The magazine for expats

If you're going to live the big adventure in a foreign country, you might as well live it on all levels. Why settle for ordinary housing (which is admittedly very comfortable) when you can experience other places and forms of residence? Or maybe you're looking to save money? Here's a world tour of the new home sweet homes of expats.

There's a profession often overlooked in discussions about moving abroad: how do artists sustain themselves in a foreign country? Is it feasible to earn a living through art in pursuit of creative freedom? This aspect of artistic life is seldom addressed in visa regulations for artists, yet it holds significant importance, impacting how artists practice their craft overseas.

Before enjoying the happy life of an expatriate couple, there might be a few administrative issues to check out. Have both spouses drawn up a prenuptial agreement? Is there a risk that the matrimonial property regime will change with the international move? These questions are even more critical if you have your own assets. Here's an overview of matrimonial property regimes around the world.

Expatriation started as a necessity when I was looking to progress with my academic studies of a Master's degree in England. However, it was earlier in my life, when I began travelling for leisure, that I figured out moving countries is a lifestyle I would like to revel in. Since 2007, I have lived and worked in five countries in Europe, Africa, and East Asia, and I am currently preparing for my next expatriation project. I may find it easier to board a plane and start all over again than deciding what to have for dinner, but the journey is not anxiety and sorrow-free. So, if you are interested in how a life away from everything you take for granted is, please don't ask me (or any other like-minded expat for that matter) any of the following questions — here's why.

I have always been very thoughtful about the things I own, and how I organise them in my space — whether it's the tiny studio in South Korea, the shared-flat in Ghana, or the two-floor house in Mauritius. I love change, and I see moving to a different country as an opportunity to reset my reality and rediscover myself; living abroad helps me look at things with fresh eyes and get rid of preconceptions. Packing is a big part of the whole moving process, and when you have to limit your belongings down to two suitcases, you reconsider the value of possessions. Here's how I learned to put my life on the scale and hit the 23 kg target.