She was writing an article on the pros and cons of moving abroad, and wanted my “expert opinion” on the topic … which naturally I was more than happy to provide (not least since the magazine has a monthly circulation of half a million readers!).

The article has just come out. And – aside from my own contribution – it makes for fascinating reading.

Expat Challenges

The piece features case studies of people who have moved from the UK to some of the world’s most popular expat destinations: France, Italy, Spain, Australia and the United States. Each highlights the issues they have faced, and offers pointers to anyone following in their footsteps (much of which echoes the topics I address in my book).

Among the biggest challenges the expats encountered were:

• Housing problems
• Unfamiliarity with local legal processes and requirements
• Acclimatising to the local weather
• Finding social outlets and integrating into the community
• Having a viable way to earn money
• Missing family and friends

Hopefully the tips and advice contained in the article will prove a valuable primer for those readers also dreaming of a life overseas!

Related posts:

1. Moving Abroad for Love
2. Living Abroad and the Joys of Family Support
3. Mass British Exodus Waiting to Happen?

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.

[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

Related posts:

1. Immigration and the UK’s Population Growth
2. The World’s Best Expat Locations?
3. Mass British Exodus Waiting to Happen?

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.

Related posts:

1. British Summer
2. Career Abroad or Life at Home?
3. Global Recession and Its Impact on Your Moving Abroad Plans

At the time I remember thinking ‘Blimey, that’s the life.’ Writing a few hours a day and then trailing around the French countryside the rest of the time.

Hardly a deep, or unique reaction I know. Everyone thought the same, which was why the book went on to sell so many copies and turned Peter Mayle into a rich and famous man.

What was perhaps different was my next thought – ‘That’s what I want to do.’ Become a writer, first and foremost. And live abroad.

Well, I’ve done the moving bit all right – first to the States, and then six years ago to Spain. But now, at last, I’ve got a book coming out too, which I hope will be the start of an even more wonderful journey.

There is, after all, a certain kudos to being a writer.

Millionaire novelists like J.K. Rowling, John Grisham and Stephen King spring to mind. Or perhaps the literary cool of an Ernest Hemingway, Jay McInerney or Zadie Smith.

And the non-fiction arena is an even bigger market. Self-help bibles, business success stories, health and fitness guides, even cookery books have the power to turn their authors into celebrity figures.

And even if it doesn’t make the New York Times bestseller lists, a book can act as a badge of status that a writer can leverage for speaking engagements, workshops, coaching programmes and a host of other money-spinning activities.

No wonder so many people dream of becoming an author.

But the traditional publishing world has an uncertain future.

There are the big success stories of course, with millions of copies of certain titles – not least the Harry Potter series – flying off the shelves.

Nevertheless, reports indicate that for years the general public as a whole has been reading less and less. It doesn’t bode well for your business then if demand for your product is steadily falling.

Plus publishing has an idiosyncratic business model. For while the publishers bear the expense of producing and – less frequently these days – promoting their books, any unsold ones can be returned by the retailer without having to pay for them. The publisher then has to find warehouse space to store them, or pay for them to be pulped.

In other words, they face all the risk for the success or otherwise of their products. Can you imagine any other business working that way?

So it’s no wonder publishers are keen to focus on what they think will be surefire successes – the celebrity writers with marketable names, and established literary big guns with a track record.

Which isn’t to say new writers can’t break in. Arguably those that are good enough, and keep submitting, will get noticed by agents and publishers, who are full of talented people as keen to sign the next literary superstar as the writer is to be one.

But it’s not easy for the aspiring debutant. And the rewards for all that work are often pitiful.

Meanwhile a mass of mediocre books continue to hit the display stands, largely on the strength of the author’s name blazoned across the top.

But an alternative future is emerging … which I’ll come to in Part II.

Related posts:

1. Expat Book: The Long and Winding Road
2. Expat Living By the Book
3. Endless Summer – The Postcards Tour Finale

Last time they did the same journey they got held up for hours in traffic and shortly after they arrived we were hit by a massive thunderstorm. This time though the journey was quick and the sky cloudless. After they arrived we all went in our pool for an hour. Their three young children thought it was marvellous – a pool in the back garden!

Afterwards we had a long lunch. And then later in the afternoon, when the sun had dipped a little, we strolled along to the beach, where we swam and built sandcastles with the children.

Both sets of kids played nicely together all day and had a wonderful time. As did we adults. At the end of the day the parents turned to us and said, “You have a great life here.”

They were right. We know it. That’s why we moved here in the first place, for the long sunny summers, to have the Mediterranean on our doorstep.

For our friends it was a perfect holiday day: the sun, the warmth, the pool, the beach. By contrast, for us it was a pretty normal Saturday. No doubt we’ll be doing something similar this weekend.

And our choice of location has been reaffirmed all week. Each day has dawned bright and clear. It’s been relentless sunshine and baking temperatures.

Britain, meanwhile, has been enjoying its traditional August weather: rainy, windy and cold.

There is a downside though to this ‘idyllic’ existence, and that shone through the day after our friends were here. At breakfast our three-year old asked: “When can we see them again? I miss them already.”

And, of course, we do too. Whenever we get together with them we have fun. If we were in England they would be among our closest friends. But we’re not. Instead we see them once a year at best, more often once every two years.

And that’s the pattern of our life. It seems we, and our young daughters, are always saying goodbye to the people we love: my wife’s parents, our siblings, nieces and nephews and friends. And our daughters wonder why.

Yes, we do have a great lifestyle here. It’s all the things we wanted. If only our family and friends would move over too! Then it would be complete.

But that’s not going to happen. So instead there is a choice: a great lifestyle in one place, or family and dear friends in another.

Related posts:

1. Living Abroad and the Joys of Family Support
2. May Day!
3. On Course for a Perfect Summer Evening

According to HSBC Bank International’s new Expat Existence survey, the best place to be an expatriate is in fact Singapore, followed by the United Arab Emirates and the US.

The HSBC report sought to investigate the opportunities and challenges that expats face in their new locations. To this end it ranked the countries according to a variety of factors that assessed expats’ ability to earn and save, their quality of accommodation, the level of luxury enjoyed (such as access to private healthcare, pool ownership, and the ability to employ staff), and a country’s popularity in terms of how long expats live there.

I wouldn’t disagree with the findings. I haven’t been to Singapore since the early 90s, but at the time I found it a clean and pleasant (if somewhat sterile) city.

It’s got an equable – albeit humid – climate, high education standards, low unemployment and good job opportunities, superb restaurants, low tax and living costs, and it serves as a convenient hub for travel in the wider region.

I can’t directly comment on the UAE, having never been there. However, as the CIA World Factbook notes, it has a high per capita income, strong economic growth and zero taxes in its Free Trade Zones. The money-earning potential therefore must be a particular lure. On the flip side I would imagine its climate is a significant drawback though.

The US has evident advantages too. My wife and I lived in New York for a year and loved it: the bustle and excitement, the opportunity to pursue the ‘American Dream,’ the chance to travel around what is an enormous and extremely varied country. I can therefore well-understand the allure it holds (which will no doubt increase once President Bush finally leaves office!).

By contrast, some traditional expat locations fared less well in the HSBC survey.

Australia came in 10^th, having received high marks for levels of luxury, accommodation, and the ability to earn and save, but with a low score for longevity. Spain, meanwhile, was 12^th and France 13^th.

The UK, which trailed in 14^th, proved the most expensive expat location for accommodation. It also ranked as the least luxurious, with decreases reported in nine of the 11 luxury categories. This will come as no surprise to the millions of British citizens who indicate they are planning their own escape from the country.

However, before you get carried away with the overall rankings and start changing your plans, it’s worth paying attention to the longevity scores. And here Europe came out triumphant.

The report found 82 percent of the expat respondents in the Netherlands have been there three or more years. Germany had the next highest figure, with 77 percent, while Spain was close behind with 76 percent.

No doubt there are a whole slew of reasons to account for this. Factors such as a reasonable year-round climate, ease of accessibility for trips back home, decent infrastructure (including transport, telecommunications, healthcare and education), political stability and a rich cultural heritage.

So although a hefty pay package and an army of domestic staff may be appealing, the financials of your move should not be the be-all and end-all. Rather, relocating abroad should be about improving your overall quality of life. Ultimately that is what will make it an enjoyable, and successful, experience.

Related posts:

1. Good Housekeeping Article on Moving Abroad
2. Language Learning
3. Endless Summer – The Postcards Tour Finale

That may have been the sentiment of Napoleon’s great adversary the Duke of Wellington, but two centuries and two world wars as allies on and relations between the Brits and French have become – mostly – more amicable.

Certainly I detected no animosity during my family’s recent foray into France on holiday. Instead, despite my barbarous misuse of their beautiful language, we were greeted with smiles and warmth wherever we went.

Likewise, today’s Brits seem to hold their neighbour and erstwhile foe in particularly high esteem (although for some reason my grandmother, who I’m sure was not alone, harboured a lingering resentment towards France, and refused to buy any French produce in the supermarkets until the end of her life!).

And we Brits are not alone. As the CIA’s World Factbook observes, France is the most visited country in the world, to the tune of 82 million foreign tourists in 2007.

With good reason too. For it is a breathtaking country, as I was reminded on our recent journey across the Pyrenean border from Spain and up through Aquitaine into the Charente, near the Atlantic coast.

I have to confess, our time in the country made me a little envious of the French and anyone else who lives there. Not enough to want to upsticks from Spain and move perhaps. But I can certainly see why its appeal for anyone else thinking of relocating abroad.

So here are my top five reasons for moving to France:

1)      The Countryside

As Meg Ryan exclaimed in the movie French Kiss, while admiring the French countryside passing by her train window: “Err, beautiful!”

Oh yes. Think of the Loire, the forests of Fontainebleau, the Bordelais and Burgundian wine regions, the Alps, the Côte d’Azur. France has it all.

2)      Towns and Cities

Is Paris the most beautiful city in the world? It’s got to have a claim. But even in the smallest provincial towns and villages it is easy to find a delightful shaded square, an arched bridge across a meandering river, a bustling market, or a maze of narrow cobbled lanes.

3)      Climate

France encompasses all three European climates: maritime, continental and Mediterranean. And while this contributes to the beauty and variety of its geography, it also brings an abundance of leisure opportunities, whether for adventure sports like skiing or surfing, or more gentle pursuits such as golf, walking or painting.

4)      Wining and Dining

Need I say more?! Just picture yourself kicking back with a glass of claret after a sumptuous four-course French meal. I rest my case.

5)      French Living

And all of this is wrapped up in something that is at once intangible and yet very real: the whole mode of French life, its attitudes and cultural mores. The beauty that seems to imbue everything French, whether in its art or architecture, its language, music or their inimitable sense of style. And, perhaps most importantly, a cultural emphasis on pleasure and appreciating the good things in life. Indeed, like chic, the French expression has even entered the English vernacular: joie de vivre. Who could say it better?

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