# Portugal over Uruguay or Spain?



## Am87

I'm an American with Italian citizenship..looking to start over anywhere. I'd prefer southern Brazil, but because of visas it looks like it is off limits until I have a master's degree. 

The attitude I get from forums and asking around is that in Spain, Italy, Portugal, Uruguay or Panama...is that there is bad wages and work is difficult to come by. Do any of these places stand out as better? 

Uruguay looks like a plus because the little money I bring will go farther in helping me start out. Portugal is beautiful though. In pulling up news articles it says that Uruguay is experiencing growth and resistance to the recession. In the US the economy is trashed. I dont think the old days will be back.


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## -mia-

Uruguay has nothing to do with Spain or Portugal or Italy or Brazil or Panama.... 
Personally I find Uruguay to be the most boring country on the face of the earth. & talk about low salaries..... The country maybe "growing" but your salary will be very low, if you can find a job that is appropriate for you. 

I think you need to define a bit better what it is you are looking for then do further research from there.


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## Am87

Am87 said:


> I'm an American with Italian citizenship..looking to start over anywhere. I'd prefer southern Brazil, but because of visas it looks like it is off limits until I have a master's degree.
> 
> The attitude I get from forums and asking around is that in Spain, Italy, Portugal, Uruguay or Panama...is that there is bad wages and work is difficult to come by. Do any of these places stand out as better?
> 
> Uruguay looks like a plus because the little money I bring will go farther in helping me start out. Portugal is beautiful though. In pulling up news articles it says that Uruguay is experiencing growth and resistance to the recession. In the US the economy is trashed. I dont think the old days will be back.



Thank you for the reply. I value your opinion as someone who has lived down there and also in Europe.......Uruguay is an option because of open immigration policies when compared to its neighbor Brazil. Panama, Spain, and Portugal have in common that Italian citizens get to live there. 

Thanks for the info on Uruguay. It looked too boring to make the trip there while living in Argentina. But many locations in the US are boring like that. The prairie land. And it is bus rides away from Brazil's nice beaches. Fun, beautiful, and awesome places in south America like Colombia's cities look too dangerous because of kidnappings and drugs. 

So you think even during an economic crisis the standards are higher in southern europe than Uruguay? I guess I'll ask around to EU experts. What I would want out of the EU is subsidized tuition after a few years. If the place is breaking down like some of the news reports say then I'd rather go someplace cheap.


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## -mia-

Am87 said:


> Thank you for the reply. I value your opinion as someone who has lived down there and also in Europe.......Uruguay is an option because of open immigration policies when compared to its neighbor Brazil. Panama, Spain, and Portugal have in common that Italian citizens get to live there.
> 
> Thanks for the info on Uruguay. It looked too boring to make the trip there while living in Argentina. But many locations in the US are boring like that. The prairie land. And it is bus rides away from Brazil's nice beaches. Fun, beautiful, and awesome places in south America like Colombia's cities look too dangerous because of kidnappings and drugs.
> 
> So you think even during an economic crisis the standards are higher in southern europe than Uruguay? I guess I'll ask around to EU experts. What I would want out of the EU is subsidized tuition after a few years. If the place is breaking down like some of the news reports say then I'd rather go someplace cheap.


I wish I could help you more. I just feel that I don't have enough information on your situation to give you useful advice. 

Uruguay maybe like the US plains (I have no idea) but would you move to the US plains? Why? Why not? 

Are you moving with money in the bank or do you need a job? Uruguay -may- be cheap if you come with dollars or euros, however with 15% inflation how long will it be cheap? If you need to get a job I can promise you it will not be cheap living on local currency and I'm not sure it will be that easy for you to find a job that if right for you. What kind of work do you do? 

Living cheap, IMO, is not a good reason to pick a place to live, certainly not the only criteria. 

What languages to you speak? What kind of job are you looking for? What kinds of things do you like to do?

If you are looking for free tuition you should look at Argentina. But again even if you do get free tuition you'll have to speak the local language.


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## Am87

I'm 22 so the money in the bank is just for the time that I am looking for a job. So there'd be more pressure to get work in a timely manner in Europe than in someplace cheap. 

So far I just speak english and spanish. I am finishing up a business management degree...and after working a real job maybe go for an MBA or a master's in an economics related area. 

My ideal place would be Santa catarina in Brazil. It looks like the europeans that filled the area made such interesting cities. I loved everything about Rio but was threatened with a knife. The work visa situation looks impossible from reading. I would like portugal for the ocean and learning the language. Maybe so brazil is attainable later in life as a professional.

In the places that I am interested in I am looking for the difference between wages and the cost of living. It looks like europe has a far different relationship between the 2 than here in the US. People can live well, but rely heavily on family assistance. Reading on portugal and france, there is very high unemployment for young graduates...many of these young people do well but live in family owned houses. 

And about the US-. The standard of living situation has been straight downhill for the last decade here. When I was in argentina in 2007 I realized I had enough of the phony optimism and propaganda here at home. Now that changes are happening faster, everyone is waiting for the great comeback to the good old days. Not to sound too negative but there's not much going on here besides drinking and the spending of money.

Inflation sucks but the dollar is down like 35% against the Real, uruguay peso, australian dollar. This didnt affect me sitting out in oil funds etc. but if it continues then it will just be another source of frustration.


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## -mia-

Am87 said:


> I'm 22 so the money in the bank is just for the time that I am looking for a job. So there'd be more pressure to get work in a timely manner in Europe than in someplace cheap.
> 
> So far I just speak english and spanish. I am finishing up a business management degree...and after working a real job maybe go for an MBA or a master's in an economics related area.
> 
> My ideal place would be Santa catarina in Brazil. It looks like the europeans that filled the area made such interesting cities. I loved everything about Rio but was threatened with a knife. The work visa situation looks impossible from reading. I would like portugal for the ocean and learning the language. Maybe so brazil is attainable later in life as a professional.
> 
> In the places that I am interested in I am looking for the difference between wages and the cost of living. It looks like europe has a far different relationship between the 2 than here in the US. People can live well, but rely heavily on family assistance. Reading on portugal and france, there is very high unemployment for young graduates...many of these young people do well but live in family owned houses.
> 
> And about the US-. The standard of living situation has been straight downhill for the last decade here. When I was in argentina in 2007 I realized I had enough of the phony optimism and propaganda here at home. Now that changes are happening faster, everyone is waiting for the great comeback to the good old days. Not to sound too negative but there's not much going on here besides drinking and the spending of money.
> 
> Inflation sucks but the dollar is down like 35% against the Real, uruguay peso, australian dollar. This didnt affect me sitting out in oil funds etc. but if it continues then it will just be another source of frustration.


Ok. This might sound "out there" but I think you should consider Brussels. You will find it easy (or at least easier) to find a job that will allow you to live relatively comfortably. I mean you are only 22. You shouldn't expect to live like someone who's been working for 15 years right? 

Brussels is a good place for international minded young people and it will be certainly much easier to find a job with multinational companies where the working language is English and where you may eventually get posted to latin america after getting some good working experience. 

It also has great travel links to Spain & Portugal with low cost airlines.


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