Thread: Bleak article about Russia -- er I mean, the Baltic States

OK, so it seems like we've posted a lot of bleak stuff about РОССИЯ lately, so I thought I'd throw our favorite nationality a bone here and make all the Zhironovsky-fans here happy. Seriously though, it's a really interesting article -- especially when you compare it with the demographic situation in Russia as well...on one hand you have a population threatened b/c people want to leave; on the other you have a population troubled b/c people die too early...
http://www.galluppoll.com/content/?ci=25096

I know a woman from Riga, she is so proud that their youth are leaving for England to work there. Khe, what a funny country.

I'm friends with a Latvian couple who came to Blighty to earn some fast cash so that they could buy a flat back home.

They are having to wait twice as long as they expected though, because there are so few builders left in Latvia that appartments are going up much more slowly and costing much more than was the case when they left 2 years-ish ago.

Исход молодых, умных людей - это мировая проблема для менее развитых стран.... но много из них вернется. Может быть, тех, кто уходят заменят иммигранты?

Originally Posted by basurero

Утечка молодых, умных специалистов - это мировая проблема всех менее развитых стран.... но многие из них вернутся. Может быть, тех, кто уезжает, заменят иммигранты?

But what's striking -- is best on how I read the questions at least -- is that the people plan on living abroad for an extended duration. Maybe that's the weak point of such a survey, since it doesn't specify the length of time abroad. When I read "live abroad" that's saying in my opinion more than just working as a Polish Plumber in the UK for a year or whatever.

Scotcher's tale of Latvian housing woe is really interesting -- one of those unintended and unexpected outcomes of the open borders of the EU, I suppose. But it makes perfect sense -- why build homes in Kansas for peanuts when you can build them for big money in Arizona? Same idea...

Спасибо Оля.

But what's striking -- is best on how I read the questions at least -- is that the people plan on living abroad for an extended duration. Maybe that's the weak point of such a survey, since it doesn't specify the length of time abroad. When I read "live abroad" that's saying in my opinion more than just working as a Polish Plumber in the UK for a year or whatever.

Scotcher's tale of Latvian housing woe is really interesting -- one of those unintended and unexpected outcomes of the open borders of the EU, I suppose. But it makes perfect sense -- why build homes in Kansas for peanuts when you can build them for big money in Arizona? Same idea...

Ну, если бы кто-нибудь подошел ко мне на улице и спросил у меня, хочу ли я жить в другой стране, то я скорее всего, ответил бы, что да. Все мои друзья тоже так ответили бы, даже те, кому сильно нравится эта страна. Кто из нас не мечтает о таких вещах?

Но это не значит, что я на самом деле перееду куда-нибудь. Я бы сказал, что только маленький процент этих людей в действительности покинут страну в будущем. Многие из них поженятся, начнут работать, родят детей и так далее, и им никогда не получится уехать.

Originally Posted by basurero

Многие из них _женятся, начнут работать, родят детей и так далее, и у них никогда не получится уехать.