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Hi, I need some advice as for a while now I've been thinking of just getting a one way ticket to a different country to go and at least spend some time with myself to sort myself out. Ive had enough of life itself I don't have much money £500 I just want to be gone. Is there a way I can just book a flight last minute to a cheaper country and start a new life for a while on my own? This may seem like a rushed post and make no sense but nothing makes sense to me anymore. I just want to get up and go and do something adventurous with the view of setting up a life somewhere else.

Hey everyone,

I'm from the US and have a 4-year Bachelor's degree in Psychology from NYU. I'm trying to find an affordable Master's program in Psychology (taught in English) somewhere in Europe or the UK. This would save me a ton of money as someone who isn't too keen on spending the rest of my life paying off student debt (looking at you, USA).

I thought I might have been able to get EU citizenship through my dad, who is from Europe, and has Croatian ancestry and a passport, but that's looking pretty unlikely, at least for right now.

Here's what I'm hoping to find:

-A general Psychology Master's, Clinical, or Applied Psychology program.

-Low/free tuition, or the potential for scholarships (I'm hoping for under 10k/year).

-Programs in countries like Spain, Italy, Finland, Estonia, or the UK -- those are my favorites, but I'm open to other options. I've heard that Germany may have potential programs.

-Universities with upcoming application deadlines (I haven't applied for Fall 2024 deadlines).

It seems like many non-EU tuition fees are very high, and many times EU-tuition fees will be free, but non-EU tuitions will be anywhere from 6-20k.

I applied for the Erasmus mundus Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology (WOP-P) program last year, and got in, but without a scholarship. It's not a field I'm super passionate about studying, and applied mostly in hopes of getting the full scholarship + stipend & relocation costs (!!!). I ended up going with the NALCAP teaching program in Spain instead, which I'm doing now.

If anyone knows of affordable programs, scholarships, or tips for navigating this as a non-EU student, I'd love to hear them! Thanks :)

Hi there,

Hope you're all well.

I am a Canadian citizen who has been looking to move to Europe for a couple years now (relatively flexible with where but mostly interested in Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany). I apply to jobs but don't have much luck despite networking and using the advice I receive from people. I am thinking it would be helpful to use a recruitment company/agency to help me out. Has anyone used one and had any luck?

Hi all,

I am currently a US citizen living in the UK. I've been in the UK on a spouse visa for the past (almost) 4 years. I've previously lived in the US for 15 years. I maintain a US address, phone, bank, the works. I also pay US taxes.

My mom recently passed away and left behind a sizable inheritance. She was a US citizen, US resident, domiciled in the US, etc. My mom owns nothing in the UK. And before anyone says, yes I am meeting with expat tax specialists very soon but I am looking for some experiences or words of comfort/advice. I haven't done anything with the trust as of yet, I just arrived two weeks ago.

My mom left me everything in a revocable living trust of which I am a successor trustee and beneficiary. There is also an irrevocable life insurance trust, as well as a pour over will. All of which I am a beneficiary. I was unaware of all these things prior to going to the UK.

I very recently and surprisingly learned that this could cause me big problems in the UK and I haven't eaten in 3 days and can't stop crying because I am terrified after reading all these US/UK trust issues. I don't fully understand the consequences and I am terrified I'll be taxed more than what I even get.

Has anyone had any experience with a situation like this? I just want to know I'm not going to owe something I can't humanly pay. I know there's a lot more details needed but obviously for the sake of privacy it's a general post. I own a house in the UK with my husband, if that's relevant in any way. Reading all the nightmare tax horror stories has made me sick to my stomach. Am I going to lose everything? Or am I misunderstanding the implications?

Thanks in advance.

Hi guys !

Planning on moving to belgium in a year or so. Problem is Im kind of lost in the process. So many things to look for, so many documents to fill. Do I have to find a job before leaving? Also note im 24 and just got my diploma.

Need you guys help, if you’ve done something similar let me know !

Looking for advice on packing for a move abroad. What are things to bring vs things not to bring ?

Trying to pack as light as possible!

My partner grew up in the US, had all the usual things for good credit, then moved abroad and has lived there for 8 years, during this time as he wasn't a resident he no longer had a US bank account or credit cards.

We are now moving back to the US, does he no longer have his US credit score after being gone for so long?

Hi all, this is a vet-related question about my cat’s vaccinations etc.

I have a cat and a dog that will be moving with me and hubs back to the UK (my homeland) from the US in May. I know all about the health certificates and have appointments booked with a USDA accredited vet but recently saw a post on here that scared me a little - so my cat has not been to the vet in around 1-2 years. He gets incredibly stressed and will go on hunger strike for a week afterwards. Dog is fully up to date on everything all shots etc, recently visited the vet.

Recently saw a post on here where someone said they had some issues with their cats paperwork because of a gap in their rabies vaccine - I was under the impression that the USDA accredited vet would take care of everyone and that prior vet records wouldn’t be of much importance? Am I missing something?

Starting to stress a little as we are submitting our visa application at the end of December and if something went wrong with our pets not being able to travel with us it would literally derail the entire move. Thanks in advance for reading!!!

I should also add I plan to call the vet tomorrow when they are open and ask them about this, but if you couldn’t tell - I am quite an anxious person and any additional info I can glean would be appreciated!

(Cross-posted) Hi I have a question for other expats who have been in a similar situation and may be able to help.

I've been living in the UK for 5 years but I've never sent any parcels home since Brexit's been fully enforced, so I'm a bit clueless. I'm moving back home (France) for a few months, maybe longer and I'd like to bring some of my stuff with me that I can't store in Edinburgh. I thought it would be cheaper to ship it in large parcels rather than pay for extra luggage at the airport (it's roughly £25 quid for a 20kg parcel according to Royal Mail and roughly £40 for a 23kg suitcase with Ryanair), but I'm worried I would have to pay a lot more after taxes. And I can't figure out how to calculate it. So my question is has anyone had experience sending their stuff with royal mail and is it worth it considering the VAT/custom taxes? Or is it best to just pay for extra luggage? Which courier company would be recommended?

In case it's relevant, I'd mostly wanna send things like books, posters, records, shoes, clothes and knick knacks/decorations and fragile items that have a sentimental value to me.

Hi all,

My partner and I are moving with our little one (at move will be 2yo) to Europe. I have a job in Belgium, but it is remote, and we are looking at options of living eslewhere in western Europe. We are bilingual english and french speakers. We are looking for family friendly neighborhoods, problem is we are unsure of what we really want. Any suggestions would help

I am nordic. I do not require any visa or permit. I just need to register.

But the big thing is the job. Currently I’ve been thinking receptionist, (with my nordic language skills, and English) I’m open to others. But I require a full time position.

Those who have gone to Norway, moving solo. Did you find a job easily, and first. Or did you move first, with enough savings for a few month of unemployment.

I’d like you to know how you manage your relocation, and what you recommend for others following in your footsteps to do

I’ve seen a few posts on this, but figure a fresh one at the end of 2024 / start of 2025 would be insightful.

Looking for opinions / experiences from westerners who have moved to work & live in Riyadh, KSA. Good, bad, ugly, surprises, over promised / underwhelmed, etc. Mid-30’s male, no wife / kids.

I’ve recently had two different recruiters reach out to me about a position at a manufacturer there doing a similar niche job I’ve done over here in mid-west USA. Like many, currently out of work and continuing to watch the white collar / blue collar jobs moved to LCC’s.

First salary estimate from the recruiter was below expectation, but bonuses and allowances essentially double the compensation and make it more attractive / sensible. Each recruiter has given me different time frames of visas / how to get in quicker. Have not interviewed / scheduled with hiring manager yet.

The attractiveness obviously comes from international experience on the CV, plus flights around EMEA are roughly 1/3 the cost vs. flying from USA, and I would opt to do a fair amount. Sounds like there would be some opportunities to do some international travel for the employer as well.

I’ve already read up on some of the customs and Sharia law restrictions.

Thanks

Anyone who can give me tips/advice? Also am open to making friendssss so if anyone's there and would like to hang out hmu 🤝🏼 I'll be in CDMX for 5-6 months, starting January.

Hi all!

I will be moving from London to NYC on a L1A visa early next year.

I currently bank with Starling Bank, which is a full UK only bank.

Is there any banks that allow you to have a UK bank account whilst I'm still in the UK but then be able to transfer it to a US version of a bank account when I move over?

I would prefer to just have one bank account that I can use while in the UK, then NYC, and then back to the UK once the visa comes to an end, instead of opening and closing accounts.

Renwal season is here and I'm not having plans on going back to US anytime soon. What do you expats do about your US insurance while living abroad? Do you keep in just in case? Is it bad to have a gap in your insurance history?

What are some pros and cons? Would travel insurance be sufficent if i go back to visit for 2 weeks in the states again?

Edit: Talking about personal health insurance here.

I am German and lived my whole live in northern Germany. Now I accepted a job offer in London which is a long time dream and it was a long way to make this dream come true mainly because of Brexit and Visa procedure. My partner is British and also lives in the UK, we had a long distance relationship for more than 2 years and now I decided to move to the UK. I visited the UK already a lot of times and really like it. BUT I have to say that my decision also came with cancelling my job and flat which I really liked. I worked for a nice company and was more than happy with my job. They said to me I can always come back if I return to Germany and reach out to them but also I had my dream flat which was hard to give up. Especially now when I try to find a similar flat in the UK (a bit more outside of London) it's simply not the same. I don't really want to live in a flat share and have my own flat but this seems to be impossible (in London) if you're not rich. I have a degree and do get a good salary at the company in London I'm starting but at the moment I'm struggling to find a nice place to call it my new home. How did you experience moving to the UK? Is it normal to have these feeling. On the one hand, it has been always my dream and I still want it but it makes it extremely hard especially if you was happy with what you had in Germany. I know that it does not need to be for forever and I can always come back to Germany and maybe I also should not compare it too much as I will always find something that is better in Germany or better in the UK. It's my very first time leaving my home country for a longer time as well. Do you have some advise/experiences you can share?

Specifically from the US to Europe? I’m looking into teaching English in Spain but I’m not sure how much I should have saved in order to do this comfortably. I appreciate any insight! Thank you!

We are in planning stages for moving over to France permanently. Likely the occitanie region. I am trying to be as accurate with our budget as possible for we will be retired. (More like the Mr. Money Mustache version of retirement not a large disposable income type). I'm curious if anyone can confirm the numbeo data for groceries in particular. We live near Albany ny. Also, maybe some unexpected reoccurring expenses that were unforeseen.

I reviewed my budget for last month and was really happy, I came in under budget for once… and then realized the exchange rate had shifted in my favor. That’s great and all, but it exemplifies the uncertainty in all this. How do you handle a budget when any month can have a 5% shift in the exchange rate between your earning currency to your primary spending currency?

Do you just pad your budget a certain percent to handle most fluctuations and learn to live a bit loose? Budget for the average exchange rate historically… and deal Since we are still getting monthly income and I don’t want to lose the interest I can’t convert a year in advance so the best certainty I can get is monthly. Is there a strategy I’m missing?

Even assuming you mostly like where you’ve moved to, everyone who’s ever moved to a different country will have their own list of things that baffle or irritate them about their new country, sometimes the most minor, trivial things that others may not care about at all.

For example, from many Poles living in Britain, the thing I heard most often was horrified bemusement at what passes for ‘bread’ in the UK. And my Polish partner’s pet peeve - very niche, this - was inability to buy crushed ice in supermarkets.

Now I’m a Brit living in Poland, mostly loving it, but of course there are still a few micro gripes. Mine are: the penchant of TV presenters for wearing polo neck sweaters and blazers together (I told you these were minor); eating piping hot soup even at the height of a sweltering summer; pavement widths reduced by half for diagonal parking; shops (not many, but a noticeable few) who can’t be bothered with signage; restaurants that open for lunch at 1pm; filthy buildings that need a good scrub; shop and cafe servers who take their own sweet time, no matter how long the queue; and the biggest - so minor I’m almost embarrassed to say it, but that’s the theme: widespread cluelessness about the importance of lighting (not necessarily amongst individuals but businesses).

What are yours?

Wondering if anyone else feels this way…I’ve been moving countries for a job every 2 years, currently in my 5th country which I felt was finally the right fit. However now that I’m in my second year, I feel like I might not want to extend my contract and leave instead. I know it’s exhausting to move and start over but I’m craving the adventure again and feeling bored with my life right now. Am I addicted to change or don’t know how to settle down? Can anyone else relate?

If you have to be an expat somewhere, maybe for work or school or a spouse.

I miss my own damn country so much it hurts.

Hey everyone! We’re a young married couple living in Milan—he’s from the US, I’m from Italy. We’d love to connect with other expats and make new friends! Feel free to reach out if you’re in the area! :) A little bit about us: we’re pretty chill people, we enjoy cooking, baking, and hosting. We like music and art, and know our way around the city. Would love to meet other Americans living in Milan!

Hi Reddit,

I'm a U.S. citizen considering moving to Taiwan to be with my wife. I traveled to Taiwan to marry her there. While I can't speak Mandarin, I believe I could make a living there through a YouTube channel or remote work that requires only English. I plan to maintain my U.S. citizenship in case we decide to move back there.

Given this, should I pursue a Gold Card or a Resident Visa? I meet the requirements for a Resident Visa and have everything needed ready to go, but I'm now intrigued by the 4 in 1 benefits of the Gold Card. I'm not even sure how difficult it is to get the Gold card or even if I would be qualified. Not really sure which option would be the smarter choice for me. If anyone has any advice or opinions around this, it would be very helpful.

Hi everyone, I recently left Chile to start a Work and Holiday experience in Portugal. I’m currently in Lisbon, but I feel emotionally disconnected and far from enjoying the experience the way I thought I would. I wanted to step out of my comfort zone, improve my languages, and grow personally.

Before moving, I was in a short but intense relationship (3 months), and I miss her a lot. It’s been hard to process the end of that while also adapting to a new country.

Right now, I’m struggling to connect with the place and find motivation. I’ve tried walking around, resting, and focusing on small daily things, but I still feel numb, like I’m just going through the motions without actually enjoying anything.

Has anyone else felt this way after moving to a new country? How did you deal with the feelings of disconnection and emotional baggage? I’d really appreciate any advice.

Thanks for reading

At what point does moving abroad stop being realistic? Whether it’s learning a new language, adapting to a different culture, or finding work, does age make these transitions harder?

Hi everyone, My life was basically was moving to Tokyo(6 years) from Turkey. Then Philadelphia(only for a year)...Couldn't stand it,so back to Turkey(for 3 years). And it was difficult to fit in back home. Moved to Tokyo( 4 years)again.And a couple years later to Toronto.I am on my 5th year here. I feel so depressed in winter.Rent is crazy expensive. Impossible to live on a single income.I never experienced this in any of the other countries I lived in. I tought I would settle.But my life here has been nothing but tiring here.I mean mostly mentally.So I am torn between houston and Tokyo now. I am a teacher with 18 years of experience that I gained in all the countries I lived in so far. Specifically speaking an international school teacher. I gotta kiddo and my main concerns are more laid back life with less rent. I know teaching is hard :) but I love what I do. For me, health care and education are two main factors for decision.Or I thought so. Now I realize that I like the community support and friendship possibilities in Nort America. Japan is a country that is socially harder to live.. Shoot me with your ideas... I have a best friend in Houston, so she will help initially. Tokyo is full of my good Japanese and foreign friends .