When I was young I often felt that I could find a better place to live in. Today, I pretty much feel that I live in the best place in the world. This position genuinely surprises some of my best friends, but for me, it is very logical. I do not really think that home is the best place in the world, but as a person, I want to call the best place in the world my home. What are the actual criteria?
The best countries on earth
I traveled to several countries, and I read about more places than I actually visited. Several countries are definitely better than all others. Let me give some examples.
Italy. Possibly for most of my readers, the best city on earth will be somewhere in Italy. The mild climate, sunny beaches, and snowy mountains, great food, and exquisite design, arts, and history… Italy is definitely an attractive tourist destination. It is less perfect as a permanent residence. The demographics are alarming, earthquakes destructive, apartments small, and economic growth slow…
California. One of the richest places on earth. Disasters happen once in a while but are easily forgotten. History has very little meaning as the focus is on here and now. California is a modern trendsetter in everything: high technologies, entertainment, consumption. The state is big enough to have all the natural wonders one can think of: beaches, mountains, sequoias, deserts, gold mines, and so on. The negative part is the extreme individualism and self-indulgence of the population. There is also a chance of very devastating something: earthquake, fire, mudslide – you name it.
Israel. A very small densely inhabited country. Possibly the richest history one can think of. Maybe the spiritual center of the earth. A critical junction for all monotheistic religions. Beautiful beaches of all kinds, including lakes, coral reefs, and exclusive wonders like the dead sea. One small skiing resort, active a couple of days every year, yet it exists. Possibly the best most diverse food, music, and art fusion. Lots of inventions combined with old traditions. History and diversity have its price. Small wars are and terror acts are common, yet they are moderate and very localized.
I could possibly add to the list France, Australia, Japan, Swiss, New Zealand, and more. Australia is a continent, while California is a state, but they are comparable in size. Israel is a country, tiny in comparison.
Personal safety
Possibly the most important part of feeling great in any place is personal safety. Yes, there is a high chance of disaster in most of the great countries. But you do not feel it. Disasters are rare.
If you want a safe place, go to Switzerland. Beautiful mountains and lakes, great water, neutral in all wars, no natural disasters. I find swiss food tasty, but unimaginative. Safety comes with a cost. You will not see the highest technologies as that assumes risktaking. You are less likely to get sunny beaches – maybe in south France. People and history are likely to be a bit boring.
Some of the most beautiful and fertile lands are formed by geological activity. Pacific rim from Kamchatka in the north to New Zealand in the south are beautiful places shaped by frequent earthquakes. Japan was built of wood and paper for centuries, as these materials are relatively safe for seismic activities. The ocean is rich with wonderful (and tasty) lifeforms, and the volcanic soil is fertile.
While subject to volcanic activity and possibly monsoons, some of these places FEEL safe. People are friendly and well-mannered. The weather is usually good. The food is typically great. Compare this to the dangerous neighborhoods of Mexico or the Gaza strip. You will hear shooting, see scars and weapons, possibly get access to drugs and alcohol, be constantly warned about robbers, or worse.
Quality of life
Great infrastructure is probably a must for most of us. This means good roads, running water and electricity, cellular coverage, and the internet. Most developed countries easily offer these services.
Quality of life often means absolute and relative income. For digital nomads, quality of life can work differently. In California or in Israel, you will be in the center of high-tech activity with access to the best tech resources and money. If you consider a country like Serbia, you will not see high-tech hubs yet the infrastructure will be good and life itself will be cheap. So you may earn more in Israel, but will be able to buy more in Serbia.
Israel, Italy, or California have excellent medical facilities. If you happen to be sick, you will probably get access to the best doctors and medical procedures. This contributes to the overall feeling of personal safety. You will not get this feeling in Seishel islands or in Ukraine…
The food in Japan is possibly the best in the world: it is testified by the density of restaurants with Michelin stars. I think currently Israel is second, and the best Israeli chefs open the most successful restaurants in other culinary capitals. Italian and French cuisine is considered very good. California and New York import the best chefs and culinary styles. There are countries and states with food that I find disgusting – I do not want to mention those places here, yet I think you can easily imagine such places.
Entertainment is also important. If you live in New Zealand you have access to the most beautiful nature in the world and all kinds of extreme sports. That is wonderful as long as the weather is good and you love extreme sports. Otherwise, it can become very boring. Some extreme sports were developed out of extreme boredom and alcohol.
Cultural diversity
Typically cultural diversity makes places better. Different people try to bring with them the best they can offer. Israel has an extreme level of diversity which might become unhealthy. But consider a place like California or New-York or Singapore. The big cities were built by the fusion of multiple waves of immigrants and currently house multiple kinds of new immigrants with new ideas, new ways of doing things, and diverse cultural influences.
Most great places will be diverse, as they will be magnets for immigrants looking for ways to improve their quality of life. The diversity may be smaller in rural areas like Wales or in countries that do not welcome immigrants like Japan. Then you will see a lot of traditions and old ways, which can also be charming. Yet you will be just a guest there, a welcome and happy guest maybe, but never fully at home unless you were born there.
Lack of diversity can get dangerous if you commit some crime against things sacred for the locals but not for you – like drinking alcohol or trying to seduce a young lady in an Arab country. Learn the local customs and respect them…
People who live in countries they were not born in usually tend to communicate with other immigrants, often from the same country. Most of my friends and relatives were born in Ukraine and now live in Israel. Anna’s parents were born in Ukraine (Anna was born in Moscow), we married in Australia, but live happily in Israel. It is not really important for me but somehow happens.
Diversity can be bad due to clashes between cultures that refuse to mix. Some clashes are cultural and political, arguing whose food or music is better. Other clashes are violent, especially when religions are involved.
History and nature
Countries with great history have a lot to offer. You can enjoy beautiful castles, art galleries, museums, and stories. The older the history the better. Israel, Malta, Italy, Japan have layers of history from prehistoric times, through medieval periods to the modern era which are fun to explore.
Other countries are relatively recent. You may find a small Maori museum in New Zealand, but that’s about all the history you will see. Everything else feels kind of timeless. You can simply explore different things, like unique natural phenomena. New Zealand is full of unique rainforests, penguin nesting places, stone formations, glowworm caves, and other crazy things.
A great place will always have something new to offer and you will never get tired of exploring it. However, not all places are equally fun to explore. You may decide that enjoying the waves on a sunny beach or gliding through snow from the mountain peaks is a better way to enjoy the unique features of the country.
Weather
Possibly the most important local phenomenon is the weather. Sibir has possibly the worst weather with scorching summers and icy winters, so you will not find great places there. Some weather is pretty much unbearable for most of us, like the sunny heat of Thailand or dark cold Iceland. Both Thailand and Iceland can be great places to live in, they are just not for everyone.
Some places have excellent weather all the time. For example San Francisco. There are very few such places.
Moderate weather, like the weather of France or Italy, is probably the best we can hope for. There is a cold snowy winter, but it is short and not unbearable. The summer is hot, but not very hot and not very wet. And overall there are a lot of good days.
In Israel or Australia, there are a lot of sunny days which is great. However, the summer can get very hot and locals prefer to stay indoors with air conditioning. The winters are fine.
Ireland can get a bit too rainy. The country is green which is great, but most of the days will be raining. So if you do not like rain, this is not a place for you.
Bottom line
You probably see that Israel is the best place to visit and live in, but not by a large margin. Israelies score high on science and technology, longevity, various happiness indices, cultural diversity, historical and national wonders. Yet about 10% of Israeli citizens choose to live permanently in other countries. There are many Israelis in California, New York, Mayami, France, Italy, Germany, London, and other places. Different people have different priorities and this is great.
