I have experience in my field, and was only getting bites here and there from hiring panels who were genuinely more overwhelmed than I was. I found a job in Australia within a week. I dream of scenes from my childhood: beaches, fish and chips, and the bright bloom of pohutukawa trees. But as vivid as those memories are, you can't build a life on scenery alone.
If you haven't muttered to yourself, "I want to leave the country" at some point in the last year, you might deserve a medal. Things have been tough here in the United States, from rising healthcare costs to inflation to hate crimes to the Ten Commandments in the classroom. Sprinkle in the fact that we still have some of the worst maternity leave, maternal deaths, and abortion laws among our peers and it just isn't super fun to be around here all the time.
New Zealand is well known for its breathtaking 'Lord of the Rings' landscapes, Maori culture, stunning wildlife, and adventure sports playground. The country was listed 9th on US News' list of best countries in the world in 2024, coming in at number two for a comfortable retirement. The population is generally a happy bunch, too. When asked to rate their general life satisfaction between 0 and 10, New Zealanders graded themselves at 7.3, on average, higher than the OECD average of 6.7.
The only way I can deal with it without going crazy and wanting to open my veins in a warm tub is to look at it like a thick, sprawling political novel, Hamill said. The actor, who stars in the upcoming Stephen King adaptation The Long Walk, argued that the United States' global status has been crippled under Trump. Our status in the world has been crippled, and that will reverberate for decades. Making Canada a 51st state? Do you know how offensive that is? And then taking over Greenland and renaming the Gulf of Mexico. The distractions are hilarious, he said.
"I'm so glad you guys are out of this country, lucky you â¤ï¸ we are hurting over here," one person wrote. "Looks like a beautiful life you're living away from the horror of USA politics," another user echoed.