Right now I'm in a situation which some travel-loving single men would give their right arm for -- I've been offered 2-year job contracts in Madrid, Dubai and Bucharest, Romania. The contracts are all pretty similar and have good perks such as free accomodation. What I have to decide on is which of the three places I'd be happiest staying in for a couple of years - outside of work I'd obviously be looking to have a good social life, bang as many chicks as possible and do some travel/exploration in my spare time.
I've been to all three places before (although admittedly I was only 15 when I went to Dubai) and my current thoughts on them are as follows:
Madrid
The city: Not as touristy as the likes of Barcelona, but a large modern cosmopolitan city with plenty to see and do.
The culture: The laid back Mediterranean culture suits my personality pretty well. Spain, like most of western Europe, is generally liberal and quite progressive.
People/socialising: Despite a snobby reputation I found people in Madrid pretty friendly. Excellent nightlife ranging from big house clubs to cosy bars with good live music. Something to suit all tastes, age ranges etc.
Girls: Spanish girls are awesome but can play a lot of games and can be difficult to pull. It's hard to tell what my notch count would be like here, even with my decent Spanish. Quite a lot of Latin American immigrants too.
Nearby travel opportunities: Rest of Spain, Portugal, France, north Africa.
Dubai
The city: Futuristic skyscrapers surrounded by desert. I think it all seems a bit fake but I suppose if you look a bit deeper you could find a more authentic experience.
The culture: The most liberal place in the Arabian peninsula, but that's not saying much. Cultural/religious pressures mean Arabs and expats don't mix much socially. There would be a lot of cool things to do there but it's not the most authentic place on the planet.
People/socialising: Apparantly there's a good close-knit expat social scene, especially if you're involved in sports like soccer or rugby. Locals generally dont socialise with expats.
Girls: No chance of banging local Emirati girls. Many clubs are apparantly full of hookers and the minimum entrance age is 25. There might be a lot of decent western girls over there though.
Nearby travel opportunities: Emirates, Oman, Saudi, Lebanon, Syria, Israel, Jordan etc.
Bucharest
The city: Tourist guides slate it but I enjoyed it. It's ugly as sin but has a rough character and edginess that few other European capitals have.
The culture: The mix of Slavic and Latin cultures is interesting and you see shit in Romania (e.g. horse-drawn carriages in the city centre) that you hardly get elsewhere in Europe.
People/socialising: I found Romanians warmer than some other Slavic people. Didn't experience that much nightlife in Bucharest but apparantly it's good if you know where to go.
Girls: Lots of hot girls here and I'm sure there's potential for a foreigner to do well, especially since Bucharest isn't that touristy.
Nearby travel opportunities: Located in the centre of eastern Europe; easy to get to plenty other countries nearby.
I'm not 100% where I want to go yet and would appreciate advice from people on here, particularly if you've lived in any of the places mentioned.
I've been to all three places before (although admittedly I was only 15 when I went to Dubai) and my current thoughts on them are as follows:
Madrid
The city: Not as touristy as the likes of Barcelona, but a large modern cosmopolitan city with plenty to see and do.
The culture: The laid back Mediterranean culture suits my personality pretty well. Spain, like most of western Europe, is generally liberal and quite progressive.
People/socialising: Despite a snobby reputation I found people in Madrid pretty friendly. Excellent nightlife ranging from big house clubs to cosy bars with good live music. Something to suit all tastes, age ranges etc.
Girls: Spanish girls are awesome but can play a lot of games and can be difficult to pull. It's hard to tell what my notch count would be like here, even with my decent Spanish. Quite a lot of Latin American immigrants too.
Nearby travel opportunities: Rest of Spain, Portugal, France, north Africa.
Dubai
The city: Futuristic skyscrapers surrounded by desert. I think it all seems a bit fake but I suppose if you look a bit deeper you could find a more authentic experience.
The culture: The most liberal place in the Arabian peninsula, but that's not saying much. Cultural/religious pressures mean Arabs and expats don't mix much socially. There would be a lot of cool things to do there but it's not the most authentic place on the planet.
People/socialising: Apparantly there's a good close-knit expat social scene, especially if you're involved in sports like soccer or rugby. Locals generally dont socialise with expats.
Girls: No chance of banging local Emirati girls. Many clubs are apparantly full of hookers and the minimum entrance age is 25. There might be a lot of decent western girls over there though.
Nearby travel opportunities: Emirates, Oman, Saudi, Lebanon, Syria, Israel, Jordan etc.
Bucharest
The city: Tourist guides slate it but I enjoyed it. It's ugly as sin but has a rough character and edginess that few other European capitals have.
The culture: The mix of Slavic and Latin cultures is interesting and you see shit in Romania (e.g. horse-drawn carriages in the city centre) that you hardly get elsewhere in Europe.
People/socialising: I found Romanians warmer than some other Slavic people. Didn't experience that much nightlife in Bucharest but apparantly it's good if you know where to go.
Girls: Lots of hot girls here and I'm sure there's potential for a foreigner to do well, especially since Bucharest isn't that touristy.
Nearby travel opportunities: Located in the centre of eastern Europe; easy to get to plenty other countries nearby.
I'm not 100% where I want to go yet and would appreciate advice from people on here, particularly if you've lived in any of the places mentioned.