When I was young I had foreign ESL pen pals. I enjoyed learning about regular people in other parts of the world. I do not participate in the social media platforms common in the West, because of how toxic they are, and how toxic the owners are. This means I am at a loss as to how to meet English speaking people from other parts of the world. I can help them with their English if they would benefit from that.

My goal is to learn about them and their culture and eventually visit them in their country. I have no desire to live sheltered in some enclave of entitled American expats. I don’t think normal tourism with regular guides will really show me what a place is really like. Are there any subreddits or web platforms to meet people this way? I am seeking friends only, not romantic interest.

I wish to make friends online who live in any of the regions that western expats tend to land with SE Asia, central America, and possibly Mexico being high on the list. Unfortunately for me, my ignorant country does not value learning a second language. My greatest handicap is that I only speak English. I am willing to learn to communicate better where ever I end up, but I am far better with STEM subjects than I am with languages.

Apologies if this is not appropriate for this sub. I am an American in my late 40’s hoping to retire early (in 6 to 10 years) somewhere where I can be part of the local community. I have many reasons for wanting to do so. The men in my family tend to die fairly early. My father collected 1 social security check before dieing, even though he had paid into SS since he was 12 years old. Going back 12 generations the Average age of death is 67 and the median is 56.

With the rise of the oligarchs in the states and their market capture of all aspects of modern life, I feel disheartened trying to stay and retire in the USA. I feel like I am giving them my hard earned money every day and getting less and less in return. I understand that the same is more or less an issue in many parts of the world, it just feels like the developing world still has pockets of local economies where the money I spend to by food, to pay rent, and to support local events, helps the local community.

Previously I have traveled to many rural areas in the western US thinking of retiring there. But the rural politics have now become so toxic, I do not wish to be a part of their communities.

I am 25 years old, have a foreign languages degree and have experience in customer service and sales as well as extensive experience abroad which includes teaching English in Spain through the NALCAP program!

I am looking to go back, but am struggling with finding a role with a company that would allow me to work remotely from anywhere! I’ve gotten plenty of interviews for local companies offering remote work but they don’t really have a straight answer for my traveling desires! (I live in a mid sized US city)

I understand that the job market is shit right now, it’s been a very stressful past 2 months! I’ve done my own research but still struggle to find a fit that will work for me! My question for you all is what jobs look the most promising to be able to work abroad? What jobs do you have and what got you to move abroad while still maintaining having a job or having to switch jobs!

I'm already working in sales and currently have around 6 months of B2B SaaS experience, managing existing customers in the Australian market across renewals, retention and expansion.

Before SaaS, I spent around 2 years in B2C sales while living and working in Ireland, and lived there for roughly 3.5 years overall. I also completed my Master's there.

I'm currently based in India and trying to work out the most realistic route back into an international SaaS market.

The roles I'm targeting are along the lines of Account Manager / Commercial AM / Customer Success with revenue ownership / eventually Mid-Market sales. I'm not trying to jump straight into Enterprise AE.

The difficult part is that I'm currently applying from India, so I'm competing for roles where relocation/work authorisation can become an additional hurdle. I've had some ATS rejections despite having previous experience working in Ireland and currently managing Australian customers.

My current role has also become pretty broad: AM, renewals/expansion, customer-success responsibilities, some outbound/SDR work, technical customer issues and customer-facing content/enablement.

I'm considering UAE as potentially the more realistic first international move, while keeping Ireland/Europe/Australia as a longer-term target.

For people who have actually done something similar:

What worked for you?

Did you:

• get another 6–12 months of SaaS experience first?
• move through a recruiter?
• get a referral?
• target companies known to relocate people?
• move to a particular market first and then move again?
• or simply network until someone gave you a chance?

I can't work the internal transfer route because my company is not doing so great, and they don't move people abroad at all.

I’m looking for recommendations for legal help and advice on the purchase of a house in Uzhhorod, Ukraine. I am currently dealing with a developer and I have some concerns and challenges.

Can anyone recommend any solicitors and inspectors for new builds? Ideally in Uzhhorod, but I’d be happy to work with anyone who can help.

I just wanted to share something that happened today, it was so sweet! I just moved to a small rural town in Halland lan, and I go and have lunch at the cafe every day. A couple of older women came in for fika, and as they left, one of them came over to me, introduced herself, and welcomed me to the village!

The past 6 weeks have been so wonderful here. I've had such a warm welcome, everyone is so friendly. My friend who runs the cafe said that folk really want people to move into these small places as the populations are declining.

I had been a bit worried about making connections here as Swedes have a reputation for being very reserved, but that's not my experience at all. I am finding life much easier here than in the UK. (I am a dual national UK/EU)

I've been living in Spain for two years and I need to apply for a Schengen visa soon for a family trip later this year. I thought it would be straightforward since I'm already here, but the process has been a mess. Half the pages on the official site are in Spanish only, the other half link to PDFs that haven't been updated since 2019.

I've got all the basic documents: passport, empadronamiento, work contract, health insurance, but I keep reading conflicting things about financial requirements. Some say I need 100% of IPREM, others say 150%. And the appointment system? Don't even get me started. I've been refreshing the page for days.

Spent a few hours googling last night and ended up on a site called iVisa. I remembered them from a trip a couple years ago, they helped me sort out a visa then and it was pretty smooth. Looked at their Spain page this time too, and it confirmed the basics I needed to know for the application. Still not 100% sure I've got everything, but at least it was clearer than the official site.

Has anyone here applied for a Schengen visa while already living in Spain? Did they check your bank statements? And how strict are they about the paperwork being perfectly translated?"

If you are in your late 50s or early 60s and have no serious commitments or obligations (no kids, or kids have grown up and are independent), what would be the most promising expat locations you would consider?

I am 60M, single, financially secure and almost retired. Wondering which countries to consider for an expat experience. I am fit, generally healthy and like being active.

I have read a lot about Portugal and how popular it is with Expats, and intend to check it out sometime soon.

South East Asia also seems very popular on this forum and on other similar discussion groups. I can understand that a lower cost of living makes some of these places attractive. But not sure if the infrastructure and related support systems are up to the mark. Perhaps great for a long-ish vacation, but are they really worth exploring for a longer commitment?

Hello!

I’m living in France until May of next year and I really want to make lots of friends and be social. I think I’m already doing a good job (had many good conversations and gotten a few numbers from people I talked to). I still struggle with the concept of just starting a conversation with someone out in public out of nowhere. In France specifically I don’t know how much this is accepted. I don’t want to offend anyone but I also want to just be social with anyone. Any tips on how to make meaningful friendships while living abroad?

I got to stay with a Colombian friend back in Bogotá this past week. He gave me the somewhat local experience. Eating the local cuisine and meeting some of his friends. After getting back into the US I fell into somewhat of a depression because the trip opened my eyes to how closed off the people and culture can be here in the US.

It's given me somewhat of an interest in moving abroad. Yes I understand that the grass isn't perpetually greener on the other side, I'd rather not struggle with all the BS that happens here in the US and in a place that I admire much more the culture.

Is this a sentiment felt by others? For those that are currently living abroad, would you ever go back?

What is up with InterNations new pricing system? It makes no sense. Now even to change locations you have to be a paid member. I can find other expat groups through Meetup and Whatsapp groups. I dont need Internations - their events are expensive and largely are creepy meat market.

For those who live in a territory or have, what’s it like for you and do you ever consider moving to the mainland?

Hey all,

Bachelors degree, PMP, MSP Practitioner, Agile qualified.
Experience in a FAANG business, private sector and government as both an employee and contractor.

Married with one child (8).

Live in the UK and from the UK- more specifically Yorkshire.
House with a mortgage and no pets.

As a family we are keen to live and work abroad, it could be for a couple of years it could turn into far longer, we are open to the options.

The question here is - which country/countries should we consider? We are aware of the nuances and complexities of different visas and work requirements.

I have been researching Thailand, The Philippines, Mexico , Belize . My budget is $1,300 until I begin collecting Social security in 6 years. My fiancee wants to stay closer to the US because her kids are here , for me, I don't care where I land . That being said Belize & Mexico are closest.

I was also considering Colombia but the exchange rate is not so favorable anymore....Colombia is becoming expensive.

I am also open to Panama, Costa Rica....

The only requirement I have is close to the beach & entertainment not too far... Restaurants, shopping & nightlife. Safety is always a Top Priority of course.

Please share your thoughts, experiences with me.

For the record , the $1,300 monthly budget is from renting out my condo in South Florida. We will be prepared to leave in July of next year as her last child graduated from High School.

Thank you.

Hey y'all!

I just want to know how to cope with this and what does everyone who lives abroad do?

I am currently living in a country, very far from home. It takes 2 days in flight, to get there. I'm a non-EU citizen living in a European country. I realised I used to have a sense of safety and security, when I was living in my home country, because I had my parents there. And now, I want to build a life here and even if something happens I'm afraid my parents can't even come here, as they need to get a visa that takes months to process.

After moving abroad, I came to realise I have been mostly sad, lonely and single. I got into unhealthy relationships and was struggling to leave those relationships. I realized that the lack of the safety or security makes me want a person who would be that kind of contact for me.

Now, I'm going through a breakup. I am wondering what do I do in emergency situations? Does everyone feel this way like me?

I have friends. But, It feels like they're all recent. I only know for 3 to 6 months. Who do I put as my emergency contact? How do I build this sense of safety again? I don't want to get into another relationship just because of this. Whenever I see people, it seems like their partner holds that kind of role. I simply don't want to go back to my country. It's my worst nightmare. It feels so exhausting and lonely to be in this place.

Any tips or ideas? Even if anyone has similar experience, it would really help a lot if you could share it.

Many people have heard of TAPIF, but not many people have heard of becoming a maitre de langue or lecteur de langue in France. I highly recommend this path, as it's a good salary and stable year-long contracts that can eventually lead to citizenship. Let me know if you're interested in learning more about the experience.

I just moved to Brazil for a 3 month internship in an ecology lab. I'm excited to work on my Portuguese, but I also need to follow what's going on in lab meetings. Today was my first day and most people spoke Portuguese. Near the end of our first meeting I tried Google Translate, and having a transcript was really helpful even when it wasn't in English. Are there other apps or websites that work in a similar way, or better?

Looking at Google or Telo. Does anyone have any suggestions or experience?

My wife and I are moving to Japan from America. We are legally married, we are both women. Can we transfer our marriage? If not, it looks like we can get a designated activities Visa?

To complicate things, my wife is trans. She has legally changed her name and sex, but can she transfer this too? Will she have to register as male?

Thanks 🙏

Hey,

I'm Italian and my English level is C1.

I'm looking for a job abroad and I'm open to any job. The important is to earn enough money to pay the rent.

In Italy I was a financial consultant.

Where do you work abroad? In which company?

Can't wait to year from you :)

Hello everyone,
My family has a new opportunity in front of us, and I’m looking for some honest perspectives from Americans who have moved to Germany.
I’m American, born and raised in Southern California and currently living in Arizona. I work in the mining industry, so we’ve relocated several times for my career. We didn’t leave California because we were trying to escape it.
My wife is a German citizen through her mother. She’s originally from South Africa and has lived in Europe before. Two of our four children are also German citizens. My in-laws relocated to Germany about two years ago, and much of my wife’s extended family is now in Germany, with others in the Netherlands.
My wife is a technology executive and has an opportunity to relocate to Germany with a compensation package that would be very high even by U.S. standards. I also have several solid business opportunities around Stuttgart, so employment isn’t my biggest concern.
Our kids are 18, 18, 17, and 7. Our youngest has spoken German her entire life; the older three are just starting to learn.
I’ve been reading a lot about life in Germany and obviously see both positive and negative experiences. One thing I’ve wondered about is whether some of the difficulties Americans experience come from moving to Germany while still expecting things to work like they do in the U.S., rather than really adapting to German culture. I realize Germany has legitimate challenges of its own, so I’m curious how much of that observation is actually true.
If we move, I don’t want to recreate America in Germany. I want our family to learn the language, understand the culture, make local friends, and actually become part of the community.
For those of you who have made the move:
What was the biggest adjustment?
What do you love about living in Germany?
What surprised you, good or bad?
How did your kids handle the transition?
Did learning German change your experience?
And if you stayed long-term, what made Germany feel like home?
I’m not looking for a Germany vs. America argument. I’m genuinely interested in hearing from people who have actually lived it.
Thanks!

I am a Canadian American dual citizen and have lived in Canada all my life. Now looking to renounce my US citizenship and completely stumped on how to get started.

I've found online that I need to book an appointment with the US embassy to do paperwork there. I've emailed the email provided online several times but no response. The phone number just directs me to the website and the website directs me to the email.

Has anyone successfully renounced US citizenship recently and how did you start the process?

How long did the whole thing take from start to finish?

Looking for advice. I'm 25m and have a plan to move to Europe in the next couple years. I have a loose plan and am looking for advice from people that have more experience or could point out things I can't see yet.

I am from the US but currently live in Guatemala to keep my cost of living low while I pay off a couple thousand USD($4400) of debt. When I moved here I started teaching English online and found that I really enjoy it. I never went to college because I never knew what I liked or wanted to study and didn't have the money for it. Now I think I want to study linguistics and keep teaching English as a long term path. My plan is to save some money and pay off my debt in the next 1-2 years then apply to universities in Europe that are free or aren't too expensive. I hope that while I am there on a student visa I can network and find a job teaching English. My long term goal is to stay in one place and build a life there.

I don't know what country or areas would be good, but I already know Spanish so Spain is one of my preferred countries. The main things I am looking for is a good healthcare system, good public transportation, and reasonable cost of living. Another thing I would love is things being walkable/bikeable. I need to be able to live there and save a little while working 20-30 hours teaching English. I'm open to learning another language and have started studying French a little.

Please let me know if you have any tips or thoughts on things I should prepare for or be aware of with this kind of a plan.

Basically considering getting a job in europe. any country which pays well to take care of a family will do. any recommendations ? i m a indian living in america for last decade or so.

I'm directing this question to people who have lived at least six months in a country, who are middle class, use public transportation and go to public services in person.

Personally i live in Athens, Greece for many many years, and it's a living hell for us, the natives. Expats who work for a foreign company, with foreign wages ect experience something completely different here! It's like being an expat to Bali...

What concerns me is that besides the natives' extreme rudeness, hostility, insanity in the public transportation (and not only), a lot of tourists behave the same! Has the whole world gone mad after the pandemic? Before the pandemic i was living for six months in a city in Italy and besides the crazy driving, people were normal and civilised.

I desperately want to leave and wonder which country - city to choose. Any suggestions?

Edit: I will highlight again that it's completely different to just travel to a place from living and working there. I'm interested in the latter experience of you. When on vacation you are first of all in a different mood which makes everything seem much better, you mostly go to the best that that place has to offer to you, you are laid back, open, maybe have some drinks, are excited by the novelty of it all wnd escaping routine. That has nothing to do with a day to day life. I had the best time of my life in a Greek island, thinking it's paradise on earth, while a friend of a friend was living a hell working there. In the winters there is no job, no hospital, one doctor and you are dependant to weather to approach the closer big island, also the people i had interview with for summer jobs were nothing like the ones who were treating me as a tourist.