ExpatExchange Blog

What was it that made “The Expat Life” so engaging? I’ve thought about this for a while now, and I’ve come up with a few answers.

First and foremost, it did such a wonderful job of covering the various stages of expatriation. However, it never felt like a manual for international living. Over the course of 3.5 years, Alan Paul led us through his family’s journey into the heart and soul of Beijing. It wasn’t academic, and it didn’t pretend to be something that it wasn’t. There was just the right amount of insight and reflection. Too little and it would have been just another expat diary, too much and it would have drowned out the richness of detail Alan Paul painted in each entry.

And then there were the people. Alan Paul did not just travel among Beijing residents. He engaged them, and it seems as if they were just as happy to do the same. The cultural dynamics somehow shined through in a manner that captured the humanity of the expat experience, or at least what many fledgling expatriates want that experience to be.

Who goes to a foreign country and starts a blues band? Well, Alan Paul. That’s something I know I would have loved to have seen, and I don’t think it’s because I too play guitar and love the blues in its many variations. What would it be like to walk into a bar or festival of some sort in China and find an American leading a blues band? I’d like to know. Somehow, thanks to Paul, I feel like I already do. At least an much as I can without actually getting on a plane.

And so, farewell to you, Mr. Paul. But hopefully not goodbye. Your readers have lost a source of moving overseas information that made it so easy to understand what it is that motivates expats to pursue their globetrotting lifestyle. Alan will continue to have a web presence at www.alanpaul.net. You can keep track of him there… I know we will at ExpatExchange.com.

According to the results of HSBC Bank International’s 2009 Expat Explorer Survey, “Japan, Russia, Qatar and Hong Kong are home to some of the wealthiest expats in the world.” 

Russia is home to the highest percentage of expats (30%) who earn more than US$250,000, followed by Hong Kong (26%), Switzerland (25%) and India (25%).  Globally, an average of 16% of expats earn more than US$250,000.  Australia and Belgium are home to the lowest paid expats, with 63% and 61% respectively earning less than US$100,000.  And, the economic crisis seems to be hitting expats in the UK hardest.  44% of expats in the UK are considering returning home in light of the financial crisis - compared to an average of only 15% worldwide considering repatriation.

Just like expats from so many other countries, many Kiwi expatriates find themselves headed home due to the economic crisis. One of the couples highlighted in this article has had an amazing run in Austria, which included test driving motorcycles for Rondey and a marketing job for his wife Jessie. Now they will return to their native New Zealand and find some way to dig in and reestablish themselves. It will certainly be interesting to see how this plays out for many expats, and whether or not they will be ready to saddle up and move abroad again once the recession ends.

What’s the best country for Brits that are interested in moving overseas? It turns out not to be France, Australia, or the U.S. According to a recent survey, British expats in New Zealand love the sunshine, low-cost property and health lifestyle they’ve found more than 11,000 miles away. Perhaps more interesting is that 86% of the expats indicated their lives were better after their move from the U.K. Also, the increase in financial worth is staggering. Wow!

The recent election in Iran has punctuated the unbelievable impact that the Web has had on the way we digest news and the steps goverments take to convey legitimacy to the world. Regardless of how much we actually may be able to dissect results, the media revolution seems to be firmly intact. While these events might have been much more closed off in the past, it seems as if the Web hs forced regimes to take some steps to head off world reaction. Recently, China mandated that Web filtering software be pre-installed on all computers sold in the country. One of the best parts of working on ExpatExchange.com is getting feedback from our users all over the world regarding the perceptions of these type of events in the countries in which they reside. So tell us… what are you hearing about these events, or those like them?

Alan Paul has added another gem to his Expat Life blog on WSJ.com. This installment focuses on his Alan’s relationship with his Chinese teacher, who has vacillated between becoming a Taoist monk and choosing another path that leaves him more engaged in the modern world. This excellent column raises an interesting question… how meaningful are the relationships you cultivate when you move to another country? Obviously, Alan has invested a lot of thought and time into his relationship with Yechen, and it so beautifully illustrates how the expat life can enrich those that embrace it as fully as he has. We hope Alan updates us on Yechen’s internal struggle. Can he live with some middle ground, or will he need to be more of purist? Make no mistake about it, we at ExpatExchange.com remain faithful fans of The Expat Life!

How are you doing keeping up on world events? It can be difficult for those that are busy, busy, busy. Here’s a little snapshot of articles to quickly sample some important events:

Expatriates in Lebanon know that the Western-backed victors of parliamentary elections now face the difficult task of forming a government now that they’ve widened their majority.

Expats in the U.K. know that Prime Minister Gordon Brown faces more pressure to leave office after his party faired badly in EU Parliamentary elections.

Expats of Cuba know that the island nation has rejected an invitation to rejoin the Organization of American States.

And, finally, Elephants of Malawi have experienced a different kind of relocation as the International Fund for Animal Welfare has begun to move 60 elephants to a Malawian wildlife reserve after continued problems for local farmers. Several people and elephants have died there recently.

In the wake of President Obama’s speech at Cairo University, it will be of great interest to see how it will be received in various parts of the world. One wonders how much people in the United States and the U.K. will pay attention to this trip, one that many consider to be historic. In Indonesia, where Obama once lived as a child, and Muslim nations all across the Middle East and beyond, his trip is seen as nothing less than this. What do expats hear in their host countries? Please feel free to comment and let us know! Here is a link to a WSJ.com article that details Obama’s Speech in Cairo.

One of the chief concerns for expats when they first realize they will be moving overseas is safety abroad. Over the last few weeks, North Korea has once again began to rattle its nuclear and conventional sabers, and so it’s a fair question to ask: do expats in South Korea feel safe in this environment? What are your thoughts about safety while living overseas? Many expatriates seem to simply accept these risks as part of the price for the international experience. The question is, however, have you taken the proper precautions?