Expats the world over have, in one way or another, learned to adjust to life in a new country. Obviously, there are those that do not do this successfully, and end up unhappy in their new life or else they return to their home country (or some other one!). Here is a report from a Kiwi expat in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam who has adapted well, and maybe is short on patience with those who have not:

How significant was the culture shock you experienced when you moved abroad?

None at all. Vietnam is as different to New Zealand as you can get and it has several cultural differences plus the climate is very different. I knew all this before I arrived and they are the reasons that I came here. I have a sales baqckground and we are risk takers and change agents by definition so that made it easier for me.

Expats often talk about going through the “stages of culture shock.” Do you feel like you went through these or any other stages as you settled into the new culture?

Nope.

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.

None.

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

I love this place. The people are just wonderful, teh food is amazing, everything is super cheap, there is a dynamism about the place and it is great to be a part of a country that is growing rapidly.

What are the most challenging aspects of the new culture?

The expats! They are mostly a miserable bunch of moaners. I woudl love to see how they answer the above questions.

That’s the interesting part, right at the end there. You know… the “miserable bunch of moaners” bit. Should we expect every person to adapt as we do? Like the author, I too wonder about how other expats in Vietnam would answer the Expat Culture Shock report, or comment on this expat report on Vietnam.

Many expats in Mexico have offered advice and sounded off about the impact of the Mexican drug war on expats on our forum for expats in Mexico.

In this thread about what expats in Mexico wished they had known before they moved there, the topic of safety is covered in detail, and many say that they feel the concern is overblown.

But that appears to be changing, as some of the quotes in the Reuters article (via Yahoo News) linked above indicate.

“We thought it was going to be the end of Ajijic,” said Phil Rylett, a 61-year-old retiree from Sacramento, California, who was in the picturesque village finalizing plans to buy a house with his wife. “You can’t live in paradise if you’re afraid.”

“This time these were innocent people that they just snatched off the street,” said Terry Vidal, 52, executive director of the Lake Chapala Society, which caters to expats. “These were the children of our maids and gardeners and our colleagues. We were terrified,” he added.

“If the American community in Ajijic starts to feel insecure it could have a ripple effect across the country,” Kiy said.

These quotes are just quite different than what we’ve read in the past, and thought it important to note it for those considering life in Mexico as an expat. That being said, please do read all of the article that is linked above if you fit this description. And then read through our forum for expats in Mexico and ask questions.

It’s also important to note, however, that not everyone is cutting and running:

Expats say another similar atrocity could rip the community apart. Back in Sacramento, Rylett said he and his wife still plan on returning to buy their dream home. “We’re hoping it was an isolated tragedy,” he said. “But if there are more disturbing incidents, we’ll rethink our plans.”

Obviously, every person or family has to make this decision for themselves. In the 15 years that ExpatExchange has been online, our mantra has been Research, Research, Research. That continues to be the case, especially in circumstances present in Mexico.

Tokyo recently reclaimed the most expensive city for expats title, according to a recent study by Mercer.

The most expensive city for expats has varied some over the course of the 15 years that ExpatExchange has been online, but not much. So here is a bit about the research and how Tokyo managed to take the dubious title:

According to the research carried out by the consultancy Mercer, Paris, Rome and Amsterdam had all slid down the rankings as a weaker euro reduced costs for overseas firms.

The yen’s rise against the dollar pushed up the cost of living for staff and firms paid in other currencies, The BBC reports.

Tokyo has overtaken the previously most expensive city Angolan capital Luanda, and London was ranked at 25, down by seven places.

And here is a little bit more about the expat cost of living study on WSJ.com:

In general, European cities dropped in ranking while municipalities in Asia, Australia and New Zealand grew more expensive – a trend that may forecast the direction of expat deployment and salaries in those regions, according to Ed Hannibal, leader of Mercer’s North American mobility practice. In the long run, companies may shift to hiring more local workers in cities that become too expensive, he says.

The above article on WSJ.com provides actual numbers on some of the costs of living. Can you imagine paying more than $8 for a cup of coffee? Almost $10 for a newspaper? How about more than $175 for a pair of blue jeans.

Unfortunately, some of you can. How do you get around such costs?

Taxation and U.S. expats. These two topics seem to be inextricably tied to one another. American Citizens Abroad recently sent a letter to Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) in response to a bill that contains a provision to strip away passports from Americans citizens abroad with large tax debts, according to a press release on Yahoo.com:

American Citizens Abroad (ACA) has written a letter to members of Congress to express strong opposition to the enactment of a provision of the Senate Surface Transportation Bill (S.1813 – Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act), which is being worked on by a Congressional Conference Committee. The contested provision would authorize the U.S. Government to revoke or deny renewal of a passport when the individual in question has $50,000 or more of unpaid federal taxes, which the IRS is trying to collect through enforcement actions. ACA sent the letter to Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and members of the Senate Transportation Committee, the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee.

And here is text from the release that describes the ACA’s reasoning for opposing the provision in the bill:

ACA knows from its members worldwide that the tax rules for Americans outside the US are extremely complex, and it is easy for the taxpayer living overseas to make a mistake or overlook a detail. If made, mistakes commonly affect more than one or two years of declarations, and, therefore, the amount that the IRS claims is owed can be significant. Communications with the IRS about a tax liability are more difficult for Americans living overseas for many reasons, including the greater complexity of the tax code, unreliable mail service, difficulty in speaking directly to IRS agents from abroad, confusion over IRS letters and forms, and the use of currency exchange rates.

One of the risks that expatriates assume when they go abroad is that they will not be able to address legal matters in the same fashion as their countrymen at home. So, it seems that the question becomes: should the government be able to take advantage of this fact to pressure citizens abroad to pay taxes? Or for any other reason?

Here are a few recent Expat Dream vs. Reality reports from expats that are fully enjoying their experiences abroad. It’s always nice to read about expatriates that find that their new lives are working out for them!

Here is a report from Tokyo, Japan:

How has your expat experience met the expectations you dreamed about before you moved abroad?
I think that not having expectations meant that it was easier for me when I arrived in Japan. Everything was new and exciting for me and I was open to whatever lay before me. I wasn’t disappointed by anything, like some of my expat colleagues, because I hadn’t had any expectations. I think it made my experience richer because of it. Honestly, Japan changed my life.

And here is a report from Guayaquil, Ecuador

How has your expat experience met the expectations you dreamed about before you moved abroad?
Our experience has met and exceeded our expectations. We have met some incredible people. We have more friends than we could have imagined; not to mention a “social life”, something we barely had in the States. We have visited some beautiful places and had experiences with our family visiting and living here that I could have never dreamed of….Galapagos is one example!

Take the time to fill out our Dream vs. Reality Report!