Affentitten Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 It appears that an international move might be on the cards for the Affentitten family. Thanks to Mrs A's stellar career trajectory versus the brick wall of two time-serving chair warmers next above her, a diagonal move within the same company is the thing to do. Current possible locations are: 1) Palo Alto, CA 2) Branford CT 3) Basel, Switzerland 4) Welwyn, UK Any votes? Pros and cons of these locations? (Language is not a factor for the Swiss location, since we both speak French and German and could potentially jump a motorcycle over a barbed wire border fence.) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wicky Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Welwyn - As in Welwyn Garden City? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Other Means Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Basel is lovely, from the short time I was there. Very picturesque. Welwyn is very nice apparently. You got kids etc? How much will you both be bringing in? The US always looks like a great place to have a lot of money. Will work be finding you a house etc? Nice choice to have to make. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hcrof Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I can definately recommend Switzerland. It is lovely summer or winter and a great place for kids. You are also slap bang in the middle of Europe so holidays are easy. The only downside are the eye watering prices but if you can afford it I would definately say give it a go! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Affentitten Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 Welwyn - As in Welwyn Garden City? Yes. Who came up with that name anyway? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pak_43 Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I know nothing about the other places, but Welwyn Garden City is not the most inpiring place to live. It's a "New Town" which means it's been planned from the outset, which is either a good or a bad thing depending on your point of view, but my visits there didn't make me think "If I move house it will be to here..." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welwyn_Garden_City Apparently it was Sir Ebenezer Howard who came up with the name... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Other Means Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Yes. Who came up with that name anyway? The Garden City Movement was a bit of a sociological movement before WWI. I actually live in Wavertree Garden Suburb in Liverpool, just off Wavertree Nook Road. It's nice. As usual the idea fell by the wayside in pursuit of naked profit. As to Welwyn - I have no idea. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASL Veteran Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Palo Alto is a nice town. It's mostly suburbian and it's very close to San Francisco if I remember correctly. It's been a while since I've been down in the bay area and I live on the east coast now. As normal for California heavy traffic is probably a good possibility for somewhere like that. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_the_wino Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Palo Alto Pros: -Close to San Francisco (food, art, erc.) -Close to wine country (Napa, Sonoma, etc.) -Bay Area weather with out a lot of that pesky fog. -Affluent area Cons: -Pricey real estate (do a quick search to see what I mean) -Horrible traffic -You are less than 3 hours from me and that's too damn close for my liking. Palo Alto is out. Good luck searching the other 3 locations. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Palo Alto is a nice town. It's mostly suburbian and it's very close to San Francisco if I remember correctly. It's been a while since I've been down in the bay area and I live on the east coast now. As normal for California heavy traffic is probably a good possibility for somewhere like that. I lived in a corridor of Palo Alto that extended up into the mountains during the '70s and that was a lovely experience. It's a nice environment once you get above the smog zone. We were at 2,000 feet and once in a while it even got up to us. The last time I was back there was in 1986 and the traffic had become murderous. If you can hack that, PA is a good place to live. Stanford University is there so there is a lot of culture that caters to all classes. There are a huge number of good places to eat all up and down the El Camino Real from San Francisco to San Jose and beyond. Lots of movie theaters, book stores, virtually anything you could want and the aforesaid mountains offer plenty of opportunities for hiking and day camping. Drive a little farther and you are at the ocean, which is also lovely. I've never been to the other places, so I can't make comparisons. I guess what it all comes down to is what you are looking for in life. BTW, I can't help but be curious as to what kind of corporation would have offices in each of those locations. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dieseltaylor Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Mrs A I deduce works for a very famous Australian sportsman of the last century. The US would be bad for the children, Basle probably best [though many prefer Basel]. As for WGC - well you could sure live near it in some nice village: http://www.clickonhertfordshire.co.uk/towns.htm Of course being as how things are compressed in the UK every thing of military interest will be within a half days drive : ) Private school preparing for the baccalaureate..... If it is anything like my wife's choices its the long term aim within the company that has some weight. Bringing up children in the US I think you would pay plenty in stress regardless of anything else - French parents expecting decent level of humanity from the brats : ) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YankeeDog Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Don't know much about the others so I can't offer any comparative analysis, but Branford, CT is just outside of New Haven, close to mouth of the Connecticut river. This is one of the few truly rural coastal areas left between Boston and Washington, DC. I don't know the town of Branford specifically, but I know the area quite well; I went to college nearby. It's quite beautiful and very livable. Close to New Haven means you're just a short drive from the cultural stuff provided by Yale University. New York City and Boston aren't too far either for when you need a dose of Big City. If I didn't need to live in a big city for work reasons, this area would definitely be on my short list of places to live. Cheers, Nick 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunnergoz Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I would go for Basel, based mostly upon visiting some of the other places on your list. I suspect that the quality of life there would be the best of the lot. Pricey, but what isn't these days? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
costard Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Go the Swiss route Aff. Relatively cheap real estate, mannered people, good schooling for kids, skiing. Don't even think about going out to eat though - astronomical prices combined with truly appalling food. Branford sounds like it might be worth a visit. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Affentitten Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 Edit for confidentiality! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Los Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Just to echo... My mom and both sisters live in Branford,CT so I spend a lot of time there and know it well. It's a nice town...on the water, with plenty of rural woodsy parts too. It's also right near New Haven, which is an outstanding little city, the home of many colleges and Universities, including Yale, and a place with many outstanding culinary options, most importantly real top notch pizza. It's a little over an hour from both Boston and New York. Connecticut is a great state. If you need more info or a place to hold up for a night let me know. Los 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugged Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Because your family is young, I would think you're more concerned with standard of living info - the quality of education, health care, and the like. Asking for input from this gang is fine if you're taking a vacation, but why ask for advice on where in the world you should move to, considering it's such a major undertaking? Make like Shania Twain and move to Switzerland. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Affentitten Posted September 24, 2009 Author Share Posted September 24, 2009 I’m not exactly making the final decision based upon what people here say. I have no personal experience of any of these places, though I have lived in the UK and Germany, so it’s not too difficult to make a call on what life would be like in Welwyn GC and Basel. I was just looking for some insights and liveability factors. Things like traffic in Palo Alto, which I had not considered. And lo and behold on here I find someone who is actually familiar with Branford, which is a pretty obscure place. Children’s schooling is a major factor for us. They are bi-lingual French and English. Palo Alto just happens to have a French-English school, and if Basel was the winner, we would more likely live in Mulhouse, France and Mrs A would commute to work over the border. The thing that puts me off Welwyn is the blandness factor. It looks like one of those really dull English towns with postage stamp front gardens, crazy pave driveways and chavs drinking lager on the park benches. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinetree Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Welwyn's just another boring commuter town.I had a game of rugby there once against the local club, clubrooms were nice but it is a pretty bland place. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dieseltaylor Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Not WGC but to live in a place called Cow Roast ..! http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-21539485.html 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugged Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Not WGC but to live in a place called Cow Roast ..! Cow Roast is good but Pig Roast is better. Personally, I prefer Lobsterfest. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Affentitten Posted September 24, 2009 Author Share Posted September 24, 2009 Not WGC but to live in a place called Cow Roast ..! http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-21539485.html Ha, looks cool. I'd never see daughter Affentitten. Once she found out it was a Roman settlement she'd be excavating the whole place looking for treasure. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wicky Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Ha, looks cool. I'd never see daughter Affentitten. Once she found out it was a Roman settlement she'd be excavating the whole place looking for treasure. Bring a shovel, there's gold in them fields.... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/staffordshire/8272058.stm 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mididoctors Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 Yes. Who came up with that name anyway? characterless proto fascist/ukip backwater satellite socially engineered commuter town outside London for f**Ktards who think they live in the country or somewhere nice. apart from that it's great 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mididoctors Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 Switzerland is weird but good to visit they have the scenery and the roads are so clean you can eat off them... for a insight on what inflation will have in 200 years time live in switzerland (bloody expensive) In Basel even the junkies are tidy 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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