Part Five of the Expat ‘From Struggle To Success’ Series looks at ‘landing’ like an expert.  Today is World Art Day, so I encourage you to celebrate the work of art that is YOU.

Check YOU out, you sexy expat thing you – meeeooooowww!  Yes you, with the eyes….reading this, looking at my letters, words, spaces and all, you are…

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Americans living abroad are a busy lot, to be sure. More than managing the typical day to day that folks Stateside deal with, we US expats do that and a lot more: There are new rules for living in our new host country. The culture is new. Perhaps there’s a new language to learn.

In addition to all of this, there also comes the time each year, like now, when we need to be thinking about the coming tax season and preparing some things that can give us a leg up and save a significant…

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-  The number of Americans aged 25-34 living abroad has increased from 1% to 5.1% in two years

-  40% of Americans aged 18-24 express a serious interest in working abroad, up from only 15% in 2009

-  The US State Department estimates 6.4m Americans are now working and living abroad.

I wondered for some years if I was alone thinking that opportunities for folks in the State were becoming more and more dire and if a relocation to another country might be the new “American…

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What Happened to the Baby Boomers Anyway?



The ‘free love generation’ broke taboos, explored, experimented, came of age and changed the world, all while inhaling.



For all our good intentions we haven’t done as well as we had hoped.  Wiping out diseases, hunger, and war were all high on the agenda, as were most of us.



Now?  Well, we are older and some are looking for other adventures. But many of us still have those intentions and hope to be useful towards…

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The cow studies me with a contemplative grind of her teeth. Several flies gather at the corner  of  her eye. In the New Mexico desert you take moisture anywhere you can find it.

The landscape is grilled, layered  with reds and oranges in the soil. Behind the cow there are the white bleached bones of some of her kin showing through creamy colored  sands. It is like a surrealistic painting, except the dry whistling fingers of heat reach out to turn your skin to desiccated parchment. My…

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Hi All,

We have a new expat from the US who is relocating to DG.

We are looking for a relocation agency to help settle him and his family in, they are quite common in places like Shanghai & Beijing etc.

Any help with this is very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

It's fast approaching that time of year when expats begin making preparations for the annual pilgrimage home to see loved ones over the Christmas period. The time for buying airline tickets is well overdue and latecomers will be contemplating extraordinarily high prices when purchasing tickets home, if at all available. …



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Whether you…

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I have been a bad expat. In the year and some odd months since I left my home country to start my life in a new one, I had not read one single solitary expat book. There is certainly… Continue

When I first moved to Thailand, I made a conscious decision to stay out of tourist type areas, for living. I am now starting to wonder wether that was the right decision.



There is no two ways about, I learned more about Thailand, by being out amongst the people, both in work and at home. I enjoy a good wage and a cheap lifestyle, but lately, where I live just isn't good enough.



The wife and I enjoy going to the movies and the cinema in town, while perfectly adequate and… Continue

As a halfpat in Beijing I have come to a realization one that will blow your mind. The more I have gotten involved with this city through networking events, expat meet ups, and the never ending cycle of "cultural events." The more it has become true that you can only have two of the following three at an event; young people, good drinks, and Chinese culture. Never will all three culminate into a large event with out one being a minority.



Have you find this to be true? If not what are… Continue

Listen up expats from everywhere. US expat Tracy Madere had orthoscopic surgery today on her knee. (Staying in shape can have its price) Surgery was done in Las Vegas, Nevada , on an outpatient basis this morning and Tracy is home trying to sit still to recover. If you know Tracy, that is next to impossible. She runs at moc 3 with her hair on fire 24/7. Sitting still for more than 2 minutes is not an option in her food chain. Send her a brief message and say hello. Encourage her to take a… Continue

I took upon myself a quest which seemed to take longer than I thought. The task of writing about this quest also seemed daunting beyond belief but I've decided that it's time to put up or shut up.



Within the past month I've experienced a lot of firsts.



First time abroad.

First time living in a different country.

First plane trip. I took 4 at once.

First boat ride.

First train ride.

First subway ride.



I suppose all of these firsts make me… Continue