There are some coveted opportunities in my line of work and we would definitely go in a heartbeat if I ever got an offer. They are 2 year assignments with the 'platinum expat package' and are available in a number of cities around the world. I'd absolutely love to live anywhere in Europe but I'd be up for the adventure of going somewhere else as long as it wasn't dangerous for me or my family.
Post by expatpumpkin on May 21, 2015 11:24:16 GMT -5
For you to live as an ex-pat in another country? I've done this, lived in several countries, and am currently living in Mexico, so I'm totally open to the idea. Has another every done this? Yep! What countries would you be interested in? Europe, Latin America, or Colorado, hahaha What would it take (compensation agreement) to live in an uncommon place for 1-2 years? (Think Sri Lanka or Indonesia vs Europe) Generous housing allowance, full tuition and fees for private school for kids, paid trips home (1-2/year for all family members), and a high salary
Not much. Lol. I can get a bartending job anywhere if necessary.
I'm interested in Paris or London. Maybe Costa Rica.
For something like Sri Lanka, I'd definitely be OK living there for 1-2 years at a reasonable salary. (you'll have to define what reasonable is to you.)
Post by redredwine on May 21, 2015 12:42:14 GMT -5
I would totally do it and it's honestly on my bucket list. It's very common at my company-mostly Europe, a small percentage in Asia or other locations. I'm not high up enough for them to pay relo yet, so it would take a jump in job code (so, naturally a salary bump) and a good relo package, help with our current home we own here (I wouldn't want to sell it as I'd plan to come back permanently to the US) and a position for H as well as we both work for the same company but completely separate areas. I would probably only really be motivated to do it if it was in our Europe location, but would be open to other possibilities.
Post by crashgizmo on May 21, 2015 12:48:25 GMT -5
We'd do this in a heartbeat. Considered we currently live in a HCOL area, it's not even that we would need the same salary if the COL is lower. Basically as long as I could keep the lifestyle I have and have accessibility to travel home, we'd be all over it.
I don't know why we haven't looked into it more. DH works for a global company and I have a very transferrable career. Our tentative plan is to retire in the Caribbean or South America, so we've focused on those areas, but I would be open to go pretty much everywhere.
Post by jerseyjaybird on May 21, 2015 13:05:13 GMT -5
We would LOVE to do this, and my first reaction was "not much!"
Realistically, though, it would take some combination of salary and housing assistance that would make up for our two homes in the U.S. being rented at a loss (one is on the market and currently rented at a loss, the home we live in would likely be rentable but possibly also at a loss). And some fancy way of bringing the dogs with us.
I lived as an ex-pat in Europe for 5 years. It was an incredible experience that I wouldn't change for anything.
I was at the height of my career and decided to quit and follow DH promotion to Switzerland.
We would move over seas again in a heart beat. Only place we would never move to is Shanghai. We have heard too many stories from others that it's not ideal with young kids -- food/water supply is terrible.
As a true ex pat you are well compensated. Housing, salary, insurance, moving, etc is like a dream. If you have a "local contract" then you are paid at a higher salary but no "free" housing, insurance, etc. Most ex=pats return to the US with so much more money in savings, etc. It's a huge start up in life.
If you are a teacher and want to live abroad, the international schools are the way to do it -- We met so many people that were teachers and liver their dream abroad and living very nice!
For you to live as an ex-pat in another country? Has another every done this? What countries would you be interested in? What would it take (compensation agreement) to live in an uncommon place for 1-2 years? (Think Sri Lanka or Indonesia vs Europe)
Military orders, lol
weve done it. We lived in Egypt for a year.
Our options on are limited by H's career, but right now Japan and Germany are very likely.
We we don't get to negotiate compensation. We do get housing paid for a cost of living adjustments to H's salary. They also pay all of our passport and visa fees, obviously.
I'm in the very early planning stages of Expat Destination #4. ED#3 is starting to bore me a bit (oh boo hoo, my diamond shoes are too tight) but I need to lock down citizenship before I do anything. And having a baby [in the future] sounds like a drag on the expat lifestyle I've become accustomed to.
I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone who is serious about this that there is more to the world than English speaking western Europe.
I'm in the very early planning stages of Expat Destination #4. ED#3 is starting to bore me a bit (oh boo hoo, my diamond shoes are too tight) but I need to lock down citizenship before I do anything. And having a baby [in the future] sounds like a drag on the expat lifestyle I've become accustomed to.
I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone who is serious about this that there is more to the world than English speaking western Europe.
What's next on your list? Still thinking about Dubai or Doha? :-)
I'm in the very early planning stages of Expat Destination #4. ED#3 is starting to bore me a bit (oh boo hoo, my diamond shoes are too tight) but I need to lock down citizenship before I do anything. And having a baby [in the future] sounds like a drag on the expat lifestyle I've become accustomed to.
I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone who is serious about this that there is more to the world than English speaking western Europe.
What's next on your list? Still thinking about Dubai or Doha? :-)
I've got a hard on for anywhere in the Middle East, so I'm not picky. But it doesn't have to be the ME!
I think I'd actually pay my job if I had the opportunity to be based out of Paris or Rome or Barcelona. Really it wouldn't take much if it was me moving for my job. DH's job could be done from home or we could just live on my salary.
My requirements for what it would take vary with the location. I'd be willing to go almost anywhere but want more money and benefits the less desirable the location to me. Likely the only real option for us would be London at my current job and we'd be all over that opportunity. One guy actually moved to London 2 months ago on 3 days notice because they needed someone in the London office RIGHT NOW.
Post by emilyinchile on May 22, 2015 12:59:09 GMT -5
I currently live in Chile (since 2007) and am primarily from the US (lived in the UK as a kid). I moved here because I met H while I was studying abroad, and it made much more sense for me to come here than for him to go to the US. We are (still) trying to figure out when we'll move back to the US because I do think we'd like to live there for a while.
Because we already have family in the three countries mentioned, and that means that you're always missing someone and/or traveling long, expensive distances to see people, we're not particularly interested in going to live somewhere else just for the hell of it. That said, because we're already used to traveling like that, if it made sense for professional reasons, we'd go. Given our current jobs, this is unlikely (his is very local as a dog trainer, mine is remote and lets me live anywhere), but you never know.
I'd have no problem with it being an uncommon place like Sri Lanka or Indonesia, but I'd hesitate to move farther than about an hour from a decent-sized international airport. And like jamaicam said, I would prefer to live somewhere that allowed "regular" life rather than somewhere that pretty much required living in an expat bubble for security or practical reasons.
We'd go...wherever. My job has offices all over the world. I just have to apply, go through a lot of tests, then bid on the post. H's company is in half the world, I think, so he'd have to apply wherever I end up at.
It's still a long ways off and something we're interested in but haven't settled into our new lives quite yet to seriously talk about it.
So my friend in Geneva saw a picture I posted in Instagram this morning from London, and was like "what are you up to on Sunday?" and has now booked a flight to come up here for afternoon tea/champagne on Sunday. I am super happy that I'll see her, but also super jealous of the opportunity to do that. So I have gone from "I would love to do it" to "OMG I NEEEED TO DO THIS." Sigh.
I don't know. I always used to say that I would do it but I've met a lot of expats recently (through mummies groups as most locals don't get long maternity leave so the mummy groups that meet in the day have a lot of expats in them) and now it appeals less. The expat ladies tend not to work and they seem to primarily make friends with other expats. They also seem very disconnected from Jamaica. I have no desire for that type of lifestyle. If I was doing an expat gig, I would want to be more like @wandering, who seemed to immerse herself in South Africa and really get to know the country.
Aww that was very nice of you to say Living there was definitely a great experience and I learned a lot about the country, its people and also learned a lot about many other African countries that weren't on my radar before. Most of my friends there actually weren't South African, but from other countries, so it was nice to have a good mix. I didn't hang out with any Americans other than my coworkers and roommates lol.
I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone who is serious about this that there is more to the world than English speaking western Europe.
I don't think we've forgotten. For me, it was the only option. For others, maybe it's the part of the world they really are most interested in. Not everyone is a world traveler and if you're going to uproot your life, I can understand wanting to make it a little easier by not having to learn a new language and the like.
v, you're currently in London? Hope you're having a good trip and that your godson is doing OK.
I target Europe in my expat fantasies because it is what's realistic for us given our career prospects abroad (my field, for example, is focused in very few places, all of which are English speaking), our language skills (I speak Spanish, though it is not all that useful in my field, and my husband only speaks English) and where friends and family are located/are likely to visit.
RockNVoll -- yup, in London until Monday. Godson is doing well. Most important thing is that his heart is fully healed, which is an absolute miracle because a few months ago it looked like transplant was his only hope. He's gotten some movement back in his legs. He still has a long way to go and prospects for ever walking normally aren't fantastic, but he'll actually be coming to the states soon for a few months for more cutting-edge treatment that hopefully will let him gain more mobility. It is heartbreaking to see, honestly -- like today we were at a playground and it was sad to see all the other kids his age running around while he could only really swing -- but he's doing so much better than anyone could have hoped and there's a lot of reason for hope of much more recovery. He and his parents are dealing with all of it so well. Thanks for asking!
I'm in the very early planning stages of Expat Destination #4. ED#3 is starting to bore me a bit (oh boo hoo, my diamond shoes are too tight) but I need to lock down citizenship before I do anything. And having a baby [in the future] sounds like a drag on the expat lifestyle I've become accustomed to.
I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone who is serious about this that there is more to the world than English speaking western Europe.
Ha, that is a good reminder. But as a whole MM in general isn't very much in to risk taking. Many people mention that they would love to live abroad, when in reality if you are willing to take a few risks, many people could make it happen.
However, it would probably be at the expense of a fancy expat package and major relocation assistance. Most people on MM aren't going to pack up their lives to join the PeaceCorps or teach abroad or work for a non-profit which have a lot of abroad opportunities outside of Europe, but aren't super high paying or fancy. At least that seems to be my experience.
The non profit I used to work for is regularly hiring for jobs in Cape Town and often in Zambia if anyone is interested
ETA: On the other hand, if you play your cards right, you can make an American salary in a LCOL city. I know some of my previous coworkers made 70-90k per year living in Cape Town, which gets you VERY far financially.
Not interested in the slightest. I know it sounds crazy, but I don't even the desire to travel internationally. My mom always said she wanted to visit Paris, but I've honestly never wanted to. My dad was the only other person that I've ever known that felt the same as me.
I'm in the very early planning stages of Expat Destination #4. ED#3 is starting to bore me a bit (oh boo hoo, my diamond shoes are too tight) but I need to lock down citizenship before I do anything. And having a baby [in the future] sounds like a drag on the expat lifestyle I've become accustomed to.
I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone who is serious about this that there is more to the world than English speaking western Europe.
Ha, that is a good reminder. But as a whole MM in general isn't very much in to risk taking. Many people mention that they would love to live abroad, when in reality if you are willing to take a few risks, many people could make it happen.
That is a good point! But I know this has been discussed on other boards, with the same result. Maybe it's an American way of thinking?
I've been at this rodeo long enough to have seen the same question, and the same "London!" response maaaaany times before. And I always feel compelled to bring up that "abroad" is more than one congested city on one tiny island.
Post by aprilludgate on May 22, 2015 21:18:00 GMT -5
I'm not really interested. I'll visit, but moving to a foreign culture doesn't sound that great to me. With that said, if DH and I both had amazing, can't-pass-this-up job offers, I would want to have a really solid back-up plan in case that fell through.
A friend of DH moved with his wife moved to Asia for what was supposed to be 5 years. I'm not clear on the details of what went wrong, but a month later they were back in the US and in major debt.
@mx - I thought you were moving somewhere overseas relatively recenty? Or, did you already move, stay awhile, and come back? (time goes by too fast, and I lose track!)
Post by UnderProtest on May 23, 2015 5:39:14 GMT -5
Honestly it took more than I expected to convince us to move here (London). When I was young and first out of college, I wanted to do an international assignment, but as I got older, married, and we had kids, it seemed like a very daunting idea. For my husband, it was all about career progression. He never wanted to do an international assignment, not because it might be a financial loss, but because it generally derails your promotion schedule. When this opportunity came up, it came with the promise of a promotion so that was ideal for him. For me (with two small children and me being a stay at home mom), it was more about financial matters and the small details. For a lot of reasons, moving to Asia has not interested me, but Europe has. My husband has no foreign language skills, so an English speaking country was definitely a perk for him. I mistakenly thought it would be easier on us/me to move to a similar culture. I would have considered a more unusual place if the package and experience were interesting to us. Generally those places wouldn't have been a good place for my husband's career so it wasn't even suggested. We were luckily offered a really good assignment package and didn't loss much financially on the move. We chose to live in a non-expat area and our kids go to a British school where none of their classmates are American. It was good timing with the kids because they are just in preschool now so we don't really have to worry about the differences in school systems. Right now I am in a funny place and I'm a bit homesick so I want to go "home" but talk to me in another year or two and I might be itching to go somewhere else.
It doesn't take much since we are on the new position in a new country every 2-3 years train. I could do without things falling through at the last minute for reasons completely outside of your control like @mx alluded to. That's the reason we didn't tell anyone we were moving to Malaysia until we were sure it was going to happen--which was like six weeks before the move. I could really do without the uncertain nature of it all.
We are thinking that DH will put in for a position in Asia or India in a few years. He needs a few more promotions here before a longer term assignment abroad would be available to him. If we still don't have kids, we'll probably do it and I'd hopefully negotiate some sort of PT remote work or take a leave from my job.