I was tempted by a linuxppc cd in the computer store and thought I would check it out for my old iMac. I remember being horrified by getting 8 colors when first booting up. I don't know how many hours it took for my to figure things out (using lynx in console mode), but eventually I moved on up to compiling gentoo and now settling for xubuntu.

wmii and vim look exactly the same as they did in 8.10.

I have an aunt who has never even left the state she grew up in. I NEVER wanted to be like that. So I have done work trips all over the world, but still lived in the US. I just needed something different. So... I got a volunteer job (room, board, stipend, food, insurance covered) to work in France doing technical support and am leaving this monday. Most of the comments here seem to state that things are not really that different in other places. In my opinion, it all comes down to enjoying ones experience. I am going to be living in a chateau in France, yes, it will have funky plumbing and probably things wont work like they do in the US, but hey, I'm living in a chateau! Yes I am going to struggle with the language and get snubbed for being an american, but I am living in a different culture! ANYONE (americans that is) can have a cool little tech job living in some cool city, so I wanted to do something that not everyone does (at least any of MY friends). Even if you are broke and struggling to get by, it all comes down to experience. Just ask any new yorker!