If it was me, I would move to France, no doubt. Be aware that you need to pass a language test to obtain permanent residency if you’re under 65. OTOH, if your lady wants to stay in Vermont, that is a very serious argument to consider. You’d both need to be on the same page to jump into an adventure of this magnitude.

I think that i started to feel this in the years of Reagan’s presidency (I lived and worked in Europe in those days). Still a little hidden then, it seems to be blatantly obvious now, they no longer try to hide it.

For important data, I have around 100 GB in an AWS bucket, all encrypted backups (moved away from Dropbox a few years back). It costs me about €5 or 6 per month. Thinking about moving them to a European provider, though not sure where to as yet. Less important data stay local on external disks.

I use a SIP phone service now (zadarma.com). They have an app for Android, and it also works with the SIP clients on my Linux desktop. Can’t give a longtime review of them yet, as i am a Skype “victim” too, but so far so good.

I think there is another messenger called Viber that can call landlines, but it looked a little sketchy to me.

Melania is Eastern European, so likely catholic I guess. And less than 80 years old, so would qualify, if they bend the rules just a little?

Practice, practice, practice.

He could pull a Clinton and build Melania as his successor. It wouldn’t change his politics, but would at least be a prettier sight.

Yes, for marketplace and some flea market groups. Most of my friends have moved on, some sadly to WhatsApp, which I refuse to install.

Bissäguet, Merci (Swiss German)
Bitte, Danke (German)
Please, thank you (English)
S’il vous plait, merci (French)
Par favore, grazie (Italian)
Bonvolu, dankon (Esperanto)
Onegaishimasu, Arigatougozaimasu (Japanese)