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Hey guys

I’ve been living in Australia for almost 10 years now, I’m from Oregon originally.

I went for a visit home in April 2023, and upon returning to Aus- it was like EVERYTHING suddenly started to go wrong. I lost my job, my visa got denied, I lost my home, and I got very physically unwell. It was like I felt from the day I landed back in Aus that the country was trying to expel me (idk if that makes sense). Anyway, around this time I start dating my now husband and I applied for a different visa. This process was difficult and then, the panic attacks started. Horrific panic attacks, sometimes lasting months.

I contemplated leaving so many times but I decided in the end to stay for my husband (boyfriend at the time) despite the issues we were having.

We got married and all the while the panic never left. Until we went on our honeymoon to the states. After being in the states a couple of weeks I noticed that I started to get better. I felt like i could be myself again, the panic subsided.

It’s been 2 months since we’ve returned to Aus and all the panic has come back. Husband is not willing to live outside of Aus and I never imagined leaving, until now.

Is this me? Do I have some hormonal issue, is this panic due to the stress of the last year or do I need to go home?

Have you guys experienced this type of anxiety and did it go away when you went home?

I am seriously looking into getting in The Young Workers Exchange program (Work Visa). The plan, as far as it goes at the moment is to work as a bartender while I spend my time in Amsterdam, in, or around it anyway. My main question is, is this even a viable idea? And if it is what might be a good thing to map out? I understand that I will need an employer before I even get over there, as well as a living space. Is there any steps I should take first, or simply and tips? Anything I should know about The YWEP?

Can anyone compare life in the 3 or at least 2 of the Scandinavian countries? Which is best if you feel weird in flat areas? I generally enjoy some vastness but I have so far felt really creepy in flatter areas and esp. in flat countries like the Netherlands, so the more I discover about Denmark the worse I feel.

Norway isn't in the EU so as a EU citizen would I need a visa to visit or move there? It seems Norway is often the ignored one on expat forums but the more I learn the more I like it. I do like Denmark and Sweden but somehow something esp. in Denmark doesn't feel right. I generally prefer smaller countries but maybe it's the flatness & wind? From all the countries I've lived or visited I was the most unhappy in the flattest one of them - the Netherlands. Likewise Germany (around Munich but also Ulm and Dresden) felt eerie and I felt much better next door in the hillier Austria (Sazlburg). I didn't really felt good visiting the Danube plain in Bulgaria and next door in Romania or Bucharest which is in the flattest part of Romania so I see some kind of pattern there. I also felt really swell in Salzburg compared to flatter Vienna. While both had hills, Bratislava feels more flat than Prague and I generally felt nicer in Prague though the people in Bratislava were friendlier. It's like I feel this tension and off-putting energy in extremely flat areas? I guess there's something where completely flat areas make you feel bad? The opposite of Altitude sickness? Maybe I just have better luck in hillier areas? In that case Oslo seems the Scandinavian capital most suited to me in terms of nature.

On the other hand Denmark and Southern Sweden seem to have some of the most beautiful sand dunes and beaches I've seen in Europe. However, I checked the weather stats and all of Denmark and most of Southern Sweden seem to be quite windy like the NL. Stockholm is better but it's too isolated, while Oslo isn't that far from the Swedish border for international trips to Sweden. In terms of planes though Oslo is really not as well connected as either Copenhagen or Stockholm. Oslo is the least beautiful to me, Copenhagen the most but Stockholm while pretty leaves me cold. And Copenhagen is close to Continental Europe but it's too flat. Oslo really reminds me of Sofia - hillier and more chaotic mix of architecture. New, old, older, newest one next to the other. Also seems greener than the other 2 Scandinavian capitals.

I often got sick by the strong winds in the NL. I can stand the cold as long as a place is less windy. I took the much lower winter temps in Prague and Bratislava like a champ compared to the Netherlands. In fact the feel in the NL was worse. Both Central European capitals seemed to be less windy. Is Oslo less affected by strong winds being in an inlet and the mountains of Western Norway stopping the Atlantic winds? I once mistook that the movie "The Worst Person in the World" was filmed in Sofia. I saw a screen cap of a hilly, tree-lined street. I've heard they're one of the cities with the most trees and parks per capita or sth. I'd like a hilly city which, however isn't as hilly in its old town as Veliko Tarnovo is. That's way OTT hilly for me.

Also, where could one with a Dutch degree in Communication science settle down the easiest and find a job in a multinational, or better yet do a PhD and start teaching at uni? I'm currently learning Norwegian and I've learned German as Austria is another good option.

I think this happened to me. I fantasize about living in a country and visualize how cool my life could be and everything I would be doing. But when I go there for the holidays to visit some family, I get annoyed at the food, the weather, the culture, the people, and wish to be back home.

But then once I'm home I wish I could move again because my life "would be so much better there" So I think maybe I'm in love of the idea of life there, a romanticized version of it, rather than actually living there and dealing with daily hurdles, if that makes sense

I moved to France on a student visa in the middle of September to do a 1 year master degree in Medicinal chemistry. In the country I was living previously, things were too tough to find a job including for the locals. In my home country it’s even worse. I did pharmacy for a Bachelor degree

Before I moved, had huge trouble finding accommodation since my university didn’t have enough. The agency that helped me is horrible at fixing repairs and I found my door handle broken. They took weeks to fix it. I live kind of far from school. It’s a 2 hour drive to go and come which is time consuming and eats 4 hours into each day

We are only 8 in my class and being the only person of color, I noticed my classmates especially the girls give me dirty looks and exclude me from things. If I greet them they hesitate to reply or don’t reply at all. One of the teachers made fun of me for not understanding something when I asked a question saying that even a Bachelor student in first year can know the answer. It made me feel embarrassed

It’s been tough opening a bank account due to all the paper work needed. Making friends is hard since everyone has their own social circle. I’ve made a few but they still seem to prefer their own circle. I’ve surprisingly received more racist experiences from the black people in France telling me to go back to my country if I don’t speak French well

I speak a B1 level of French. Even at church the Pastor avoids talking to me and always comments saying he doesn’t want to speak English even though he knows English very well. One of the members told him I don’t speak French too well so that’s how he found out

My program consists of a 6 month internship which we have to find by ourselves. It’s been so tough applying to different jobs and either getting rejections or no responses. In my class, only 2 people managed to find and it’s an internship in the school so it’s more of like they got it through connections since they are friends with the teacher giving the internship offer

I love French culture, language and the fact that tuition is affordable. I’m grateful for the opportunity but don’t want to start regretting and it’s taking a toll on me. Has anyone experienced such before?

I am in a tricky situation and thought I could ask here.

I have dual citizenship because I was born in A country and my parents are from B country. I haven't lived in A country, and spent my entire life in B country. I should have reported my income and status to A country, but I have never done that either so I am possibly facing some consequences. This one wakes me up at night but I cannot do that currently because I live in C country. It is far from both A and B countries. Because I don't have the documents that can prove I am a citizen of A country (my parents lost them...) I will have to go back to B country and follow the long and tedious steps to get all of the documents. God knows how long it will take, and how much fee I will have to pay for it. I don't want to think about it...

But since I live in C country, I don't think I can do this and I'd rather just say that I am only a citizen of B country. I was informed that I won't have issues as long as I don't enter the A country (which is super annoying). All of my official documents here say I am only a citizen of B. Could this be a problem by any chance?

I would like to add that I would much like to be able to visit the A country in the future and possibly try living there as well. I don't want to just renounce it, which will also be a long, tedious, and expensive process. But B country does not allow dual citizenship so I won't report to B country that I have another citizenship.

We moved from the US to India a year and a half ago for my spouse’s job. Both of us have traveled extensively, and I’ve traveled a lot solo. I thought this would make it easier. The first 8 months I was okay, definitely never loved it but could appreciate it as a new experience. That changed in the past few months, and I’m really unhappy with living here. I try to rationalize that it’s temporary and only for a few years, but lately even that hasn’t been helping. I’ve even been contemplating moving back early while my husband finishes out the assignment.

Accompanying spouses in similar situations-

Tips for thriving in a place you didn’t choose and that isn’t ideal for you?

Anyone that has come home early- Did you regret it? What impact did it have on your marriage?

Hi everyone! I have a quick question about residency in the Schengen area.

I understand that as an EU citizen, I can move freely and stay indefinitely within the area, but there’s a requirement to register as a resident after a certain period. How strictly is this policy enforced in practice? Is it possible to be resident of one Schengen country but actually live in another for the long term? Is it something people actually do? I understand that it could very well be different from country to country but I would love to hear about any experience you might have.

We are just starting out on our retirement (early 60s) and want to leave our country in Central Europe. We are by no means rich or well-off, but we know that we are privileged that we do not have to work anymore as we live of the little that we've saved.

Feeling stuck here but can’t find a way out – I guess that describes the situation the best. Almost to the point of being depressed.

What are the reasons for wanting to us leave: Politics, high taxation and threat of even future rising taxes, down sliding economy, medical care + customer service going downhill rapidly. And a toxic mood of resignation all over the country. It is very much common to hear people of our age say repeatedly: I am so glad that I am not young anymore.

We've practically travelled the globe to find the ‘perfect country’ - good medical care (considering our age), safety, no too crazy heat/humidity, no extreme taxation. Perhaps even friendly locals. And there is of course the issue of an attainable visa.

But when travelling you see things that no hurray YT-Video tells you: Streets full of plastic garbage or air + water pollution, unbearably hot climate, or policemen who fine you for speeding in order to fill their wallets, bars in front of your windows and needing to own huge dogs in order not be robbed. Those are just some of the things that we’d have a hard time to adapt to.

Funny enough, the countries that we appeal to us we can not afford: like Switzerland or perhaps even Singapore.

This search feels like a time-consuming game we are playing, it is part of our regular life. And it is extremely frustrating. I am almost ready to give up and I guess there might never be any solution.

Just wondering if anyone knows about what we're describing here. It's like there is no way to get out of the trap and it is getting futile.

Hi guys couple questions for people who have made this move, or english people that would know (: I’m 19M and am looking to make the move.

1st. I have about a year of working in call centre sales (insurance). How hard was it for you to find a job? I don’t mind what job but as long as I can pay my rent-

2nd. I’m struggling to find good rentals, it’s a bit cheaper in Birmingham than where I am (Brisbane) but I can find any decent flats or house shares. Any websites you guys recommend, or any tips you guys have for renting/ sharing?

Got everything else down just these two problems.

Hi All - I'm interested in moving to Spain through the non-lucrative Visa and eventually applying for citizenship as a citizen of a former colony. I have enough money to qualify through my savings and I also have qualifying passive income from some rental properties, so that won't be a problem. My question is how much of a problem might it be for me if I do some remote contract work once I'm established? My (soon to be) former employer asked if I would be willing to do some remote contract work for them occasionally.

I looked into the digital nomad visa and it's not a good fit because I won't make enough money to qualify. I only want to work part time and I'm not doing it for the money, mostly just as a part time hobby to keep my skills fresh. Some people have said it won't be a problem if I'm not working when I apply for the non-lucrative visa, can clearly show I'm eligible, and am not taking a job away from a Spanish citizen. Some people told me ANY work of ANY type will get me in trouble. One person told me I could set up a business and just pay the business instead of myself (not sure how that would work).

Like I said, it would be very part time, I imagine earning less than €10,000 per year. Thank you everyone for your advice!

I know at least 3 who are stuck in their host country indefinitely due to the bureaucratic stress and the income requirement for a UK citizen to get a spouse visa for their foreign wife or husband.

Is anyone currently in this situation? How is it? Are you trying to navigate the process of taking your partner to the UK or have you resigned yourself to never going back?

I see many posts from couples that say "we are prepared to integrate and learn the local language" - yeah, how? By working in English, speaking English in your home and speaking English with friends because no-one wants to speak to you in their language because you don't understand it?

I became fluent in French and it took five years of hard work, don't underestimate the challenge.

How long did it take to get your freelance visa approved, and where / what year did you apply? Did you still work for yourself while awaiting approval of your freelance visa? Anything you wish you had known? I’ll be applying for freelance in Berlin in December. Thanks!

I'm thinking to moving out of country in the next few years. One of the moves that I see expats doing is to change their final residency from a state that has taxes (say, California or the like) to one that doesn't have income taxes (Florida, Texas, or a fan favorite, South Dakota).

I did a quick and dirty calculation, and the state taxes I'd save are a few hundred dollars a year. I then would trigger having to change my registration if I vote, to a state I may not want to vote in. Just not seeing the gain, but I could be operating on faulty info.

• If i do the South Dakota thing, is my "residence" address also my final residence for registering to vote, or can I leave my keep my registration to vote in my final "lived there" state while being an expat?

• The few hundreds per year I'd save are offset by the expenses of taking the trip to SD, getting a mailbox, staying the night, getting a new driver's license there, and coming back to my "home state". It'd take a couple of years to recoup that in saved taxes. Am I looking at it wrong, or has anyone else just came to the conclusion that it's not "worth it"?

For me there have been two significant problems. First, the USPS. I can neither send nor receive documents with any degree of reliability. Think: greeting cards, checks, immigration documents, ballots, etc.. I've been forced to upgrade to EMS which costs 28 times as much as simple airmail. Secondly, finance in the US. I no longer have a US home address/phone number, both of which are required to open a US bank account. Luckily, I do (at least) have an old account with a deteriorating credit union. Even PayPal now requires 2FA for simple transactions and it doesn't recognize my foreign phone number. I heeded US PayPal's advice and opened a PayPal account in the country where I live but the new country's account has been unwilling to honor payments I've attempted to make to legitimate companies and people - worthless.

Hi everyone,

So I've finished university with a masters in Healthcare Management in the Netherlands, and have just started working in health & policy. I've always been interested in the possibility of working abroad, specifically Japan or Singapore. As Healthcare is a very country-specific sector, with each country having its own system, I was wondering if anyone has any experience doing expat work within this sector in a management/policy position.

Greatly appreciate any input, as there are not many resources I have found online!

(Also, if you know any (international) companies that would fit such a position, lmk)

I need to shift about €300.000 from Canadian dollars to a European account for an apartment purchase. Wise looks like a much better deal than going directly from my bank, but I'm open to other recommendations.

I have 3 different jobs last interviews:

Production Planner in NRW

Demand Planner in NRW

Operation Excellence Specialist in Baden W

Which job should I accept? And how much salary should I request for each please?

Note: I have Supply Chain MBA + 3 years of experience

Hello! I am aware that Benin recently started a program that grants citizenship to African Americans of Beninese descent whose ancestors were affected by the slave trade. I am ancestrally Yoruba from the Benin region and would like to take advantage of this program. I would like to connect to the culture that was taken from me and so many generations before me long ago. However, I can’t seem to find the proper website. Any suggestions?

Hi, I just got a job abroad in a private company and want your opinion and suggestions on this, I have never been away from home in my entire 24 years of life, I'm an introvert and this is the first risk I have taken for the 1st time in life, what will you suggest me for working in such environment and working in an office, I had my printing press shop for the last 6 years, but recently got the offer so as I said I couldn't deny it because the salary was good enough...

Note: the people of the company are very friendly as they are from our own country and I met them in person as I have known them for 2 years they've been running a good business in Japan.

Another note: the job is related.

Currently on a skilled workers visa that ends at the end of December in the U.K.

I just interviewed with a company that is based in Germany but I would work in London. (the larger company is based in the USA).

How would sponsorship work? Would it be possible to live in the U.K. and be sponsored by this company? Anyone have any ideas? It’s considered a startup in Europe but is huge in the states.

Really appreciate any feedback. A bit nervous they won’t be able to make it happen.

Hi there, I’m the host of the Podcast Worlds Collide-The Podcast about moving abroad. I have over 50 Episodes out with guests who share their experiences and stories of moving abroad. I’m hoping to find a couple of more guests to put out a few more episodes for this season. Please comment below if you are interested! Thank you 😊

hey hey - I am moving to the Netherlands from the UK. I know I need to de-register from my GP in the UK within 3 months. I am wondering if anyone has any experience of how to move their medical information to a new GP in the Netherlands effectively? I am on waiting lists (classic NHS) for various assessments and procedures (related mostly to Autism, ADHD, Endometriosis) and likely won't get diagnosed with anything before I need to de-register and move to Amsterdam. Any insight is appreciated!

If I get the Shared Value Visa which lets me live in Russia for 3 years, but during the 3 years I change my mind and decide to come back to the US, what would the chance that I could be interrogated by the US authorities on why I got such a Visa in the first place and then get stripped of my US citizenship for being suspected of not aligned with US values?

By the way I am a naturalized US citizen (originally from a non-Russian foreign country) if that makes any difference.

Hi there, I've been living in Japan for 6.5 years now and I feel lost about whether to keep living here or move back to my home country. Up until this moment in my life I've always been sure about all the decisions I've made (whether they turned out how I had planned is a different story)

Basically, in Japan, I've been a working holidayer, post grad student and now a salary(wo)man and the corporate life here has sucked the energy out of me.

Part of me feels like I want to chuck it all in and move back to my home country (especially as I get older and start to feel kinda redundant (35 F, which is kinda considered over the hill here by some lol)).

But then again, I'm afraid that I'm making the wrong choice. I have a lovely community here, I can enjoy my hobbies, and my independence.

I know this is a decision that only I can make, but I was wondering if anyone has any tips on how to go about making such a big decision, especially when there's no clear answer. Pros and cons lists, etc. Whatever worked for you I'm keen to hear!

Hi, I am 23M from the UK. I always loved Spanish and Spain. I did so much that I decided to study Spanish and Japanese at university as my degree. During my third year, I studied in Barcelona. I fell in love with Spain and the idea that I could live or work abroad. I also met my now ex-girlfriend and decided it was where I wanted to be. I tried really hard to get back there, but ultimately was single and found a job in Madrid which I started last year from 2023-24.

2021-2022: Barcelona (5 months)

2022: Tokyo (5 months)

2023-2024: Madrid (10 months)

2024 - 2025 (maybe longer) - Japan

I wanted to go back to Japan (where I am now) and wanted to spend one year in both countries. However, I now miss Spain again and want to go back for the third time, however, I now want to stay for as long as I can and try to settle. I want to try and get my old job back (as stupid as that sounds).

I feel silly because I spent so long of my time in Spain thinking about Japan and now vice versa. I am going to see if I can get a job in a bigger city in Japan (as I am now in the country) to see if I can have a better experience here. But if not, then I will carry on with my plan to go back to Spain. It feels strange to want to go back to exactly what I did before I came to Japan if I returned to my old job, but I miss my co-workers and the people I worked with. However, I am also enjoying it here and want to improve my experience and see if staying might change that. There are things I prefer in both countries --> I feel like my heart is divided between both Spain and Japan. Under no circumstance do I want to go back to living full time in the UK!

Has anyone lived in Spain or another country multple times? What is your story?

Hello everyone,

I am a dual citizen in Spain and have recently signed up with Exactly Accounting for my Autonomo (freelance) accounting needs. They speak english and seem to have excellent customer service so it felt like an easy "yes". Although, i'm starting to get a little nervous because their "google reviews" seem auto generated and I can't tell if this is a scam or if they're just a small business trying to appear bigger to get more clients... They also asked me for my digital certificate so they can file my taxes and check my correspondence with the tax agency and that threw up a red flag. I know that sharing your digital certificate is a big no-no...

My questions are:

1. Has anyone else used Exactly for their tax needs?

2. Does an accountant need your digital certificate in order to file your taxes or is there another way?

3)Can any one recommend an english speaking accountant for freelancers in Spain?

Thank you!

I posted this in another sub but did not get responses so I was hoping I’d get some traction here.

This is a completely hypothetical post gathering information. I haven’t made any decisions at all.

I am an American looking at moving to a Nordic country in 4-5 years, possibly earlier depending on how this election goes.

I am most interested in Norway or Sweden. I am a teacher. I recently moved to Alaska for a teaching job teaching special education preschool. I love Alaska and I love teaching. I love my job and my school. But I don’t love this country and it feels it keeps getting worse. If this election goes south, I’m not sure how safe I will feel in this country as an LGBTQ person and teacher, especially with the possibility of the Department of Education being eliminated.

I also suffer from chronic health conditions and I struggle to afford my healthcare, despite being paid well.

As a teacher who only speaks English, I worry about my job opportunities. I would like to continue teaching. The state of education in the US seems to be rapidly declining so despite loving what I do, my job can be very stressful. I would love to teach in a Nordic country and continue doing what I love but escaping the absolute disaster that is the US education system. I think my best bet would be an international school. I have heard it can be quite competitive and difficult to get a teaching job in Norway for expats. Is this similar in other Nordic countries? Alternatively, what jobs can someone who loves teaching and working with children transition to? I would love to continue teaching but if the US continues going south, I don’t think I can continue living here.

As for language, as I said, I only speak English. I speak limited Spanish at about a mid A2 level. As far as languages go, how difficult are languages in this region for Americans who’ve only heard English and some Spanish their whole lives? I don’t mean I’ve never heard another language besides those two. But I’ve been around English and Spanish speakers my whole life and not much of anything else.

I am aware it can be difficult immigrating to these countries. What resources exist to help with this process?

I am not religious and from what I understand, these countries are very secular. Is this true?

I’m definitely not a small town person. I enjoy cities but I am also not sure I’d enjoy cities that are close to one million. I feel Anchorage at around 300,000 is a perfect size for me. Although, less reliance on cars may make me more open to a bigger city.

Speaking of cars, one of the reasons I don’t like living in the US is heavy reliance on cars. Lack of good public transportation makes a car an absolute necessity especially since I live a 20-30 minute drive from my school. Traffic is always awful in the mornings. Driving gives me anxiety. I would not be opposed to relying on public transportation. Is the public transportation extensive in smaller cities around the size of Anchorage (300,000) or is it mainly in the major cities?

My next major idea to consider is my health. I have 3 chronic gastrointestinal conditions. I have ibs, GERD, and gastroparesis. The main concern is gastroparesis (GP). In short, this means my stomach is paralyzed. I must eat low fat low fiber. It is incurable and is only managed by diet and sometimes medications but I haven’t found any helpful and there’s concerns about long term use. I can have certain fruits and vegetables if I cook them well. I cannot have whole grain or whole wheat. I get plain wheat (white is gross) or sourdough (thanks to my dietitian for helping me find I can tolerate this). I buy meat low fat and only have poultry and fish. Red meat causes pain. I do rely on some processed foods due to my condition, struggling with cooking, and being a bit of a fussy eater due to autism. This is my main concern with moving that I will struggle to find tolerable foods. Due to autism and adhd, I am a fussy eater (sensory issues) and I struggle to cook because of executive functioning and because I was never taught. I’m really worried I won’t be able to make it. Anyone have experience battling digestive issues and pickiness in Nordic countries? Especially gastroparesis? I am trying to do better and actually cook more rather than buying oven prepared things. It does put strain on my budget and I would like to save money and eat healthier. I am working on it.

I do not mind snow or cold. I’m not super into extreme cold. I don’t mind some negative temps (Fahrenheit) but I would not like to get too far in the negatives. I’d say -10°F (-23 C) is my limit. But I do prefer cold and despise hot weather. I love snow and would love to live somewhere that gets a lot of snow. I do not mind the dark either but I am also LOVING the beautiful midnight sun. I do not have a problem with seasonal depression and have actually struggled with increased depression symptoms during summer when I lived in the desert. Mainly due to very high temperatures. I would also love to live near the mountains as I have become accustomed to. And possibly the ocean as well.

Finally, as previously mentioned, I do have autism and ADHD. I am able to work and live alone. I struggle sometimes with executive functioning. I miss some social cues do get along best with other neurodivergents. The US isn’t a fun a place to be ND. I was bullied growing up and struggled making and keeping friends despite being quite outgoing. People just thought I was weird (still do). How kind is the world to neurodivergents in Nordic countries?

I believe that is it. I would love to hear people’s thoughts and ideas of where I might enjoy living based on what I’ve shared. Overall I do know I am adaptable. I mean, I packed up my whole life and drove across rural Canada because I applied to teach here on a whim. So I know I can adapt but I’d love advice and thoughts.

Just to give you a little background on the cursory research we've done, I am a CPA with a Master's in Accountancy. I have familiarity with ex-pats that need to file US taxes, and am in the process of getting my CAA. My wife is a dog-groomer and self-employed. We have two young daughters aged 2-4. We are only English speaking, we would be open to learning new languages, but I have bilateral hearing loss that affects my auditory processing, so learning a new language would probably be pretty time consuming.

It looks like my CPA will transfer via Mutual Recognition Agreements (meaning I would have a shortcut path to becoming a Chartered Accountant) to Canada, Mexico, Ireland, South Africa, Australia, or New Zealand.

We are concerned about civil unrest in Europe and North America right now, so that leaves New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. A cursory glance at salaries seems to show that Australia and New Zealand are competitive. We're a little afraid of culture shock in South Africa even if the climates probably pretty nice.

1. Any accountants have any experience going this route? I would hope that having my CPA would make me very marketable to ex-pats and people that have US business interests.

2. How realistic is it to live (at least temporarily) on a CPAs salary with a family of four in Auckland, Brisbane or some place similar?

3. Should we consider some place else such as Japan or Switzerland? Those places have a demand for CPAs, but the process looks a little more intimidating.

4. From what I understand, the best way to qualify for a NZ Visa would be for me to go through the skilled migrant visa. I have a Master's, so all I would need is 1 year of work experience in New Zealand directly with an accredited employer at a full time position?

I could go the internal/external auditor route as a Tier 1 Green List pathway, but my skills are much more valuable in tax than just financial statements.

Australia seems the easier path, as a taxation accountant is in the skilled list and I meet all of the other eligibility requirements short of taking the points test and being invited. Any advice on this process?

5. Finally, we are your typical clueless Americans here, albeit a little educated and striving to continue that. What sort of advice would you offer to assimilate small children into either of these countries?