Expat interviews
Everyday life
Diego was born and raised in the province of Verona, Italy. Two years ago, he relocated to Georgia, in the United States. He currently works as an electronic engineer in Atlanta. Diego talks to Expat.com about his adventure abroad.
Portugal
Biagio is originally from Turin, Italy. In 2020, when he retired, he chose to relocate to Portugal. He currently lives in Viseu, a particularly clean and well-maintained city that he appreciates a lot. He tells us how he made new friends and, a few months ago, started volunteering at a local vaccination centre.
Everyday life
For Sarah, an American expat, being a trailing spouse is far from being a boring life. She is an art director, designer, illustrator, photographer and all-around creative guru based in Austria, where she relocated in October 2020. She talks to us about her new life in her host country amid the pandemic.
Everyday life
Lin is originally from China. She relocated to Belgium in 2009 on a student exchange program and fell in love with the country. In spite of the language barrier and cultural challenges, she made it and shares her expat experience with Expat.com.
Everyday life
Alexandra is a Romanian expat who followed her spouse to Berlin for his career, but that doesn't make her a trailing spouse. A diplomatic spouse rather, who is always busy volunteering, writing books and articles, and taking care of her family. She talks to us about her reality.
Senegal
Sara is a travel enthusiast and loves to discover new cultures. It has been a few months since she moved to Dakar with Djibril, her Senegalese boyfriend met in Shanghai. Sara is currently working as a volunteer in a non-profit organisation specialising in the reintegration of street children in the educational and vocational mainstream.
Everyday life
Joanna is a Pole expat who has had a great passion for travel for many years. Today, she is based in Qatar, following her Tunisian husband, who had a job there. She talks to us about that turning point in her life and the lifestyle she really enjoys in Qatar.
Everyday life
Anna was born in Ireland but spent many years abroad, including in Europe and Asia. She currently lives in Botswana, where she followed her husband who got a job offer there. Anna talks to us about her life experiences and challenges of relocating overseas and adapting to a new culture.
Everyday life
Athul is originally from Kerala, India. After working for a few years in Bangalore, he flies to Italy for a business project. Years later, a new opportunity leads him to Belgium, where he currently lives with his wife and daughter. He talks to us about his journey.
Everyday life
Elodie is a curious wanderer who was looking for a change in her life. So she left Paris, where she had stayed for six years, for Montreal on a working holiday visa. But today, she lives in Vancouver, where she is enjoying nature and the sea nearby.
Mexico
Aurora left her job in Italy a few months ago to embark on a long journey with her boyfriend. Mexico is their first stop since the country doesn't require quarantine on arrival. But this is just the beginning of Aurora's travel blogging adventure.
Everyday life
Helen is a happy wife and mum of two grown-up children and has always been passionate about travelling. But it's only in 2020 that she could make her dreams come true despite the pandemic. With her husband Adrian, he now lives in the rural countryside of Central Portugal.
USA
Alessandro relocated permanently to the United States in 2017 after obtaining his Green Card. He currently lives in Miami, Florida, and works as a medical assistant in a prestigious local hospital. He talks to us about his American dream and his career amid the pandemic.
Everyday life
Originally from Brittany, Anne-Charlotte first travelled to Canada when she was 20. And it was love at first sight, although she returned to France after some time. In 2018, she finally relocated to Quebec with her husband and son, who was only 18 months old. She talks to us about her dream come true.
Everyday life
Claudia is originally from Potsdam, Germany, where she was the chief editor of German movie website. Today, she is a relocation agent in Paris, the French capital that became her new home in 2014. Claudia talks to us about her love for Paris and the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on everyday life, housing, etc.
Everyday life
Clémence, from Paris, is married to Fabien, who is from Geneva. From life partners, they have also become business partners. Since their move to Sri Lanka two and a half years ago, they have been running a guest house and are looking to promote responsible travel amid the global health crisis.
Lilly has lived abroad for more than 10 years. She has studied in the US, worked in Canada and is now pursuing the dream of becoming an entrepreneur somewhere in Central America.
Everyday life
Jasmin is passionate about the French language and culture. And this led this young German expat to relocate to France in 2017. From being a content writer, she also gives conversation classes to share her cultural knowledge. Jasmin talks to us about her career.
Other Types
Accommodation
There are lots of reasons why you may be considering purchasing property abroad. First, owning property comes with stability and security, which is something expats often long for after relocation. You will also finally be able to style your home as you like, bringing in the little decor elements that you hold dear.
Everyday life
Are you thinking about living abroad? Perhaps you've considered it for a long time but haven't dared to take the plunge. It never seems like the right time due to inflation, rising living costs, and the fear of failing. But you could see these challenges as opportunities instead. Here are 50 reasons (and there are many more!) to live your dream of expatriation at least once.
Everyday life
We rarely consider our gut health and diet when moving abroad. Before leaving, our minds are consumed with travel preparations. The initial phase of expat life often coincides with a honeymoon period. Then comes the necessary adaptation, where daily life takes over. "The Expat Gut Health Survey: How Symptoms Can Impact Life Abroad," a study by Allianz Care, published on May 29, surveyed over 3,000 expats worldwide and unveils the link between gut health and quality of life.
Formalities
One of the most anticipated elections of the year is approaching. Will the European Union (EU) emerge from these elections more divided, or will it strengthen its unity? As we await the final predictions and, more importantly, the first results, let's examine the voting procedures. What conditions must expatriates meet to vote in the European elections? Are European expatriates living within or outside the EU treated the same way?
England
The current British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, called for a snap election on July 4. People were expecting the general election to happen in October or November, not in two months, reports the BBC. How can British expats abroad vote? And which expats in the UK have voting rights? Many Commonwealth and Irish expats in the UK are unaware that they are eligible to vote even if they don't have indefinite leave to remain.
Everyday life
When living abroad and planning to have a child, many factors come into play: healthcare, maternity support, parental leave, daycare, and more. This wonderful life event requires good organization, especially when you're an expat. One important aspect to consider (if you choose to) is breastfeeding, particularly in public spaces. While natural, breastfeeding can be controversial, heavily criticized, discouraged, or even banned in some countries.
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