If you had to live in Eastern Europe...

[minionofmidas]

Austria because I will, with minimum effort, be able to understand the native dialect. (And yes, while not really either, Austria is more Eastern European than Western European. While Germany, or at least the old FRG, while not really either, is more Western European than Eastern European. Although even that's somewhat iffy in Bavaria and Lower Saxony.)

[AndrewTX]

MMMmmmm Turkey. Turkey makes me sleepy though.

 Which one has legal prostitution, and the hottest women.

[opebo]

Well, Austria, but I'm pretty sure it's wealthy enough to be excluded from Eastern Europe.

Yeah its a hell of a lot wealthier than the US, on a per capita basis.

I voted Romania.

[MODU]

Austria and Poland would be my first two picks, but I chose Lithuania.  I think it would be a neat little country to live in.

[Ban my account ffs!]

Of course Austria.. but it's not part of eastern Europe.

You could argue that Switzerland, Germany, and Austria are part of central Europe.  The east is usually defined as former-soviet-bloc nations.

I'd pick one of the Baltic states (perhaps Lithuania or Estonia), Slovenia, or the Czech Republic.  Hungary or Romania wouldn't be awful.. but yeah.. eastern Europe is not nearly as bad as people make it out to be.  It's actually quite nice.

[Keystone Phil]

eastern Europe is not nearly as bad as people make it out to be.  It's actually quite nice.

I still think it's pretty bad.   

But parts of beautiful. Just take a look at the Croatian coastline.

[King]

Just take a look at the Croatian coastline.

Or their entries into Miss Universe.

[opebo]

eastern Europe is not nearly as bad as people make it out to be.  It's actually quite nice.

I still think it's pretty bad.   

But parts of beautiful. Just take a look at the Croatian coastline.

What's 'bad' about it?  The food, beer, architecture, and female attractiveness are all better there than in the US.

[Tender Branson]

Well, Austria, but I'm pretty sure it's wealthy enough to be excluded from Eastern Europe.

Yeah its a hell of a lot wealthier than the US, on a per capita basis.

Yes, the Austrian economy is still in a very good shape, despite the US and international slowdown. In the last 2 years the economy grew by 3.3% and 3.4%, wages rose between 2-3%, unemployment is down to 4% in the last quarter of 2007 and employment is up to more than 70%. In terms of per-capita GDP, Austria has now overtaken the US. The budget deficit is low and narrowing each year and a surplus is likely until 2010. A tax cut is also likely in 2009/10 because of the favorable economic situation. Last year, Austria achieved a trade surplus for the first time since WW2 and the current account surplus reached new heights with 3.2% of GDP. The economy is expected to grow by 2.5% in 2008.