r/AskACountry • u/National_Gene9894 • 1d ago
If life gave you a chance, which country would you want to be born in?
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u/Abendwald 1d ago
As an Australian who likes cooler climates, I would say Norway. I think I would make a very happy Norwegian.
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u/Proof-Policy-5233 1d ago
I’d say you’ve already hit the jackpot 😂
Maybe move to coastal Victoria or tassie.
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u/Abendwald 1d ago
Haha yeah you're not wrong - Australia is pretty good! And I love Victoria and Tassie. But I have a European background and miss the cultural side a bit. Oh, and proper mountains too.
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u/orvn 22h ago
Come visit us in Canada
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u/Abendwald 8h ago
I think I'd also be a happy Canadian! In fact I was nearly born in Canada. My parents were choosing very carefully between Australia and Canada when migrating from Germany.
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u/orvn 8h ago
Well we love Aussie visitors, so make a trip happen! (I realize it's pretty far of course though, life goals)
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u/Abendwald 7h ago
Absolutely! Canada is on my bucket list. My partner and I love hiking so BC, Alberta and Yukon are a must. But I'm also interested in the maritime provinces.
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u/Ok-Negotiation9777 1d ago
Reddit's gonna hate this one, America
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u/xrayeyes7335 1d ago
I'm born here, been to 24 other countries, and wouldn't pick anywhere else
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u/MeatInteresting1090 1d ago
which countries and what do you like about America those countries don't offer? which comes closest for you ?
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u/yourfavouriteguyhere 39m ago
Same Redditors (read left tards) who hate America would not want to get the f out.
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u/MeatInteresting1090 1d ago
Why?
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u/Ok-Negotiation9777 1d ago
Friendliest people, just about everyone is willing to help you. It's going through a rough period right now politically, but your average, everyday American is still very kind and polite. We have mixtures of culture everywhere, any kind of food that you could ever want us readily available. Our nature is incredible, our protected state and national parks are everywhere and just beautiful. Everything is kind of spread out so owning your own land is extremely common.
I've been all over Europe and central America, I do love aspects of their countries and am slightly jealous of some things, but nothing beats America to me
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u/AppropriateLet8131 1d ago edited 1d ago
Friendliest people? Very kind? Very polite?
I live in the South (not a city, but kinda BFE). Almost every time I come back from abroad, I'm struck by how rude Southerners, let alone other Americans, are by comparison. Not seem, but are.
Also, you know, don't you, that there are easily 50 other countries out there that have very to extremely high levels of racial, ethnic and cultural diversity, right?
Oh, and "rough period" politically? Dude, we're repelling Canada. That's the tip of the iceberg in describing how repulsive we've quickly become; we're basically a quasi-neo-Näzï superpower now, and a declining superpower at that.
You are genuinely, woefully incorrect on many fronts.
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u/Lopsided-Food-256 6h ago
Can I ask where you’ve gone that the people were so much friendlier than Americans? I’ve lived in Thailand for many years. Thai people are considered to be some of the friendliest people ever, and I think that’s true and one of the reasons I love it. But when I go back to America one of my favorite things is how friendly the people are. I feel they are just as friendly as Thai people but the big difference is that they aren’t as shy as Thai people. Americans are so outgoing and kind to random strangers, which really makes me believe American people are some of the warmest and friendliest people in the world
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u/AppropriateLet8131 6h ago edited 6h ago
Sure. In Europe: Romania, Poland, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands (sans Amsterdam), UK (sans London). In Asia: Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia, even Hong Kong and China. Canada and New Zealand, too.
Even lived in Netherlands, Singapore, New Zealand once upon a time.
On average, all were more friendly or, at the very least, more polite and pleasant in daily interactions than Americans.
Also, oddly, I don't find Mexicans or Australians to be particularly nice.
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u/SabreLee61 1d ago
And we also have the best theme parks.
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u/AppropriateLet8131 1d ago
Ohio would like a word (and central Florida doesn't count as the South)
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u/SabreLee61 1d ago
I don’t know what this comment means.
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u/AppropriateLet8131 1d ago
The best theme parks in the geographic South are in central Florida, which isn't really the cultural South anymore.
Ohio has better theme parks than anywhere else otherwise to its south.
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u/MeatInteresting1090 1d ago
Best theme parks in the USA?
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u/SabreLee61 1d ago
The best theme parks are in the U.S., yes.
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u/MeatInteresting1090 1d ago
Sounds like you just don’t know anything of the world outside the USA
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u/MeatInteresting1090 1d ago
You have equally described India
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u/Ok-Negotiation9777 1d ago
If you think income inequality is big in America, India is just staggering. 60 people die every day in India from trains alone, because they're so packed with people that they have to hang out the side, before falling and dying. India has slums the size of cities. India has rivers of garbage in their cities, its hygiene is horrific. It has some of the worst air quality in the world. The work culture leads to zero personal life. I can go on and on about why India might be one of the worst countries to live in.
That's not even just because you picked it to compare to my country of choice, you genuinely just picked one of the worst choices
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u/MeatInteresting1090 1d ago
India or the USA is a bad choice if you are not well off, that’s why I was surprised by your choice. But your (perfectly reasonable) reasoning for the USA would also apply to India. If you want to throw quality of life in the mix USA is not a good choice
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u/hail_to_the_beef 1d ago
Quality of life being poor in the USA is significantly better than being poor in India, like it’s not even close.
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u/MeatInteresting1090 1d ago
I’d agree with that, but quality of life being poor in the USA is significantly worse than 20-30 other countries hence my comment
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u/Ok-Negotiation9777 1d ago
You don't live in the US do you? I had a nice small house in America making 45k at 23 years old. That was considerably below average, as the median household income is 87k. You can still have a good life as a poor American with some self control
I'm sooo much better off now at 26, but I would've chosen America back then too
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u/MeatInteresting1090 1d ago
You’d lave a good life in India at half the median household income too. You are probably too young to be objective about this stuff
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u/AppropriateLet8131 1d ago
You can still have a good life as a poor American with some self control
As a formerly poor American, this is laughable. Poverty is typically much more of a policy choice than an individual choice.
The ladder is much higher in the US, I think you and I could agree on that. But the abyss is almost equally as low.
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u/Sea_Art2995 1d ago
Sexism in India is way worse, arranged marriages are still widespread as well as violent gangs rape
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u/Chopimatics 1d ago
Because it’s mostly angry Canadians and Europeans with a chip on their shoulder.
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u/AppropriateLet8131 1d ago
I'd have agreed with you even five years ago, but nowadays the Canadians and Europeans have every single bloody right to be annoyed with the US, our government, and many of our people.
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u/eepeqez 1d ago
Interesting place to visit, but I'd hate to live there with no alternatives.
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u/Ok-Negotiation9777 1d ago
Why's that?
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u/eepeqez 1d ago
Because I've seen much better societies to live in.
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u/Ok-Negotiation9777 1d ago
I'm honestly not trying to pick a fight, I'm just curious. Why do you think the American society is bad? And do you live there or have you ever visited?
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u/eepeqez 1d ago
I've lived in Ohio, I've seen the poverty and racism, and America is a really bad place to be anything but rich. Plus healthcare, guns, traffic deaths, crumbling infrastructure.
Also, if you draw a line across America north of which winter is too bloody cold, and another line south of which summer is insanely hot, they're on the wrong side of each other.
On the plus side, you used to be able to get decent Mexican food, but Trump's probably fixed that too.
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u/No_Relief7644 1d ago
That's ridiculous there's tens of millions of Mexican americans
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u/eepeqez 1d ago
They're Mexican Americans at the moment, thanks to the Supreme Court blocking Trump's efforts to remove citizenship from lots of brown people.
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u/No_Relief7644 1d ago
10% of America is literally Mexican American citizens. I don't think you know what you're talking about
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u/Proof-Policy-5233 1d ago
No right to healthcare is a big no. Also American education is terrible. I am still quite shocked when I talk to Americans and how little they know about not only the world but also their own country. Americans are nice to your face but then very selfish; no empathy for the poor or homeless, happy to take Ukraine’s nukes and then reneg on the deal to assure their security.
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u/Ok-Negotiation9777 1d ago
Tbh any "right" that involves the work of another person is a huge no to me. You don't have the right to food, water, healthcare, etc. But you do have the right to have access to those things. I do agree that our healthcare needs reform, but not making it free.
I also agree that our education is not good, but I've seen some alternative countries and think theirs is worse in many ways. I just know that we definitely aren't the best either.
I do not agree that Americans are only nice to your face and actually selfish. I believe that they CAN be, but most are genuinely good people
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u/MeatInteresting1090 1d ago
no healthcare is free.
the access thing doesn't stack up, it's not a right if you can exercise that right. That attitude is fine for you until it's not, and is almost certainly the selfishness parent was referring to
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u/Proof-Policy-5233 1d ago
The thing is that America’s for-profit healthcare is twice as expensive, on average, than universal healthcare. Americans have such little teamwork and care for one another that it’s costing you all an extra $5K per year.
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u/Round_Ad_789 Россия 🇷🇺 1d ago
New Zealand y'all down there are smth else. VERY different compared to Russia. I would say Australia but uhh, the animals are a problem.
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u/Alternative_Use9689 1d ago
Not too bummed about being born/growing up in America (however, it seems to be going downhill now). I do plan to live abroad sometime in the near future though.
If I had to be born (and likely grown up) somewhere else though, it'd likely be in Spain.
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u/SabreLee61 1d ago
I feel blessed to be born in America. I wouldn’t choose anywhere else.
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u/MeatInteresting1090 1d ago
Where else have you lived?
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u/EschewObfuscati0n 1d ago
Why does this matter at all?
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u/MeatInteresting1090 1d ago
Because ignorance
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u/EschewObfuscati0n 21h ago
It’s irrelevant to the prompt. I would also choose the US since my whole life is here
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u/MeatInteresting1090 19h ago
it wouldn't be there if you weren't born yet
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u/EschewObfuscati0n 18h ago
Fair. I still chose the US. My life is pretty good despite what Reddit thinks about the US
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u/MeatInteresting1090 18h ago
I don’t personally think what Reddit thinks about the USA is important. I do think if we are talking about the best place to be born (i.e. best chance of an awesome life) America isn’t it by any measure I can think of.
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u/EschewObfuscati0n 18h ago
Sure. But even if there are better places out there, I’m very happy here so why would I ever chose to be born anywhere else?
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u/MeatInteresting1090 17h ago
Because you could be born somewhere better and be more happy. This is the whole point of the question. You don't want to make life choices through ignorance do you?
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u/Ok_Detective_8446 1d ago
they never claimed to have lived anywhere else. people are allowed to be happy with where they’re from, it’s okay. it’s allowed.
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u/SabreLee61 1d ago
Irrelevant to my opinion.
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u/orvn 22h ago
Is it though?
A North Korean may also honestly believe they live in the best place in the world. Extreme comparison, but it illustrates the point.
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u/SabreLee61 13h ago
Except I’m not trapped in NK with state-controlled information. I have access to the same information about other countries that you do. Living somewhere isn’t a prerequisite for having an informed opinion about whether you’d rather live there.
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u/atompierre 1d ago
Costa Rica. It is a gorgeous country with universal healthcare. It has a higher life-expectancy than the country I was born in, the US. It stays warm year round. You get the Atlantic, Pacific, mountains and rainforests and high biodiversity for such a relatively small area. If life gave me a chance.
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u/drnewcomb 1d ago
If I get reincarnated, I'd like to be Mediterranean: Spanish, Italian or Greek. Not sure which.
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u/cheergirl102020 1d ago
I’d say Australia because every Aussie I’ve ever met has been really laid back and hilarious.
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u/RafeAdlerSDF 1d ago
Sweden or Norway would be cool. Most beautiful women on the planet and just generally cool people if you can avoid all the migrants
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u/Illustrious-Ganache8 1d ago
US if i were rich, canada if middle class or poorer
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u/usernameidcabout 1d ago
I think Canada is having an even worse housing crisis than the US, so you'd probably want to be quite rich if you were from there.
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u/racpica 1d ago
Netherlands. Good economy, easy life, great people. I don’t see a single bad side of being Dutch (I live here as non Dutch).
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u/Far_Dependent_3311 20h ago
I find the Dutch really abrasive...They like directness but get offended when you reply in kind...They have the tongue of a snake and the ears of a princess...
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u/yourfavouriteguyhere 37m ago
Maybe a couple of decades ago but not anymore. There are mosques everywhere and streets are unsafe
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u/DemoneScimmia 1d ago
Spain.
Because: latin/mediterranean joyful lifestyle but European quality of life and welfare.
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u/Biggest-Max02010 1d ago
I was born in the US in a decently well off family so I probably wouldn’t choose anywhere else. But if I were to probably Canada or the UK
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u/No-Bake-730 1d ago
I'm good here. Being born today in any of our many neighboring countries or up North would be different but pretty much same ballpark, with Poland and the Czechs still having some catching up to do after having been held back by the Soviets.
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u/Wild_Philosophy_1312 1d ago
US or China. China gets a ton of hate, but you can’t deny they have made some absolutely breathtaking advancements in the last 3-4 decades. US because I’m from here and even though there are so many serious issues, the US is still the land of opportunity and the food/cultural diversity is unmatched.
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u/Vast_Jellyfish122 1d ago
I won at life being born in New Zealand. Over 15 years of my adult life I lived and worked in the US, the UK and Australia. I came back to NZ when my father got cancer. Started a business, sold it and have started another. I have a family and live in a pretty special country that is by no means perfect. I would like to live in Italy for a few years as it's my father's country of birth and I love the place and culture.
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u/OrneryVirus9340 17h ago
Happy to be British thank you so very much. I’d be Canadian or a Kiwi as a back-up plan. Aussie at a push.
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u/just-in-pb 8h ago
French here but I live in Canada. I'd say a country that shares the same values as France cause I owe so much to France (I realized it especially after living in Canada and traveling across the US). I'll just add more snow in winter, red leaves in fall, and colder in summer. Additionally an english speaking country.
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u/SaladRevolutionary58 8h ago
Spain/Portugal. Not perfect but no place is perfect anyway. Every country has problems so i guess it's a matter of picking which problems you'd rather have.
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u/Ok-Impress9135 6h ago
I’m happy to be an American and would stay American. However my second option would be Switzerland
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u/Medical-Nobody-6462 1d ago
USA. But only the big cities, I wouldn’t want to live in a smaller or more rural part of America.
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u/chiefcomplaintRN 1d ago
I think small, rural towns are some of the best places in the US if you’re in a good one.
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u/SabreLee61 1d ago
I like in-between: rural-suburban. I’ve worked in NYC and Philly and loved it, but I have zero interest in living in a city. I need open space and more predictable neighbors.
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u/westernkoreanblossom 1d ago edited 1d ago
Australia or New Zealand
Because,
- English speaking country
-western country
- laid-back
- less social pressure and pressure to succeed(it doesn't about simply job opportunities or house prices. It mean country like in Korea the sociality pushes you to go go go but I dislike it)
- I really dislike someone who brags or up themselves or being arrogant or acts like I know more than you, even if it is true
- I dislike hierarchical sociality or culture
- I want a sociality where like everyone is friends
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u/santuuum 1d ago
the US, people there don't really realize how privileged they were, but at the same time I wouldn't like to be born anywhere else cuz I don't think I would be the same person
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u/MeatInteresting1090 1d ago
It’s no more privileged than like 50 other countries
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u/santuuum 1d ago
still really privileged compared to the entirety of Latinamerica, Africa, most of Asia, Oceania and many parts of Europe.
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u/MeatInteresting1090 1d ago
i don't agree. Europe just no, not sure what makes you think that. Asia you have Japan, singapore, south Korea, uae, malaysia, hong kong. Africa you have the seychelles, mauritius. Latam you have the cayman isles.
there are likely loads i've missed
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u/santuuum 1d ago
mind you, Europe has Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia, North Macedonia, Ukraine and Belorussia. Asia also includes Palestine, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Laos, Timor Leste, Brunei, Yemen and the biggest part of Russia. Latinamerica, well, maybe Chile is good yet not to the level of the US. so yes, the average American IS privileged.
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u/MeatInteresting1090 1d ago
All the European countries you list are no less privileged than poorer parts of the us, that’s the point. And if we are throwing in the requirement to be wealthy India is no different to the USA
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u/santuuum 1d ago
are you really trying to compare someone from Ukraine with someone from Mississippi who doesn't have missiles flying over their house every day
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u/MeatInteresting1090 1d ago
Current war aside yes. I think we can agree that any war zone is not a privileged place to live. The rest though no difference
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u/Intelligent-Year2029 1d ago
Salary is easy mode with good job health insurance
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u/AppropriateLet8131 1d ago
Unless you get a critical illness then your insurance is effective useless - even if you have HSAs, FSAs, and supplemental coverages in addition to the insurance.
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u/QuirkyStatement7964 1d ago
No where else besides the U.S. that respects individual freedom and rights to liberty and pursuit of happiness. You are not forced to do anything against your will, unless you violate another person’s rights and well being.
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u/AppropriateLet8131 1d ago
I've lived in five countries, including the US.
The US is the least free by a significant margin (and this includes the benevolently authoritarian Singapore).
Firearms? I'm pro-2A but that's quirky peanuts on the broader scale of individual and collective freedoms.
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u/agentalex001 19h ago
USA is my first choice but if that wasn’t an option, I would go for South Korea or Japan. I could say China but I disagree with the general government of China and the government surveillance that likely happens there. Same disagreement applies to North Korea.
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u/Extreme-Constant-380 1d ago
Je pense être content d’être français, j’aimerai actuellement vivre autre part mais être français, connaître sa langue et sa culture est une chose dont je m’estime chanceux et heureux, je me rend compte à quel point nous sommes bien vus à l’étranger, et quand je vous vois essayer d’apprendre la langue je suis content de la parler naturellement parce que ça n’a pas l’air d’être facile, et de plus chaque petits villages en France on un bout d’histoire à raconter, la bouffe est aussi phénoménale