B747-437B

Haha. No, nothing that exciting. My background is in aviation - setting up and running airlines and associated services in various parts of the world.

ukdoctor

So are you all expats or immigrants?

http://pljournal.com/poland/expat-immigrant-kureth.html

Paul56

Moved from Canada to the US... San Antonio Texas.

Not having to deal with snow & ice for 6-months of the year
is a pleasure but as the tradeoff one does have the heat here.

Being safe is more a function of being aware and alert of your
environment. There is certainly more violence here but I have
avoided all that.

There are things I do miss about Canada but the rewards for
being here have outweighed that.

DanishFlyer

I moved from Denmark to Scotland for grad school (3.5 years), then to Virginia for a research job (2.5 years), then to London for a university position (5 years) before returning to Denmark.

I had a lot of fun along the way. Life in the US was very affordable (and I had hardly any vacation time to blow my money), London not so much. Safety-wise I always felt safer around where I lived in Virginia that in London, but really, no biggie either place. I did have my home burgled twice in London though :-(

Now, I find myself with much more vacation time, and what money I have to make life affordable goes in the travel pot. This allows me to travel quite a bit to see friends all over, adding fun to my current lifestyle.

I would not have been without my experiences abroad, the things I've done and the people I've met, even if careerwise it might look like I wasted a lot of years.

And to the person who asked about expat vs immigrant: at some point I was wondering about the same thing for myself, but then I went home! For many people the turning point seems to be about 6 years out, around then there is a change of attitude. Generally, that is.

Danishflyer

rbphilip

I'm twice an ex-pat. Left Canada for Sweden in the early 80s for 4 years. Had a great time & made lifelong friends. Sweden was tougher then, easier now. Except for the weather I'd move back in a heartbeat.

1991 I took a two week business trip to Boulder, Colorado from Ottawa, Canada. I literally never left. Been here (with a small hiatus to join a startup in San Francisco) ever since.

ExpatSomchai

From the UK and spent 5 years living is Bangkok. Would jump to go back.

I_Can_Fly_US_Airways

Originally from Canada. Lived in the Middle east for 2+ years. LOVED IT!

My wife & I are planning to move to the highlands of Latin America early next year.

Best news today is that I just found out that the IRS raised the FEIE to $97,600 per person, WOO HOO. FINALLY some GOOD from the IRS ^

Tall Travel Dude

MI6? CIA? Mossad?

Siempre Viajando

US born, I have lived in the US, Canada, Perú (Huaraz and Lima) and Chile (Santiago). I currently live in Santiago.

I love Latin America and highly recommend a stint here, provided that you either speak Spanish (or Portuguese, if you're leaning toward Brazil) or are willing to learn.

Security issues vary from place to place. You have to be more careful in Perú generally, than in Chile. Santiago is safe as long as you take appropriate precautions and stay away from the wrong places. Generally, you can live here practically as you would in the US.

However, it is expensive. Consider that it cost me more than $1,000 to heat my house in July, even though the winters here are very mild compared to anywhere in Canada. Energy costs a fortune here! And everything else costs a lot too, except for a few things like avocados. So if you come to live in Santiago protect yourself with a good expat package...

c502cid

As a CU alum, I know Boulder is indeed another country

Open Jaw

I'm an American and lived in Mexico for almost two years. I loved it and only returned home because of 9/11 when my uncle died.

I would not return to Mexico right now but I would move in to Latin America again without thinking twice.

Currently, I am trying to decide where to go in LA. I am planning several trips to obtain some info about each place before moving.

GRALISTAIR

Born in the UK, educated in London and lived in the US for 13 years. Absolutely love it. Nothing like experiencing and living in another culture.

BuildingMyBento

I lived in Jakarta, Tokyo and Hong Kong for five months and China (on three different occasions) for about fifteen months.

Safety was never an issue, though yearning to be able to drink the water (save for Tokyo) was. My apartment (called a kost) in Jakarta, let's just say every time the toilet flushed, a bit of an oil slick appeared. Also, at one point in China, I had to shuffle between "motel" rooms while finding a new apartment. Often those would be one-floor motels located above a fried chicken restaurant but below a bar or karaoke. Never got a wink of sleep, and I mean that in the pejorative sense.

elf618

I'm contemplating a move to Africa for at least a year. The position would be academic. For American expats-besides evacuation insurance, maintaining my us based health insurance and usual disability etc any advice as to particular benefits I should negotiate into my package or need to consider on my own?

DanishFlyer

Pension?
Annual trips home, unless it can obviously be done on your salary.
Time off for said trips.
Often as academics, taking vacation time in conjunction with conferences etc is allowed, might be worth checking.

DanishFlyer