Also, if you have an iphone and might be moving to France (or already live there), checkout HTH Worldwide’s new mPassport app. Never leave anything to chance about your health abroad, and this seems to be a real nice way to give yourself some peace of mind.

Expats surfing in China

Given the enormous size of the Chinese coastline, it would also appear to make sense that one of the new activities introduced there would be surfing.

There are a few challenges to this introduction, such as pollution and no history of beach sports:

“Another hurdle is the environment. China is among the world’s most polluted countries and its coastlines are no exception, discouraging water sports.

“But Angela Wang, a business consultant from Beijing who declared herself ‘addicted’ after her first lesson under Sheridan, expressed hope that the environmentalism that follows surfing could be a catalyst for cleaner beaches.

“‘If you want to have fun with nature, you need to be friends with it,’ she said.”

“She grew up in north London and says she set up the school to resolve a lack of pride in African culture.

‘I think a lot of us who have migrated from Africa to the UK or the United States tend to neglect our culture and adopt that of where we are, which is wrong.’”

“China Transition Institute (CTI) president David Israel-Rosen said most foreigners are unprepared for what life will be like when they arrive in China. ‘It is moving from the West to the East,’ he said. ‘It is not like moving from Chicago to Denver.’

‘If you look at the literature, between 30 percent and 50 percent of expats go home early. The failure rates are astonishing.’”

This is not surprising given the cultural distance between China and the West, and it’s more proof that expats should not take preparation lightly.

The volatility in the valuation of the sterling is having a dramatic impact on the wallets of British pensioners living in Europe, according to the article on Telegraph.co.uk.

“Mark Bodega, director at HiFX said: ‘In the economic slowdown, everyone is feeling the pinch. However, Brits living in Europe and receiving a fixed income in sterling are being hit particularly hard. In the past two years, we have seen unprecedented volatility in the currency markets with the value of sterling fluctuating by over 30 per cent against the euro.’”

As always, do you homework and do your best to explore various service providers to examine all of your options! Every situation is different so figure out what will work best for YOU!

As this seems to be the first such form of representation for expats, one wonders if something along these lines might be something considered for U.K. and American expats. How feasible would that be? One things for certain, the governments will consider it if they feel it will make tax collection more easy!

(Quote from an article on Examiner.com.au):

“One former expat, Daniel returned to Sydney from a five-year stint in London. Now he and his wife ‘don’t intend to go anywhere near the Australian property market’ despite having saved more than $200,000 for a deposit on a home.

‘The price of property (and living) is more expensive here than most places we have travelled,’ he said, declining to give his full name.

Only those who bought into the boom ten to 15 years ago can really benefit from the price rises, Daniel said.”

There have been a lot of articles about Aussie expats returning home in this market, so there must be a lot of people out there feeling the pain.

Whatever the reason, homework is critical when you evaluate this life changing decision about whether or not to work abroad. This recent article on FastCompany.com contains the following quote:

“A recent survey by Manpower Inc. found that employment prospects are most favorable in India, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, China, Australia, Singapore, Costa Rica, Canada, Taiwan, and Poland. Jeff Joerres, Manpower Inc.’s chairman and CEO says a reason for this is because the populations of developing countries are increasing nearly six times as fast as those of developed countries. ‘This essentially creates a magnet pulling American workers to developing nations, and moving them along as each destination stabilizes. So you can see how Prague was hot for a while for American workers, then Vietnam and Dubai.’”

As many posts on our forums have recently focused on where to go, we thought this would be a good launching point for some discussion. Enjoy!

Forbes has created yet another “Top 10″ list in its unending effort to drive as much traffic as possible to its website. (Not knocking it, what company isn’t trying to do that!) This last one is about the Top 10 places to retire abroad.

Also, expats in the UAE may be required to take new drivers tests if proposals aimed at improving traffic safety are implemented.

And, finally, with the U.S. dollar once again plummeting, a great financial opportunity for expats has been created, and many are taking full advantage of it.

As expats are actually overseas and many encounter offshore options more frequently because of this reality, we thought it was relevant to review articles such as this one, titled Tax Evaders Face Choice: Pay or Pray found on the NYTimes.com.

For those that encounter other expats regularly, is this a topic of discussion you’ve noticed? While you certainly don’t have to be an expat for this to be relevant, it seems that it would be on the average expats radar more than someone still in the States.

In the article, titled Sweet Home Beijing,” Alan sums his experience in the band, which included playing shows during the Beijing Olympics, recording an album and, following his repatriation, a return trip to China to help promote the new release.

Here are just a few reasons why I find Paul’s experience so compelling:

• First, he was a “trailing spouse” that landed in China because his wife accepted an assignment there. I don’t know exactly how he felt about it, but either way, he found a way to make it work.
• He utilized his hobby, an art form (music), to connect with locals. These relationships seem to created a meaningful experience for him.
• The band he helped create really blossomed in China. He played in several areas of the country and did well in the l
  ]]> http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?feed=rss2&p=207 http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=205 http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=205#comments Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400 admin http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=205 Are British Expats “scrounging” health services in Spain? They are according to the media and certain doctors in the Alicante area. The doctors insist that a growing number of British expats are showing up in their operating rooms to avoid lengthy delays in the U.K.

  Of course, the root of the controversy is a limited amount of funds for health care. Spanish officials insist that they are not properly compensated for the services they provide to foreign EU citizens.

  I found it interesting because it makes me wonder what will happen in the U.S. if the increase in health care coverage results in extensive wait periods for procedures. Both sides of the health care debate have taken positions on this issue, and I personally feel that it is impossible to say exactly how increased coverage will impact availability. Those in the trenches say either you can or cannot compare what will happen in the U.S. to other nations’ health care systems. Frankly, it seems obvious to me it will be its own unique system, and we won’t really know what that will be until long after it is rolled out.

  It would be interesting to hear from expatriates experiences on our new Global Expat Forum or in comments to this blog post!

  ]]> http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?feed=rss2&p=205 http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=202 http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=202#comments Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400 admin http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=202 The recent arrest of film director Roman Polanski has ignited a fiery debate among other artists various media outlets. Polanksi, who might not accurately be described as an expat, has lived such an international lifestyle that it is worthy of of mention in our blog. While he was born in Paris, his family moved back to Poland in 1936. Following, the Nazi invasion, he escaped the Krakow ghetto in 1943. His mother died in Auschwitz, and his father survived the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp. He eventually lived in London, Los Angeles and elsewhere in Europe. In short, he was well versed with crossing international borders and he jumped when it became clear he was going to be held accountable for his actions.

  One of the reasons that I find it relevant is the fact that Polanski is not the only individual, obviously, who moved to a foreign country following the commitment or conviction of a serious crime. Last month we posted this request by U.K. officials for the help of British expats in securing the arrest and conviction of criminals in Spain. I often wonder how many expats have come across a fellow countryman (or woman) who is hiding from the authorities.

  And don’t miss Chris Rock’s comedic diatribe aimed at the people that defend Polanski’s actions (From E! Online).

  ]]> http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?feed=rss2&p=202 http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=200 http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=200#comments Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400 admin http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=200 While it’s not exactly about living abroad or moving overseas, what captures the spirit of international living better than the Olympic Games? In short order, we will know the location of the 2016 Summer Olympic games. And it is an exciting time for the cities/countries hoping to attract the largest sporting event in the world. Much is on the line. Aside from drawing the interest of people from all over the world, it obviously secures billions of dollars of investment.

  As of right now, it seems that Chicago is the front runner to win the bid. Rio, Tokyo and Madrid are the other cities that have emerged as front runners. However, the article linked here points out that the process used to arrive at the eventual winner makes it quite difficult to predict who will eventually be selected:

  “The round-by-round system makes predicting a winner perilous, because the outcome depends on how members shift their votes after their favorite candidates are eliminated. If Madrid is ejected first, would its supporters swing behind Rio, Tokyo or Chicago, and by how much in each case? And if Tokyo goes out next, where will its backers go? The variables are such that any city could conceivably go out — even if Chicago and Rio have long been seen as the front-runners.”

  As an aside, I cannot believe we are really preparing for the 2016 games. Anyone else feel like the millennium was yesterday?

  ]]> http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?feed=rss2&p=200 http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=198 http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=198#comments Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 admin http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=198 Reuters/NYTimes.com just ran a story about some of the television-free options available to U.S. expats who want to watch their T.V. shows from home. While there are more options available to expats other than the ones covered in article, it does a decent job of evaluating some of the hardware and services that can get the job done.

  What was more interesting to me is that the article was filed under the “artsbeat” section of the Times. It got me to thinking about whether or not T.V. is actually art. The article mentions “American Idol,” of which I’ve never watched a single episode, and one of the many reasons is that it seems to be more about the business of music and show biz personalities than music. I’ve written on ExpatExchange.com a lot about how every person needs to figure out for themselves what will help them settle in abroad, and if that means channeling some of the banal comforts from our American culture, than so be it.

  What I’m most curious about though is how many Americans abroad decide to forgo American television, or television altogether, and how easy or hard is it to make that decision? I’m not advocating it one way or another, but it seems relevant given the research that has established the impact television habits can have on individuals. How does it impact the expat experience?

  ]]> http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?feed=rss2&p=198 http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=196 http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=196#comments Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 admin http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=196 Crimefighters in Britain reached out to their countrymen in Spain in an effort to help apprehend some of the more hardened criminals thought to be hiding out there. The types of crimes include murder, rape and child abusers. Expats, put on your badges and walk a beat in Spain! (Links to an AP story via Yahoo! News.)

  “The British crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers and the Serious Organised Crime Agency made the appeal at a press conference in the southern city of Malaga in which they added 10 new names to their existing list of 17 suspects believed to on the run in Spain.”

  Of the initial list of 40, there have been 26 arrests. It’s amazing how the extension of communications and television content across nations has created such an opportunity. With over one million British citizens in Spain, it’s hardly a small market to tap into.

  If nothing else, it also reminds us how the world continues to shrink. I’m sure that criminals used to hide out in another country, where a foreign language is spoken, and felt a lot more secure than they do now. Twenty-six out of forty? That’s unbelievable!

  ]]> http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?feed=rss2&p=196 http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=194 http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=194#comments Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 admin http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=194 Over the last several months, we have highlighted a few articles about problems expats face when they purchase property abroad. It increasingly seems to be one of the major risks of international living. Perhaps most famously, there have been large numbers of British expats that have lost property in Valenica, Spain.

  Now, this issue has reared its ugly head again in India. In an article about British Expats losing property in Goa, TimesOnline.co.uk reports that many of these individuals face large losses in their financial positions after following the advice of local lawyers and builders. Charges of racism have been leveled by these expats, too, who report being told to “go home.” Yikes.

  As stated above, when moving overseas, every expat needs to be aware of the fact that purchasing land and/or housing abroad carries risk, and an intimate knowledge of local laws should be viewed as compulsory. Even then, these risks remain. Buyer beware.

  ]]> http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?feed=rss2&p=194 http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=192 http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=192#comments Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 admin http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=192 One of the obvious hazards of an international lifestyle are the health risks associated with exposure to large numbers of people that might have infections that your immune system may find difficult to fight. Commercial air travel has long been one of the prime culprits, as it places a large group of people together in a cabin with recirculated air.

  According to this article, expats that fly may be a bit safer with the development of a new air filtration system:

  “A revolutionary new air filter could help reduce the spread of swine flu and other illnesses among passengers on board commercial airline flights, British researchers say.

  “The aerospace giant BAE Systems has joined forces with a Quest International, a small company based in Cheadle, South Manchester, to develop a machine that destroys up to 99.9 per cent of infectious viruses and bacteria as well as pollutants that can circulate in the confines of an aircraft, especially on long-haul flights.”

  My reaction to this article is the same one I’ve had whenever this topic comes up: Airlines don’t already have that? I find it hard to believe no entrepreneur tried to make this work already. Maybe the airlines just weren’t interested?

  ]]> http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?feed=rss2&p=192 http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=190 http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=190#comments Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 admin http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=190 Experts in expatriate and offshore finances are receiving a large number of inquiries as to how U.S. expatriates can ensure that they will not be penalized, prosecuted or both. This is due to the heavy push U.S. tax authorities are making toward locating undeclared assets and income abroad.

  FT.com has put together an article about U.S. Expat Taxes that covers the panic as the deadline rapidly approaches. The article indicates that the a U.S. Senate Committee believes that losses due to tax evasion exceeds $100 Billion annually.

  ]]> http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?feed=rss2&p=190 http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=188 http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=188#comments Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 admin http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=188 One of the most common bonds shared by expat parents is that the issue of schooling for their children must be addressed in some way. There are various options, and none ever seem to be easy, even if a particular solution happens to be the best option.
  

  
  We found an article about this reality in China, and it involves home schooling kids there amid an atmosphere of high tuition at international schools and few local options:

  “Estherine Chan, administrator of the Shanghai Area Learners Together (SALT), says she has seen a similar rise in the number of families choosing to home school. ‘We have noticed a big increase in the home-schooling population here, and I think it’s for several reasons,’ including reductions in the amount of expatriate education packages because of the global economic downturn, Chan says.”

  Once the world economy heats up, it will be interesting to see how expatriate benefits packages rebound.

  It would be valuable for all of the families that find their way to ExpatExchange if as many expats as possible post their own experiences in our Expat School Report.

  ]]> http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?feed=rss2&p=188 http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=186 http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=186#comments Thu, 03 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 admin http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=186 If a large number of UK expats - perhaps as many a half-million - receive a favorable ruling, they would be entitled to receive a larger pension. Some may see their pensions as much as double. While the case was rejected in the U.K., it has been taken to the European Court of Human rights in Strasbourg. Read more about U.K. Expat Pensioners in www.telegraph.co.uk.
  ]]> http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?feed=rss2&p=186 http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=184 http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=184#comments Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 admin http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=184 Around the world, expat kids are returning or preparing to return to school. Many international schools have seen a decline in enrollment this fall as expats have been forced to cut back or repatriate. Some kids are being transitioned from international schools to local schools, and, therefore, face a much different school experience. To kids, this change can be just as drastic as were their international relocations. Maybe even more so.
  ]]> http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?feed=rss2&p=184 http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=182 http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=182#comments Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400 admin http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=182 One might think that it’s easy for Australian artists to make their mark in the U.S., especially given the impact that Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman and more have made there. But it’s not so easy for musicians, according to singer Guy Sebastian. Obviously, there’s a lot of thought that goes into marketing artists, and some managers have decided to not label their clients as Australians at all:

  “I don’t want to push the Australian angle when I’m breaking bands in America or in England,” Donovan said. When I took Grinspoon over to the UK we actually did deals with our promoters not to put us on backpacker shows, not to promote us in TNT, the Aussie backpacker magazine, and keep us away from all that. Otherwise the English view us as just a backpacker band to perform to the expats.”

  Read more about Aussie Expat Bands

  ]]> http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?feed=rss2&p=182 http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=179 http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=179#comments Sun, 23 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400 admin http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?p=179 A British expat couple that was attacked by a man with a machete at his home are now recovering. The man, Peter Green, who moved there with his wife a few years ago, is now conscious, breathing on his own and recovering from his wounds. His wife has already gone home for appropriate medical care. Crime is a problem in the area, and there have been other attacks on foreigners there recently. The attack took place on August 1st.

  One of the realities of living in another country is that there are often members of any society that may not appreciate the prospect of foreigners moving there. We all know this. While this could have been a simple robbery, it involves an expat and it is another reminder to everyone that moves abroad that precautions have to be taken. While we all are aware that there are dangers in our own societies, there are local, cultural and geopolitical realities that one must take into account before moving overseas. Do your homework, even if you have been living overseas for a while now!

  ]]> http://www.expatexchange.com/blog/wordpress/?feed=rss2&p=179