I would just like to hear the experience of others so give me some perspective on life
I think OP is bored and tired of their current situation and looking to relocate maybe?
was looking at planning an early retirement but open to an expat experience… I cannot focus on both at the same time.
Bored and tired of current situation but not necessarily looking to relocate.
I agree.
I worked as an expat for ~3 years, at each of three different locations, as well as multiple 3-6 months stints in various places.
The only thing that I have learnt is that the life of an expat is not for everyone. That is not being judgemental, but some people love it and some people hate it, and there are probably some that can take it or leave it.
Living and working in a different country is not the same as travel.
How will that help OP gain some life perspective? It won't.
Awesome experience. Which countries did you go to?
Spent 3 years in each of Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Tonga.
Have had extended stays in Vietnam (Hanoi and HCM), China (Shanghai), Jakarta, India (Bangalore), PNG (all over).
I like to know how other people decided to live their lives. I accept that my "way of life" is not the only way to live and maybe I can learn/integrate new things. That's what I mean by giving me some life perspective.
In Malaysia right now, although I travel to Sri Lanka, Thailand, Singapore, Philippines and Indonesia frequently. Occasionally in Melbourne and Sydney too.
It is the travel that kills me right now. Spend about 1-2 weeks per month in the air right now.
Experience otherwise is great.
I would do it all again in a heartbeat.
sounds like an awesome job, what industry/role if you don't mind me asking mate?
IT
have you tried turning it off and on again
IT, Microsoft Azure is my primary focus to be more specific.
I should maybe do an AMA, but doubt anyone is really all that interested in it.
I would. I work IT specialising in healthcare and get to travel nationwide frequently. I'm envious that you get to travel around Asia for it.
Then again maybe I should do an AMA too :P
I totally would be interested as well, more of an AWS guy myself though haha
@peterpeterpumpkin: I'm contracted or work directly to many companies in the healthcare industry. From your small GP in the middle of nowhere to the major hospitals with emergency departments.
@Clear: Thanks. Is it more an infrastructure role or a software role? As in, does the "healthcare" aspect require a particular skill set?
@peterpeterpumpkin: It's both. I've had new facilities built and have provided all the hardware, software, cabling etc. and continued to manage it at completion.
It's a very much learn as you go kind of area for healthcare. Studying Health Information Technology/Management certainly gives you a greater understanding in some aspects.
@Drew22: Yes heaps. It's causing a lot of controversy in the healthcare industry. However my experience with Azure is minimal unfortunately.
I work in Healthcare IT too, software side though. Any tips for someone who has been in the industry only for 2 years?
Hospital PAS, EMR, Integration etc.
I haven't done any work with small GPs, only with bigger clients.
Implementation into the State/hospital systems and sometimes bespoke development as well.
@spawnlaeer: I'm not much into the software development besides a little bit of SQL because databases like to die sometimes.
Best thing for someone new in the industry is to build up your contacts and reputation. Get to know the doctors and staff who you're dealing with and get them to like you. Will save a lot of stress when things go wrong and helps open up new opportunities.
I managed to score 4 new hospitals purely based on reputation within the industry and I've been involved for 5 years.
Nice. Do you have to learn asian languages?
MNCs in SEA are english
Nah, in IT everyone speaks okay enough English, 99% are fluent.
I've picked up some stuff as I've traveled, but not even close to a conversational level.
I was an expat in both Canada (1 year) and US (5 years). I absolutely loved both occasions though that is not to say that everyone will. In Canada, one of my expat colleagues couldn't stand it and got quite depressed waiting until the project completed and he could return. It really is a case of "you get out what you put into it". I took advantage of as many opportunities as I could and came away with many wonderful memories and experiences, and I am wiser for the exposure.
For me personally, the hardest part was returning home and feeling like I don't fit in anymore because I had also changed. This is quite a common thing when expats return back to their home country. In my case it took a good 18 months to really shake that off.
Just go and do it.
Curious on what makes you come back after 5yrs
Primarily, I got laid off when the company was restructuring, but at the same time my missus was very homesick (missing her family) so it was a good time to move back. She wasn't able to fully engage in the workforce due to having kids so she missed out on a lot of the social interactions.
Also our kids were born in the US and with the missus being a teacher we also vowed not to put them through the US education system as it is a long way behind Australian teaching standards (unless you live in an well-off area or pay top $$$ for a good school). We also didn't agree with many of the social systems and cultural attitudes and didn't want our kids to grow up in that environment. So there was always a natural limit on how long we were going to stay and we were already starting to get close to it anyway.
That being said, we both look back on our time there very happily, and as a newly married couple (at the time) it was great for our relationship to really develop without external family influences. It was sink or swim in a new country!
Have you found any issues with your kids being born in the US to Australian parents? For example, the tax obligations…
I hear some dual citizens never submit US tax returns if they don't have any connection to the US other than birth.
@Orgazmo: Yes, big issues. Simply being born in the US (to Aussie parents) automatically makes them US citizens, so they are subject to being taxed by the IRS on their worldwide income, regardless of where they live in the world. But what makes it so nasty is what can get taxed here in Australia by the IRS:
Sell your principle place of residence that is in joint names with your spouse and benefit from a capital gain? Here you pay no tax, but the IRS will levy CGT on that capital gain. And not just on your 50% stake, but on the entire 100% of the capital gain because you are an American (even though your spouse may not be).
Your Australian superannuation goes up? Pay tax on that now to the IRS.
Decide to relinquish your citizenship? It is illegal to do so for tax purposes. Ok, so you use another excuse instead. Now the IRS will consider that you have sold every asset you own and charge you CGT on any capital gains across all your assets. This point makes it very difficult for older Americans who no longer reside in the US (or wish to permanently return) to relinquish their citizenship - it can cost them tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in CGT to the IRS, even though they haven't actually sold their assets!
It's just nucking futs. I am seriously torn between relinquishing my kids US citizenship or letting them hang on to it with the opportunity to live and work there. At this stage I'll probably wait until they are older and can discuss the issue properly with them. At this stage I don't think the opportunities of US citizenship is worth the cost.
There's an interesting article about these unfair tax issues here.
@macca9123: In your opinion, do you think the IRS will ever change these policies? Eduardo Saverin is an interesting example of this situation.
@Orgazmo: I'm naturally sceptical, but there have been calls to simplify the US tax system. Unfortunately these have actually been heavily lobbied against by the companies that stand the most to gain from keeping a complicated tax system. <Sigh>, poorly regulated capitalism at work…
There is some growing coverage of this problem here and some attempt to educate/influence our legislators. But this problem will only become worse as we all become more globalised.
Yes, the "returning home" thing. It's like a depressing version of travelling back to your past. Everything kind of feels the same but everyone's a little older, random people may have passed away without your knowledge, and you feel uncomfortable slotting back into the life your brain thought you left behind. I don't think I ever shook it off since I left with baggage.
duplicate
Yes, it's a very depressing and discombobulating feeling. We made the choice to not return to the location we were living previously because we felt we had to move forward with our lives and not live in the past. Changing location to one we were not familiar with and establishing new roots kind of felt like a new mini-expatriation and adventure of its own.
But even now (some 4+ years later) there is a still a significant part of me that yearns to be back in both Canada and the US.
I heard about returning home being the hardest part. Was there something that you found particularly odd in oz?
I found work culture to be daunting to adapt to.
It wasn't that there was something odd with Oz, more that there was something odd with me. I was brimming with all these experiences and could see the world differently rather than just accepting it how it is. Meanwhile my family and friends were heavily engaged in seemingly trivial aspects of their lives and neither that mattered to me, nor were they all that interested in hearing about my experiences and opinions.
There are aspects of my expat life that I wish we had in Australia, and there were plenty of aspects of Australian life that I wished we had when we were overseas! I, for one, can't help but smile when I am in and out of the local motor registry in 20 minutes having dealt with a helpful and a courteous human being. No more 3+ hour queues out the door of the DMV and rude, narcissistic department staff when you do make it to the counter! It's no small wonder they post security guards for when the patrons can't take it any more and go postal.
For the US I miss drive through chemists, the relax attitude to speed limits and people’s lane discipline. Also miss how places like Target also sell fruit and veg. Saves you having to go to multiple places.
I have just been on a 2 month travel and I experienced the same feeling of "family and friends were heavily engaged in seemingly trivial aspects of their lives and neither that mattered to me, nor were they all that interested in hearing about my experiences and opinions".
Do you find Australia lacking in culture compared to the US and Canada?
Your experience upon returning home is one of the most common that I hear from fellow expats.
It is not easy to return to our previous lives, and I doubt that any of us actually do fully. The experiences that we have had (usually) result in us being restless for a long time.
And then we either succumb to our current environment, or we move on to a new one.
But, the memories and the friendships remain.
@yk300: No, not at all. But obviously you're going to find a wider range of culture in larger cities where ever you are.
It depends on the individual as if you’re a social person you will forge new friendships. You can always return home on holidays to visit family or have them come see you.
For me there were things in Australia I took for granted which I found annoying not having in the US. At the same time though there are plenty of things we can adopt from the US here in Australia.
It also depends on your lifestyle. I have friends who’ve stayed in the US and have a far better lifestyle there than they could have here. So for them they can view all the positives and that helps not feel as bad.
I have to go but the only advice I wish someone gave me before I left was to not forget about taxes in Australia and all the other paperwork. These days if you have a HECS debt, for example, you've got reporting obligations when you earn over a certain amount even as a non-resident, and can get fined for your ignorance (https://www.smh.com.au/money/tax/what-you-need-to-know-about…). And assuming you're still an Australian resident for tax purposes (which affects most of us that plan to come back), you want to know how the tax year differs (UK starts April 5), keep a digital version of absolutely everything, and stay up-to-date with any new tax laws that are introduced while you've moved on to your new life.
yeah. times have changed. I once got the advice to just move overseas to escape HECS repayment.
I'm an expat living in Australia. I grew up in the United States and moved to Australia when I was 24, which was 8 years ago. I love it here, and became a citizen as soon as I could (became a permanent resident after two years, applied for citizenship after five years). It's been incredibly tough because I am close with my family back in the States. That being said, I would have regretted it for the rest of my life if I didn't move.
Which part of the US?
You planning on returning one day?
I'm originally from Connecticut. My wife (who is Australian) and I usually visit once a year (Christmas) which is perfect for me since I struggle with the heat here in Australia. As far as moving back, we are wrestling with that right now. We're still up in the air, but we want to start a family soon, so we need to decide sooner rather than later.
Hey, can you enable private messaging please?
I'm also interested to hear about your experiences RE: below post in case you missed it:
How are you dealing with the insane tax obligations of also being a US citizen? Particularly concerning world-wide income, assets and investments?
How are you dealing with the insane tax obligations of also being a US citizen? Particularly concerning world-wide income, assets and investments?
I'm on the same boat (living in Australia and close to my family still in the US), except that I wasn't an expat and have basically settled on Australia. It's really hard, but I look at things like the US non-existent parental leave or crap working rights always make me feel like it was the right choice. I wish Australian immigration policy wasn't such a bitch though, I'd love to have my brother here.
Life was great for me as an Expat in the South Pacific. Originally from Canada, it is the dream of many Canadians to see the South Seas. I actually lived and worked in a number of different island groups and we had three children born in the islands. Life was not always easy but interesting. In one group of islands (the Tokelau's), we had no air transport and only a ship every other month with supplies(in the 1970's). When there was a wharf strike in N.Z. or Aussie, we went without. Kerosene fridges and on some islands electricity for only a few hours a day. Living on atolls (Kiribati & Tuvalu)), we had to drink coconut juice and bath and wash in salt water during droughts. On the brighter side, having babies and children in the islands were great with all the local help at very reasonable prices.
Education for children can be a problem but fortunately most of the teachers were Aussies & Kiwis. Returning to Australia, ughhh. As an expat, the local people knew you and your position and respected you. Returning to Australia, you're just another white fellow and you have to fend for yourself. We did find it hard returning home after being about twelve years in the Pacific.
must have been awesome to have this experience. How are your kids adapting to life here?
I believe he said he was an expat in the 70s.
i lived in London for a year and then 4 years in Japan. Both were really great experiences. left Japan as mrs altomic was having a baby and felt 4 years was a good stretch.
What do you miss from Japan that you wish we could have here?
And conversely, what did you miss from Australia that you wished you had in Japan?
Japan is organized, clean, punctual and for most things has its act together.
It's public health care is awesome. Dental is cheap.
Peoples honesty (except for umbrellas on a rainy day - it's a free-for-all.)
At the same time Japan (and Japanese) can be very structured and narrow minded with how they do things. Sometimes you have to really think within the box to get what you need. I really missed the "yeah, we can do it this way…. Yeah, that'll work" Oz mentality.
Also grass- very few people have lawns and most suburban parks(usually small) just have packed earth.
It's always interesting to see what different countries/cultures do well and don't do well. Thanks for sharing.
Followed my heart to France. Got married and my children were born there. Lived and worked there for over a decade. Some of it was idyllic, some of it frustrating. We moved back to Oz to give the children a chance to experience Oz life and culture, and get to really know the family here. As they were of school-age, we quickly built up a network of friends, and recontacted old friends. Decided to stay. The children have been back to see family in France, but at the moment prefer living here. I miss speaking French every day, and some of the food and people, but think in spite of the negatives here, we still live in one of the best countries in the world. Note:I do not mean that in any jingoistic way at all - just in terms of climate, safety, and multiculturalism. Certainly a great experience for me, but it's not for everyone, especially getting on top of the language.
I spent 3years working as a volunteer in Kiribati in the early nineties.
If money is not a priority,(yardi yardi),it certainly is a fascinating experience.
However some people are not suited. If you already have all the answers, spare them your presence.
If you wish to immerse yourself in another culture and expand your life experiences I would recommend giving it a go.
I went through Australian volunteers abroad (now AVI). They are non religious and give appropriate support. Assignments now vary in length of time,used to be 2years minimum.
And for the record, morimoto (young coconut milk) is one of the most refreshing drinks in the world.
I find it interesting that I, along with a few ex-expats posting here, still appear to refer to ourselves as expats (even though it may have been decades ago).
That is what is can be like, a life changing experience.
And the friends you make are like no others.
Do you realise that the term "expat" doesn't solely apply to Brits living abroad, but it is a common term for any person emigrating to another country from any other country?
Are you specifically referring to British expats?
Why would you assume that?
My 2nd job was a 3 year stint in PNG. Exchange rate was fantastic at the time, so I was earning 3x what I was in Oz, plus they withheld 30% as an untaxed gratuity added to payout.
Wasn't much to spend money on, so all expats I knew spent all their time drinking at yacht club or golf club.
I spent my time with locals, and got into some trouble that I probably shouldn't have survived. Most other's had scars to show incidents they'd been involved in too.
I'd say for others it was a terrible inconvenience for a financial reward (if they survived), for me it was a life-changing experience but I'd only recommend for someone more mature than I was at the time.
The exchange rate is terrible now. I can't imagine how much they'd have to pay to get expats over there.
I was an expat in Port Moresby (POM) for only 1 year (4 years ago). Gave up our jobs in Australia for my partner's dream role with the UN in her field. They call it the 'land of the unexpected' and that rings true in every sense - you just had to laugh at some (not all) situations.
It's an expensive place to live for everything (rent/food/drinks/internet/etc.) and access to things are/can be limited from a moments notice in POM. For example, there was a mass shortage for a simple thing like onions for about a month. Internet was terrible, unreliable and expensive (~4Gb/$AUS45/30Days) - think 2G slow.
Most expats are paid are small fortunate to be there and entertainment options are limited but there are was always a party/bbq/birthday/events or as SlickMick noted the Yacht Club/etc.
Is it dangerous? Yes and no, most expats in POM live in compounds with high fences and security guards but outside of the capital our expat friends lived differently (no fences/could walk the street in the day time/etc.) We saw/know of/heard horrible stories/events but the majority of the national people are warm, friendly with good hearts.
As someone else noted, we treat it as an adventure and enjoyed it thoroughly. We went away every 6 weeks exploring different areas of the country and had some amazing experiences - Christmas Day 'bride-price' (wedding), villages where no 'white man' had visited before, hiked a volcano, Goroka Show cultural event and meeting amazing national people/their stories along the way.
Did we enjoy our time, yes.
Would we have chosen differently? No way, it was the right experience at the right time - no regrets at all.
You must have been working there before the devaluation of the Kina in the 90s. It was indeed a fantastic time to be an expat during that peak.
I partly grew up in PNG (wonder if that still makes me an expat?) and still work there to this day so I’ve seen/seeing the changes.
The exchange rate is not the only issue lack of foreign currency is huge you should see the rates they actually give you to send money out.
I.e xe is 0.41 the banks will give you TT 0.39… cash rate even worse. 0.35. Probably be like that for next 2-3 years with the resource prices the way they are.
It’s an interesting place if people are interested in working here outside of aid and gov jobs. I still see a lot of areas of opportunity it’s just implementing changes and finding the right person to manage is the biggest challenge.
People were friendly but I always seem to get my fair share of racism in this country.
I moved here from the UK 7 years ago, and I've never looked back. It's such a better life here.
I did almost die 6 months in, but thankfully I'm still going.
The only thing I'd change is being so far from my friends and family. Some of my family just can't manage the flight over.
I moved to the UK a couple of years back, and while there are parts of the culture here I love, I'm really yearning to go back.
For me (in science), the quality of work is much better and it will help push my career, but oddly enough the pay is much worse.
Of course there are benefits such as easy travel through Europe, but the weather bugs me way more than expected. However I mainly just miss the 'easy going' Australian attitude.
Yeah my pay doubled the day I moved to Oz, and I adore the weather here.
I do miss the easy travel but I can go back whenever I like.
Im looking to head back to europe myself. Culture and living standards are alot better there
Depends what you mean by 'living standards', I would dare say they are better in aus
Also it took me a while to come around to this opinion, but old buildings and history don't necessarily equate to culture. Each part of europe will have specific deep rooted cultures and traditions, but Australia has a wide range from immigration along with its own unique creations.
To me, I find cultural events are the most biggest expression of culture.
I guess it depends which part of Europe you’re talking about, but standards of living are far better in Australia that most of Europe.
If youre a retiree then yes Australia cant be topped, but if youre a normal person, this country offers very little
I think we'll have to agree to disagree. I think there is plenty to offer.
For me the benefits of moving here have been:
Better career potential
Better pay
Better work/life ratio
Surrounded by natural beauty
Amazing weather
Truckloads of beaches (although obviously this doesn't ring true everywhere in Australia)
Easier to live an outdoor and active lifestyle
Stable economy
Can't agree more - and I and my wife spend a large proportion of time living in Europe. Australia has very many things going for it, and I honestly think that those who feel otherwise don't know how good Australian's have it.
Moved to Australia 7 years ago at age 26 with my now wife. We have since had a baby and are planning on moving back to Ireland in Feb. A lot of people have said that moving home is hard, mainly that people and things have moved on from what you remember and that you can't just pick up life where you left off. But from my perspective we are both very different people from when we left and don't want to pick up the same life as we left behind.
Will definitely miss the climate and many other things but the pull of family is just too strong
I recently made the move to Hong Kong after whinging on here that I needed a work/life change - so far has been amazing. Let me know if you have questions, but you definately need to be in a managerial role to receive the benefits - also your career generally is fast tracked with a move. As long as you are comfortable being independant or moving with a partner that is open minded, you should try it.
hardly hear of people moving to Hong Kong these days. glad to hear it is working out for you
If you were an expat before, where did you go? how was your experience? Would you do it again?
Fiji for a bit over a year, experience was good but I think your attitude is probably the biggest dictator of how your your time pans out. Treat it as an adventure and you will probably enjoy it, think everything is going to go well and you will likely be disappointed. I would do it again although probably not at the moment with school aged kids, unless it was somewhere with decent schools.
I did eight years overseas: Jerusalem, Beirut, Jakarta, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, Iran, Iraq. Saw some dreadful and some wonderful stuff. Would do it again in less than a heartbeat.
what exactly were you doing?
I would be so scared of doing this, mostly fear of the unknown. Any (crazy) story to share?
I want to travel somewhere with my partner so she can study her Master's Degree more affordably.
We were thinking maybe Germany or France, need to look into it more seriously.
Great option. I looked into education in Europe. Plenty of good options from top 100 unis available at low cost.
Though they teach many Masters in English, I reckon you would still need to learn a bit of the local language. But that's part of the experience.
Most Australian unis offer some subjects in partner universities overseas, which are fully accredited towards your Australian degree. Internships overseas are another good option to test the water.
I was in Singapore for almost 10 years, IT in investment bank. What I miss the most - the cheaper travel, lower tax rate ~7%, high employer pension contribution ($1000/month) on top of my annual package and better leave benefits.
You will either love it or hate it if you are in MNC in Asia. Most of the time you will have meetings with EU or US so you will need to adjust and accommodate for such. Moved back to AU coz I felt burned out and wanted work life balance. In short, it depends on what you want in life. Financially, I was better off overseas but I don't think I will trade the lifestyle and free time I have here for now.
I'm currently going through the whole expat thing now. Moved to the US in June and it's been an interesting ride so far! I work for a global business so when the opportunity presented itself to move I jumped at it. Why not? The worse thing that could happen is that I hate it and want to move back. It's happened with people from my company before but they had kids and what not. I've already missed out on several family birthdays and friend's weddings/birthdays and some days are tough being alone but the experience & job opportunities are definitely worth it!
I was an expat for 20 years,7 countries of residence in that time.I have 3 kids who benefited greatly from the diverse education & they gained some very useful skills.They have often been in the minority so can appreciate differences in culture without being judgemental.They have no problem meeting strangers & making new friends & have accumulated friends from all over the world which they still communicate & spend time with regularly.
Our expat years also meant we saved a lot more money than we would have if we had stayed in Oz so we were able to retire comfortably quite young (53 for hubby & 51 for me)
My youngest is now an expat with his family & loving it.
worked in Germany netherlands japan china and korea.expands your perspective. can be challenging and even frustrating..but the challenge leads to growth. Best way to travel is to work.
I was born in Taiwan, grew up in South Africa and now I'm Australian. I'll move to the Netherlands later this year for a new postdoc position (thank you OzBargain through all these years - now I need to find a Dutch equivalent) - I found the job on LinkedIn. I'm a biomedical research scientist currently at UQ.
I think you get a wealth of life experience that most people don't have a chance to get. I learnt to speak several languages and made lifelong friends. Moving around you'll learn skills that are great for your career and pick things up quickly to "survive" and adapt in an unfamiliar place. If you have an opportunity to move overseas, even if it's for a few years - take it - because you don't want to look back in life and wonder what it'd be like if you had gone. My cycling coach has lived all over Asia and eventually came back to Brisbane. My former supervisor came from the UK, came here, did his PhD and postdoc in Australia and has gone back with an Aussie wife. LOL!
The downside is that moving is a huge undertaking and things like partner, family and friends can bring a bit of uncertainty, but you take life as it comes and you learn how to do the best/make things work/create your opportunities in those circumstances. I imagine I'll still be back to Australia later in life to settle down because the weather and the beaches are second to none. If you wonder what motivates me - I live by "yolo" and I try to make the most out of all the opportunities I get.
PS - we need an Amsterdam OzBargain meetup with all these cheap flights!
If you never were an expat, have you even considered it? If so, do you regret not doing it?
I seriously considered doing it twice but never did. First, when I graduated from university and struggling to find work during the early 2000's with the Asian economic recession + Silicon Valley/Dot-com bubble. Second was when my best friend suggested the idea to work in the UK (skilled migrant >30 years of age required proof of earning >$80,000AUD income).
I don't regret not going. For me I saw it as a financial opportunity cost which isn't a real loss.
When I was young, pre-globalisation, the demand for labour fluctuated heaps between countries. There was a boom in Saudi Arabia which was just finishing as Australia was entering the Asian economic recession. Moneywise I would have loved to have been a contractor in Saudi Arabia earning triple salary and great exchange rates.
Back then the cost of air travel was expensive. An "around the world" trip cost $20-$24K. So it made sense for young people to compete to get into the multi-national corporations. Now times are different and multi-national corporations are not what they used to be. Branches closing down/mergers+acquisitions/outsourcing to contractors/telecommuting.
I've many friends who are currently ex-pats. One thing in common is they are great planners which is something I'm not. I hate responsibilities. I'm not good at project managing my life. My friends stress and plan ahead 1-2 years. They scrimp and save for months or years before making the move. eg. Sell car, re-jig their mortgage/finance, talk to real estate agents to find renters, secure an overseas job before pulling the trigger, review suburbs to live, review overseas churches, house hunting, household budgeting, put a hold on kids, plan marriage, plan for elderly parents/disabled relatives, etc.
Now it's post-globalisation and even less to regret. Labour markets don't fluctuate so much across the planet. So the pay is not so lucrative.
Air travel has become super affordable. Cruise ships are dirt cheap. Accommodation is cheaper (eg. Airbnb, comparison websites).
Locally available luxury goods and buying power has improved compared to 20 years ago (eg. lower tarriffs, shipping costs, online shopping, translation services, etc). One thing different in Australia is that nobody has a personal servant/chauffeur/apartment security guard/nanny/wet nurse/etc.
I'm lucky in that I am from a non-European family background. I've numerous overseas relatives and international friends from university so I tour and do repeated stays and can build familiarity and experiences (eg. borrow motor vehicles, dine on street food). I just miss out on working life (eg. 80 hour weeks as a company man).
The main regret when returning to Australia from an overseas trip are the local Australian people. Specifically the complainers and the loud xenophobic minority. The things that some Australian citizens complain about are so insignificant or rubbish.
Eg:
- "Can you believe the ripoff price of fuel?". In other countries most people will never own a car.
- "Our cities are too full so we need to cut immigration". There are megacities with population greater than Australia.
- "This is Australia, migrants who come here need to assimilate, why don't they speak english?". Compared with Australia's neighbouring countries Indonesia with 700 languages, Malaysia, Pacific Islands who have a national language and still have a healthier sense of community.
Heck these complaints are made by people totally not ex-pats. Too comfortable, too insecure and/or want everything on a plate.
I was hoping to get an reply/answer like this. Most people who didn't do it kinda regret it.
To me, it is possible to have an open mind, open as someone who traveled, without necessarily traveling (much).
With the buying power we have in Oz, air travel and cruises are defo within reach.
It sounds like it was a very conscious decision. Glad it all worked out for you.
I am an expat here. I am too comfortable but would like to think not too insecure and do not want everything on a plate.
If you were an expat before, where did you go? how was your experience? Would you do it again?
Shanghai
London
San Diego
Jakarta
India
Philippines
Singapore
Lived short periods of my life in the following countries. Almost went to Spain and S. Africa. I've rated them from my most preferred to the least. Better than average accommodation/location all locations. Singapore was the most smallest room but fully furnished with a part time maid. Overall being an expat allowed me to live like a local, use their trains, enroll on some classes during free time. I've also joined the expat groups in some cities.
I've fell in love when I should not have and have very often felt sad when I was about to leave. Friends that I had made were only there for the moment, the parties and expat raves, to the concerts and being in the know. And if you could have all these while still holding on to your job and building your profile..why not. I thought to myself many times during my so called jet setting heydays, my life back home isn't this exciting.
There were different struggles in each locations. Shanghai was the language, Jakarta was the constant protest and bomb threats, San Diego was the heavy travels between to Atlanta. If I've had a chance to live my life again, I will go further and wider. Spend and travel more from these locations I once called home. I'll definitely do it again and encourage my off springs to do it as well. However it feels tiring to do all those shit again at this age. Where did I find all those energy - the fountain of youth.
Living overseas and travelling widens your perspective of life, it brings you to people you will most probably never rub shoulders while using your Opal card.
Nowadays the excitement for me is to log in to OzBargain each day to see what deals are up to be snatched!
Did you enjoy the eastern countries more than the western countries? asking solely based on the number.
OzBargain does have a way to keep you somehow motivated and linked to Oz.
i enjoyed the eastern countries more. had better lodging, treated better, better buying power. Service appartments usually. Paid and sometimes breakfast comes to the room. Always given the top end of hotels, service apartments in eastern location whereas in western I got smaller locations :)
It was great in all locations. Give and take as I moved.
How will me/Ozb Members being an expat or not will give you some life perspective?