Want to unfreeze?
Americans looking for a sudden change of scenery can instantly move to an idyllic, low-tax European destination without having to shell out investment money or stand in line for a residency permit — as long as they’re cool with winter. tall and dark.
Svalbard, a cold and beautiful archipelago governed by Norway but existing outside the EU-regulated Schengen Area, allows anyone with the fortitude to live 400 miles from the North Pole to simply book a flight and stay forever – with some basic, frugal rules.
To live in Europe’s only visa-free zone, where the largest town, Longyearbyen, has just over 2,000 people, self-sufficiency is essential, due to the few job opportunities.
Housing is also expensive, even for Norway, one of the most expensive countries on earth – if you can find a space, that is.
The region experiences what’s known as “polar night” for a whopping 84 days a year — sun seekers, look elsewhere — and residents are required to carry guns when leaving town in case they encounter aggressive polar bears.
Besides, life in Svalbard is pretty great, local resident Cecelia Blomdahl recently told the Daily Mail.
The Swedish author, who made her life in relatively quiet Gothenburg and moved to the frozen, remote territory in 2015, cited the “stunning nature” and a local population that likes to celebrate the seasons and holidays together as reasons she she is in no hurry to go. back to the Nordic continent.
She even loves the darker months, she revealed.
“Every season has its own unique magic, but if I had to pick a favorite, it would be the polar night. It’s a special time of year when we drink coffee under the moonlight, spend our days under star-studded skies and, if we’re lucky, we’re treated to the awe-inspiring display of the Northern Lights,” she explained.
When the sun comes back, there’s a big party in the village, Blomdahl said.
“Everyone gathers by the old hospital steps, the first spot the sun’s rays touch as they come around the mountain for the first time in four months. Together, we sing and cheer to celebrate the return of sunlight to our village after the long darkness of winter,” she confesses.
The wines, noted the enthusiastic locals, are magical. Then, she said, the nearby fjords are the place to be.
“You can spot all kinds of whales as well as terns resting on the beaches.”
Remote workers are well taken care of here, she noted, citing some of the best Internet speeds in the world — thanks to undersea fiber-optic cables that run more than 500 miles from the Norwegian mainland to serve KSAT , “the world’s largest satellite ground station”. ” which counts NASA among its clients.
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Image Source : nypost.com