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Leah McFall's avatar

Melancholy. It just zips itself into your baggage and goes wherever you go. Beautiful as ever, Dan

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Based in Paris's avatar

Dan, thanks for mentioning the Based In Paris Immigrants Bill of Rights. I liked this part of your article, "...don’t sell the cure without naming the price: a day spent here is a day spent not there."

People often misunderstand that living abroad is a trade-off, not a cure.

A lot of the "Fixies" I read do not live in their new country full time, work for a European company w/ a European salary, have kids in public schools. And, like in Portugal and Spain, may not be subject to the same taxes as locals. Or, in France, they live under the tax threshold to avoid France's high marginal tax rates. When they "split their time", it is usually to, understandably, legally avoid the taxes. (Not starting a policy debate. It is a fact Europe has high taxes.)

I am not calling them *bad*, but they don't paint a full picture.

Of course where we live matters! I lived in Chicago for years, and it just wasn't for me. But, I loved DC.

I wish everyone well on their journey. I wish everyone generosity of spirit towards those whose journey takes other twists and turns.

PS- Perhaps there is a metaphor in there that with the decline of traditional media, everyone struggles to live in the gray. ;)

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