Life On The Road...
Living Abroad

The number of people living abroad has been steadily rising over the years. More people are retiring abroad to get the best out of their pensions and enjoy a better lifestyle. Living overseas presents many benefits and opportunities.

From retirees to ESL teachers, to skilled workers, people are seeing the advantages of international living and taking the plunge. From offshore investing and international real estate, to lower taxes, higher salaries and better benefits, an improved quality of life, a nicer environment and good old travel and adventure.

However, living abroad isn't for everyone and many people can run into some problems. The process of having to jump through hoops to keep your work permit and satisfy immigration, learning new languages, being the outsider, having to deal with very different cultures, religions, ethics and practices, can take it's toll.

Before you decide that working overseas is the answer for you, you should have taken time to make sure that you're ready for it, and that your reasons for going are the right ones. If you're escaping your home country in a bad frame of mind, you're only bringing it with you....and it could make life more uncomfortable than it's already initially going to be.

Of course, we can only do so much research.... and other people's personalities and experiences will be different from yours. We can't always foresee the unexpected and the best way to learn about something is by doing it.

If we thought about the problems and what could go wrong all the time, we would never leave home! For some people, the challenge of stepping into the unknown and the satisfaction of overcoming difficulties is the part they enjoy most.

What kind of person are you? Will you get homesick and miss your creature comforts too much? The same sports, hobbies and other recreational activities may not be available while living overseas. What about the foreign food....and lack of your own?

The thought of being the foreigner, attracting attention wherever you go....and possibly living in areas with isolation and language difficulties, can dissuade a lot of people from living abroad.

What are the pros and cons of making this huge leap? What benefits are you looking for? What do you want to gain? Are your ideas and expectations realistic?

Lots of preparation will reduce the possibility of being overwhelmed with culture shock. Talk to people who've been there ....and prepare yourself for an exciting and rewarding experience.

Country Profiles and Info

Living Abroad Articles

Coming Soon....

Retiring Abroad

Visas and Work Permits

Language Learning

Going Home

Expat Health Insurance

Expat Resources

Living In....

Check out some Intrepid Books on teaching, travelling and living abroad.

What's Your Story?

What made you decide to leave the comforts of home and venture out into the unknown? How did it work out?

If you'd like to share some of your stories and advice with us....about your adventures, experiences and life overseas in general, you can use the form below.

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