Calling Expats?! I don't know if it has already been asked but..

[amyrose2712]

I am curious to hear from any expats. Where you live and how you went about getting there? Also , what are the differences? what do you miss from home? I am curious because we have been thinking about moving for a while. Just interested in some personal accounts. Thanks.

[mwooldri]

1. I guess you're hoping for US ex-pats who moved overseas...

I'll answer since I'm a British Ex-Pat.

I became ex-pat because of love. I fell in love with my wife after corresponding her for some time as pen pals. We met in Jan 1998, I proposed exactly 7 days after meeting her, she accepted! I proposed again in May 1998 when I came to visit her for the first time. We were both poor and had raelly nowhere to live... house prices in the UK in SE England are atrocious and I couldn't afford to rent a place. So for economic reasons and because I wanted to spend the rest of my life with my wife, I moved.

What do I miss the most? #1 - family. It's never easy going back for a visit - love to stay but got to go. Mum didn't particularly like the idea of me leaving and still doesn't to this day. The rest of the family doesn't like it much either but have accepted it, see that my wife makes me happy and because I'm happy they're happy.

Well, I am a geek/nerd to some extent so the things I miss about home are different. Foods I miss include fish and chips, sausages, Irn Bru, to name a few. I miss UK TV & Radio - over there is a requirement for balanced reporting - there's none of the "talking heads" that you see over here on cable news. Instead you have personalities like Jeremy Paxman on Newsnight or John Humphries on Radio 4's Today programme that will happily rip into ANY politician, of any party or persuasion. I miss public transport that works well, since well I don't have any where I live (well there's the paratransit but that involves scheduling. I can't just decide, ohh i want to go out of town and just hop on the bus or train. I got to plan it). I miss the weather - it gets friggin' hot here in the summer.

The things I love about over here are a: the roads - they're bigger and wider and better than the UK. Especially useful since I'm a lousy driver and had to drive since moving here. b: 24 hour shops. Yes, say what you like about WallyWorld but the concept and the operation of such a place is something I kind of like very much. Now if they only treat their employees better and such... c: the people. They were friendly at home, but here... :)

If you want more I can post but I'm at work right now so this is all I can do for now.

Mark.

[amyrose2712]

2. Yes, I was looking for US Expats, but..

it is also nice to hear from both sides. Thanks for responding and I would certainly like to hear more. I have never been out of the US and like would really like to hear from anyone that is not originally from the US or people that have moved elsewhere. I look forward to hearing more. Thanks.

[harmonicon]

3. I moved to the UK last year

I really love it there. I'm back in the US for six weeks right now.

How did I go about getting there? Well, the exact details are sort of long and complicated, but the short version is that I'm getting a Phd at a british university, so I only have a 3 year visa. However, after just one year, I really think that I would stay there over the US if I could once my visa is up. For two years my girlfriend was living in France, and I loved it there too... I'm going to look for jobs in Europe over those in the US when the time comes, bur really I'll go anywhere where I can get paid for doing what I love.

Differences.... well, the first thing is driving: I don't drive in England, and I love it. Not driving has radically improved my quality of life. Having a car created a load of things to be neurotic about, which is a problem for a neurotic person like myself. As a result, I am a far more calm and relaxed person. The town I live in is less than 200,000 people, but it's still easy to walk there. If I'm going out of town, the train station is just a 20 minute walk, and I can be in loads of different cities in just a few hours, with very little planning needed.

What do I miss? Some of the food that I love - there is no real mexican food in the UK, so far as I can tell. No maple syrup either. Mac and cheese comes in a can, and I'm too scared to even try it. Being on an island is also hard. When I lived in the US, if I wanted, my friends and I could drive from Chicago to New York in a day, just for the hell of it. As the guy who did the opposite pointed out, the 24 hour stores in the US are fantastic - I really miss that. I live close to the one 24 hour store in my town, but lots of places don't have them. Opening hours are generally shorter in the UK.... the pub that I like to go to closes at 11 on week nights and 12 on weekends. I also miss coast to coast am.

I don't know if that helps - if you have more specific questions, just ask.

[amyrose2712]

4. For coast to coast cant you get Xm satellite radio there? nt

[harmonicon]

5. I don't think so

I can listen to it on some online affiliates in real time, but that is then in the morning in the UK - I miss having the late night radio. I don't think XM will work, because I think their satellites are in some sort of geosynchronous orbit around the US. I've never heard of anyone in the UK using satellite radio, just normal old radio - it's a small place. The weather forecast every day is for the entire UK (far more detailed than the nation-wise US weather forecasts that Al Roker or someone would do).

[amyrose2712]

6. you should look into it...

I listen to Howard Stern on there and people sometimes call in and are listening overseas or in south america. But I think it is dependent to each country...

[Eurobabe]

7. you can get XM online, I've had it for 2 years

but not in the car.

And you can also buy a slingbox to stream US tv to England. I have one over in Germany.

[mwooldri]

10. Nope, no XM or Sirius.

But there's Worldspace for satellite radio, though they're retooling for more channels. Right now its free with 16 channels, including NPR & Fox Sports Radio.

But UK has DAB - more successful than HD Radio - primarily because there is more choice there and cleans up the AM stations and makes them sound clearer. Unlike the US, you can still find a good number of music stations on AM in the UK.

Mark.

[amyrose2712]

15. Not even online?

[mwooldri]

11. As for coast to coast AM, how are the local alternatives?

The national ones being BBC Five Live, or TalkSport?

I don't know where you are in the UK but some BBC local stations carry overnight chatter; I think BBC Southern Counties Radio does. LBC in London sure does.

Mark.

[harmonicon]

14. there are some ok things

I don't actually have a radio over there (I'm going to get one eventually), but I can pick up loads of radio stations via my freeview tv box - all of the bbc stations, loud and clear. Freeview is great - the US should get their act together and have a similar system, though they may once digital goes into full effect here.

[Critters2]

16. No maple syrup? I never even thought about it, but I guess it is an American

product. I seriously wouldn't know how to eat pancakes without it!!

[Tikki]

20. Ah, but root beer...

A bought a girl from England, over here on vacation, a root beer drink at a movie...
I thought she might enjoy a hot dog and root beer. Poor thing
she looked like she was gonna die after drinking a few sips...
"Why are you giving me horse liniment to drink?" she asked. :shrug:

Tikki

[Critters2]

21. Well, there ya go. Proof that I could never live in England. nt

[harmonicon]

24. same here

Their pancakes are more like french crepes, or maybe a bit like german pancakes - they eat them with lemon and powdered sugar. What I found to be really wild was that they have "flap jacks", which are more like granola bars.... some weird baked concoction involving oats and sugar and raisins - nothing like what we'd call "flap jacks".

[GoneOffShore]

19. Look for Canadian Maple syrup - Should be able to find it in the larger stores

Harrod's food hall will definitely have it - at a price. But you should try Sainsbury's as well.

[harmonicon]

23. I shop at Sainsbury's, but I haven't been able to find it

Maybe I'm just not looking in the right place.... I have a friend who works at the other Sainsbury's in my town (I shop at the one closest to my house), and he claims that they carry it, but has no idea what isle it's in, etc. I think people have just heard of it and assume that stores have it - Tesco has also failed to deliver on it.

[Runcible Spoon]

8. been in Buenos Aires for about a year and a half.

moved here to be with my fiance. I miss American food big-time. Argentinians are not well-known for their culinary curiosity and if you want that you hafta pay a lot more. Example: there are no cheap taco joints, so if you're craving quick Mexican you have to go to an expensive Mexican restaurant. Same for Indian and just about everything else I love.

Inflation is kinda going crazy here too, although it's much cheaper. There are a lot of US expats in the city, especially now that I've found "the" expat bar :evilgrin:

The men are gorgeous, the nightlife is great if you're here for only a few weeks but I would love more outdoor festival type affairs. Doing the whole tango bar thing is only fun once if you're a drunken tourist; locals don't really do it unless they dance regularly then they have their own spots where expats are less likely to be found.

There has been a lot of political unrest this year between the Cristina Fernandez Peronists and the agricultural industry over tariffs on (mostly) beef exports. That resulted in a few weeks where milk and meat was almost gone from the city and there were big protests. Nothing really got violent. As someone who swings socialist, the feeling on the street is that the gov't doesn't pour stiff taxes and tariffs back into the economy, that they are somewhat corrupt and/or inept, but also that the "farmers" aren't really to be pitied because they represent huge industrial agriculture conglomerates and actually the gov't is fighting Monsanto, which is nice to see.

Argentina is easily known as one of the most lax places in the world when it comes to law enforcement of things like tax evasion, so you see a lot of foreign industry taking advantage of labor that isn't taxed on either side. However, the cops are very militant here and you don't want to end up in the Argentinian courts. A nightclub burned down here four years ago, hundreds of kids died because the owner kept the doors locked to prevent people from sneaking in. Just NOW has the case come up for trial, and it hasn't even started yet.

Healthcare is cheap here, although medication can be somewhat expensive without a presription and there are often several "tiers" of prices depending on who you are. I don't even try to buy anything without a price tag since I am obviously American; I just send my fiance in to get the "local's price". Aerolinear Argentina is in the process of being nationalized; I always liked that airline so am anxious to see what happens with service and price.

SOrry, I'm rambling!

[Blue_Tires]

12. sound like a lot of fun

I've given some thought about Argentina, especially since they finally allowed blacks into their society (i kid, i kid)...But I think I would feel more comfortable in Brazil

[amyrose2712]

17. Please don't be sorry ....

for rambling. This is exactly what I am looking for . Thanx! and Thanks everyone keep it coming this is great info!

[MaggieSwanson]

9. I've been in the Philippines for a little more than a year.

I was sent here as part of my former company's outsourcing project and I loved it so much that I quit my job and stayed.

There are a lot of differences when transitioning from a first-world country to a third-world one.

Work:
With so many people and comparitively few jobs, even a job as a cashier requires at least a two-year college degree. Hiring practices are very different as well, and jobs are clearly marked as intended for a male or female employee. Not only gender, but height, weight, marital status, personality (!) and physical proximity to work are also specified in the want ads.

Relationships:
Divorce is illegal in this hugely Catholic country. Marriage seems to benefit men more than women (I could say something rather snide here but I won't), as it is commonly accepted that married men will have girlfriends. For some reason it is considered to be better if he only has one, 'serious' girl on the side, as opposed to just randomly screwing around. If married couple is seperated, he is allowed to have 'concubines' but she cannot take a lover; that would be adultery and she would be ostracized. And yes, I have some good female friends that get me really riled up on this topic.:P

Children are adored and protected here, although many children are raised by yayas (live-in helpers) with their mothers overseeing the process. Sometimes a yaya's only pay will be her food and shelter.

Food:
The Filipino food here is wonderful and creatively spiced. American and Italian cuisine is everywhere as well, with a strong showing by Japanese, Thai, and Chinese restaurants. There are no good Mexican restaurants, and only mediocre Indian.

Vices:
Beer is quite cheap, at 19 pesos a bottle. It's cheaper than drinkable water. Tanduay rum is my special favorite, costing 60 pesos for a longneck bottle.
Cigarettes range from 10 to 35 pesos a pack.
Prostitution is everwhere, if that's your cup of tea.
Gambling is illegal, but it's done at wakes as an acceptable way of raising funds to have the departed interred. It's also tolerated if a tong is paid to the right people.

Aside from my family, I miss:
Artichokes, tempeh, Haas avocados, berries, Premium brand saltines, Veganaise, Guru and Monster energy drinks, Rohto V eye drops, Almay cosmetics, 24-hour stores, TP in public restrooms, and potable water. Especially the latter.

[amyrose2712]

18. May i ask?

What is it that you loved so much. Hard to tell from you description:shrug:

[MaggieSwanson]

28. :) I love the culture here,

the topography, the creative people I have met, the music, the art, and the amazing amount of freedom that people have.

[amyrose2712]

31. oh Cool...

what kind of freedom as compared to the US?

[MaggieSwanson]

32. People take on a lot more

personal responsibility. Rules are more like recommendations. Traffic is unbelievable; you take your life into your hands crossing an intersection. Anything is possible for a small bribe. People watch out for each other. It's a much more communal experience with hardly any red tape.

I would call it an anarcho-democracy.

:hi:

[amyrose2712]

35. very interesting Thanks..

[amyrose2712]

36. SELF DELETE

Dupe

[WildEyedLiberal]

13. Not really an "expat," but I've lived in the UK for a few months now

I'm just on a temporary student working visa, so I'll be coming home in a month. I do really enjoy the UK and if I got the opportunity to live here permanently, I'd seriously consider it. Trouble is, it seems VERY hard to get that opportunity if you're from the US or some other non-EU developed country. The options seem to be a) get hired by a British company who is willing to sponsor you, b) study here, or c) marry a native. Since I was a history major and don't have any "high tech market skills" or whatever the hell, a) doesn't seem likely for me. B) is a possibility, although I am not sure I really understand the British postgraduate system that well, and I don't think there are that many scholarship or funding opportunities for American students, and c) well, what the hell, it's a pipe dream :P

In terms of actually living here, I really like the closeness of everything. I like that I can go to Berlin or Paris for a couple of days on a whim for a grand total of about 100 pounds for airfare and a cheap hostel room. Living on/near such a small continent really facilitates travel. There's NO excuse not to travel a ton if you are lucky enough to live in the UK/Europe.

I like the people here, who are almost uniformly both polite and friendly. Rumors of anti-Americanism, at least in Britain, are greatly exaggerated - I've never had a problem. On the occasions when people do mention my nationality it's in a friendly/curious manner. It's pretty obvious most people dislike Bush and Republicans, but they don't blame regular Americans for him. Well, maybe they would be less friendly if I were a Bush supporter, but I don't have that problem, and presumably neither do you :P

Things I miss: 1) like everyone else said, the FOOD. There is no good Mexican food here. Period. It's hard to get cheap food other than blah American fast food, and even there your choices are restricted to McDonald's, Burger King, and KFC (fried chicken is REALLY popular here, don't ask me why). My kingdom for a Taco Bell! :cry:

2) Stuff that's open late. I do miss 24 hour stores, but more than that, ANYTHING that's open past freaking 7pm. Even in London, most coffee shops, stores, etc are closed by 9 or 10 at the latest; outside of London, finding any retail store or coffeeshop open past 7 is a near miracle. All you can do after 7 is go to a pub or a restaurant. If you just want to sit and chill in a non-raucous pub atmosphere, tough luck.

If you decide you might want to move somewhere, I recommend visiting it for an extended length of time (at least 2-3 weeks) first, and don't just do touristy things; shop, eat, get a feel for what day-to-day life would be like. I really enjoy the UK, and it's really not too much of a culture shock from the US, but the subtle differences aren't really noticeable until you live here.

[harmonicon]

25. if you're going to keep going to school, I think you should consider a postgrad in the UK

That's what I'm doing - I have my bachelor's and master's degrees from US schools, but am getting my Phd in the UK. Unlike many US universities, they seem to make a large distinction between master's and doctorate. I'm completely left to my own devices as far as what I'm working on. I put forth proposals and have meetings with my advisors and colleagues, but I don't have any sort of course work. I didn't really see any US schools that were willing to not treat post graduate researchers as children. I'm also fully funded, which is great. I wouldn't say that it was easy to get funding, but a special grant was written to fund me, so I know that it can be done. I should also point out that I wasn't too interested in getting a Phd just to have the credentials - I was looking for a good work/study/research environment, and the university that I'm at is the only place where I applied (two years after getting my MFA), because nothing else seemed to be good for me, no matter what country it was in. So, I guess I'm just suggesting that if you're going to look into higher education, look for the school/program that you think you would be happiest with, no matter where it is, and I'll bet that if you're really serious about it, you'll be able to make it work.

[WildEyedLiberal]

26. Would you recommend getting my master's first?

I just finished my bachelor's degree. I went to a fairly prestigious school, but my grades are merely okay (3.0/4.0) so I'm not sure how competitive I'd be at a top graduate school, either in the US or elsewhere. (I haven't taken the GRE yet, though I do think that will boost my chances as I did pretty well on the SAT and other similar exams). The thing that intimidated me about UK graduate studies is that they seem to already want you to know exactly what you're going to write your dissertation on. I don't have a clue yet! So maybe it would be better to get a master's in the US, narrow down my interests, and then look into PhD programs? Did you have to apply for different funding, or did your university work it out with you individually? I really would love to study here someday (I'm interested in medieval history, and what better place than the UK), but the thought of doing a dissertation in three years after just finishing my bachelor's was super intimidating - not to mention that due to the ridiculous general education requirements of my college, only a third of the courses I took were in my specialty and I am lacking some basic skills (Latin, for instance) needed to leap right in to a dissertation.

[harmonicon]

29. I would say get the master's first - the UK system seems to be geared towards that

Of course, in your field, that could be a strange way to go about doing things. I took a year off between my bachelor's and starting my master's, and then a year off in the middle of that, two years off, and then going to the UK. By that time I really knew exactly what I'd be doing a dissertation on. I think the masters degrees in the US may be better - mine was a 2 year program, as opposed to the 1 year they have at my UK university. Officially, I'm getting a second master's (MPhil) first, before my Phd candidacy starts, but I wouldn't have been prepared for it if I didn't already have an MFA. It seemed to me that that was the only way that most US schools did things, but with less freedom. Of course, if you were in one of those US programs, maybe it would be beneficial just to stay at the same school for your Phd.

As for funding, it was worked out quasi-individually for me. There was a guy I wanted to work with at the university, and he applied for a great to fund a Phd student within a pretty narrow field. As it happened, I was the only new postgrad in the department that year, so it wasn't even competitive. I didn't see many other funding opportunities that were as generous as what I have, but I did look into numerous fee-waivers. One thing that is strange about the US/UK comparison, is that it's much more common for people to pay for graduate study in the UK, because they haven't had to pay 30 grand a year for their undergrad, where-as it seems like most doctoral level work in the US is funded.

Either way, it seems like you have lots of time and lots of options to consider. For myself, I have no question that it was the right choice, but I can't say that it would be better for everyone.

[amyrose2712]

22. Thanks to everyone for their replys...

please keep them coming!

[JCMach1]

27. I moved my family to the UAE to take a job with the premier

university here. We are starting our sixth year. The school continues to grow and flourish. I now work in the Administration and my family is doing great.

Financially, we simply could not afford to go home. Realistically, we are not planning to until retirement.

We get to travel the world from a central location and our kids study 3 languages (English, French, and Arabic).

We do get homesick from time to time... However, in some ways, I love my country more from a distance. There are many things that are irritating about living here, or in other countries that make America still a great place.

It is absolutely crazy watching the growth of this country. Dubai is becoming the first new multi-cultural megalopolis of the 21st century. Watching that alone is almost worth a visit here.

My advice, don't let location hold back your career or your dreams.

[wickerwoman]

30. I've been in China for five years, moving to New Zealand next month

It's really easy to get a job in China... don't waste time applying from overseas. It's almost impossible to find a decent job over the phone. But if you show up on a tourist visa you'll be fighting them off with a stick. Seriously, random strangers will offer you jobs. Once you get a full-time job the company should square your visa for you. Differences between China and America... it's not the massive oppressive police state you've probably been led to believe. There's some censorship but it's mostly of the Chinese language media. People are very optimistic and friendly but also a bit infantalized (especially the women), self-absorbed (especially the Shanghainese) and irrational not being used to be challenged or questioned.

I don't miss a lot from home. Being able to buy clothes that fit. Not being shoved on the subway. Not having to get on a plane to see nature. Basically there are a lot of opportunities if you just want to save up money and aren't too picky about your living circumstances.

Having saved up lots of money and gotten some great work experience and promotions I never would have had a shot at in the US, I am now moving to New Zealand which should hopefully solve all the things I find unaccptable about China and the US.

[masmdu]

33. Japan for 6 years

Home now. This was from 1994-2000.

Loved it!

Went without knowing a soul, a word of Japanese, or having a job.

Everything worked out just fine.

Learned to appreciate other people/cultures AND my own.

GO!

[Blue_Tires]

34. how did you survive without those 3 things?