Foreign
You are currently browsing articles tagged Foreign.
I’ve long been fascinated by China – probably the result of reading James Clavell’s novels as a kid and my father’s tales of two years spent in Hong Kong in the Fifties! My own trip to Hong Kong 20 years ago further inflamed my fascination with the country and its culture, but a bus ride out to the New Territories to take a peek through the border fence was as close as I came to seeing the country proper.
So reading Alan Paul’s new book on expat life in China has been a real eye-opener.
Big in China
In Big in China Alan reveals a world of sequestered expatdom. The multinational ranks he depicts are cloistered together in compounds boasting well-maintained streets lined by large houses, with clubhouses, gyms and swimming pools. The kids go to the international school together and play at each others’ homes. There are family sports days, barbecues, dinners with friends.
For many daily life is made easy by cheap domestic help – cooks, cleaners, drivers and nannies are par for the course, creating a luxurious lifestyle only a few could expect to have back home.
As Alan observes, it is all too easy to become immersed in this expat bubble – a world of privilege, ease and security.
Yet it is also one of sterility. And to his credit, Alan is determined not to become a prisoner behind the expat gates. Instead, he is keen to find the China that exists for its population. He relates his adventures as he cycles off by himself to explore the local villages and countryside, his journeys into the hinterland, his efforts to learn the language, make friends and taste the ‘real’ China, from its food on up.
The picture of China that emerges is just as complex as the one gleaned from inches of newspaper and magazine columns, with all its beauty and ugliness. Yet it is coloured by great insights into the immense joys and frustrations that life in China offers for expatriates.
Pros and cons
As a growing economic (and political) powerhouse, China presents an extraordinary opportunity for expat entrepreneurs and employees on assignment to make their mark, and a lot of money.
But China has much else to offer besides a step up the career ladder. Its beautiful and varied landscapes, and diverse cultural riches dating back thousands of years are incentives enough for many inquisitive foreigners.
As becomes evident from reading Alan’s book, there are inevitable challenges to living in China too.
For one, there is the language barrier. There are important cultural differences in terms of the structure of society and individuals’ interactions with each to navigate as well – many of which it can be nigh on impossible to fully grasp as an outsider.
Issues such as media censorship and political repression may come as a stark counterpoint to the societal norms to which expats are accustomed.
In addition, there is a real risk of physical isolation and introversion creeping in. As Alan relates in his book, for one thing it is notoriously difficult to obtain something as simple as a Chinese driving licence. Yet without it you lack the freedom of movement we take for granted back home.
China’s notorious pollution, with all the health risks it poses, is another problem that the country is only belatedly trying to tackle.
In short, China is hardly the easiest place in the world for an expat to move to. But what it does promise is one big and exciting adventure of life-changing proportions. Just ask Alan.
Tags: adventure, Alan Paul, assignment, Big in China, book, career, China, Chinese, country, cultural, cycle, economic, employee, entrepreneur, expat, Food, Foreign, friend, health, Hong Kong, house, international, landscape, Language, lifestyle, luxurious, media, money, multinational, newspaper, pollution, Population, School, society, sport, world
So you’ve decided to take the plunge and emigrate. Congratulations! Your next question should be how are you going to make your move a success?
Many people decide to emigrate in order to provide a better quality of life for themselves and their family – the thought of year-round sunshine, more time with loved ones, different leisure opportunities. But whatever your motivations, it is crucial you put yourself in the best financial position possible if you are to get off to a good start in your new country. And to do that, you need to give serious thought and planning to the issue of currency exchange.
OK, so it may not seem as fun as researching all about the sun, sea and sand you can look forward to enjoying. But getting a good currency exchange rate can make a huge difference to the success of your move. And if it helps maximise the budget you have to spend on your dream home abroad that has to be time well spent.
Getting the biggest bang for your buck
For some people, currency exchange may be a key factor in their choice of destination. For instance, countries in Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe with relatively weak currencies can offer great opportunities to make your savings go further.
Alternatively, among those soon-to-be-expats who have already picked their dream location, the issue will be more a matter of how to get the most from your money.
Take buying property abroad. For many expats it means exchanging your savings into the local currency of the country to where you are moving. Exchanging large amounts can be an expensive exercise though, and isn’t to be taken lightly. Therefore, many expats employ a foreign exchange broker to guide them through the process. Others simply bide their time, research the currency market, and exchange when the rate is particularly favourable.
Money matters
Foreign exchange rates are a huge factor when moving abroad – so make sure you address it as soon as possible in the decision making process.
The best advice is to do your research thoroughly. If you want help, consider using a foreign exchange broker. And if not, ensure you shop around to get the best exchange rate possible.
Tags: Abroad, Africa, Asia, broker, budget, buy, country, currencies, currency, destination, emigrate, Europe, exchange, expat, family, financial, Foreign, home, leisure, life, location, love, market, money, move, moving, property, quality, rate, saving, success, sun
If you’re considering moving abroad then you want to do it right from the off. Your happiness depends on it. And that means making sure you head for a destination that best meets all YOUR requirements.
So here are some of the key issues to contemplate when deciding where to live:
1) Education
For any parents, the quality of education available to their children – whether in the local state system, a private institution or at an international school – has to be a crucial factor.
If a country’s educational options are poor, think again. Your child’s future is too important.
2) Language
Which languages do you speak? Where in the world will you find it easiest to integrate, and feel most comfortable living, as a result? Which languages will prove most beneficial to your prospects going forward?
At the gates of my daughter’s school here in Britain I hear many foreign accents. One big attraction for these parents of raising their children in the UK is the English fluency they are achieving. As the world’s dominant business language at present that will stand them in good stead in the years to come.
3) Quality of life
Definitions of quality of life vary from person-to-person. But common considerations include the location’s relative cost of living, the climate, career opportunities and earning potential, access to leisure activities, the country’s political freedoms and cultural mores.
For instance, the UK is renowned for its high cost of living and poor weather. However, HSBC’s latest Expat Explorer Survey[1] ranked it the top country for entertainment, and reported that it is an easy place for expats to integrate.
The important thing is to determine which quality of life factors matter most to you.
4) Social network
It is great to have family support and contact. Yet for many people living abroad often means having to do without that.
In such situations, it is important to be in a location where there are plenty of opportunities to develop a strong circle of friends who can offer emotional support, and with whom you can share the good times.
5) Future prospects
Looking ahead, what sort of life will your location offer?
Does it hold out the prospect of attractive career opportunities, for you and any children you may have?
If you are considering retirement there, is it affordable? What sort of social life can you expect? How do the healthcare system, and healthcare costs, stack up?
Answer these crucial questions before you leave home and you have a much better chance of finding happiness and contentment when you arrive.
[1] Expat Experience is the second of three reports from HSBC’s 2010 Expat Explorer research series,
http://www.offshore.hsbc.com/1/2/international/expat/expat-survey/expat-experience-report-2010
Tags: Abroad, Britain, business, career, child, climate, comfort, cost, country, destination, earn, Education, English, entertainment, expat, explore, Foreign, freedom, friend, happiness, health, home, HSBC, integrate, Language, leisure, live, living, location, moving, parent, politic, prospect, quality, Retirement, School, survey, UK, weather, world
A recent holiday in Spain – the first trip back to our house on the northern Costa Brava since repatriating to the UK last Christmas – reminded me of all the good things about our former life in the sun.
And the drive home from the airport after we landed back in the UK, with the rain greasing the congested motorway, showed the stark contrast with the world we had left behind.
Since our return friends and work colleagues have been asking the same question: do we regret moving back to England?
Of course, we miss some of the lifestyle benefits Spain offers. After all, the UK is by no means perfect. Nevertheless, on balance we are happy we repatriated.
So what are the good things about living back in the UK? For me, the key ones are:
The number one advantage is being back among family and old friends, renewing those old, precious relationships.
There is an ease to living in a place where you understand the societal attitudes, the sense of humour, and how the systems involved in day-to-day life work. Being able to think and speak in your native tongue once again is nice too.
We have now been through all the seasons, and while the UK’s weather may not be wonderful (I’m writing this with the rain lashing outside), each reveals some special aspect of the country’s beauty.
In the months since our return we have also taken the chance to explore more of the country, and see the charm that attracts so many foreign visitors: the wonders of London, the nation’s majestic stately homes, its quaint villages and verdant countryside.
It is not always easy to see how great Great Britain is when you are brought up with it and long to escape. Instead, sometimes you have to leave to come back again.
As Irish novelist George Moore said: “A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.”
That is just how I am feeling … at least for the moment!
Tags: airport, beauty, Britain, Christmas, Costa Brava, country, culture, England, escape, family, Foreign, friend, Irish, life, lifestyle, London, rain, relationship, repatriate, social network, Spain, stately home, sun, UK, visitor, weather, work, world
As a freelance journalist and writer, one of the ways I earn a crust is to write reports and articles about the financial services industry. Which is why I found myself last month at a conference in Vienna, writing for a software company that provides technology to hedge funds, wealth managers and the like.
The attendees came from all over Europe and the Middle East. Some, like me, were from the UK. But most weren’t. There was a particularly big contingent from various parts of Scandinavia. There were also many from Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands, as well as a few from further afield.
The conference was all about current trends in the investment management world, and how software can be used to tackle the industry’s challenges. In other words, highly technical subject matter that mixed complicated financial concepts with complicated technology solutions.
All the presentations were in English. Yet even as a native speaker I found some of the concepts hard to grasp. And here were many of the speakers, as well as much of the audience, dealing with the topics in their second, and sometimes third, language.
English Proficiency
As always, the Swedes, Danes and Dutch proved especially fluent. And do you know what? In all my travels I have never met one who wasn’t. That may be a generalisation, but not much of one.
A 2005 European Commission study supports my impressions [1]. It reported that the percentage of the adult population able to converse in English was 85% in Sweden, 83% in Denmark, 79% in the Netherlands, 66% in Luxembourg and over 50% in Finland, Slovenia, Austria, Belgium and Germany.
By contrast, the report found only 30% of UK respondents can participate in a conversation in a language other than their mother tongue.
Foreign language benefits
Of course, part of the reason for the UK’s relatively low level of multilingual capacity is that English has become the lingua franca in so many fields: business, IT, science, entertainment and politics, to name a few.
Nevertheless, for any expats moving to non-English speaking parts of the world it is crucial they learn the native tongue. Even if you intend to live in an expat enclave in France or Mexico or China, having a good grasp of the local language will make your life easier, and happier.
It will help you:
- Manage day-to-day situations, such as buying quality food in local stores, dealing with utility companies and consulting with medical practitioners.
- Integrate into the community and make friends.
- Delve into the culture, history and social mores of the country, helping enrich your understanding and enjoyment of life there.
As a result, it will give you a sense of belonging, as well as one of achievement.
By contrast, a lack of local language skills leaves you isolated. And that can breed misunderstanding, resentment and fear.
Willingness to learn
Learning a foreign language can be a daunting prospect. But despite popular belief, it is never too late, as this article by Doug Bower argues[2].
Use it as an inspiration. Then take the time and make the effort to learn. It will be worth it.
[1] Europeans and languages, Eurobarometer 63.4, published September 2005,
http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_237.en.pdf
[2] Am I Too Old to Learn a Second Language?, by Doug Bower, http://www.expatfocus.com/am-i-too-old-to-learn-a-second-language
Tags: China, community, English, Europe, European Commission, expat, Foreign, France, Germany, Language, learning, Mexico, Middle East, multilingual, Netherlands, Scandinavia, Switzerland, UK
The majority of Britons want out of the country. Or at least, that’s what a recent survey from foreign exchange broker Currency UK reports.
According to the research, this year an incredible 75% of Britons have considered moving abroad. The main reason for wanting to go was the economy (cited by 31% of respondents), followed by 23% who pointed to poor job prospects at home.
Most popular target destinations were found to be Australia, then Canada, the United States, New Zealand, Spain, France and Thailand.
The last such survey conducted by Currency UK was in 2005. That one reported a much more moderate 25% of respondents were considering leaving Britain.
Sounds terrible doesn’t it, as if the country has really gone to the dogs in the last five years, and a mass exodus is imminent. Maybe. But I have a couple of cautionary observations:
1) Survey results are fallible. The outcome depends on the question asked, and so it is easy to skew the response according to how the query is phrased. So 75% is probably an over-inflation of the number of people seriously considering emigration.
2) What the survey does highlight is a link between expatriation and current fears about the UK’s economy. In other words, things seem bad at home, so let’s move abroad. But this is to overlook the fact that similar – if not worse – problems are happening elsewhere.
Moving abroad is too-often seen as a panacea – offering an escape from all the woes of life at home, and the prospect of sun-filled, carefree days ahead. But it’s essential to be realistic. Recognize there are both pros and cons to living overseas, and make an informed decision on that basis.
The chances of finding happiness – whether at home or abroad – then become a lot higher.
Tags: Australia, Britain, Britons, Canada, country, economy, Emigration, expat, Foreign, France, home, job prospects, living overseas, Moving Abroad, New Zealand, Spain, Thailand, UK, United States
So, you want to move abroad?
Times were when the best option for many people was to get posted overseas by their employer – you got to experience life in a new country but without the risk of leaving your job. Oftentimes it was a great way to ascend the career ladder too.
However, the global recession has seen many companies cut back on the number and generosity of their international assignment programmes. Moreover, a foreign posting is no longer a surefire career progression path.
As a 2009 report by the IESE Business School at the University of Navarra[i] noted: “Expatriates have extremely high expectations, largely due to the considerable demands required of them. However, companies cannot guarantee that there will be a vacancy to match these expectations upon their return, say in three to five years’ time.” The report added, “In general, repatriated employees hold positions similar to what they held prior to leaving.”
With the advent of the Internet, mobile communications, videoconferencing and the like though, a myriad of income-earning possibilities have opened up for the budding expatriate.
For such technologies are giving people the freedom to become independent freelancers/contractors or small-scale entrepreneurs, selling their products and services from wherever they happen to be, to customers across the world. Better still, such work opportunities are portable. And that makes moving abroad – and even multiple relocations – a whole lot easier.
For more on portable career possibilities take a look at Megan Fitzgerald’s excellent article on the topic, at http://jobsearch.about.com/od/careerdevelopment/a/portablecareers.htm. For more information on how to start a portable career or business you can also check out her website at www.careerbychoice.com.
In addition, I recommend reading Jo Parfitt’s seminal book, A Career in Your Suitcase, which includes a wealth of advice on creating a portable career.
It could offer you a whole new gateway to the world.
[i] Expatriation: More Than Just Knowing Languages, José R. Pin Arboledas, P. García-Lombardía, IESE Business School – University of Navarra, http://insight.iese.edu/doc.aspx?id=1006&ar=20&idioma=2
Tags: career, country, employer, expatriate, Foreign, global, international assignment, internet, job, move abroad, overseas, portable, relocation, repatriated, technologies, world
A special treat today – I’m joined by fellow expat author Mike Harling, whose wonderfully-funny Postcards From Across the Pond is a must-read for anyone dreaming of a life abroad, wherever you are and wherever you may be going. Mike is finishing up his virtual tour promoting the book, so without further ado I’ll hand over. Mike …
Mike Harling - author of Postcards From Across the Pond
Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Abroad, adventure, Australia, author, book, Britain, Canada, England, expat, Foreign, globe, life, location, Paul, Pond, publisher, Spain, Tenerife, tour, world
It’s been a while since I’ve done any blogging for Expat Living 101. In truth, like so many other expatriates I’ve been hit hard by the financial crisis over the last year – a double whammy of soaring interest payments on our mortgage, and plummeting currency rates when converting my foreign earnings into euros. As a result I’ve had to work twice as hard just to standstill. Not what you want at the best of times, but especially when the sun is beckoning outside!
But now I’m starting up again with a new zeal … for I have just signed a contract with Lean Marketing Press to publish a print version of my book on the pros and cons of living overseas: “Should I Stay Or Should I Go? The Truth About Moving Abroad And Whether It’s Right For You.”
Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Abroad, book, country, currency, euro, expat, expatriates, financial, Foreign, living, moving, overseas, publish, sun, work
For many people Spain epitomizes the moving abroad dream: a country that offers the prospect of year-round sunshine, lower living costs and a more relaxed pace of life.
Not surprising then that year after year Spain has proven to be one of the most popular destinations for expatriates from around the world, with 10% of its 45 million population now made up of foreign nationals.
Yet the beneath the alluring sheen of the Mediterranean sun all is not well.
Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: costs, country, culture, currency, economy, euro, expatriates, Food, Foreign, lifestyle, living, location, Mediterranean, move, Moving Abroad, prices, property, recession, Spain, sunshine, unemployment, wine
Recent Comments