Filter Posts by Flair

I’m in my 30s left my country more than a year ago, don’t have one place to live, change it every 3-4 months. My husband is in his retirement years and we basically travel, we will end up sooner or later in one place and its most likely gonna be on the other side of the world and far far from my home. I changed my name and feel that the only thong that is keeping me close to the reality I left is social media- have an urge to delete it all and start it over. Recreate myself as I feel so different new person now. I don’t need much of an advice, just curious about other expats. I feel like I don’t establish new identity yet, and the old one doesnt fit anymore on social media the image I created is also a bit different from a real one. I’m in general anxious person who needs validation a lot, but got mentally so so much stronger as I don’t fit in my own society. Just curious if anyone else felt like that and would love to share.

Hey all,

quick intro - I'm European living in the US (15 years, plus another 2 elsewhere; dual US/EU citizenship), facing an unwanted divorce and a more than likely return to Europe. I'm looking for advice with moving 'some' household goods, potentially my car; and my pets. I'm overwhelmed and need to get this figured out soon, as we would be looking at leaving around June 2025.

I know the general advice is to get rid of everything and start over new, and I do plan on that, but I still want to keep some of our stuff, be it sentimental or whatever, the process is already hard as is. I can't bring myself to start fully from zero, yet again.

Anyone ship some of their household stuff in a container with their car? I've read somewhere that if car is claimed as part of household goods 'permanent' (repatriating) move, there is no import tax? It's a 2020 Mazda cx5 - nothing special, I know, however comparable used car there of the same age will run me three times what I would get for it here, if I sold.

We have six cats (yeah, i know). Gathered Lufthansa is the safest bet for them as carry ons? I know it's one animal per person. I think I can figure it out for five, and may need to do pet shipping of some sorts for one...

And, lastly. Anyone been in this situation? How did you adjust to being 'back'? I frankly still don't feel like I fully belong in the US, but I also don't quite fit back home in CZ anymore. Half life spent here, half over there.

I have been considering pursuing a tech career in switzerland. Does Geneva have any startup scene at all?

Algeria to seol

I'm 21yo Algerian (North Africa), currently a student for French literature licence, I do speak English and French and ofc my native language Arabic, I've spent the last 3 or 4 years working, so I can leave when the right time comes, and I always thought of South Korea as an option (long story but my uncle lived there, he was successful, and now he's in Algeria, always yapping about leaving Korea), I just wanna ask about the rent prices and what can I do as job to secure a good life. Ps: I'm ready to do anything, cuz in Algeria we believe that there is nothing harder than to live in our country.

Alsalam Alikum

Hello! I need help with shifting my mentality

Basically, I’ve lived abroad for about 10 years, I grew up in that country, and I consider it home

I moved back to my home country three years ago, it was at the late stages of the pandemic, I was still depressed and moving back home made it more challenging. I’ve become better mentally and emotionally on the course of those three years (grew up basically lol)

But I still have this fight or flight mentality, I still haven’t fully adjusted, I still have hope in moving back abroad. It’s like I don’t want to get comfortable here for some reason. (I’m very grateful for what I have, alhamdu li Allah I’m just explaining the situation). I feel like I’m still living on the smallest brink of hope-that of moving abroad again-.

But I feel like it’s finally time to fully accept that, to be comfortable with the fact that I might not move abroad again, that I have to settle down in my home country and adjust and accustom to its traditions and culture and even people

How can I do that? Please share your experiences and advices

Thank you all in advance!

Hey I’m a 16 year old who has been just forced to move to Poland from England.Its safe to say I hate this place I don’t like anyone at school and it’s also harder to connect as I’m in a class full of 14 or fresh 15 year olds.Im here pretty much on my own as my parents are still in England selling the house and I’m living with my aunt and uncle.Even tho my grades aren’t bad I still find it really hard and I feel out of place.I really don’t like this place and I want to move to England as I feel like I’m wasting my potential here as my grades where quite good back there.Please could someone help me as I’m unable to move back as my patents are moving permanently in a month.I miss my friends,places,school,everything I knew and this place although is where I’m technically from feels unknown not like when I came here for holidays.please share your thoughts

For these suggestions let's forget about the technicalities of getting residency etc.

I'm just curious what cities in the world one could live comfortably off of 3k usd a month?

By this I mean: pay all utility bills

eat out regularly (I'm talking local cheap meals not fancy dining..example street tacos if in Mexico)

Rent small apt in middle to upper middle class neighborhood

Have some money left over?

Seems like this would be almost nowhere these days but just curious to hear peoples suggestions

I often hear that getting a US visa is a nightmare, and to be honest I haven't done much googling yet, but just thought I'd ask if it's just difficult in general or difficult even for someone with the passports above and working as an engineering director in a FAANG company?

Basically, would being Irish and having say Apple really want you in the US make getting a visa trivial, or still hard?

Hi! I was on a J1 visa in the US for a year, didn't have any SSN or state ID. I returned to France and now need to provide a FBI background check for Canada immigration. US administration is telling me I need to provide a US ID to get my fingerprints done, which I don't have. Anybody in a similar situation that could help? thanks a lot!!

As a US and EU citizen working and living in Canada, what are my options in terms of a retirement account? I was interested in opening up a Roth IRA account but i'm not sure if i'm eligible. I have a US address that I can use but my taxable income is from Canada. Would an RRSP be the way to go? Any other options? thank you!!

Which countries are there where you are always seen as equal, regardless of your skin color or migration background?

I have heard that this phenomenon occurs in the US, Canada and other English-speaking countries such as Australia and New Zealand, as these countries were built on migration.

I have also heard it very often about France.

I myself am a German citizen but am never seen as German by the native German population.

I have been establish my circle here since high school when I was 16. Now I am 26,the idea of heading home scares me, I have been really sleepless, anxiety, all the feelings are just looming over, overwhelming. Sometimes feel better, but majority time are just worst. How should I cope with that ?

Hello everyone,

I'm reaching out to understand the salaries I can expect for a mid-senior corporate strategy and M&A role in Munich, London and Zurich.

I recently moved to Dubai 4 months back from Barcelona after my MBA, but I don't like it here really or haven't fallen in love with this (materialistic) city yet. I make around 102,000CHF in Dubai if I do a direct salary conversion (current exchange rate), but if I use a Purchasing Power Parity salary calculator, my salary in Dubai is equivalent to getting a 180,000CHF in Switzerland. Similarly in Germany that would be €130,000 in PPP terms and £125,000 in the UK in PPP terms.

I have around 2500CHF/£2000 of monthly student debt to repay over the next 4 years. The money in Dubai is great, but it's not the life I'm looking for long term. I'm more of a nature person, I'd love to travel, and have a more balanced life. People here are very money/status driven (although I'd love to achieve financial freedom) and have very surface level relationships (maybe I haven't been lucky yet). I know with my current debt situation, the rest of the Europe doesn't make sense with lower salaries and higher taxes. I would have loved to stay in Barcelona, but the salaries are miserably low. Hence, I'm exploring these 3 specific cities.

I'm obviously not looking to move tomorrow, but just planning ahead. I'd really appreciate to hear your thoughts on the kind of pay I can expect to have a decent life and keep something aside for investments/savings after paying my monthly debt. Maybe I can move only after my debt has been cleared - who knows! But would love to hear about living in these cities, the quality of life and how people go about finding jobs there.

I returned to my home country back in 2018. I've been here ever since. I last travelled abroad in summer of 2019 to take care of red tape and then between then and 2023 I didn't even travel anywhere except within my country. In 2023 I visited 3 countries, this year 2 (one was the same from last year and I also visited Romania for the 1st time). Still even that feels like I'm wasting my time in my home country.

I like my family and all but the places I remember from my past no longer feel the same. I've applied for jobs abroad since at least 2022 and so far haven't got anything except a Fb content moderator which paid low so I decided against it. It seems it has become harder to find a job in the EU even as an EU citizen since the pandemic. Or maybe my luck is gone and I'm stuck here.

I miss living in a country where I flourished socially and fitted better into the culture. Sure, many countries would be a bad fit but in the last 5 or so years I could've lived and worked in almost 5 countries. It feels like I'm wasting my time living in a country I don't really enjoy much, even though it's my home one. As I often joke it's like that oldies song that goes like "Even though you treat me bad. And many cruel words you have spoken. You have got a spell on me that. Just can not be broken". Except a spell it's more of a curse. I mean in very few other countries I've had random strangers insulting me and swearing at me at the grocery store lol. In Slovakia even if the person was rude to the customer before me would be nice to me. Even though they were their fellow compatriot and I'm a foreigner. I know most countries would be meh or neutral. I count my blessings to have stumbled upon a lucky location. We can't all travel around until we find a gem. And yet going back to a place you feel alien in despite being born in it hurts more than moving to a dud new country.

Does anyone regret returning to their home country? I feel like once you see that some lands out there could embrace you and can really feel better you can't just settle down back to your country if it's not one of the best ones for you so to say. Visiting Austria in 2023 also really made me missing living abroad more. I felt more at home in Salzburg than in any place I've visited in my home country. Once you know out there there are places where you just feel more lax and more alive it's hard to go back to a meh place. I have 0 friends in my home country and I've always had to try hard to find/keep them. In Slovakia I made almost a dozen in just a few months. Locals and fellow expats there just liked me for some reason. And I believe there might be even better countries for me than Slovakia.

I'm hearing rumors that Schwab is thinking of stopping the practice of allowing people who live outside of the US to maintain their 401ks and IRA accounts. Looking for backup options in case they do decide this.

Nous allons emménager avec ma famille en Allemagne pour 3 ans. On doit créer un "rental deposit account" pour louer notre appartement. On pense en ouvrir un plutôt dans une banque avec agence et pas en ligne. Je pense aussi qu'il vaut mieux ouvrir un compte avec un RIB allemand pour tout ce qui est gaz/ électricité + internet pour éviter des problèmes (malgré les prélèvements SEPA).

Qu'en pensez vous ?

has anyone experienced heartbreak while living abroad & not had people to go to? i’m not sure this group is necessarily for this kind of stuff but my boyfriend tried to sleep w my roommate & idk if i should stay or try to get through this. It’s not her fault but it’s hard to see my roommate rn bc it’s unbearably painful & i blocked my now ex on everything. I feel like I have nobody to talk to & my family/friends are 9 hours behind me so we can’t talk often. I don’t want to seem “weak” or like i can’t handle it if i leave but i’m not sure this is going to be a good year for me. The program im in is until june so i have a ways to go. What would you do? Any advice/kind words welcome

So I posted a few weeks back about relocating to Kenya for work and wanting to bring my two Siamese cats with me. First, I want to say that I understand that moving is one of the most stressful things one can undertake. I've moved many times, many different states. However, an overseas move is next level stress. There are days when I'm excited and others when I'm like "WTF am I doing?!?" I constantly remind myself that this is something I get to do, not something I have to do. I've always traveled overseas for work so that part I've got. I've worked in many different countries but never longer than 1-3 months at a time. Certainly never brought my pets. I've learned a lot in the past 3 weeks. I hired a pet moving company. The owner has been amazing. I've asked her everything from if she's ever had a pet die to how often do airlines lose pets. I've called her after I had a dream my cats died in transit. Called her again when a friend shared a horrific story she'd seen about Turkish Airlines losing some guys dogs and then telling him "you get what you pay for." I called her when I received a copy of my apt lease and hidden at the bottom it started "no pets". She's been incredibly helpful, informative and patient. She helped me understand the difference between cargo and checked, discussed her world wide network of handlers and catteries used in transit countries to house them overnight. She helped me on how to request the lease be changed (pets are permitted, they just want money to change the lease). She has help me navigate all the red tape required for getting them into the country (vet exams, vaccines, microchipped, crate requirements, paperwork, etc). At this point, I'm cautiously optimistic, but that can change at any moment for any reason. One of her team will pick them up on Tues and drive them to Dallas. They will fly out on Wednesday and arrive in county Friday, one day after me. Here's hoping it all goes very smoothly.

Sidenote: Kenya requires all animals (except licensed service) to enter via cargo or checked. Checked is less expensive but far more dangerous. There are barely treated better than your luggage. Cargo is significantly more expensive but they are in a specially hold, away from luggage, temperature controlled and pressurized) Even if I could travel with them in the cabin, I have one that can be extremely hostile when stressed. Vet visits require boxing and total sedation. No way I could even get him through TSA where they require pets to be removed from their carriers to go through X-ray (the carrier not the cat).

I'll provide an update once everyone is settled.

Gay American [40] considering move to Sitges

Hello! I’m strongly considering a move to Sitges and would love some tips on the social aspect of the city for an American expat.

I know a little bit of Spanish but not enough, and plan to learn it (i.e. will take time even when I’m living there). My questions are related to dating, making friends, etc. Is dating hard for American expats? I understand Spanish stick within their own circles. Are there a lot of expats from other European counties or is it a very small community? How welcoming are people? Is it easy to make friends that speak English? How easy / difficult of a time with I have.

Feel free to answer any questions. Really appreciate it!

EDIT: To make this more clear, my question is about the social aspects of living in Sitges and has nothing to do with the immigration process.

Hi everyone We are in the very early stages of of buying a property in France. A friend and fellow British expat had told me some stories to put the fear of god in me.

Here's our situation

• we are a couple from UK •The property will be our only residence, not second home • cash purchase •seller is also British •limited French language on our part (and the sellers)

My friend tells me that we MUST appoint a bilingual solicitor and an interpretor. Is this really necessary? Every conversation I've had with the Notaires so far has been in English. I fully expect the documents to be in french but was hoping I could just use a translation app if I need to.

What's been other people's experiences?

Is she scaring me for no reason 😵‍💫

Thanks 🙏

Are there any Expats in Romania I could talk to? Wondering what the best bank-opening decision might be, things like that. Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I’m currently based in Europe and looking to study Cyber Security abroad. I’ve applied for a student visa twice to study in Quebec, Canada, and despite having CAQ approval both times, my visa applications were unfortunately rejected.

Now, I’m considering whether I should try applying to Quebec again or shift my focus to universities in the UK. I’d love to hear your advice or experiences on both options. Specifically, I’m interested in comparing:

• Tuition and living costs
• Quality of education in Cyber Security
• Ease of obtaining a post-study work visa

Thanks in advance for your help.

I (27f) have been living in the UK for 8 years but never got the chance to attain citizenship because I have the privilege to hold a Japanese passport and kept jumping onto different visas that meant restarting my route to permanent residency. I’d say I am a seasoned expat (I grew up in KL and went to an international school and moved to UK not long after graduating).

I have AuDHD so making life decisions have been challenging and maybe not made the best decisions. I went back to live in Japan for a year and loved it, but came back to UK for further job opportunities. Now I am on track to attain PR in 4 years with my current job but I’m not sure if I want to stay just to attain it, looking at the economic prospects of Britain.

I’ve also always been a family oriented person and my goal in life has always been to find a suitable partner to marry and have a stable home, and now I met my amazing American partner and is financially free enough to outright buy a home with me, I’m considering uprooting again because I do believe that the US has better prospects for me, with not just a stable home with love but also financially. My current salary could easily be doubled and with all honesty the future of the UK after brexit has always felt a little bit bleak, with stagnant wages and housing crisis etc.

The only thing I fear is that I’ve spent most of my life building something solid and started my career in the UK, now being on track to being a permanent resident, I want to feel like the decision to move would not be in vain. While I love the US as a visitor I don’t have doubts about living there full time as I am usually very good at adapting to new cultures and countries. Growing up in KL felt almost similar to the American lifestyle to be honest.

I also love living in Japan and plan to eventually retire there but not on the cards in the near future while I am still young. Being an expat makes it so much harder to make decisions, a bit of a rant but hopefully get a bit of a sanity check. 😅

I am really keen on moving to Nigeria now that I have finished university . I am in search of an expatriate role and have been on the hunt for one for about 3 months. I am struggling to find expatriate roles in general and have been advised most of these jobs are gotten through connections and networking. Can anyone offer any advise on how to go about the job search and find recuriters/companies looking for expats in Nigeria?

My motivation for a temporary relocation to Nigeria is to gain new experiences and save as I expect the cost of living to be more affordable than the west. I look forward to all your advice.

I recently did a company internal transfer to Japan, and while Japan is fine, I am realizing that I made a huge mistake leaving my home in the US. I didn't realize it then, but I am severely attached to the scenery, the food, the pace and way of life, the people I know, the office culture, all of it. I feel so isolated here, made worse by my poor language skills. And this resolution to go home ASAP has killed any interest I had in continuing to study the language.

I have to be here for almost 2 more years due to this contract, or I have to pay back a lot of the relocation costs. I also don't want to burn myself within the company. But I want to go home so desperately. I don't know what to do.

I plan on doing one soon, but using that year to network and get more work experience before applying for a permanent visa.

I'm wondering if anyone else used it for that and, if so, how did you spend that year?

I remember nearly 10 years ago when I was researching the countries and cities in western Europe to live in, oh the freedom! A freedom that I'll probably never get back because I'm now basically married and I have a child. I can't even move cities unless my partner also finds a job in that city. And if I change jobs, there is a new trial period and I have too many bills to risk it.

I think I chose the right country (France), but I chose the wrong city because it was a cheap temporary option but now I'm basically stuck here. Therefore, choose wisely, that convenient temporary option might become your long-term home.

We are going to be moving from US to Thailand around this time next year, hopefully. We will have little to no baggage with us but are looking to transport our pets. My husband is Thai so we know all about the requirements to import them and everything like that.

We are on a budget but are willing to shell out what we need to bring our babies with us. The only caveat is our dogs are elderly 12 and 13 years old. We worry that air cargo might be the straw that takes one of our dogs over the edge. So it is most likely out of the question. We are trying to find a service by ship that will allow pets, even willing to travel on cargo.

We also are willing to try to save up enough to share a charter or jet if they are with us and not in cargo. Overall I cannot find a lot of information on how to make this happen. So if anyone has any ideas or contact information of an option we would be SO SO forever grateful.

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?