Expatriate
Living Abroad and Acclimating to a New Community
If you have decided to expatriate abroad for a short while or even for the long haul, you are no doubt entering into one of the most exciting and fascinating periods of your life. Living in a strange land, learning about the culture, navigating the world and seeing new sights is terribly appealing to many. Getting along well once you arrive, however, will likely depend on how quickly you acclimate to your new environs.
Even if you are moving to a country where they speak the same language and share many of the same customs and traditions, it is hard not to feel like a stranger in a strange land. Learning the ropes of fitting in doesn’t have to be impossible. In this article we’ll take a look at living abroad and acclimating to a new community and we’ll highlight some tips that can help you no matter where you decide to hang your hat. From Belize and Canada to France and Dubai, when the right steps are taken, expats can feel a part of the community in no time.
Had Enough of Living Abroad. The Realities of Repatriation
There was a fascinating comments thread on an article about returning to live in the UK on a popular expat site on the internet. Rather than being filled with helpful comments from repats (those who have repatriated to the UK after living abroad) – it was full of a combination of fairly vicious and incredulous comments from both those still living in the UK and expats happy to remain overseas. The UK residents seemed incredulous that anyone would want to return, and the expats abroad seemed harshly judgemental of those who wanted to go ‘home’!
Anyway, the fact of the matter is, almost as fast as we’re leaving the UK, some of those who have expatriated before us choose to return home. And if you’ve had enough of living abroad, this article about the realities of repatriation should get you set on the right path to a smooth transition home.
Expat Pay Levels Differ Depending on Where They Work Abroad
A brand new survey by a firm which specialises in assisting companies to globally mobilise their workforce to live and work internationally has revealed that expats who want to go abroad to live and work need to think a bit longer and a bit harder about the nations and even the cities that they move to.
This is because expat pay levels differ depending on where they work abroad – in one country they could be on 40% more than a local citizen in the form of a relocation package, in another they could miss out on added remuneration for their perceived hardship of having undertaken a global relocation.
Cut Tax Ties Properly When You Retire Abroad
There’s more than one difference between expatriating to live and work abroad and moving overseas to retire. Clearly the first alternative requires you to work each day whilst the second will allow you to enjoy a more relaxed life of luxury! But beyond these obvious differences there are some very important ones relating to your taxation treatment in the UK.
If you move abroad to work it is far simpler to prove residence in another nation almost straight away to the Great British taxman, however, you have to ensure you cut tax ties properly when you retire abroad otherwise you could end up in all sorts of trouble!
Where to Live Abroad - 6 of the Best Nations for Expats
With news that 10% more people expatriated and left the British Isles for a better life abroad in 2007 than in 2006 and that 2007 was a record year for emigration from the UK, we thought we’d give you a breakdown of where to live abroad if you’re thinking of joining the ever growing ranks of British expats seeking a new life overseas.
We will profile 6 of the best, most popular nations with British emigrants so that you can pick the nation that most fits your lifestyle requirements. We’ll look at visa requirements, the best cities for jobs and mention any emerging parts of the nation in question that might be worth closer inspection if you want cheaper property prices or perhaps a more laid back way of life.