Expats, is where you live a nice rural town or village to settle down abroad? Camilleta on the Expat Exchange Global Forum has asked for your help in finding just such a place:

I’m thinking a small rural town or even a village somewhere. Somewhere less modernized and developed. I love places like Ireland, Romania, and Scotland in movies and stuff, but who knows how realistic my idea of them is?

A few expats have asked her to clarify what exactly she is looking for, but it looks like she could still use a little more advice on where to look.

Expats have referred to Orleans, France, parts of Argentina, San Andres Island, and Jinling Yuting Yuan as “quiet” on Expat Exchange.

Anyone who knows of places that fit her description should please respond to her thread about a quiet place to live abroad!

We’ve put together some expat news about British expats living abroad and for expats living in the U.K. Here we go…

Up first, on the Expat Exchange UK Forum, a UK Citizen who’s been out of the UK for 13 years is returning to the UK in the near future. A single mum with two children born in the U.S., she inquired about how she’ll have to manage the transition. One of our most active members, gah26, replied with sage advice about what to do and expect:

If you don’t have sole custody of your children, you may need court ordered permission from the children’s father to take them out of the country…

You should check with a British Embassy or Consulate about registering your children’s births…

You will have not credit history when your return to the UK unless you have kept a bank account or credit cards from here… Depending on where you live in the US, if you have an HSBC account, you may have an easier time opening an account with HSBC in the UK as you have an outstanding relationship with them…

The economy is struggling here, so competition for jobs is stiff. There are lots of people out of work across all sectors, so be prepared for a a long search unless you have some extraordinary talent.

You can read her full post about returning to the UK with young kids born outside the U.K. on our forum for Expats in the U.K..

Next, Marmite loving Brits in Denamark face an attack on one of their favorite “foodstuffs”:

Marmite-loving Brit(ish) expats living in Denmark have expressed their shock and dismay at the government’s decision to ban the legendary yeast-based spread, on the grounds that it contains “too many vitamins.”

The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration has invoked a 2004 law concerning nosh “fortified with added vitamins”. According to the Guardian, Marmite has joined Vegemite, Farley’s Rusks, Horlicks and Ovaltine on the list of proscribed foodstuffs.

The Daily Mail says the ban demonstrates the “absurdity” of the EU, which can declare Marmite perfectly legal, but can’t ram it down Danes’ throats.

Absurd it may be, but the decision will have deadly serious consequences for British tastebuds. Shaken ad executive Colin Smith, who’s lived in Denmark for six years, said: “What am I supposed to put on my toast now? I still have a bit left in the cupboard, but it’s not going to last long.”

Up Next, more money sent back to the U.K. from Brits abroad indicates many in this group plan to repatriate:

Data from a currency specialist shows that twice as many expats repatriated money to Britain in April compared to the same month last year, suggesting that yet more Britons could be planning to give up on life abroad.

According to the report from Moneycorp, the size of the average transfer has also increased by 15 per cent in the past year, from a £96,500 average in the 12 months to April 2010, to a £110,500 average in the 12 months to April 2011.

Currency specialists generally regard the repatriation of large amounts of money from Britons abroad as a reliable sign that expats are selling their assets and preparing to move back home.

And that’s all the news right now for British expats and expats in Great Britain! We hope you’ll visit our Expat Exchange UK Forum and ask and answer questions as often as possible!

I like to highlight expat reports on the Expat Exchange blog because it provides fresh insight from expats currently tackling the expatriate experience. It is not always easy, and it’s probably a good idea not to expect it to be. Here is an edited excerpt from a Culture Shock Report for Amman, Jordan that amplifies this reality:

What is the name of the city or town that you are reporting on?

Amman, Jordan

If they speak another language in your new country, do you speak the language?

Yes they speak Arabic. I was born and raised in the states but my mother and father are from Palestine. I grew up hearing the language and speak it but not to the extent of a native. The dialect is different as well sense they come from different part of the middle east.

Were you worried or concerned about culture shock before you moved abroad?

Not really. I was so engulfed with my move and tying things up at home in the states that I didn’t have time to think about it too much.

Expats often talk about going through the “stages of culture shock.” Examples include the honeymoon phase, the irritation-to-anger stage, the rejection of the culture stage, and the cultural adjustment phase. Do you feel like you went through these or any other stages as you settled into the new culture?

I know I went through the honey moon stage. I was excited and fascinated to see a new country and culture. But when reality started to settle in and I started to think that I will be here for a while I started to compare my lifestyle. For example the ease with which I came and went, the clean streets and freedom to be just me and not worry about what I am wearing or or how I show emotion towards my husband in public. I find myself missing my home and neighborhood which they don’t have here.

What, if any, were some of the changes you noticed in yourself that might have been caused by culture shock? These might include things such as anger, depression, anxiety, increased eating or drinking, frustration, homesickness, etc.

I started to get more emotional. I am afraid that my sons that are coming in late June will not be happy. I know myself and bounce in and out of a depression mode, which I pray will weaknen. I am definitely homesick.

If you would like to share your culture shock experiences, thanks in advance for your insights. Remember that there will be others that follow in your footsteps and need all the feedback they can get! Read more reports in our Expat Reports section.

Expat Exchange recently explored the issue of safety in Mexico in Crime in Mexico: Where are the Safest Places to Live in Mexico?.

The article is summed up nicely with the opening sentence:

With the reported rise in the number of Americans killed in Mexico over the past few years, “Where are the best places to live in Mexico?” has quickly become, “Where are the safest places to live in Mexico?”

Too true, unfortunately. Several Expat Exchange members have already offered some thoughts in the comments section that follows the article. There is a wide range of opinions:

“I pretty much agree with the last person who said that the society here is so classist that if you are rich you usually live so differently that you’re almost in a different country. The dark-skinned people are the servants, the garbage men, the drivers. The drug cartels are horrible, but in a way they are carrying out today’s Mexican revolution. It is the common man exerting power over the rich. The cartels kidnap and kill rich people all over the country and this is changing the political power. Drug lords are controlling things. What a nightmare.”

“I have lived in Querétaro for almost 7 years. It is the safest, cleanest place I have ever lived. Everyone I know, male or female, tells me that they feel comfortable walking in the street, even late at night, and have never had any problem doing so.”

“It is safe so far where we live, in Merida. There have been no gun battles or beheadings of local people here. There are a lot of police stops on the roads leading into town, which is a good thing.”

Isn’t kind of scary when you have to point that there have been no beheadings near where you live. Tough times in (parts of?) Mexico. Yikes.

On several Expat Exchange country networks we have posted messages to give our members an opportunity to post a few things that they wish they had known before they moved to their host country.

Here are a few samples:

UK Expat Network – Member somali

1. Phone and internet services takes approx 2 months to activate… Virgin Media may be the exception because they have their own pool of engineers… apparently, all other companies share the same pool.

2. Having a British debit card (with Pin and Chip) is necessary. Not all stores, including large furniture stores, accept credit cards, and especially not a foreign one.

3. That Argos is a mail order store! Can’t see anything that you purchase in advance (at least not big tix items such as sofas etc)…but they do have a 28-day return policy.

Germany Expat NetworkMember afu49

1. Few German speaks English, so you better learn German.

2. The Germans are very bureaucratic.

3. German government pass many laws to get people to spend money. Do you know why?

4. The many stereotypes of Germans are only true for the older German born before or around WWII. The younger Germans are just the opposite. I know that is sad.

For those expats that have something to share about what they wish they had known before moving overseas, visit the relevant expat country network and post away!

Liz Perelstein of School Choice International recently contributed 8 Tips for Students Considering University Abroad to Expat Exchange.

As a counselor and therapist in the U.S.A., I know first hand that a lot of adolescents on the cusp of their collegiate careers have an eye well beyond the U.S. border. The article offers concise advice about the advantages of going to college in another country, and also important considerations to help assess whether or not the child in question is well suited for the international education experience.

While I read through the wonderful advice offered by Liz, I thought it obvious that much of what is covered also applies to adults that choose to move abroad. Yes, much of what is in the article applies directly to the educational experience, but there are parts that are easily generalized to the adult expatriate experience. Here is an example:

Liz writes the following…

Social Concerns: Is your child outgoing? Does s/he make friends easily? Will s/he be comfortable as part of a minority? Will s/he cling to his or her own minority and forego all opportunities to integrate with other cultures? As an international student, your child may need to try a little bit harder to make friends so s/he can build a support system quickly in a place where s/he may not know anyone, and may feel very out of place. If your child is adventurous and excited about meeting new and very different people, s/he may thrive in a new social environment like a foreign university.

Doesn’t much of this apply to anyone moving overseas? I think so. It’s often been written on Expat Exchange that if expats expect neighbors in their destination to come knocking on their door and do the social outreach them, they’re in for a long wait.

Good advice for a prospective college student? Yes, but in many ways it’s good advice for all. So it’s a good read for anyone with an eye toward the study abroad experience, but I’d also encourage all expats to read it and take advantage of Liz’s sage advice.

Cluj Napoca in Romania is the latest city covered in our Culture Shock Reports. Our ever-growing list of expat reports continues to add depth of understanding to what it means to live overseas. When people unfamiliar with Expat Exchange ask us about it, we often say that it helps expats help expats. It does this, we say, by enabling expats to provide advice about a location others are considering as a future overseas home. If you want to give back to the expat community, our expat reports are one of the easiest ways for expats to get this done.

With over 300,000 residents, Cluj Napoca is the fourth most populous city in Romania. Here are some thoughts shared by the expat that completed this culture shock report:

What are some things you appreciate most about the new culture?

1. The positive attitude of the children.

2. Most people have strong family ties.

3. Most people are more than simple hospitality…..families are gracious and welcoming.

4. People do the impossible….even if it takes years.

What are the most challenging aspects of the new culture?

For me language and social aspects of racial inequalities. Poverty seems well accepted for some groups.

Did you “commit” any embarrassing or humorous cultural blunders? If you did and you’d like to share them, please do tell!

The word for bread is similar to the word for “butt.” I blundered several times with this one.

Also time issues. Time, and on time are not such a matter of an actual hour…..more like a round about appointment.

Read the full Culture Shock Report about Cluj Napoca, Romania. Add your Culture Shock Report and help other expats learn what it means to live in the country to which you have relocated.

In light of the recent counter-terrorism activity in Pakistan and the killing of Osama Bin Laden, the State Department issued a new Worldwide Caution Travel alert.

Expats should be reminded to take security seriously while living overseas. Those living abroad often like to cite crime and other risks in their home country and compare them to their host country. Many will insist that it’s even safer abroad for them than it was at home.

While that might be the case in certain instances, remember too that there are unique risks for anyone living in a foreign country. Here is an excerpt from Is Security Training for Expatriates and Travelers Necessary? by Juan A Garcia on Expat Exchange:

When I talk to individuals that reside or travel overseas their usual attitude is that they know enough about personal security. It is a common trait that I observe once an individual has traveled or lived overseas and nothing has happened complacency usually sets in…

…But would you know how to recognize a serious criminal pre-threat indicator? What happens if that one to five percent of trouble finds you? I am not talking about the silly Hollywood type pre-threat indicators that we see in the movies, but real hardcore professional criminal targeting of a potential victim. Why take a chance on being that small percentile that will forever live with a bad overseas experience.

The reality is that once we have lived in ANY place long enough we just drop our guard. How many times have you seen a news clip of a local resident where an attack has taken place and you hear them say, “this sort of thing doesn’t happen around here?” Now be honest about what has happened where you live in recent times? Remember that as an expat, sometimes you simply CANNOT BLEND IN.

Here more from Draping an Expat by Robert F. Marcelain, CPP on Expat Exchange:

There may be a few that can blend in, but most Westerners stick out in a crowd like Shaquel O’Neal at a Jockeys convention. We walk differently, we dress differently, our mannerisms are unique and we use a knife and fork differently. And once we speak forget it, even if we are fluent in the local language, our accent gives us away. We are just too easy to identify.

Finally, take the time to read our expat security primer, but remember that this is not enough. Give overseas security training real consideration!

Expats that read our weekly newsletter may have noticed a new section called “Expats Making a Difference.”

The first entry of the series focuses on Expat Exchange member boncur’s efforts to bring attention to the Ali Shungu Foundation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the provision of aid to five indigenous Andean communities in Ecuador. These communities have been ravaged by rains recently, which makes the effort even more important. Learn more about the Ali Shungu Foundation and how you can help.

As a dog lover and owner, I also wanted to draw attention to The Dog Whisperers of Cotacachi, Ecuador, an article on Expat Exchange that covers Lee and Peggy Carper’s mission to help stray dogs in Cotacachi, Ecuador. This is clearly an article with which any dog lover will connect. Finding something you are passionate about helps to make sure it will be easier to stay motivated and dedicated to the cause. It certainly seems like Lee and Peggy have done that!

If you know an expat or expat group who is making a difference abroad, please e-mail us and tell us about the individual or organization.