Expatriate Living

Although these three types of expatriates are easy to categorize, there may be some individuals whose type is not so clear. For example, you may have someone who is working in the country, or living there temporarily, but is doing so with the intention of possibly remaining in the country permanently. The expatriate type into which you fall really isn't important except when considering the economic, legal, health, and citizenship ramifications of your expatriate status.

Scene From Canada

"The links on this page will take you to our regional directories from whence you can find extended relocation profiles on the various nations within that region - The profiles include articles, resources, contacts, relocation reports, real estate listings, investment information, books, maps, embassies and a wide range of resources for each and every nation listed."

LEARN ABOUT THE HOST COUNTRY

Read as much as possible about the country where you plan to reside. Learning about a nation's culture, customs, people, and history will make your stay more meaningful. Libraries, bookstores and tourist bureaus are good resources for this information. Keep abreast as well of the international news for the latest political developments in the country where you will live. Although English is spoken in many countries, learning the language of the nation in which you plan to reside will make the transition to your new environment easier.

One of the best ways to learn about living in a foreign country is to get advice from U.S. citizens already residing there. Countries with large numbers of U.S. expatriates often have a U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a bicultural organization, or clubs for Americans that could give you information on living in that country. In countries with fewer U.S. residents, you may be able to meet fellow expatriates through a local international club. The Consular Section of the U.S. embassy or consulate may be able to assist you in finding these organizations.

The bulletin discusses How to Access Consular Information Sheets, Travel Warnings and Public Announcements. The Department of State also publishes a series of pamphlets on travel to specific regions of the world with its Tips for Travelers Series.

There are other sections on Required Documents, Health Matters, Practical Matters, Help From the U.S. Government, Family Matters, Precautions, Citizenship and Nationality, Financial and Business Matters, and Returning to The U.S.

1. Does the country that I'm interested in accept expatriates? If the answer to this question is NO, then you must move on to another possible destination.

2 Does the country or area fit the lifestyle that you wish to live? This all fits in with your why. If a country can not offer what you want, you move on to another possible choice.

3. How stable is the country? You do not want to move abroad and find yourself in the middle of a civil war.

4. Is it economically feasible? Can you live off the income or savings that you already have? Some countries require that you prove a steady income before you are allowed to enter from more than a tourist visit.

5. Can you get a job there? If you need to generate an income in the new country, are you qualified for a job there? This can quickly limit your choices.

6. Do you speak the language of the country?
This is not always necessary, but is extremely helpful. If there is a large expatriate community already of your nationality, it lessens the need for linguistic competence in the country's language. However, you should never assume that you do not need to know their language.

7. Do you need and can you get health insurance?. Some countries provide health care to all residents regardless of status, most do not. Find out if health care is available to expatriates, and if not, look for international organiziations that provide such coverage.

If the expatriate living is necessary due to a job change, you may have less options to visit beforehand and will have to rely on other information sources.

However, if you are anticipating a residence change for your retirement years, it is a different matter. For example, let's say you have decided that your ideal lifestyle is best carried out on a Caribbean island. How could you begin?

You could take extended vacations for a few years before your anticipated move or you could visit different destinations on cruises. Cruises give a quick overview of a destination but you will only have at most one day in each destination.

When I had my first experience as an expatriate on a two month extended educational tour of India, I thought I was immune to culture shock. Having recently graduated with my Ph.D degree in Anthropology, I thought that if you were aware enough of what culture shock was, you could anticipate it and avoid it. Boy, was I wrong!

Then I arrived at the village where I was to participate in a two week seminar on Educational Change in India. The first few days were great. I dressed in my dhoti and other Indian clothing, walked on the left side of the street, and tried to fit in.

But then it happened. My intellectual discipline could no longer control what was happening. I woke up one morning in full rebellion. I could not take it any more. I dressed in my Western clothes. As I walked down the dirt road toward the seminar classroom, I consciously said to myself: "I am not an Indian, I will not walk on the left side of the road today". My body and mind were rebelling against the local culture. I was experiencing culture shock. I knew what was happening but I could not control it.

When considering medical insurance, first find out how citizens of the country where you will reside pay their medical bills and if the same coverage is available to resident foreigners. Some countries have government-sponsored health insurance that may also provide coverage to foreign residents, while others have a dual system with national health supplemented by private insurance. In countries where many American expatriates reside, such as Mexico, you may find that local private international health insurance companies will offer coverage to U.S. citizen residents. Once you arrive, check with organized groups in the American community to learn about these companies.

There are a number of emergency medical assistance companies operating internationally who offer urgent medical treatment for their member travelers. Although the service is designed primarily for tourists who encounter a medical or personal emergency while on vacation, some companies offer yearly memberships which may be available to Americans residing overseas. Contact a travel agent to learn more about these emergency assistance companies.

One of the worries that prospective expatriates have in our day of instant communication is how they will keep in touch with friends and relatives back home.

For expatriate businessmen, this is usually not a problem since their companies will have a means of keeping in touch with home. The businesses must keep good a means of communication active to stay in business. Frequently this is the internet.

For individuals and families it is another matter. They quickly find that the convenience of the cell phone back home is a little more inconvenient and often more expensive in other countries. Likewise, they are too impatient to rely on "snail mail" (regular postal service).

T"he Vonage V-Phone includes everything you need to make and receive calls with a high-speed Internet connection . . . The Vonage V-Phone comes with Vonage Talk software pre-loaded - there's no need to install it on your PC and no need to restart your computer. Simply insert the Vonage V-Phone into any available USB port, plug the earpiece microphone into the side of the Vonage V-Phone and you're ready to make and receive calls! Remove the drive when you're done and the phone and all your important contact information goes with you.

Vonage V-Phone is a fun, intuitive on-screen telephone that can make and receive calls - plus a whole lot more. And because it's Vonage, you get to enjoy extra features like Caller ID, Call Waiting, Call Forwarding, etc. - included at no extra charge!"

If you are going to be making a lot of calls to any one of almost 250 other countries from the U.S. to land lines, you might consider using Cloncom.com's calling card service. It is cheaper than most other means of calling internationally. For example, a call to Panama from the U.S. using Vonage would cost about 8 cents a minute. With Cloncom's calling card, the same call would cost between 1.4 cents and 5.1 cents per minute. [The comparable amounts for calling a cellular number would be 8.9 cents to 15.6 cents].

The difference in price variations depends on how many calls you make on a regular basis and how long each of your conversations are. For a complete analysis of the costs of calls to your favorite travel destination or your future expatriate living spot, click on the banner below. If you compare your present rates, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.