Comment by belugacat | Hacker News Reader

Comment by belugacat | Hacker News Reader

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Also French, did the same thing (albeit in the Alps rather than the south :) after being very burned out living in a tiny San Francisco apartment during Covid, post LTR breakup.

Huge boost for my mental health - I can go for beautiful walks anytime I want, the local village has a huge sense of community, I've been spending more time with my family (which I'd neglected while building my career abroad over the last 15 years), the food is so tasty and all local, I'm very close (~30 min drive) to mid sized cities, and my cost of living necessities is not even 1k euro a month...

The one downside is that dating is pretty close to impossible. Pretty much anyone over the age of 25 has kids, and it's not in tiny mountain villages that you'll find people who are into the same kind of nerdy multicultural things that you are. (the postwoman is pretty cute but huh that seems like a bad idea). I've been back in the bay area for work since, but turns out "I spend most of my time on a farm in rural Europe" is a turnoff for city people, YMMV.

So definitely do it after you're partnered, if that matters to you.

Thanks for sharing this. Ive been living in a tiny 350 sqft apartment in palo alto for the entire pandemic alone after a long term relationship (15 years). I think i need this kind of change. $1k euro sounds nice. With my car lease and food prices I am burning 3.5k per month on top of rent. I just work for myself on a computer. I don’t have an EU passport but surely I could find somewhere similar in north america

palo alto is an extreme environment.. surely the readers have to know that

I have to agree with this statement. Born and raised in the bay area and unless you are contractually required, there are far better places to live than the valley. Find a place that you enjoy and travel in for meetings. You'll save a ton of money and bypass the majority of forgettable distractions that lure you in. Austin blew up during the pandemic, but I hear good things about Columbus and Louisville. Now is the best time to find your work/life balance in the back of beyond.

I’ve been here in Columbus since 2008 and it is nice place to raise a family. It’s a nice cost of living and us plenty to do. I’m on 5 acres just 20 minutes outside of the city. It’s a wonderful environment where I WFH from an RV that I purchased in 2014 that was sitting idle outside of my house pretty much all year. I got into adult ice hockey in 2015 which supplements some competitive activity as well as cardio. I am afraid that with the new chip plant that Intel is dropping here that cost of living will be driven up. I’m sure there will be many more things to do as this place fills out even more. There are plenty of corn fields that are being developed into housing, retail shopping and commercial distribution centers.

TBH if you cannot or don’t want to live on the east or west coast in the US, should you stay in the US? as a european i have asked myself this question many times. anywhere else in the US and you do not have the locality/availability of services as it exists in europe.

I am originally Canadian so have thought more about going back there. I’ll have to think about it some more.

> the postwoman is pretty cute but huh that seems like a bad idea

I think you mean seems like a very cute romantic comedy!

> the postwoman is pretty cute but huh that seems like a bad idea

That's a Curb Your Enthusiasm plot. Beware if you want to reset the relationship!

I can totally relate to your lifestyle!

Totally agree, partner before.

Tarn is pretty young and dynamic though, lots of associations (permaculture, ecology, etc..).

Yes, that's one thing that surprised me, as someone who mostly grew up in a large french city and then left the country altogether during my university years - I had this image of the more rural areas as being completely dead - but like you say, tons of young local associations doing awesome things and cultural life going on.

I'm surprised that most of my neighbors in my 1800 people village are relatively young (30s/40s) with kids, again I had this image that it would only be old farmers.

I moved out to “pays de mont blanc” after similar reasons (covid and burnout) tho I had more walking and cycling in mind than farming.

Great local produce and strong farming culture. My neighbours have been here for generations.

> did the same thing

Are you doing both SWE job and farming, as the OP? If so, how do find time for walks etc.? I imagine farming itself is very time-intesive activity.

Same as with everything in life, we never have enough time, so you get help from others, and you make sure to make time for what you want to do.

I guess I won't starve if my beans don't make it, which is a nice privilege for sure.

Also not having kids helps a lot with remaining master of your time and energy :)

Possible to chat more? Am writing regularly about returning to humanity (example: https://backtohumanity.substack.com/p/the-need-for-new-commu...). Could you send me an email: daosalon /a--t/ protonmail?

How did immigration work for you?

Any blog about your buy experience?

Any Tipps?

where in the alps?

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