Expat interviews

Ben had an amazing opportunity to travel the world. He left Australia, his home country, to work in Philippines, South Africa, Ireland, the UK, Malaysia, Bahrain and Kuwait. He is now living in Chengdu, working as a CEO for a multi-national company and enjoying life in China...

Claire comes from a family of serial expats. Born in Scotland, she grew up in France, the US and England. Fascinated by Sweden, she settled in Stockholm indefinitely...for now!

Californian expat, Holly moved to Boquete a few months ago. She researched with her husband the ideal place to settle for 7 years. They enjoy their new environment, spending a lot of time learning Spanish and making new friends.

In 2010, on a trip to Lyon, Courtney fell in love with the one who became her husband and the city. She then settled in Lyon in 2011 and embraced the French way of life. About to begin a new adventure with a little baby girl to come, she shares with us her experience in the city...

Diana moved to Perth in April 2011. She left Vancouver, her home town, to live with her Australian fiancé. She gets involved in charity, writing and consultancy work and discover Australia by travelling about the state and country every opportunity she gets.

Mike, British retired teacher, settled in Thailand in 2008. Married to a Thai citizen, he enjoys life by learning Thai and writing blogs. In this interview, Mike gives an overview of the procedures to settle in Thailand and the country's lifestyle.

Claire is from the UK. She settled in a little town in Columbia between Baltimore and Washington DC with her husband and five-year old son. Fitness instructor, she also collaborates with several local magazines and writes a blog on the cultural differences between the US and Britain.

Originally from the North East of the USA, Mark left the US 30 years ago to join the Peace Corps. He settled in Madagascar 10 years ago where he got married.

American expat, Lyle moved to Peru in July 2012. He decided to open a bed and breakfast with his Peruvian wife in Huaracondo, in the Cusco region. He adapted well to his new environment and tries to improve his Spanish and Quechua skills.

Celia is from the Philippines. She moved to Alexandria, Egypt, in May 2012 where she was offered a job position for a UK company. She discovers the city and enjoys the Mediterranean sea while adapting to the country's customs.

British expat, Peter has been living in China since July 2011. He moved for work: he is a middle-level school manager and Economics teacher. He first lived in Shanghai before settling in Suzhou and he is now about to move to Shenzhen. China represents the first leg of his journey as an international teacher!

Kevin is from the United States. He moved to Delhi almost 2 years ago where he works as Communications Director for a design research firm. He is quite busy with work but outside the office he is an avid runner and traveller and he enjoys travelling through India.

Manuelita first came to Singapore for her studies. Once completed, she went back to Manila, her home town but, as she but needed some drastic change, she decided to move back to Singapore a year after and has since lived here. She now works as a writer and editor for a financial magazine.

Dante moved to Moscow to work as a freelance English teacher. She first left South Africa, her home country, to work in Dubai before landing in the Russian capital where she plans to live in indefinitely.

American expat, Micky moved from San Francisco to Kolkata, India, about 4.5 years ago. He settled in the city with his Indian wife.

As tourism industries continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, albeit slowly, Southeast Asian nations are exploring the implementation of a visa system modeled after the European Schengen Area. This initiative aims to revitalize tourism and stimulate economic growth across the region.

Singapore regularly tops the list of the most expensive cities in the world. In 2023, it tied with Zurich in first place among the most expensive cities in the world, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). The same year, a report by Mercer called Singapore the best city for expats in Asia. However, in recent years, Singapore has been experiencing a continuous exodus of expats. Even those who have called it home for a long time are starting to reconsider.

There's a profession often overlooked in discussions about moving abroad: how do artists sustain themselves in a foreign country? Is it feasible to earn a living through art in pursuit of creative freedom? This aspect of artistic life is seldom addressed in visa regulations for artists, yet it holds significant importance, impacting how artists practice their craft overseas.