Completely unrelated to the events of the past week, of course, we’ve compiled a list of the best countries to emigrate to if you’re from the U.S. Forget Canada, (we hear the immigration website’s on the fritz at the minute anyway), there are some far more exciting places to move to if you fancy a change of scene for the next four years…

Sweden

Great for… families. In 2016 Sweden was ranked as the best place in the world to raise a family for the second year in a row. Taxes here may be a little higher than you’re used to but when you start to reap the benefits of free healthcare, university education and heavily subsidised childcare, you’ll soon forget about that. No wonder 75% of expat parents found that their child’s quality of life had improved significantly after moving. They also celebrate a festival dedicated entirely to crayfish, which is actually a whole lot more fun that it sounds…

New Zealand

Great for… escaping. At times like these, we all need a little bit of escapism in our lives so where better to head than Middle Earth itself? The Kiwis are infamous for being really friendly and knowing the importance of a great quality of life, and once you’ve witnessed first hand some of the beautiful, dramatic scenery there is on offer, you’ll regret not having moved here sooner. And whenever you need to forget about some of the things happening back home, I would recommend a trip to Hobbiton or a skydive over the mountains of Mordor. After all, it’s difficult to get frustrated about politics when you’re having this much fun.

Singapore

Great for… socialising. This year Singapore was crowned the best place in the world to live as an expat, and it’s not hard to see why. People flock in their droves to begin a new life here, attracted by the high quality of life you can expect and the opportunity to experience new cultures in a secure and modern environment. Mandarin may be the official language here but English is spoken widely and is the language of trade and business so you won’t find it difficult to communicate with locals either. There’s also an abundance of expat clubs, bars and societies here which can make even the most cocooned introverts turn into social butterflies within a few months.

Argentina

Great for… the dollar. After the Argentine peso went into freefall a few years ago, a new phenomenon emerged on the black market in Argentina. People suddenly started exhanging their pesos for dollars behind closed doors, at a much lower rate than the banks offered, seeing it as a safety net just in case their currency completely crashes one day. While this is not technically legal, authorities tend to turn a blind eye to the dealings, meaning that your money can go a long way here and you can enjoy a good quality of life without paying much at all. Argentina is also one of the most accepting countries in the world of expats and cities like Buenos Aires are a melting pot of different cultures and nationalities. Also they have some of the best steak in the world. Enough said.

Mongolia

Great for… going off grid. If you really feel the need to get away from it all, and would prefer not to know what’s going on back in Washington while you’re away, then your best hope would probably be Mongolia. The capital, Ulaanbaatar, boasts to be one of the few in Asia without a Mcdonald’s or a Starbucks so there will be no reminders of the land you left behind to spur on any homesickness. If you travel even an hour outside the city you’ll encounter nomadic tribes who sleep in tents, live off the land and wifi there is virtually non-existent. You will find the locals incredibly hospitable, however, despite the communication issues (if on the off-chance you don’t happen to speak Mongolian) and it’s probably one of the few places in the world where you won’t hear someone’s name mentioned in every conversation for the next few months.

Image: AMERICA! by Michael Dougherty, CC 2.0