If someone wants to become an expat ...

John C. wrote:

... what is the best piece of advice you would give to him / her?

Hello Sir,

Becoming expat is leaving own country so first of all he/she has to be strong ....from home sickness,be ready to face un-appropriate problems...better try to learn language of that particular country...and before going to that country try to collect some information which will make ease his/her life over there...

Regards,
Anil

Just move out of your country and - voila - you're an expat!

In case you also need advice on how to make expat life enjoyable:
Tolerance, patience, an open mind, a non-judgemental attitude towards the locals, curiosity about their culture/way of life and a willingness to integrate all help a great deal. So does, of course, having a job and/or family there.

I believe that becoming an expat follows the supply/demand curve especially for the job hunting expats.
The simplest example which comes to mind is IT.  In some countries the IT market has become super saturated, while in developing countries the IT market has yet to progress by filling the vacancies.
A transfer of intelligence takes place from one meridian to another …

Retired expats follow also supply/demand rules. Why live in an expensive country when they can live on (small) pension in a cheap(er) country?
Their money (supply) which does not go a long way anymore and is target to all sorts of devaluations in the home country becomes high demand in lower wages countries.

One advice I'd give to persons contemplating to become expats is:

a). FIND THE TREND.
b). DON'T FIGHT IT.
c). FOLLOW IT EARLY, AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.

John C wrote: "Retired expats follow also supply/demand rules. Why live in an expensive country when they can live on (small) pension in a cheap(er) country? Their money (supply) which does not go a long way anymore and is target to all sorts of devaluations in the home country becomes high demand in lower wages countries."

Hi John. I blogged about this in September 2012, in two posts called "Looking for bolt-holes". Below is a brief excerpt of the second one. At the time it was a hot topic on the "International Man" web-forum. My wife and I are both retired, so my attitude towards bolt-holes is not predicated on finding a job. But it is predicated on our retirement funds seeing us out, with a bit to spare. That rules out high-cost Norway, where our son and his young children live. We will stay in Cayman as long as we can afford it, then double our savings (in effect!) by moving to Central America somewhere.

For youngsters, I don't think it matters much WHERE they go. Expats will always be more flexible than stay-at-homes, and will always survive. My son learnt Spanish while washing car-engines in Mexico City. He began his Norwegian life flipping pizzas at a late-night joint near a ferry terminus while learning the language - another unpromising start. This year, he rebuilt a rundown forest-cabin with the help of a couple of Latvian expats who have yet to learn the language. Good things happen to expats. Like you, I encourage everybody thinking of becoming one to just do it.

That excerpt: "There are some places in Latin America that seem attractive to us. The nations there are famous for the ease with which they revert to Police States at the drop of a hat. However, the US-government-sponsored death-squads in the latter half of the 20th Century didn’t regard resident expatriates as threats to national security, and actually killed very few peaceful foreign residents – if any. We might be safer there than in any of the NATO nations or their dependent territories."

Gordon Barlow wrote:

John C wrote: "Retired expats follow also supply/demand rules. Why live in an expensive country when they can live on (small) pension in a cheap(er) country? Their money (supply) which does not go a long way anymore and is target to all sorts of devaluations in the home country becomes high demand in lower wages countries."

Hi John. I blogged about this in September 2012, in two posts called "Looking for bolt-holes". Below is a brief excerpt of the second one. At the time it was a hot topic on the "International Man" web-forum. My wife and I are both retired, so my attitude towards bolt-holes is not predicated on finding a job. But it is predicated on our retirement funds seeing us out, with a bit to spare. That rules out high-cost Norway, where our son and his young children live. We will stay in Cayman as long as we can afford it, then double our savings (in effect!) by moving to Central America somewhere.

For youngsters, I don't think it matters much WHERE they go. Expats will always be more flexible than stay-at-homes, and will always survive. My son learnt Spanish while washing car-engines in Mexico City. He began his Norwegian life flipping pizzas at a late-night joint near a ferry terminus while learning the language - another unpromising start. This year, he rebuilt a rundown forest-cabin with the help of a couple of Latvian expats who have yet to learn the language. Good things happen to expats. Like you, I encourage everybody thinking of becoming one to just do it.

That excerpt: "There are some places in Latin America that seem attractive to us. The nations there are famous for the ease with which they revert to Police States at the drop of a hat. However, the US-government-sponsored death-squads in the latter half of the 20th Century didn’t regard resident expatriates as threats to national security, and actually killed very few peaceful foreign residents – if any. We might be safer there than in any of the NATO nations or their dependent territories."

Hello Gordon, 
Somehow I did not see your reply to this thread until now.

1). The best way to earn a living anywhere (including youngsters, retires, or adults - expats or not) is to trade securities online.
No other worldly profession restores dignity like cyber-trading does.
In my case, it saved my life ... 
Doctors saving lives, Popes and Nobel laureates are jokers compared to cyber-traders for reasons I can easily explain to anybody who cares to ask.

2). You should re-settle to St. Lucia which is a very picturesque, mountainous island and has endless tropical fruits and tasty vegetables I never knew until I came here. A cottage up the hill kissed by the breeze is all it takes to live in paradise ... (oh, my, and Internet).
Please do not wait until you run out of money to get out Caymans! ...    because St. Lucia needs quality employees, quality employers and quality investors, not to mention quality retirees.
On top of that, St. Lucia is one of the freest country in the world.  People in more than half of the world's nations would love to live in as free a country as this little island.

3). There is no danger for small island nations (St. Lucia included) to adopt Police State lifestyle and, as you see, Cuba is reforming, while the socialist coup of 1983 in Grenada is something nobody talks about anymore.

Get real and support freedom in St. Lucia!
By the way, St. Lucia won Caribbean's #1 freedom of the press award some 4 years ago, and in the world was #13 ahead of ... USA. 

Be reasonable. 
I know you wish you immigrated yesterday, but before you take the leap of faith stop and think for a moment: does the country of your destination need you? 
It's not only about YOU relocating, but also if your new country will be better off with you.

In the months preceding my adventure to the Caribbean island of St. Lucia in 1991, I thought and planned how to improve their natural disaster alarm system.
I was never worried about my income or where I shall live.

I wonder: how many forummers asking questions here actually proceeded to move to a new country? 

This is very true, in that you have to live it in order to survive!!  Hang on there and soon you will thrive!

Charles Wolf wrote:

This is very true, in that you have to live it in order to survive!!  Hang on there and soon you will thrive!

Hello Charles,
Did you read the entire thread or just the post before yours?
I welcome opinions.

Also, what advice would you give to someone who wants to become an expat?

First and foremost do your homework.  Know what you are getting into. In most cases try to spend some time in your chosen country and not as a tourist. There can be a huge difference between being a tourist in an other country and "living' in that country.

Second remember it "ain't home" and you need to adapt.  I see so many people here complaining that they "can't get this" or "this is not like home" and so on.  Make your new place your home and adopt the local customs and styles.  If not you won't be happy. 

Third you are not going to change things. Yes you can bet involved and should get involved in your community to help make things better but basic customs, feelings, way of doing things are not really going to change.  Maybe you can help make it better but don't try to change things.

Last RELAX some and enjoy your new home.

Bob K

Bob K wrote:

.... Last RELAX some and enjoy your new home.

Bob K

Islands are best for relaxation. 

Yes for sure.  There is something to be said for "island time"

Bob K

First thing is to research the country you are heading to.
Get a language book and learn some basic phrases.
Remember things there will be completely different from home.
Go with an open mind and a positive line of thought.
When there learn to adapt.
Remember you are a guest in that country so act accordingly.

John C. wrote:

Hello Gordon, 
You should re-settle to St. Lucia which is a very picturesque, mountainous island and has endless tropical fruits and tasty vegetables I never knew until I came here. A cottage up the hill kissed by the breeze is all it takes to live in paradise ... (oh, my, and Internet).
Please do not wait until you run out of money to get out Caymans!  because St. Lucia needs quality employees, quality employers and quality investors, not to mention quality retirees.
On top of that, St. Lucia is one of the freest country in the world.  People in more than half of the world's nations would love to live in as free a country as this little island.

John, it's taken me almost a month to get back to you on this. Sorry! Yes, St Lucia sounds a great place to retire and live quietly. It's on my list, but I have other places that are equally attractive (leaving local loyalties out of consideration!). There are some super places in Mexico that we like - and of course Norway is also a possibility because our son and his children live there, and if he builds us a forest cabin we can live cheaply there. And if we sell our Cayman assets we'll have money in the bank.

Having said that - I wish you well in St Lucia, and am very pleased for you that you've found your piece of paradise.

stumpy wrote:

First thing is to research the country you are heading to.
Get a language book and learn some basic phrases.
Remember things there will be completely different from home.
Go with an open mind and a positive line of thought.
When there learn to adapt.
Remember you are a guest in that country so act accordingly.

Very concised yet so helpful. Thank you.

just be happy you will get a really exiting advanture

Another piece of advice would be: do not do the mistakes you did at home in a new country.
Do not repeat your mistakes hoping they will pay off big time on a new meridian.  They won't and you will have wasted your time getting further and further away from the road to a really new, exciting and successful life.