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INTRODUCTION
This book is different from other books about living and working abroad. The others tend to look at one country or the broader mechanics of emigration. This book is for people who feel, for whatever reason, that a move to a different country is what they need. But is it really?
The first part of the book is a quiz which encourages you to look carefully at whether you are really suited to life overseas. Not everybody is, and thereâs nothing to be ashamed of if you are happy and fulfilled where you are. Indeed, given that the mass movement of people is held responsible for global warming, not moving can be seen as a virtue. Equally, if youâre unhappy in Britain you can be miserable overseas. The grass isnât always greener or (perhaps more desirably for Brits) more parched by the sun.
Once youâve completed the quiz and decided you are ready for the life of an expat, you need to think which country would best suit both your desires and abilities. To begin with you need to establish priorities. Itâs unlikely, for instance, that youâll find a country which offers you both increased pay and a more relaxed lifestyle. (Let me know if you do.)
Having decided what is most important to you, you can start to ask questions about potential destination countries. To help with your analysis thereâs a checklist of some of the key points you need to think about. Most are covered in the second section of the book which looks at the individual countries which are most popular with British expats. The aim of the checklist is for you to eliminate all but two or three potential countries in which to make your new home. The final part of the book looks at the issues that people generally face when moving abroad such as taxation, savings and property.
When going through the expat decision-making process, donât forget to involve the other people around you who are going be affected by a move overseas. Somebody who is going to a new job or to set up a business has their life mapped out for them, to a large extent. Partners, children and other relatives donât have that clear focus. Theyâve got to create a new life from scratch, sometimes without obvious personal benefits for them. Even if theyâre getting to lie by a swimming pool every day in the sunshine, the pleasure may be outweighed by the pain of missing friends from home.
Also, forget looking for the perfect country. Nowhere is free from quirks, foibles and petty bureaucrats whose existence seems designed mainly to make your life difficult. Youâll find them all in the land of your birth, but youâve probably grown so accustomed to them that you havenât even noticed they are there. A new country will have its own cultural oddities and customs, multiplied because you are now an immigrant and outsider.
Yes, itâs not always easy living and working abroad, but it can be incredibly rewarding socially, financially and for your career.
DO YOU REALLY WANT TO MOVE ABROAD?
For many of us in Britain, the actual mechanics of moving abroad are not that difficult, particularly if you stay within the European Union. You sell your house, pay off the mortgage, stick the surplus in the bank and head off. Thatâs really all there is to it, at least to begin with. Most of the problems come later.
The same goes for people who take up the offer of a job overseas or accept a foreign posting from their present employer. Thereâs a great deal you should think about before you make a move, rather than repenting in a strange country when your bridges back to Britain are already burnt.
At the end of the quiz you wonât receive a score showing whether you are ideally suited to the life of an expat or not. Sorry, but everybodyâs personality, skills and motivation is too varied to make that exercise meaningful. The idea is simply to make you think before you leap. Some of the questions will be totally relevant to you, others less so or not at all. As always, do try and involve the other people in your life whoâll be affected by the change.
1 How do you generally feel at the end of a two-week holiday?
a Glad to be back in my own bed.
b Sorry itâs over, but I made the most of it.
c I didnât ever want it to end.
d Iâm looking forward to the next one.
What your answer could mean
a Obviously youâre not going to be that keen on abandoning your present home comforts to move abroad.
b If you want to move abroad, this is probably the right attitude. You would be introducing a large element of uncertainty into your life, which isnât always fun.
c For most expats, life isnât one long holiday, unfortunately. In fact, living abroad can be very hard work with long hours and low pay. Often youâre working when everybody else is on holiday.
d Depending on where you move to, life abroad can mean no holidays. When you do get away from your new home, you may find itâs just to go and visit friends and relatives in the UK.
2 How concerned are you about job security?
a Who cares? Iâve got enough in the bank that Iâll never have to work again.
b As long as Iâve got enough to pay for my round it doesnât really matter.
c I want to be sure I can afford this monthâs rent or mortgage.
d I want to be sure I can afford this yearâs mortgage.
What your answer could mean:
a Lucky you. There are a few people in this position, but there are risks as well. Countries which were once cheap now match or surpass the UK with their cost of living. Equally, it can get pretty boring doing nothing, even in paradise.
b It must be nice to be so happy-go-lucky. But remember you may be a long way from home without the safety nets of family, friends or social security.
c Striking a happy medium is difficult. In many countries employment is quite seasonal and thereâll be times when itâs not so easy to find work. Things can always go wrong so make sure you have some sort of rainy-day money in case it all does go pear shaped.
d If you want too much security youâll never leave home. Having a contingency fund that covers your basic living costs for a few months is one thing, guaranteed income is another.
3 How is your health?
a At my last check-up I was told it was very good for my age.
b At my age I canât grumble.
c Spot on. Iâm never ill.
d Iâm sure a change of climate would do it good.
What your answer could mean
a Probably the best answer. Youâre getting your health checked before you set off on a great adventure.
b Are you sure youâre up to it?
c Everybodyâs ill at some point. Itâs just a matter of time, so get yourself checked over before you move somewhere where you might have to deal with a health service in a foreign language.
d Unless youâve got a great deal of money, moving abroad for the sake of your health is a very big risk.
4 How do you feel about your present job?
a Iâm good at it and I enjoy the respect it brings.
b Itâs crap, the same as every other job Iâve ever had. I canât wait to move on.
c Iâve got lots of friends at work, but Iâve probably gone as far as I can.
d Job? What job?
What your answer could mean
a If youâre moving or being posted overseas as a career step, this is probably the right attitude. If youâre heading overseas to find work, you may find that as a foreigner all the respect you used to enjoy will disappear.
b Working in a ...
