their kids to local schools, and have some insight?</p> <p>It's hard, I mean, German isn't really a language that is spoken in the US with any regularity, so unless there's a specific reason, I might lean towards English schools, considering that is where the rest of the education is going to be. My son is going into kindergarten this year and we've been speaking to him in a mix of English and German and he's had full comprehension since birth basically, of both langugages, but he's only begun to speak now. I have a feeling if we brought him back now and put him in a local school, the other children wouldn't have a clue what he is talking about, but the teachers might (in my husband's home country, English instruction begins in third grade). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe#post-2609680 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 08:48:28 +0000 lamariniere 2609680@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ksnow: I don't think it's ever too late! Since you will be near a military base, they are probably used to kids coming in with no German. If it's full immersion, I bet she would have pretty good oral comprehension within 6 months. Maybe @Andrea: can chime in with her LO's experience? Also, don't want to over generalize, but many Germans speak/understand English really well, so her English would most likely be understood, even if they respond in German. :wink: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe#post-2609665 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 08:37:41 +0000 ksnow 2609665@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: She'd be starting right around her 5th birthday (although she could do one year of pre-k before kindy there). Do you think that's too late to just throw her in (like she'll freak out that she can't communicate?). I've heard at the schools around us they group 2-5 year olds together, so it's not as much of an issue since a 2 year old german child couldn't speak german well, and she won't be able to either...she would have to pass a test at the end of the year to graduate to german kinder including language! I wonder if a year is enough time? (well 1 year working at home and 1 year full immersion school). I also wondering if she does kinder and 1st in a german school, will she struggle when she goes back to a stateside school in 2nd grade? I'd love for her to really be able to speak it after our years there...and be able to hire a tutor or something for her to talk to to keep it up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe#post-2609580 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 05:44:17 +0000 BKCaribBaby 2609580@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>London because there is a large Afro-Carobbean population, and I have family there already. Spain maybe because I have a good foundation in the language. Based on some do the things I've observed with friends not sure I would want to live in Euope right now even though it's been a dream of mine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe#post-2609571 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 05:23:28 +0000 Andrea 2609571@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I enjoyed living in London, but the weather drove me nuts so it would be nice to be further south. Italy is my fave, but I can't see living there long term. I would love a vacation home there though! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe#post-2609566 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 05:01:10 +0000 Mrs. Bee 2609566@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>weather is a factor for me and though Sweden seems great, I'm afraid that it's too cold! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe#post-2609427 Tue, 23 Aug 2016 18:41:08 +0000 Mrs. Dolphin 2609427@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husband and I lived a year in London and would LOVE to go back. Other options that could be feasible based on work options include Paris, Brussels, or Geneva. But if I could pick somewhere without regard to work, I'd love to go to Eastern Europe (having spent a significant amount of time living, traveling and working in Western Europe already). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe#post-2609372 Tue, 23 Aug 2016 16:43:47 +0000 erinpye 2609372@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Stockholm or London. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe#post-2609367 Tue, 23 Aug 2016 16:31:19 +0000 SugarplumsMom 2609367@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It really depends on how long we intend to say. For long term living, I'd stick with Sweden - the whole country is so kid-friendly! But for a short year somewhere new, I'd go somewhere livelier ... maybe Paris. But I don't really want to live anywhere else besides Sweden. If we can do a year in S.Korea, that would be really tempting! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe#post-2609228 Tue, 23 Aug 2016 13:27:31 +0000 lamariniere 2609228@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ksnow: I would highly recommend immersion! My son started Austrian daycare at 2 and now at 5.5 he speaks German like a native. My daughter was immersed from when she was a baby and she does too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe#post-2609185 Tue, 23 Aug 2016 13:02:22 +0000 lamariniere 2609185@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Pajamas: it definitely depends on your specific situation and what you are doing, and it's different in each country. I actually don't need a visa where we currently live (but have a residency permit), but that's tied to my DH's job and the fact that he's European entitles me to work, which isn't the case for non-Euro residents. I think a lot of European countries are also tightening up their immigration rules in light of the refugee/migrant crisis. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe#post-2609162 Tue, 23 Aug 2016 12:42:20 +0000 peachykeen 2609162@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wouldn't mind spending more time in Budapest. I would do Prague/Czech Republic if it wasn't so overrun with tourists. I think I could do some of the northern European countries as well, but I've only been to Belgium &amp; Netherlands so can't say for sure. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe#post-2609158 Tue, 23 Aug 2016 12:37:07 +0000 BSB 2609158@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>London or France. I'm job hunting and one of the jobs said we could do a 3-6 month stint at their Germany site! DH and I are really excited about that possibility. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe#post-2609152 Tue, 23 Aug 2016 12:29:36 +0000 looch 2609152@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ksnow: I was similar, I didn't know the language when I moved, but I took classes. As for school, I often think about going back and putting my son in the local schools. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe#post-2609149 Tue, 23 Aug 2016 12:27:30 +0000 sunny 2609149@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Somewhere warm and sunny, so maybe Italy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe#post-2609145 Tue, 23 Aug 2016 12:25:20 +0000 Mrs. Pajamas 2609145@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@808love I totally agree with warm weather and amazing food being high on the priority list. DH and I dream of moving to Italy all the time.</p> <p>@Lamariniere I worked remotely in Paris for 8 months while DH was getting a masters at Sciences Po. It was super easy visa-wise up to a year I think and then things get complicated. Paris was wonderful but if I had the choice I wouldn't live there again. So cold and dark in the winter!! But oh the cheese and wine and bread. Can't be beat!</p> <p>Australia is also super high on my list. I studied abroad for a year in college in Sydney and have a few friends there still. What a wonderful quality of life. The Economist just released the most livable cities list and I think Melbourne was #1. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe#post-2609143 Tue, 23 Aug 2016 12:24:33 +0000 GoGoSnoGirl 2609143@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've traveled through much of Europe &amp; liked Copenhagen, Malmo (Sweden), &amp; Helsinki. We'd also consider Germany or Austria, but the Scandinavian countries were most appealing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe#post-2609133 Tue, 23 Aug 2016 12:17:44 +0000 erinbaderin 2609133@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My first choice, money is no object, would be Paris. In a heartbeat. But I'd also love to live in London, Norwich to be near the in laws, Prague, or Lisbon. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe#post-2609120 Tue, 23 Aug 2016 12:00:47 +0000 tofuwad 2609120@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've always wanted to live in Germany. Not for any real reason. </p> <p>I also lived in Sweden as a kid and would love to raise my family in Sweden. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe#post-2609087 Tue, 23 Aug 2016 11:33:33 +0000 ksnow 2609087@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: I don't know the language but am trying to work on learning this year! Trying to get my older LO going to with little pims (since she can't read English yet). My daughter will start kindy there, and my son won't be in school yet. For her school we have three options 1) school on the military base where it will be all english 2) local school where it will be all german 3) international school which would be taught in english but kids from both nationalities and she would learn german. I'm leaning towards option 2 or 3! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-europe#post-2609056 Tue, 23 Aug 2016 11:04:53 +0000 nana87 2609056@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've spent a lot of time in london and love it. </p>