For Americans, how many of you have lived abroad for more than a year?

Sorry, I'm not American but I work for an American organization in Thailand with American colleagues. Of all the Americans I've spoken to here there's not one who wants to return to the U.S. to live. The living here is so more relaxing than in western countries. If you remember, there was a coup here last September, well people living here hardly noticed. Incidently, I'm from Australia and feel the same way as the Americans.

I lived in Scotland for a total of a year and five months. 11 months there, 6 months back at home, and another 6 months there. I loved living there. It helped me mature as it was my first time living away from home, making completely new friends, learning how to cook and clean for myself and so on. It also helped open up my eyes to a european view of global issues, especially in the wake of 9/11. I moved there 2 weeks post 9/11.

Oh if only... I got to stay in England for a few months in college, and I loved it there. The food took a little getting used to, but I could certainly have lived with it. I have an overwhelming desire to try my luck in Italy... Maybe one day.

well i m nt american, bt knw lil bit abt them who lived abroad for more than a year.... sume people enjoy their lives fully everywhere, n sum never be satisfy whether they r in abroad or where..

As a young wife, I lived in Berlin, Germany for three years, 1968 to 1971. The wall was still up and it was very much like living in a city-sized prison. The mood around the city was "party hearty" because that's about all you can do. I lived in a one room apartment on a tiny street in the heart of the city, not far from the Kaiser Wilhelm church. Every day I had to take my little shnitzel bag and go to the butcher, the baker, the little grocer and get food for the day. My fridge was about one foot by one foot so I couldn't stock up. I had to shop every day. At the little grocery store, an elderly German lady was at the checkout every day. She's ring up my purchases, and I'd ask her how to say the word in German, then I'd repeat it. Erdbeer. Then she's try it in English. Strawberries. And that's about all the German I remember after all these years. I loved the whole experience. I had never been away from the US before. It opened my eyes to the fact that we're quite ethnocentric in this country. The diversity that this world offers, in traditions, cultures, foods, etc., is fascinating and wonderful. Too bad so few get to experience anything other than their own.