You guys, I’m so behind on this whole television thing…don’t get me started, really, BUT I just started watching House Hunters International last month and am a total addict junkie. Every night, I can’t wait until the kids are sleeping so D and I can hop in bed and watch several episodes back-to-back. Addict junkie, I say!
First off, I mean, it’s AMAZING AND LIFE-CHANGING. How I lived without it for 37 years, I’ll never know. Some cities are so much less expensive than I thought! Some cities are insanely more expensive than I thought! Some cities are amazingly beautiful, and some make me want to stab my eyes out with a fork! Most importantly, I could listen to Brits say the word “property” all the live long day. “This is such a lovely prah-pah-tea.” “We’re looking for a 3-bedroom prah-pah-tea.” Say it with me, PRAH-PAH-TEA.
Secondly, I have a life list. (I’ve never shared it here. Yes, I know one of the best things about a life list is to SHARE it with others here on the interwebs, but I am a wuss and I don’t want to, ya hear?) One of my life list goals is to move abroad for at least a year. I am really wanting this to happen within the next 5 years.
(This very moment, my mom is yelling upstairs to my dad, “Ron! She’s really lost it this time! She wants to move to EUROPE. Hell’s bells!”)
(She’s never used the term “hell’s bells” before, but let’s just go with it.)
So! Europe. Want to get there soon, while the children are young. Of course, there are some technicalities to work out, like JOBS and SCHOOLS and NOT KNOWING ANYONE and NOT SPEAKING THE LANGUAGE, but hell’s bells! We appreciate a nice challenge.
Tops on my list right now – Denmark, Switzerland, Netherlands. (All ridiculously expensive, right? I mean, good god, Geneva! $10,000/month for a decent apartment?) Spain, France, and Italy are up there, of course, but as you can see by my DVR, I have lots more research to do.
Are any of you all HHI junkies as well? Let’s embrace.
(My other favorite show, which I can’t believe I’m admitting to you, is STORAGE WARS. Yuup! Orange County in the house!)
Sam Malone
January 6, 2012 at 11:23 amYou just named two of my favorite shows! HHI is such a guilty pleasure of mine, it’s so amazing to see some of the architectural details and culture in houses and apartments abroad.
Sasha
January 6, 2012 at 11:44 amI just want to know how you have so much space on your DVR???? I am jealous :)
Haley
January 6, 2012 at 12:16 pmI’ve lived in the same city (OKC WHAT UP?) all my life…basically the same zip code…I’ve traveled some and been to Europe but basically becuase I’m the most boring human alive….I LIVE FOR THIS SHOW! I’m right there with you!
Colleen
January 6, 2012 at 12:27 pmWe could totally share DVRs. We just got cable back after a 3 year long hiatus. It is like crack! House Hunters International, Pawn Stars, Storage Wars, any of the AMC shows. And not 1, but at least 2 cooking show channels. Holy crap! I may not get anything done this year due to my new BFF, cable TV.
But my one beef with HH International is that I wonder who the hell are these people that they have the job, life, financial means to go to these cool places. What are they doing that I have not yet figured out? I need their job, please. Sign me up.
Kathryn
January 6, 2012 at 2:02 pmMy husband and I are living in Paris for a few years right now and I cannot even count the number of times someone told us to watch HHI in the months leading up to our move. I still haven’t seen it (we didn’t have cable in the U.S.) but am dying to, especially after apartment hunting in Paris.
I love it here and we are really happy that we made this move. I spoke Spanish (conversationally) when we moved and am learning French while we are here. It’s occasionally frustrating, but 90% of the people I run across speak English and are very patient with my beginner French. I had previously lived in northern Spain for a few months, this has been a much easier transition for a lot of reasons. We plan to move back to the U.S. in 2 – 3 years, but I would recommend moving abroad for anyone that is interested and can find a way to make it work.
whoorl
January 10, 2012 at 7:57 amThank you!
elaine
January 6, 2012 at 5:10 pmSounds like you could do what Jordan Ferney did. Maybe you follow her blog and already know her story. If not, here’s the link: http://ohhappyday.com
Linda
January 7, 2012 at 1:50 amWe moved from Orange County to Italy last summer. My husband was offered an assignment near Venice and I quit my job, packed up our two kids (5 and 2) and off we went. It was super scary (a lot of “agh what if we hate it?!”) and the first weeks were an adventure since none of us speak any Italian. It’s an amazing experience though and we would do it again in a heartbeat. I won’t lie, I miss simple things like grocery stores open late and In-N-Out, but seeing how much my kids are learning and experiencing, it’s all worth it. Oh and the gelato is an added perk!
I lived in France and China before getting married but this was our first experience of living abroad with kids. Italy is very kid-friendly but I’ve also heard great things about Spain. Our dream city is Barcelona and we hope to live there someday. Please tell me there will still be Whoorl from Europe. I love your site!
whoorl
January 10, 2012 at 7:57 amOf course, and thank you! (And I might need to hit you up for some ideas/advice regarding the move in the future!)
berlin hair baby
January 8, 2012 at 4:03 pmI’m leaving europe and coming back to the usa :-) my advice is a scandinavian country (denmark or sweden..norway is really out of control expensive). they have an excellent level of english and really good schools. also you would love the design and aesthetic. not a big fan of switzerland (visiting yes, but living no). let me know if you want me to put you in touch with american friends living in scandi. xo bhb
whoorl
January 10, 2012 at 7:58 amOh, YOU KNOW I’ll be hitting you up for all kinds of advice and BHB wisdom!! xoxo
Bryanna
January 11, 2012 at 5:05 amI moved to London from Canada 2.5 years ago. It was hard and scary at first, but I can’t imagine never having moved here. I think if you don’t at least look into it you will regret it. It doesn’t sound like the UK is even on your list, but my husband recently started a work contract in Bern, Switzerland and he seems to really like it there. I say, “he” because my passport is STILL with the Home Office and I have not been able to visit him yet (he flies home on weekends so it’s not so bad). It is very expensive (even by UK standards). My husband buys his groceries in the UK and brings them over in his suitcase, but he’s a special kind of “thrifty”. At this point, I can’t give you a personal perspective on Switzerland, but if my passport arrives in the next couple of weeks I’ll be heading over for a skiing holiday. He was able to sublet a small studio apartment for $1500/month. So if you’re willing to squeeze your 4 person family into one room, it could be very affordable :)
However…if I were you, I’d choose Spain!
Olivia
January 11, 2012 at 11:28 amOh yeah, love HH International! One thing I love about it, especially if the house hunters are not from the U.S., is how unspoiled they are when it comes to the size of the property and the finishes (no one complains about not having granite counter tops). Some of the U.S. searchers make me roll my eyes, “I want all the comforts of my previous home, but I also want charm.” Good luck with that. The prices though, wow. I think I saw that one where a couple had to spend a minimum of $10K per month just to get a two bedroom in Switzerland. That is nuts! What kind of jobs do they have?
Carrie
January 12, 2012 at 1:39 amOkay don’t judge but I’ve been watching this into the wee hours of the night for the past few years. No jokes. I’m like an addict that falls off the wagon, gets on, falls off, rinse and repeat (that one’s for you espesh). I lie there for hours afterward imagining all the places I’d like to live a much more simple life. Or one in Paris with a dinky apt filled with boho tchotchkes and Isabel Marant pieces, but whatev. Send pills.