Expatriating For Dummies: What the Glossy Magazines and Websites Will Not Tell you.

We follow a great blog entitled Latitude Adjustment which is written by John and Susan Pazera. John and Susan are Expats residing in Columbia. They recently published a post that is seriously awesome. A similar idea has been in my mind for quite some time. Latitude Adjustment captured the idea in my head and beat us to the punch.  We have shamelessly used much of their post to create one of our own. Enjoy!

So, you have decided to try living outside your home country. 

Congratulations for “taking the road less traveled”. It can be a wise and courageous choice if you approach it with an open heart and mind. If you do, you will be rewarded with a lifetime of adventures and memories.

As we approach our first anniversary of expat life let us give you our two cents on how to prepare for your expat life, step by step.

As you do your research and start to narrow down your target country, you will read a lot of glowing reviews on the internet and in magazines extolling the benefits of different locations. Many of these sources paint a rosy picture that may seem too good to be true. A lower cost of living and a more simple way of life are big motivators for people from the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and South Africa. Indeed it is possible to realize the benefit to living somewhere other than ones birth country, but it takes research, work and perseverance.

Step 1: Do  your homework.

In other words, do not take the glossy magazines and websites at face value, especially the countless articles that list “the top ten best countries to affordably retire to” or take any similar approach. Quite often they are promoting these countries with an ulterior motive, and the truth may be somewhat different. Avoid any site or publications that are trying to sell property. Buying property should be the last thing on your agenda before you have had time with your boots on the ground in your target country. Try to connect with as many real-live expats as you can. Check out the online expat forums and blogs. The expat groups on Facebook can be good information sources. We spend a great deal of time on Expats In Panama Facebook page, and continue to cultivate valuable information from there regularly. The best advice we have here is to seek out legitimate information posted by people who actually live where you seek information. Our best information sources have always been, and continue to be, expat blogs written by people who know what it is like to live, day in and day out, in a given location. These blogs are often written by people like us, who benefit greatly from those who went before us and are eager to pay the favor forward by sharing information. Not only are these people very reliable, but you can expect to get an unvarnished view of their experience. Often these contacts can turn into real, live friendships and important resources once you have made the move.

When you talk to people, go beyond questions about the weather, livable neighborhoods, crime statistics, cost of healthcare, and other living expenses. Most of this information is easily accessed by way of a Google search. Instead ask what it is like to access the healthcare system. What are things you love most, and what things aren’t so great? Is the language difference really a barrier? Do you get homesick, and how do they remain connected to their family? What do they miss most about their birth country?

Here are a few links to get things started:

Cost of living comparisons

In-country expat aggregate sites

Expat.com

The World Health Organization’s rankings of healthcare systems by country

Quality comparison U.S. vs. other countries

Step 2: List the pros and cons of your target country and city.

No place is perfect. You have to weigh the options that best fit your circumstances. How is your health, and will you be able to receive affordable care and quality treatment in your new home? What is the process of obtaining a residence visa and how much should you expect to pay?  What about safety and political stability? Will your new country tax you on your income? If you are moving with pets, how complex and expensive is the process, and how pet friendly is your target location? Does the area you are considering have an expat community? Is an expat community important to you?

If you decide to move to a non-English speaking country, are you prepared to get at least a basic knowledge of the language? In our first year in Panama we have learned enough Spanish to survive. We can order food from a restaurant menu, ask for directions, and communicate other basic information. We both know that this “survival Spanish” is not enough to carry on any meaningful conversations. We continue to practice our Spanish skills every chance we get. We have found that the people are incredibly kind and forgiving  when we are butchering their language, and they seem to really appreciate the effort. Culturally, we see two options: jump in, feet first, and immerse yourself in your new country and its people, or take baby steps and move somewhere with a large expat community to make an easier transition. We call this the “training wheels” approach, and it’s essentially what we did when we moved to Coronado, Panama. In a place like Coronado, it is possible to live for many years without learning a word of Spanish. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, and it’s the “comfort zone” many people seek.

Step 3: Adjust your attitude before your move. Expatriating is not for everyone.

If you are a positive, “glass half full” person in your home country, then you have the stuff for the expat life. Trust us, you will need all the positivity you can muster!
What is your comfort zone and how much inconvenience can you tolerate? If you need things like on-demand hot water, having family close by, the convenience of shopping for anything you want, fast reliable customer service, and mail service, you might be better off staying put. You might also have to deal with infrastructure issues like power outages, undrinkable tap water, sporadic internet service, and poor cell phone coverage, just to name a few. Of course, these factors can vary dramatically from country to country, and from province to province or city to city.

Another very important factor for couples is that you and your spouse or partner need to be on the same page. If one of you are wavering, you need to address that before you make any move. Expatriating has to be a team effort. And if you’re thinking of moving as an escape – from your country’s political situation or otherwise – chances are you won’t be happy somewhere else.

Most of all, don’t go with the expectation that your new home should be more like your old one. Expecting things to happen just as fast, or be just as easy, as they are in your native country will quickly result in frustration, and – in our opinion – misses the whole point of expatriating. Sure, we have plenty of moments when we’re scratching our heads and saying things like “We could have gotten this done five times faster and easier back in the States.” Depending on where you go, expect lots of inefficiencies, government bureaucracies, and moments of sheer disbelief bordering on the comical. But we’ve learned that these moments are part of the experience. If you go with the flow and enter each situation with an open mind, you will get the job done!

Step 4: Get your boots on the ground.

As surprising as it seems, we have met people who actually picked up and moved to their new country after just one vacation visit, or even without ever having visited. We would lay odds that most of these people have already moved back home or will be doing so soon. One little visit, hitting just the tourist sites, is not enough to experience day-to-day life in the new location with all of its pleasures and challenges.
At a minimum, we recommend two or three visits to your target city, and try to spend at least two weeks at a time. Try to go at different times of the year, so you will know if you can tolerate the area’s weather extremes. Rent a small apartment rather than staying in a hotel. Buy groceries and cook in. Try to simulate, as much as possible, to feel what actually living there is like. Does the neighborhood have a safe reputation, and is it quiet? Are the locals friendly and helpful? How walkable is it, and how convenient are restaurants, shopping, transportation, healthcare facilities, and entertainment?
If you have already connected with expat bloggers in your prospective city, plan on meeting up with them. Buy them lunch and get their perspective and recommendations. They will be your best and most current information source for immigration and visa requirements, housing, transportation, health care, and other matters. Remember that information is constantly changing and what you read on the internet is often outdated.

A smartphone is your best friend. Get yourself a local sim card and make sure you’ve loaded, at the minimum, WhatsApp and some sort of navigation app, such as Google Maps or Waze. WhatsApp is especially critical in Latin America, since everyone uses it. In fact, people here are much more likely to respond to a WhatsApp message than an email or voicemail. Other highly useful apps are Google Translate and other language apps, Units Plus (a nifty metric-to-imperial tool for every type of unit, as well as a currency converter).

Step 5: Figure out money matters.

The financial aspects of expatriating should be a central element in your research. You’ll get a feel for the cost of living in your new country after your exploratory trip(s). Remember: relocating to another country involves costs: transportation, shipping, visas, furnishing a new home, the true costs of healthcare, deposits and other fees for renting, the costs of trips back home to see family, etc. If a lower cost of living is your primary motivator for moving, weigh these expenses – you might be better off staying put. And before we go any further, we urge you to live in your new home for at least six to twelve months before you even consider buying property. How will you access your money and how will you pay for things? we suggest that you get a credit or debit card that has no foreign transaction fees and reimburses you for all ATM fees. We use a Citibank card for most purchases and pay it directly from our U.S. checking account by fund transfer. This offers a less expensive means of paying for things than bank wire transfers. If you are collecting a pension or Social Security in the U.S., we do not recommend having your either deposited into a foreign bank account. It is a process to get it set up, and you may be charged fees.

Here’s one they don’t tell you about in the retirement publications! Most financial advisors will not represent you overseas. We maintain an address in the States (one of our children) to avoid situations such as this. To make a long story short, the company that has managed our retirement funds for years would dismiss our business without an address in the U.S. Make sure your investment company will stay with you if you move to another country.

Step 5: Time to make your decision.

OK. You’ve made your first fact-finding trip and you’ve been back a couple of times to try out different neighborhoods. You’ve gotten most of your questions answered and you’ve found the city/town/village that feels like “home.” It’s time to make a decision. Now your most important work is ahead of you. Find out exactly what is required for legal residency – fees, timeframes, and necessary paperwork. What is required to open a bank account, secure housing, obtain healthcare coverage. How do you get a driver’s license, sign up for utilities in your name, and get a mobile phone contract?
Which leads us to . . .

Step 6: Get an advocate.

Getting things done in another country with a completely different culture is challenging enough, but if you’ve got a language barrier, the challenges are multiplied. Even before you move, try to connect with a facilitator or advocate, someone local who also speaks your language and can help you navigate the business/legal aspects of getting settled in your new home. They are available, and are not hard to find if you ask the right questions. One of ours is a tour guide who helps with all sorts of other tasks. He helped us to purchase our car, even before we had our “boots on the ground”.  The other is our realtor, who has become more than a lifesaver…she has become a lifelong friend.

Final suggestions.

Expatriating is not for the stuff-addicted. The leaner you go the happier you will be. We know new expats that have moved with a 40 foot container, shipped cars, boats, and motorcycles, only to realize later that the expat life was not for them. Do not bring stuff, especially big, expensive stuff, unless you are prepared to sell it at a huge loss or ship it back if you change your mind. Remember also, that there may be customs duties to consider.

Here is another random thing you might not consider. Is your passport up to snuff? Many countries will not allow entry if a passport is within six months of expiring. If you are from the U.S., you might not be aware that they no longer issue extra pages for an unexpired passport that’s run out of stamping room. If you travel extensively and your passports don’t expire for a while you could run out of pages. Do not renew your passport while you are in the process of obtaining residency. A new passport number will render the residency documents worthless. If you are short on pages or within 6 months of expiring, renew it before beginning your expatriating adventure.

Other important paperwork, wherever you go, is your original drivers license, birth certificate, Social Security, proof of retirement letter or other proof of pension funds, marriage certificate, bank statements, and a copy of your last tax filing. Bring several copies of each. As you apply for residency in your new country, be prepared to present certified, notarized, and/or apostilled copies of these documents. Bring your medical records, and get a summary of your medical history translated into the language of your new country .

Have an exit strategy.

It is something you might not want to think about, after doing all your homework and making a decision as monumental as picking a new country and city to call home. But what if things go south in your new location – politically, economically, militarily? We are not trying to be downers, but todays world is a complicated place. Take Nicaragua, for instance. There are expats who built lives and homes there, and recently had to leave when the country was plunged into a civil and political crisis last year. Are you willing to pick up and leave everything behind? How much of your expatriating investment are you willing to walk away from? (It’s another argument for moving with as little stuff as possible, and for not buying property right away.) You must have a plan and funds for making a quick exit if need be?

Footnote: So why did we decide to expat?

We both were fortunate to retire early. We had one government pension between us and a healthy (not huge) savings. When we did the research we found that we could live for less per month overseas, and hopefully never have to spend the savings. We were anxious to move to a better climate, but did not want to be far from children and grandchildren, so we moved to Panama. In addition to it’s perfect proximity to the States, Panama is also an ideal location to explore from. We are meeting new people, beginning our plans for exploring, experiencing different cultures, learning new histories, beholding other worldly natural beauty, and enjoying a wonderful sense of freedom. These are just a few of the rewards of expatriating that we have and will experience. We wish the same for you!

Blessings,

Greg and Jen