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Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Re: Dental Hygiene
I don't post regularly on this board, I love meeting other expats in my city and think it's great when people want to move here, but your question was quite broad and vague. Western Europe includes a fair number of countries and immigration policies vary from country to country. You need to be more specific to get more specific help.
I read the replies that you called pessimistic and they're not. They're realistic. It's not a walk in the park to move to another country (and maybe you think I'm being condescending here but a lot of people think it's going to be a big adventure and don't think about or can't even imagine the negatives and challenges of living in a foreign country.) It's life. It has it's ups and downs just as life in any country does except it maybe has more downs and frustrations because a lot of things are strange and unfamiliar.
To I live in Norway, I was familiar with country before moving here and I took the easy way (getting married to a Norwegian) and it wasn't easy. It took me 14 months to get my permit during which time I lived in limbo land and could not travel out of the country. Not having the option to go home just to visit was incredibly hard to deal with. You have to be prepared to go for months without seeing your family or friends (most will promise to come and visit and most probably won't so don't count on that) and for a sense of isolation until you make friends in your new country (which can be hard). And a permit does not guarantee a job let alone a job at a level you are accustomed to. To work as a dental hygienist here, you would need to get your degree converted, take special courses to work in the field here, pass the highest Norwegian language test (and you might have to score even higher than just passing - i can't remember), and on top of all that, most dentists here don't use hygienists. They do everything themselves.
If you're really serious about moving to Europe, don't disregard what everyone is saying just because you think it's pessimistic. Ask more specific questions and do your research!!
So, you're fluent in Norwegian, then?
sashajm
First, reading fail on your part. I was answering your question as to why someone commented it would be England she was looking it. Her comment was because of what I wrote above. I have no assumption as to where the OP wants to look, because she didn't provide that info.
Second, she didn't provide that info. Last time I checked Western Europe was comprised of quite a few countries, so perhaps a little clarification or narrowing it down may help the OP get some more helpful answers.
Third, I would presume that the posters on this board do actually know quite a but about how difficult it is to get a visa to live overseas. Since you haven't actually given us any information as to your background I have no idea if you are someone who once lived overseas, currently does, would like to, etc. I feel like you used to live in Ireland, but I could be wrong.
Fourth, again, would you like to share with us the countries you know of that don't require a visa or work permit to live or work in? You claimed there were some, and I am curious to know what they are.
I never once said she could or could not find dental hygeniest positions in Europe. I did, however, say it is not going to be as easy as packing a bag and showing up. And if you think it is then you clearly don't know much about it either.
Oh, so now I don't know how to read? Mmkay.
Since we're on the topic of reading fails, I never said that there are countries that don't require a visa or a work permit. I agreed with Avion that there are positions available for dental hygienists that do not require a visa or a work permit. Most of them are available on military bases in Germany and Italy. I don't think that anyone (not even reichleb1) thinks that 'it's as easy as packing a bag and showing up', but there are avenues that are definitely not as complicated as you all are making it out to be.
Actually your exact words were:
Yes, you'd need a job. A visa? Not necessarily.
I don't get it. What does this have to do with anything I wrote? Frankly, as someone who hasn't commented on what you wrote, I would say based on this comment that you're just trying to be irritating and get a rise from people.
Also, in response to what you said above to Frclb, you did say, "Yes, you'd need a job. A visa? Not necessarily."
I can see that you might have meant that she wouldn't need a visa to work as a dental hygienist in some positions (U.S. military) but one could also read it to mean that she wouldn't need a visa period.
Right. That's what I said. That to live and work as a dental hygienist in Europe, you do not necessarily need a visa. This was in response to the pp's who were asserting that it wouldn't be so simple to get a job b/c of course she'd have to have a visa. Not necessarily.
RE: language. There were several pp's that asserted that she'd have to know the language of the country where she chose to live. That's not necessarily true, either. I get the impression that several of you do not speak the languages of the country where you live, either. My question, I admit, was misdirected to you...but I think it's funny that several people were stressing how important that is when I have my doubts that all of you are fluent in the languages of the countries where you currently live.
2012 Reading Challenge
Now Nesting from Chicago, IL My nail blog:
What the frick happened in this thread since I was last here?
OP, I'm guessing you've been on the Knot? So you're familiar with the concept of bebe brides? Naive, undereducated (I wouldn't say ignorant) on the topic at hand, and overly sensitive in a lame you-don't-know-my-lyfe!!1!!-type of way?
Well, we have a similar concept on this board. And you are one of them.
Give. Me. a. Break.
Am I wrong? If so, how?
Try looking at Ireland.
I remember my dentist had a different hygienist every time I went to him and I asked him why once and he said was impossible to find a competent one or they don't stick around, etc. Anyway- maybe there is a need there.
OMG - IN did not just get a "I feel sorry for.......". Am I dreaming?
OP, not one single thing that's been said to you has been rude/mean/malicious. Not one single thing. We have all been honest and (whether you believe it or not) helpful. We have nothing to be ashamed of.
Grow a pair, woman. You need it.
Now that is the first rude thing you have heard here.
They should've visited this board prior to moving for all sorts of helpful advice.
I live and work overseas and have for the past 7 years and I think that the condescension directed to the OP was ridiculous and mean. And like I said earlier, just because you aren't aware of several avenues for living and working overseas doesn't mean that they don't exist. Jumping all over someone else because they ask if a Nestie has information is unproductive and rude.
You are just not mature enough and this is why you have no clue what you'e doing and SHOULD listen to the people here who were not mean but who were telling you the truth and not sugar coating things. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED what you consider is mean and pessimistic. WE KNOW FIRST-HAND the struggles and frustration but one thing we have and you don't, is that most of us MARRIED A FOREIGN NATIONAL so we had it easy so to speak.
What countries are you considering? THIS would help us a ton. Western Europe is vague.
Way to miss the point entirely. The language point was specifically related to her job. Presumably if you are helping clean someone's teeth in their country, you will be speaking to natives of that country. Many of which may not speak your language and only speak their own. Therefore, it would be a requirement for her specific job. That has nothing to do with what the rest of us do or don't speak, and I didn't see everyone start asserting that they live in x country because they are so fluent in its language.
I lived in Dubai last year and Turkmenistan for part of this year. Shockingly, I did not become fluent in Arabic in a year, or Russian in these past 5 months. Of course, to do international law where the language has been chosen to be English, it's not necessary. Different job = different language requirements.
I interpreted the posts regarding language as the OP needing to be able to speak the language if she was going to work as a dental hygienist. This is very true in Norway. She certainly doesn't need to speak the language to simply survive in a foreign country. Not speaking the language can make it very hard to get a job though and to make friends with the locals. Not to mention when it comes to dealing with health care! And I say this while living in a country where most people can speak at least some English.
I need to duck out for dinner now since I'm, like, in Europe and stuff, and it's that time.
I'll be back.
Signed,
Meany McB!tch
What country? I could tell that I've lived 10 years in Japan even though it's complete BS. If you live and work overseas, care to share your experience? Maybe you could help the OP.
Over-dramatize things much?
Actually, our coworkers are sad we are leaving. We have invited them to BBQs at our house and shared brownie recipes and gone to the gym with them and shared workout books with them and their friends.
They would love to come to the US - our vet actually said our dog was lucky because we plan on taking her home. So the women on this board are not in fact turning the world off of Americans and America.
Dup.
I'm sorry you feel this way. I'm sorry you have now decided my posts have been hateful and mean. I certainly didn't intend for them to be. I've been around this board for two years now and can say that I don't think any of the people on this board are hateful and mean. What they are, however, is realistic. They live day in and day out the frustration is it to live abroad and there is nothing more annoying than meeting someone who thinks moving to and living in a foreign country is a piece of cake. And I do think that your original post kind of came across like that. If you'd said it was your lifelong dream to move abroad and you'd been researching these specific countries, you'd probably have gotten different responses. In general, I think it is really hard to tell people what it is like to live abroad if they haven't actually experienced it.
Thanks for correcting me:-) Hopefully this info will be useful to the OP.
Oh gosh, guys, this thread is like being at school.
"Johnny, why are you being mean to Jimmy?"
"Because he was mean to me first!"
We're grown ladies, come on.
Anyhow, my advice is to forget about Spain. Why? It's expensive and frustrating to try and legalize your degree and get a professional license. Additionally, I'm not even sure that the position of dental hygienist exists since every time I've been here it's been the dentist who does everything except bill. If you're willing to teach English for a limit of two years for pretty low pay, there's a way to come over. However, if you're looking for work in your field I think things would be significantly more difficult.