Expat interviews
Everyday life
Roxana has had wanderlust since a very young age. While Zanzibar has been the land of her dreams, she finally ended up in Mexico after staying in New York. A single expat mum, she keeps herself busy in taking care of her daughter and an educational initiative dedicated to making linguistic education accessible for marginalized communities.
Everyday life
Although Carmen misses Hong Kong, her home country, she is not ready to go back. She actually took the leap to Madrid, Spain, for a better future for her son, who was only two years old at that time. Her quest for a better life took her to the land of her dreams, where she is an entrepreneur and remote worker.
Everyday life
Kasia was born in Poland but moved to Canada with her parents at the age of 8. After growing up in Canada, she travelled to Australia in her late 20s and stayed there for 15 years, and worked in the Asia Pacific region for 6 years before going back to Canada. Today, Kasia is an International Leadership & Career Coach who helps expat entrepreneurs become the leaders of tomorrow.
Everyday life
Originally from Philadelphia, Sara has quite an interesting story to tell. On travelling to Mexico for the first time when she was 18, she immediately fell in love with the country. Today, she lives in Veracruz with her multicultural family. From an English teacher before the pandemic, she converted into a publisher and is enjoying being an entrepreneur.
Finland
Born in the Dominican Republic, Dolores is a psychologist. Having lived in Spain for 19 years, she also has Spanish nationality. But two years ago, she relocated to Finland, where she founded an association of Dominican professionals. She talks to us about her expat experience in her new home.
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.
Other Types
Everyday life
Giving birth is one of the most powerful and life-changing experiences a woman can have. Doing it abroad? That adds a whole new layer of emotion and complexity. From navigating childbirth in a foreign language to adjusting to unfamiliar medical practices and postnatal care, expat parents often find their resilience and adaptability pushed to the limit. So how can you prepare for this pivotal moment while living overseas — and what should you be aware of?
Formalities
Sponsoring a relative comes with many rules. Can your current status allow you to sponsor someone? Who are you actually allowed to sponsor? And what should you keep in mind before starting the process? Expat.com breaks it down for you.
Work
Whether we embrace it with excitement or cautiously, artificial intelligence (AI) has become inseparable from our current and future world. The latest World Economic Forum report makes that clear: AI is reshaping the job market. This shift is especially significant for expats aiming to build an international career. So, what skills are recruiters looking for?
Formalities
Latin America as a region has become one of the most popular hubs for expats, digital nomads, and international entrepreneurs. The escalating prices, the rising taxes, and stricter immigration laws in Europe and North America are forcing people to seek alternatives, and many are finding Latin America's relative affordability, vibrancy, and diversity an ideal combination.
Leisure
Major urban centers continue to draw foreigners for a simple reason: they offer more jobs and housing. The global housing crisis hasn't changed that. Life in the city feels familiar and secure. But stepping away from crowded megacities can be just as comforting. It's a chance to enjoy fresh air and open space. Here are five ideal destinations where you can breathe deeply and live closer to nature.
USA
For thousands of international students, the end of the visa freeze offers only a partial win. Application reviews have resumed, but under far stricter conditions. The Trump administration remains resolute, even if it means putting more pressure on its relationship with the US academic community. Meanwhile, other countries are seizing the moment to attract international students. Could this mark the beginning of a shift in student mobility trends? And what lies ahead for exchange programs and global student mobility?
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