Nelson, nice.
NZ is a cool spot. Lived there for a couple years, would take it over Canada in a second. Quite fond of Whangarei.
http://www.sovereignman.com/ Try this website. He's got a lot of great info that you will find very useful.
Scrooge,
I don't know what my major is going to be yet, I have a myriad of interests I can't pin myself down yet. I'm most going there because I have family that live 15 minutes from Norman and because of all the money being thrown at me. It's a shame you graduate this year, I won't be showing up until August so I won't get to meet a fellow anarchist.
Brutus,
No, I haven't, that's why I asked. I'm mostly motivated because I'd rather not be on a sinking ship. Empires never make graceful falls and you can never know how messy things will become.
Wow, Bill, great site! Thanks for the link.
One of the easiest question I could answer, having considered the question, where would I rather live than the U.S.
Patagonia...with no second choice, I might add.
Zeph,
I would strongly advise against majoring in economics. If I were to do it over again, I would have done something much more technical. The major with the highest average starting pay at OU is petroleum engineering at about $80,000!
Personally, I am very happy with my decision to move to New Hampshire. Lots of anarcho-capitalists up here as well as a general libertarian streak amongst everybody else.
Murphy and Long are going to speak at Porc Fest this year, I hope a bunch of other Misesians come too.
Seems like most of the hardcore types up here know about AE and mises.org, and are good on basic concepts and hate the state and all that, but the vast majority of them aren't too committed to really studying praxeology in great detail. More Austrians wanted!!
@ Brutus
Ya like Huey Lewis and the News?
New Hampshire - Free State Project. Definitely.
I hope to leave one day, too, in the near future - to the Republic of Texas.
I live in Texas. Secession is the only solution to the incorrigible U.S. federal government.
In South America - Chile, Argentina and to some extent Brazil. The thing about Latin American culture is that it treats forigners as honoured guest. Which is why Doug Casey lives down there as he explains.
In Europe - Poland some of the Nordic northern countries perhaps Ukraine and Estonia? There also the 5 European micro states The Vatican, Malta, Liechtenstein, San Marino and Andorra. Although some of thest city-states are very adverse to immigration which does not have to be a bad thing.
Asia - Hong Kong although the treaty that was drafted between China ad the U.K that started in 1997 maintains Hong Kongs soverignty for 50 years, after which it becomes completely assimilated intto China.
Singapore is just like the other micro states.
Taiwan, NZ, come to mind as well.
Africa - nowhere.
THe most serene republic of San Marino.
Its really serene.
“Since people are concerned that ‘X’ will not be provided, ‘X’ will naturally be provided by those who are concerned by its absence.""The sweetest of minds can harbor the harshest of men.”
http://voluntaryistreader.wordpress.org
How's about Andorra, or Monaco?
Well, actually, I think you have to have your net worth at least in the millions to get...I don't know...a project apartment in Monaco.
I'm living in Hong Kong, now. If you at least have some skills which are of use in the financial sector, you can be guaranteed an extremely good life (especially if you're white).
Outside of that, pick up the qualifications required to teach English... native English speakers can earn a bomb, here (especially if you're white), and you don't even have to know Cantonese/Mandarin (though I imagine it helps if you want to teach at levels more advanced than young children).
Failing those two, you could still easily have a fairly good life here (especially if you're white... noticing the pattern?)
As for long term trends in HK, and the influence of the mainland:
Last week, I bared witness so something I had never before seen in my life: a march against communism. When was the last time you guys saw anything like that? I think HK is going to be a healthy place to be for quite some time, as the people themselves know the damages of communism first hand.
The people of Hong Kong respect their freedom and they respect capitalism, that's not going to be something that you can find easily in this world.
Rules and regulations are growing thick and fast in Hong Kong, though... but they are far from a tipping point. The mainland Government is slowly filling the HK political institutions with puppets... how long before it reaches "critical mass", I don't know.
The people of Hong Kong are unarmed, and are generally small and weak... their culture is one of politeness and introversion, if the mainland wanted to perform a more hostile takeover... I do not think there would be much in the way of a counter-fight.
----
There are other issues you need to consider, other than freedom. With Hong Kong, for example, forget having a house... you're going to be in an apartment for the rest of your life. Driving will probably never happen. Personal space and privacy is something of a commodity, and there are some RICH players in the game.
If you happen to like greenspace or good air, also not a great place. You do have some beautiful beaches, particularly in places like Lamma Island... but the main city is just block-after-block of concrete sprawl.
--- No matter where you move to, though... you will find yourself pining for home. The problem is: you only notice the things you dislike... the things you like, you take for granted, and you don't even realise you like them... it's only when you lose it, you realise you miss it. Taking action that will stop you from ever returning home, might seem like a good idea in the short run, but could end up costing you in the long term.
Anyways, my two cents, and my return on the Hong Kong suggestion. Notice I didn't tell you whether to move, either way... just gave you some of the pros and cons of the place. Personally, I would have a second home in Hong Kong, but my primary residence elsewhere... I value nature and clean air too highly.
I've been to Andorra.... extremely expensive place, and not much in the way of work.
If you can ski, and have the relevant qualifications... you can be a ski instructor, and that pays fairly well.
Small country, so it's a close-knit community, and the place is absolutely beautiful in the winter.
Still, I don't think it's a place you can live 365 days a year. There's just not much to do there, and the economy is fairly weak during the off-season.
Sounds like HK would be a great temporary residence. I know a British-South African guy who lives in Shenzhen:
http://www.youtube.com/serpentza
I'd also like to try South America, can you tell me anything about some of the countries there?