All articles tagged with #expat life
A family moves to a Madrid suburb for six months, but the 70-year-old matriarch struggles with the language and a sense of community, choosing to return to the US; the return brings relief and a new happiness as she settles in Massachusetts, hikes daily, practices yoga, and even relearns Spanish on her own terms.
A 36-year-old American who moved to Shenzhen in 2016 lives with his wife and two kids in a three-bedroom about $1,000/month rent, roughly $100/month groceries for a family of four, plus $29 internet, $100 electricity and $90 healthcare—roughly a quarter of his U.S. costs. He initially earned about $4,000/month teaching English, then pivoted to a marketing role paying around $3,500/month plus about $1,200/month from side gigs; Shenzhen’s tech-forward, safe, family-friendly environment with cheap transit and multilingual schooling has made the move feel like a successful, future-ready life in China.
A Michigan couple retired in 2018 and moved to Coronado, Panama, where they bought a $210,000 two-bedroom condo and joined a vibrant arts community. Greg Kitzmiller began writing—publishing a book about retiring in Panama and starting a detective fiction series—while Jen connected with locals and churches. Panama’s Pensionado visa offers perks such as discounts on utilities, medications, and transport, and the country’s use of the US dollar simplifies finances. They stay close to family via video calls and, eight years in, say there’s not much they miss about the US and have no plans to return.
A Kentucky native moves to Cork to marry an Irish man, and discovers that life in Ireland is not the fairy-tale dream she imagined—facing damp, limited rental options, and deep homesickness (exacerbated by COVID)—yet she remains grateful for their life together, running a home-based business and enjoying meaningful experiences across Europe as she navigates two countries and two homes.
Arabella Carey Adolfsson, born in California, moved with her Swedish husband to Torpön Island in Sweden in 2022; she loves the beauty and slower pace but struggles with isolation and finding community, planning to stay while continuing to adapt and travel in Europe.
Denae McGaha shares her reflections on returning to the US after seven years in Budapest, highlighting the importance of early packing, keeping documentation, allowing time to grieve, and the challenges of rebuilding a career and health care system, while emphasizing steady progress and personal growth.
A couple in their 30s considered buying a 1-euro home in Italy but opted for a more expensive, move-in-ready farmhouse in Sant'Elia a Pianisi. They found the 1-euro housing program risky due to potential renovation costs and legal stipulations, which are often in Italian. Instead, they purchased a 3,121-square-foot farmhouse for 29,000 euros, enjoying a vibrant community and the flexibility to renovate at their own pace. They recommend hiring a property lawyer for navigating international real estate transactions.
In 2007, an Australian woman living in Dubai faced legal challenges after her boyfriend, Stuart, died in a swimming accident in Fujairah, UAE. Despite the UAE's strict laws against cohabitation and adultery, she navigated a tense legal situation by convincing a judge of her innocence, ultimately avoiding imprisonment. The ordeal highlighted the complexities of living as an expat in the Middle East, where cultural and legal norms can differ significantly from Western countries. The experience led her to leave Dubai, eventually finding a new life and husband in Abu Dhabi.
Georgia Lewis recounts her traumatic experience in Dubai when her boyfriend Stuart tragically died during a weekend trip to Fujairah. Following his death, she faced a distressing legal ordeal under Fujairah's interpretation of Sharia law, where she had to lie about her personal life to avoid severe penalties. Despite the grief and surreal experience, she eventually moved to Abu Dhabi, met her future husband, and later relocated to London. The incident remains a haunting memory, but it also led to new beginnings in her life.
Jessika Roso Malic, a former Emirates stewardess, moved from Phoenix to Dubai in 2010 for a glamorous job but returned home in 2017 due to burnout and a desire for a more balanced life. While she enjoyed the cultural diversity and travel opportunities in Dubai, the demanding work schedule and lack of personal time took a toll. She missed the variety of activities available in Phoenix and found the city's infrastructure more convenient. Now settled in Phoenix, she works as a communications and events manager at a nonprofit.
Joanna McIsaac-Kierklo and her husband Ed Kierklo, a retired couple from San Francisco, are planning to return to the US after their attempt to settle in France turned into a "nightmare." Despite their initial excitement about living in Nîmes, they faced challenges with French bureaucracy, language barriers, and social integration. Joanna found the French lifestyle difficult to adapt to, missing the familiarity and social connections of her life in the US. Although they enjoyed visiting France, they concluded it wasn't the right place for them to live permanently.
Disillusioned with life in the US, interior designer Marjorie Skouras moved to Mexico after falling in love with the country. She and her husband settled in Merida, where they restored a 19th century ruin and later opened a boutique. They then bought land in Dzemul and launched a nonprofit music school for local children. Skouras, now a permanent resident, is applying for Mexican citizenship and feels deeply connected to the country and its people, with no plans to return to the US.
Retirees from the U.S. have found affordability and a higher quality of life in Ecuador, but recent drug-fueled violence has raised concerns about safety. Despite the escalating violence, many retirees are choosing to stay, while others are using caution and considering their options. The situation has prompted a reevaluation of the safety of retiring abroad, with experts advising potential retirees to consider countries with a history of stability and to stay informed about local conditions.
Mercer, a global consulting company, has released a report on the best African cities for expatriates to live and work in 2023. The report analyzed factors such as political and social environment, health, education, recreation, and housing. The top 10 cities identified as providing a high quality of living for international employees are yet to be revealed.
Joe Green, a US veteran, and his fiancée, Gift Prakaew, left city life in Bangkok to build their dream home in a seaside town in Central Thailand. After retiring, Green wanted a change of scenery and found Thailand to be an affordable and appealing option. They purchased a plot of land under Prakaew's name and worked with a builder and architect to construct their three-bedroom, 2,000 square feet home. The couple's modern, one-story house, with a white, grey, and black color scheme, cost $188,000 to build and turned out exactly as they envisioned.