Expat interviews
Portugal
Rene is originally from South Africa. In April 1997, she left the country with her Portuguese husband to settle in Portugal. They now live in Estoril, in central Lisbon district...
Singapore
After a first expat experience in Canada, Chams decided to explore other countries. She left her hometown, Manila, Philippines, to settle and work in Singapore...
New Zealand
Barbara grew up in Scotland. She lived in Copenhagen with her Swedish husband before settling with him in Wellington, New Zealand, in January 2013...
Canada
Five years ago, Philip was offered a position in Canada. He seized the opportunity and left Malaysia, his home country, with his wife to settle in Halifax, Nova Scotia where they now live and enjoy their expat experience...
Thailand
Steve, a retired Canadian mathematics and chemistry teacher, moved to Thailand 6 years ago. Having settled in Chiang Mai with his wife, Nancy, he enjoys his leisure time by mingling with the Thai society and culture...
China
British expat, Stuart comes from Brighton. He moved out to China in 2002 as an English teacher. He lives in Xi'an where he runs a recruitment agency for English teachers.
England
An interesting job offer in a pleasant lifestyle. Sanne, Dutch expat, just couldn't refuse the offer. More than a year ago, she packed up her bags to settle in Notting Hill, London. She enjoys her expat life there, as much as she can...
China
Felicitas comes from Indonesia. Five years ago, she went to China to learn the language and finally decided to stay as she got a job opportunity in Beijing...
Mexico
Five years have gone by since Greg, a US citizen, has settled in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Realtor by profession, he says to be always busy. But he manages to spend his leisure time in writing novels, newspapers columns, photography, etc.
China
Originally form Malone, NY, USA, Chris moved several times between the US and Canada before heading to South East Asian countries. He visited several cities and settled in the one he liked the most, Shenzhen...
India
American expat, Laura was living in the Twin Cities, MN, teaching fourth grade at an urban public school when she decided with her husband to make the move. They now live in Jaipur, India, and they share with us their expat experience...
Scotland
Born in Germany, Sam grew up in the US. In January 2014, he settled in Anniesland, Glasgow, Scotland, with his wife and is now studying (and experiencing!) the trailing spouse situation for his PhD's academic research...
China
Two years ago, Gary, a 63 years old retired American citizen, settled in Tianjin, China, with his wife. Nowadays, he keeps himself busy reading, cooking and gardening...
New Zealand
Kimilena first moved to New Zealand in 1995. After an overseas experience in East Africa and back to the UK, she came back to Wellington in 2013, where she now lives with her husband and children...
Nepal
Retired American widow, Amanda fell in love with Nepal at the first sight! She settled in an ancient city near Kathmandu and enjoys everyday like a treasure...
China
Canadian expat, Roz decided to move to China at the age of 58 for a great job opportunity in the education field. After working in Beijng and Qingdao, she settled in Kunming where she now lives as a retiree "with a zest for life", pursuing her passion for writing and food...
Oman
Heather is a Scottish expat in her twenties. Her husband was offered a position in Oman and they settled in September 2012 in the capital city, Muscat.
China
Born and raised in Australia, Rob moved to Hong Kong in 1974 before settling in Shanghai in 2002. He has been pursuing a variety of business interests, related to the teaching of English and has just co-written a book on living in China...
Other Types
Tax
Living in a country without paying taxes: a dream for many expats who choose their destination specifically based on its tax policies. But does a truly "zero tax" country for foreigners actually exist? And what hidden financial risks should you watch out for?
Transport
"Once this war is over, fuel prices will collapse," Donald Trump declared. The U.S. president believes he has "very good chances" of reaching a deal with Iran, while also stating he is prepared to take military action if talks fail. In the meantime, prices at the pump continue to break records worldwide, with variations from country to country. How are expats coping with this situation? How are they managing their daily commutes and travel? The Expat.com community shares its experiences.
Banks and finance
Online banks and neobanks market themselves as the perfect solution for expats: open an account in a few clicks, fully digital, accessible from anywhere… at least in theory. What are the real advantages and limitations of these banking options? And what should expats watch out for?
Everyday life
For decades, the traditional idea of retirement was simple enough. You work until a certain age, then stop. The assumption was that a workplace pension, a state pension, or a private pension, and perhaps a little nest egg, would provide sufficient income to enjoy a good quality of life. However, for some, the new retirement reality is much more complex.
France
This quiet reform barely made a ripple in France's political debates, yet it slipped through largely unnoticed and will tighten the rules for those who combine work and retirement.
Work
Cold emails are a powerful way to show your drive and determination, provided you know how to stand out and reach the right person. Which countries are most receptive to unsolicited job applications? And how do you capture the attention of a foreign company?
Open a bank account that suits you
Discover the best international banks to manage your money securely.
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